Bug during modding

[Fingers]

You're missing the point of (1). I know of very few games that allow their "gameplay mechanics" to be changed in mods, and even fewer mods that significantly change them even if they could. Half-Life Rally is the last one I can remember. For example, by your definition Doom wasn't a moddable game which is obviously false.

As for (2), it's up to the modder to test their mod and make sure it doesn't crash. I help the modders by answering their questions, such as by telling you the maximum cargo hold size is 20; and by updating the modmakers' guide if I ever have time. I am also working on better error reporting, but while residing on the prime material plane with its linear time continuum it's just not possible to catch every way a modder can crash the game.

[Zogu]

Agreed!

I have no problem with magic numbers; I've modded A LOT in Doom a few years ago (I've created a dozen nice multiplayer WADs), and there were a lot of people complaining about the fact you could define only 3 keys / locked door "colors" per level. So what? I've never found this fact limiting -- modding is about making the best of what you have, within the predefined boundaries.

And magic numbers are everywhere. Without magic numbers, people would ALWAYS try to reach the physical limit and make stupid mods/levels. For instance, in Doom, there were no limitation on the level's vertical size... except that if you reached the INT limit, the game crashed. So guess what, a lot of people created maps in which were exactly 32767 units in height. Despite the fact that it broke texture mapping and slowed the game down considerably. Why so? Because it was the limit.

Since people will always always push to the limit just for fun ("oh I'll make a ship with a gazillion weapons slot, this is SO cool"), we'd better push the limit down to decent values. 20 looks good.

[Puke]

Fingers said:it's just not possible to catch every way a modder can crash the game.

and how! man, i cant even keep track of all the ways that i personally crash the games i try to make screwed up mods for. i wouldnt want to try to fathom all the screwed up things an entire international user base attempts to do!