Sophie: xconq-7.5.0-1.20050612.5mdv2009.1 i586

xconq-7.5.0-1.20050612.5mdv2009.1.i586.rpm

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<TITLE>Hacking Xconq - Interface Architecture</TITLE>
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<H2><A NAME="SEC11" HREF="hacking_toc.html#SEC11">Interface Architecture</A></H2>

<P>
An interface is always compiled in, so it has complete access to the
game state.  However, if your version of <I>Xconq</I> has any networking
support, the interface should not modify kernel structures directly, but
should instead use the networking-enabled kernel modification routines.
The kernel routines will forward any state modifications to all other
programs participating in a game, so that everybody's state remains
consistent.

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<P>
A working interface must provide some level of capability in each of
these areas:

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<UL>

<LI>

Main program.
The interface includes the main application and any
system-specific infrastructure, such as event handling.

<LI>

Interpretation of startup options.
This includes choice of games, variants, and players.

<LI>

Display of game state.
This includes both textual and graphical displays,
both static and dynamic.

<LI>

Commands/gestures for unit tasks and actions,
and for general state modifications.

<LI>

Display update in response to state changes.

<LI>

Realtime progress.
Some game designs require the interface
to support realtime.

<LI>

Error handling.
</UL>

<P>
The file <TT>`skelconq.c'</TT> in the <TT>`kernel'</TT> directory is
a good example of a minimum working interface.

</P>
<P>
Don't let interfaces ever set kernel object values directly, always
go through calls that can be "siphoned" for networking.

</P>

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