Starmade Linked with Razer's Software

[JumpSuit]

I am thinking Shine could go and ask Razer to intergrate their game into their software. An example of this is Razer Arena: Razer Arena Dev Portal - Razer Developer Portal . This will make StarMade more known (since two companies are working with one another), share communities. And Razer's Arena, Cortex, and Comms are good software alternatives to the more well known counter-parts. I believe it will benefit both communities and companies in the long run. And give an alternative way of doing server wide events perhaps?

 

[Erth Paradine]

From the page you linked:

...Coming in Q1 2015...

and from the bottom of each webpage they have

...Copyright © 2015 Razer Inc. All rights reserved....

If they can't update their website in over a year and a half, how truly active is "Razer"? Why should effort be expended upon something that appears to be neglected/dying.

 

[therimmer96]

I assume you're talking about the RGB keyboard controlling. If so, it doesn't require any work on behalf of razer, it's just starmade making use of the Chronos SDK, same as Corsair and Alienware.

 

[JumpSuit]

I assume you're talking about the RGB keyboard controlling. If so, it doesn't require any work on behalf of razer, it's just starmade making use of the Chronos SDK, same as Corsair and Alienware.

Yes, but also the Arena, Comms, and Cortex Applications. Arena would be good for server wide events to be held more easily with it used, Cortex would be good for the usage of optimizing your rig for better performance, and lastly, Comms. It is a combination of Steam, Skype, and TS3 all in one. The websites themselves (@ Erth Paradine ) don't get updated, but the Software themselves do as I use them, the Apps do get their updates and are still being supported.

 

[jayman38]

Unfortunately, it looks like the Razer API is focused on C++ and C# object interfaces on the computer side, with a focus on the Unity SDK. The Java API is for Android. I just don't think this API will be easy to integrate into Starmade, which is written in Java. The devs would need something easy, not hard. I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask. Maybe the Java API is more flexible than it first appears.

 

[JumpSuit]

Unfortunately, it looks like the Razer API is focused on C++ and C# object interfaces on the computer side, with a focus on the Unity SDK. The Java API is for Android. I just don't think this API will be easy to integrate into Starmade, which is written in Java. The devs would need something easy, not hard. I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask. Maybe the Java API is more flexible than it first appears.

It shouldn't be to hard to make the game be compatible with the apps, check the other games listed in the Razer Arena Game List. Perhaps those are Java too?

 

[unelsson]

Fun idea! Not necessarily just Razor, but other common rgb keyboard brands as well. Though I'd rather see this as very end at the to-do list, as there are tons of features Starmade needs more urgently.

 

[JumpSuit]

Fun idea! Not necessarily just Razor, but other common rgb keyboard brands as well. Though I'd rather see this as very end at the to-do list, as there are tons of features Starmade needs more urgently.

True, very true. This can be at the end of the to-do list.

 

[Lord_Greyscale]

It shouldn't be to hard to make the game be compatible with the apps, check the other games listed in the Razer Arena Game List. Perhaps those are Java too?

Hmm, of the five games currently listed, all are C derivative games. Not a JAVA game among them.
(if there are actually more than LoL, TF2, CS:Go, DoTA, and WoT, then they can't currently be seen, as the site errors when I click "more" to see more games)

As to "it can't be that hard to integrate" Oh god yes it can. JAVA and C derivatives do not play well together.
Among the many problems, the most painfull, and hardest to work around are:
Using the same function call, for two wildly different functions. (this one may not be valid anymore, but I sort-of recall that it once was)
Lacking several of the functions as used in the other.
Having several functions the other doesn't.


Would it be nice to have?
Maybe. Leaning rather harshly towards Not.
It is, effectively, third-party organizing for PVP matchmaking. It seems to be used exclusively in games where the entire game is PVP arena combat. (and all 5 are team PVP at that.)

While Starmade can do, (and often winds up largely being) PVP combat, ... well, it isn't exclusively PVP arena combat.
There's all the other shit that goes into making the ships we blast each other with, afterall.
EX: Mining, refining, manufacturing, designing the ship, testing the ship, re-designing the ship, re-testing, etc, etc.
Oh, and inter-faction douchebaggery. Can't forget that critical aspect of the game.

 

[JumpSuit]

Hmm, of the five games currently listed, all are C derivative games. Not a JAVA game among them.
(if there are actually more than LoL, TF2, CS:Go, DoTA, and WoT, then they can't currently be seen, as the site errors when I click "more" to see more games)

As to "it can't be that hard to integrate" Oh god yes it can. JAVA and C derivatives do not play well together.
Among the many problems, the most painfull, and hardest to work around are:
Using the same function call, for two wildly different functions. (this one may not be valid anymore, but I sort-of recall that it once was)
Lacking several of the functions as used in the other.
Having several functions the other doesn't.


Would it be nice to have?
Maybe. Leaning rather harshly towards Not.
It is, effectively, third-party organizing for PVP matchmaking. It seems to be used exclusively in games where the entire game is PVP arena combat. (and all 5 are team PVP at that.)

While Starmade can do, (and often winds up largely being) PVP combat, ... well, it isn't exclusively PVP arena combat.
There's all the other shit that goes into making the ships we blast each other with, afterall.
EX: Mining, refining, manufacturing, designing the ship, testing the ship, re-designing the ship, re-testing, etc, etc.
Oh, and inter-faction douchebaggery. Can't forget that critical aspect of the game.

Well if the games listed are not Java, perhaps making arena recognize that StarMade is indeed a game in itself, it should see it as compatible then. Like Razer's GamerScannerService it uses to find games on your PC. Yes, Stamade isn't just a PvP aspected game, but I only mentioned Arena be used for server wide events that admins of servers' have more options as to how to make events work more fluently.

 

[Lord_Greyscale]

perhaps making arena recognize that StarMade is indeed a game in itself

That's what "integrating" the API does, it enables the Razer Arena service to both "see" the game and "accept" information on events within the game.

The API cannot be integrated, as the API is written in a C derived programming language, and Starmade is written in JAVA.

re-working the Razer arena to "see" Starmade would be rather like plugging a Super-Nintendo cartridge into a Sega Genesis and expecting it to do anything. (here's a hint! it won't work, and may even break your Genesis)


As to "making events work more 'fluently' " well, ...
First, I think you meant fluidly.
Second, exactly how aren't they fluid? Admin/mod posts on that server's forum/IRC/in-game about the event, and when it'll go down. anyone that wants to participate signs up, so the admin/mod has a good idea of how stressed the server is gonna get, and then the day arrives and the event goes down as planned. anywhere from that very day, to a week later, the results are determined and the winners informed/posted about.

How much more fluid does it really need to be? MOAR PEOPLE? the game can't currently handle more than about 20 to 30 actively fighting. (special circumstances, such as everyone agreeing to "no missiles/no ramming/small ships only" are ignored)
More control? a Starmade Admin has literally all the control he could ever need, he can kick and/or ban disruptive "players", delete ships/stations at will, even forcibly wipe entire troublesome sectors if need be.
Hell, those very same admins can even set it so NPC pirates can't interfere, by "protecting" the sectors the event will occur in. (the ones around them too)
The Razer Arena tool can't do any of that, even if it could read/write info from the game. (as those functions aren't relevant to organizing the players for the event.)