Author Topic: why we use unsigned? (Read 136 times)

Dolfo

if we don't need negativ values, we often use unsigned types. This will "double" the range we can use.

But mainly all code, we merge sint with uint in logics.

At that moment we merge this, we destroy the advantage of uint double range.

We using unchecked type casts to sint, we producing overflows, we decreasing the allowed range with extended math.

For example nrof is uint32, this would allow 0 und 4.294.967.295 , what sounds cool.

But then we calc the weight, what is sint32 (-2147483648 to 2147483647) with nrof * weight, we kill this advantage.

So there is no need to use uint32 for nrof to allow "more" range, if we break it with math later.

An item with nrof 4.294.967.295 will break our code. An item with 2.147.483.647 needs only weight above 2 and also breaks our code.

uint types can make sense if we use smaller uint types like uint8, uint 16 and the math behind is in bigger ranges like sint32.

but using uint32 when our math is in sint 32 makes only problems.

michtoen

Ok, it is a bit since i looked in the code but here is one reaon.

Mainly, if you have counters or ref. counters there exists no negative value. It would be a bug (and yes ,there are reasons to allow it for example in multi threaded code, but lets hold it simple).

And you are right, at some point for some math it makes no sense to have both worlds, signed and not sigend. But if you think about it - it will break at high ranges always in some way or another. Trust me with that

The goal must be something else - a system which use much more sane numbers. We should never come near that problem at all. Because if we solve this - other appear.

In the end it is a kind of entropy problem - and entropy always win.

Some of the ideas of that code started in the early 90s. Even as i designed the base of alot stuff it was just 2000-2002. It was partly trying things out but also partly "how it was done - and hey that would be cool".

WoW really did it right here - its inventory system is simple, unrealistic and somewhat boring - but it works. Easy to implement.

Our system with number of objects and related that to maps & objects and the inventory was much a "whats possible" and "how that will work".

As open source game it is possible to do.

Author Topic: why we use unsigned? (Read 136 times)

Dolfo

why we use unsigned?

michtoen

Re: why we use unsigned?

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