Can a programmer tell me the weight of this?

[Galileo Kerbonaut]

Ok, first of all: this is as off topic as one can go. Yet, the KSP community is the geekiest community I have joined (in a good way) and I'm sure there is someone here with some coding knowledge than can answer my question.

In short, I've bought a PC only game and from the very get go I smelled a port conversion. The community was divided into 2 camps ever since this was suggested... now someone has come up with a line of code that supposedly proves the game will be ported over to console. Now, I know nothing about programming and the simple question I have is: what does this line of code mean and does it prove a UI is made to be ported from PC to console?

<func name="show_radial" hidden="1" repeating="1">

I'm not looking for some derailing topic about the game itself, that's why I didn't mention the title, and also I'm not on a quest for material to post in other forums; this is for personal reference only. I just want to know the gravity of the code line, what it actually means... does this guy have a valid point? I don't know anything about coding and this is the only way I can check an unbiased opinion from actual coders.

Edited September 11, 2013 by Galileo Kerbonaut

[King Arthur]

Without some context about that line of code, we can't really comment in any constructive way unless we happened to be a dev who worked on this game you speak of.

For what it's worth though, I can at least say that looks like XML or some other similar markup language.

[Galileo Kerbonaut]

Without some context about that line of code, we can't really comment in any constructive way unless we happened to be a dev who worked on this game you speak of.

So basically you are saying that this single line doesn't tell anything? I think a modder went through the code and posted this line as evidence for a port. If you were the guy that was browsing through the code and see this line pop up: what would you think? Is this a smoking gun (if you are a programmer) or does it mean nothing at all. That's what I want to know.

[Gniuz]

You would not be able to tell if it's a console port from that line of code alone. Like King Arthur has said you need more context.

If the game in question is a port I'm sure you could find it out on the tinterweb.

G.

[Galileo Kerbonaut]

Thanks for clearing the smoke for me. That's what I wanted to know.

[Nibb31]

That isn't code. It looks like XML, which usually isn't used as an algorithmic programming language. It's usually used to encapsulate data or for coding graphic layouts and it is totally unrelated with the game being a port or not. It means nothing. Programmers use PC workstations to code console games anyway.

Porting is simply adapting a game to another platform by replacing library calls and native functions. If the game is available on multiple platforms, then it's a port. It doesn't really matter what system the game is originally coded for, as long as the job is done properly and the QA process is appropriate.

[Awaras]

Just wildly guessing here, but console games usually get around the limited control options caused by the lack of the keyboard by using radial option menus.

In that content, your line of 'code' basically says 'Hide radial menu'.

That implies that the coders have already created a console-oriented interface and just hidden it so it is inaccessible in the PC version.

[Galileo Kerbonaut]

That isn't code. It looks like XML, which usually isn't used as an algorithmic programming language. It's usually used to encapsulate data or for coding graphic layouts and it is totally unrelated with the game being a port or not. It means nothing. Programmers use PC workstations to code console games anyway.

Porting is simply adapting a game to another platform by replacing library calls and native functions. If the game is available on multiple platforms, then it's a port. It doesn't really matter what system the game is originally coded for, as long as the job is done properly and the QA process is appropriate.

Thanks, this is a good enough in depth answer for me. You have a very nice way of explaining this to someone without any coding knowledge.

Thanks again mate! Now I'm going back to "program" my rocket with the awesome new kOS mod; that's actually fun to do.

[magnemoe]

Just wildly guessing here, but console games usually get around the limited control options caused by the lack of the keyboard by using radial option menus.

In that content, your line of 'code' basically says 'Hide radial menu'.

That implies that the coders have already created a console-oriented interface and just hidden it so it is inaccessible in the PC version.

True, however most multi platform games support the use of controllers on pc.

Lots of code are modules copied from other places. Many are external modules. These modules are usually flexible and might have multi platform support.

It would be no reason to even make the console interface before they port lots of other work to do to.

Edited September 11, 2013 by magnemoe

[Galileo Kerbonaut]

Ok, a DEV has come forward and made a more ore less official statement. This topic can be closed; I now have my answer.