Hi guys,

after a "Very educational night" along Rook and HermanH, i'm thinking more and more about "specialized" databases, let's call them "thematics" databases, as they'll be intended to be exhaustive on a determined geographic area (Europe,Pacific,IO), timeline (Cold's war end '89-'91, Lebanon,...) or a fictional background (WWIII, United States of Europe,...).

 

Why several databases rather than a big one?

Because databases have their technical limitations and an only one database can't be exhaustive without being far bigger than actual limits allow. So, thematics DBs will alow to be exhaustive on platforms thanks to clear spatio-temporal limits.

 

How can i (player) use differents database?

There's no need to hide us the truth,it will require some files

manipulation. It mean, u'll have to manage ur files with care.

After one or two time, it will becomes natural to everyone to swap files.

 

It seems nice, how can i launch a such project?

 

A project like an entire database require some planifications.

 

Ideally the first phase is consacrated to "technical evaluation",

talking with "Database technician" like TonyE, Brad, etc. to define clearly possibilities.

 

The second should be the logistical/administrative phase when teams are constituated (DB editors, scen designers, researchers), support site opened (to stock files, share ideas, communicate) and several other tasks that a team should do before anything concrete.

 

Phase 3 will be the coding phase, when everyone codes (DB, scen).

 

Phase 4, beta testing, debuging, in one word "validation"

 

Phase 5, release.

 

Off course, it's only a basic plan and everyone have his own way of managing a teamwork but, what do u all think about that?

 

Jan

Hi guys,

after a "Very educational night" along Rook and HermanH, i'm thinking more and more about "specialized" databases, let's call them "thematics" databases, as they'll be intended to be exhaustive on a determined geographic area (Europe,Pacific,IO), timeline (Cold's war end '89-'91, Lebanon,...) or a fictional background (WWIII, United States of Europe,...).

So, are proposing Thematic databases for not just geographic regions but also time periods? i.e. MEDC 1960 - 1980, MEDC 1980 - 1990, MEDC, 1990 - 2005,....

 

I thought that you were originally suggesting DBs on a geographic basis that would encompass all time periods? i.e. GIUK, NACV, MEDC, IOPG, and WestPac.

In fact, i think that if a specific time period and/or area require a lone DB to be exhaustive, why don't just dedicate an entire DB?

Off course, i don't have very precise idea about how many entries that are required to be exhaustive for a giventime period/area.

So, yes, at least for now, we can just dedicate a DB to a specific geographic region.

Are u suggesting that the Rene's DB should be a good basis for a European DB?

It's thrue that his work on former FGR SAM net is very impressive.

IMHO, we should start form scratch a redesign everythings rather than just "modify" an existing DB.

Off oucrse, it will be very time consuming but it will aslso make us "immunated" versus bad surprises in the case of an old entry become an obstacle.

Hi guys' date='

 

So, are proposing Thematic databases for not just geographic regions but also time periods? i.e. MEDC 1960 - 1980, MEDC 1980 - 1990, MEDC, 1990 - 2005,....

 

I thought that you were originally suggesting DBs on a geographic basis that would encompass all time periods? i.e. GIUK, NACV, MEDC, IOPG, and WestPac.[/quote']

The HCDBE as I wnat to handle it will be a mix between these two types.

 

The Installations will stay at a point around 1989-90, cause after this point many of them have been "disabled" and are no longer in military use.

 

The "Rest" will stay modern and up to date.

 

Regards René

Hi guys' date='

 

So, are proposing Thematic databases for not just geographic regions but also time periods? i.e. MEDC 1960 - 1980, MEDC 1980 - 1990, MEDC, 1990 - 2005,....

 

I thought that you were originally suggesting DBs on a geographic basis that would encompass all time periods? i.e. GIUK, NACV, MEDC, IOPG, and WestPac.[/quote']

 

 

The HCDBE as I want to handle it, will be a mix between these two types.

 

The Installations will stay at a point around 1989-90, cause after this point many of them have been "disabled" and are no longer in military use.

 

The "Rest" will stay modern and up to date.

 

Regards René

About database structure,

 

IMHO, each databse should have a common core, about 500-1000 entries with the most common platforms that can be seen everywhere in the world like civilian ships but also and mostly, the capital ships of the most powerfull navies.

Then, each specialized DB add his own layer off specialized platforms over the common core.

 

I know that the main obstacle is IDs. So to avoid to create gaps and clones, we should start with DB full of generic and even cloned platforms that fill the DB to have an ID.

So every "new" platfrom just replace the datas but keep the ID number of the generic.

 

And about "space" management, we should decide before doing any concrete work how much platforms each parts need. Exemple, let's say that the common core will represent hundreds ships because we want to be able to fight with the whole NATO fleet everywhere in the world. Then we "reserve" 1000 ID numbers to the common core.

Idem for each specialized layer.

 

What do u think about it?

Jan

Out of curiosity, what is the current status of this idea? Also, would just the core DB be made available to end users to modify to their own needs?