If an instance is a communication channel, then you could also create other planes by shifting players to another channel. Then these channels might not have two way communication. Rather, one plane might receive network updates from the other channel but not the other way. To achieve instantaneous instancing, you could have a master mob channel. Channel 1. They are on the spawn point or patrol path. Players are on channels 2+. If a master mob is engaged by a player, it blocks communication with that player's channel. An instanced copy is created on that player's channel with appropriate agro. Once defeated, a timer on the master mob counts down to 0. At 0 it communicates again with the player's channel. Then you could create the alternate planes. Like an array. Channel 2[plane].
You can already do this. You can create as many chat windows as you like, then right click and in the options you select exactly which channels show in what chat window. I have a window just for guild chat. I have a window in which General Chat, LFG, and High_Level all appear. I have a tabbed chat window that shows Auction, NPC text, and the like; another tab with combat information; and a third tab with just loot and random roll info (I don't often need the combat text or loot text, but it makes it handy when I do and keeps it out of the main view but easily accessible). And I have one window JUST for tells, because epic mistells CAN happen and keeping them separate helps me prevent this..
I think he wants to create instanced content on the fly in contested areas. I think. He just has weird ways of trying to communicate the oddball bits of programming he wants them to add.
You do however have the burden of explaining it in a way that people can understand what your end goal is. I've got to say, I have no idea what it is from this post. Maybe you could break it down into terms those of us restricted to a single plane could understand?
I don't really know what EQ2 is using for a network system. Maybe a room system. I think your idea of eliminating contested content in an open zone would be cool though. I'm not really trying to invent a complete system at a code level but rather I am just trying to suggest a system that seems cool to me. I might be able to work out a complete system if I knew the requirements and if I had lots of time and focus but it is better as a collaboration.
I apologize. I explained what I was thinking really bad. What I wrote was misleading. I meant another kind of communication channel. I apologize to everyone reading these posts of mine. Trying to post stuff like this is probably a bad idea. It is just too confusing.
Since I was the one wrote this very confusing post, let me explain it better for those that are wondering what I am talking about, and then perhaps I should quit trying to make these kinds of suggestions. I am a gaming enthusiast but not a professional computer scientist. So please, my explanation, it will probably lack in some ways. I was using some terms interchangeably. That is confusing by itself. When I wrote the terms "instance", "room", or "plane", what these all refer to is a communication channel. I might use the term "instance" because that is the purpose of the channel. When I use the term "communication channel", what I mean is that the entities (players and monsters) in the channel (instance, room, or plane) are sharing information about themselves with each other and connected game systems (databases, programs, etc). What I was suggesting was how to create an "alternate plane of existence" and on-demand instancing. An alternate plane is basically an alternate dimension in the same geometric space (in this version of a plane), but I don't know how it would be interesting in this context. Different monsters, maybe. The channel structure is intended to create a division in communications. For example, on one channel I might communicate location information about about where the monsters are. Other entities would "listen" to that channel. Players, for example. That communication about the monster's location would eventually reach your computer, and they would be drawn for you to see. I suggested an example about how to "divide" the communications to achieve a particular result. That result was to allow players to enter an alternate "plane" or channel which communicates differently with the other channels. For example, suppose you cast invisibility. To make you invisible, you could be given a different channel number. Your channel number doesn't send information about your character to the channels which you are invisible to. I hope that helps to clear up the confusion some. If not, let me know. I can go into more detail (maybe).
Also, I was just writing the first post off the top of my head. Probably, always a bad idea. I did get that little code bit wrong anyways. It would be channel[instance][plane][entity][port] The "port" is translated into a method call on the entity's object. So if I wanted combat data on a certain sub channel that is one way.
