a Lua channel?

[TheFatController]

Would it be possible to get a channel like a: and s: called lua: that sends text to your allies but isn't actually visible on screen and only accessible by widgets.

This would allow widgets to communicate with each other and allow neat stuff like lending units and resources.

[trepan]

I'd considered adding an out-of-band comm channel for lua
(some time ago). It would not use text messaging, but would
instead have its own NETMSG_LUA network packet type, and
an associated call-in. It would follow the same rules as text
messaging (ex: no player-to-player messages...)

I haven't implemented it yet because:
1. It's low priority, I've been otherwise occupied
2. I'm concerned about how unskilled folks may abuse the
raw access to bandwidth.

[smoth]

or how skilled players may use it to lagg spike other players.

[Tobi]

a "help my enemy attacks lets lagspike him" widget

Luckily the Spring networking code doesn't even support sending stuff to individual players so even if it was added the only thing you could do is bring the whole game down...

[smoth]

considering the kind of temper tantrums we see from losing players.. I would not be surprised.

[AF]

Such a channel in the network should have AI/lua crosscommunication. I can think of numerous situations where skirmish AIs and groupAI could benefit from lua UI interfaces of some sort.

There's a torrent of features and ideas that arent possible because groupAI/skirmish AI lacks the UI features and visual controls of lua, and lua lacks the raw power, speed, and abilities of c++