As I moved the definition of the ranks.png to C4Script - in a icon c4d - to be able to use it in a script-HUD, the Ranks.png in the Clonk and in the System.c4g are not used anymore. To be consistent, the rank names should be defined in the same c4d (using stringtables). I implemented that and I am not so content with the result. It turned out to be a little more effort for the C4Script developer than the old system with Ranks.png and RanksDE.txt, RanksUS.txt in the crew definition.
Additionally, if the rank names are not known in the engine anymore (just via C4Script), some fields e.g. in the stats of a clonk in a C4P can not be filled (wasn't there a "Next rank: blabla" or something) plus can't be displayed in the GUI anymore. Only in the game, when all definitions have been loaded.

However if we were to use the old engine-based system and do not shrink down the rank system to a mere store of the rank number and experience points, there would have to be a possibility to access the rank graphics for a crew member via c4Script (SetGraphics).

Here is the implementation, I think you can see why I am not so content with this. Discuss.


/*
  Standard rank definition
  Author: Newton

  This is a ressource object in which the rank graphics and the rank names
  are stored. Any (crew) object can freely define which rank graphics it
  wants to use by defining the function func RanksID() { return [myrankid] }.
  Any other ranks definition should include this object
*/

global func GetRankName(int rank)
{
  var idRank;

  // extra rank definition
  if(this)
    idRank = this->~RanksID();
  if(!idRank)
    idRank = RANK;
   
  return DefinitionCall(idRank,"RankName",rank);
}

public func RankName(int rank, int extra)
{
  if(rank < 0) return nil;
  var rrank = rank % RegularRankCount();
  var erank = (rank / RegularRankCount() % ExtraRankCount());

  // here you see the limits of C4Script
  // r=Format("$Rank%d",rrank); is not possible
  var r,e;
  if(rrank==0) r="$Rank0$";
  else if(rrank==1) r="$Rank1$";
  else if(rrank==2) r="$Rank2$";
  else if(rrank==3) r="$Rank3$";
  else if(rrank==4) r="$Rank4$";
  else if(rrank==5) r="$Rank5$";
  else if(rrank==6) r="$Rank6$";
  else if(rrank==7) r="$Rank7$";
  else if(rrank==8) r="$Rank8$";
  else if(rrank==9) r="$Rank9$";
  else if(rrank==10) r="$Rank10$";
  else if(rrank==11) r="$Rank11$";
  else if(rrank==12) r="$Rank12$";
  else if(rrank==13) r="$Rank13$";
  else if(rrank==14) r="$Rank14$";
  else if(rrank==15) r="$Rank15$";
  else if(rrank==16) r="$Rank16$";
  else if(rrank==17) r="$Rank17$";
  else if(rrank==18) r="$Rank18$";
  else if(rrank==19) r="$Rank19$";
  else if(rrank==20) r="$Rank20$";
  else if(rrank==21) r="$Rank21$";
  else if(rrank==22) r="$Rank22$";
  else if(rrank==23) r="$Rank23$";
  else if(rrank==24) r="$Rank24$";
 
  if(erank==1) e = Format("$RankExtra1$",r);
  else if(erank==2) e = Format("$RankExtra2$",r);
  else if(erank==3) e = Format("$RankExtra3$",r);
  else if(erank==4) e = Format("$RankExtra4$",r);
 
  if(erank) return e;
  else return r;
}

public func RegularRankCount() { return 25; }
public func ExtraRankCount() { return 4; }