3. Databases are slow. Very slow. Compared to memory lookups, critically slow. Basically, you won't be able to use any kind of SQL database for this. Period.
Now, if you were to use a std::map and some simple programming, you could very easily make things much, much faster. You're probably going to need to check out basic TCP/IP and write your own simple server to handle sending out data.
The main thing is that the difference between using MySQL or even SQLite and using a native C++ program will be many levels of magnitude. We're talking 0.1 seconds vs 0.005 seconds. Once you start getting into large numbers of clients and NPCs, the native-mode program will still be running where the SQL database would have crashed your server from stress. It's still possible to do similar lookups with C++ code, in fact it's slightly simpler for what you're trying to do (it boils down to thisNPC = npc_records.find(NPCName); ).
4. Memory debugging is slow. I may not be able to help you there, but I do suggest two things: check out IDA Pro (it's one of the better debuggers around) and check out the MWSE source code (they've already figured out at least part of the system). Also, the Morrowind engine isn't encrypted or obfuscated, so you can get a lot of info from just looking at it. IDA will help you isolate functions, which you can then break at and watch NPCs be created in memory (and later hook the code and create your own).
pk_peachykeen
Sean joined
Well, I've been gaming for around 5 years now, modding for nearly 3. In modding I specialize in scripting and story-building, but can do (to some extent) basically anything. I like postnuked and other almost believable but dark and gritty themes/games/mods best, with most RPGs next (except action/RPGs (eg Oblivion) and JRPGs). In my free time (from other games/mods) I tend to play mindless shooters. I'm a member of both my own modding group Black Sun Studios and the group Clone Gaming Studios. In the past I've worked on a few mods, mostly for Morrowind (a few JKA and Oblivion), and am on the Ashes of Apocalypse dev team.