I thought: Let's make a topic for all map editor suggestions.
To start:
1) I think a good option for fields should be that when moving, it will never pick up creeper (so it only picks up creeper when stationary). This is different than drip mode, since if I first move my field (with creeper) through solid ground, and then through creeper, it will still pick up creeper from that pool.
This might be useful in much cases. For example when making stalactites with dripping creeper. Your field should keep on moving below ground (because the player can dig away that ground, and then the field stops in the middle of the air). But if it then first reaches ground, and then creeper, you see the effects of the drop in that pool, which is not very neat (I noted that this happened in the map "Migration").
2) I want to be able to move fields to negative coordinates (so x<0 or y<0). This might be useful to make sure a field is fully out of the map (and thus that it does not carry creeper anymore). It is also possible to move fields outside of the map to the bottom or the right...
My biggest wants for the editor are permanently dark cells, and trigger fields.
Quote from: Ebon Heart on August 21, 2011, 07:29:20 PM
My biggest wants for the editor are permanently dark cells, and trigger fields.
With permanently dark cells you mean cells which can't be lit up by beacons? And by trigger fields you means fields which do *something* (move or switch on/off) when *something* (unit moves somewhere, creeper density at (x,y) reaches <value>) happens?
If thats what trigger field means then yes I wanted that a lot too.
Trigger field meaning something along the lines of an action in the field loop to say, check for X. If X is true/false, move to action set A/loop back to beginning/goto action Y and have different lists of actions, maybe main, and a, b, and c, which can be started by triggers.
I also would like to see trigger fields.
Another of my big suggestions would be timed conversations IE: messages that appear in the editor at set times, and perhaps even timed mission completion, so you have to survive for X amount of time before you complete the mission and can rift out.
I would like to be able to make units Invulnerable (also cannot be scrapped) and Immobile as an option for pre-built units. I would also like to be able to modify unit stats, if only for certain units. to allow for certain scenarios. (Immobile invulnerable maker producing a crap-load of anti-creeper functioning as a *shield generator* with fields to setup the anti-creeper as the shield, If it could be destroyed or moved, it would not function right, although stacking a crap-load of makers WOULD work aside from that. being able to make it use energy as well would be useful, in addition/instead of ore) I understand the issue with people imbalanceing the game, but It would allow for interesting scenarios for the other people who use it correctly.
Actually, I wonder if it would be possible to make *fractal alloy* pre-placed units, which require a network connection to function (meaning can receive packets, even if it doesn't use them, like a maker or reactor) in addition to their usual requirements, and may/may not be moved. They would be able to be more powerful than the normal version, so you could have *blaster turrets* somewhere deep under-creeper, (undamaged ofc) which if you could clear the area, it would tend to keep itself clear as well, for very little energy cost. Also, A maker in the same state as a shield generator, using ore to efficiently create a massive amount of anti-creeper for a shield dome, or a Multi-directional/remote repulsor (I wonder if this would be possible if you allowed several directions for a repulsor, using more energy ofc)
How about an option to have fields be active/inactive depending on certain objects, (I think I suggested this before) being either alive or powered, (destroy this gateway (or a new object) to disable the enemies' force pipes, which are constantly streaming creeper up against your force-field, or activate a totem (another new unit) to activate fields that block off a choke-point, but only if you hold it, and power it.
My suggestion is that we could paint fields on the terrain without having to delete it first. It's quite annoying to have to delete a lot of terrain to make creeper tunnels.
But since nobody really posted about it i think it was intentional on purpose...
Quote from: Grabarz on August 22, 2011, 09:15:18 PM
My suggestion is that we could paint fields on the terrain without having to delete it first. It's quite annoying to have to delete a lot of terrain to make creeper tunnels.
But since nobody really posted about it i think it was intentional on purpose...
On the top of the editor, there is a render ground button. If you unselect it, the ground will "disappear", and you can paint fields that way. And when you reselect it, the ground will come back the way it was. The only downside with this is that you can't see what tiles you are painting over...
Another suggestion is ground that breaks under pressure, instead of just the creeper touching it. That would make some more interesting map types. But showing a new type of ground would be hard. And it would make custom tiles that much harder. But it is a neat idea. ;)
Quote from: Ebon Heart on August 22, 2011, 07:27:07 AM
Another of my big suggestions would be timed conversations IE: messages that appear in the editor at set times, and perhaps even timed mission completion, so you have to survive for X amount of time before you complete the mission and can rift out.
I second the idea for timed messages. It would be awesome for custom maps with timed stuff going on, like emitters starting or other things, to continue along with the story line.
Exactly, I focus on the plot heavily in my maps (mores now than before, even) and I can't rely on the player grabbing. Holocube at the exact moment I want them to. So for timed messages, you can comment on things such as, "oh my go, a big blob of creeper just spawned over our heads!" lol.
Quote from: Ebon Heart on August 24, 2011, 03:43:46 PM
Exactly, I focus on the plot heavily in my maps (mores now than before, even) and I can't rely on the player grabbing. Holocube at the exact moment I want them to. So for timed messages, you can comment on things such as, "oh my go, a big blob of creeper just spawned over our heads!" lol.
With conditional messages, I imagine you could actually then determine what strategy is actually used, and make comments depending on it.
Quote from: Ranakastrasz on August 24, 2011, 03:51:03 PM
Quote from: Ebon Heart on August 24, 2011, 03:43:46 PM
Exactly, I focus on the plot heavily in my maps (mores now than before, even) and I can't rely on the player grabbing. Holocube at the exact moment I want them to. So for timed messages, you can comment on things such as, "oh my go, a big blob of creeper just spawned over our heads!" lol.
With conditional messages, I imagine you could actually then determine what strategy is actually used, and make comments depending on it.
When conditional messages are not beyond your desire, why not load Virgil up with a request for a (simple) CW2 custom scripting language doing all these things?! Although awesome, the sheer imagined difficulty of this does withdraw me from actually requesting this...
Quote from: Lord_Farin on August 24, 2011, 04:55:23 PM
Quote from: Ranakastrasz on August 24, 2011, 03:51:03 PM
Quote from: Ebon Heart on August 24, 2011, 03:43:46 PM
Exactly, I focus on the plot heavily in my maps (mores now than before, even) and I can't rely on the player grabbing. Holocube at the exact moment I want them to. So for timed messages, you can comment on things such as, "oh my go, a big blob of creeper just spawned over our heads!" lol.
With conditional messages, I imagine you could actually then determine what strategy is actually used, and make comments depending on it.
When conditional messages are not beyond your desire, why not load Virgil up with a request for a (simple) CW2 custom scripting language doing all these things?! Although awesome, the sheer imagined difficulty of this does withdraw me from actually requesting this...
I would at least like to know if Virgil would add this in the next update, because that's what is keeping me away from uploading my maps, that have their own short story, and just beg for having timed messages to let player know when is what going to happen.
Don't hold your breath....
Quote from: Grauniad on August 24, 2011, 06:31:47 PM
Don't hold your breath....
*Ranakastrasz's face turns
creeper blue*
I'm waiting on timed/conditional messages to upload the rest of my first encounters series. Number 4 is done, and number 5 has a decent start on it. :( I may also hold out till Dbit submits a custom map, depends on how evil I'm feeling. ;)
hmm, I was making a basic website today and had an idea. In my map editor guide, I mentioned that field boxes are kind of like divs in HTML. I wonder if it would be possible to define a position for a field to move based on a point in another field. Just a thought, IE.
Move: Field ID="test [3,4] in 45" delay 60
See picture, the point marked in the top field is where the ball would move to. Just a thought.
While making one of my maps, after having like 999 fields it was a pain to keep going through all of them to find the ones you need.
Any possibility of sorting fields by their ID? It would make things a lot easier.
Or.. Shift click on it to select it. Why don't make it like Photoshop :p
And what if I have couple of fields in same place?
Ctrl + Shift + Click to go thru layers.. (like Quark?)
I personally would like to be able to have time limits. That way if you do not complete a certain objective before the time runs out, you automatically lose.
Quote from: TonyP2000 on August 27, 2011, 06:35:45 PM
I personally would like to be able to have time limits. That way if you do not complete a certain objective before the time runs out, you automatically lose.
and, if there is a time limit, have the timer count down, instead of up
Quote from: TonyP2000 on August 27, 2011, 06:35:45 PM
I personally would like to be able to have time limits. That way if you do not complete a certain objective before the time runs out, you automatically lose.
Those can be mimiced fairly easily in most cases by using capsules and fields or decaying terrain etc.
Quote from: Kithros on August 27, 2011, 06:53:36 PM
Quote from: TonyP2000 on August 27, 2011, 06:35:45 PM
I personally would like to be able to have time limits. That way if you do not complete a certain objective before the time runs out, you automatically lose.
Those can be mimiced fairly easily in most cases by using capsules and fields or decaying terrain etc.
I should work on a count-down timer for CW
I don't think he should make a scripting language or anything like that. What I'd like to see is a window into which the user can enter some actionscript. It should be limited to the scope of that field object, allow basic logic (If-else, for/while) and have access to the following:
Creeper/greeper quantity in each subcell within the field
Structures/terrain in each cell within the field
Position of the field
Rotation of the field
And should be able to edit the following:
Position of the field
Rotation of the field
"force direction" and/or pinfields within the field(what you paint into fields currently)
This would let map devs have MUCH more flexible control of their maps by allowing not just binary triggers, but complex ones, without as much trouble as all the extra GUI for this would be. :3
not related to current discussion but
messages for nullifying emitters/gateway
Quote from: mpete on September 01, 2011, 10:09:31 PM
not related to current discussion but
messages for nullifying emitters/gateway
A field capable of detecting objects in it could do this :3
Another good idea would to be able to set an over all limit on units instead of just on specific units. Say you can only operate 20 units at a time. I think that could make some intersting gameplay. :)
Quote from: Fisherck on September 05, 2011, 01:22:17 PM
Another good idea would to be able to set an over all limit on units instead of just on specific units. Say you can only operate 20 units at a time. I think that could make some intersting gameplay. :)
This could be nice when reactors (and tech domes?) would be excluded. Or maybe separate limits for civilian and military units?
Quote from: UpperKEES on September 05, 2011, 01:32:52 PM
This could be nice when reactors (and tech domes?) would be excluded. Or maybe separate limits for civilian and military units?
That would be a good idea. Probably limits for civilian and military to keep it relatively simple.
How about presetting the map size to 50 or 22 so that people don't make as many big maps that have way more than enough space.
Quote from: lich98 on September 05, 2011, 03:34:11 PM
How about presetting the map size to 50 or 22 so that people don't make as many big maps that have way more than enough space.
In the next update to the map editor the default map size will be 22 rows.
Great now we`ll have shorter maps. :)
I'd like to have the ability to save fields, so certain ones can be used in other maps without having to recreate it.
The previously mentioned trigger fields and timed actions/messages also look promising :P