Map Editor Help: Shield Key?

Miczu555[PL] · March 21, 2016, 04:21:45 PM

What good can shield key do to me in custom maps editor.
And more important: How the faq i use them?
Please halp. :(
In properties I see:
Name <input Name here> //and
KEY(no edit) <key... whatever>
???

J · March 21, 2016, 06:14:57 PM

Using CRPL (and only crpl) a mapmaker can check if a player has collected a certain shield key or not and change things in the map based on that. For example, some maps unlock tech based on shield keys from other maps (like some story missions) and other insta-fail if you haven't played another world yet. If you don't have good plans (other than forcing players to play a series of missions in a certain order) or no CRPL experience, don't use them. They are rarely used and for complicated map (series) ideas only. If you really want to use them, look up the appropriate commands in the CRPL reference on the wiki.

Miczu555[PL] · March 21, 2016, 07:09:38 PM

CRPL.. stuff, Makers should rly do something about shield key. Like: easy way to use them. Or like creating own Sector (orbiting worlds around da sun :P ).

Grayzzur · March 22, 2016, 10:11:41 AM

CRPL isn't that difficult to learn, and shield keys are not that difficult to use if you're up for that level of map making. Most of the wiki documentation for it is user-generated, so if some of it isn't good enough, feel free to get in there and improve it.

And it's "maker" without the "s". Knuckle Cracker is a one-man shop, and he does an awesome job. It's not a good use of his time to make an obscure and rarely used feature super-simple for everyone to use, especially since most of us want to see his new game come out soon. Quite frankly, if shield keys were super-simple to use, they'd quickly become an over-used and much-hated feature.

Builder17 · March 22, 2016, 11:42:37 AM

One feature in shield keys is , player needs to collect these before (s)he wins map , so you can use these so without any CRPL.

J · March 22, 2016, 12:08:48 PM

Quote from: Builder17 on March 22, 2016, 11:42:37 AM
One feature in shield keys is , player needs to collect these before (s)he wins map , so you can use these so without any CRPL.

The story only applies collected shield keys once you win the map while custom maps do that immediatly. Not sure what happens in custom maps if you win before collecting the key.

Alternatively you can use it to check whether a player has reached a certain spot on the map, but remember that the next time the game is played the key is already collected. Using other kinds of CRPL will be far more useful for that.

Builder17 · March 22, 2016, 12:48:59 PM

I meant don't shield keys count for victory like techs and message artifacts do , that you can't win map before you have collected these , for example putting shield key into hard to reach place to make it harder to player to win map? ???

Grayzzur · March 22, 2016, 02:06:13 PM

It serves no purpose that a message artifact couldn't handle in that case, though, and still causes it's ID Key to be stored for the player, even if it's never used again.

Karsten75 · March 22, 2016, 02:40:34 PM

There are a number of prime example older maps (I think teknotiss has one) where the map was adpated from a different map and the scripts look for a shied key. So the unwary or new player that tries to play this map is simply confronted with an immediate loss when the map is started.

Miczu555[PL] · March 26, 2016, 06:24:18 PM

Quote from: Grayzzur on March 22, 2016, 10:11:41 AM
And it's "maker" without the "s". Knuckle Cracker is a one-man shop, and he does an awesome job. It's not a good use of his time to make an obscure and rarely used feature super-simple for everyone to use, especially since most of us want to see his new game come out soon. Quite frankly, if shield keys were super-simple to use, they'd quickly become an over-used and much-hated feature.

Dayumn.
///////////////
I have an idea in my head... That if you win side-maps (3), in the main map difficulty'd be lowered. like... .. dunno. If player win sidemap he will be rewarde with .. +3 bertha guns. If not.. then place creeper emmiter here. :P

TheTiconTech · March 28, 2016, 06:23:12 AM

Quote from: Miczu555[PL] on March 26, 2016, 06:24:18 PM
Quote from: Grayzzur on March 22, 2016, 10:11:41 AM
And it's "maker" without the "s". Knuckle Cracker is a one-man shop, and he does an awesome job. It's not a good use of his time to make an obscure and rarely used feature super-simple for everyone to use, especially since most of us want to see his new game come out soon. Quite frankly, if shield keys were super-simple to use, they'd quickly become an over-used and much-hated feature.
Dayumn.
///////////////
I have an idea in my head... That if you win side-maps (3), in the main map difficulty'd be lowered. like... .. dunno. If player win sidemap he will be rewarde with .. +3 bertha guns. If not.. then place creeper emmiter here. :P

Of course you can do something like this (using CRPL of course)!
It's really easy to learn even if you don't have programming skills. There's a starter guide here and a full documentaton there. Browse the wiki or ask questions on the Coder's Corner for more information!