Terraform

[florrat]

I agree with most of you that terraforming is not a good idea. Building on walls could be a cool map editor option indeed. If it comes, I hope that it will be communicated well to the player. I already get frustrated by the idea of failing a map dozens of times before I realise that I can build more reactors on walls XD

[pixlepix]

It could be an option in the editor, but then we back to the overcomplicated editor, and it just gets messy...

Just 1 checkbox: allow building on shields yes/no (default = no).

That exactly is *not* it. The game now has to check the map editor settings, and then have two code paths - one path for building on shields and another for not building on shields.  And then a few more complexities and one or two errors that creep in and a refresh of the code to correct the error and people  coming to the forum to complain that their game is not working and we having to tell them to update and they saying they can't find their original version to patch and...

Its half a line of code. Just add that to the check of wether a building is legal, and you are all set to go.

[thepenguin]

It could be an option in the editor, but then we back to the overcomplicated editor, and it just gets messy...

Just 1 checkbox: allow building on shields yes/no (default = no).

That exactly is *not* it. The game now has to check the map editor settings, and then have two code paths - one path for building on shields and another for not building on shields.  And then a few more complexities and one or two errors that creep in and a refresh of the code to correct the error and people  coming to the forum to complain that their game is not working and we having to tell them to update and they saying they can't find their original version to patch and...

Its half a line of code. Just add that to the check of wether a building is legal, and you are all set to go.

yet I wonder, how does virgil tell if you can build on terrain right now.

[Grauniad]

Duh! I was of course talking about the user interface of the editor. It would be a miracle if the game would automatically change behaviour because of a check box, hahaha! :D By the way: the game wouldn't have to check for a map editor setting, as you don't need the editor to play a map; it would just be stored in the map file.

Why so negative? Any change can potentially introduce a bug, but that's what beta testing is for. :)

I thought you were a programmer or at least had some programming background/experience? Some of your comments makes me wonder. I think you simply like to take a contrarian position if it suits you.

Shields are not terrain, they are units. As of now, there is no code in the game to allow for building on other units.

Not saying Virgil won't do it, just saying it is a major addition to the code.

[UpperKEES]

I thought you were a programmer or at least had some programming background/experience?

Yes, I am a developer, for about 15 years now. :) I know exactly what's needed to make a program work and if you read back this topic you'll see that my comments were a reply to the concern that the editor may become too complicated to use because of an additional check box. This is a user interface issue and besides pixlepix's recent post we never discussed what's needed 'behind the scene's'. (And despite my knowledge I won't go into that either because I believe that's something for Virgil to judge. I see too many comments lately where people think they can decide whether something is or isn't a lot of work without having any serious coding experience at all.)

Some of your comments makes me wonder. I think you simply like to take a contrarian position if it suits you.

I just say what I would like (or dislike) in the game. My opinion regarding building on shields shouldn't be a surprise for you, because I suggested the same thing about 2 months ago in beta. Apparently I'm not the only one who would like it (as an option!).

Shields are not terrain, they are units. As of now, there is no code in the game to allow for building on other units.

Not saying Virgil won't do it, just saying it is a major addition to the code.

Good! That's what we post suggestions for. :)

[thepenguin]

also, GR, I have to wonder if you have used the editor yourself, and I also think that there is at least one piece of software you use that has certain features that very few people ever use, and I also think that the people who use those features are very greatful that they are there, but the average user doesen't mind having many buttons they never use

(take microsoft's products for example, or adobe's)