petri wrote:You seem to imply that this "point and click" stuff is not programming but it really is (it does not matter if the logic of a puzzle is textual or visual, the same rules of programming still apply). Sorry but I'm not a big fan of visual programming. Yes, wiring a single pressure plate to a door is slightly easier with a gui, though even this could be argued if the plate-door thing is part of a bigger puzzle, but anything more complex involving variables and branching can get really hairy. In any case we don't want to end up with something like this
Nope, I'm not implying that at all. I appreciate that wiring a dungeon is a form of programming.
What I've been talking about is the interface that you give designers to design that "dungeon wiring". From what I understand, you're designing it in a way that to link a switch with a door for example, I will need to open up some kind of script editor/text field and type in some code. Is that the case? Or are you providing point-and-click for these basic building blocks?
Question about your progress with the dungeon editor; will you be designing it such that when you select a basic level skin (ex first level of grimrock) you can't use level skins from anything else in that, or will we be able to mix and match as we see fit? random example could be wandering through a cavern (rough walls) and then behind a wooden door you encounter an ancient crypt of worked stone (brick and mortar walls).
random request, could you possibly eventually see your way to making a fog ceiling? could be useful for an "outside" feel. unless of course you and the other devs have plans to release a bunch of new environments anyway
Okari wrote:Question about your progress with the dungeon editor; will you be designing it such that when you select a basic level skin (ex first level of grimrock) you can't use level skins from anything else in that, or will we be able to mix and match as we see fit? random example could be wandering through a cavern (rough walls) and then behind a wooden door you encounter an ancient crypt of worked stone (brick and mortar walls).
To expand on that... Do you [Petri] envision it as possible (for example) to create a door (frame) that looks like a hole in the wall surrounded by broken and loose bricks, and have it lead into a rough hewn tunnel and /or excavated rooms ~an alternate tile set.
Something sort of like this:
** By "create", I mean create the assets in a 3d modeler and photoshop, and use them on the map; not that this will be part of the editor. Just that the editor can assign the new tile set, and the engine supports two at once. (I would assume it's no problem, so long as the tiles are made to seam together properly; with no holes visible).
Last edited by Isaac on Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:30 pm, edited 3 times in total.
I'd like to add a thought on a little possible cosmetic addition to the editor. When I place a secret switch a lever or a button of sort, I'd like to know if, from the position where they are activated, I could hear in-game the noise of the opening mechanism. Something like photoshop's distance tool that indicates the higher is the distance, the lower is the volume noise. Same behaviour for light sources and shades tool.
This could appear a silly implementation but I think it would be useful in terms of practical design.
jm1c
theruler wrote:I'd like to add a thought on a little possible cosmetic addition to the editor. When I place a secret switch a lever or a button of sort, I'd like to know if, from the position where they are activated, I could hear in-game the noise of the opening mechanism. Something like photoshop's distance tool that indicates the higher is the distance, the lower is the volume noise. Same behaviour for light sources and shades tool.
This could appear a silly implementation but I think it would be useful in terms of practical design.
jm1c
Visual representations of how far the sound will travel, and the distance lights will affect tends to be a pretty common thing in game design from what I've learned from people I've known that make games. It would be nice to make sure it doesn't get missed. I could totally see making some puzzles that rely strictly on sound.
I guess i would be pretty satisfied with an editor that surpasses the ill-fated BTCS. I've only seen one complete game made in BTCS and i modded a lot with it, overcoming some restrictions, only to fail at the limits of simple text messages and condition handling.
Addendum :
A repository for custom content* would be marvelous.
*For example : custom character portraits. My avatar is a quick comic-style hack i did back in the days.
theruler wrote:I'd like to add a thought on a little possible cosmetic addition to the editor. When I place a secret switch a lever or a button of sort, I'd like to know if, from the position where they are activated, I could hear in-game the noise of the opening mechanism. Something like photoshop's distance tool that indicates the higher is the distance, the lower is the volume noise. Same behaviour for light sources and shades tool.
This could appear a silly implementation but I think it would be useful in terms of practical design.
jm1c
Visual representations of how far the sound will travel, and the distance lights will affect tends to be a pretty common thing in game design from what I've learned from people I've known that make games. It would be nice to make sure it doesn't get missed. I could totally see making some puzzles that rely strictly on sound.
Agreed. In fact, it's already useful in LoG. I definitely found myself straining to hear that clicking or the sound of a stone wall grinding upward as I stepped on a pressure plate.
As I see many great ideas here, I was thinking if it wouldn't be better to release basic editor as fast as possible (without any special functions mentioned earlier - e.g. range of sound) and add these highly useful (but not critical) features in next version.
Because it seems that everyone is so excited to start working on custom dungeons (or playing them - in my case).
