Non-linear level structure?

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Kuningas
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Non-linear level structure?

Post by Kuningas »

I was wondering about the numbering of the levels -- and I found no way to display them in a manner that didn't involve level numbers. Is this another hard-coded feature, or is there a way to remove the numbering or alter it?

I am talking about, for example, parallel floors and teleporting between levels (is that even possible, by the way? Just now thought of it) in a manner that won't mess up with the level numbering on the journal/maps. This'd also make more sense with the eventual exterior levels, so you can see I am thinking ahead as well (Well, that thread about them sparked this idea, so all glory to them. ; D).

So, am I missing something or do we have to discover an alternative way? Granted, I am not very experienced yet, as you may have noted.
BASILEUS
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Skuggasveinn
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Re: Non-linear level structure?

Post by Skuggasveinn »

The automap is hardcoded as we best can tell.
Meening that levels will allways "stack"

You can teleport your party between floors, you can start your party anywhere (making a dungeon that needs to be traveled upwards, not downwards)

but making outdoor zones where you travel of the east side of the map into another that starts you on the west end of a new one can't be done atm. You will have to fake that somehow, like teleporting your party to a level that you don't use, but the automap will allways show you the level "floor" and the name you have given it.
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Komag
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Re: Non-linear level structure?

Post by Komag »

just because there is a number doesn't mean you have to consider it vertical - it could just be a second or third area if you want to think of it that way (and don't have any pits!)
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Majd
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Re: Non-linear level structure?

Post by Majd »

I agree with Komag, it doesn't seem like much of an issue.

For example level 1 is the "village" which is a hub area. You go all the way east and go through the entrance to the forest which is actually a teleporter to level 2. From level 1 you can also go to east/north/south to other areas which are teleport you to levels 3-5. If we can make a custom animation for the teleport section it would be awesome.
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Kuningas
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Re: Non-linear level structure?

Post by Kuningas »

Thanks for the answers, I was just wondering if I was missing something, and would end up doing my transitions in a too complicated manner.
BASILEUS
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SpiderFighter
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Re: Non-linear level structure?

Post by SpiderFighter »

I stumbled across this thread whilst researching something else, and thought I should add (for future stumblers) that, not only can you teleport between floors, you can use multiple teleporters within the same floor. The same goes for stairs.
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HaunterV
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Re: Non-linear level structure?

Post by HaunterV »

blank out the automap somehow. there has to be a way to either fade it out or disable it.
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SpiderFighter
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Re: Non-linear level structure?

Post by SpiderFighter »

HaunterV wrote:blank out the automap somehow. there has to be a way to either fade it out or disable it.
Well, there's "Old School" mode that disables it, but I thought I read somewhere that it's hard coded into the game.
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Komag
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Re: Non-linear level structure?

Post by Komag »

You could just add to the mod description "this dungeon really is best when played "old school" without the automap do to certain layout conditions which spoil the fun if you look"
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SpiderFighter
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Re: Non-linear level structure?

Post by SpiderFighter »

Komag wrote:You could just add to the mod description "this dungeon really is best when played "old school" without the automap do to certain layout conditions which spoil the fun if you look"
I get what the original post was about though, and this seems to be asking the player to go through a lot more aggravation, simply to keep them from seeing "level 1", "level 2", etc). Not that causing the player aggravation is a bad thing... ;)

To get around the problem, I broke my dungeon up into zones, and bounce the player all over the place within them: "The Red Zone" (maps 2,3,4), "The Yellow Zone" (5,6,7) and so on. This way, the player knows to not take the level numbers as set in stone. Dunno if that helps or not, but it's a workaround.
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