Enhancement Requests

crakerz · Mega-Poster

I didn't see one, so I thought I'd create a thread for Editor Enhancement Requests. Here are a few of mine:

Summary that shows Object count for critical objects and other info after compile (or even before), even if there isn't an error (Sucks finding out you went a little overboard on the scenery AFTER you compile).

Undo (I know, this is a given, but if I don't put it down, somebody else will :roll:

).

Default Settings for file locations and zoom.

Ability to Save/Load Triggers

Scroll Bar on Unit Bin ( took *me* awhile to find out there was more down there).

Ability to size areas in the data section (or whatever that area on the right is called)

Anybody else?

crakerz · Mega-Poster

When right-clicking on an object, the option 'Select Same' appears. It would be nice if this only selected what is in the visible screen, not the entire level.

scottlu · WI Founder

Great suggestions, keep them coming!

Wizard · Established Forum User

Crakerz, have a look at my post entitled "First Impressions", that also has a few suggestions.

An important one is to remove the right hand properties section and have it as a floating window. For what little information it displays, it takes up a huge amount of screen space.

crakerz · Mega-Poster

Scott,

To expand on the request for Load/Save Triggers (I've seen comments in other threads, including one to remove the buttons

)

Saving them as text files would be ideal, that way they could be edited outside the editor. If saving is easier than loading, I say go for just saving then.

The reason is this: it takes time to develop blocks of logic that works the way you want. While that logic may be level specific, much of it can be adapted and reused in other levels, just by changing a few qualifiers.

I use a "testing" level to try out different things. Once it works, I want to import it into my "working" level. It is awkward to hand-copy, then retype it back in. If I could save, edit, then print and retype it into the working level, that would avoid mistakes, and save much time.

Of course, saving, then loading would be even better.

Verdagon · Veteran Member

Suggestion: More trigger actions(set unit to %hp) and easier use of flags( more operators like +-*/ and modulus) and a condition to use flags.

Verdagon · Veteran Member

Ah, one more suggestion, kind of following crakerz's suggestion.

We all have PDAs here. So it would be handy to have a sort of extension of the editor on PDAs! You know, like a trigger editor.

Or if it can be handled, a full-scale editor on PDAs...

crakerz · Mega-Poster

When the Mission Editor is released, will there be some way for the average user (i.e. one without the knowledge or ability to delete the pdb directly) to load/unload add-on missions?

In relation to that, I've noticed that when two or more levels are compiled together, they appear as separate levels in the challenge level list.

I am thinking that spiffcode might want to add a separate list, for add-on mission level paks, and to limit them to one pak loaded at a time (to simplify things). This would also resolve conflicts that might result from have two paks loaded that refer to identical next-mission names.

This screen should also have the option to delete the pak from memory.

Myself, I plan on storing missions on my MemStick, and transferring them to internal as I want to play them.

scottlu · WI Founder

Crakerz, about managing add-on missions, and displaying how mission packs are displayed: I hear what you are saying and will think about it, good points. I think something is needed.

About Triggers and moving / manipulating them / copying / pasting / importing / exporting etc. We decided awhile ago that it would be nice to have an alternate text format for the triggers so that logic could be manipulated like code, for these reasons and more. For example, text works much better in a version control system, and you can also do "diffs" with text. Not to mention moving text around with a text editor is easy. It's a goal to do this with triggers. I will think about what can be done short term.

As for M on a PDA: Interesting idea, but for complicated levels the big display of a PC works *so* much better, I would go so far as saying it's a requirement. That is our thinking, so not much thought is going into M on a PDA.

Wizard · Established Forum User

I would have to agree with your last point.

Girt · Established Forum User

I'd have to disagree. I would LOVE to be able to create levels on my Palm. I travel quite a bit, and besides, I just use my Palm for almost everything.

It'd be really great to have 'M' on both, and be able to read the level back and forth. But if it had to be Solely on the Palm (or PC)... I could maybe see your point. Probably most of the normal people out there would prefer the PC.

But - if triggers could be an imported/exported text file, that's a start. I could at least work out most of the game on my Palm then...
I already used my Palm to sketch out my map (Tealpaint), jot down my storyline, and 'sketch out' the triggers.

- Girt

Girt · Established Forum User

Of course, I'm the kind of guy who buys brand-new Palms, and has a Win98 PC...
(actually, it was Win2000 and I deleted it!)

- Girt

Girt · Established Forum User

More enhancements - keep in mind that the level editor is already quite nice. I would hate for TOO many enhancements to be added, so that this ends up like Kyle's Quest 2. KQ2 can do almost anything... but after more than a year, most levels still aren't finished...

- Girt

PalmOS - It's more stable!

crakerz · Mega-Poster

When a trigger is deleted, the Trigger Screen jumps back to the top of the list. I would like for it to stay at the one below the one deleted, or even the one above.

Even better, would be for the screen to stay on the last trigger highlighted when switching between sides. This makes it useful when moving/copying triggers

(It's annoying if you have 80-90 triggers, and you want to delete/move 10 in the middle :cry:

Even worse, if you click delete twice, and delete the top trigger too...not that I've ever done that....more than a few times....or more....)

scottlu · WI Founder

Yes, the triggers list UI isn't well designed for 80-90 triggers. That general issue (trigger management) is on the wish list.

Can't wait to see that level :-)

crakerz · Mega-Poster

Quote:

Can't wait to see that level

I'm waiting until the "Area contains" bug is fixed. That one relies on it extensively!

PhillipEarl · Mega-Poster

Quote:

As for M on a PDA: Interesting idea, but for complicated levels the big display of a PC works *so* much better, I would go so far as saying it's a requirement. That is our thinking, so not much thought is going into M on a PDA.

What about M for Macintosh?

claxbane · Site Admin

I think your best hope is virtual pc

SoLan · Very Active User

I think somebody already asked for this, but I'll post it anyway, since I can't find any posts on the subject.

It would be really nice to have some more faces for the Ecoms. Several of the persons that are already there do not have an image associated with them. Putting a face on the persons already available would help make the Ecoms look better. In addition to that, adding a few "general" persons would help in making new stories. Now I am using "Anonymous" and "Blank", but that doesn't really achieve the effect I would like to have.