Things to improve the Level Editor

[Felwynn]

Hey guys.
I've been messing around with the editor for two days and it's purely awesome, still there are some tools or functions that would make editing a lot easier and faster. A list:

1. A Parent/children system so we can easily assemble objects together and transform only the parent one.
2. Maybe I missed the thing entirely but there seems to be no function to activate an object's "skill". Like, if I put a trigger on the terrain, I found myself unable to force a targeted bomb to explode on the trigger's activation, same for, like, change the flame effect of a guardian column from a trigger. Is there a way to manage this already?
3. A "destroy" command for breakable objects. Same logic as the object's "skills", the ability to trigger the destruction of an object would be helpful.
4. A spherical trigger, or even a "trigger" option in the objects properties that turns them transparent and traversable with specific trigger events like "on enter". That would allow us to use a primitive's shape and have cylindrical or spherical triggers using the primitives.
5. An empty environment with no ground in it?

Also I noticed something that may be known already:

• If I place an interactive object and activate physics on it, it will collide with a structure/any decor moving by triggers. It will get pushed, fall and collide, like it should.
  But, in the exact same situation in zero G mode, the "physics-friendly" object won't interact with the moving decor at all during the first seconds of the simulation!
  It seems to happen because in zero G mode, no physical force is applied on the object when the simulation launches. But after a few seconds, the object seems to remember its job and can collide when in the middle of another object. That generally ends up in a buggy collision that violently propels the physical object away.
  >>So the way I found to make it work properly in zero G is to make a "transform" event that applies force on the physical object for just 0.1 second and by 1 in any direction. With this trick, things tend to happen normally.

 

[Felwynn]

New idea:

• Allow multiple conditions in event triggers.

 

[DJSigmann]

Wheat should be flammable.

 

[Steamzombie]

New idea:

• Allow multiple conditions in event triggers.

That's already possible with variables, although cumbersome:
Trigger A -> Variable +0.1
Trigger B -> Variable +0.2
Variable = 0.3 -> Effect, Variable = 0

The reason I'm using 0.1 + 0.2 = 0.3 is that I can make an alternative event if a condition is not met, i.e. variable = 0.2 will always mean trigger B AND NOT trigger A

 

[Steamzombie]

- Make the list of triggers sortable like the list of events
- give triggers the option to be triggered even if the parent object is deactivated. That way objects can activate themselves instead of having an external object with a list of objects to activate, which is inconvenient to manage.
- give triggers a WHILE option so I can make repeating loops while the condition is met that stop when it is not met anymore. For now it only seems possible to stop or change loops by deactivating an object.
- Let me choose which logic to copy. Copy pasting logic onto a diverse army is a pain if the soldier's AI is copied with it.
- Make scale copyable without also copying position
- let me choose rotation increments for fine tuning. Just like in building tools.
- Make army ownership changeable by logic. Right now I need to spawn a seperate army for every color.
- Make npcs able to not be targeted by other npcs. I don't want my cows to be attacked by either army and I don't want npcs from the same color to attack each other just because they're from different islands.
- Option to respawn machines/reset objects in place
- Machine healing system
- Destroy/burn effect accessible by logic
- change color of all objects so I can show ownership. especially houses and npcs. Some coloured details are enough.
- change colors by logic without having to replace an object
- fix bug that scolls up the logic list when someone starts simulation
- fix bug that makes a blurry rectangle appear over logic
- allow more operations with variables, i.e. A*B,
- allow variables in "add progress", "add ammo", "wait", "repeat", scaling etc. (right now I have to activate a separate object for every possible value for the variable)

 

[Felwynn]

That's already possible with variables, although cumbersome:
Trigger A -> Variable +0.1
Trigger B -> Variable +0.2
Variable = 0.3 -> Effect, Variable = 0

The reason I'm using 0.1 + 0.2 = 0.3 is that I can make an alternative event if a condition is not met, i.e. variable = 0.2 will always mean trigger B AND NOT trigger A

I know it is possible, but that is why I noted this as a possible improvement, because the solution to a multiple condition event is currently complicated in comparison to a hypothetical native multiconditional trigger that would allow for example a "on enter" + "if variable [x] has [y] value".

 

[Felwynn]

And it's a big yes to all your propositions.

 

[Steamzombie]

- option to only display timers to certain players. I don't need every player to see that someone is reloading or whatever
- event to display messages to players on the hud. Activating a floating text is unsuitable for pvp.
- Messages should include variables and symbols.

 

[Ubus]

Another problem: why cant we set the buildzone where we want? why does it have a smaller boundary than other gameobjects?
and i would like to see fusing of objects, to realize vehicles like the airships in one of the first levels...
+ physics optional for all objects

 

[ZombieJesus]

One of the things that would bring the most improvement in relation to the time and effort required to implement would be more simple shapes like the cube and the cylinder we already have... PLEASE!
They take about 10 seconds to make and they allow to create soooooooo much. Just having inward curved objects would allow to make curved roads with a few block instead of using hundreds of slightly rotated blocks.

In a perfect world, the game would allow to create custom objects by grouping or intersecting the objects we already have. That would cut the time required to create complex maps by more than half! Though building tools are not part of the stock game yet which seems to indicate workflow is not one of their priority so I'm not getting my hopes up about that.

 

[Steamzombie]

- Option to set positive and negative power limits in the block options to counteract unfair no bounds values. E.g. I want to allow flamethrowers, but ban super long range flamethrowers

 

[Felwynn]

and i would like to see fusing of objects, to realize vehicles like the airships in one of the first levels...

That's what I meant with the "parents/children" system.

 

[DOKTERDOYLE]

An option to force players in spectator mode.
An option to deactivate a machine of a player
As an example: arena fight, once you are trown out of the arena, your machine is disabled and you are forced to spectator mode until the match ends
An option to copy statements
An option that returns the amount of players (as example: allows for adaption to the amount of players: 2pvp win system works different than 4pvp a system.

That's what I meant with the "parents/children" system.

Kinda like stick blocks to eachother and move them in groups

 

[Steamzombie]

An option that returns the amount of players

Put a trigger in every build zone:

On enter "any block" (build zone's colour):
modify variable "players" +1
deactivate "self"

On level start
wait 0.01s
deactivate "self"

Only works in "vote to start" mode.

Note that "players" will count upwards, so if it is 4 players, it will go 1, 2, 3, 4. Your 4 player win system will need to deactivate the 2 player win system again or both will be active.

 

[DOKTERDOYLE]

Put a trigger in every build zone:

On enter "any block" (build zone's colour):
modify variable "players" +1
deactivate "self"

On level start
wait 0.01s
deactivate "self"

Only works in "vote to start" mode.

Note that "players" will count upwards, so if it is 4 players, it will go 1, 2, 3, 4. Your 4 player win system will need to deactivate the 2 player win system again or both will be active.

Thanks allot! now have to find a way to implement it...

 

[ZombieJesus]

A lock option that prevents deleting and selecting locked objects with anything else than the wrench. Or allow selection so locked objects can be copied but not moved or deleted (copied blocks should not be locked by default).