[ian-reeds-games] A big response email
- From: Ian Reed <support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: ian-reeds-games@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2013 13:48:58 -0700
Hi all!
Austen, thanks for suggesting the move_unit flag. It is already on my list.
I did move_self instead of move_unit because move_self is considerably
less work.
Also, both need to be implemented as move_unit would work by letting you
choose a target and then choosing the destination.
Whereas move_self only requires choosing a destination.
So move_unit could not solve both scenarios.
Glad to hear your Kingdom at war and Christmas maps are ready. And
sorry for not getting them in this release. I'll put them on my list
for next release.
Wow, lots of ideas. I've put them on my list for the future.
Hi Craig, you are right, even test maps should be put up on the map
packs page so people don't have to search through old emails for the links.
I guess I was trying to get people to specifically tell me to put them
up for 2 reasons:
1 Sometimes people haven't wanted their maps even on the map packs page
since they are in very early phases.
2 So that I don't have to check to see if people have given a new link
as they'll always let me know.
That said, with the number of map packs that there are I can probably
just start putting them up automatically.
I've put your star wars maps up.
Everyone, I found that normal players have been downloading the map
packs and get confused when they have errors despite my notes at the top
of the page explaining that some of them are in testing phases.
To help this I think I'll start putting either stable or testing to the
right of each map pack link.
Since I'll be putting up any map packs posted on the list I'll just mark
all of them as testing / work in progress unless you've told me they are
ready for a full release in which case I'll do the same minimal testing
I do for full releases and mark them as stable.
Hopefully that will be a good balance of still having links to all
testing maps and yet letting players know what the general state of each
map pack is.
Please check the map packs page and make sure it has all your maps. If
it's missing some you want up send the links in the mailing list again
and I'll get them up.
Craig, lol, I just got to your next email that mentioned the first
comment was not directed at me asking if you wanted your map pack listed
on the map packs page.
Well, I've just finished putting it up. Let me know if you want it
taken down.
And yes, this mailing list is intended for unfinished maps. So everyone
please be kind when critiquing others work and remember most maps here
are works in progress.
Lol, you discovered the secret @ symbol.
This was added in pre 1.10 and I mentioned it in the audiogames.net
forum but it was never documented in the user guide.
So I'm not sure if it's official or not yet.
Well, since you've brought it up let me give some history and some
future plans.
The @ symbol let's you specify javascript that runs instead of
specifying text that is spoken.
This benefit comes from the Adventure Game Engine that uses javascript
extensively in order to let people create adventures.
Both TB and AGE share a considerable amount of code.
So long ago when someone asked for a feature to play a sound instead of
having spoken text for the map intro text it was reasonably easy to add
the @ symbol in that one spot.
And for now I'm only supporting the playing of a sound there.
I think it also works in the victory and defeat messages as well.
Now for the future.
I actually plan on releasing the ability to do heavier scripting in
Tactical Battle in the near term. I've even started on the map
scripting guide.
There will be lots of special tricks you can do with it.
For one you will have a level of control over what happens when a skill
is used.
This will allow map creators who can also script to implement some
features themselves.
I think it will be a pretty neat feature.
That said, I'd like to point out that I will continue implementing
features using flags and basic text files which I consider to be a more
user friendly way of creating maps.
I don't want to exclude non-programming players from creating maps.
I just want to let those who can program have a go at it.
Also it's worth noting that the feature probably wouldn't have come
about if the Adventure Game Engine had never happened.
And also that those who worked on adventures in AGE helped me to
determine how to improve that experience a bit.
Just a quick call out to Carlos who worked on an adventure and Nina0116
from the audiogames.net forum who has completed an adventure and is just
working through bugs before we do a release.
Thanks to both of them for trying my other project.
Craig, I'm definitely learning a lot. Multiplayer is still in the
design phase and I'm doing some features that will lay the groundwork
for it.
Saving and loading games was one of those as it taught me how to
serialize and deserialize a hierarchy of objects in a very clean way.
Proper teams is another one that needs to be finished before multiplayer.
So, though I'm working toward multiplayer, it is still a distance away.
Not sure if I'll use WCF or the TCPClient and TCPListener objects.
I've used both in different projects in the past and there are pros and
cons to both.
If it's WCF it will definitely be duplex. And either way I will be
using TCP.
Hadi said: i want to make an effect to just modify a specific skill's
damage...
I say: I hear you. This was one of Carlos' original top 3. Something
similar also plays a big role in the recent modifiers discussion we've had.
I'll see if I can fit it in soon.
Well that's about it. Version 1.12 is going to have some pretty cool
features.
Ian Reed
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