Map Script feedback

[diagostimo 11]

hey guys, I have decided to finish a script I have been making, this is a world may system, I did make a basic version(which was my first proper script) that inspired this, the idea of this was to pack it with a lot more features and make it look better, also as the other was my first script it was pretty basic, any way here is a link to my old one if anyone wants to compare the two:

http://forum.chaos-project.com/index.php/topic,11443.0.html

 

if you compare the old one to the new one you will see the difference, I am just going to list the features of the new system here as its not got much documentation yet,

currently implemented features are:

• scrollable screen so you can have larger maps
• custom cursor(uses a separate image)
• customizable amount of rows and columns note that each location block size is              32x32px, increasing the maximum amount of rows/columns will allow you to scroll further, but it will need a larger image to scroll with it)
• the map image is a set image
• location legend(possibly add the ability to disable it)
• if the amount of legend icons exceeds its windows height you can use the L&R buttons to scroll between the map and legend, then scroll the legend with the arrow keys
• can add icons to the map(i.e that refer to the legend)
• there is an info box that can show information on a location, i.e its name and a text field with info relating to it.
• if the text field exceeds the window height you can press enter to enable scrolling it
• text fields are created externally by text files and compiled into a data folder so they cant be edited and the game has access to them all at once, also formatting of text can be done similar to how you format in html, also with the ability to add colour tags to change the colour of text at any time

so that an overview of what is included in it at the moment, I think I got most things, inside the demo there is a sub directory called "file creation", this is where you compile all you location info text files, there is a separate documentation to this as it is a little tricky to set up, and also documents how to format all your text, anyway id love to know what people think so far and I want to know what you would like to see from it, some features I plan to incorporate are:

• ability to teleport, might make it like pokemon where you have an item/skill that enables you to open the map in teleporting mode
• customizable tile(location block) size
• multiple maps allowed, i.e like in pokemon gold/silver where you have different regions

here is the link: http://www.gdunlimited.net/media/uploads/manager/new-map-19396.zip

 

I await your feedback! :D

[dolarmak 23]

I'm kinda excited about this script diagostimo, I've been trying to decide if I want to make a traditional world map where you walk around or use one like this instead. I'll defiantly test this for you.

 

I can already say tho that It would be useful to add the ability to teleport. If I were you I would try to add both an item/skill teleport method, but also make a method so that you don't need a skill to teleport, so you can use this script as your main world map basically.

 

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EDIT: Okay I like your script, it's pretty easy to use. I tweeked it a bit and found that I much preferred a 16x16 tile over a 32x32. I would suggest making it a little easier to use by having a preset, so that you can just input type 1 for 32x32 and type 2 for 16x16 and a custom type where you add your own digit. I've seen that done in other scripts so it shouldn't be too hard for you to set it to variables instead of static numbers.

 

Also having the ability to use this as a teleport system would be great.

Edited March 3, 2013 by dolarmak

[Marked 197]

hey guys, I have decided to finish a script I have been making, this is a world may system, I did make a basic version(which was my first proper script) that inspired this, the idea of this was to pack it with a lot more features and make it look better, also as the other was my first script it was pretty basic, any way here is a link to my old one if anyone wants to compare the two:

http://forum.chaos-project.com/index.php/topic,11443.0.html

I duno why but your link keeps redirecting me here: http://www.gdunlimited.net/scripts

[diagostimo 11]

@marked, what the one you just quoted or the other download one? the first is a separate site from this one so that would be weird, I have no problem with both using chrome, if its the chaos-project one you could probably get to it from copy and pasting it straight to the url.

 

@ dolarmak, thanks for the feedback, by any chance did you try out making location info text with the separate program? if so what do you think to it, i know that if you make a really long description, then it will lag when loading that text, as the script cuts the string up into an array of characters, and loops through it changing colour etc at the correct moment i.e it finds a colour tag, so the bigger the string more loop, but I don't think that is to much of an issue as it supports a fairly good size before its noticeable, also I plan to add more formatting tags, heres a list of tags I have in mind:

• bold
• italic
• text alignment(left, right, center)
• underline?(not to sure on this as rgss does not have it by default)
• font

getting teleporting implemented is going to be one of my first priorities right now, also I am not to sure on the windows being constantly visible, I was thinking maybe making them fade in when the appropriately button is pressed to switch to it, i.e you press the R button and the legend becomes active and visible, you press enter on a location and the info box becomes active and visible(but only if it has information to show about that location) also that would make the visible area of the map much larger, but again not to sure its trial and error at the moment

[dolarmak 23]

Okay diagostimo, i did some further testing and found your compiler worked fine, yeah big text blocks do lag a bit but to be perfectly honest why would you put such a huge chunk of text for something like this? I think the majority of people will only have 1-2 lines of text so i don't foresee any problems.

 

I'm just curious but were you planning on adding anything under the Legend, cause your Window_Location_Text comes up a bit short of the side? I edited that to give it 16 pixels on either side by changing the width from 456 to 608, I centered the City Name text and i find it looks much better.

 

I'm happy to hear you're looking to add a teleport feature, and i think the option of fading windows is pretty awesome too.

 

I'd also like to suggest a feature you may want to add, having locations enabled/disabled on an active switch. I know that in my game it would be useful especially if you add a teleport option. That way you can force close locations the player hasn't been to yet or that are closed due to story reasons.

 

I'm excited about this script diagostimo :)

[diagostimo 11]

yes I was planning on an image to the left of the location text for like a zoomed map of that area, but I will probably make that optional, I was thinking maybe putting an image of a magnifying glass over a map(just for example) that is selectable, and when selected via the cursor it shows a zoomed image of that location, also I was thinking of adding effects to the image like growing out(scaling) from the centre of the screen etc, right now I have edited the windows to only be visible when active, I am currently deciding on how to notify that a location is selectable, my current thought are:

• making the cursor blink
• drawing a red explanation mark at the corner of the cursor
• making the cursor a sprite sheet and having it animate

I think a sprite sheet would probably be best, then it can be customized to the developers liking

 

edit: also what do you think about drawing a grid over the map? so you can see the division of the areas, or do you think that would be something that should be part of the image itself?

 

edit2: a quick screenshot of what I meant by the magnifying glass:

 

 

 

 

obviously I would make that selectable and then show the zoomed image, ill probably only show it if A, it is enabled, and B if that location has an image to show, if neither of the cases are true then ill let the description field fill the whole window.

actually you wont even need to enable it, if you didn't want to use it then all you need to do is not add images to show.

 

also I am going to look into adding transitional effects on the windows appearing, a few I have in mind:

• sliding onto the screen
• fading onto the screen
• transitions like the evented ones with the images, i.e blinds etc.

ill probably just allow a type to be set, then it will use that transition type

Edited March 5, 2013 by diagostimo

[dolarmak 23]

thats cool, let me know when you're ready for more testing, I'd be happy to help.

[diagostimo 11]

Ok, here is an updated version: http://www.gdunlimited.net/media/uploads/manager/182new-map-19396.zip

in this one I have changed the way the windows are displayed, iv got a sliding effect going on that i am pretty happy with so iv decided to ditch making transitions for them, the buttons to activate them are still the same so test them out and let me know what you think, also I added arrows that prompt you that you can scroll the map in that direction, i am just using the arrows from the windowskin, I haven't implemented teleporting yet, progress has been a little slow as iv had a lot of work on, but I have been thinking things other and I think I am going to make a pre menu, to which you can choose to enter the map in teleport mode, or exploration mode, both modes will still enable you to use the legend for convenience  but the difference will be the enter command, if its in exploration mode then it will let you look up the details of that location, but if its in teleport mode then you can teleport to the selected location(if that location is enabled of course), I also haven't yet implemented notification that a location is selectable, but I will sort that after teleporting.

I have also had another idea that will probably come at a later stage, as I mentioned I am going to make a pre menu, I also though it would be pretty cool to add a pin board sort of system, where you can pin(mark) locations and add notes on them, I thought this would be a pretty cool feature to implement and would save people forgetting where stuff is, but it would be pretty complex so it probably wont come till later. :)

Edited March 6, 2013 by diagostimo

[dolarmak 23]

Okay, i get how you've decided to go. Let me know how that turns out. i'll check the new one in a bit.

 

I would also like to suggest that maybe instead of a pre menu, maybe having different buttons activate the different functions? Z = teleport option (with a confirmation yes or no) , X = Close Map, C = Display text info

[diagostimo 11]

hmm I see why that would be an advantage, as it would require less switching around, but the main reason I wanted to add a pre-Menu was because it would be easyer to intigrate into using skills and items to teleport, for example if you use the skill teleport it opens up the map straight in teleport mode, also it would be easier to enable/disable teleporting from the menu selection of it, because some people would not want the feature of being able to open a map up and teleport freely, where others might as it would be like fast traveling in an open world rpg. 

[dolarmak 23]

Yeah i suppose it depends entirely on what you want it to do. if thats that case your way would be beneficial.

Edited March 7, 2013 by dolarmak

[diagostimo 11]

okay, I have implemented teleporting into the map now, you can now use script calls to open the map in a specific mode and disable the pre menu, modes are as follows:

0 = explore

1 = mark #nothing implemented for this feature yet

2 = teleport

 

so the script call: $scene = World_Map.new(2, false)

would open the map up in teleport mode with the pre menu disabled, I also added an option to disable the teleport selection from the pre menu for those that dont want it there, you can still open the map up without any parameters, also actually setting the pre menu paramater enabed to true will actually just give the same affect as opening it without any parameters, i.e:

$scene = World_Map.new(2, true)

is just the same as:

$scene = World_Map.new

so I might just get it to check if a parameter is entered for the mode.

 

the teleport locations have animated images so you know which you can teleport to, you can also enable and disable them via script call, ive made the demo abit more advanced so you will see, also on another note I added an image for your current location, the location is stored via a variable now so when you open the map your cursor will automatically go to that location, and an image will be displayed there representing you the player, let me know what you think :) oh btw did you test out the last update? how did you find the scrolling?

 

edit: 

a link would be nice wouldnt it, lol: http://www.gdunlimited.net/media/uploads/manager/b6dnew-map-19396.zip

 

im going to add an option to have a sprite animation for the player before he teleports just to spruce it up and also add a sound effect etc.

Edited March 9, 2013 by diagostimo