[tools] wish list
Plugh!
libraries, tools & add-ons. I know that a lot of stuff gets announced
in a blaze of glory then quietly dies the death. And I know that some
regulars get tired of it. To those I aplogize if this seems to be more
of the same. Please note that I am not trying start another thread to
discuss this phenomenon, just aplogizing in advance to those who read
the title, but still opened the posting and are now groaning.
Now, to my point ... in a thread about mapping tools, I noticed two
potentially useful tools which could easilly be adapted from my own
work in progress (See below for details). My qustion is whether there
is a central repository of bright ideas? There are people who are not
programmers who have bright ideas for a tool or other project which
they can not implement and there are programmers looking for something
to fill the time who don't currently have an idea. Is there a dating
service for these folks?
Just to kick it off
- I'm currently alpha testing a tool to take the tedium pout of i-f
writing, which allows the author to draw a map, place NPCs and
objects, connect rooms by passages and generate code (currently for
TADS 2 only).
- for those who don't want to do that, a cut down version could
easilly be created as a sort of author's aide-memoir, so that he
could, for instance, mark on the map the location of puzzles,
treasures, light/fire/water sources and so on. He could drag & drop
rooms & play about with map without resorting to a large pile of
paper, a pencil and an eraser.
- the flip side of that would be a players electronic notepad, where
he could draw the map as he plays and explores, adding comments,
noting where he's stuck at puzzles, where he dropped items which he
may need later, etc, etc
- we mentioned an automapping inetrpreter. It was generally agreed
that this isn't going to work 100% unless the author adds some extra
data to his game, so that the automapper can handle magic words and
passages/rooms which are created/changed at run time. However, we
could probably get 95% of the map correct without changing exisiting
i-f source and allow the user to annotate the map for the rest.
- any others?
Once again, my apologies to those who think this sort of discussion is
"all mouth and trousers (*)". I'll take it offline to a chatroom at my
web site if requested.
(*) full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Kodrik
> that this isn't going to work 100% unless the author adds some extra
> data to his game, so that the automapper can handle magic words and
> passages/rooms which are created/changed at run time. However, we
> could probably get 95% of the map correct without changing exisiting
> i-f source and allow the user to annotate the map for the rest.
These are the basic specs I would like for a mapping module:
* Different maps for different regions of the game
* Author can decide the have nested rooms either be represented as object
or room to another map so it doesn't conflict with the spatial sense.
* For graphical interpretation, to be able to associate my own icons with
any symbols used by the game.
* Have a way to read all my notes from all my rooms at once. A search
feature would be very nice. "Where was that red jewel? I wrote it down on a
note".
* Have a printable version of the map as well as graphical.
* Have a small view in a side window and a full screen option.
* A map should be loaded from the game's data but the author should be able
to edit anything, change room names, move rooms... This data should then be
seperate from the game files but the author should still be able to import
new rooms from his game as he progresses.
There are a lot of neat features that can be added after that, like
graphical random maze generator/builder and AI for NPC movement based on
map layout instead of game data.
I find a map could enhance gameplay. When looking at CardinalT's mapping
library for Hugo, it reminded me a lot of the spell Wizard's Eye in might
and magic. I remember well that it was one of my most coveted spells, and
that once I had it, I was at another level of gameplay; if my magic ran out
and I couldn't cast it, I felt blind.
Kodrik
In another thread, someone posted a diagram to help design the logic of
their game.
I think it would be really good if there were an IF planner tool using a
logic diagram to build your story. You associate it with your map and some
other of your tools to lay the foundation of your games.
This would be immense help for an author planning a complex story and then
having to code it. I'm sure you could even make it so a lot of the boring
code of setting up the room and some objects can be generated by your
program for various engine formats.
Designing a game is where the most important work is and there aren't many
tools to help author than pen and paper.
Look into a way to create logic diagrams associated to a map to design your
adventure.
L. Ron Hubbard
Plugh!
> Well, I guess that the paucity of answers tells you what you wanted to know, huh?
Seems like "tools are for fools" :-)