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[jman2050]

http://jman2050.armageddongames.net/Moldrums/zc_new1.png

Discuss. I'll explain later :P

[Nick]

I'm guessing this has something to do with grouping multiple combos under a single alias. Okay... so that's obvious. :sweat:

As to how deep this alias goes or how it might be used, I can't tell from the screenshot. However, I believe properties is one of the groupings. The display is hinting that I could group similar combo types into an alias that I could draw on a screen... with multiple layers (or perhaps onto a selected layer)? Either that, or just some easier way to group combos without having to edit their properties individually. It could be something that's set in properties, but without any way to tell, I'm guessing it might be restricted to using 3x3 combo structures. :shrug:

Finally, that window in the background hints at the fact that Windows can open folders with a directory structure with some mysterious program. :tongue:

Cryptic screenshots are interesting, but I prefer descriptions with them. :blah:

[Sephiroth]

Finally, that window in the background hints at the fact that Windows can open folders with a directory structure with some mysterious program. :tongue:

That is the default view of folders in Win XP. :P

[fatcatfan]

I was thinking of something like what this might be, calling them "macros". You would even actually be able to put several combos together (for say, a large tree), in addition to adding layers. Then you could place it all as a single unit onto a screen. Properties, I assume, lets you edit flags.

Then I'd like to take it a step further to allow creating named "macro palettes". That is, conceptually grouped collections of "macros" that could replace the standard combo list on the right pane of the main screen in ZQuest. You could have one called, perhaps "trees and bushes" another "buildings", etc. I think these things could be a great aid in quest development. Though I had envisioned it as a nice wxWidgets app with dockable floating palette windows, zoomable views, etc...

[jman2050]

Actually, I'm just stalling so I can get a picture presentation going of what this is and how to use it :P

And fatcatfan... coding forum plz?

[fatcatfan]

just responded ;) Only happened to read this one first. Silly me.

[ShadowTiger]

My impressions are essentially similar to what fatcatfan had noticed. And now my first draft of this post. :sweat: ...

To be honest, due to the obvious lack of access to the objective reality of this new feature, I'm somewhat inclined to imagine that it's a way of putting something on layer 0 and layer # at the same time. o_o How close am I to that assumption? ... ... Actually, seeing a lake entity, which belongs on layer 0 alone, (or 1 or 2.) thwarts that home...

If this is, in fact, how this would happen, (With the trees.) you could set up overworlds SO much faster, now that you don't have to go back to screen after screen of layers. I mean, ... Wow.
Congratulations on yet another ingenius creation, jman. :highfive:

[Dart Zaidyer]

I'm guessing this feature will allow you to build combo stamps. For example, instead of drawing your trees and stuff tile-by-tile and layer by layer, you can just build a stamp and use it over and over again.

[Jigglysaint]

This would be cool if it could be allowed for the use of objects, not just 2x2, but perhaps of various shapes. What you could do is have maybe a 8x8 grid, and any blank spaces won't overwrite previous combos, and non blank combos will be stamped on the screen. Trees are good, but also doors. In fact, I wonder if lock blocks and treasure chests could have an additional property. There are walk flags and pallete flags, why not one seperate for chests and locks? The resoning behind this is that for the doors in the north and south positions, origionally you can only open the door if you are centred. With lock block doors, you can touch the bit of wall by the doorway and the door will open. With this, you can only unlock the door if you touch the side that is nearer to the centre. Of course you could get arround that by making door combos only half solid, since it turns to another combo Link will never notice the rest of the door being air.

[Cloral]

I'll wait to discuss until you explain. :)

[Ganonator]

From reading your post on it in Dev, jman, it seems like a pretty cool feature. My only question is will it work between two screens? If I make a template that's 5x5, I would want it to go somwhere else but the middle of the screen ;)

[ShadowTiger]

Hm. A good point, well, let's let the little non-jman combo alias newbies work this out. :p Let us begin.


1) The Graphic - The selected combos are displayed here. Perhaps you can click on them here and with the (3)) tab select which layer they might go on?
2) The Drop-down Box in the upper right corner - would be the actual combo alias definition, defining each combo alias apart from each other. It is assumed as of this moment that when it goes to a new number by any means, the combos displayed would change immediately? *

3) The Layer Poll Area - Choose combos from (1)) and it will assign them to be on a layer. The primary focus of the whole screen would be on these though, since it's the layer aspect which will want to take primary focus. It's difficult to explain, (Obviously I'm not its creator, so I wouldn't know; but here's to taking a stab at it. :p ) ... Well, if one of the primary tasks of performing this is to allow multiple layer configurability, it'd be set to function on layers, so by selecting which layer you're working with now, then selecting the combos to be highlighted, you're selecting which combos are being used on that layer from the combo alias/group! So by selecting the layer first, it's easier to assign the layers desired to the combo group, rather than selecting the combos to assign a layer to. Just easier this way.

4) View Current Layer - May make it easier to determine which layer you want things on. Or, could simply display which combos go on which layer, without seeing the whole initial group.

5) Properties - God, I can't wait to see what's in here. :p



* = How else would we select which combo alias we're working with? If there's no "Make New Alias" button to assign it to a new number in the dropdown, it might work by being similar in function to the Midi importer; 251 something slots, with each being either empty or occupied.

[jman2050]

http://jman2050.armageddongames.net/Moldrums/comboa.html

[Nick]

Looks like I was way off. :(

I can see this feature being very, very useful, though. There are so many things it can apply to. :)

[Sephiroth]

This will seriously help me with those annoying Windmill Blades. X_X Great work jman! ^_^

[bigjoe]

Are the aliases stored internal to quests or externally?

If you did it externally, it could be <questname>.als or something.

I think it would be better to do it externally in order to save file size or whatever, but then, what do I know about the quest format?

[Jigglysaint]

Well why should it be a part of the quest? It's information for Zquest, not the quest itself.

[LinktheMaster]

Awesome. Yet another awesome, time saving technique from jman! I think this will be really helpful. I've made a lot of stuff with 3x3 combos over and over again. It's not that bad, but any way to save time it's good to me! :D

[KingArthur]

This, combined with isometric editing mode, are possibly the best enhancements for Zquest that i have seen to make life easier for editors. I cant wait to get my hands on it and break it ;)

[fatcatfan]

Yes, we are discussing how to separate the aliases from the rest of the data. Right now it is being written to the quest file, but it won't always be so.

[Cloral]

Actually, I like the idea of it being included in the .qst file. That way you have a single package instead of having to manage multiple files. It doesn't really make sense to define aliases globally to ZQuest, as each quest would have its own set of aliases since the combos would likely be in different locations. And I can't imagine they take up too much space...

Hey, here's a thought: in addition to the normal .qst file format, there could be some sort of quest format that only gets used when the quest is 'finalized'. Saving a quest as finalized would use a different command, and would save with a different extension to prevent the user from overwriting their work. Users would still be able to load up .qst files in ZC of course, but the finalized format would remove anything from the file that isn't needed in order to play it - preparing it perfectly for distribution on the net. I don't know how practical this would actually be though. It would require a second set of save/load routines, and I can't imagine that the aliasing data (along with other data that wouldn't be needed such as passwords and potentially isometric set data) takes up that much space.
One benefit though could be to remove the need for quest passwords. If a quest is finalized, it cannot be opened in ZQuest ever. This could help prevent people from hacking quest files.

[*b*]

AHA! that's what I thought it was at first, but since I didn't see any "set width/height", I dismissed it. this is going to REALLY help, jman

[fatcatfan]

It doesn't really make sense to define aliases globally to ZQuest, as each quest would have its own set of aliases since the combos would likely be in different locations.They'd still be quest specific, only stored in a different file. It's essentially equivalent to your second suggestion at this point, since pretty much all the other information currently in a quest file is used directly by the engine. But yeah, I suppose there's some difference between *requesting* ZQuest to output a finalized quest and having both files generated each time.

[jman2050]

I should also mention that you can right-click an alias in the right side of the screen to change its properties at will.

[Rydia]

Wow, this is also a wonderful feature! Superb work jman! ^_^ This'll certainly help many out a ton!

[idontknow]

Sweet! I have a suggestion for Aliasses:

When editing an alias, like where you select the combos for it, you can hold Ctrl & then click on the combo to place a flag there as well--this way, you can make an alias where everytime you place it, you also place the determined flags.

[Sephiroth]

That would be useful......... :P