Whats happening to ZC?

[Dlbrooks33]

I know I haven't been active in a while, but apparently, so has ZC. Is something up? Any trouble arise or somthing got you stuck? I never saw ZC pause for this long :(.

[rocksfan13]

Have you read the changelog (http://www.shardstorm.com) recently?

Since the last build there has been many bug fixes to it. The Devs just haven't decided to release it yet. That's all.

[Luigi]

It's also the Easter holidays soon - the Devs will have more time then.

[The_Amaster]

Yeah, I really think that 2.5 is nearing completion. I mean, there are still a lot of features to implement, and bugs to fix, but, well, the features are pretty simple.(Custom enemy sizes and item classes. Ok, I got my quota of saying that out of the way) I mean, I'm assuming that there arn't going to be any more revolutionary things like enemy editors or Roc's feathers. I can see hopefully a 2.5 by mid- to late April.

[Shoelace]

Yeah, the develpors are hard at work on ZC, as you can see with the builds. However, I do want to throw out there, that in my opinion it doesn't look like ZC 2.5 will be out until July, August. My hope is that there is one more beta release to hold me over, since beta 16c stopped me in my tracks. It seems the longer I wait though the less interested I am becoming. It may just be my age and moving on, but I know once 2.5 is released, there will be new shining authors out there to replace the old ones.

[The_Amaster]

Yeah, I'm holding off my quest because I intend it to be my Magnum Opus(great work), and I need the features that 2.5 offers. Trust me, though, when it comes out, no-ones going to be dissapointed.

I don't think it'll be as late as August, though.

[CastChaos]

I can see hopefully a 2.5 by mid- to late April.

I will be happy if it will be out in this year. I was waiting for 2.5 to start my quest, but I got bored of waiting. Also, I don't expect the new beta before summer.

[The_Amaster]

Actually, we've had as many bug fixes and features in the current Alphas as most Betas. The dev's just haven't released an "official" new Beta.

[Petoe]

Heh, some of you guys really believe 2.5 will be out in a few months. Get a reality check. I would be surprised if it is out even during this year. O_o

I mean no disrespect towards the developers with that comment. I know most of them are finally working hard and fixing tons of bugs, but oh boy there's still so much to do and it's almost certain there will still be major issues and screw ups before we get even close to a stable 2.5. But the harder we test, the faster 2.5 will come I believe.

Oh well... thank goodness b254 is stable enough for Lost isle so that it can be released no matter what happens with the builds. :)

[DarkFlameWolf]

And when 2.5 is officially released, we'll just update LI to support 2.5 ;D

[DarkDragon]

As soon as the critical bugs seem under control, we plan to release b18, making "official" all of the changes (mostly bugfixes) that you have seen in the builds.
As for 2.5, the following major tasks remain:
- Finish enemy editor
- Finish dialog editor
- Script support for weapons/ZScript revamp
- Debugging
We don't want to repeat the 2.10 fiasco; 2.5 will be released "when it's done."

[The_Amaster]

DD I'm hoping that you just forgot about custom item classes needed for making custom items that aren't vrsions of current ones. (Or in my case, generic ones of item trading sequences)

[ShadowTiger]

I believe there are still quite a few unfinished feature in ZQuest and ZC (By far, mostly ZQuest though, simply because they're far more obvious.) that need to be tended to before 2.5's release.

The Ceiling and Floor Masters lay unfinished.
The 2x2 Z3 falling rocks (Below the regular rocks, near the fairies and fire on the new enemies tiles page.)
The Batrobes were eventually supposed to turn into bats, for which the tiles lay below them. I think there should be two batrobes: A vanishing and reappearing one, (The one we have now.) And the one that turns into a bat instead of vanishing, and morphs back to the batrobe to summon.
Lots and lots of unfinished subscreen elements. You can see 'em.
The ability to place the Z items on the subscreen and select them.
Something with custom counters. ... ... I don't quite remember what, but it's been nagging me lately. X x.'

[_L_]

The Ceiling and Floor Masters lay unfinished.Hmmm... a Floor Master is just a Wall Master that pops out of the floor, Leever-style. And a Fall Master's movement is relatively simple...


The 2x2 Z3 falling rocks (Below the regular rocks, near the fairies and fire on the new enemies tiles page.)
Boulders? You mean they don't work yet?


The Batrobes were eventually supposed to turn into bats, for which the tiles lay below them. I think there should be two batrobes: A vanishing and reappearing one, (The one we have now.) And the one that turns into a bat instead of vanishing, and morphs back to the batrobe to summon.
Ah, the Batrobe 2. I'm working on it! (What it will do is summon Bats, and then Tribble into a "bat-form", which then Tribbles back into a Batrobe 2 after some time.)


The ability to place the Z items on the subscreen and select them.
Also important! (In fact, I think I'll take a look at the relevant code right now...)


I would be surprised if it is out even during this year. O_oNow, now, I have complete confidence that it will be released this year.

[Petoe]

As soon as the critical bugs seem under control, we plan to release b18, making "official" all of the changes (mostly bugfixes) that you have seen in the builds.

Ok, that's great news! Hopefully b18 is as stable as b254 so that people can make quests with it and not having to wait for the full 2.5. :)

edit - Oh and I have a bit of an "selfish" request but it would be nice if the Spin Attack Charge animation would work in b18 so that the Spin Attack can be included in LI and that way enable one more new feature for the quest to show people what the new ZC is all about... ;)

[CastChaos]

Floor masters, ceiling masters:
Don't forget, that nor the big, neither the small floor masters take you out from the dungeon. (OoT) The big floor masters jump into Link, upon 2 slashes with the master sword they split into 3 little ones. If the little ones hit Link, they turn into big. However, I think, this OoT system is too hard for ZC just yet. Ceiling masters take you out of the dungeon, no doubt. And "enemy falling" code is already in ZC.


Z3 boulders:
No, they aren't working yet. You can choose only 1x1 boulders. The 2x2 Z3 boulders have tiles, but can't make them work.


Selectable item classes i the subscreen editor are also vital, so new items can be put into it without side effect. I speak about finishing the subscreen editor in general. I also thought that there will be enemy scripts. Don't forget that big enemies (like the Trinexx in LttP) are more enemies in fact. The Trinexx head is a zero HP enemy which doesn't needed to be killed. The two elemental heads the real enemies. Killing them the Trinexx dies and tribbles into a Trinexx snake, the final enemy.

[Nicholas Steel]

Ok, that's great news! Hopefully b18 is as stable as b254 so that people can make quests with it and not having to wait for the full 2.5. :)

edit - Oh and I have a bit of an "selfish" request but it would be nice if the Spin Attack Charge animation would work in b18 so that the Spin Attack can be included in LI and that way enable one more new feature for the quest to show people what the new ZC is all about... ;)
you know you can just add it and include a message saying the graphics is broken in this beta thus not making this a priority fix for the devs... its a graphic anomaly and shouldnt pose as a threat to LI.

[DarkFlameWolf]

Then what's the point of having it be a perfectly bug-free quest? Both from within ZC and within the quest file itself? This is something I know will just bug the hell out of me (and Petoe too! XD)

[Nicholas Steel]

well since A) it isnt a show stopping bug and B) if it is a bug in the engine and not the quest and if the quest will work better in newer versions then who cares? :P

[DarkFlameWolf]

Well it also depends too Franpa, if they decide to change how the animation works. Like they keep changing how combo cycling works. Which requires the quest maker to keep re-doing the tiles to keep up with the changes they keep making to the engine. Well, the same thing could occur here. We could get the animation just 'right', but they go and change how it works, so it effectively screws up that part of the quest until we go back and re-update it again. So nothing is set in stone.

[DarkDragon]

Like they keep changing how combo cycling works.
How so? If ZC no longer correctly plays old quests, that needs to be fixed.

[DarkFlameWolf]

Ask Petoe for more information, he was mentioning this to me this morning how he had to change a few things to a level based on the new cycling.

[Petoe]

How so? If ZC no longer correctly plays old quests, that needs to be fixed.

What was this all about then: http://www.armageddongames.net/forums/showpost.php?p=1116556&postcount=19

Remember? ;)

It's frustrating how things keep changing all the time. Things cycle differently depending on which build it is, enemies behave differently... though I really can't blame anyone but myself for taking LI to the new builds. Should have known this. But anyhoo, things are great right now and all I wish for is that b18 has no problems running quests built with the current b254. And as I said, that charge animation fixed would be something nice extra... .... ... .... :)

[DarkDragon]

Sure. But that's cycling being plain broken, not behaving intentionally differently. ;)

[Majora]

Oh well... thank goodness b254 is stable enough for Lost isle so that it can be released no matter what happens with the builds. :)


Wait a minute.... LI is gonna be a HUGE quest, of OoT (if not bigger) proportions, based on what I've read about it. 254 is really that stable for LI? All this time, i though I just killed my quest ("The Legend of Zelda: Epic Quest" BTW ;))... now I don't have to worry as much. Oh, and there is another small bug with the spin attack (maybe this is the wrong place.... regardless, I will make a topic in Beta Bugs Forum, well, 2 actually):
When Link is charging his sword, if an enemy hits him, his animation advances by 1 frame and is stuck like that, and the spin will not inflict damage.

If he gets hit again, he will stop charging his sword, but ZC will treat it as if he IS still charging, and therefore won't let him do anything until you switch rooms. (And he will face only one direction as he walks)

EDIT: Seeing the number of bug Fixes increasing, could this signal the release of Beta 18?