Allow Exporting of "Combo Events"

[C-Dawg]

I'm not sure how this could be done, but in a recent ZC Suggestions thread, the notion of exporting "combo events" came up.

Consider someone who designs a rotating-fire-chain trap of the sort in LttP and SMB. This is certainly possible using combo animation, but it would take a good deal of planning and work. If there was some way to export the whole "combo event", then one person could design it and distribute it to everyone else, allowing for new traps and tricks in ZC without any more work from DarkNation or anyone else.

In fact, I'd suggest this sort of thing is basically necessary if we want to see Combo animation reach it's full potential. It is so powerful, but so few people understand it, and even fewer spend the time necessary to use it.

I figure you'd need to be able to export/import the following:

1. All combos in the "Combo Event"
2. All attributes of these combos - type, animation frames, etc.
3. The "Next Combo" in each combo should be recorded relative to the first combo in the group so that someone can import the combos into their own quest in a different place if they want, similiar to how we can leech tiles starting from any page now.
4. The tile number for each combo should probably be relative as well, so that the user can plunk the tiles wherever they want.

I'm probably not listing everything that would be necessary, but I think you see what I'm getting at.

If this was implemented, imagine what DevEx would turn into - "Can someone design a rolling spike log?" followed by "here ya go." QUITE nice.

-C

[bigjoe]

A pretty good suggestion, my only quarrel with it is that it makes it seem as though the developers are incapable of adding things,and therefore you want to break it down to the users. Its not that way. Dark Nation could very well add "Boss of the Year" If he had more time.

But your suggestion might very well be a good implementation.

I have a suggestion that could work well with that. "Boss" checkflag for layers.(and an hp value.) This would make an entire layer function as an enemy , and flash , when hit on one of its flags. Why this? Well, you wouldnt have to rely on sketchy trickery, or hiding an enemy behind something, to fight a boss.

The layer itself would be the boss, and , when its hp is depleted, you warp to the next screen in the sequence. Its just a simple trickery related feature, and would probably be as easy to add as what you've suggested.

The reason I suggest this is that It's HARD to create a boss that both moves unpredictably and can trigger a warp. I have tried to the best of my ability , but it is frustrating.

[C-Dawg]

A "boss layer" function, huh? This would be almost as tricky to use as the current setup. I like the idea of a flag that makes a layer "flash", however. That could come in handy.

And BigJoe, exporting combo animation would let you export a custom boss, too. Depending on how it was designed.

-C

[bigjoe]

With the HP setting though, you'd no longer have to have a warp for every single screen, but only a warp for when you deplete it's hp. As well, the warp would be INSTANT as in not requiring Link to move, therefore better integrating the boss.