Here are a few ways Chris could improve AGS:
-In walkable areas, hotspots, etc., try to make the markings transparent. That way, if we want to erase, we can see where we want too.
-Have more about 100 more Global messages.
-When identifying Global variables, I want to be able to do it by name, not by number, and in one command.
I like AGS, and this will help me like it more.
-Davidi the great
This, I believe belongs to the Tech forum, and the walkable areas thing has been discussed. But the globalint naming is something I have thought of aswel. Now you'll have to do it by #define's in the script header:
#define GI_FIRSTROOM 1
#define GI_LOCKEDDOOR1 2
#define GI_TV 3
#define GI_LOCKEDDOOR2 4
#define GI_GUARD 5
etc. Then just referring to them:
SetGlobalint(GI_TV, 1);
Quote from: Davidi724 on Mon 22/12/2003 18:09:44
-In walkable areas, hotspots, etc., try to make the markings transparent. That way, if we want to erase, we can see where we want too.
Yeah this has been suggested before - I did try it out but there was a significant performance problem, I'll look into it again at some point.
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-Have more about 100 more Global messages.
Experience shows that people don't end up using global messages much, as their games go on they tend to start using the script more and global messages less. But this could be extended if you really did run out of them.
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-When identifying Global variables, I want to be able to do it by name, not by number, and in one command.
Yep, this is under consideration - for now, TK's workaround will do it.
On the subject of global messages. I use the scripting alot, but I also use the global messages. i've found that it's a little bit of a pain to be working on a script and have to look up the messages, but it's well worth it. Imagine having a type-o and having to dig though all the scripts to find it. The globals messages are cool because it's one place.
I do have one recommendation for global messages. Make an editor like the one in the room editor messages. It's a little more user friends, and you can add carriage returns in the message with no problem.
QuoteOn the subject of global messages. I use the scripting alot, but I also use the global messages. i've found that it's a little bit of a pain to be working on a script and have to look up the messages, but it's well worth it. Imagine having a type-o and having to dig though all the scripts to find it. The globals messages are cool because it's one place.
Well, that's the magic of the Dump Text and Make Translation Source options - all in-game text (from scripts, global messages, dialogs, etc) is written out to a single file which you can search, spell check, etc ;)
QuoteI do have one recommendation for global messages. Make an editor like the one in the room editor messages. It's a little more user friends, and you can add carriage returns in the message with no problem.
Yep, I agree that the global message editor is rather ugly. In fact, I think it was the first thing I added to the windows editor, so it was a bit of an experiment.
However, because as I understand it very few people actually use global messages, I'm not sure if it's worth the effort to improve it. People, feel free to speak up now if you also use them ;)
So far I've used global messages only for the 'About' message, besides the predefined ones, and I don't, for my concern, see any need ot change the editor, but I use it so little, that thinking of common use, it would be good to improve it somehow, like the room message editor is that you just choose the message number and type the text in to a textbox next to it...
I tend to just type in the message I want (and I probably couldn't live without dump text to file ;)), but Global Messages can be very useful for repetetive messages, especcially if you suddenly want to change one tiny thing, heh.. Would be nice to have a multi-line option in Global Messages too.
One thing that came to mind for Global Ints, maybe there should be an editor of some sort, sorta like the Global Message editor, which would have all GI's, and you could assign initial values to all, and have a description for each. This would provide a great reference for GI's, instead of having to look all over the scripts to see if something is used or not. Of course the user will have to type in descriptions and maintain everything himself, though it would be nice if AGS could mark the ones used in the script somewhere. Not a must though, I'd be perfectly happy with just a manual GI organisation system :)
Good point, having some sort of proper globalint organiser in the editor has been on my to-do list for ages. It's low priority though, since you can achieve the same thing by writing down what they all mean in Notepad or whatever :)
You can put linefeeds in global messages with the [ character, but nothing beat's a multiline edit box in text message editing... I'd find the GI editor VERY usefull aswel. I tend to get a bit off-track with my trackfiles during time...