Messages

...How do I request a feature from the developers?

I have a huge number of variables in Global Variables (like >500), and I was wondering if there was a way to check:
-if any had 0 or 1 only usages (in which case, I can delete or repurpose them)
-if you can count the number of variables?

Thanks!

Code: ags

Overlay* CreateOverlayText(int x, int y, int width, FontType font, int color, int bgColor, String text) {
  int border = 2;
  textOverlay = DynamicSprite.Create(width + border * 2, GetTextHeight(text, font, width) + border * 2);
  DrawingSurface* ds = textOverlay.GetDrawingSurface();
  ds.Clear(COLOR_TRANSPARENT);  // background color
  ds.DrawingColor = bgColor;
  ds.DrawStringWrapped(border, border, width, font, eAlignLeft, text);
  ds.DrawStringWrapped(-border, border, width, font, eAlignLeft, text);
  ds.DrawStringWrapped(border, -border, width, font, eAlignLeft, text);
  ds.DrawStringWrapped(-border, -border, width, font, eAlignLeft, text);
  ds.DrawingColor = color;
  ds.DrawStringWrapped(0, 0, width, font, eAlignLeft, text);
  ds.Release();
  return Overlay.CreateGraphical(x, y, textOverlay.Graphic, true);
}

Close enough

I did - I want a black outline around red text.

Code: ags

Overlay* CreateOverlayText(int x, int y, int width, FontType font, int color, int bgColor, String text) {
  int border = 2;
  textOverlay = DynamicSprite.Create(width + border * 2, GetTextHeight(text, font, width) + border * 2);
  DrawingSurface* ds = textOverlay.GetDrawingSurface();
  ds.Clear(COLOR_TRANSPARENT);  // background color
  ds.DrawingColor = bgColor;
  ds.DrawStringWrapped(border, border, width, font, eAlignLeft, text);
  ds.DrawingColor = color;
  ds.DrawStringWrapped(0, 0, width, font, eAlignLeft, text);
  ds.Release();
  return Overlay.CreateGraphical(x, y, textOverlay.Graphic, true);
}

It's pretty bad but there's sort of a shadow. IDK, colouring background black seemed counter productive.

GlobalScript.asc

Code: ags

Overlay* CreateOverlayText(int x, int y, int width, FontType font, int color, int bgColor, String text) {
  int border = 5;
  textOverlay = DynamicSprite.Create(width + border * 2, GetTextHeight(text, font, width) + border * 2);
  DrawingSurface* ds = textOverlay.GetDrawingSurface();
  ds.Clear(bgColor);  // background color
  ds.DrawingColor = color;
  ds.DrawStringWrapped(border, border, width, font, eAlignLeft, text);
  ds.Release();
  return Overlay.CreateGraphical(x, y, textOverlay.Graphic, true);
}

...

String overlayString = String.Format("room %d  mouse x%d,y%d   ft %d   translation %02d:%02d   puppet %02d:%02d   smallone %02d:%02d", 
                                            player.Room, mouse.x,mouse.y, FutureTime, BMin, BTimerSec, PMin, PTimerSec, SMin, STimerSec);
      
if (ovCoords != null && ovCoords.Valid) ovCoords.Remove();
ovCoords = CreateOverlayText(50, 720, 1000, eFontNormal, 51520, 17, overlayString);

demo:


No outline, whether I make the last argument for CreateOverlayText() true or false (missing in original, had to add it).

Code: ags

ovCoords = CreateOverlayText(50, 720, 1356, eFontNormal, 51520, 17, 
                     String.Format("room %d  mouse x%d,y%d   ft %d   translation %02d:%02d   puppet %02d:%02d   smallone %02d:%02d",
                     player.Room, mouse.x,mouse.y, FutureTime, BMin, BTimerSec, PMin, PTimerSec, SMin, STimerSec) );

Error: Type mismatch: cannot convert 'String*' to 'string'

I have:

Code: ags

if (ovCoords != null && ovCoords.Valid) ovCoords.Remove();
      ovCoords = Overlay.CreateTextual(50, 720, 1366, eFontNormal, 51520, "TEXT"

This create a nice red 'TEXT' on any background. But what if the background's red? I then need a black (or whatever colour) border around the text. How do I add this?

Khris, fantastic it works

Code: ags

function repeatedly_execute_always()
{
...

    //do sacebar coordinates
    if (ovCoordsVisible) {
      //BookTranslationTimer - number of game loops it takes to translate homer's book
      //PuppetTimer - number of game loops it takes to make current puppet
      
      //timer countdowns
      if (BookTranslationTimer>=0) BookTranslationTimer-=1;
      if (PuppetTimer>=0) PuppetTimer-=1;
      
      int GameSpeed=GetGameSpeed();
      
      int BSec=BookTranslationTimer/GameSpeed;
      int BMin=BSec/60;
      int BTimerSec=BSec%60;
      
      int PSec=PuppetTimer/GameSpeed;
      int PMin=PSec/60;
      int PTimerSec=PSec%60;
      
      if (ovCoords != null && ovCoords.Valid) ovCoords.Remove();
      ovCoords = Overlay.CreateTextual(50, 720, 1366, eFontNormal, 51520, 
      String.Format("room %d  mouse x%d,y%d   ft %d   tr %02d:%02d   pt %02d:%02d",
                     player.Room, mouse.x,mouse.y, FutureTime, BMin, BTimerSec,
                     PMin, PTimerSec)
                     );
    }
...
}

I just copied the timer (tics*min*sec etc.) to a var, starting reducing it by 1 in repeatedly_execute_always() if it was non-0.

Is there a wonderful way of saying:

Code: ags

#define TIMER_BOMB 1
SetTimer(TIMER_BOMB,GetGameSpeed()*10*60);   //10 minutes
Display("You have %d:%d till bomb explodes",<get how much time in seconds is left from timer 1>);

This is all something I've pulled out of my arse, but you get what I mean. How do we get the current time-out for a timer? Or should I use the module timer, which will take me.... a long time.

Or that. Time to redesign the game for the 5th time :/
At least it's solid now and matches the text-books I just looked up...

Because:
a) I needed to redo implementation, it's stuffed
b) I have trouble remembering left/right, x/y, row/column etc - I usually need lots of visual clues burnt into my brain to be able to nicely record stuff about these hither/thither binaries. Is 'x' a row or column? My brain just flips back and forth until I draw a picture.

Code: ags

//get the X-AXIS COLUMN
int GetColRange(int x)
{
  Display("x=%d",x);
  if (x>=0 && x<=50)    return 0;
  if (x>=51 && x<=100)  return 1;
  if (x>=101 && x<=150) return 2;
  if (x>=151 && x<=200) return 3;
  if (x>=201 && x<=250) return 4;
  if (x>=251 && x<=300) return 5;
  if (x>=301 && x<=350) return 6;
  if (x>=351 && x<=400) return 7;
  if (x>=401 && x<=450) return 8;
  if (x>=451 && x<=500) return 9;  
}

//get the Y-AXIS ROW
int GetRowRange(int y)
{
  Display("y=%d",y);
  if (y>=0 && y<=50)    return 0;
  if (y>=51 && y<=100)  return 1;
  if (y>=101 && y<=150) return 2;
  if (y>=151 && y<=200) return 3;
  if (y>=201 && y<=250) return 4;
  if (y>=251 && y<=300) return 5;
  if (y>=301 && y<=350) return 6;
  if (y>=351 && y<=400) return 7;
}

I wrote this function:

Code: ags

int GetRowRange(int y)
{
  Display("provided with %d",y);
  switch (y) {    
    case (y>=0 && y<=50):    return 0; break;//return x/row
    case (y>=51 && y<=100):  return 1; break;
    case (y>=101 && y<=200): return 2; break;
    case (y>=201 && y<=300): return 3; break;
    case (y>=301 && y<=400): return 4; break;
    case (y>=401 && y<=500): return 5; break;
    case (y>=501 && y<=600): return 6; break;
    case (y>=601 && y<=700): return 7; break;
    case (y>=701 && y<=800): return 8; break;
    case (y>=801 && y<=900): return 9; break;
  }
}

I plugged in y=156.
It goes through every case, doesn't pick any, and returns 0 - instead of 2, which is what it should return. Do we have ranges? Am I using it properly?

ps I added redundant break;s to make absolutely sure it stopped after the return statement.

Code: ags

...

//fill out theGrid with Tile objects
  int size = numRows*numCols;
  
  theGrid=new Tile[size]; //instantiate theGrid
  for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
    theGrid[i] = new Tile;
  }
  SetupGridValues();
  
  for (int j=0; j<numCrowds;j++) {
    rabble[j]=new Crowd;
  }

  TMan=new TM;

...and it works

It all works now, thank you

....except TMan. As usual I will try all combinations of definition before complaining.

*does this over 20 minutes*

Okay, I'm out of ideas.

Tankman.ash

Code: ags

...
import Tile *theGrid[];
import Crowd* rabble[numCrowds];    //4 crowds: red, yellow, green, purple
import TM* TMan;

Tankman.asc

Code: ags

__Tankman Tankman;
export Tankman;

bool gEnabled = false;
export gEnabled;


function __Tankman::Enable()
{
  gEnabled = true;
}

function __Tankman::Disable()
{
  gEnabled = false;
}


Tile *theGrid[];    //dynamic array of pointers
Crowd* rabble[4];    //4 crowds: red, yellow, green, purple
TM* TMan;
export theGrid; 
export rabble;
export TMan;
...

Room52.asc

Code: ags

function room_Load()
{
  Tankman.Enable();
  
  gIconbar.Visible=false;
	
  oTM.Baseline=768;
  
  
  cJulius.x=2000;   //the main character of the game; he's here, but off-screen
  cJulius.y=2000;
  
  AG_playing=true;
  AG_gameover=false;
  
  newdirection=eKeyboardMovement_Up;

  //set crowd views
  oC0.SetView(330); //red
  oC1.SetView(332); //yellow
  oC2.SetView(331); //green
  oC3.SetView(329); //purple
  oTM.SetView(314); //tankman
  
  
  //fill out theGrid with Tile objects
  int size = numRows*numCols;
  
  theGrid=new Tile[size]; //instantiate theGrid
  for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
    theGrid[i] = new Tile;
  }
  SetupGridValues();
  
  for (int j=0; j<numCrowds;j++) {
    rabble[j]=new Crowd;
  }
  
  //now, setup crowds:
  
  ///////////
  // 0 RED //
  ///////////
  rabble[0].mode=Random(1);       //chase or scatter
  
  //get random start tile
  Tile *rt0 = GetTile();
  rabble[0].aX=rt0.x;

....

 else if (rt3.left==1)  rabble[3].dir=3;
  
  //set nogo based on dir
  rabble[3].nogo=SetNogo(rabble[3].dir);
  

  //setup tankman:
  
  /////////////
  // Tankman //
  /////////////
  
  
  TMan.tileX=6;  <----NULL POINTER REFERENCED

so you know
TMan is still not acting as a nice global.

Alrighty, that worked, exports were the missing piece (which I... should have remembered. I need lunch).

Now, it gets back in room 52 to:

Code: ags

function room_Load()
{
  Tankman.Enable();
  
	gIconbar.Visible=false;
	
  oTM.Baseline=768;
  
  
  cJulius.x=2000;   //the main character of the game; he's here, but off-screen
  cJulius.y=2000;
  
  AG_playing=true;
  AG_gameover=false;
  
  newdirection=eKeyboardMovement_Up;

  //set crowd views
  oC0.SetView(330); //red
  oC1.SetView(332); //yellow
  oC2.SetView(331); //green
  oC3.SetView(329); //purple
  oTM.SetView(314); //tankman
  
  
  
  theGrid=new Tile[numRows*numCols];  //define it as a new Tile array of size rows*colums
  
  Display("%p %d %d",theGrid, numRows, numCols);    <---------displays "<8 random hex characters> 8 10"
  theGrid[0].x=25;              <---------------------------------Error: null pointer referenced, PROGRAM STOPS HERE
  Display("%p %d %d",theGrid, numRows, numCols);
  
  Display("rgarghath");
  SetupGridValues();
  GetTargetRed();

Tankman.ash

Code: ags

// new module header
struct __Tankman
{
  import function Enable();
  import function Disable();
};
import __Tankman Tankman;


#define numRows     8
#define numCols     10
#define tankLoop  314

managed struct Tile {
  int x;  //x centre of tile
  int y;  //y centre of tile
  bool up;      //has up direction
  bool right;   //has right direction
  bool down;    //has down direction
  bool left;    //has left direction
  int content;  //is it a free tile or blocked space?
};

#define numCrowds   4


managed struct Crowd {
  int aX;     //actual x eg. 312
  int aY;     //actual y eg. 472
  int tX;     //target x - x centre of target tile
  int tY;     //target y - y centre of target tile
  
  int mode;   //mode, 0=chase, attack=1, scatter=2, scared=3, regen=4
  
  int timer1; //timer to stay in mode
  int timer2; //timer to stay aggressive
  int waittimer;  //timer for wait between attacks/cooldown time
  int timercontrol; //a timer is on=1/off=0
  
  int dir;    //0=up, 1=right, 2=down, 3=left  Never Eat Soggy Wheatbix
  int nogo;   //opposite direction to where your pointed; dir/nogo 0/2 1/3 2/0 3/1
  int moving; //1=moving to next coord, 0=not moving, decision/action time
  bool attack;  //are they programmed to be aggressive? 0-no 1-yes
  int id;     //object ID, leads to control of object loop/position
  bool dead;  //0=alive, 1=dead
  
  import void ResetTimers(Crowd *crowd);
  import void FindTargetBasedOnMode(Crowd *crowd, int mode);
  import void MoveCrowdToTarget(Crowd *crowd);
  import int CleanUpDeadCrowd(Crowd *crowd);
};

managed struct TM {
  int tileX;  //tm's current tile
  int tileY;
  int dir;  //tm's current dir
  int nogo; //diametric opposite to dir
  int mode; 
  int id;   //object id
};

import int SetNogo(int dir);
import int DirToLoop(int dir);
import int LoopToDir(int loop);
import Tile* GetTile(int x=-1, int y=-1);

Tankman.asc

Code: ags

__Tankman Tankman;
export Tankman;

bool gEnabled = false;
export gEnabled;


function __Tankman::Enable()
{
  gEnabled = true;
}

function __Tankman::Disable()
{
  gEnabled = false;
}


Tile *theGrid[];    //dynamic array of pointers
Crowd* rabble[4];    //4 crowds: red, yellow, green, purple
TM* TMan;

...

Room52

Code: ags

...

function room_Load()
{
  Tankman.Enable();
  
  gIconbar.Visible=false;
	
  oTM.Baseline=768;
  
  
  cJulius.x=2000;   //the main character of the game; he's here, but off-screen
  cJulius.y=2000;
  
  AG_playing=true;
  AG_gameover=false;
  
  newdirection=eKeyboardMovement_Up;

  //set crowd views
  oC0.SetView(330); //red
  oC1.SetView(332); //yellow
  oC2.SetView(331); //green
  oC3.SetView(329); //purple
  oTM.SetView(314); //tankman
  
  
  
  theGrid=new Tile[numRows*numCols];  <------ Error: Undefined token 'theGrid'

EDIT: added these to the bottom of Tankman.ash:

Code: ags

import Tile *theGrid[];
import Crowd* rabble[4];    //4 crowds: red, yellow, green, purple
import TM* TMan;

Gets through compile, but then has a runtime error on startup in room52:

Error: unable to create local script: Runtime error: unresolved import 'theGrid'

Okay, that explains that.
Now I've got:

Room52.asc:

Code: ags

function room_Load()
{
...

  theGrid=new Tile[numRows*numCols];  //define it as a new Tile array of size rows*colums
  Display("%d %d",numRows, numCols);
  theGrid[0].x=25;   theGrid[0].y=25;    theGrid[0].up=0;  theGrid[0].right=1;  theGrid[0].down=1;  theGrid[0].left=0;  theGrid[0].content=0;
  theGrid[1].x=75;   theGrid[1].y=25;    theGrid[1].up=0;  theGrid[1].right=1;  theGrid[1].down=0;  theGrid[1].left=1;  theGrid[1].content=0;
  theGrid[2].x=125;  theGrid[2].y=25;    theGrid[2].up=1;  theGrid[2].right=1;  theGrid[2].down=0;  theGrid[2].left=1;  theGrid[2].content=0;
  
  
  Display("rgarghath");
  SetupGridValues();
  GetTargetRed();

It displays:
8 10
'Runtime error: null pointer referenced'

The first line, theGrid[0].x=25, etc etc is the null pointer. So instantiation is right, but then 'theGrid' drops from memory. Or something. :/

[How and where do I run 'theGrid=new Tile[numRows*numCols];' to set it as a global variable (within game/room52), then run all 'setup' code, and then just get to the actual game-loop in room_RepExec()?]

I have a script (header/code) for my little Tankman module. In room52, where I have the graphics for the game, I have a game_start() function.
In game_start(), I've put all the initialisation code, and the code for 'theGrid', an array which represents my game-map:

Tankman.ash

Code: ags

Tile *theGrid[];    //dynamic array of pointers

Room52.asc

Code: ags

function game_start()
{
...
theGrid=new Tile[numRows*numCols];  //define it as a new Tile array of size rows*colums
Display("rgarghath");
SetupGridValues();    <------Display output for testing, sets up grid values now it's been properly instantiated
GetTargetRed();   <----- function than generates Display output
}

Nothing displays output, nothing runs.
If I put SetupGridValues() in room_Load(), it runs it, and then says theGrid is a null pointer (obviously never instantiated).

I would've thought that game_start() would be the first and foremost thing to run?

How and where do I run 'theGrid=new Tile[numRows*numCols];' to set it as a global variable (within game/room52), then run all 'setup' code, and then just get to the actual game-loop in room_RepExec()?

Code: ags

vc[0] = Maths.Sqrt( Maths.RaiseToPower(Fcx-Ftmx, 2) + Maths.RaiseToPower(Fcy-Ftmy, 2) );

vc[] is an array of floats, all variables inside expression are floats, RaiseToPower is a floats-only function.

Error: Type mismatch: cannot convert 'int' to 'float'