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tube-making easier

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:36 pm
by Sascha
What about a tool in the level-
editor which drops tubes for a walkable
path in the level?
so:
X - (Point of start making a linear line)





.............................X - (point of remove tool from level map)
If you have to draw each single tube
it lasts an eternity.

Of course you would have to
make such variations by hand:





But with one-way-tube ways it could
work finely!

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:44 pm
by Zomis
I'm not sure about this idea... a tool to create a specific variation of elements (in this case, only tubes), in a specific way doesn't seem worth the implementation to me. I think that those tubes are so rarely used that the tool would mostly be in the way. If you understand what I mean...

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:03 pm
by Holger
On the one hand, Zomis is right -- a specific tool to draw special connections of tubes would be a bit, well, over-specialized.

On the other hand: Some sort of "magic" tool would indeed be useful for the editor, and I have already thought of this several times.

It could be implemented like the following: Select an ordinary, existing tool from the toolbox, like the rectangular box tool. Now select an arbitrary element that forms an acid pool, like the top-left corner of the acid pool Hold (for example) the Shift key pressed while drawing a 10x2 box. The result could then be a complete acid pool (with or without 8x1 elements of acid).

This could also be used for the tube scenario, when drawing 45° lines, like described by Sascha. It could also be used it for conveyor belts (when drawing horizontal lines).

Maybe there are some similar things where it could be useful in a generic way.

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 12:49 am
by LieDetector
This is a good idea, but pitched wrong. ;-)

Why not draw tubes? (as opposed to click A>B method)

You select the "draw tube" brush and then draw! Holding down the mouse button and moving up draws verical tubes.......you turn right and a "L tube piece" is made, then vertical tubes follow. If you cross over any vertical or horizontal tube whilst drawing then a cross section is made, likewise for any T junctions. Think of it like drawing with toothpaste ;-)

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 6:25 pm
by Sascha
It was only a suggestion.
As Holger said, it would be useful indeed, but
hardly to realise!

And as LieDetector said, when crossing two
"pipe-lines" it would be really hard
to realise as well because the tool woul
have to know, which direction is wanted.

Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 1:48 pm
by Holger
> You select the "draw tube" brush and then draw! Holding down the mouse
> button and moving up draws verical tubes.......you turn right and a "L tube
> piece" is made, then vertical tubes follow. If you cross over any vertical or
> horizontal tube whilst drawing then a cross section is made, likewise for
> any T junctions. Think of it like drawing with toothpaste

This would be the perfect and intuitive way to draw tubes!

> As Holger said, it would be useful indeed, but hardly to realise!

Not necessarily.

> And as LieDetector said, when crossing two "pipe-lines" it would be really
> hard to realise as well because the tool woul have to know, which direction
> is wanted.

That's true. But I have found out that it's relatively easy to add a little hook to the standard drawing tools to add such "intuitive" or "magic" drawing possibilities, which are quite useful for complex objects like tubes and acid pools!

I nearly forgot that I already implemented this a short time after reading the first post in this thread -- here is how it works (in 3.2.4). (I have called this "IntelliDraw" internally, although this name is most probably already patented and I will be sued to death if somebody reads this -- so don't tell anybody. ;-) )

Let's start with tubes:











This figure was drawn with one single mouse click! (That means, pressing the mouse button, moving the mouse around and finally releasing the mouse button again.)

To do this, just select *any* tube element, select the "single items" drawing tool, hold down the (left or right) "Shift" key and start drawing!

You can also use this new functionality with a few other drawing functions:













This figure was created with four mouse clicks, using the "outline rectangle" drawing tool.

But it does not only work with tubes:








Selecting any acid pool or acid element and drawing with the outline rectangle tool again can create the above with three mouse clicks!

Another nice use are conveyor belts:











Only three mouse clicks with the line drawing tool (and selecting a differently coloured conveyor belt element after each line).










One mouse click with any Supaplex style "chip" (wall) element.








One click with the "filled rectangles" tool.

I have also added a few not-so-obvious functions: If you click on a closed door (like exit, key gate, switch gate, time gate etc.) with "Shift" pressed, it changes to the open variant (and vice versa). The same happens with some other elements (emerald <-> wall with emerald, empty/filled Sokoban element, on/off lamp, just to name a few).

If there are more ideas that fit into this scheme, just let me know! :-)

Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:47 pm
by Daniel H.
Wow, those improvements sound great! :D

Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:27 pm
by Zomis
Really nice features.

These things should really be documented in the manual somehow. And it should be documented somehow in the level editor.

And I was thinking about using such a feature for Group Elements - using that special draw and drawing a rectangle would draw the resolved elements (using the GE's choice mode, such as linear, random, etc..)

And by the way... pleeeease release a pre-release soon!!

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:02 am
by LieDetector
>IntelliDraw

;-)

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 11:25 pm
by Holger
> These things should really be documented in the manual somehow.

Yep!

> And it should be documented somehow in the level editor.

I think you're right. But: Any idea how?

The only way I could imagine would be a "tip of the day" window when starting the level editor... :-/

> And I was thinking about using such a feature for Group Elements - using
> that special draw and drawing a rectangle would draw the resolved
> elements (using the GE's choice mode, such as linear, random, etc..)

Good idea! Done! :-)

> And by the way... pleeeease release a pre-release soon!!

I'll do! :-)

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:08 pm
by Zomis
Holger wrote:> And it should be documented somehow in the level editor.

I think you're right. But: Any idea how?

The only way I could imagine would be a "tip of the day" window when starting the level editor... :-/
Umm... even though "tip of the day" would be a very nice documentation addition to Rocks'n'Diamonds (not only in the level editor, but everywhere!). I was more thinking about the statusbar in the level editor. But I'm afraid that space is too limited so I'm not sure :/

I hope that pre-release comes very soon... I'm very excited to see any changes in the file loading functions, or InitElementProperties, or any main.h differences (which is those things I use for RnD Scripter)

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 12:19 am
by Daniel H.
Holger wrote:If there are more ideas that fit into this scheme, just let me know! :-)
Well, there's the steel wall from Diamond Caves II that has the yellow and black "caution" stripe on one (or two) sides (or corners).

It might be a little confusing because of multiple possibilities, though.

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 12:21 pm
by Sascha
Yes, this would be an improvement!

Well, you're right that this could be a little confusing..
probably only rectangle-drawing would be senseful.

(BTW: After not having played for a long time I'm back now! My latest project is coming soon!)

Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:34 pm
by AutoFire55555
I never thought of tools like these! If they aren't added yet, I hope that they'll be in soon. In the mean time, here's my ideas(mostly for envelopes):

1)The abillity to add elements in your letters.(I mean put the picture of say, a bug)
2)Custom elements as envelopes.(Great for somthing like zelda, letting you make the message that it shows when you get a weapon)

These letter updates would help alot.

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:56 pm
by Daniel H.
The ability to add elements to envelope text would be nice (although it might be complicated to implement).

You can already show envelopes from a custom element using the "Show Envelope" action.