Engine Thread (version 0-33-17), last executable: NCFC DEMO

Status:

Checkpoints added.
Only restarting the level from checkpoints costs a life*, and you can not return to the world map, or else the checkpoint expires. I think that makes a good combination.

After dying, you get asked if you want to continue from the last checkpoint, or return to the world map (kinda like in YI).

*Because "lives" in this game are the pipes with which you can teleport back to the latest checkpoint.

Status:

Persistent Room Problem solved.
Basically, when a level consists of multiple rooms, we want all rooms to save which coins and items we have collected, and which enemies we killed and so on.
Making this room persistent would seem to solve the problem, however we want the room to be restored to its original state as soon as we have left the course and revisit it later.
Since there is no function to turn off the room's persistence while you're not in it, I made a workaround that involves a similar method like the one to save "important items" like blue coins and such.

Anyway, using this basic idea, and a list of rooms we have already visited, it is always possible to check the room we're in for items we already collected, and the list gets reset each time we start a level from the start.


Further goals for today:
Waluigi.

How does that work?

It involves an array and assigning identification numbers to each item, and then checking that ID on startup. If the ID is already marked with "true" then you delete the item. Hello made an engine iirc that does this in a very simplified way.

Anyway, so that it's possible to deal with huge levels, I have created functions to store 1-bit values in arrays, which makes it possible (in theory) to have an array with not 32000 indices, but with 64 times that. Due to how GM is made and some experiments I made, I don't think it's possible to use all 64 bits of a real value bit for bit, so I use only 32 for now.

(Oh well I doubt we'll ever have rooms with more than 32000 enemies, coins, items etc, but whatever. This can be used for other stuff aswell, like event switches and such that you'd want to really save in a file, and then you could have a file that's 32 times smaller than what GM would give you by default.)

That sounds really awesome!

Oh, my little bro found a glitch. If you are holding an enemy, and you run into a spring (or possibly anything that can be picked up) it will swap the items and the first item will be stuck floating in the air. I think this happened as Wario.

This happens with the spring, and is known.
Gonna be fixed in the next version.

Status:

GDialogue implemented.
For those who still don't know what it is:
GDialogue is a GM7 extension written by myself that allows to show self-writing text (like you know it from RPGs), but not only that, it also allows you to use a BBCode style tag language to do various stuff such as:
Change text speed, color or draw images inline.
Also, GDialogue self-analyses itself before starting, which does among other things check if the text fits into a given width and adds newline characters where required.


That said, NPCs are now in the game. If you come close enough to talk, you see an icon on their heads.

Status:

GDialogue improved. You can now skip slides + joystick support.
GMenu improved, which affects the DSe Options menu where you can now customize your keyboard and joystick keys.
For those who didn't find out yet: Joystick Support was added.
All options (controls, graphics settings, etc.) will be saved in the file "midas.ini".


Swimming, in different styles for Mario/Luigi and Wario/Waluigi.
Both styles work similar to their respective games, this means Mario and Luigi swim with their standing mask and can pick up items and such underwater.
Wario and Waluigi swim with their ducking mask, and can so fit in smaller gaps, then the swimming responds more directly and you can swim by only using the directional keys, which is kinda like a slow version of the Frog Suit.
Disadvantage: No items under water, and they can't go through vertical one-block gaps as long as there's spikes on one side of the wall (you might need to see it to really understand what I mean by that)

I think you've already answered that question, but will there be another exe that shows the latest version of the engine? In my opinion these are a good way of encouraging people to participate to the CFP..

The next exe you'll see comes to NCFC, which I actually hope causes a new boost of incoming helpers.

Also I have already said that whoever joins a meeting or requests an exe instead via IM (preferably) or PM (because they really can't join the meeting) gets an exe.

A little image, for those who are bored with the text-only status reports.

This here shows the item menu integrated into the DSe.
Three categories of items:
- Normal Items in your inventory
- Normal Items in your inventory that you have activated (some items last for a whole level, and you can only activate 3 at a time)
- Important Items

Feel free to ask questions

Looks great but we could probably sort the inventory field out by item category, eh?

This post has been edited by BurninLeo on Oct 1 2009, 12:33 PM

What do you mean exactly?
Sorting the normal inventory items by item, which would lead for example to the two green mushroom essences being next to each other and not allowing for the yellow one to be in between?

If I'm not mistaken there's a function to sort a list, so that should not be a problem.
Also, different types of normal items are supposed to be colorcoded, too. (E.g. fireflower, mushroom essence and that stuff is something you use right away, while the boots would be items that need to be activated, and then there's also the POW for example that only works once you leave the DSe menu)

Hi,
I'm not really sure this is the place to post my comment, but anyway.
Two weeks ago Guinea sent me the latest engine test of the game. I found it very good except for one thing: I think the special move of each character aren't highlighted enough. I draw a quick schem of how in my opinion you could improve this to emphasize the game's actions.
Anyway good luck with the game!!

Attached Image

Wow, those effects could really work great in the game.
The only one I can't see really working is Waluigi, because all the others have special abilities that have to do with power, so if they sparkle and shine it makes sense.
And Waluigi's attack is quite sneaky and not very spectacular.

Yeah, for Waluigi, the light column is just when he takes his breath, and then it disapear. You know just for the player to see that he has done the move. When I played myself, at first I didn't even notice there was a difference when you'd press up playing waluigi. With this it will make it noticable and stylish!

I know what you wanted to say before, so you're not telling me anything new.
I don't think it will look good if Waluigi gets that light column just because he breathes in.

I am open for other ideas though.

Oh, ok. But anyway I think he should definitly have something, maybe air coming to him like in the Kirby games or something...

I honestly don't think Waluigi needs anything. Besides, it would add as a joke if nothing happens. Everyone else who has been adventuring can do fancy actions, and then he just takes a deep breath.