Seanbot's coming back idea list

Have an idea or great plots for Egoboo? Post them here!

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Seanbot
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Seanbot's coming back idea list

Post by Seanbot »

Well hello.

All these ideas are subjective to my opinion, but I think they're something Egoboo might need.

Targeting: I think the current system of ranged attack is okay, but just a circle around the feet of the current target could help not killing K'Nife with arrows.

A status screen: I know a lot of you are opposed to the idea, but it's something I think about a lot. A lot of the weapons, spells and natural abilities in the game aren't explained very well, and I never actually know which I have or how to use them properly without re-reading the (quite odd) manual at least three times.

I think by holding down both left and right item swap should bring up a status screen. This could include, current armor statistics, current natural abilities, and a list of items. Navigation of the elements should be through arrows, and by holding the left and right swap keys, close the menu again.

Current arguments against this are: Breaking of action, interruption of single computer-multiple player games, leaving the player vulnerable

While these are good arguments, I think by staying out of danger while undertaking this action, (like you would in normal multi player online games) this screen could be a positive thing for game play.

Along with this maybe an item title should appear under the item icon in the UI.

Saving: At the moment saving (for the player) is rather abstract. I think a recognizable and regular save message or screen would help to provide the player with a better understanding of what he/she has saved, and accomplished.

Feel free to tear these ideas apart and threaten me physically, I think they are good ideas, but if you provide reasonable arguments I will concede.
Moogirl wrote: [19:47:14] ­period jokes = not cool
[19:47:23] ­no wait it's the anus
[19:47:25] ­wtf
[19:47:46] ­a cloud cannot have that much blood
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Zefz
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Post by Zefz »

There have been various UI improvements since Egoboo 2.7.4, when your character is saved may be a lot more obvious than before. Also, birdsey has written a nice quick start manual that sums up everything you need to know to play as quickly as possible.

You can already see pretty detailed statistics and such by pressing special key combos CTRL+1, ALT+1, SHIFT+1 and 1 for example. The in-game menu screen also shows your character, their inventory and a stats with description now. The only thing that's not mentioned at all is character skills, which the player has to dig into the game manual to figure out. (or simply classes.txt)
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Post by Seanbot »

Simply? The problem I have is I'm not sure quite what they do, or how to use them. As the rouge I turn invisible sometimes. Sometimes maybe when I've stopped, sometimes when I'm moving. I'm not sure what I'm doing, or how the skill works, because sometimes I still get attacked. It's the stats and descriptions of skills/weapons/spells that I think should be shown to the player.
Moogirl wrote: [19:47:14] ­period jokes = not cool
[19:47:23] ­no wait it's the anus
[19:47:25] ­wtf
[19:47:46] ­a cloud cannot have that much blood
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Post by bgbirdsey »

I really don't support your view of the importance of stat numbers. In all reality they aren't very useful at all.

Zefz has developed a text-based system that breaks the range of stats into a variety of descriptions, and I would suggest that we implement this across the game so that no numbers are reported to the player at all.
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Post by Seanbot »

I concur (ooh fancy) I think that is an excellent idea. But some of the abilities could be helpful.
I think the story is a main driver in Egoboo, so how about this;
Say if the weapon has a poison splash effect, and is not that powerful.

If we write a description of it we could end up with something like:
[Description]
This sword plunged into the heart of a Grub Mother, was reduced to a dagger by the creature's acid.
[Effect]
A cloud of pestilence follows this blade.
[Power]
As a dagger, it's not that useful.
Moogirl wrote: [19:47:14] ­period jokes = not cool
[19:47:23] ­no wait it's the anus
[19:47:25] ­wtf
[19:47:46] ­a cloud cannot have that much blood
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Post by bgbirdsey »

There are too many files to modify for that and the enchant system (what would actually make sticky effects) is not organized by "poison" per se. All you know is that the effect has so much life drain and tints you such and such a color.

It is the conventions of the devs :) that have made green be poison (and red is slow, I think, is blue ice???)
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Post by Seanbot »

It was just an idea to bounce of, but that dynamic story built out of bits is the kind of thing Egoboo has done (mainly the random story generator on the website)
Moogirl wrote: [19:47:14] ­period jokes = not cool
[19:47:23] ­no wait it's the anus
[19:47:25] ­wtf
[19:47:46] ­a cloud cannot have that much blood
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Zefz
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Post by Zefz »

Red = life drain/negative effect
Green = poison/disease
Yellow = magic resistant
Black = kursed
White = enchanted
Teal = unused
Pink = unused

There might be other ones as well...
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Post by bgbirdsey »

Yeah, actually your idea is pretty sound. I thought maybe it was a bit different.

There could be a "sage" character that you could go to that could describe weapons this way? That sounds like a plan! But It wouldn't be able to do so with the current system.

Another option would be to have messages display on the screen if the character fumbles or gets a critical that would be something like what you have there. Since it would be implemented in the source, it could be quite detailed.
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Post by penguinflyer2222 »

I don't really like any of your ideas, Seanbot. They sound.. unEgobooish.
......
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Post by bgbirdsey »

I have always wanted the targeting, but the arrow targeting would have to be totally revamped.
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Post by Seanbot »

How so? The way the arrows are shot I thought they would designate a target, unless the target is designated during shooting?

That would require a change, adding something to the event loop I assume (look I did a little of SDL and know I think i know everything), how much of a revamp are we looking at?
Moogirl wrote: [19:47:14] ­period jokes = not cool
[19:47:23] ­no wait it's the anus
[19:47:25] ­wtf
[19:47:46] ­a cloud cannot have that much blood
bgbirdsey
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Post by bgbirdsey »

the target is chosen when the arrow particle is created. we could maybe create another script function that would let the script specify a particle target. But then you would have to make the arrow work by holding down the action button to "charge" the arrow (and this is where you would see the targeting effect) and releasing the button to fire it.
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Post by Seanbot »

Or the other option, taking up more cycles, is if a ranged weapon is in hand, determine a target in each frame, then draw the circle.

Though your method would take less processing.

Where are we at with the efficiency of the Egoboo engine anyway? Is there any problem points?
I know it's designed to run on less able computers, is that built into the engine, or is it from using content like the low poly models, and using particles instead of candles?
Moogirl wrote: [19:47:14] ­period jokes = not cool
[19:47:23] ­no wait it's the anus
[19:47:25] ­wtf
[19:47:46] ­a cloud cannot have that much blood
bgbirdsey
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Posts: 1864
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:22 am
Location: Minnesota, USA

Post by bgbirdsey »

If there are bottlenecks they are all on the graphics side. You could have hundreds of script updates per second if that loop was free-running.
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