Suggestion: Layout families

I've encountered little problem:

My game has 40 levels (layouts). Each layout has 5 layers. When I need to add another (6-th) layer to all layouts I have to do it manually for each layout. This is very laborious.

How about adding Layout families? Then I add and configure new layer only once and all layouts in this family inherits it.

"Global layer" would be more appropriated term i think, but i agree with that.

I agree, layer changes when you have a lot of levels is a PAIN!

I'd be tentative about a 'global layer', however. Chances are, you will not want it on the main menu!

As I understand it, you are all meaning adding a layer to all layouts simultaneously. Such a feature surely should be a tick box of current layouts which therefore gives you the option of choosing multiple layouts to add a layer to (or removing one). Hence, perhaps "Add multiple layers" may be an even better name than "Layout familes" or "Global Layer". :P :P

On a side note, depending on your expertise, time available and if it is not a hassle. In a future game you may like to experiement with having much fewer layouts. But the 'main game' layout has the ability to load and run a map from stored data (i.e. an array). This normally requires a level editor (created by yourself), but has certain advantages with adding and updating levels and gameplay. But takes longer to set up. It all depends on the size of your game.

-Adam

Agree. It would help a lot, specially to maintain layers like HUD.

As I understand it, you are all meaning adding a layer to all layouts simultaneously.

Not really. In CC it was called "Inheritance Layer".

It's a normal layer, can put anything on that with one difference, it can be called from any layout in the project.

All you have to do is set up one layer in one layout and it will be accessible from any other layout.

shinkan

Agh, I understand now. There is a work around for this using events for the time being. If all the images are already loaded into your game. You create a separate events sheet which programmes the layout, its looks, image positions etc.. You then 'include' this event sheets in other events sheets. So that upon a trigger it does what it needs to do. The downside being that you may need to add a layer on each layout. And it is not as efficient as the method you suggest.

What if you could set a layout to simply use a copy of another layout's layers? So you only need to modify layers on one layout, and it affects all of them. I think it would be a bit more straightforward than inheritance layers, but would it achieve the same thing?

Agree with that.