Interface suggestions

Hi, I'm new to the forums but I've been using C2 for a few months on and off. I liked it so much I bought the full version!

I plan on making a fairly large and complex action RPG tank shooter. Starting out I actually found development rather speedy for getting a lot of basic functionality up which would have been boring or frustrating to implement from scratch with something else but for more complex stuff I started noticing that this requires a lot of clicking around and navigating the interface. My suggestions largely have to do with the menu style scripting.

Text Script:

Now, I'm a fairly cruddy programmer but I've used C# enough to miss 2 speed related things about text based editing that you see in most compilers: intellisense (which I notice is implemented with C2 expressions which is great!) And of course the mere fact that I can type notably faster than I can navigate windows once I know what I'm doing with a feature.

I understand that this might be time consuming to implement but is it possible that there could be a text code editor mode that is 1 to 1 with the menu structured scripting? I read somewhere that the javascript gets complicated when decompiled directly, I was thinking perhaps a custom text script sort of like the 'expressions' text script in C2. If not, I can understand that this might not be where your priorities would lie in development and that I can still get my game done regardless but something to this effect would speed up development I think.

The menu based structure of C2 is extremely useful for learning new features but once the general idea and how C2 treats the functionality is learned I wish I could go into a speedier mode of a 'simplified' text based development.

//Commenting out code

This could be implemented into the menu scripting as an option to 'disable code' that would grey it out for debugging. I know you have break points now but I also have a tendency to comment stuff out for testing.

Arrays and Dictionaries:

Is there a possibility for an in-editor method for setting the initial state of Array's and Dictionary objects outside of having to use the menu style scripting for each cell of these objects or having to use a 3rd party plugin to import csv's or the like? My hopefully accurate assumption is this shouldn't be to difficult to implement and would make designing an RPG-like game MUCH easier.

Tool Tips for menu script objects:

If 2 objects share the same or similar art it makes it a bit difficult to identify what object the menu style script is referring to at first glance, tool tips showing the name of the object would mitigate this to a degree.

Effect all instances of object: (not sure if this is already present)

I notice when, for instance during a collision, that only the specific instance of an object involved in the event will be effected by the actions, this is a super smart set up and is useful for obvious reasons, however on the off chance I want to effect all the instances equally regardless of which instance is involved, how do I go about doing that? Not sure if there is a check box somewhere that I am missing?

Unrelated to C2's interface: I know that these have been asked for already at some point in the past, I'm just chiming in with a +1 for support for tile sets and vector based graphics. Things I hope to see in the future.

In conclusion:

These would go along well with the rest of C2's intuitive interface elements. I hope I did not repeat any already mentioned suggestions. I don't believe I did, but I might not have searched well enough.

You have an excellent built in level editor, usable sprite editor (though I usually use GIMP 2.0 for my spriting needs), easy script to learn, and awesome behaviors, collision, and physics code all right at my finger tips. So obviously I'm satisfied regardless, but thought these would help.

Keep up the good work. And thank you for making Construct 2!

Since commenting on all your suggestions would take time I don't have, lemme just say that they are well thought out, and I especially would like to see the array editor as you suggested. Arrays are heavily used in RPGs and a good editor speeds up the process. :)

/le bump!

Thanks I try to keep posts of this nature organized and easy to read. I always feel a tad guilty making suggestions, interface work isn't the most glamorous work.

But yeah, the array and dictionary editor suggestion is probably the most important and probably fastest to develop of these. I'd be super happy if that was the only thing they implemented of these. (though I'd be happy if they did any of them, they get a lot of suggestions)

Effect all instances of object: (not sure if this is already present)

I notice when, for instance during a collision, that only the specific instance of an object involved in the event will be effected by the actions, this is a super smart set up and is useful for obvious reasons, however on the off chance I want to effect all the instances equally regardless of which instance is involved, how do I go about doing that? Not sure if there is a check box somewhere that I am missing?

I think this is doable with "pick all" command for the related object in the event.

The others are well thought, +1 with script mode.

I understand that this might be time consuming to implement but is it possible that there could be a text code editor mode that is 1 to 1 with the menu structured scripting?

think this could be cool. Something similar to Haml, using abbreviations and indentation to aid the power user. Added benefit, if it was saved in this format, is that logic changes would be easier to track in version control

Arrays and Dictionaries:

Is there a possibility for an in-editor method for setting the initial state of Array's and Dictionary objects outside of having to use the menu style scripting for each cell of these objects or having to use a 3rd party plugin to import csv's or the like? My hopefully accurate assumption is this shouldn't be to difficult to implement and would make designing an RPG-like game MUCH easier.

ou can use external json or xml without a plugin.

Effect all instances of object: (not sure if this is already present)

se the System -> Pick All condition.

If 2 objects share the same or similar art it makes it a bit difficult to identify what object the menu style script is referring to at first glance, tool tips showing the name of the object would mitigate this to a degree.here are you looking? In the layout view? When you click an object the name appears in the properties window.

Unrelated to C2's interface: I know that these have been asked for already at some point in the past, I'm just chiming in with a +1 for support for tile sets and vector based graphics. Things I hope to see in the future.

could be wrong but I don't think vectors play to the performance strengths of canvas, especially for complicated games. Even in Flash many games just used rasterised graphics to optimise performance. I can understand there are some use cases though - hopefully the third-party canvas plugin should fulfil those. I agree with tile sets and I think that's on the todo.

Text Script:

A much-discussed idea that amounts to making an entirely different product, IMO. We don't have any plans to implement this.

b]//Commenting out code

You can already disable events, actions and conditions, which does exactly this.

b]Arrays and Dictionaries:

Is there a possibility for an in-editor method for setting the initial state of Array's and Dictionary objects

It's already on the todo list, but no ETA I'm afraid. You can work around it by developing your own visual editors in C2, but that can be a fair amount of work (but on the other hand you get a tool specific to your game, which can be more useful than a general-purpose editor).

b]Tool Tips for menu script objects:

Not sure what you're referring to here - I can't think off the top of my head anywhere C2 shows only an icon without also showing the name of the object to help differentiate it. Where does this happen? In some cases you can collapse part of the UI to hide the name, in which case simply expanding it will show the object names again.

b]Effect all instances of object:

Use the 'Pick all' condition

i]Unrelated to C2's interface: I know that these have been asked for already at some point in the past, I'm just chiming in with a +1 for support for tile sets

Tile sets are in the works, but we don't have any plans to support vector graphics at this time.