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[darkhog]

Still need more feedback for the technical build!

Anyway, today I've started working on code behind level header and goal editor and made it possible for level designer to change the direction of the skylight like you could rotate pretty much any object, via Inspector (technically you can move and scale it as well, but it won't do you much good).

Just click on the lightbulb icon and you'll be able to change it. As you select it, the black, wireframe lampshade will show, the wider side points in the light's direction.


Tomorrow will continue to work on header editor.

[darkhog]

I've started a thread for anyone interested in helping me to test my game's technical build.

Also, Level Header and Goal editor is about 50% done.

[darkhog]

Work on header editor goes as planned. I think I'll be able to finish it either today or tomorrow. Then save/load routines. Fun!

[darkhog]

Okay, it was way too long since last post. Nobody will read that, but what the heck. Time for progress report.


Code behind Goal Editor is 80% done, started to lay out the interface. It took longer than expected because I've caught a cold. In August. Lol. Anyway, I'll be working on this today hard as I want to get to write save/load routines as fast as I can and start working on the actual gameplay and content (dialogue editor can wait until I need it).

[darkhog]

     

Okay, 98% of the editor is done, now I need to get save and load routines working properly (and make save/load dialogs) and I'm good to go to make proper content and gameplay code (powerups, enemy AI, etc.).

Isn't that awesome?

[darkhog]

Okay, Level Header and Goal editor is finished and ready to go. I've also started writing saving/loading routines for the level, for now those are written for level header and level goal data, the next thing is to implement those for level object data and then make actual save/load routine that will put together these in order required by my level format.

But since the level object's struct is quite big (afaik 10-20 fields) and I am kinda tired now (09:38 here, been up since 6am working on my game with only small break for breakfast at about 10 am), that'll have to wait until tomorrow.

I WILL finish this game for everyone to enjoy. That's not even a promise. That's an oath. I am very determined to make this work, no matter what and I *will* do that. You can count on it.

[darkhog]

Today I was very busy bee . I've started to finish save/load procedures and managed to get reading procedure done, but because level object data's struct is such big monster, I had to get some break.

Therefore, I've done the only logical thing which was to work on what will become a playable main menu:


As you can see, player will choose what to do, by simply walking there (The exit area is basically done as you can see in the picture, albeit it's not functional yet).

Obviously it is based on "virus playground" scene provided in technical demo #1, but the fountain has been remade to look better as the one in said demo was created just so people could get sense of speed of The Virus.

I've also adjusted movement so it isn't as floaty as it was in Technical Demo #1 and fixed movement jitter, because it just annoyed me. Another thing I did was to resign of box collider in favor of capsule one so The Virus won't have issues walking upstairs.

[darkhog]

This is how level's end pad will look like, walk up on it and you're done:


In other news, I'm about halfway done with the level object's save routine, next I'm going to make save/load dialog and do the final save/load routines that will save all data (Level header, goal and then stream of level objects) in proper sequence, according to level format specs. Fun! As in Dark Souls kind of fun, but still!

Then I'll take care of game's gameplay. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[darkhog]

Level object data saving/loading is done, now I'll be doing save/load dialog for the level editor. Will probably spend next few days on UI design and code, then back to saving.

[darkhog]

Work is being done on the save window!


Due to the nature of this, unlike of things like header/goal editor or (in future) dialogue editor, all other controls are blocked until either user cancels out this or saves/loads level in order to avoid accidental messup and corrupting level during save/load.

Code side of this should be easy to do since I have all the necessary parts, now all I need is to cobble these together in a matter that works .

All in all, now it is more of the boring/time consuming part rather than hard. Probably will later work more on menu and (by extension, due to nature of the menu) gameplay code, just to keep things interesting (would have to do it anyway sooner or later).

[darkhog]

Got the file list working properly. Now I can start writing actual save of full file and load routines (what I worked on previously was saving specific parts of the level, like single object or header or goal and so on). But first, I need to sleep for a bit.

[darkhog]

Good news! I've already wrote "full" saving routine. It isn't tested yet, because I need for that working loading routine, which I'm working on right now!

[darkhog]

Finished load code. I hope it'll work. Big day tomorrow - will finally put together last bits of saving/loading of levels in level editor and if it'll work, I can start cranking up content! And code AI. Oomph.

[darkhog]

Sorry for not updating log for a while, but it turned out that I have to write more "glue code" connecting save/load routines with GUI than I've expected. But chugging along. See you soon.

[darkhog]

Today I've finished writing glue code for my save/load routines for levels, and so far it looks like I didn't mess up!

Of course further testing is required to see if say, level header data is saved properly (and other things), but it seems everything is good!

[darkhog]

If all tests prove to be successful, I plan to start working on runtime level loading and docs for level editor in a week or so (whole set of prefabs that are analogues to prefabs in level editor need to be created as these needs also react to player's actions), first I need to make sure levels load as intended in level editor before I move further.

[darkhog]

While testing if saving works, I've discovered few minor bugs regarding level editor editing. Also I've added feature where you can just hold button in transform section of the object inspector to move continuously, earlier you had to click it each time if you wanted to move/rotate/scale object (or use text fields).

[darkhog]

Today I've fixed rather... interesting bug regarding loading objects.

Before I get to the details, shame on you unity for not having proper debugging with step over and watches. That would make my life much easier.

So the bug was that trigger/group data seemed to not load properly - I've saved object with group ID of 5 that won't be rendered in game and will be passable (a platform that has to be activated with a button).

However, after loading it, selecting object in question and clicking "Advanced" button, it turned out it was zeroed!

Of course bad saving routine was the first suspect. But after I've opened level file in XVI32 (great hex editor, really recommend it), it turned out it saved just fine.

So the next step was to put bit of logging into loading routine. But it turned out it loads fine.

Confused, I've decided to put similar debug code in routine that actually spawns object into the world. Which gave me similar results to previous efforts.

I was very befuddled. Something had to happen to "advanced" data between spawning object and selecting it.

What turned out to be the issue? Setting level object's data was interfering with initialization routines. After I put initialization stuff into Awake() instead of Start() (where default unity code script says you should put initialization), the problem disappeared.

And for making things better, I've decided to show test level I'm playing with:



Everything there, except level end platform, player character and enemies is made out of assorted primitives. Yes, even the tree.

Wireframe part shows objects that will be invisible when the game starts (can't have them to be actually invisible in editor or you won't be able to find them if they pose an issue).

Oh, and the object inspector got close button when it obstructs view.

[darkhog]

I was thinking about level editor. What would you like to be able to do in it aside of things that you already can and things that are planned (dialogue editor)? If you don't know what it can currently do, I refer you to this videopresentation:

- while it's relatively old, it fairly well shows what the editor is capable of, however following things had changed since then:

- Implemented saving loading
- Selection particles are gone, now when you select model, it is selected with wireframe
- There's few new categories - most notably level pickups.

[darkhog]

I've worked today on Virus' moveset. It is important to get it right before I'll start making actual levels, otherwise any change to it may break existing levels.

I've added following moves:
Glide:

This move will make easier to cover larger spaces or jump to the platform not achievable by regular jump. It is activated by pressing jump key while in air.

Smash:


This move makes Virus invulnerable for a short period of time, meaning that if any enemies collide with it during that time, they'll take damage, which is ideal for attacking enemies when you don't have other means to do it. It is activated by pressing left mouse button. This one can also increase mobility when combined with glide.

//edit: Speed of the gifs is not indicative of game's performance, the software I'm using to record these can only record at 15fps.