That's very near exactly my technique. Only it kinda breaks when you do things like having a level editor. It's easier to code a level editor separately, and you may wish to use the editor again somewhere else. Suppose you have a graphic editing tool, I mean, you wouldn't build high octane photoshop utilities into your game. It's kinda like that.
im a single frame builder as well. i think most of us are.
but i do put menus and sorts into their own frames for a more clean building enviroment.
but the actual game resides in a single frame and usually uses global values/strings when doing level jumps ect.
...all typos belongz to me... ...yes all of em... ...oi handz off my typoz...
My last project: DTV Boxes was.
Just like AmyS3 I had the menu in another frame.
And the level selector, which then jumps to the level frame to load a level from the levels folder.
But most of my older games where made with multiple levels, mostly platform games in KnP/TGF, for which I could use the build in level editor.
The number of objects that can exist in a frame is limited by fusion itself, so there is that.
Off-screen objects that are set to only be active when they're in the frame seem to have no effect on the framerate since their collisions and other things aren't calculated. That's a trick I've used before to squeeze extra performance out of the runtime.
Most of the time though since I build everything in a separate editor, it's just a matter of splitting larger levels into smaller chunks and having the frame load it in when it's needed.
Originally Posted by -UrbanMonk- The number of objects that can exist in a frame is limited by fusion itself, so there is that.
Off-screen objects that are set to only be active when they're in the frame seem to have no effect on the framerate since their collisions and other things aren't calculated. That's a trick I've used before to squeeze extra performance out of the runtime.
Most of the time though since I build everything in a separate editor, it's just a matter of splitting larger levels into smaller chunks and having the frame load it in when it's needed.
Build everything in a separate layer? What exactly do you mean?
So the question I have now is, if I were to build a single frame game with at least 10 levels each with randomly generated areas within, how would I go about transitioning between levels in the single frame? (An example file would be greatly appreciated)
Normally what I do is place all my levels in separate frames, while that is simple and effective, it is a bit too linear for my taste, and I want to try something new this time around.
No example needed, consider these frames for a platformer:
1 title
2 menu
3 world map
4 level
5 game over
6 end
The names of the frames speak for themselves.
In frame 4, to level that will be loaded for play there is a level ending condition.
Once that condition is met, the game can jump to frame 3, the world map and the player
can select the next level to play, which will be loaded in frame 4.
I learnt my lesson with Tormishire, part of the reason the first attempt died was because of using lots of frames. Very silly way of doing it but it was before I knew how to make a level editor at the level of complexity I needed for the game. Big Sky was 13 frames, each settings screen had its own frame. But that was sloppily made too.
No example needed, consider these frames for a platformer:
1 title
2 menu
3 world map
4 level
5 game over
6 end
The names of the frames speak for themselves.
In frame 4, to level that will be loaded for play there is a level ending condition.
Once that condition is met, the game can jump to frame 3, the world map and the player
can select the next level to play, which will be loaded in frame 4.
That's the basic idea behind it.
Hmm...I see. So basically to create a single frame game I need to have a level editor frame as well?
I just looked up good ol' Nivram's site and found a level editor example. Unfortunately, when I tried to open it, it turns out I don't have several extensions:
Window Control (kcwctrl.mfx)
Combo Box (kccombo.mfx)
File (kcfile.mfx)
Ini++ (INI++.mfx)
I found Ini++.mfx, but MMF2 is having trouble recognizing it for some reason (it won't register the extension)
I also can't find Window Control, Combo Box, or File Object as the links to the extensions have expired.
Been doing single frame until I started using flash. I didn't realize I could store binary data inside the flash file so there was really no reason for me to stop
@Dr Jamses 2
Nothing wrong with lots of frames, except that KNP/TGF/MMF can't keep up with them.
@J.C.
Well, you might want a level editor, it's more comfortable editing your levels.
But a text file with different characters will do for a tilemap.
For a basic level editor, you just need your mouse, some objects to select from
for placing in the level and some kind of data storage (ini object for example).
The Ini++ extension probably isn't really needed, the Ini extension could be enough.
The other extensions are probably there to fancy up the level editor, creating nice
saving dialogs it would guess.
You might want to try to create a level editor for tilemaps, those maps are used a lot
in video game consoles. Or you could create a level editor which just stores objects at
x,y coordinates.
@Ricky et -UrbanMonk-
Flash has been slowly dying since ... the takeover by Adobe?
Anyways, Macromedia did fine to sell.
But I am sure you can store binary data in MMF as well, it's just a question of how convenient
the store and retrieval process is. You can also store level data as strings inside.
Originally Posted by -UrbanMonk- Ricky isn't it time to update your avatar, you've looked the same for the past 10 years!
Also flash, isn't that on it's way out?
What's the highest line-count you've ever crammed into a single frame? Because I'm working on a game that's currently sitting at 2889 lines, and it's probably going to be around 5k or so by the time it's finished. Am I nervous that it will all collapse into a superdense ball of tangled Alt Values and object reference errors?
the line limit is something crazy like 16k, but you should watch your event groups they are limited to about 50, i hit that limit and it was unpleasant.
You have 20, and the max is 50, and 50 minus 20 is 30 so you can add 30 more groups. It will stop you from adding groups if you reach that limit. It doesn't matter if groups are open or closed. The max limit is approximately 50. To my knowledge, there is no limit for the number of events in a group either.
Originally Posted by nim Not sure about Fusion 2.5 but MMF's limit is 8912 events, beyond which you'll begin overwriting the events beginning at 1.
128 actions per event.
I don't think there's a limit on event groups but if there is it'll be something ridiculous like 1000+.
For what it's worth, I picked up Fusion 2.5 in the recent humble (finally upgrading from mmf) and I've so far crammed 187 animations into a button active. Yes, a button with 187 different options. So I'm thinking the limit is either 255 or nothing. Or just stupid high.
Either way a good number.
The former rick_cameron here. I've forgotten all my login details and requesting New passwords does absolutely nothing :l
Oh and on topic, the wargame I'm making is split over two frames, with the game engine itself in one frame, and the menu's, army creation screens, etc in another. It's the spirit of single frame, but I want as much of the engine frame as possible free to run the engine. Not that it will be particularly intense, but more events is more wiggle room to do add in cool things and expand later if needed.
Funny. I generally make one frame games and never used global values before... i always save with arrays and that's the way i understand it the best
I am always surprised when i hear the word "global values" from other people ^^
Originally Posted by Demondevilmon Funny. I generally make one frame games and never used global values before... i always save with arrays and that's the way i understand it the best
I am always surprised when i hear the word "global values" from other people ^^
Greets DD
So you read/write to arrays and have them store values?
I like Global Values because they're built into Fusion and I like to use as few extensions as I can now, making projects easier to port. But I never thought about storing values in an array, I usually just use those to write+save or read+load with data being flushed as soon as possible. I've been considering migrating to a 3D array to store stats for each character in a high content game I'm working on but arrays scare me a bit!
Yes i store values in arrays because if u keep the structure the same u can reload the values in all ur games i mean sometimes it is just nonesense but i like to take data and reuse it as often as possible.
F.e. my levelgenerator creates a level on a grid. I save the level info to an array. Than i can use the array to put the info in a levelviewer-tool i made to keep track if my generator is working or not. also to keep track of enemies walking around. So just to see if all works out like i want to.
greets
PS Arrays scares me all the time because if u type some input wrong i get all crazy to find the error... for like hours DD
In more recent games Ive tried to keep the frames as low as possible but never actually made a game in a single frame.
The biggest problem Ive had lately is that Fusion 2.5 seems to be slower than MMF2 when it comes to using the level editor i used for years on everything i made.
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Edited by Airflow
so there was really no reason for me to stop
