Andor's Trail

This came up in an email to Oskar earlier today, so I thought I'd post it. I was thinking about wanting to add a secret door to a map I'm making:

I wonder if it would be possible to code secret doors in the future (later than 0.7.0). A new map layer with the secret tiles, to be changed when a condition is met, like a quest level. This could be used for opened and closed doors, fixed and broken objects...all sorts of possibilities...

I haven't dug through the code for parsing maps yet, but adding an optional ”Conditional” layer only for maps that need it might be relatively simple. This layer would contain just the tiles that change, to be displayed over the existing Object and/or Ground layer when a condition is met. Set an event in the Key layer over the changing tile(s) whose attributes define the condition. Write the code that makes it all work.

Any thoughts?

Quest spoiler in example: I am definitely a fan of this idea! Adding keys and other restrictions to areas would be a great addition, I would also allow us to build high level areas near low level towns w/o fear of new adventurers wondering into places they are not ready yet.

Very good suggestion! +1

I'm looking for more than just increased use of keys. I want to enable keys to alter the map. Find a secret door, and now you see it. Fall through a trap door, and next time you get back to the top, you see the hole. Chop down the magic tree, and you see a stump and a log. (Not that you necessarily want to let the player deforest the entire world though!) Discover the secret to the magic lamp in the underground passage, and now you see tunnel instead of black. Ad infinitum....

The possibilities are endless. Good idea. Even goes with my other idea about a ultra high level dungeon being revealed after certain conditions are met.

http://andorstrail.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=189

Tomcat wrote:I'm looking for more than just increased use of keys. I want to enable keys to alter the map. Find a secret door, and now you see it. Fall through a trap door, and next time you get back to the top, you see the hole. Chop down the magic tree, and you see a stump and a log. (Not that you necessarily want to let the player deforest the entire world though!) Discover the secret to the magic lamp in the underground passage, and now you see tunnel instead of black. Ad infinitum....

For what it is worth since I just write a lot but don't code, I totally support this awesome suggestion. Away from grinding, into an interactive realm.

Thystonius wrote: For what it is worth since I just write a lot but don't code, I totally support this awesome suggestion. Away from grinding, into an interactive realm.

Same for me, this is really needed to create more depth in quests with the other idea I had long ago (queststage-based map changes).

It would work pretty good with the volcanoe idea I keep brining up, it could be dormant until you talk to someone specific then it can start erupting. He can then go on to tell you that the volcanoe will destroy his whole town, unless someone can go see what is making it erupt. Also... if you have conditional tiles, couldn't you make boots that allow you to walk on lava or certain types of tiles. ie: walk on water, over ice that is too slippery, or something along those lines.

AFAIK not currently possible but definitely interested in seeing this myself.

Tomcat wrote:Adding an optional ”Conditional” layer only for maps that need it might be relatively simple. This layer would contain just the tiles that change, to be displayed over the existing Object and/or Ground layer when a condition is met. Set an event in the Key layer over the changing tile(s) whose attributes define the condition.

Good idea, Tomcat! We've been wanting to do this for a long time. In order to make it easy for map creators, I think it's crucial that using conditionals on maps is easy and that it's obvious how it works.

There are two things I think we need to define before we can start adding something like a new tile layer:

1. Do we always want to add tiles to the new layer, or would we also need to remove tiles from "objects" layer?
2. Should it only affect the "objects" layer, or also the "above" layer?

Adding just another layer is easy, but I'm thinking that might not always be sufficient. For example, check out blackwater_mountain5.tmx , where we'd want to clear that rubble after some quest thing has happened. That particular map also has some stuff in the "above" layer, which is just a trick to make it look like there's more rubble there than what we can place in the "objects" layer. We'd have to have some strategy on how to handle both removing those things from the "objects" and "above" -layers, and how to handle adding new tiles to each layer.

Anyone up for doing an example of a TMX file for blackwater_mountain5.tmx with some new layer or some other representation of "objects"&"above" where the rubble can be conditionally removed?