Guide to making levels for Absolute Beginners

[Aino]

Annikk: Add the console error message... Just atleast notify it on the first page!

This way, it might not bug every guest map creator or so

[annikk.exe]

Yes that is a good idea.  I should do a whole section on troubleshooting really.

In the mean time, to anyone wondering, the tilde key (`) opens the console, where some error messages are displayed... and CTRL-D enables developer mode, allowing you to use F1-F12 for different useful functions.

[annikk.exe]

Planning to update this soon.

The new version will have the following changes:

1.  Will direct people who finish the basic guide to the troubleshooting and intermediary guides.
2.  Will teach the While GameRunning() do method of creating win/loss conditions, timed message boxes, etc.
3.  Will explicitly mention in the beginning that code is executed top-to-bottom, line-by-line.
4.  Reduce number of globals in the sample map to the absolute bare minimum.
5.  Explicitly mention Notepad++ about halfway through, continue the second half of the guide using Notepad++.
6.  Encourage people to copy and paste the initial code, rather than trying to type it themselves "to get used to it", and inevitably making a typo which prevents the level loading.
7.  Introduce the Fluffy character better.  :>
8.  More humour.
9.  Introduce "a" as "a variable" rather than "sort of like the name".  Explain variables.
10.  Spend some time trying to convince people that "basic" levels are really cool, and they should make some of those and release them to get very comfortable with the basics of coding, before trying anything crazy.
11. Briefly explain what comments are.

[annikk.exe]

Ok the only global that seems to be needed 100% is Globals.G.Asteroids


Here is the minimum code:

Code: [Select]

function LevelSetup()

-- Set Global Values
Globals.G.Asteroids=(0)



-- Asteroid 0 - starting asteroid
a = AddAsteroidWithAttribs(0,0, 0.7,0.6,0.5)
a.Owner = 1
a.TreeCap = 1
a:SetRadius(250)
a.SendDistance = 2500

a:AddSeedlings(90)


-- Asteroid 1
a = AddAsteroidWithAttribs(2000,0, 0.3,0.3,0.3)
a.Owner = 2
a.TreeCap = 2
a:SetRadius(450)
a.SendDistance = 2500

a:AddSeedlings(100)

end



function LevelLogic()

end

[Aino]

Looking good

[Pilchard123]

2.  Will teach the While GameRunning() do method of creating win/loss conditions, timed message boxes, etc.
Also, you may want to mention that OnAsteroidTaken() can be used, particularly for conquest maps, and is easier on CPU time.


5.  Explicitly mention Notepad++ about halfway through, continue the second half of the guide using Notepad++.
Don't forget other ones around. I always find N++ crashes. Programmers Notepad is good too, though not as feature-rich as N++.


8.  More humour.
Always good.

10.  Spend some time trying to convince people that "basic" levels are really cool, and they should make some of those and release them to get very comfortable with the basics of coding, before trying anything crazy.

YES!

[Enola]

This is what I need, thank you for sharing.

[Pilchard123]

Possible bot-feeding, but dump this post when Enola's status is confirmed.

Enola, I denounce thee as a spam bot. Why do you have a link to the Nike site in your sig? That is the only evidence I have, but I'm being cautious.

[Bonobo]

@Pilchard: I assume you have reported the post?

[Pilchard123]

Nope, everything else seemed okay...

Location and email were fairly sensible (null and a personal address). The post content was reasonable too, though a little bot-ish...

[Evanue]

It is a ban thing that I can not see the pictures.


 

[Tomfloria]

Any chance doing this for the iPad? I'm sure the code is slightly different sometimes, but for a beginner it's hard to start.

EDIT:: Just been messing about, because iPad loads the text differently i'm guessing, because all the text is stored in a lang.csv file.

[annikk.exe]

Buy me an iPad and it's a deal! :>

Actually I think most of this stuff is relevant to iPad too.  I've not done any coding for a long time so I'd need to check out what the new API is like, and what has all changed.

[Pilchard123]

There's a new API? When was this around?

EDIT: Also, HI! Still no challengers to your AI yet. I'll be working in earnest after my exams are over, so look out.

[annikk.exe]

Well I see there are new built in functions such as IsiOS... so it looks like the API has had an overhaul.  I'm not sure what has all changed.

I think IAI will remain unbeaten for a long time.  It would take a very smart AI to beat it, the model is just very apt for Eufloria..
It's certainly validating every time I come here and it's still king :>