New object suggestions for Gdash

[Sendy]

In this situation the replicated boulders appear down and to the left in relation to the replicator, presumably because the engine has moved them before they're drawn. I don't care that much, but thought I should report it anyway.

Well that is the same side effect. Explained a few words: the replicator creates a new stone under it, and tags it as "already moved this frame, so do not move it again." Then the engine processes the next line, reaches the stone, clears the "don't touch again this frame" tag. Next line comes the conveyor, and sees a plain stone, does not know that it should not move it again.
Clearing that flag takes place during processing. That is why chasing stones sometimes behave like that: they move right one cell, flag is set; next cell is the already-moved chasing stone, so flag is cleared... Next line, the slime, "hmm let's see what is over me? A chasing stone. Ok, I let him pass." Thus the chasing stone moves in an L shape, 1 cell to the right, 2 cells down, only in one frame. (<- The original game.)
If I would not delete the "already moved" flag during the processing, and let the replicator replicate only elements which do not have the "moved" flag...
Well. Maybe we can decide it with thinking about fireflies. For example, what about fireflies wandering over a replicator? They move every frame. Should they be replicated?

Enemies should be replicated, that's half the fun!

I'd rather have the engine as it is now than have to make any compromises like that, myself.

[Sendy]

Incidentally, could we have expanding steel walls please? We can make something that looks like it with Diego-effects, but it would be cool, and presumably quite simple, to have the real thing.

[cirix]

I'd rather have the engine as it is now than have to make any compromises like that, myself.

Maybe put an extra empty space (so 1+1=2 spaces) between the replicator and the conveyor if you have room for that.
The expanding steel wall is in the newest version, check the gdash forum. Also, check the dragonfly gun cave from the "engine tests" game downloadable from the repository

[Sendy]

The extra space fixes the 'bug', yes.

The reason I discovered this one space bug or 'artifact' as it really is, is because I was testing the conveyor on nitros, and the replicator has to be right above the conveyor or they will fall and explode before they get conveyed

[cirix]

I was testing the conveyor on nitros, and the replicator has to be right above the conveyor or they will fall and explode before they get conveyed

Extremely dangerous, extremely fragile

[cirix]

Hi

a test version for flying stones and diamonds suggested by Arno:
http://jutas.eet.bme.hu/~cirix/gdash/gd ... taller.exe

bye

[Arno]

Great! Will try it a.s.a.p.!

[Sendy]

That's insane

I wished the flying diamond would be more like a... well, diamond... Maybe it could be a diamond outline without the stripes.... Also the floating rock could be just an outline with black interior, although the current graphic will suffice.

Either way, good addition!

[cirix]

I already chose another one for the flying diamond; I wasn't satisfied with that, either.

A question for the conveyor belts... I implemented them such a way (now in a new version that is not uploaded yet), that they are able to carry flying objects, too. Of course only when the flying diamond approaches its _lower_ side. (And when gravity is changed, normal stones begin to go up, too, and then it carries those on its 'backside'). The top side of a "conveyor, left" carries objects to the left, while the bottom side carries them to the right. I think this is the behavior expected, as if you imagine the rubber belt of a real one, it is going left on the top side, while it is going right on the bottom side.

[Arno]

It works great!
Also nice that the magic wall can be used from below for the flying boulder and flying diamond.

Question: can the explosion product of the Stonefly be changed? In that case, it would be possible to have in the same cave the following 3 types of explosions: to space, diamonds and flying diamonds! (The dragonfly can be used, but this one seems to have a different movement behaviour.)

Some suggestions for the graphics:
- Flying diamond: same graphics as the diamond, but with reversed animation. So that the stripes move downwards.
- Flying boulder: something like a rocket, arrow or simple triangle, that clearly points upwards. But I like Sendy's idea as well.

Well, nice additions so far. Hope you manage to implement my second suggestion as well!

[cirix]

Question: can the explosion product of the Stonefly be changed?

Of course, I will add an effect for it. (Although I do not really like effects, as the player does not know what to expect from a cave)

- Flying diamond: same graphics as the diamond, but with reversed animation. So that the stripes move downwards.

Yeah but I think it should be more different from that. So one can tell them apart in half of a look.

- Flying boulder: something like a rocket, arrow or simple triangle, that clearly points upwards. But I like Sendy's idea as well.

I thought about BD3 space stone. It already almost looks like a balloon, rather than a stone And for the flying diamond, I thought about BD3 space diamond. Which is a diamond, but different.

Well, nice additions so far. Hope you manage to implement my second suggestion as well!

I will, but I have not decided yet how I should 'inform' the user about that effect. Personally I'm against the idea of red flashing, yet I cannot think about a better one.

[Sendy]

I like the space idea.

Incidentally, as you don't like arbitrary effects (and neither do I, if I can help it), how about we have a special item for fragile diamonds, diamonds which disappear if they roll or land on the floor - as created by Diego effects? This is the most useful and least nonsensical application of boulder effects - for example, a boulder turning into a firefly wouldn't make much sense, unless the boulder was a firefly egg!

[Sendy]

A question for the conveyor belts... I implemented them such a way (now in a new version that is not uploaded yet), that they are able to carry flying objects, too. Of course only when the flying diamond approaches its _lower_ side. (And when gravity is changed, normal stones begin to go up, too, and then it carries those on its 'backside'). The top side of a "conveyor, left" carries objects to the left, while the bottom side carries them to the right. I think this is the behavior expected, as if you imagine the rubber belt of a real one, it is going left on the top side, while it is going right on the bottom side.

I already noticed this when you switch to upwards gravity

Personally I like it like that.

[Sendy]

Well, nice additions so far. Hope you manage to implement my second suggestion as well!

I will, but I have not decided yet how I should 'inform' the user about that effect. Personally I'm against the idea of red flashing, yet I cannot think about a better one.

How about a gate that shuts after a certain amount of diamonds have been collected? Just put the gate in front of the exit and have a number somewhere that counts down the diamonds until it closes.

That would provide more clues than just having a regular exit and a red flash, by which time it would be too late for the player to realize what's going on on their first go.

[Arno]

I thought about BD3 space stone. It already almost looks like a balloon, rather than a stone And for the flying diamond, I thought about BD3 space diamond. Which is a diamond, but different.

I like this idea as well.

I will, but I have not decided yet how I should 'inform' the user about that effect. Personally I'm against the idea of red flashing, yet I cannot think about a better one.

Another possibility is to replace the diamond value by "---", once the last diamond is collected. (Indeed, it doesn't make sense to assign any bonus diamond value as collecting any more diamond makes the cave uncompletable.)

However, both this sign and the red flash may be a bit unfair for the player, as they might inform the player too late (e.g. when Rockford is walking through a bunch of diamonds.)

What about the idea to introduce a new diamond? A diamond which closes all exits that were open before it was collected. Or introduce a new exit that shuts when more than the required diamonds are collected?

Edit:A gate, as suggested by Sendy, would be a nice solution also. It could look like an open exit (no flash, only the "frame"), and become a titanium wall after more than the required amount is collected.