Eclipse Charp Editor

[Ertzel]

First, I will explain why this is in Show Off and not Non-Eclipse Projects. Although this is a project not made with the (current)Eclipse Engine, this is also not really a "project" yet and I do not feel it's the right time to make a topic for it being a Project or game engine so I am using this thread to show my current work mainly on the editor portion of it…...

BuggyWorld is a C# Offline Engine I started working on what is now 2 days ago from this topic being made. It was originally going to be a game I was making from scratch but it has now turned more into a engine I plan on making that I may release a game made from. But for now I am focusing more on the engine side of it and the mindset that this will be an engine. Once I get further into development I will most likely change it to being an online game or release a version for each but for now there is no server or networking involved. The name comes from what it was originally going to be a game so that name will probably be changing soon one I think of something fitting.

I haven't really done much beside a very basic setup client side. I just have a basic GUI (health/exp/spirit bars and an Inventory) a sprite that moves around and for some reason a chat system. When I made the chat system that was more when I was thinking of going to an online engine but I will probably be removing that until I decide later on.

All of my work currently is focused on the Master Editor for this engine. There will be one editor that you use to edit everything in the game. Currently there is the Map, Objects, Items, NPCs, Quests, Shops, Spells and Potions editors in this program.

**The Map Editor :** This hasn't really gotten much work done on it as I haven't decided what mapping system I'm going to go with fully yet or how exactly to do the mapping system. There is currently a scrollbar you use to select your tile set (It looks through the tile set folder where the files are numbered 1,2,3,act until it reaches the end) and thats about it. The main thing with this map editor and mapping system I'll be using thats different from Eclipse and most engines is that instead of having an attribute data field that is tied into a tile on the map. it has an objects system.

Image below of the map systems current state

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>! **The Objects Editor:** The objects editor is basically like a second item system, although these items are for the map and not for players. An object can hold as many attributes as it wants or none at all, it can have an image that's drawn to the map (also an option for animated) or it can be invisible) and it can hold attribute data for as many attributes as you want.
>! Image below of the Object Editor in it's current state
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>! **The Item Editor:** The item editor is pretty basic with only a few things different then in Eclipse and most engines. You have your normal name, image, description, stat, access and overall level requirements, stat boosts, then damage/speed for weapons, spell number if it's a spell, door number if its a key and potion number if its a potion. I added in Combat type and level requirements like the systems I put into EM although with a few more type options. Also, there are more item types then in Eclipse as you can have rings, necklaces, boots, pants and belts. You can also boost a players walking speed and even their admin rank with an item. Or you can change their sprites alpha to help hide in your map (this is more for admins then on normal player items). The item editor is the only editor setup right now with full loading/saving so thats why you see it more filled out in the images below…
>! Image below of the current item editor
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>! **The NPC Editor:** coming soon…..
>! **The Quest Editor:** coming soon…..
>! **The Shop Editor:** coming soon…..
>! **The Spell Editor:** coming soon…..
>! **The Potion Editor:** coming soon…..
>! I'll continue to post info and pictures on this editor as I work on it and if it gets to the point of being close to a working engine I'll move the discussion to the Non-Eclipse Projects section.

[Vus]

Nice!

[TheRexion]

Looks cool, but "buggy" might be a word you ought avoid in naming conventions. Due to the implications, of course.

[iSnow]

Looks real solid. Objects is a really good idea because sometimes It's just not enough to have items but more so things that aren't NPCs but also have their own function outside of an inventory.

[Ertzel]

> Looks real solid. Objects is a really good idea because sometimes It's just not enough to have items but more so things that aren't NPCs but also have their own function outside of an inventory.

Ya, the objects system should also make for map processing to be a little faster then using the basic attribute system. With a normal attribute system each time you move it has to check the new client for all possibilities before processing your movement. With the objects system all it checks is if it's not an object, then it lets you move. If it is an object then it goes through the list of attributes in order of Item, Player Spawn, Npc Spawn, Warp, Block and does the tasks associated with that attribute if it's part of the object. I am going to also make it so an object can hold up to the maximum number of items in it and not just one as it is setup to hold now.

I also will most likely be removing the Dev Note's section of the Object Editor (that was just put in to fill up space) and instead be using that text box for a Custom Script section of the object. If/when I chose which scripting language I'll be using with this engine, then that box will allow you to script in that language for custom features in the object. If I do not go with a scripting language then it will be C# code that goes into the box to allow for more dynamic objects with special features.

> Looks cool, but "buggy" might be a word you ought avoid in naming conventions. Due to the implications, of course.

Yes, the Buggy name comes from when this was project was originally going to be a game that had built in bugs in your character. The mission of the game was to go and hunt/craft like normal but instead of collecting random items, you can also collect code bites. (Like, an if statement, a case statement, letters or numbers) These code bites would then be used in your "Player Editor" which would be something in game that simulates the look of a script editor and would hold a simulated version of your clients code (not the real code as the systems would be named differently and not all be part of the editor). The code in your editor would be bugged and would cause things like your player randomly moving without a key being pressed, or moving left when you press up, randomly shooting the wrong target or not attacking at all. You would then fix these bugs with your code bites. As you hunted you would sometimes end up getting new bugs added to your editor or fixed depending on what happened (Like, each death brings a new bug).

That system has nothing to do with the editor though and now that this is more based around an engine I'll be changing the name once I think of something. If anyone has suggestions for an engine name, please share them.

[Ertzel]

**[Update]**

I made some changes to the Item Editor just to clean it up a bit. Now certain sections of controls are locked and cannot be edited until the item type fits those sections. An example of this is the Speed and Damage boxes can only be edited if the item is a weapon, or the SpellNum can only be edited if the item is a spell, ect…

Images to show the small change:

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Also, the Object Editor is now fully coded and functional. I changed the layout a little for the Item section of it to allow for multiple items per object. The only thing I need to finish with the objects is the animation section. Right now it is only setup to show one image for all 4 frames as I haven't decided if I want each frame to be its own image file, or one file split into 4 (like the sprite files).

Image to show the Object Editor.

>! This shows an object giving out 20 gold and a message to the user.
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Next task will be to create the NPC Editor and work my way down to the tabs.

[Ertzel]

More changes!

So for starters I redid the whole layout of the map editor. Instead of it all being on one form using tabs to switch editors, there is now a menu form where you select an editor to open. It then closes the menu and launches the editor you selected. All editors are still part of one master program but the way I had it before made it a female dog to edit code when your working with like 8 editors all on one form. The code it a lot more organized and easier to follow/change with the new layout.

Example of layout:

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I also did a lot of backend changes to the way my classes where setup and am now using more standard naming conventions then I was before.

The shop editor's basic layout has been created. This is just the first draft and may change. You select a shop from the left list box like with all the other editors. You can then add sell items to the sell box or edit current items the shop is selling. Also you can select for a shop to Buy All Items. If you don't you can instead setup individual items for the shop to buy and thats all it will accept (So like an armour shop won't buy potions from a player).

Example of layout:

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The Quest Editor has gone through a couple re-writes and been scrapped a few times in the last week. After showing Marshy and Vaughan they suggested I change the layout to be more developer friendly so I did those changes this morning. There is a tab box where you Npc, Item or General.

The Npc tab has a combo box that will display all available NPC's names in it. You then select the NPC you want to add to the quest and enter code into its onActive (talking to) on onDeath box. The Item tab works the same way but with items and only one box for when you pickup an item. The General tab has one box for any general quest data.

To make it easier and more dev-friendly for putting in big codes, when you double click on a box it will open a new form that can be made fullscreen or resized to any size. This new form will only have a text box the size of the form. This box will have any data from the text box you double clicked and you can edit it from there. The text box has auto syntax colouring and editing setup for C# code. When done, you simple exit out of this form and it will bring you back to the Quest Editor on your current tab and have the box you double clicked updated with the new info.

Example below:

>! What it looks like when no box has been double clicked
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>! Example of what happens when you double click on the onActive text box.
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>! Example after clicking the onDeath text box.
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[Ertzel]

Another update on this. With keeping the style of editor now used for the quest system, I decided to change the other editors to be a lot more dynamic and not have everything be set and limited.

The first editor I'm making this change with is the item editor. Before there where boxes for every option you had to setup your items, that system is gone. Now you setup the name, item type, if its stackable, droppable, two handed and also it's image. Those are the only set variables currently that are done by the editor.

Now you have an onCreate, onEquip, onDequip and onUse tab that each have one text box in them (setup like the Quest editor to have auto C# syntax highlighting/styling). In here you can set the item to do anything that the server handles on any of those stages. When a player first picks up an item, it will trigger the onCreate code. When you put on an item (if it can be worn) it will trigger the onEquip code and when you take off the item the onDequip code. Then if the item can be used (Like a weapon attacking, a trade skill tool being used, a potion being clicked, a key being used, ect…) it will trigger the onUse code.

I currently only have the onEquip, onDequip and onUse setup as I haven't fully decided if I'm going to hard code parts of the onCreate or not and what all should be used in it.

The Object, NPC, Potion, Spell editors will be changed to this style also and the only editor that will remain in the old style is the shop editor as this style doesn't really make that much sense for it.

Image below showing what I am talking about (this shows code that could go in the onUse section of a weapon)

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[Skaaz]

Hi, first of all I apologize for my spelling.

You start on good bases congratulations, the concept of shared tabs is a brilliant idea!

For my part, I you will advise to recreate exactly the same style of RPG Maker interfaces, ie, while one with just a little icon for "Test the game."

Finally, it is wonderful enough, I'm waiting impatiently for this editor, I hope one day to the inogurer with a little game with me: D

Good luck, and do not give up 

Ps: If you need anything at graphics, do not hesitate to contact me via PM.

[Ryo]

Would be even more interesting if the games made with this could be launched on android.

[Whitepinkbun]

Very cool I never even though of doing something like this but it's a great idea, props.

[Ertzel]

Another update.

I made some more changes to the item editor. Items generally won't have a lot of code based with them so there was no need for such a large editor with so much empty space. I compacted it to a much more fitting layout now.

Below is an example of setting up a weapon…

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Also I re-did the layout of the objects editor today. It is now using the new code style and is a lot smaller as the old editor had a lot of wasted space. Remember, Objects are in place of attributes in this system. You can make an "attribute" through an object but can do much more with objects also. An object is placed on a map tile and then w/e the code for that object does, is processed when that object is triggered based on its trigger settings.

Load is triggered on the map loading. (like spawning a mob)

Action is triggered on the player interacting with it (like attacking)

Player Touch is triggered when the player clicks the object (used for things like crates, or signs)

Collision is triggered when the player steps onto that object (like a wall blocking)

Pictures below showing examples of what kid of objects you could code.

>! A block object
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>! Giving out an item
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>! Setting a players respawn point
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>! Warping a player
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Those examples show mainly objects only being used for one task, but an object could do as many things as you wanted it to.

[DMF]

direct editing script? o-o just asking.

[clark]

Looks pretty cool ! good continuation , how much long (months) until you finish it (even buggy)

[Ertzel]

> Looks pretty cool ! good continuation , how much long (months) until you finish it (even buggy)

No clue on how long the editor will take to release. It's something I just randomly work on when I feel like it or come up with an idea.

As for the whole engine, again no clue but not anytime soon from what I can tell. I will release the editor as a stand alone C# editor that others can use for their own games/engines if they like and then will begin working on the server program followed by the client program (releasing each as they finish and then one final release for the engine).

I highly doubt I'll ever get around to making he actual game I talked about just due to lack of patients and caring. I tend to get way to bored with making games because though I like programming, I really don't find any games entertaining and get bored easily with them. This makes it hard for me to make games because I can't do real testing or do much content creation as I get to bored and side-tracked and never get them done.

The editor/engine coding I find fun though and can do for hours without getting bored which is why thats what I'm focusing on instead of an actual game right now.