Commander Genius Configuration Options

All discussion about the Commander Genius project (a Keen interpreter + more).
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pizza2004
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Commander Genius Configuration Options

Post by pizza2004 »

Okay, I just wanted to start a thread to ask what should be configurable. Should we make physics configurable? Enemies? Just say what, and it will be considered (although, the two I just mentioned aren't likely without a lot of support).

Already, in the SVN, and therefore coming in v0.3.1.1 is the option to change the bounds of the camera, and the speed (or snappiness) as in how strictly it follows keen (the higher the number, the further keen can go). Also, we almost have the volume sliders integrated at last! Volume isn't finished yet, but it should be in time for the release. Also, this one is is v0.3.1 I believe, but you can toggle the mismatched scores in Ep3 to be correct to what is listed in the help.

All in all, we have some good options, and I want some ideas for more.
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Post by lemm »

For vorticons:

Scrap hard coded sprite behaviours and make all sprite routines programmable by a script, and make sprite structs/classes mimic the original game. That is, each sprite has a behaviour and a collision behaviour, both completely scriptable; the think function is called for every active sprite, and the collision function called when two active sprites collide.

For dreams/galaxy:

Try to mimic the action system used in those games.
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Post by pizza2004 »

Hmm, interesting, and probably a good idea, but not quite what I meant. I think we should try to do what you suggest actually, but later. Anything more simplistic? If not, I can think of a few others myself and use those.
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tulip
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Post by tulip »

What happened to my keycard stacking option? It was there a few versions ago.

Also isn't "Rising Points" technically more a graphics option than a gameplay option? I think it should be moved to graphics, and an option to switch the HQ graphics on/off could also be added there.
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Post by pizza2004 »

Well, I haven't seen a key stacking option, but I'll look into it. Also, if it is an on/off option it goes in the Options section (other than autofiring, because that one is different per player), but the HQ graphics option won't be a toggle, I think I'll make it more like the sound was in Keen 4-6, None, and then either it lists the different HQ graphics you have, to do different styles, or it just has two styles (ie, outlined/not outlined). I'm going to do the same thing with audio, except there will no longer be a PC Speaker option. I might also make it be a left/right change option for the selections, rather than changing them into their own menus, I will probably also make it so that you use left/right instead of enter to change options in the configure menu, as that makes it easier sometimes.

Also, thinking about it, we won't have to worry about resolutions.cfg anymore, I'll just make it allow you to type in your own custom resolutions in game, then it will add it to your config file as an option.

Also, I'm going to make a section to change your player color, although there will probably be no more than 6 or 8. Although, I may make it an option to choose custom colors for shirt, pants, and shoes (and I suppose if there is enough demand, helmet (letter and other portions)), but I doubt I will.

Okay, so we have: Keycard Stacking, Physics (it is there, but hidden, can also be external, for mod support), Player Colors, Sound/Music/Graphics Selection, and Enemy Behaviours (via external scripts).

Anything else, list anything you would try to achieve with a patch that you want to be able to do in Commander Genius, for mod support. So if you make any mods, look at all the patches involved and list any changes made, so we can add those same changes, to allow mods 100% compatibility with CG.
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tulip
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Post by tulip »

Another thing I'd like, that I told gerstrong long ago, and wich isn't exactly and option in strict sense, is custom level loading.
Think like in RTS games where you can choose to play a single scenario instead of the campaign.
CKGuy for example made a single Level for Keen3. It'd be nice if you could load that level without having to have an extra Keen3 directory. If you have it saved in your main Keen 3 directory for example as ckguy.ck3 I should be able to load that, and maybe you should even be able to specify your lives, ammo and pogo.
If it is a custom level for a mod it should be saved in the respective mod directory.
That would make way to awesome possibilities concerning deathmatch play in multiplayer in single selected levels.

I know it's complicated, but one can dream. (Means I don't know if this is even possible to accomplish)
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Post by pizza2004 »

Are you kidding, that sounds very easy to do. First off, we just have it check for all of the levels same way it checks for games in the autodetect, and then it just lists them and lets you load one. Nothing is really impossible, it just takes time and work. But yeah, it probably won't be quite that easy, but we can try, especially because it would allow testing of levels more easily. I might actually embed this in the hidden mod menu.
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Post by gerstrong »

Hey Tulip, the keystacking option has been removed, because it's enabled by default. It's a feature now. If you collect more than one keycard of the same colour, they are stacked. I think we had that discussion earlier, that it would make sense to have rather as feature than as option, but if you really want to have it back, we can put it in...
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Post by tulip »

Not good as a permanent feature as it makes Key puzzles significantly easier. Lets rather keep it as an option, I know you dislike too many options, but I like to be able to customize.
Also default should point to off.
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Post by Genius314 »

tulip wrote:Lets rather keep it as an option, I know you dislike too many options, but I like to be able to customize.
This can be remedied by separating simple and advanced options (like what many programs do)
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Post by pizza2004 »

No, I don't want to separate these by simple and advanced. Because Keycard stacking is more of a modding option it can go in the secret mod options menu, used for developing mods in game. I don't have this implemented yet, but I did mention it above.
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