Mac Campaign Editor???

[Christophe33]

A usefull function would be "import scenario" in addition to the import map. I keep a scenario folder (with .cfg) for the purpose of reinstalling my work in progression. Yu could allow looking for scenarios that have the expected structure (folder with .cfg contining subfolder for the data, units, maps...) .It will allow modification-extension of existing scenario and to better rework scenario made from various sources. If I got it right, to be able to use new units, and new terrains with the eidtor I have to install them first in BfW?

[Sithrandel]

OK... first of all here is the next editor preview:

http://www.fairydreams.co.uk/editor.dmg

Once again, place it next to a valid Battle For Wesnoth before running

This version has click-dragging and zooming on the map editor as well as previously mentioned bug fixes

Now to the other points:

1) Occassionally some positive feedback is nice, you can say what you like as well as what you don't

2) Scenario Import. This is not going to happen in an editor I write. This campaign editor is intended to be a useful and flexible gui tool for beginner - advanced level designers. WML is exceedingly flexible. A gui editor is far more constraining due to the very gui nature. An import would hardly ever work as expected, thus I don't plan to implement it. I expect the editor to eventually be sophisticatd enough to handle a full campaign, but fancy stuff will always have to be added as a final step by hand.

3) User-Defined Terrains / Units / Events / Items. These will be definable in the editor when it is complete (though images will be added via drag and drop rather than a built in edimage editor). This is currently a low priority. The editor only reads the main .cfg files, so user-installed files won't be read from the BfW data. This is so that the editor knows what is standard and what is additional. Import might be possible for units.

[Dave]

Looks cool!

David

[Sithrandel]

Looks cool!

David

Thanks

Seriously, though. If Dave or any other non-mac user could also have a look at the screenshots and let me know if something really obvious is missing, I'd be grateful.

The one below is the scenario sides tab. It should contain everything to do with a side... I hope :-S

[Dave]

Okay you make me really want to write a cross-platform editor that looks like that! :-p


David

[Sangel]

Hurrah for Cocoa.

Anyway, I've downloaded the editor and can confirm that it looks as pretty as it would appear. Of course, it's highly nonfunctional (the remove Scenario button doesn't work, for instance - I don't want to litter my Wesnoth data folder with unfinished scenarios).

Placing units or events doesn't work yet, it seems - that just places the last terrain you used. Also, terrain smoothing as implemented in the "basic" map editor is an important feature.

Apart from that - the interface is very nicely laid out; very intuitive. I don't even need the mouse-over prompting to see how to do what I want to do. If only the things I wanted to do were implemented!

Overall, very promising. Keep up the good work!

[Sithrandel]

Basically, due to the way Cocoa and Interface-Builder work, the code is very dependent of the gui... hence a lot of key functionality won't be in place until the gui is sorted.

So although scenario add / side add work at present you can't save or export. It really is an interface preview. Only the map editor has real functionality

For instance, I realised that I was missing enemy / ally info so need to add that.

Once the main features are present in the gui the data structures should be present. A Remove button needs this as is it far harder to implement than Add. It requires all the checking to see if that scenario / side / unit / etc is included elsewhere and if so remove it / prompt the users. Even if it isn't used, indices have to be recalculated, etc. Thus Remove will appear fairly late on

I'm still debating the best way to handle events. I reckon a pseudo-WML prototyping file might be an idea. It might also provide a nice reference for the WML pages. Once I get to that point, I'll scour for ideas

Terrain smoothing isn't there at present, simply because I haven't got the foggiest idea of how to implement it efficiently. So that will probably have to wait. I'd like to arrive at a fully functional basic campaign editor asap, then add the nice stuff afterwards.

[Sithrandel]

Apart from that - the interface is very nicely laid out; very intuitive. I don't even need the mouse-over prompting to see how to do what I want to do. If only the things I wanted to do were implemented!

Part of the point of this thread is to get a clear idea of what you would like... the more detail the better. Whilst things are at this current stage changes are very easy and so it is good to have a clear idea of what I need to add. This is the reasoning behind posting the interface previews and the screenshots.

Once the editor actually becomes functional large changes will be far harder as the chance of breaking code will increase dramatically.

So anyone with suggestions / wishes please mention them asap, but don't be disappointed if they don't arrive immediately

[Sangel]

That's the Mac alright. GUI first, functionality second.

[Sithrandel]

Okay you make me really want to write a cross-platform editor that looks like that! :-p

Sounds good to me

Just let me know and I'll revert my lunchbreaks to playing not coding

I reckon there are at least two more weeks of lunch-breaks before real functionality appears

[Dave]

Ahhh....the programmer's dream, to get told all the user requirements up front.

I can assure you that no matter how hard you try, more user requirements will come in during mid-stream development

David

[Darth Fool]

Ahhh....the programmer's dream, to get told all the user requirements up front.

I can assure you that no matter how hard you try, more user requirements will come in during mid-stream development

David

Not to mention contradictory requirements

[Sithrandel]

That's the Mac alright. GUI first, functionality second.

Too true

I just love it

Compared to other platforms I have written on the way visible things interact before you've even written any code is great for morale. Each addition of code has immediate results.

Far better than slogging away before everything fits together and you finally get a result only to see it fits together wrong and you have to re-write lots!!! I've had that often enough that now I love Cocoa.

[Gafgarion]

Sith I'd just like to say that editor is very very sexy. You are a sexy man. Cocoa is sexier though.

On a serious note, the editor is looking hella good and I can't wait until it's finished
I tried booting it up with my Assassins campaign installed and it immediately saw all my custom units and everything. Very impressive for something that's only had a few lunchbreaks of work so far.

[Dave]

Okay you make me really want to write a cross-platform editor that looks like that! :-p

Sounds good to me

Just let me know and I'll revert my lunchbreaks to playing not coding

I reckon there are at least two more weeks of lunch-breaks before real functionality appears

Don't count on me being too serious here....I have a LONG list of things to implement.

Compared to other platforms I have written on the way visible things interact before you've even written any code is great for morale. Each addition of code has immediate results.

The only problem with a system like this is that you'll whip up the visible sections of the program in a few weeks.

Your non-technical manager will see it, declare the technology you're using to be the silver bullet of software development, and try to get all other projects to switch over to it immediately.

Then (s)he'll wonder why development has slowed down so much while you implement the backend, and figure that you're being plain lazy.

David