[mainline] spoiler and tips for scenarios

[battlestar]

Having tips/spoiler shown exactly like objectives, offering the map makers the chance to explain all the "hidden events" to players who hate surprises, while not ruining the surprise for those who want to play the maps as it is.

[averyimaginativename]

CABD in WML and trivially so. Adding it to the engine seems to be bloat for bloats sake.

[DEATH_is_undead]

Not spoilers, which I believe is what the OP is trying to get at.

[averyimaginativename]

If he wants them to be shown the same as objectives they can.

Code: Select all

#ifdef EASY
        [objective]
            some objective with spoilers
        [/objective]
#else
        [objective]
            some objective without spoilers
        [/objective]
#endif

Or similar with a variable set in a dialogue option at the start of a campaign.

[DEATH_is_undead]

Or similar with a variable set in a dialogue option at the start of a campaign.

Good point, didn't think of that.

Basically, a work around would be (as averyimaginaticename put it) to make a [message] with an [option] containing the spoilers. Truthfully, I had mixed feelings about this idea in the first place; the coders do have a fairly large load on them.

[battlestar]

There are spoilers that are beneficial to players of all levels. For example, this from DiD:

Spoiler: one of your Ghosts will rebel and run off to the outlaw's keep. For each turn until you kill him, another of your units will rebel. You'll want to keep all of your Ghosts close by until one rebels, and then kill the rebel quickly. So, delay your Dwarf hunting expedition until the rebellion occurs, or recruit several Ghosts and keep them together so that the rest can subdue the one that goes rogue.

Even a good player could get stuck on that and needing to restart.

Stuff like that would be able to be incorporated into the scn itself instead of having the player go off to find a walkthrough.

Also, from the map maker's stand point, this offers them the space to better explain what the players have to do to complement the objectives. Sometimes it's not entirely feasible to explain anything complicated in the objectives list.

This way would be more user-friendly where the player can choose on the basis of each scenario. It could be just a copy of the current objectives codes on a different list item.

In the end, I'm just offering an idea for the coders to consider.

[Rimbecano]

There are spoilers that are beneficial to players of all levels.

I've seen campaigns with hints/spoilers. I'm pretty sure that, however you want to do it, it can be done in WML. The issue is the willingness of campaign designers to incorporate it.

[averyimaginativename]

Tomato surprises can almost always be avoided with design features. Hinting at what might happen in the story is the most graceful, changing objectives on the fly, altering the rules slightly (eg, this rebel ghost can make other units rebel once per turn, but only n turns after it's created giving other units a chance to get to it first), and so on. In the worst case scenario a message speaker=narrator can act as a long scenario note.

Not only would this only be of limited use, but could also in many cases encourage poor design.

IftU and BMR both have map specific rules that need a long explanation, and I don't think either of them suffer for using the narrator.

[Gambit]

Switching this from an engine idea, to an idea for mainline content.

Since the suggestion is already technologically possible, you should instead discuss specific instances where you think its implementation is needed.

[battlestar]

Code: Select all

#define SPOILER_MENU TEXT
[event]
	name=prestart
	[set_menu_item]
		id=spoilers
		description= _ "Spoilers"
		image=misc/key.png
		[show_if]
		[/show_if]
		[filter_location]
		[/filter_location]
		[command]
			[message]
				speaker=narrator
				message={TEXT}
			[/message]
		[/command]
	[/set_menu_item]
[/event]
#enddef
{SPOILER_MENU ( _ "
la 
la 
la
no spoilers for you.")}

[em3]

Maybe it should be called "scenario hints" or "scenario tips"?