Open Source & The Official Plugins

I would like to propose an idea that I had a while ago:

Instead of keeping the default plugins that come with Construct 2 to the bare minimum, why not set up a repo for these plugins and allow other developers to expand the official release through things like pull requests?

Allow me to explain my issues with the current situation:

- Some plugins provide the bare minimum needed, but for a lot of projects they fall short.
• There isn't an easy way of keeping up with all the plugins, and installing them can be a hassle.
• The official plugins are open source, or at least, they are readable .js files
• Not everyone knows how to program javascript, and Construct 2 is all about bringing game development to non-programmers.
• Duplicating the official plugins is advised against due to the fact that they do not get the updates that the Scirra teams apply (they aren't maintained).

I would like to leave you with the next example:

ScrollTo is the only camera plugin. It does one thing, keep all the object that have this behavior within the view.

I was watching "the art of screenshake" by Jan-Willem from Vlambeer, and he made some good points about the impact of the camera on "game feel". For a few projects I had to edit the ScrollTo with the very basic function of having an offset. For a project like Luftrausers where they have a super dynamic camera. It makes sure you can see what's in front of you, as well as move slightly in the direction of bullets that may hit you. Only programmers would be able to have this feature. Now I know the Scirra crew works very hard and they are probably too busy to work on details like that, so why not let me do it?

If this would be too much of a hassle for Scirra or they simply disagree, than I will create a package manager of sorts so people can submit, search, install and update plugins, like node or sublime text.

There is a third-part plugin named Magic Cam that already does that to a certain extent.

Otherwise, apply the "ScrollTo" behavior to a sprite object that you can name "Camera" and set to invisible and place every tick through events, best applied to the specific game you are making.

Its about backward compatibility. Something like a fork of an official plug would be hard to maintain, and Scirra can't guarantee it as always usable.

For example there are countless third party plugs that are not maintained, and subsequently no longer work.

Also, many of the bare minimum plugs are like that because you can replicate them easily in events.

Scroll to for example is as easy as using the system scroll.x, and scroll.y.

The plugs simply offer a quick and dirty way to get something up and running, while keeping you from having to commit resources to something you're not 100% sure about.

That being said, an official git type repository for third party plugs would be a good idea.

It might make it easier to keep some of them up to date.

+1 for a rep - otherwise often these plugins disappear forever as their makers lose interest or hosting or clean their dropbox folders. It would a nice move from the Scirrians to support those who help expand their product.

Its about backward compatibility. Something like a fork of an official plug would be hard to maintain, and Scirra can't guarantee it as always usable.

You may have misunderstood, my idea was that there should be an official repo of each plugin where everyone can add features, which can be pulled by the Scirra team if they deem them to be good enough.

Behaviors and JavaScript are not the only tools in C2. I did research on game cameras before getting started and experimented with Magic Cam and ended up building a very dynamic and smooth camera system with many high end features....all with Events.

http://kpulv.com/92/Dev_Log__Some_More_Camera_Stuff/

http://dev.yuanworks.com/2013/03/09/little-ninja-dev-smart-camera-movement/

Even though the original poster sounds like he has no problem with logic since he can code many of the posters I see here seem to want to rely too much on the Behaviors and avoid getting a firm grasp on logic (if then else ...loops... async vs sync.. etc).

I know it would be complex to do so, but C2 would greatly benefit from a way to package up Events and the objects they refer to and export/import them. This would make it more likely that people would be able to benefit from each others work and those that do not understand logic would be able to get their eyes on a lot more complex examples of Events in action... however it can be done... my C2 Data Editor tool does this on a smaller scale where I copy event sheets and objects from a source capx into the users capx with the injection feature and even generate Events on the fly and inject those... Ashley ... using .Net LINQToXML to query through all the files and XDocument to manipulate them made it possible without becoming a nightmare.

In a way thats what already happens.

Someone makes a suggestion, and Scirra will make a change.

Using someone elses code is unlikely, as they would have to then buy the rights to publish that code.

There is no reasonable way to do that without some weird contract.

Change our code, and then we will use it, and not give you anything..., can't happen.

In a way thats what already happens.

Someone makes a suggestion, and Scirra will make a change.

Using someone elses code is unlikely, as they would have to then buy the rights to publish that code.

There is no reasonable way to do that without some weird contract.

Change our code, and then we will use it, and not give you anything..., can't happen.

Do you know what Github is?

You don't see any issues with multiple forks of plugs named Scrollto?

Just for the record...a quality camera w/ shaking and literally anything else you can think of can be done quite effortlessly with events and no behaviors.

You don't see any issues with multiple forks of plugs named Scrollto?

But there would be just one repo. An official one, maintained by Scirra, which you can contribute to.

Just for the record...a quality camera w/ shaking and literally anything else you can think of can be done quite effortlessly with events and no behaviors.

My example is very poor and clearly missing the point. However, I think there is value in letting this community contribute to the tool they love.

armed10

I had made a repo tool and used it now for my plugins.

It is the 2nd version of my repo tool. Previous version was stand on ftp-server and ftp-client.

armed10 Yeah, I had similar thoughts. Unity do it. Basically you browse a store in Unity and you buy or/and install each item. It's an awesome idea.

rexrainbow Yeah, I've seen yours in action and it's pretty cool. Just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you as you develop many great plugins of which I have used many!

I don't think it's such a good idea. We don't want to be obligated to support other developer's code (someone writes 1000 lines of code, submits it, disappears forever, then users file bugs that are based on that 1000 lines of code - the burden falls on us, and we may not understand what they did at all!). I don't think anyone will not take kindly to "sorry we can't fix your bug, we don't understand the code". Also third party developers may have their own very different ideas to us as to what the basic features of C2 should be, and we maintain quite a careful balance there. I think it's better to just let third party devs do whatever they like but with their own plugins using the SDK.

Nothing can prevent anyone from using a "C2 store". Rex already did one, there's another one in the works with live preview...

But yes, this should be done. Currently having to browse forums (!) to download plugins is archaic. We need a tool to browse, click a button, download, done. Even restarting Construct is already annoying.

Honestly, I don't care if Ashley or Tom need to check for bugs, it shouldn't even be their jobs.

We are the costumers. We should do whatever we can do to make OUR projects easier.