some suggestions for construct

Why not just use the sprite font? It does exactly what you're asking for and more.

Why not just use the sprite font? It does exactly what you're asking for and more.

I looked at the sprite font... but I still find the other easier, because the sprite font is only one image and it needs to be carefully put together. And I don't need all the letters, only the numbers. I haven't really explored the sprite font too much, so my apologies if I seem ignorant. perhaps my problem is not knowing how to use it.

Also I want to make another suggestion. An action for "go to next layout". this way I can have only one goal object with only one event to go to the next level. currently to do that I discovered this really dumb way to achieve it:

• name all the layouts numbers so level one is named "1" , level 2 is named "2" etc.

• make a global value that is a number and at start of layout, set it to int(layoutname)+1

• when going to next layout, choose "go to layout by name" and put in str(globalvariable)

If anyone knows an easier way of doing this I would really appreciate it. Also any help on using the spritefont object would be appreciated as well, whether it be links to tutorials, or just giving a general overview of it. bear in mind that reading tutorials doesn't always help me and sometimes I still can't get it even after reading them.

edit: looked into sprite font some more, it really DOESN'T do what I want. the counter object basically let's me draw each digit in a program like macromedia fireworks, using that program's cool text effects, and then I can import each digit separately without having to worry about making the image exactly right, and without using letters.

here are some screenshots of what I want:

Set Sprite font text => zeropad(Score, 6)

I would suggest to look trough all system expressions.

In my opinion something like Counter object is useless when it is easy to set up how you want it yourself and you get more freedom as well. Also that object should then be maintained when it is basically same than Sprite font with few variables.

On Construct 2 things tend to be more multipurpose and I think it is more intuitive approach.

[quote:3c17s2be]I figured you'd say something along those lines, but really, having to set the tens, ones, hundreds, thousands, etc seperately is pretty dumb.

True when you don't need that and I would say you never do. Not sure if it was asked somewhere, but I might be wrong.

It can be frustrating sometimes using spritefont just for score number generation or if you want your text to have better effects than Blackhornet's excellent font generator. What I would really like is C2 to support this free program. I would rather not spend a whole day setting up my bespoke shiny 3d effect font and tweaking the individual widths so there's no overlap if possible. I don't like the limitations of the mmf setup as championed above but the spritefont plugin would benefit from something like this...

I respect what you guys are trying to say, but I still think it would be helpful.

Also I have two more requests. "Circle" option in Sine behavior, and a "set speed" action for bullet behavior (possibly also for other movement behaviors if they don't have them.

Also, did anyone see my "next layout" suggestion? It kinda got drowned in the talk about numbers and spritefonts.

DialgaBrite, the bullet behavior and other movement behaviors already have set speed commands.... I suggest you read the manual before suggesting things c2 already obviously has. Some of your ideas are relevant but it sounds a bit like you haven't really looked into and tried some of the things in c2 that you think are deficient.

If the manual, demos and tutorials don't do it then post a question on the how do I forum. If the answer still feels too convoluted or even plain daft then it could become a good suggestion for change. What this thread is becoming, though, is a list of a couple of good observations hidden by a smoke screen of evidence that you apparently just don't like a lot of c2 because it's different and you're not used to it. Just different isn't wrong....

Your next layout point. for example, doesn't work if you have a game with many adjacent rooms - next could mean one of 10 options, and so c2 doesn't handicap you to have to be limited to one way of managing your game.

DialgaBrite, the bullet behavior and other movement behaviors already have set speed commands.... I suggest you read the manual before suggesting things c2 already obviously has. Some of your ideas are relevant but it sounds a bit like you haven't really looked into and tried some of the things in c2 that you think are deficient.

The "set speed" action that is there is only for animation, isn't it? I have looked and I have looked at the manual. I really wish people would stop claiming I haven't looked at the manual when they are wrong.

edit: nvm, I see "set speed" for bullets. I could have SWORN I looked at all the bullet actions and didn't see it. I am sorry!

[quote:304rjcqx]

Your next layout point. for example, doesn't work if you have a game with many adjacent rooms - next could mean one of 10 options, and so c2 doesn't handicap you to have to be limited to one way of managing your game.

Isn't it obvious that this action would not replace the "goto layout" action? It's just another possibility, which at least two other programs have.

For the bullet :https://www.scirra.com/manual/90/bullet :Set speed

Set the bullet's current movement speed, in pixels per second.

for custom movement :https://www.scirra.com/manual/92/custom-movement :Set speed

Set the current speed in pixels per second either for the horizontal or vertical axes, or the overall movement speed. Setting horizontal or vertical speeds assigns dx and dy directly. Setting the overall speed calculates new values for dx and dy such that they reflect the new overall speed while keeping the same angle of motion.

This only took a few seconds to find !!!!!!!!!

Just to clarify, because I think that my point about the manual may not have been clear. I read the manual within a couple of weeks of starting to use C2, however my comprehension of C2 was still lacking because I had very limited experience at using it. I had programmed before and used other game engines but that experience was only useful up to a point. A few months ago I had to completely re-write the engine for an app I have because I wanted to make a small adjustment and my original event system was so - frustrating - that I couldn't stand working around the inefficiencies I had coded into it. I had learned a lot in 6 months and was a little taken aback by how little I knew at the start. C2 looks easy to use (that's the big selling point) but is in fact a very powerful alternative to coding - and that power is its strength and weakness. The user has total freedom to do what they want but that means that they cannot cookie-cutter a game in 20 minutes because they need to create their own unique control features. That is why I like it so much above MMF and the other alternatives - I can do exactly what I want and not what scirra thinks I want.

WRT to the layout option - this would satisfy so few people and would only serve to complicate the interface. How would C2 know which layout precedes the one that's being played when you might have 50 layouts for the main game and another 20 for interstitial screens / settings / options etc? What about a game like angry birds where the user can select the next layout to attempt? Any changes to encompass your desire to 'goto next layout' would have to not make any of those alternative game constructs harder to create. I would rather Ashley and the team worked on one of the numerous other areas where C2 could be improved before they start adding complicating features that are already easily worked using the current event system. I guess that it could be a nice feature if I wanted to make a linear game like flappy bird but there is a reason why so many on this forum will oppose these sorts of suggestions.

There are areas where improvements could be made, but a good first port of call is the help forum. There you will be helped to learn how to take advantage of C2 and its strengths and, if there is something that could be made better (like sprite-font) then it will only be accepted if there is no easy and workable way to do it already.

Also I would suggest Yanns video tutorials.

Another avenue that is worth considering is to search the forums , especially the "HOW DO I " , chances are that more often than not someone has already asked your question and found a resolve .

Another avenue that is worth considering is to search the forums , especially the "HOW DO I " , chances are that more often than not someone has already asked your question and found a resolve .

If you're talking about the next layout thing, I did that, and saw nothing. And I also found a way to do it, on my own, I just think it's extra work. Why do people keep saying the same things over and over and assume I am dumb? sorry, I'm just a little frustrated.

For the next layout, I usually name my levels like Level1 Level2 Level3

And access them like this :

Goto layout (by name) "Level" & varCurrentLevel+1 , where varCurrentLevel is obviously the level I am on now

You can name them a bit more complex lets say each level has 2-3 screens:

Level1screenA Level1screenB Level2screenA Level2screenB

Goto Layout (by name) "Level" & varCurrentLevel & "screen" & varScreenName

You can even make a 1 dimension array that has the name of each level and increment the array index

Go to layout (by name) Array.At(varIndex)

varIndex=varIndex+1

For Layout Stepping and other such layout information. I usually create a LayoutSprite and create a set of vars on the object. Such as "NEXT_LAYOUT". So when the layout is done the ES will refer to

Goto Layout(sprite.NEXT_LAYOUT)

Cipriux is also valid.

GotoLayout( "level" & currentlevel + 1 )

Brita

I and I'm sure many others don't think your dumb(i don't speek for everyone), at least you listen and are trying to learn where others don't, won't and are hostile. For the more experienced programmers we know where your coming from. You have already defined a standardized pattern of using a set of tools. Your moving to a new environment and applying those development patterns to C2. However C2 is different enough that your patterns aren't working and feeling that C2 can't do these.

This is actually not uncommon as is a known situation. it's called Culture Shock(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_shock). That's exactly what happens one moving from one environment to another. Your facing it now. I faced it when I changed. I've seen other programmers go through it. Though each personality handles it differently. Some are more verbose in this shock than others.

I've seen culture shock in more than just cultures. Often I see culture shock in Windows to Linux/OSX, Android<>IOS, heck I've seen culture shock from FireFox to Chrome. I'm not saying everyone goes through this. I've never had culture shock with browsers or OS, but I have to admit using C2 was a culture shock. And this is the reason why veterans of C2 know that C2 isn't a tool set for just Toys. Where as that person who has used the tool for 2 hours thinks it's only for simple toy games.

My suggetions always has been. Start with a few small, but semi complex experiments. Get a feel for the difference before diving in. Get the feet wet. I tried diving in and found myself sinking <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" title="Very Happy">.. and like the other poster. He designed some work, then realized 6 months later his code is crummy. Same here. My earlier projects are crumtastic in design and I will be going over them.

jayderyu reading that wiki article remind me of the time I worked in UK....after 2 years never got the chance to pass the "Negotiation phase"