Tilemap quality-of-life changes

Ah sorry, missed that one, I am sorry it is not working for you. I guess it is different for different needs! I think I have smaller levels, so it might be that.

Maybe it would work better if there's a built in support for these files.

helena With a few changes to the tilemap object, Tiled would be a viable solution for all tile based games large or small. Either way, I'd much rather use a level editor integrated and designed around C2 than some generic one. Using an external editor can be very limiting.

But on other hand external editor that is free to download is good if you want people to help you create levels. This is of course for games that is more strategy/puzzle based!

These features are absolutely necessary, I always feel a certain frustration when working with really small tiles (namely 8x8).

Bump :T

+1 to this - I hadn't really used the tilemap object up to now, but tried it for something and it was QUITE awkward. It could use some love to go beyond a check mark in a feature list.

What's wrong with using Tiled..? I still don't understand.

Can we please just forget about Tiled for a minute? I've already explained in this thread and others why C2 devs shouldn't use it, and that was just the half of it. This is not about Tiled, its about C2's tilemap object.

but.. the issues you said about Tiled aren't true.

I only developed a large-scale game with 2 other devs over the course of 9 months with Tiled. I think I would know a thing or two about it and the problems we faced.

Sounds like tiled issues could be related to layout size? Could both parties share the size of their tiled maps?

I give up.

I really think implementing more functionality with TMX objects could create so much potential with C2, and I would love to see these specific features implemented. It's a huge time saver and makes for a much efficient workflow if levels can just be pieces together right in C2 - especially as your debugging your levels. I unfortunately ran into the same problems using the TMX importer (although... it's still a pretty awesome plugin) - and over all, I've just found that the hurdles and quirks of jumping from an external editor (like tiled) to C2 and back and forth to just be a hassle.

+100 to this.

I know it is hard to justify adding features to c2 tilemap when there are 3rd party plugins that do the same thing... but here is the bottom line: Workflow takes a major hit when you have to screw around with importing and exporting from one tool to another. Also, while making tight levels for difficult games, it can be very difficult to be able to rapidly tweak and test levels. Many people in the community make their own level editors... and I can't help but think that the built in tile map sort of encourages that. Anything that people have to repeatedly create should probably be included in vanilla c2.

The feature requested by the OP is very reasonable.

Prominent Tokinsom - Somebody suggested that it would be good to share layout size? I agree. I have a hunch what these sizes are though... I have noticed that c2 has a very good feature set ~if~ you are making "small" games. Phone games and the like are nice but when you sit down to make something like iconoclasts in c2, you realize the default tools don't cut it... and then you go make a level editor (a long process indeed). C2 is a game engine, and as such it should provide users with the tools needed to make games. It does this fantastically. But I do feel that anything that saves users' time should be a priority. I don't use a game engine to have to still remake part of the wheel, and lets face it, that wheel is being remade everytime someone doesn't want to use tiled (workflow or other reasons) and makes their own level editor.

Tokinsom - I feel your pain, and feel prominent clearly has not the perspective that you have on this issue. I'm not trying to antagonize anyone here, but I do feel tokinsom has been reasonable with what he has said. And it does make a difference what you are making a small game with 8x8 tiles is easy... a larger game with 8x8 tiles becomes exponentially more difficult to use the built in tilemap.

If Tiled is the solution that why bother having tilemap tools in c2 at all? If it is worth it to have those tools in c2 then it is worth it add the necessary features to make it worth the time to use.

you can import Tiled data dynamically at runtime into a tilemap object.. so I'm not sure what the issue is.