A few useful recommendations. Anyone agree?

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  • I don't know if it's just me. But, I find a few very small quirks of Construct 3, that wind up killing time. It's probably just me, and the way I work, and the way my brain works with applications such as this.

    But, something dumb, like locking/unlocking layers, can be a pain for me if I'm making edits across multiple layouts at once.

    I also have a bit of trouble remembering to select the layer I need to be working on, when I switch from layout to layout. I will select a layer on one layout. Then jump over to another layout, and think the same layer is selected on that layout.

    Also, selecting an Object that is on a currently locked layer, Construct 3 does not provide the name of the layer the object is currently on. So, then I'm left unlocking/locking various layers until I find the layer it was places on by accident. There is a handy warning when placing an object on an already locked layer. But, if I'm placing objects on a layer that is unlocked. Then, later lock that layer, I can easily lose track of where it actually went. Especially while working with quite a few layers.

    Maybe, I just try to work too quickly, and should take more time to pay attention to what I'm doing as I work. I've recently come up with a few systems mentally, to keep track, and make sure I'm setting things properly as I move from layout to layout, layer to layer, etc.

    Other than a few minor pet peeves like this, I find Construct 3 to be a fantastic tool for what it does. And, I love working in it, besides when struck by a random crash here and there. Which is rare in the Stable channel, but causes quite a few issues when testing the Beta versions. So, I'm just sticking to the Stable channel of releases for a while. After losing work a few times in beta. I always make multiple backups of each project file. Especially when working in the Beta versions. But, it's still just lost time in the end. So Stable releases only, as of last week.

    Anyways. I thought it would be cool to have more features, at least as an optional thing in the Settings Menu. Like selecting the same layer on all layouts while working, and locking/unlocking layers across all layouts, etc. I'm doing my best to learn from my mistakes. But, some times while working quickly, I can make mistakes, especially if I'm sleep deprived. So another thing to take from this, is getting more sleep, and bringing more order to my current sleep routine.

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  • I agree in some ways, I find it can be a memory game when using C3 in certain cases (e.g. For me, when working across multiple event sheets, it can be easy to get a bit lost (the bookmark bar needs a bit of love as it's too simple)).

    With layouts and layers being selected or locked, let's say you needed to make a change to the HUD layer on 20 layouts: once you have done 2 or 3 layouts, wouldn't you sorta get into a pattern of "click next layout, click HUD layer, make change, click next layout, click HUD layer, make change"?

    With determining which objects are on which layer, I agree that perhaps there could be a way to easily tell which objects are on which layer quicker, but generally wouldn't you know "oh this object is the score text, so this must be on the HUD layer. This is the ground, which will be on the Game layer." etc. Unless your game is a layer-heavy game and objects go between different layers often.

    I personally don't lock many layers at once, because I have like 20 or 30 layers, so I tend to lock things when I go to click the object I want, realise something is above the object, and because I've clicked this other object, I look over at the properties bar, see the layer this object is on (e.g its on the Debug layer), so THEN I lock the debug layer and continue what I was doing (then I might forget to unlock the layer, but that's my own fault really).

    I also use C3 when sleep deprived! When I'm TOO sleep deprived, I start to notice the quality of my events gets worse, and how slow I am at solving issues, so I tend to stop and just go to bed, otherwise I will end up wasting my time the next day by cleaning up the mess I created the previous night when I was sleep deprived.

  • I agree in some ways, I find it can be a memory game when using C3 in certain cases (e.g. For me, when working across multiple event sheets, it can be easy to get a bit lost (the bookmark bar needs a bit of love as it's too simple)).

    With layouts and layers being selected or locked, let's say you needed to make a change to the HUD layer on 20 layouts: once you have done 2 or 3 layouts, wouldn't you sorta get into a pattern of "click next layout, click HUD layer, make change, click next layout, click HUD layer, make change"?

    With determining which objects are on which layer, I agree that perhaps there could be a way to easily tell which objects are on which layer quicker, but generally wouldn't you know "oh this object is the score text, so this must be on the HUD layer. This is the ground, which will be on the Game layer." etc. Unless your game is a layer-heavy game and objects go between different layers often.

    I personally don't lock many layers at once, because I have like 20 or 30 layers, so I tend to lock things when I go to click the object I want, realise something is above the object, and because I've clicked this other object, I look over at the properties bar, see the layer this object is on (e.g its on the Debug layer), so THEN I lock the debug layer and continue what I was doing (then I might forget to unlock the layer, but that's my own fault really).

    I also use C3 when sleep deprived! When I'm TOO sleep deprived, I start to notice the quality of my events gets worse, and how slow I am at solving issues, so I tend to stop and just go to bed, otherwise I will end up wasting my time the next day by cleaning up the mess I created the previous night when I was sleep deprived.

    Yeah, exactly. I could not agree more. I am getting into patterns/systems of moving layout to layout, layer to layer, while moving the same object across all layouts/layers. I should probably start leaving more layers unlocked. But, that is when I start making mistakes, because I forget to select the proper layer when quickly switching layouts. Then place objects on the wrong layer when it's unlocked.

    Maybe having some way to move an object to the same layer across all layouts. Or like suggested, having a setting to select the same layer across all layouts, or lock/unlock the same layers across all layouts. When each of these are done on one layout. Would help folks like me. But, it's definitely not necessary. Just part of the mental game.

    I definitely agree about the bookmarks feature as well. I've been making more use of them, but agreed, it is pretty basic system. These are just very small pet peeves. And, there is nothing wrong with the way it is currently setup. There could be some extra settings that could be turned on with a checkbox, to make quality of life easier while working quickly. But, not sure how difficult it would be to do, with the way C3 is currently setup on the backend.

    I notice the same thing when sleep deprived. Especially after pulling an all nighter or two. But, at the same time, when I'm tired sometimes it forces me to slow down and pay more attention to what I'm doing/the steps I'm taking along the way. Then I find errors and issues I had made while awake, full of energy, and working quickly. So, each state of mind has it's benefits and draw backs haha XD

    I'm learning more and more, that I definitely need to pay more attention to editing multiple layouts/layers at one time. Or, set everything up on the layers I need, and build out most game play mechanics/objects on one layout. Then Duplicate the layout, so everything is on the layers as needed. But, this is not the best case for all situations.

    It's more about the way different minds think & work. I need to get out of the habit, of thinking that I've selected the layer on one layout, it is selected across all layouts. I too work with many layers in some projects. I'm learning faster ways to manipulate object positions in the editor, and which layer it is on. And, using events to move objects across layers as needed, then back to original layer. Which is needed anyways, for certain game play mechanics.

    I'm slowly building up the proper habits while working many hours in C3. I definitely work smarter with more sleep. I've got my diet dialed in. Lately I'm working on my sleep routine. But, sometimes I work better with less sleep. So it's about finding balance.

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