[Plugin] SpriteFont+

I've created a plugin that extends the existing Sprite font native plugin to include richer support for individual character widths during both editing and runtime. It works really well when used in conjunction with Blackhornet's Give Your Font Mono(spacing) Sprite Font Generator.

You can download it over on codeplex and I've updated the documentation there to show how to use it as well.

The primary benefit is being able to use custom character widths without any extra events and full support while editing. Here?s how the 2 plugins look in the edit window versus runtime when the extra events as described in the documentation are used for the native sprite font object:

<img src="http://thechriskent.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/image_thumb23_2-1.png" border="0">

They end up looking the same but the native plugin is a lot harder to work with when using custom character widths.

Here's a tutorial I wrote to help you get started.

Ashley

Maybe can implement the same thing for official Spritefont object ?

Sweet, will give this a go!

Sweet! Will try it today! :)

Thanks for sharing!

Wow, this is perfect. I assumed it wasn't implemented because it wasn't possible. Great job!

I'd love to see official integration of this too.

Thanks everybody!

I've posted a tutorial for this plugin over here: scirra.com/tutorials/716/using-the-spritefont-plugin

I think official intergration would be the only way I would use this. I have been caught out big time using 3rd party plugins that broke in newer version of C2 and I don't want to go through that again.

czar I would love for this to be officially integrated. Hopefully this plugin will fill in the gap until they are able to add support for custom character widths using the native sprite font. Until then I'll be doing my best to keep it working with each release, but I completely understand your hesitation.

This is great!

Have you contacted Ashley directly offering this plugin as an official addition?

This would be great for a game I'm currently working on, but I'm also wary of using it unless it's official.

AnD4D Thanks!

I haven't. I would love to see the functionality of this plugin added to the native sprite font. I imagine their work load is generally pretty heavy, but if this issue resonates with enough people I'm sure they'll move it up in priority. In the meantime, I made this plugin to solve my needs and I'm offering it up to anyone that wants it. But I understand being wary of a 3rd party plugin.

I saw your tut already thanks

Well I would recommend you send an email through maybe rather than hope it's seen on the forum. The fact that you can see changes in the editor as well as runtime is a brilliant addition.

Great job, CK!

Love this plugin. Unfortunately I can't seem to use it with Cocoon, so I have to go through the annoying process of setting up and array and loops for each different font.

Please please please can this be made the default? It's only a small tweak, but it's so much better!

+1 for making this the default way of handling sprite font.

Also, r164 has completely broken this plugin - if I preview a game that doesn't even use it I receive a host of javascript failure messages (removing the plugin and it runs fine) .

And I would just like to add that this breaking of perfectly excellent plugins is the reason why these features should be incorporated into the main program instead of being left to 3rd party developers to sort out. Thread drifting rant over... Happy now....

+1 for making this the default way of handling sprite font.

Also, r164 has completely broken this plugin - if I preview a game that doesn't even use it I receive a host of javascript failure messages (removing the plugin and it runs fine) .

And I would just like to add that this breaking of perfectly excellent plugins is the reason why these features should be incorporated into the main program instead of being left to 3rd party developers to sort out. Thread drifting rant over... Happy now....

Two things:

1 - Is there any specific reason you're using this plugin past custom character widths? Because the method described in the first post works just fine for standard C2 sprite fonts w/ variable character widths.

2 - 3rd-party plugin supports exists for a reason; expecting a small team like Scirra to add every feature everyone asks for is unrealistic. And I dunno about you, but adding multiplayer support certainly seems like a more pressing matter - and a more important feature to more people - that making sprite fonts easier to use than they already are...and they're already pretty easy to use.