[SUGGESTION] [EDITOR] [ADDED] S/L - Value rework

[IchoTolot]

Status: I felt it was best not to (at least for now) remove the input boxes to directly set the S and L values, but I did add a panel with more-meaningful ways to set them according to the selected object type.

[IchoTolot]

NL Homepage:
"
The "S Value" and "L Value", which are NeoLemmix-exclusive, set specific properties on certian types of objects. The S Value can range from 0 to 15, while the L value can range from 0 to 255. (These originally stood for "Skill value" and "Level value", based on their function on the first types of object that used them, but could perhaps be better remembered as "Small value" and "Large value".)
Window - The L value determines what permanent skills the lemmings will spawn with. 1 = Climber, 2 = Swimmer, 4 = Floater, 8 = Glider, 16 = Mechanic, 64 = Zombie. These can be combined by adding the numbers together; and Zombie will only function if the level has the Zombie gimmick enabled. The S value does nothing.
Pre-Placed Lemming - The same as with Window, with one additional value that can be used; 32 = Blocker.
Pickup Skill - The S value determines which skill is used. The dropdown box to the right can also be used to quickly select a skill rather than having to know the values. In order from 0 to 15, the values correspond to Climber, Floater, Bomber, Blocker, Builder, Basher, Miner, Digger, Walker, Swimmer, Glider, Mechanic, Stoner, Platformer, Stacker, Cloner.
Secret Level Trigger - The S value determines the rank of the secret level, while the L value determines the level number. Setting the rank to 0 results in the current rank, while setting the level to 0 results in the first level in the target rank that's designated as a secret level.
Teleporter / Receiver / Two-Way Teleporter - These will only link to corresponding objects with the same S value.
"


There has to be a better way to set these options. Right now you are forced to read this article to even know what these settings (for each specific situation) do. (I even found it just about right now )

-For Pick-ups for example I ALWAYS used the dropdown box so this could be simplified.
-Rather than numbers for each pre-set skill there should be a way to use sth like another dropbox with the skills WRITTEN in there + also keeping the possibility to combine pre-set skills.

Asking for further input-ideas here about how to possibly improve this and make it more accessable!
 

[Nepster]

I was planning to post precisely this tomorrow, and just wanted to sleep over it again .

Regarding preassinged skills: One possible way is to handle this in essentially the same way as the "Force Gimmick/Skill" in the player options. The dropdown box for pickup skills now shows the permanent skills together with Zombie and Ghost. One can select them and click on a checkbox to apply this skill.

Regarding secret level trigger: Here the dropdown box for pickup skills is replaced by a textbox into which one can enter the level number.

Regarding Teleporter: The dropdown box now gives a list of all possible receivers (via their object numbers) together with the status, whether they already function as a receiver for a different teleporter or not. With this information the editor assignes then automatically the correct matching S-values.
A similar list of teleporters will appear if one has selected a receiver.

As the dropdown box now has several different functions, there needs to be at least a one-line description above this box explaining the current function. Moreover this dropdown box sould be hidden (or at least disabled) completely if one has selected an object for which S- and L-values are irrelevant.
The boxes for the L-value and S-value should then be removed completely. Alternatively they only display the value, but the level designer isn't allowed to mess with them directly.

[namida]

There are cases where the values are used for a number itself (eg. secret level triggers), so I'm not sure about removing them completely. But indeed, there does need to be more friendly setting of them. I'll look at what can be done here.

[Wafflem]

Don't forget moving background objects. All my Space levels (except for one) use moving background objects. The S value is for direction of the object, the L value is the object's speed. I have to do a lot of trial and error to determine the direction of the moving background object.

A menu that describes specifically which direction the object travels will be helpful.

[namida]

Alright. Unbelievably, I finally managed to get the forms properly loading into the IDE. This will make a HUGE difference to what I can acheive (without driving myself insane), so we might see this sooner than expected.

[namida]

So I haven't implemented *every* object yet, but let's take a look at some of what I do have.

You'll notice that the S and L Value boxes themself are still there. I think I'll leave them there, firstly in case anything's not working with the new setup (so that functionality doesn't become completely inaccessible), and secondly, so that if at any point a new object type that needs S / L Value usage is introduced, no one is locked out of using it just because no editor update that supports that type has been released (or they haven't downloaded it yet).

Water & Fire Objects
The input box on this one just directly sets the L value, but it offers an explanation of what the value does and when it will apply.


Teleporters, Receivers and Two-Way Teleporters
This one is much more useful. I don't think it's even a very well known feature that you can link two teleporters together by simply setting their S Values the same (as a fallback in case of multiple matching S values, the object order is used, and I think this is what most people have been relying on - including myself in many cases), but this will now be more obvious and more simple. Simply select a teleporter and a receiver (or a two-way teleporter in place of either of those), click the "Link Selected Teleporters" button, and the editor will find an unused-by-teleporters S value and set it to all the ones you have selected.

[namida]

I uploaded a new experimental version with these new menus (NeoLemmixEditor_V1.42n_1602161836).

Give it a try. If no one finds any problems, I'd say it's about time to release the update.

For the record, the supported object types are (and this is all the types that actually use S / L values, assuming I'm not overlooking something):
- Entrance
- Preplaced Lemming
- Water
- Fire
- Teleporter
- Receiver
- Two-Way Teleporter
- Secret Level Trigger
- Pickup Skill
- Moving Background

For obvious reasons, these will only appear when editing NeoLemmix levels, not SuperLemmini ones.