Editors outside of gameplay

Should Editors be accessible outside of actually playing the game? You know, to be able to design an anatomically possible creature, without having to evolve it all the way and possibly mess up.

Yes.

Yes.

[terror]Wait, we aren't going to be able to edit creatures in normal gameplay, this isn't Spore. Or have I missed something? Is this Spore 2 now? [/terror]

The Uteen wrote:

[terror]Wait, we aren't going to be able to edit creatures in normal gameplay, this isn't Spore. Or have I missed something? Is this Spore 2 now? [/terror]

Nothing is anything just yet. We simply havn't tested the possibility of having editors in-game or not having editors in-game.

Some form of in-game creature editor would be the fallback apon failure to create some kind of "auto-evo" algorithm. And this will also be the case during testing phases and until an "auto-evo" algorithm is developed (If it ever is)

Given a lack of the stated algorithm, the only way to make the game playable until such a system is in place, is by having an in-game editor. As soon as someone creates some sort of system to evolve creatures without manual player intervention, we disable the creature editor.

Of course, with the engine designed around modules, you can easily compile two versions of the game, one with a creature editor in-game, one without.

So, don't worry about it

This thread is confusing. I mean, I thought we were going to be able to, but how are we going to import, and export, and you know, do all the stuff I don't know how we're going to do it?

We will have editors accessible outside of gameplay. No questions. There is no downside to it, and it will amke the game more fun and allow more creations to be made.

~sciocont wrote:

We will have editors accessible outside of gameplay. No questions. There is no downside to it, and it will amke the game more fun and allow more creations to be made.

So, whenever we want to make something, we have to open a new window, and let the program load then let the program translate the creation into a physical object or whatever it'd be in-game, and in addition when we're not using auto-evo start it up whenever we want to manually evolve our organisms?

It sounds alright.

Key word being 'alright'.

I guess this can be locked now, as we reached the conclusion that editors will be accessible outside of gameplay. Unless you want to use this thread to talk about how to implement this better.

Noitulove wrote:

~sciocont wrote:

We will have editors accessible outside of gameplay. No questions. There is no downside to it, and it will amke the game more fun and allow more creations to be made.

So, whenever we want to make something, we have to open a new window, and let the program load then let the program translate the creation into a physical object or whatever it'd be in-game, and in addition when we're not using auto-evo start it up whenever we want to manually evolve our organisms?

It sounds alright.

Key word being 'alright'.

Not necesarily. It will all be built into the engine, so theres nothing stopping there being a "organism editor" from the main menu.

Outside gameplay, not the program itself.

I'm all for it, as long as it will be available without acquiring God mode and doesn't allow manipulating with your saves (cheating).

Commander Keen wrote:

I'm all for it, as long as it will be available without acquiring God mode and doesn't allow manipulating with your saves (cheating).

Just want to confirm when you get god mode you will be able to start a save with these creatures?

More Off-Topic than the last bit: Cheating... Hmm... (by the way, I'm not thinking anything )

The Uteen wrote:

Just want to confirm when you get god mode you will be able to start a save with these creatures?

Yes, that should be an exception.


Offtopic:

Spoiler:

D'oh.

And I was thinking wrong all this time.

So knowing Spore, and its editors outside of gameplay being its best element above most other things in the game (just my opinion) I'll agree.

+1

Noitulove wrote:

~sciocont wrote:

We will have editors accessible outside of gameplay. No questions. There is no downside to it, and it will amke the game more fun and allow more creations to be made.

So, whenever we want to make something, we have to open a new window, and let the program load then let the program translate the creation into a physical object or whatever it'd be in-game, and in addition when we're not using auto-evo start it up whenever we want to manually evolve our organisms?

It sounds alright.

Key word being 'alright'.

No what I'm saying is that we will definitely have easy-access editors from the main menu. We have not discovered if we need an org editor inside of gameplay (for direct edits), but the Tech and Nation editors are a must within the playing of the game.

However, unlike in God tools or menu editors, ingame Nation editor should be limited (each change bringing unhappiness).

Commander Keen wrote:

However, unlike in God tools or menu editors, ingame Nation editor should be limited (each change bringing unhappiness).

Indeed. Just like if we have to go with direct editing in Org Mode it will be limited. God TOOLS un-limit everything, basically. And let you do everything else.

Commander Keen wrote:

However, unlike in God tools or menu editors, ingame Nation editor should be limited (each change bringing unhappiness).

Change may bring unhappiness, it may bring happiness, it may bring both, depending on how liberal/conservative the nation is at the moment.

~sciocont wrote:

Change may bring unhappiness, it may bring happiness, it may bring both, depending on how liberal/conservative the nation is at the moment.

Changing things in the editor is like saying "Now, you will do this in that way because I say so." Nobody likes that.

Commander Keen wrote:

~sciocont wrote:

Change may bring unhappiness, it may bring happiness, it may bring both, depending on how liberal/conservative the nation is at the moment.

Changing things in the editor is like saying "Now, you will do this in that way because I say so." Nobody likes that.

That's a good point.