Tables and arrays

SkyMaple

For games like pocket frogs when you are able to access all the data about a specific frog. Can this be accomplished when tables and arrays come out?

JohnPapiomitis

you dont need arrays for that

edit: beat by t

SkyMaple

That will work but when it comes to spawning an new actor there's no way to access it's self attributes. In pocket frogs you breed frogs it then spawns the egg actor which turns into a frog actor. Since the frog is spawned there is no way of reading it's self attribute because its not on the scene before the game is published.

JohnPapiomitis

It can still be done. you can set up attributes for each invidual actor your spawning, then constrain or do whatever to those to the spawned actor. The thing is you cant reuse attributes for different actors. 2 of the same spawned actors will have to have a id to determein the 2 then both all the attirubtes you need to get the info. Need alot of attributes, but it can be done.

exaple: 3 atributes frogx, frogy, frogrotation. Theres no frog in the scene, so theres no self position of rotation to read . BUt by in the frog having constrains to thos 3 attributes, when it spawns you can access the info now, as well as anythign else you make attributes for and pass the info on. You would have to have the same attributes repeatded and named different for that (frog1x, frog2x) but it can be done

SkyMaple

Will there ever be a simpler way to do this? It sounds very tedious with hundreds of attributes. Plus, if there are two or more of the same actors, that adds many more attributes....!

firemaplegames

To answer your initial question, yes, that is the major advantage of using a table. It helps organize all of your data and allows you quick access to it.

They are fairly critical for keeping track of a deep game like Pocket Frogs.

There are workarounds for everything if you are creative enough, but some things are a major headache without a way to organize data.

It's a little hard to explain in a forum post, but lacking arrays or tables (and loops and functions) is why it is so difficult to currently create some types of games in GameSalad.

Take tic-tac-toe for example. One of the simplest possible games. You pick a spot, then the computer picks a spot, etc. It's trivial to program in most programming environments, but will make your brain bleed out of your ears if you were to attempt it GameSalad.

Also games like Tetris, Bejewelled, Zuma, Solitaire, Tower Defense, Tic-Tac-Toe, Othello, Checkers, etc. The list goes on and on.

The reason why it is hard to imagine how you would even begin to create those games in GameSalad is because you don't have access to tables and arrays.

It is definitely the number one feature on the roadmap that I am excited about. It opens up the possibility of all those types of games and more!

TheSNGuy

Just wondering if there is an ETA on this feature?

RH

http://gamesalad.com/corporate/roadmap/

winter