Tables/Arrays in new update

EbreezeEbreeze Member, PRO Posts: 481
edited January 2012 in Working with GS (Mac)
Ok so I keep hearing about this but could someone explain what this is sentence or two? Or explain what it does for game development? I am a simple minded person who does not understand programming languages Thank you

Comments

  • David_GryphonsRealmDavid_GryphonsRealm Member Posts: 459
    haha, i just asked this in my post :D

    David
  • ChunkypixelsChunkypixels Member Posts: 1,114
    Basically tables/arrays are a way of storing, accessing and editing large chunks of data. Currently, many game types arent realistically feasable with GameSalad, such as word, quiz or sports games containing large stats lists. You could make them, but it would become a nightmare to input and control all the different data.

    Think of it as a database... you can search for certain information, that then links and gives access to further data.

    For me, its the biggest improvement to GameSalad for almost 2 years. it opens up the tool to being able to create a much wider, more varied scope of games. Im just praying theyve implemented them right, and that we can properly import external data... Im hoping that its not an half-assed system where we have to hand input every line of data.

    I guess we'll find out soon enough....!
  • EbreezeEbreeze Member, PRO Posts: 481
    Thanks guys...wow this sounds amazing
  • Benjamin_m5Benjamin_m5 Member Posts: 646
    @tshirtbooth Wow, that's amazing!!! Can you tell us: is it difficult to use tables? Is it good to use tables/arrays in every game? Or are tables for the type of game you made with the exploding cats?!

    THX
    ---
    Benjamin
  • Benjamin_m5Benjamin_m5 Member Posts: 646
    Haha :) Thx
    ---
    Benjamin
  • SlickZeroSlickZero Houston, TexasMember, Sous Chef Posts: 2,870
    There's no need to fear….tshirtbooth videos will soon be here!
    Warning There was an error rendering this rich post.
  • FirstDanFirstDan Member Posts: 208
    handy as im a SQL Developer :)
  • ozboybrianozboybrian PRO Posts: 2,102
    I'm pumped about Tables. TSB has made loads of great points.

    I really think it will help games that have stats etc like in an RPG.
    I wonder how much Ram Tables use.

    @Tshirtbooth would you have any examples? Please tag me if you reply so I don't miss it!
  • MotherHooseMotherHoose Member Posts: 2,456
    edited January 2012
    @Tshirtbooth … right after the Webinar your site: gshelper.com is gonna get beaucoup hits!

    think I will have it open in Safari and just keep refreshing the page till I can get at your goodies!

    @};- MH
  • Rob2Rob2 Member Posts: 2,402
    @Chunky I sincerely hope they are multi dimensional and not coded by the guy that did the 'debugger' (lolroflagchs)
  • ChunkypixelsChunkypixels Member Posts: 1,114
    edited January 2012
    @Rob2 yup.... "debugger" and image flipping were both disappointing, and implemented on a most basic level compared to what they could, and should have been.

    For the tables/arrays to be of true value, they need to be able import pre-edited data... otherwise its going to really limit what they can ultimately be used for. Im hoping that for once, GS hasnt just gone for an easy/limited implementation, but instead done things properly, and given the feature true depth and usability.

    Ive waited almost 2 years for the feature to be added, so my expectations are high for this one....If I have to type in each line of the array as an attribute, Im going to be seriously pi@*ed off....

    Im hoping Im going to be pleasantly surprised for once.... and maybe I can then update my Avatar to a cute happy animal instead of the grumpy GS yob Ive become... :)
  • PixelgunPixelgun Member Posts: 111
    Ok, so say I've got a few tables that get populated with game data as a player plays the game. Is there a good way to query my tables, like we do in MySQL? Then I could generate context specific data. Or am I thinking about this wrong?
  • ultimaultima Member, PRO Posts: 1,207
    i wonder when they say import/export csv do they mean on device or when we are developing, looking forwards to these tutorial and new info.
  • ChunkypixelsChunkypixels Member Posts: 1,114
    So its live... and so far after reading the yellow sticky.... its looking like happy times are here!!

    Time to download and give it a play.... :)
  • Rob2Rob2 Member Posts: 2,402
    edited January 2012
    Its a one way street but obviously still a massive jump up ).
  • GLGAMESGLGAMES SingaporeMember Posts: 988
    Tables for RPG games !!!
    one thing i can think of and most games are using this now, tables storing each lvl up's stats or xp needed and so on
  • ChunkypixelsChunkypixels Member Posts: 1,114
    Read only tables at the moment... which is a bit of a disappointment...
    so its currently still only a half implemented system... "sigh"...



  • simo103simo103 Member, PRO Posts: 1,331
    @Chunkypixels .... yeah ... i think when most people heard mention of tables, thoughts went to storing whole bunch of data either inputed or changed during gameplay ... hopefully that won't be too long coming ... guess there is issues of saving, loading whole tables rather than one attribute at a time like we do now and also I'm guessing a certain size will need to be assigned for a 'growing' database as I can't see Apple allowing a certain size app to balloon due to poor design. On the other hand I have some quiz/word play apps planned so the Read side appears well presented and very useful.
  • ChunkypixelsChunkypixels Member Posts: 1,114
    edited January 2012
    Yup... dont get me wrong... its still a massive improvement to have Read only tables, and theres lots we can do with them... so I am mostly happy with their implementation.

    Ive just got a couple of games half built, that were built around the concept of read/writeable tables that Ive had on hold.... so Im kind of a little blinkered to the fact that theyre not fully implemented with the current system. Theres a ton of ideas though that I can play with using Read only, so its not a massive disappointment.

    But yup... read/write tables should have really been there from the start... but it shouldnt hopefully be too long before its added... I hope :)

    Oh, and great tutorial videos as usual Tshirt.... I can imagine all the ideas flooding through your head once you started to play with Tables :)



  • PixelgunPixelgun Member Posts: 111
    Yeah I'm not sure tables, in their current state, are going to work for what I had in mind.
    Are there actual arrays? Isn't an array something that would be an attribute type?
  • hatchhatch Member, PRO Posts: 5
    Is there any way to query a table by passing in an attribute rather then looking for the exact row col or a random return? i.e. can i ask a table to return a value from a column that matches my variable (attribute)
  • tatiangtatiang Member, Sous Chef, PRO, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 11,949
    edited November 2012
    @hatch - Are you asking whether you can retrieve a value from a column based on an attribute column number? If so, then yes.

    image

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  • hatchhatch Member, PRO Posts: 5
    @tatiang what i am actually looking for is to query one large table and return a recordset that i can choose from. example; query tableX looking for list of values matching attribute Y from tableX.columnZ.

    Essentially i am trying to do is create a table of quiz questions. I want to give each question a difficulty rating. as the player levels up only those questions matching his level rating to be displayed in the quiz.

    The other solutions is just toi create different tables for each difficulty rating but that also means different rules and game logic for same!

    Am i making myself understood?
  • tatiangtatiang Member, Sous Chef, PRO, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 11,949
    @hatch - Yes, I understand now. There is no built-in search capability for tables, so I don't recommend relying on searching for values. Instead, build separate tables as you suggested.

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  • hatchhatch Member, PRO Posts: 5
    Hey @tatiang thats cool. I can keep my master spreadsheet with everything in it, sort and export to smaller tables and work off that. The rules will be easy enough to duplicate and modify. But its certainly a feature that would be great to have in future version of GS.

    Thanks for your help
  • tatiangtatiang Member, Sous Chef, PRO, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 11,949
    The only way I know of to search a table is to use a loop and compare every row/column to a key value. But exporting part of a table is not really possible.

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