How do I use a table?

pinata14

Hello GS community,
I have a feeling that a table might be the solution to one of the problems I have, but I don't know how to use or implement them into my game. Could someone please explain how they work and what commands can use it? I was also wondering if functions can be used in tables? For example have box at 3,4 equal scene.layer.background.actor.position.X+25
Thanks again for the help,
-Ryan

pinata14

Well, i don't have time to watch them now, but all your videos help for the most part (sometimes leave some stuff out XP) so I already know it will be great.
Thanks for the great help every time T!
-Ryan

MotherHoose

and @Tshirtbooth has for us, some lovely demo/template files … along with those videos … so you wont be mystified for long!

once you get the CellValue from a table you can do just about anything with it …
you can not write to the table … but, you can write to game/scene/actor's attributes

@};- MH

pinata14

So, I wouldn't be able to use a table to track an actor's position? I would have to use a game attribute?

pinata14

so then in that case, making an actor type that can have multiple prototypes spawned at the same time, along with minimap dots that follow each specific prototype... is impossible with GS ATM?

The_Gamesalad_Guru

I already answered you about mini maps. Just recycle the actors!

pinata14

@FryingBaconStudios
I wanted to be able to have lots of actors on screen at one time, not a few guys who can be recycled after death

The_Gamesalad_Guru

Then link them via their internal scene attributes. You can have a ton of actors off the scene and bring them onto the scene. I don't think you understand recycling. It's another way to bring actors, as many as you want without spawning. You should watch the videos on it instead of making multiple threads.

pinata14

I've watched the videos, but when you recycle the actor, you must also "get rid of" one on the screen. So the only way to allow for example 25 guys on the screen would be to make 25 separate actors. You could recycle to remake them when they die, but no more than 25 are on screen at a given time. You also have a jumbled mess of actors if you have multiple types, and having everyone prespawned offscreen would really lag the game up. do you see my predicament?

pinata14

oh and btw i was already using the recycling concept before I had even heard of it. It was the only way I could think of on my own, and I wanted to not use it so I came on here.

The_Gamesalad_Guru

Then the only options are game attributes or recycling. So you either have to abandon your mini map tracking every actor or use one of those methods. This is all that can be done currently in GS. I have built and used minimaps these are the only ways to implement them.

pinata14

is there a way to write custom scripts and implement them into GS? Then I could get one of my programmer friends to write one that can assign individuality and tracking.

The_Gamesalad_Guru

Nope.

pinata14

so trying to make an RTS in GS is kind of pointless then?

The_Gamesalad_Guru

If you mean Real Tracking System, for actors being spawned onto a scene yes.

pinata14

haha no, I meant Real Time Strategy, as in the genre of game.