We've been begging GameSalad for these kinds of features for 3 years ! And in three years they have delivered none of these tools, not one alignment tool or on-screen guide, nothing, I appreciate their efforts have been concentrated elsewhere and it's not like they've been sitting on their hands for 3 years, but regardless of that the facts speak for themselves . . . . . and you did this in 3 days !!
Already, with just the work you've done, this looks like an essential tool for laying out projects and for things like building levels, the multiple select feature alone is fantastic !!!
Why on earth could GameSalad have not done something similar with all their resources and talent and the endless user requests and the years of begging for this stuff !!?
There was a poll held over three months ago asking users which 'fixes/tweaks' they would like to see . . . . people voted . . . and snap-to-grid and actor's X/Y coordinates and zoom came top of the poll . . . and over three months later . . . nothing . . . silence . . . but with 3 days effort from you has achieved this !
Yeah, I have been wondering the same thing. I'm not sure how easy it would be to code these features in LUA or what ever they use for the editor, though.
Yeah, I have been wondering the same thing. I'm not sure how easy it would be to code these features in LUA or what ever they use for the editor, though.
If GameSalad implemented something like you have here it certainly wouldn't be the only piece of software with external editors, even stuff as polished as Adobe After Effects will open up an external editor when you need to edit things like images and audio . . . there is a long and proud tradition of software utilising external editors.
I can't believe the talent at GameSalad could not have managed to stick a little box on screen showing X and Y coordinates in three years or allowed us to select more than one object (etc etc) . . . I really do suspect they are simply focused on other things . . . but I'd rather they had offered us an external solution as excellent and simple to use as yours rather than leaving their users waiting for year after year.
I feel sorry for the GameSalad users building games with large layouts or scenes with a few hundred elements, but looking at your work here it seems like it would actually be a pleasurable, satisfying job to do, simply clicking the elements into place rather than having to double click on every one of your actors, then to see the scene disappear (we don't want to be giving the users too many visual clues about what they are doing lol ), then open a drop down menu, then enter the X and Y values into two fields, then hit the back button to return to your scene . . . rinse and repeat . . a few hundred times a day.
@Manto1 I just wanted to pop in and say this is looking absolutely AWESOME. As a new Gamesalad user I remember first placing actors on the stage and instantly looking for the "stage zoom" or some sort of "alignment" tool, or even being able to place an actor on the stage and type in its X/Y coordinates. I was shocked to realize this wasn't available. So glad to see somebody is knockin' this out. Would easily pay for a plug-in that allowed this. Keep up the great work.
I don't know if the following two features make sense but they came to my mind immediately (because i'm working on a game with top-down perspective right now):
- the possibility to add a border around the grid, for example a 100x and 100y grid that's only displayed between x = 30 and x = 738 and y = 30 and y = 994 - let actors snap to the middle of a grid cell even if they're smaller or bigger than the grid size (+ edit: the possibility to adjust the position of certain actors that don't fit into a grid by directly entering a x and y value would save a lot of time because opening and closing actors in GameSalad is really time-consuming)
I have no idea if these features are hard to build but i think they could be very handy in some situations.
Yes! That's one of the main reasons I made this thread.
Even more fantastic !!! >-
Ok, I'm not sure what is and is not possible to implement but here are my suggestions . . .
1) Guides would be great, guides of any kind, pull down guides like in Photoshop would be great (both horizontal and vertical), but even if you need to open a dialogue box and type in the positional value of the guide that would still be great . . . . and, of course, snap to guides.
2) Step and repeat would be the holy grail of level design - a good reference here would be something like Adobe illustrator, but basically anyway of carrying out a translation and then repeating it would be unbelievably useful. A simple version would see you select an object - enter a translation - let's say duplicate object and move 100 pixels to the right - and enter the number of copies you want . . . . so you can quickly lay out 50 boxes side by side with a single command . . . . . another take on this theme would be to only enter the first translation (duplicate object and move 100 pixels to the right) and then you either hit a button or keyboard command to step and repeat, with each hit of the button you get another duplicate offset by the same amount.
In this example once I have entered the initial translation and hit enter I then simply hit Command+D to step and repeat:
Throwing rotate and scale (etc) into the available translations makes this even more powerful.
3) The ability to change colour / size / rotation (etc) - the goal here would be multiple selection changes, so we could change the size of or rotate 30 objects at once.
5) Alignment tools of any kind, grab an actor, grab a second actor, hit the align left** button and see the second actor snap into position - to be able to do this with multiple actors at once would be even better. (** or right / top / bottom / centred)
6) A 'fit to screen' button - hit this button and your whole scene is zoomed out to fit in your window/screen - hitting the same button again returns you to your previous zoomed in position.
7) Clicking on an object reveals it's X, Y position.
- the possibility to add a border around the grid, for example a 100x and 100y grid that's only displayed between x = 30 and x = 738 and y = 30 and y = 994 - let actors snap to the middle of a grid cell even if they're smaller or bigger than the grid size
I just changed it so that the actors snap to the middle of a grid cell. I will add a kind of border feature for the grid. Then you can tell if it's like what you thought.
I know how to do all the others but the #2. I don't have a solution for creating actors yet.
That's pretty damn cool anyway ! Even what you've done so far is fantastic >- Let alone adding any of these additional suggestions.
(#2) If you are essentially editing the XML document, would a possible solution be to create a 'pool' of (hidden/offscreen) actors within GameSalad from which an external step and repeat action could draw its actors from . . . . ?
(#2) If you are essentially editing the XML document, would a possible solution be to create a 'pool' of (hidden/offscreen) actors within GameSalad from which an external step and repeat action could draw its actors from . . . . ?
Yes, that could be a solution for it. The problem with creating actors is with their ids. Say I create a scene with three instances of one actor in GameSalad, the ids of the actors are (for example) id881952, id129287, and id625220. I don't see the logic there.
Yes, that could be a solution for it. The problem with creating actors is with their ids. Say I create a scene with three instances of one actor in GameSalad, the ids of the actors are (for example) id881952, id129287, and id625220. I don't see the logic there.
Yeah, I remember this being mentioned a while back, the IDs being randomly allocated (or at least seemingly random). Is there any other way of addressing them besides by ID number ? . . for example by position or order they were generated - or perhaps maybe assign some incremental value to each newly generated (within GameSalad) actor which can be used to locate that actor ? (it's about at this stage where you can probably see I am not a programmer !).
Added: • @KevinCross The grey border around the scene, 500px. • @Hoodloc Actors snap to the middle of grid cell • @Socks #7 Clicking on an object reveals it's X, Y position. • Grid auto-hide • Fullscreen support
As a feature suggestion how about a grid offset? Say for example say I have some 90x90 actors that I want to snap up against each other, but I don't want the 90x90 grid to start from the top left corner of the level. I want my first actor to be at x position 3, then the next at x position 93, then the next at 183, and so on. I guess I'd want a 90px grid that's offeset by 3px from the edge of the scene.
As a feature suggestion how about a grid offset? Say for example say I have some 90x90 actors that I want to snap up against each other, but I don't want the 90x90 grid to start from the top left corner of the level. I want my first actor to be at x position 3, then the next at x position 93, then the next at 183, and so on. I guess I'd want a 90px grid that's offeset by 3px from the edge of the scene.
Is that possible / logical?
That's exactly what i meant with the border i mentioned! I just couldn't find the right words for it. That would be handy in a lot of situations.
Yeah, I remember this being mentioned a while back, the IDs being randomly allocated (or at least seemingly random). Is there any other way of addressing them besides by ID number ? . . for example by position or order they were generated - or perhaps maybe assign some incremental value to each newly generated (within GameSalad) actor which can be used to locate that actor ? (it's about at this stage where you can probably see I am not a programmer !).
I have one solution for it in my mind, but I'm not sure if GameSalad will handle it (If I generate my own ids).
Added: • @KevinCross The grey border around the scene, 500px. • @Hoodloc Actors snap to the middle of grid cell • @Socks #7 Clicking on an object reveals it's X, Y position. • Grid auto-hide • Fullscreen support
Ok, I know I am beginning to sound like a broken record, repeating the same mantra over and over again, GS users have been asking for these things for the past 3 years (blah blah blah) . . . . I put in this request at 6:20pm and by 7:38pm it was a working feature.
Let's do some maths:
It took you 78 minutes to implement this - (and those 78 minutes weren't spent just working on my interface request !!). While GS has had around 1,576,800 minutes (3 years) and still not a guide or zoom feature in sight !
That means you are are around 20,215 times more effective at meeting users needs.
)
Fantastic work, someone get him a glucose intravenous drip, we need to keep him working ! )
As a feature suggestion how about a grid offset? Say for example say I have some 90x90 actors that I want to snap up against each other, but I don't want the 90x90 grid to start from the top left corner of the level. I want my first actor to be at x position 3, then the next at x position 93, then the next at 183, and so on. I guess I'd want a 90px grid that's offeset by 3px from the edge of the scene.
Is that possible / logical?
Given what's already there - and assuming you could move objects with the keyboard like within GameSalad, all you'd need to do is snap them all to the standard 90x90 grid, select all (can we select all ?) and tap them all right by 3 pixels.
I have one solution for it in my mind, but I'm not sure if GameSalad will handle it (If I generate my own ids).
I guess there must be some system to the seemingly random IDs ?
If the step and repeat (or your version of it) was done prior to any actors being in the scene (a blank GS project essentially) would that be any help - as all ID numbers would be available and you'd be in no danger of duplicating a used ID ?
Just some thoughts, like I say I don't know programming so this may all be useless.
Ok, I know I m beginning to sound like a broken record, repeating the same mantra over and over again, GS users have been asking for these things for the past 3 years (blah blah blah) . . . . I put in this request at 6:20pm and by 7:38pm it was a working feature.
Let's do some maths:
It took you 78 minutes to implement this - (and those 78 minutes weren't spent just working on my interface request !!). While GS has had around 1,576,800 minutes (3 years) and still not a guide or zoom feature in sight !
That means you are are around 20,215 times more effective at meeting users needs.
)
Fantastic work, someone get him a glucose intravenous drip, we need to keep him working ! )
@BoomshackBarry Yes, grid offset is possible. I'll add it asap.
That's awesome, although like @Socks said it wouldn't be too much extra effort for us to work around it, but if it's an easy thing for you to add I'm sure people would find it useful. You're doing fantastic work
My biggest issue when making games is not being able to select multiple actors, even if its just simplly to move them. That's my request so I second what @socks said. All the best
Comments
Good god !! : ) !!!
We've been begging GameSalad for these kinds of features for 3 years ! And in three years they have delivered none of these tools, not one alignment tool or on-screen guide, nothing, I appreciate their efforts have been concentrated elsewhere and it's not like they've been sitting on their hands for 3 years, but regardless of that the facts speak for themselves . . . . . and you did this in 3 days !!
Already, with just the work you've done, this looks like an essential tool for laying out projects and for things like building levels, the multiple select feature alone is fantastic !!!
Why on earth could GameSalad have not done something similar with all their resources and talent and the endless user requests and the years of begging for this stuff !!?
There was a poll held over three months ago asking users which 'fixes/tweaks' they would like to see . . . . people voted . . . and snap-to-grid and actor's X/Y coordinates and zoom came top of the poll . . . and over three months later . . . nothing . . . silence . . . but with 3 days effort from you has achieved this !
I have my finger hovering over the PayPal button.
Yeah, I have been wondering the same thing. I'm not sure how easy it would be to code these features in LUA or what ever they use for the editor, though.
I can't believe the talent at GameSalad could not have managed to stick a little box on screen showing X and Y coordinates in three years or allowed us to select more than one object (etc etc) . . . I really do suspect they are simply focused on other things . . . but I'd rather they had offered us an external solution as excellent and simple to use as yours rather than leaving their users waiting for year after year.
I feel sorry for the GameSalad users building games with large layouts or scenes with a few hundred elements, but looking at your work here it seems like it would actually be a pleasurable, satisfying job to do, simply clicking the elements into place rather than having to double click on every one of your actors, then to see the scene disappear (we don't want to be giving the users too many visual clues about what they are doing
I don't know if the following two features make sense but they came to my mind immediately (because i'm working on a game with top-down perspective right now):
- the possibility to add a border around the grid, for example a 100x and 100y grid that's only displayed between x = 30 and x = 738 and y = 30 and y = 994
- let actors snap to the middle of a grid cell even if they're smaller or bigger than the grid size
(+ edit: the possibility to adjust the position of certain actors that don't fit into a grid by directly entering a x and y value would save a lot of time because opening and closing actors in GameSalad is really time-consuming)
I have no idea if these features are hard to build but i think they could be very handy in some situations.
Cheers!
Ok, I'm not sure what is and is not possible to implement but here are my suggestions . . .
1) Guides would be great, guides of any kind, pull down guides like in Photoshop would be great (both horizontal and vertical), but even if you need to open a dialogue box and type in the positional value of the guide that would still be great . . . . and, of course, snap to guides.
2) Step and repeat would be the holy grail of level design - a good reference here would be something like Adobe illustrator, but basically anyway of carrying out a translation and then repeating it would be unbelievably useful. A simple version would see you select an object - enter a translation - let's say duplicate object and move 100 pixels to the right - and enter the number of copies you want . . . . so you can quickly lay out 50 boxes side by side with a single command . . . . . another take on this theme would be to only enter the first translation (duplicate object and move 100 pixels to the right) and then you either hit a button or keyboard command to step and repeat, with each hit of the button you get another duplicate offset by the same amount.
In this example once I have entered the initial translation and hit enter I then simply hit Command+D to step and repeat:
Throwing rotate and scale (etc) into the available translations makes this even more powerful.
3) The ability to change colour / size / rotation (etc) - the goal here would be multiple selection changes, so we could change the size of or rotate 30 objects at once.
5) Alignment tools of any kind, grab an actor, grab a second actor, hit the align left** button and see the second actor snap into position - to be able to do this with multiple actors at once would be even better.
(** or right / top / bottom / centred)
6) A 'fit to screen' button - hit this button and your whole scene is zoomed out to fit in your window/screen - hitting the same button again returns you to your previous zoomed in position.
7) Clicking on an object reveals it's X, Y position.
I will add a kind of border feature for the grid. Then you can tell if it's like what you thought.
I know how to do all the others but the #2. I don't have a solution for creating actors yet.
(#2) If you are essentially editing the XML document, would a possible solution be to create a 'pool' of (hidden/offscreen) actors within GameSalad from which an external step and repeat action could draw its actors from . . . . ?
• @KevinCross The grey border around the scene, 500px.
• @Hoodloc Actors snap to the middle of grid cell
• @Socks #7 Clicking on an object reveals it's X, Y position.
• Grid auto-hide
• Fullscreen support
As a feature suggestion how about a grid offset? Say for example say I have some 90x90 actors that I want to snap up against each other, but I don't want the 90x90 grid to start from the top left corner of the level. I want my first actor to be at x position 3, then the next at x position 93, then the next at 183, and so on. I guess I'd want a 90px grid that's offeset by 3px from the edge of the scene.
Is that possible / logical?
Let's do some maths:
It took you 78 minutes to implement this - (and those 78 minutes weren't spent just working on my interface request !!).
While GS has had around 1,576,800 minutes (3 years) and still not a guide or zoom feature in sight !
That means you are are around 20,215 times more effective at meeting users needs.
Fantastic work, someone get him a glucose intravenous drip, we need to keep him working !
If the step and repeat (or your version of it) was done prior to any actors being in the scene (a blank GS project essentially) would that be any help - as all ID numbers would be available and you'd be in no danger of duplicating a used ID ?
Just some thoughts, like I say I don't know programming so this may all be useless.
@BoomshackBarry Yes, grid offset is possible. I'll add it asap. @Socks haha
Guys, it's your comments that keep me working. I feel like I'm doing something really useful.
You certainly are !!