The Blue Platform Rebooted, Revamped, and just plain better!

[Eeems]

The scripting for that scene there looks like this:

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intro_scene: Pbackground(MapData,tileData) Psprite(8,16,BlackMage+(32*5),P8x16m) Psprite(25,16,Civilian,P8x16m) Pupdatescreen Pwait(1) Pbackground(MapData,tileData) Psprite(11,16,BlackMage+(32*6),P8x16m) Psprite(25,16,Civilian,P8x16m) Pupdatescreen Pwait(1) Pbackground(MapData,tileData) Psprite(13,16,BlackMage,P8x16m) Psprite(25,16,Civilian,P8x16m) Pupdatescreen Ptext(0,0,"This is a cutscene\nPress a key") Pupdatescreen Ppause Ptext(0,0,"This is some more text") Ppause Pend

Currently I have 10 commands that are as follows:

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Pend = end of the cutscene Pclearscreen = clears the screen buffer Pupdatescreen = updates the screen from the buffer Ptext(x,y,text) = displays text on the screen Psprite(x,y,sprite pointer,type) = displays a sprite on the screen  sprite types:  #P8x8 = 8*8 or  #P8x16 = 8*16 or  #P8x16m = 8*16 masked Ppause = waits for a key to be pressed and then depressed (updates screen too) displays a small filled circle to alert users Pwait(wait time) = waits n quarter seconds Prect(x1,y1,x2,y2,color) = draws a rectangle on the screen Pnull = do nothing, waste a few cycles Pbackground(pointer,spriteset) = draws the tilemap at the location pointed to by pointer, using the spriteset pointed to by spriteset

Limitations of this scripting is, it has no logic operators, just basic display and timing.
It is pretty fast, thus Pwait() which can slow it down a little too slow, so I might tweak that command a little.
Scripting with it is pretty simple as the initial script shows.

EDIT: oh, and I forgot to mention, I just finished adding in the beginnings of an in game menu

[DJ Omnimaga]

Nice, is the scripting system some sort of macro system you can use in the assembler/IDE?

[Eeems]

Actually it's more like basic, the correct value is stored for the command, followed by the arguments. So Pclearscreen is replaced with .db 1 while Psprite(0,0,BlackMage,P8x16m) would be replaced by .db 4,0,0 \ dw BlackMage \ .db P8x16m so the parses reads the first value, and runs the right subroutines and grabs the arguments accordingly. This cuts down on size, especially how big macros would make it, and with large amounts of cutscenes this makes it much more efficient, and easier to code.
I can also expand my script set to include more commands later on, which I probably will when I'm done, I will probably be releasing this as a tool for others wanting to code cutscenes but not wanting to go through the work of making a parsing engine.

[DJ Omnimaga]

Mhmm I see. Thanks for the info. Seems like a great idea as it makes things much easier.

[Eeems]

Np
yeah, I did something like that for my Hybrid one too, it would take up more room then this one though

[Eeems]

Ok, I've got saving/loading working! Same with setting the contrast while in game! While in the game press [clear] or [graph] or [mode] to open the in game menu, open settings, contrast and use [up]/[down] or [right]/[left] or [+]/[-] to change the contrast this contrast is also saved for when you exit the game.

[_player1537]

Very cool Eeems   It took me a minute to realize the the spikes were the triangles on a stick, and not the ceiling >.>  Other than that, very very nice

[Eeems]

Lol Well I should probably include a help section after I'm done, explaining what tiles are what and how they effect you, or maybe just show it in the game's first level

[DJ Omnimaga]

For the contrast, is it because the game uses fade-in/out effects? In that case it's a good idea to let the user choose a default contrast, as I did the mistake of not doing so a few years ago and on certain calc models, the game would be nearly unplayable because it is too light and on some others it is too dark.

[Eeems]

Yeah it is because of the fading. I have the contrast option working now so people can edit the contrast, I'll make a settings menu on the main menu too so people can change the contrast before going into a game.

[Builderboy]

Maybe it can read the contrast when the game starts and use that as a reference?

[Eeems]

It does actually, I'm just letting the users change it if they want. This also is saved for when you exit the game.

[Builderboy]

ah i see Good work then!

[Eeems]

Thanks
Btw, if you want to take a peek at the source just let me know I'll email you the current one

[Eeems]

Settings menu on the main menu now