As a side project I have been working on a Top Down Game Template so you can make games similiar to Shadowgrounds, Diablo etc.
I have been working with waypoint navigation as the video shows.
In the video example I have put two crawlers in to the scene and gave them the same script.
I give them a different waypoint controller target. This waypoint controller then takes care of its selected target.
The waypoint controller has 4 pivots as targets placed around the map for the target to move to. The amount of pivots can be more, any sensible amount.
There is also a false waypoint target. If you drag this into the waypoint controller, say in its 4th spot. The target will then after the 3rd waypoint go to the first one.
in the video the top crawler has two active waypoints and two waypoints that are false causing it to go back and forth. While the other crawler has all four active.
The great thing is its a standard template, drop them in game place your pivots and just drag which ever pivots/waypoints in to the slots from first to last, any extra slots take the false waypoint.
More options will follow for waypoints like a random waypoint.
I have already done something with animation so you only have to type Walk or Run into the slot and it works.
Inspired by the other blogs I thought I would write another one myself.
I have been working on Lockdown, a scifi old school dungeon crawl. As usual real life gets in the way but I have made some good progress lately. I hope to have a demo out soon.
As I have been adding to the game I have been improving my code skills so have gone back and tidied up some bits of code. I have also realised I could do with starting from scratch. I dont use the FPS template for movement and I know my current movement can be smoother and less complicated.
The plan is though to get the first level out and then start with new code on level 2. This will give me a chance to listen to feedback etc.
I can then go back to the first level if and when needed.
In the game you will come across puzzles and other bits where you lose the abilty to move, reading Einlanders blog has given me the direction of seperating the keyconfigs into a seperate script.
I worked my way around the level and coded bits as I got to them, this ment as the level was added to I would go back into some scripts and edit/add to them. This made a bit of a mess. Planning the level out better from the start would be better.
I have also sidetracked on to a top down/third person game, this is more a template I'm working on and is all nicely commented. Quite happy with the little I have done so far.
With this template you just need to specify the name of the animation ie walk or run or run and shoot in the relevent scene tree script properties box and the rest is done, speed might need altering.
So Scripts can be dropped onto the player or enemies, set targets etc and off they go. AI need working on.
Still lots to do but with full comments etc its easier.
After getting so far with Gobbo Soup I have done my usual and started working on 2 other types of games. This is in part because I have been working a lot lately and sitting back at the pc I find it hard to get back into my current project.
I am determined to carry on with Gobbo Soup to see if I can turn it into an enjoyable game, If so I will finish it. This will involve kind of starting from scratch again.
I have also decided to make as much of my code reusable, when I start a new project I start from scratch including camera movement etc. Code like this can be made into stand alone Scripts that can be added through include.
It can be the start of a mini framework I suppose. A bit more effort will need putting in at the start but code should be easier to maintain and reusable.
I like working with Leadwerks 3, there justs seems to be something special which has really motivated me (maybe I'm just getting older). Yeah there are some teething troubles and I'm not sure exactly where it is going but I'm sure it it is going somewhere great so this part-time/hobby/indie coder will be along for the ride.
