Magic Signs v2.0 -- Finally

[ManaUser]

Okay, I mentioned this was coming, here it is.

This is definitely an... unusual mod. The original idea was to make a system for adding new objects to maps without worrying about running out of tile glyphs for the level files. But it mutated to do quite a big more than that, so it may be of some value even if you have no intention of adding new objects to the game.

The download includes a couple of example maps, showing off the features and fairly complete documentation. This build as only one actual new object (wooden spikes) included just as an example. Everything else weird you see in the sample levels is done purely with the signs.

v2.0: Conditional signs! Plus LOTS of new features.
v1.1.0: Moved almost all code to scrMagicSigns. Added a new directive,  "E" for edit. Added some new shorthand codes, and changed what "w." means. I promise I won't keep doing that.
v1.0.1: No change to the signs themselves. Tweaked wooden spikes, added a list of resource names to help out people who don't have Game Maker.

DOWNLOAD MOD
Download Source

TLS+Magic Signs

Please give feedback.

[marsgreekgod]

OUT OF DATE

[Pteriforever]

!1!1!!!111!!1!!111!
There aren't enough words to describe this awesomesauce.

Somebody should combine it with the TLS editor.

[ManaUser]

!1!1!!!111!!1!!111!
There aren't enough words to describe this awesomesauce.

Somebody should combine it with the TLS editor.

That would be super easy. Or rather it would be super easy to combine it with TLS. Personally, I'm still hoping someone will incorporate TLS's editor improvements into one of the non-TLS mods. Not that there's anything wrong with mantraps, they're hilarious and really quite fun...  but still, I don't want to play a horrible plant monster all the time.


By the way, for anyone who's read the manual and/or played the tutorial level, is the syntax are horrifying as I think it is? Or does it basically make sense?

[Pteriforever]

I did some fiddling with it. I got kind of lost near the end of the tutorial. Anyway, I was fine with creating objects with signs and the pos system. When I did this:

Code:

??(u1)o block&$o gold bars

bars the gold bars popped out. It worked with crates, though.

Also, I couldn't get this to work:

Code:

??o frog$s lush

It would just turn back to normal.

It's really cool when you set keys and rocks to look like blocks and you can throw them around all day.

[ManaUser]

Hmm, looks like you did everything right. Some things just don't work. Changing a creature's sprite definitely isn't going to work, because they have code to change their sprite when the move built in.

Likewise the gold apparently doesn't like being confined... You can trap it if you add another block above (or below using @ instead of $). The embedded gold in the original game works a different way (it actually changes the sprite on the brick and has code to create the gold in the destroy event.)

[Moloch]

 
Really amazing. I've read the manual, played the tutorial, and looked at the source but haven't actually tried making anything with it yet. I like how easily and harmlessly it can be added to another mod.. I can't think of any excuse not to use it.

The only turn off is the syntax, but that could be made more user-friendly with a properties editing dialogue where you can just type in the object, sprite, alpha, etc you want to change and the command line is generated for you.

[ManaUser]

The only turn off is the syntax, but that could be made more user-friendly with a properties editing dialogue where you can just type in the object, sprite, alpha, etc you want to change and the command line is generated for you.

Yeah, that's true. Even a proper text editor would help, so it wouldn't have to rely on crazy things like using ! for "equals".

[NMcCoy]

I get the following error when attempting to run it:

Code:

___________________________________________
ERROR in
action number 1
of Create Event
for object oMusic:

Error defining an external function.

[marsgreekgod]

I get the following error when attempting to run it:

Code:

___________________________________________
ERROR in
action number 1
of Create Event
for object oMusic:

Error defining an external function.

you didn't put it in your spelunky folder, did you? It should be in the same folder as normal spelunky

[NMcCoy]

Ah, that was it. Thanks.

Is it possible to use magic signs to make a bottomless pit level?

[ManaUser]

Is it possible to use magic signs to make a bottomless pit level?

Good question... I'll have to try it.

...

Yes you can. Here's what I came up with, it's a bit fiddly, but on the plus side you can remove the floor from only part of the level if you want.

Fill the bottom row with some tile you don't plan to use (webs in this example) and put this on a sign:

Code:

?O WEB%W&O BLACK@ FADE UP&(D)D&D&! B G

Which, funnily enough, is exactly the longest command you can type in the editor.  But if you need to do something even more complicated, you can always edit the lvl in notepad. (Or break it into multiple signs.)

For the curious, that translates into English as "For each oWeb: remove frills, make an oBlackFadeUp (and remember oBlack), go down one tile and delete, delete again, and make the thing you remembered (oBlack) plus BG (so oBlackBG)."

P.S. Magic Signs has been updated. See the first post.

[NMcCoy]

Okay, one more question/request: would delayed/triggered magic signs be possible? If so, we could have a ridiculously powerful scripting system accessible in the level editor (e.g. "delete the closest 3 metal blocks and the closest key when a key touches this sign's space", or "every 3 seconds, create a bomb with the timer set to 30").

[ManaUser]

Hee heehee. Oh I thought of that, believe me. I'm not saying it will never happen, but there are some definite obstacles. The biggest is probably the fact that these things are pretty CPU hungry. You may have noticed a slight delay loading a level that uses alot of them. The only saving grace is that they don't run at any other time. If I had them continuously checking some condition, I hate to think.

But haven't actually tried, so maybe it wouldn't be the FPS killer I fear. In any case, there's still the problem of how to fit something like that into the already uh... crowded, syntax.

[NMcCoy]

?(<number>?<object>)<rest of sign>
Execute this sign, once, the first time at least <number> <object>s touch this sign's space. <number> is optional; if omitted, 1 is assumed. If <number> is 0, the sign will instead be executed the first time that no objects of the provided type are present in the sign's space after at least one such object has been present.

Note that the trigger area can be increased by changing the sign's size, and that the sign can detect the presence or absence of the player by setting <object> to oPlayer1.