| Maps - Multiple Questions [message #641] |
Fri, 03 October 2025 17:54  |
luke43
Messages: 26
Registered: October 2025
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Junior Member |
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Thank you to the developers for your hard work on this software and I appreciate that you have asked for feedback. When bugs and suggestions have been reported, you have responded quickly to these. I am now going to post a number of bugs, suggestions and questions, which have built up over the last few days. This is not criticism - this is a response to your request for feedback and that I'd like to play my part in helping you improve the software. Thanks again for your listening to your customers so carefully. Also, due to work commitments, I won't have so much time over the next week or so, so if I'm not very responsive, please don't take this personally.
Is it possible to add maps for the game?
(I know that you can replace a map in the Content > graphics > maps folder, but this would replace the map for all scenarios, including those out-of-the-box and created by other users, and it wouldn't show correctly if I shared my scenarios with other users, and would need to be done again with each new release.)
There are several reasons why one might want to add extra maps including:
* adding extra areas of the school (and indeed, Architect provided maps for toilets and showers, which don't appear as standard in Universe, or might want to add a library or extra classrooms, etc.).
* adding items to maps (such as a item of clothing left on the bed in the dorms, or a beer bottle on a desk, etc.), which could be triggered if a user names a certain decision. This has been used in previous DM games.
* in some of the DM games, maps showed computer records of boys and the conersation panels enabled us to move around the "database". I liked that and with users creating such screens and importing them into their scenarios would be useful.
* changing what is on computer screens in the computer lab.
* adding posters to classrooms or hallways relevant to our scenario
* adding labels to buildings and doors indicating whose office it is, etc.
* adding a Christmas tree, etc. if relevant to our scenarios.
I feel that this would be a hugely useful feature, and if it's not currently possible would strongly urge you to consider including this.
Thank you.
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| Re: Maps - Multiple Questions [message #645 is a reply to message #644] |
Fri, 03 October 2025 20:34  |
PCFX
Messages: 33
Registered: August 2025
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Member |
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Not currently; to add a entirely new map into the game requires a bit more than just dropping the graphic file in:
-Convert it to the .xnb format the game uses
-Boundaries / collision detection have to be set (currently hardcoded per map)
-New doors need be scripted (unless players are just ported there)
-Needs to be assigned a number
I think we can divide this into a few potential features to consider:
1. Allow existing map graphics to be simply be swapped (the school gate map actually works in this manner, having open and closed variants that can be set via a command, you could do the same adding posters, etc to customize existing maps. Graduation did this as well, with different posters and slight changes in flora when time jumping occurred, but on the same maps.)
2. Adding a new kind of "npc" called an "object" which can be placed anywhere and clicked. Clicking on the object could start a conversation or fire a script.
3. Adding a create new map screen in the editor which allows the graphic and collision boundaries to be set
4. Adding a new option to allow custom doors and a screen in the editor to define them
As for computer records and moving around a database, those were implemented using panels, which you absolutely can add already.
[Updated on: Fri, 03 October 2025 20:35] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Maps - Multiple Questions [message #647 is a reply to message #645] |
Sat, 04 October 2025 05:09 |
luke43
Messages: 26
Registered: October 2025
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Junior Member |
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Thank you for thinking about some of these considerations and I appreciate your feedback.
As for the computer records and moving around the database, they were navigated using panels, but I recall the whole screen showing the screen of the computer records - presumably by creating a map? But of the examples I gave, this might be one of the least likely that I would use.
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