The Level Editor (Was Re: Diff of possible English changes)

[Andy Balaam]

Hi Ingo, thanks for the response.

Ingo Ruhnke wrote:

> Andy Balaam <address@hidden> writes:
>  
>
> > - Are there general instructions on how to build levels
> >    
> We have this, buts its pretty much outdated:
>
> * http://pingus.seul.org/levelbuilding-tutorial.html
Thanks - this will be useful.  Is this linked from the main web site?  I 
couldn't find it.

> > (e.g. how to make the switch-and-door object work)?
> >    
> Looks like a bug, the switch isn't visible in the editor.
Aaah ... ok I'll wait / investigate.

> > - Are there instructions on more technical issues like how to make
> > new ground pieces?
> >    
> "Insert g" or do you mean via Gimp or other paint programms? If the
> later simply paint a 256color png with 1bit alpha channel drop it into
> the right folder and run in data/ gen-scrfile.scm, thats at least the
> official way.
Yes, I do mean via Gimp.  Thanks for the instructions - this works 
except my Alpha channels are messed up.  I think I'm not using a 1bit 
alpha channel.  Any clues on how to make Gimp do this?  I can't find it.

> The not-so-much tested and finished, but userfriendly
> way is to copy the image to ~/.pingus/images/ and insert with "Insert f g"
This doesn't do anything at the moment.

> > - Are there plans to improve the level editor?  (I might be able to help.)
> >    
> Beside some bug fixing not really. Works for me[tm].
>  
What I am thinking of:

Short term:

- Some kind of grid
- Fine control of position of objects, possibly using Ctrl-Arrow etc.

Longer term:

- Maybe a new GUI using a GUI toolkit like wxWindows.  This would offer 
greater ease of use and less to learn initially.  Also nice features 
like a right-click menu that can e.g. insert an object at the cursor 
position or change the properties of the selected object.

What do people think of ideas like that?  Might they be useful?

Andy