Mission Editor

A forum for the discussion and development of programs to assist working on or playing with the Vegastrike engine and data sets.
Post Reply
pheonixstorm
Elite
Elite
Posts: 1567
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 2:03 am

Mission Editor

Post by pheonixstorm »

The discussion of mission formatting and data representation has come up again and so here I come with a new thread. The current mission script format is difficult for non coders to deal with or to even create anything with. So, we need an easy to read (and build) way to create new missions so that the writers can just punch in the dialog and a few other mission related variables and be done with it. At least for simple non-campaign missions. Campaign related missions will, on the other and, need some way to tie together and become a non-linear (kind of like a choose your own adventure book) set of missions. Though we can not have this fork into a large number of possible story endings.

Someone somewhere said it best, the very begining of the story should set the stage for what kind of character you will become. Trader, pirate, smuggler, military.. but alas, this will need to be worked out by the story writers. All we need to concern ourselves in this thread is the best way to make life easier for the writers. So, ideas, thoughts? I will post a few things after awhile going over the current python related functions etc. For now... I hear my little demons in the background causing chaos.
Because of YOU Arbiter, MY kids? can't get enough gas. OR NIPPLE! How does that mkae you feeeel? ~ Halo
travists
Expert Mercenary
Expert Mercenary
Posts: 893
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:43 pm
Location: Sol III North American Continent

Re: Mission Editor

Post by travists »

No activity huh? I see this as two separate but related (possibly nested) editors. One is a mission editor where you set mission specific items (start, fixer icon, pay, type, objectives, requirements, etc.) the other is a campaign weaver where you set the starting mission/other interaction then success failure paths in kind of a drag-and-drop environment. It also would be nice to include a "player choice" bracket that the player's selection picks the mission script.
klauss
Elite
Elite
Posts: 7243
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 2:40 pm
Location: LS87, Buenos Aires, República Argentina

Re: Mission Editor

Post by klauss »

Like an activity diagram, user choices are just two active state transitions within the campaign graph. When the player triggers one, state changes, and the other transition ceases to be active.

State diagrams, thus, make a very good data model for the campaign ;)
Oíd mortales, el grito sagrado...
Call me "Menes, lord of Cats"
Wing Commander Universe
Darkmage
Merchant
Merchant
Posts: 57
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 7:21 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Re: Mission Editor

Post by Darkmage »

A Mission editor should be made to work like FRED in Freespace 1/2. I would envision a system where you can physically drag/drop wings/units etc directly onto a 3d area and setup complex scripting etc in a graphical way. Maybe base it on Fred's design but rather allow for each fred style mission to take place at a waypoint in vegastrike.
If you're interested in helping with mission editor/engine development contact me at jcarthew@gmail.com or irc.freenode.net #vegastrike.
Post Reply