I couldn't find a thread like this in the first five pages or so, so I figured I would make one. If one already exists, or there is already a place for this sort of discussion, let me know.

Rather than multiple threads clogging up the board, everyone can post here, and hopefully it will catch the attention of moderators and developers (who are perusing these boards for feedback, I'm sure). It's also possible that people might suggest things that are already in-game, and others can let them know how to do it.

Some ideas I had about possible inclusions for future updates (mostly relating to the editor):

-the ability to submit levels to the BBS list from the editor/ in-game
-community ratings (star system perhaps) for user-submitted levels
-a simple trigger/button/tripwire mechanic to cue monster spawns and/or item drops
-the ability to draw moving paths for objects
-maybe some sort of minimap (I am expecting some obscenely large maze maps in the future)
-a sub-board for tutorials/help relating to the editor
-(in the very distant future) multiplayer, or co-op (would be awesome fun imo)

• add a check before loading the levels. a faulty level freezes the game
• the minimap idea is cool. maybe like in the binding of isaac? already visited rooms appear in the minimap
• more colors/custom color palette in the editor
• grouping and "exporting" of a selection of blocks in a room to a model
• triggered custom texts (maybe signs or just like the "BOOM")

Oh and an option to higher/lower the angle either in the settings or in the map editor would be really cool since I cant see the player anymore on some maps.

I've made another similar thread, perhaps they could be merged ? The link is here (I also link back to this thread)
https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=459

• Some way to easily export single objects (and actors).
• Some way to easily import single objects (and actors) into a slot chosen by the user.
• Importing/exporting banks of actors/objects. (I'm thinking "tilesets" here)

Maybe the ability to set different background music to different times.

I'd like to be able to have the 'twinkle' music playing when you enter a room, But then when enemies spawn have it change to 'sword'.

It's extremely difficult but if you're up to it online with just 2 people.

• a option to play local maps that you downloaded to your levels folder

maybe that is an option?

I think it would be great if the direction you're facing was made a little ore obvious. On a small monitor it's tough to see what way you're facing and I often find that I'm spraying bullets in the wrong direction. Then I die.

-Add headtracking through the use of a webcam (would be used to manipulate viewing angle, makes the illusion of depth)

I don't think the minimap idea is that interesting. The doors are more like teleporters. You can make 2 doors in the same side leading to different rooms, or make cyclic or incoherent conections that would be hard to place for the engine. It would be either too hard to implement or cumbersome for the mapper.
If you want to have a map in your level you can just draw it in a wall, yourself.

I do love the idea of being able to trigger texts. It would allow for some more dialogue, we could have funny stories in adventure kind of games, and display of rules for other kind of games. The official adventure mode game does have its own texts triggered, it should be possible to do it in custom games too.

@Noceur: It's already possible to import/export banks of objects, read the readme. For the actors it doesn't make much sense right now, since you can't make custom ones.

Some kind of visual cue to help track your character when he's behind a wall or other objects would be nice.

only thing(s) that I think would be cool

• Substantial enemy/actor editor
• Item/armor editor
  these can make level even more unique and enjoyable!

Something that would be incredibly helpful would be a cursor when controls are set to keys+mouse.

• multiplayer coop and pvp
• longer adventure quest
• Maybe some type of overworld system so adventure levels can be revisited.
• customizable player
• more weapon variety
• ability to save user levels

Editor:
-Ability to create actors and items.
-Ability to time in ms.
-Allow objects/items/players exit it the room, just as they -entered it.
-Ability to create floating objects.
-better selection tool
-hot key to erase
-Allow more control over "close" and "far"
-Everything linked to hotkeys
-Console that tells us actual information
Website: A profile/post count system that works

@superdupernova
'Something that would be incredibly helpful would be a cursor when controls are set to keys+mouse.'

A cursor actually got introduced in a recent patch (I think it was yesterday). View this thread for instructions on how to download/install it.

• Voxel physics ! (with materials, such as Wood + Fire = Fire...
  See Powder Toys, or Powder Game http://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/ for pixel physics)

• To better localise the player when jumping (I keep falling in lava), maybe it would be cool to have an option to display 3 lines centered on the player along the x, y and z axis... (for example when pressing a given key)

I posted lots of gameplay suggestions here:

https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=462

As we were with creature suggestions, in the following link I made another (nice pink cubes who give power up, but which can turn into bad blue cubes)

Edit : I had forgoten the link

-Download all levels on page (Downloads all levels on a BBS page)

-local png saving and recalling systen to play downloaded maps offline

-(if you have time) the mobile version for andriod/iphone.

Some features that would make some more interesting adventures possible to make:

• manage on/off switches that are persistant across rooms, or add named global object groups (so you can activate something in one room that makes objects in a different room be affected)

• option for some rooms to keep their state persistant when you re-enter them (not having to fight the same monsters or activate the same triggers, etc). Although it would be possible to use a workaround if the previous suggestion was implemented, but that would be uncomfortable and it wouldn't save the destroyed terrain status.

The ability to chose our own colors including alpha to create invisible/semivisible blocks (i.e. for water/windows or to fade out sightblocking walls).

Every object/actor/item should have disappear on trigger x field. If x = time it applies lifespawn. Otionally instead of disappearing things could also collapse into voxels.

Ability to remap the IJKL shooting keys.

@superdupernova you can do that in the latest alpha.

first great game and editor!

suggested changes to gameplay:

• game should slow down a bit or speed up a bit depending how player is doing. less / more monsters easier / harder to kill, ect... maybe easy, normal, hard, insane. ect..

• mouse should move target sights around like in other games, it should not be hardcoded just adjacent to the player, but should be able to be moved around and onto target to shoot or interact with

• add way to switch weapons from list of weapons, maybe remappable keys, default 0-9

• add shields and health, so when you hit an enemy / explosion / missle you dont lose life, but shieds go down, when shield go all the way down then health goes down when health goes all the way down you lose a life... when not being hit shields slowly recover and can recover set amount or percentage by picking up shield items, the same for health when not being hit health slowly recover and can recover by set amount or percentage by picking up health items. and lives also can increase up to maximum amount by picking up life item.

• add maximum ammo amount per weapon clip size and maximum number of clips per weapon, and display current ammo amount in current clip and maximum ammo amount for current clip and current number of clips and maximum number of clips for current weapon

• much bigger maps, xyz!

• add minimap

• add ability to move camera around while playing

• add ability to camera to move around as you move around, like in 3rd person games

• add ability to play 1st person perspective

• add ability to camera to move around as you move around, like in 1st person games

• add ability to interact with objects like in minecraft, so you should be able to pick up and move around objects and even save game progress, so you basically get an ingame editor

• add ability to change speed of monters, weapons, objects individually and in selected groups

• add persistent rooms

• add ability to teleport to web or file system based map, so there is a teleporter and some kind of url and u step on it you go through gate and you end up in the new map

• add ability for objects like powerups and monsters to respawn after specfiied amount of time and in specifial random spawn radius

• add inventory that you can add, drop, use

• add way to craft new objects and add them to your inventory like in minecraft

• add concept for liquids (water, lava)

• add concept of smoke (reduces ability for player and enemy line of site)

• add concept of explosion (editor changeable reduces health of player / enemy by set amount or percentage, damages objects)

• add concept for fire (editor changeable reduces health of player / enemy by set amount or percentage, damages objects)

• add fire powerup

• add flame thrower weapon

• add transparent objects that can and cannot be broken (ice, glass, ect)

• add objects that can move in the air (sun, moon, clouds, ect), i guess you should be able to see through clouds or have them solid and be able to go through them. sun and moon and stars and clouds can move across sky, day / night cycles

• add ability to specify weather cycles, from sunny to cloudy, to rainy, ect.

• add objects that can move in and on water (fish, boat, plants)

• add ability to swim and dive

• add ability to fly (and fall)

• add ability to bounce off things you fall or bump into

• add splash damage (if not already there)

• add concept of above and below ground, that way we can make water and caves, ect (sort of there but no easy to go into things since you always look in one direction and you cant see through things)

• what about like sims make nearby objects / walls transparent or semi transparent, so that way you can go in buildings, move in covered forest, cave, ect. think about it you have building with multiple floors and want to be able to move around the rooms and stairways in the buildings from floor to floor. maybe even have basement levels...

• add dedicated game server, server browser, management console ect... dont forget ability to kick and to say and monitor communications...

suggested changes to editor:

• add load button to load dialog

• add save button to save dialog

• add new / edit to actors in actors tab

• add new / edit to items in items tab

• add delete button to delete selected rooms / objects / actors / items in tabs

• add way to change ground color

• add way to add ground texture image

• add way to add skybox texture image

• add ability to import / export selected of rooms, objects, actors, items

• add ability to shoot up and down and all around (like in other shooters)

• add way for people to script new triggers using some scripting language or better java or .net

• add properties that can be changed in editor and via scripts so that everything can be changed and scripted.

• like level bbs ability to view online / publish from editor / download into editor selected of levels, rooms, objects, actors, items (integrate with bbs, saves username, password)

finally, why not focus on editor and user expandible engine and examples and let the community to the rest...

look back at great games like tribes, battlefield 1942, duke nukem, doom, ect... they created the engine and editor, the community made the maps, mods, conversions, ect.

what we need in addition to an editor is basically an open sdk/api/documentation/tutorials, what about access to source, if not whole thing, what about apis...

Bumping this, as I've seen a few separate posts that could have gone in here but didn't, probably due to people not seeing the thread.

pizzadude, I'd think that downloading all levels on the bbs is kind of useless since some of the levels there are just simple tests, taking up space on the HD.

I'd like to see more of the levels instead of being boxed into such a small area and not being able to see very much. Not that it's bad the way it is, but why not just have it use the full screen, or at least more of it?

@voxels>Pixels

Zep has said he's working on a way to improve versioning. I think he said it might work in such a way that new versions are uploaded all into a single thread, and only one version will show up in the in-game BBS level viewer. He'll also have categories for levels based on how far along they are, like complete/in progress/testing.

If he implemented those features, then a "download-all" feature seems like it would be fine.

-Traps
-Edit-able monsters.
-More monsters.
-Signs/Something to tell story/text with.
-Comments ingame on BBS
-Better ingame BBS system, with ratings, comments, descriptions, ect.
-Multiplayer in the future possibly.
-More options.

A few more, that I can't remember right now to xD

I'd also think having a first person mode where you cannot look up or down would be brilliant. This would give the possibility of voxel doom

Well you guys have covered most of what I would have suggested after playing with the map editor for about 8 hours today!
I'll throw a few more things into the mix while I'm here though:
Standard primitives in the object creation mode, i.e. Sphere, Cylinder, cuboids. Would speed up time to create objects.

The ability to select individual cubes in obj creation, I keep trying to lasso a single cube and end up selecting a load.
A few more selection tools, ellipse, cuboid etc

Support for my Wacom pen! I hate using my mouse for anything design based coming from an illustration background.

Ability to create sign posts like the tutorial sign at the start of the game.

So glad I picked this game up!

I'd ask for only one thing, a backup system for overwrited maps. Like, keeping a file one version earlier dans the actual saved one in a backup folder. Or disable the save button when no changes have been made to a map or when you've just opened the editor. Just because I lost a huge save by mistaking the save button with the load button.

..Thanks!

I can't imagine first person mode working. Unlike in DooM, you can only make 45 degree turns. You wouldn't see anything... unless you try to build an old-school tile-based RPG where you can only make 90 degree turns. Like Dungeon Master.

I understand the aesthetic and gameplay value of viewing only a 128x128 area in-game, but it would be nice if you could see the whole map in the editor (or at least the bits outside the square could be set to a lower opacity or something so they are semi-visible).

Also currently when you place a teleporter pickup in such a way that it touches a solid object in the editor, voxels will break off the object in-game. This is very irritating for when you want a teleporter in a wall or something like that.

Clear voxels!

A water background for rooms would also be nice, -kind of like lava, but blue, and less chaotic in its movement. This would allow for pretty beach/island levels.

Add more resolutions, I can't record in fullscreen, but the second lowest resolution is tiny, and the biggest is too big! You should be able to choose from more or set a custom one.

flame throwers are like cool!

also cool wold be monster that throw out flaming balls of fire

or fire breathing monster

can you all do sdk and community will pitch in!

think of it as dedicated / driven unpaid workers you can abuse and make money off of :)

@eamonn The teleporter should work like that. You can't have two voxels in the same place! Anyway, if you want it in a wall, why not make it invisble (Door mode to on) and throw a door there instead? Also, I love the idea of water.

Well in my own map, which has a Portal setting (an Aperture Science laboratory/ testing facility) the models for portals are essentially solid orange/blue ovals. The teleporter item is fairly large, and I can't place it so that it is half submerged into the portal (which essentially acts as a door) because voxels will break off and fall to the ground in-game. Placing teles in front of the portals works, but as a result the playing experience doesn't feel very intuitive/natural because you basically teleport when you go close to the door, rather than walk into it. Hollow portals just aren't the same, and wouldn't work because portals are a close circle, rather than a semicircle/rectangle!

You can also use teleporters for things other than doors, like environmental hazards (which send you back to the beginning of the room), and invisible switches, and it would be easier and better if you could intersect them with models without having to worry.

Here's the map I was talking about if you want to see how it works, note the levels where I use teleporters to 'kill' the player when they step on a laser:

 

Aperture Science Adventure

by eamonn

Cart #4112 | 2011-11-12 | Embed ▽ | No License

1

[/shameless self-promotion]

• New editor tool: Destructor. Or a pair of tools. The idea is to allow usage of player weapons and items to deform the room. You could use the Boom powerup, sword, triple shot, regular shots, blaster. First tool, "destructor placement" would be a special mode for placing items. Any items placed in this mode are temporary and not saved in the map file. You'd use them in the second mode "Destructor ride". It would be like playtesting the room (with P), but no enemies are spawned, no events triggered etc. You could run around and damage stuff with whatever you find, including items placed in "destructor spawner".
  Do you get what I mean ? This would make it easy to generate rooms which look like there was a fight going on, or damaged rooms in general.

if there were an sdk community could work on things like fire

fire could be made of little red / orange translucent anitmated blocks

look at very old 2d games and they had things like fire and flamethrowers and fire breathing monster.

goolge for old z80, 6502 apple, atari, ect games.

look for mime games for inspiration

the trick is building an animated 3d model with appropriate scipting to work the magic.

why not have sdk and associated ingame store that members could obtain under some license and use to build maps, weapons, monsters, objects, ect and associated scripts and then submit to sell in store. lexaloffle games could take 30% cut and. think of team fortress, google/apple store, ect. they have sdk which you obtain $0 license for the license is to protect intellectual property, then when you have something worthwhile you submit it with fileing fee and they take a look for it for inclusion in ingame store. and when it sells everyone takes a cut, plus the community benefits from the wealth of material... anyways my thoughts.

if you adopt the idea i want early access to sdk. :)

could do tower defense game with engine...

I wouldn't want to create anything if you place gatekeepers and make people pay for it. Leave that to Blizzard and other people with deficient imagination.

Voxatron levels are under Creative Commons, a variant that allows modification. They clearly want the creation scene to be open.

an sdk need not be limited to commercial additions

there is no reason why a developer of let say a map has to charge for it, but we should not exclude them from being able to

it allows the most flexibility and helps lexaloffle games make some money so they can continue to develop and evolve voxatron.

it allows developers to play to create new maps, objects of all types, monsters and creaste the scripts necessary to do new things, to extend the basic engine.

i understand levels and objects are under CC, but what if you want to do more, i want to be able to script new code logic and i bet others may want to do so as well.

then we can do different things, and if i spend maybe i want to be able to sell what i create no body is forcing anyone to buy it, but lets face it people have to pay bills if someone like lexaloffle works at something they have to at the end make some money to pay the bills.

sure they can put some stuff in public domain, CC, open source, GPL, LGPL, ect but at the end of the day some money has to come in to keep it going.

i bought Voxtron cause i know they have to make a living and i wanted to support indie company. i didn't give them a million, i gave them a few bucks...

if they had a store with other items i may give them from time to time few bucks more...

i do that with a lot of games and i own about all of them...

i think apple, google, blackberry, ect store is the way to go. not more $60 games, but its easy to get $60 from customers with neat little $.5-$5. you can have $.5 weapon or $1 map or $5 mappack. and believe me people buy it. companies are moving to free to play and it pays, sure you have to keep coming up with $.5 stuff that interest people. think comic books, now how many titles did marvel or dc have, lots!

anyways. i think this game can become and open sandbox, like minecraft, where people can play and it would be very helpful if they open it up by releasing sdk where people can expand the game logic and things like monster and be able to sell if they so choose the stuff they develop. again it does not limit them from giving it away...

and yes i buy lots of $1-2 stuff for my phone!

This game really needs multiplayer. I suggest also game modes like "gladiator" (sword fighting, but swords should be at little bit weaker than sword in normal mode) or bomberman (placing bombs instead shooting).

Better BBS maps manager is also required. There are many maps "for test", or "work in progress" which are unplayable. Rating system would also be nice. There are also different types of maps: adventures, survival, arena, "voxel art gallery" and they are on one list. Maps needs to be grouped.

Game should also remember maps states. For example on map #2272 I can earn points in "shop" without end.
I think it would be good, if it is possible to create undestroyable voxels. On some maps player can destroy column instead jump to it to get key.

Sorry for my English:/

tl;dr, sorry.

My suggestions:

• rating system for user-submitted maps.
• more triggers/scripting/coding options
• global scorecard for BBS levels

I'm not sure how feasible this would be but, having been spoiled by Garry's Mod and its wealth of game modes and custom weapons, I'd love to see a robust scripting system.

Another suggestion I've got is to implement a way to tag levels with descriptive keywords and an option to search levels by tags.

Don't know if anyone else said it yet, but I'd like to see the ability to mark any surface as non-destructible in the editor. Not that I don't like being able to destroy everything, but sometimes certain platforms/staircases/etc.. will get shot up and become unusable to progress.

Yes one very important thing I want to have is the ability to change the order of rooms in the level editor, I started with my 1st room and it was going to really be the final room but because it is the first room you spawn there first :( please add this to the game

Hello !

Here are some suggestions for the editor :

New triggers :

• Empty

• NoSolid
  These 2 are set when a given box is filled only with empty voxels, or voxels that are not solid (you know, when an object has collapsed)

• Filled

• Solid
  These 2 are exactly the other way round : the event can be triggered (with the clock for example) of a given box if filled with voxels. Though to be fully usefull, we might be able to add a few triggers together for an object (with an AND or OR)

• Score
  That event is triggered when the player reaches a given score. It could either be a total score (what is written to the top left of th screen), or the number of points earned in that room.

• Set
• Reset
  This is the possibility to Set a trigger (befor being set it will not act. It might be close to group though...) or Reset it (the trigger can be activated again, thus recreating the monster, objects once triggered again). This could be Set or Reset by another group

New "object" (a bit like actor, object and items) :

• Camera.
  I have just noticed how cool it is the press "esc" in game and see the view change while the game is posed. It might be cool if we could place cameras and have the view switching to them as we are triggering events...