Hey All

Voxatron 0.2.9 builds are now up, and will shortly be up on Humble Store (check the version number in the filename). If you don't have a lexaloffle account (Games > My Games) and would like one, see this thread. To update from a Humble Store account, search your email for the download page link, or request a new one here.

v0.2.9 is an incremental updates that includes fixes to keep the BBS levels (mostly) functioning in the wake of underlying engine changes, some improvements to activations controllers, and a couple of new base types for fun (jelly, mud).

I've removed the experimental player editor for now, but it will come back in 0.2.10 in its completed form, at which time we can finally ditch the "_char" hack (Woo!)

This is also the last build that the existing doors and save game system will appear -- I'm aiming to have proper custom doors and full world state saving finished in 0.2.10 to go with the new player editor.

Some quick notes about activation control:

• you can now optionally type a 5 character (or less) string in the group field instead of a number.
• you can choose if the component is reset each time it is activated, or continues -- e.g. if you want an animation or emitter to continue from the same state it was last at.
• shift-P to play in debug mode, you can use '[' and ']' to look at monster's state

Solid animations are designed to be used for doors in 0.2.10, but might be useful. Set the solid option on a stand-alone animation, and it will be drawn into the game world as a physical, floating object. This means the animation should not be moving or change orientation, or you'll get weird results. It can be animated though, of course! This is done by subtracting the frame from the world, and then drawing the next one in.

Changes in 0.2.9:

Added: Solid animation mode
Added: Mud, jelly base types
Added: Activation control optional reset
Added: Activation control group can be a 5-char string
Added: Monster debug information (shift-p to play)
Changed: Reverted to 0.2.7 soft shadows
Changed: "Edit Item" button also opens containing folder
Changed: Backups are now single copy rather than appended
Optimized: Custom bullets
Fixed: Emitter going crazy in Journey to the East boss
Fixed: Bullets with duration 0 not expiring on collision
Fixed: Start position when entering from voxde
Fixed: Start position when spawn point is inside wall
Fixed: Collisions for long skinny actors
Fixed: Camera controls not responding while player is dead

Just tried solid animation. Though, it starts to "draw" invincible solid voxels if I try to move it, so it really is buggy. Can you fail-proof it by locking position of solid animation by default if there's no need or no way to move it around?

Oh No! I was using that unfinished player editor

O my... we are almost at 0.3 this is so awesome!
it's just great to be a part of such huge project

another update, o yeah!

@tom.K
Yep, there are also other similar interface restrictions that would make things clearer -- e.g. an animation that is part of a monster shouldn't have a collide_with_ground flag or physical size. They'll be coming in the next couple of updates.

Another thing I think will help is showing diagrams of monsters depicting their physical collision box and emitter / animation offset points.

@Kling
Heh, sorry about that. I'm half-way through finishing the player editor and it was simpler & less bug-prone to turn it off in this update. It's coming back in 0.2.10 in it's completed form (0.2.10 will act as a mostly feature-complete beta of 0.3)

@ladybug
There's one next week too :)

So cool!
I remember when having animations, water and these new base types with cool physical properties were only wishful thinking.
It's amazing to see all that come to life now!

I can't see he jelly or the mud base types together with the other bases,
how do I use it?
Forget it, I had a problem with the update folder.