The electro blaster shoots farther, I think

So what's the progress report?

For various reasons, showing sprites (or even circles with event-specific sizes) is not feasible at all.

Care to elaborate?

I'd assume that's possible if you make make a registry of standard event sizes. it'd be hardcoded. That wouldn't be too flexible, but who cares?

Originally Posted by Xobim

he never said that he will make a new JCS

Originally Posted by Neobeo's signature

Jazz Creation Station Plus (JCS+) - 10%

Sorry, I'm quite a moron...

Actually, you're right. I never said that I will make a new JCS. It's only in my signature to prevent a space-time paradox.

Originally Posted by Neobeo

It's only in my signature to prevent a space-time paradox.

Does that mean we're screwed?

Timewise, I mean.

Originally Posted by Olsen

Does that mean we're screwed?

Timewise, I mean.

Only if the future turns out to be a wonderful place because of JCS+, because then we have a Meet The Robinsons-esque problem.

Originally Posted by Neobeo

Actually, you're right. I never said that I will make a new JCS. It's only in my signature to prevent a space-time paradox.

How would people read 511 character long text strings if they were to vanish?
Maybe only a bit more than the amount given?

Originally Posted by gerard244390

How would people read 511 character long text strings if they were to vanish?
Maybe only a bit more than the amount given?

Actually, depending on conditions like age, gender and height, the limit can be way more than 511, probably around 10k or so, but I digress.

For me, I'd find a limitless text string useful in that I could properly colour my text. Usually you would need 7 pipes between characters, thus effectively reducing the string size from 128 to 16. With a larger size, this would no longer be a problem. Maybe such long strings could also be used to draw some sort of ASCII art.

I used to draw ASCII art a while back in one of my levels. I was kind of testing the idea and many people were like "Wow, how do you do that?!". With added colors and increased size there are limitless possibilities.

A text preview option might as well be a nice idea then. I remember having to fiddle around quite a bit to get everything centered correctly, as I think spaces take less space than the characters themselves (is the JJ2 font actually monospaced, except for the space?).

I want it to have a button that would show a grid with default setting 4x1 and a tile cache viewer ( http://www.jazz2online.com/jcsref/no...ode=79&mode=id ) if it isn't there already (Neobeo's Firetruck)

Indeed, one of the major features I'm working on is regarding the selection of which tile caches to link with each other.

Suggestion: In each event, make another box called

"Number of times to generate (0 for infinate)" or something like that so you can make something regenerate like 5 times and then it won't regenerate again.

That's a JJ2 feature, not a level creator one, and thus unpossible.

Why can't we just implement a simple (possibly WYSIWYG) text formatter with buttons and stuff?

Originally Posted by Xobim

Why can't we just implement a simple (possibly WYSIWYG) text formatter with buttons and stuff?

That's actually a good idea.

Yeah! Nice one!

Uhm, thanks?

I don't really think the community needs a new (read: better) level editor.
But some new features such as LEV support, ability to browse files, better copy and paste, longer text strings and stuff, are pretty cool and sound really useful.
But is there any other user who is worried about backward compatibility and possibly screwing up the level files and/or JJ2?!

Some other features that would be useful for me: (and possibly someone else)

• Ability to compile tilesets from image formats other than BMP, PCX, ANM and LBM.
• Ability to have more than 16 text strings.
• Ability to preview the colors/new lines in the level title or text strings (WYSIWYG editing)
• Friendlier tileset organiser, tileset compiler, animation properties dialogs.
• Read JJ1 level files (oh wait, we have JCS94 for this, but it's just not user friendly)
• Ability to extract tileset images from JJ1 tilesets
• It would be really cool if the editor would have been ported to the Macintosh platform, to enable Mac users to create their own levels without using Micro$oft Virtual PC and therefore buying Windows.

That's all for now.

But seriously, think twice about compatibility before implementing any new features!

Oh, and could somebody help me on compiling my Deckstar conversion? (the one and only) I really need help: http://www.jazz2online.com/jcf/showt...d=1#post409352

I don't see how could one "screw up" old levels with the new editor

Also it would be really cool if JJ1 editing was kept out of this.

It may be that the new editor can create levels which are uneditable by/crash the current JCS.

Having more than 16 text strings would already make it incompatible.

Actually Neobeo's Firetruck has more than 16 strings. If you save it in JCS you will lose all of them except for the first 16.

Yeah but hex editing a j2l file is a complete waste of time. It'd be easier if you just incorporated this in the new JCS.

I'm just saying that compatibility with JCS is not a top priority because of necessary upgrades like that.

In that case, a possible feature would be to be able to save files in 'compatability mode' (stripping out everything which JCS can't handle).

Anyone who actually makes levels is going to want it anyways. It's like if you had a perfect 1.25 version. It just wouldn't make sense to not get it.

Saving in compatibility mode sounds fine, though I'd say you should also edit levels in compatibility mode, which means you can't add anything JCS doesn't support. That's better than finding out things can't be saved JCS-compatible after you finished making your level.

I wonder what kind of other functions of the new JCS would make levels incompatible. Most of these ideas are meant to change the look and feel of the editor, not the level.

Yeah, that's true... that's why a compatibility mode would be useful.

Actually, I designed this level editor with the intention to completely deprecate JCS.

No, just a compatibility mode would be cool, like when saving as a standard J2L file to display a dialog "Saving in compatibility will lose the following:", then display the list of the things that will be lost, "Continue?".

Having more than 16 text strings would already make it incompatible.

If so, then why can Neobeo's Firetruck load in JJ2 without any problems... yeah right, "It's Neobeo's creativity burst!". Argh.

I think JCS+ should be more like a replacement for the standard JCS. Think about the newbies who only can use JCS to make their levels. And what about those with a dial-up connection? If I had a connection like this, I wouldn't download JCS+ as long as it's not required.

And give it a new name. JCS+ just hides the old JCS under the carpet. JCS should be a separate thing, JCS94/J1CS should be a separate thing, and so should be JCS+. Imagine a world full of JCS's. There would be confusion, especially for the newbies.

You know I'm talking about newbies so much? They're important. They have to continue the traditions of JJ2 (hating battle one, celebrating Anniversary Bash, and so on) in order to preserve it.

That's my opinion, hope you like it.

Let's all hope Epic will never release the JJ2 source code. If they would, people would replace JJ2 with Jazz Super Rocket Turbo Thing Whatever Jackrabbit.
The same goes to patches, mods and utilities. There shouldn't be any. JJ2 has got to stay like JJ2. Period. If we love the game so much, then why do we have to change it? It's like drugs; people know it's bad for them, but still take 'em.

If you wanted feedback on your oppinion, I dislike it. :

__________________

His custom title is what made his post awesome.

Hold on, how big's this program gonna be?

8000000000000tb

actually judging by the size of JCS and considering it's going to have a few small features, a couple of megs would be my guess