Writing your AI in text

[Uthael]

Along with drag & drop, you have an option to type your AI.
Upon exiting the editor, the game would atomatically convert it to a visual representation. Auto-create and position the nodes.
You could extract the text from your current AI, too.

[GFX47]

It more or less this one:
https://trello.com/c/Si2LzNvx/230-text- ... ort-export

[Uthael]

Eh... Real text files and importing/exporting might be simple for people who use a computer for other things than social media and games.
My goals here were:
- to introduce the concept of parenthesis to people who play to learn
- to be able to write the code without having to use a pointer (much faster).
Maybe unlocked at lvl 8.
Spell-checking for commands would also be useful (you know... Recognized command changes color...).

Importing and exporting is fine, too. Better than having neither. But if you have to do that while tuning your AI; dragging, dropping and drawing lines to connect would still be faster.

[Kanishka]

Maybe the syntax could be like SmallBasic! It is color-coded and is fairly simple to learn.

[GFX47]

I don't think text editing on mobile is fast/comfortable enough to make it a relevant feature (on mobile).

[Kanishka]

Hmm... Text-Coding is too slow without a physical keyboard.

[Botique]

Not at this stage. Let the game first be game and fun. Let casual players be hooked, let them compete in visual programming.

[Kanishka]

Not at this stage. Let the game first be game and fun. Let casual players be hooked, let them compete in visual programming.

...

Let Text-Coding be optional. A Toggle Switch in Settings. Maybe add a new In-Game Keyboard with If, Then, Enemy, Ally, Base, Resource, Attack, etc. Instead of Qwerty? You get the idea...

[Uthael]

Of-course, it would be optional. But directly in the AI Editor menu. For easy switching.
For example in the top-right corner or to the right of Delete button (move the buttons to the left). When toggled, the visual representation would get overlaid with semi-transparent gray and the code would be written in text over it. Clicking it would enter the text editor.

Not at this stage. Let the game first be game and fun. Let casual players be hooked, let them compete in visual programming.

Visual would still be the default. And if someone reacts like "wtf, hell no!", the back button is right there and toggling it back is just another click away. As I've said, you unlock the text editing feature as a last unlock. It adds no ingame advantage and everyone should already be familiar with IF, AND (conditions vertically), OR (conditions side-by-side) and NOT (Marked as X) by then.

(...) without a physical keyboard.

(...) mobile not fast/comfortable enough (...)

To whoever spends a couple of hours/day or more on their cellphone, typing is not a problem. Back when I was at college, there was a guy who was writing classes on his cellphone. He'd type every word the professors said and only stopped to sketch when needed.

[Kanishka]

(...) without a physical keyboard.

(...) mobile not fast/comfortable enough (...)

To whoever spends a couple of hours/day or more on their cellphone, typing is not a problem. Back when I was at college, there was a guy who was writing classes on his cellphone. He'd type every word the professors said and only stopped to sketch when needed.

I spend a lot of time on my phone/pad. Still, there is no competition for the good ol' physical keyboard. That tactile and haptic feedback... Irreplaceable.

[pier4r]

Yes, he meant that is doable. I mean I suppose could be possible but gfx has limited resources I guess. I would prefer first selecting multiple nodes and then copy /paste even across Ais.

[Kanishka]

Yes, he meant that is doable. I mean I suppose could be possible but gfx has limited resources I guess. I would prefer first selecting multiple nodes and then copy /paste even across Ais.

New & Improved Clipboard!

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=500

[Uthael]

Yes, I think we all agree that copy-pasting multiple nodes over different AIs would be better. Even if copy-paste would take only 5min to implement into the text UI, polishing the graphic UI is a priority. It keeps the new players. More active players is always a good thing.

Text can wait (I hope not indefinitely).