2.0.x Make function to include Algobox scenes

[jobro]

First of all: i googled and searched on this but i can't find it. I really think it's already suggested, but...
Second: When i'm writing this, i conclude that this maybe already is in Algodoo. When so, I apologize to you all. I dont script very much and the only thing I use the most is onCollide, so please, dont blame me when i overlooked it

Explanation of suggestion:
Well I don't think you understand this, so I will explain this to you. The idea is that you can make a script that will, on a special event, download a new Algobox scene. The most practical uses of this are in like very big scenes, OR in of course games with different levels. Like, you got a scene that has LOTS of objects like a race. What now, if you just make the player wait 15 seconds halfway the race, delete the scene and go on with the other part? That would really improve your system efforts. I know, that is very hard to script (cuz you also got to make a script to include the speed and place of both vehicles) but this is just an example to let you understand the idea. Other example: you got a adventure game and you let two (or more) parts overlap a little. When the player gets to the overlap point, the game will pause and download the new scene. Then, the game just goes on with the new part. Like this the player only has to wait some time, and he probably can play the game at a simulation speed of 100%, just because the memory Algodoo uses halves (in theory, of course).

The problem that comes with this is that if you want to script this properly, you first gotta finish a whole game (or other scenes, but the game is more beforehand in explanation) and then upload it, because you can't edit (wait... is that so? you cant edit right?) scenes on algobox. But, if you do this properly, the player doesn't have to find the new levels, but just waits when the new level is downloaded!

A solution for the problem above is to make a title screen of your game with, for example, buttons. You just save this title screen on your PC, then click on the level you want to play and the game just downloads it. You include an version number and when you got a new level, you just update the title screen.



So: Make a thing in algodoo that you can link algodoo scenes to eachother, just like it was back some years with the internet: at first they only had plain text, and with the come of HyperText you could click the text and go to websites. Well, my suggestion is to get a sort of HyperText into Algodoo to link scenes to eachother: when you click on something or a special event happens, a new scene will be downloaded.

Last, the suggestion above and its explanations are filled with examples. Just comment about the suggestion and not about the examples, please. When you support this, please say that.

[TC42]

I can only say: lrn2phi.

Phi files can do the same exact thing you're describing, but they are stuffed into one larger file rather than twenty small files that spam the algobox. The only issue with phi files is that there is little or no documentation on them hence why no-one uses them. However, with some experimentation, I'm sure you could make it work.

Your suggestion would work equally well, except it would enable people to put actual spam in the algobox, e.g. scenes that contain links to spam sites, etc, etc, etc.

[Banjerboef]

I disagree with this one.

First the spamming:
Download one wrong scene and you get hundreds, but you aren't able to stop it.

Secondly the use:
I agree it will be very useful, but keep in mind that not everybody uses it.
Personally I would love to download one scene and go to the next scene without downloading it first.

My solution:
A playlist!!!
Drag one or multiple (downloaded) scenes to the playlist and the next scene will be automatically loaded.
For example by a script, like {load.nextscene}.

It's easy and it's safe.
No spam = more fun
It's like drag and drop!

And it is also much easier to put this into Algodoo.

[electronicboy]

Thats what .phi files are for....

You can package many scenes into them, which when opened, will be 'installed' onto the users machine.

You can then use commands such as, scene.loadscene"package1/scene2.phz" .

Not exactly sure if that syntax is correct...

[TC42]

It's scene.loadScene("scenenamegoeshere"); I don't know about loading from file structures though... I *think* electronicboy is correct.

[monstertje3]

you can create a .phi really simple
first you create a zip with all of your scenes, preferred in a folder in the zip (zip>yourfolder>yourscenes)
then when algodoo opens the zip (ofcourse renamed to .phi) it will unpack it to the scenes folder
that would result in (documents>algodoo>scenes>yourfolder>yourscenes)
then with an onCollide you could acces the next scene as tc42 described
scene.loadscene("yourfolder/yourscene1.phz");

tadaa loads of scenes in one dl!

[jobro]

Okay, this function is integrated somehow, but like this the no-scripters (I can understand this, i'm sure with some practice I can do this too) won't be able to do this.

And indeed. The spamming i thought of that too. Well then, Algodoo always asks if you want to download the next scene. That would be an solution, right? Because if you load the new one and it directly says it wanna load another one, you just click no and no command is being exectued (just make it then that it disables it all for the scene). That would be a solution.

Well then my suggestion still stands, I know now thats it already integrated but not very noob-usable I guess some really nice scenes would be made when it would be something simpler (than just using this .zip to .phi method, most users dont understand it and with just renaming... my pc resists to change extension, gotta load it into some other program first, like notepad).

Thanks for your answers.

[monstertje3]

i understand the extension problem, but the scripting isn't totally neccesary (as you can open the new scene by the scene browser). If the .phi ever gets known, people will find easy ways of renaming. (tip: http://www.ghisler.com/).

something like a packager from inside algodoo would help though (eg select&pack)
if this ever happens, a "delete folder" button is needed, as everyone creates it own folder

[electronicboy]

hint, in windows Explorer;
(in vista and windows 7, press alt) --> Tools --> Folder options --> View

Advanced: clear the checkbox for: "hide extensions of known filetypes"

easy file extension renaming