Author Topic: [BETA OUT] Scratch for Blockland  (Read 16405 times)

What do you mean by "visual blocks"? I'm not really a scripting wizard.
Instead of typing in functions you use the code blocks that are premade functions. It's helpful for learning and visualizing coding.

What does scripting even do?

What does scripting even do?
It's what makes everything you see in Blockland, or anywhere really, work.

What do you mean by "visual blocks"? I'm not really a scripting wizard.
the gifs in the op

those are visual blocks

you should make it more like scratch instead of just a colorful torquescript editor which is what it is now

everything else looks good as stuff though. i can't imagine the pain in the ass it must have been to get the blocks to render properly

So when scratch is being used in-game, what can you make with it?

you should make it more like scratch instead of just a colorful torquescript editor which is what it is now
I'm considering implementing a preference that switches between showing torquescript syntax and showing text -- Something like this:

you're on the right track: scratch is so easy to pick up because it reads exactally like english and is simple. you should make setting variables read like "set x to y". also, ditch terms like "call". to message a client it should be "send x to y" or something similar. also, dont have a field accessor. instead of doing something like findClientByName(%x).player, have findPlayerByName. maybe even rename findClientByName(%x) to "find/get client/player x". just look at scratch and think about how easy this stuff would be to a 5 year old so you make it as easy as possible to pick up, like the default events are

if people wanted to learn torquescript they would have already have done so. giving them a special interface will certainly inspire a few to learn the language, but you should simplify it further to inspire many to pick it up. i think a good plan would be to simplify it a bit and teach users the basics of torquescript without them even noticing, so if they want to use actual torquescript they are already decently acclimated to using it

also a good way to test this stuff would be to give it to someone without programming experience and tell them to make something without very little explanation. the interface needs to be intuitive and friendly enough that people can just jump in without prior knowledge and make something, like events, so anyone can open up the gui and make something cool

if you need help im willing to brainstorm ideas and help test for this. this stuff has a lot of promise and if we can turn everyone who plays this game into content creators it would breathe a huge amount of new life into this dying game.

i have some ideas, ill draw them out and post them tomorrow
« Last Edit: December 31, 2017, 12:58:40 AM by Gytyyhgfffff »

So when scratch is being used in-game, what can you make with it?
A script.

Give me an example of what a script is.

Give me an example of what a script is.
ctrl-k, the wrench menu, how the brick tool places bricks (from clicking to place a ghost, pressing keys to move it, changing the color with paintcan, and planting it), code that runs literally everything in the game.

Great work!

Give me an example of what a script is.
Not exactly sure what you mean by example, but here's this:

Code: [Select]
%client = findClientByName("PLAYER_NAME");
%client.player.setScale("0.5 0.5 0.5);

This is a two line script that (1) finds a client based on their name, and then (2) changes the scale of their player, such that they are smaller than normal.

Conan's examples are also good. Blockland is built on scripts.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2017, 02:26:17 AM by Platypi »

maybe a better way to answer your question is what default or addon functionality or content do you want to see the script to?

I'm considering implementing a preference that switches between showing torquescript syntax and showing text -- Something like this:

I support this.

ditch terms like "call". to message a client it should be "send x to y" or something similar. also, dont have a field accessor. instead of doing something like findClientByName(%x).player, have findPlayerByName. maybe even rename findClientByName(%x) to "find/get client/player x". just look at scratch and think about how easy this stuff would be to a 5 year old so you make it as easy as possible to pick up, like the default events are
Yes, this. "Call" should be an option. But there should be separate blocks for a bunch of the main functions beginners will be using. Basically: more abstraction is good.

Good question here:
maybe a better way to answer your question is what default or addon functionality or content do you want to see the script to?

I know of a few useful functions that could use their own block, but I would appreciate it if someone compiled a complete list of useful functions. If you wanted to help out even more, you could make your own descriptions for them and even categorize them. It would save me a lot of time.

ditch terms like "call" ... also, dont have a field accessor
After thinking a bit on function-specific blocks, I've decided that the 'Common Functions' menu will be transformed into a sort of 'spawning menu'. Click an item in the list once to see a description, and click it again to spawn a block of it.

I believe that keeping the call block and a field accessor would provide convenience for users who need to use functions that are not specified in the 'Common Functions' list.

I agree with everything else in your post, and can't wait to see what ideas you have for this.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2017, 10:45:29 AM by RTBARCHIVE »