what new features would you like in lf2?

[Bamboori]

Hey there, everybody!
Been a long time since I actively posted something here

So I am developing a LF2 Clone which tries to stay as original as possible for me, and while I am far from releasing an alpha, I am curious what you guys would like to see in a new LF2.
I am talking about new modes, a third stamina bar; pretty much anything goes.

My ideas:
- alpha transparency supported (given)
- new mode: Strategy mode (controlling several AIs)
- one more attack button to add more variety to the movesets of characters
- a tool for converting LF2 characters into the game I'm developing (unlikely, but I'll at least post a guide on how to make chars)
- more frames supported (should be no problem)
- more local players supported (no online features yet as its a pita)
- RPG/Roguelike/Grinding mode with exp bars and leveling/skill system

Hm... I think that's all I have planned so far

What are your ideas?

[Shtrudel]

- Enabling key changing in-game.
- Making F7 not-turning the music on.
- Enabling mouse in the menu (would be problematic in online play though =\)
- Expanding the above, allowing to mark with the mouse spesific NPC characters, then making a comand on the marked ones. It would be very sloppy for plays, but it can't hurt the game, can it?
And please, don't add another key move, 3 keys make it perfect.

[A-Man]

Lol, I am working on something similar as well (check the link in my signature). It's pretty interesting to see what you're up to though XD.
Here are some cool stuff you should have:
1-Platforming.

2-A more advanced input system which allows combining different buttons for a move.

3-Real time transformations (stretching, scaling, rotating, shearing..etc) and effects (alpha, blur, distorting..etc) which can be done through tags.

4-A variable/register system where you can actually set and play with registers in your .dat files. Maybe some already-set variables which holds the x/y/z positions, velocity, facing..etc of the character. A conditional operator would be an awesome thing to add. Perhaps some other functions which can generate you random numbers, or find resultants..etc. All that would allow some awesome real-physics simulations for moves. You should consider this early though as you might need to set the types of all the tags data as strings (so you can then Evaluate during real time); it depends on the language you're using.

5-One should be able to have more than 1 opoint in a frame IMO; Image and frame limit should be manually allocated with tags at the beginning of the .dat file.

6-One should be able to set a color key for his image in the line where you load it.

Also, you shouldn't focus on copying LF2 IMO. Focus on how you can make your engine stronger; in a way that you can mimic LF2 or any other beat em up out there, or even allow one to come up with some brand new style.
Oops. Misread your sentence.

Good luck!!!

[STM1993]

1) Option for players to change input saving time.
In LF2, you can press the buttons for D>A one at a time, but I find that this button input saves way too long for my liking, especially when I'm playing Henry and I don't want him to automatically use D>A all because I tried to face the opposite direction and shoot an arrow after rolling.

2) Add a button in main menu that allows the .exe to reload selected data files.
LF2 loads everything in one go, which could be troublesome for doing DC tweaking. A recent .exe made by the Chinese community loads everything every time before starting a battle, which is alright if you're tweaking frequently, but having to load so frequently is pretty damn annoying when you aren't doing tweaks mid-game(or just enter/exiting with F4 because you forgot something) and when you aren't doing tweaks to multiple areas. Therefore, I suggest the above to get the best of both worlds - it loads everything in the beginning so you don't have to reload again, but if you made changes, you can ask the game to reload a few specific files or all of them depending on how much you changed the data.

[Shtrudel]

more ideas:
- making the camera move even if you pause, just like in ver 1.9 and under.
- better recording player. having the option to move to a certain time of the recording and moving the camera in pause.

[Bamboori]

T@l (Click to View)

- Expanding the above, allowing to mark with the mouse spesific NPC characters, then making a comand on the marked ones. It would be very sloppy for plays, but it can't hurt the game, can it?
And please, don't add another key move, 3 keys make it perfect.

i was thinking the mosue stuff could be useful in the strategy mode
but why are you against another attack button? i thought it would be great to have one.
how are you others thinking about this?

the rest of what you mentioned is pretty much a given in game maker already

A-MAN (Click to View)

1-Platforming.

2-A more advanced input system which allows combining different buttons for a move.

3-Real time transformations (stretching, scaling, rotating, shearing..etc) and effects (alpha, blur, distorting..etc) which can be done through tags.

4-A variable/register system where you can actually set and play with registers in your .dat files. Maybe some already-set variables which holds the x/y/z positions, velocity, facing..etc of the character. A conditional operator would be an awesome thing to add. Perhaps some other functions which can generate you random numbers, or find resultants..etc. All that would allow some awesome real-physics simulations for moves. You should consider this early though as you might need to set the types of all the tags data as strings (so you can then Evaluate during real time); it depends on the language you're using.

5-One should be able to have more than 1 opoint in a frame IMO; Image and frame limit should be manually allocated with tags at the beginning of the .dat file.

6-One should be able to set a color key for his image in the line where you load it.

1: hell yeah i dont quite know how useful exactly it will be, but it will be fun for some stages and one background in 2d i guess

2: what exactly do you mean by this? like D>D or DDJ?

3: should be possible

4: i don't quite get what you mean by this. a random value range should be no problem though.

5: there is an opoint limit in LF2? i really didn't DC for too long no limits as long as it wont kill the engine (which will take a while... hopefully)

6: do you mean like player one chooses his character to be green? if yes, i dont really like that. i would like to save colour blending for effects (like poisoned for example). what is possible though that you can choose between different skins (something to be unlocked in stage maybe? ;D)

STM1993 (Click to View)

1) Option for players to change input saving time.
In LF2, you can press the buttons for D>A one at a time, but I find that this button input saves way too long for my liking, especially when I'm playing Henry and I don't want him to automatically use D>A all because I tried to face the opposite direction and shoot an arrow after rolling.

2) Add a button in main menu that allows the .exe to reload selected data files.
LF2 loads everything in one go, which could be troublesome for doing DC tweaking. A recent .exe made by the Chinese community loads everything every time before starting a battle, which is alright if you're tweaking frequently, but having to load so frequently is pretty damn annoying when you aren't doing tweaks mid-game(or just enter/exiting with F4 because you forgot something) and when you aren't doing tweaks to multiple areas. Therefore, I suggest the above to get the best of both worlds - it loads everything in the beginning so you don't have to reload again, but if you made changes, you can ask the game to reload a few specific files or all of them depending on how much you changed the data.

1: you mean that the inputs only get saved for, lets say, half a second? totally possible, although i'm not too sure if i really want that. i like preparing two inputs and wait for my (human) opponent to come closer and then release the kraken special move! maybe an option to alter the amount of time the inputs are saved?

2: hum. so far i don't think ill be able to make a lot of importing actions. afaik with game maker, you can only replace ressources now. so i would make some slots for custom characters which could then be loaded into the game. or possibly a character making tool within or as seperate .exe

edit:
@T@l:
1: that should be possible. i even considered split screen already, but i think that would add too much confusion.
2: i fear i won't be able to make an internal recorder it will be good old screen capturing again.

[A-Man]

1: hell yeah i dont quite know how useful exactly it will be, but it will be fun for some stages and one background in 2d i guess

2: what exactly do you mean by this? like D>D or DDJ?

3: should be possible

4: i don't quite get what you mean by this. a random value range should be no problem though.

5: there is an opoint limit in LF2? i really didn't DC for too long no limits as long as it wont kill the engine (which will take a while... hopefully)

6: do you mean like player one chooses his character to be green? if yes, i dont really like that. i would like to save colour blending for effects (like poisoned for example). what is possible though that you can choose between different skins (something to be unlocked in stage maybe? ;D)

2: Yep. Or something even more spectacular like the system of SSB (holding an arrow + Attack).

4: Suppose you would like to have your character move forward with dvx's equivalent tag in your engine. You want your character to move a distance according to the HP and the Velocity in x you have (the more HP and Velocity in x, the more you go forward).

Code:

dvx: ($current_hp$*$velocity_x$)/2

In real time, $current_hp$ & $velocity_x$ will be substituted by your current HP and velocity_x value , divided by 2 and set as the argument for dvx. You get the idea.

6: Uhh, nope, that wasn't what I meant. I am talking about the sprite grid colorkey. Like for LF2, the color key for any image imported is always black (black is the thing that becomes transparent).

[Simoneon]

1. Mac compatibility

Also A-MAN's 4th point really makes me excited. That would be a great implementation.

[Bamboori]

Aah I see! Yeah I guess that wouldn't be a problem.
About 6: uhm... actually the sprites are PNG based, so any alpha value is fine

Mac will come as soon as I get the Mac module for game maker studio
So far I can only support windows and Android.

[A-Man]

Oh! A Linux platform should be available as well. And how do you plan to have shadows? Are they going to be circles? Or real projected ones?