Multiple level exits for overworld

[Quintus]

Currently only one path is possible on the overworld. We should have the possibility to unravel paths depending on which level exit the user took in a level.

[Quintus]

Probably we should add identifiers to level exits. The level could then remember the identifier a level exit had and the world could check that identifier after a level was successfully completed. For this to work, each waypoint needs to have a mapping of <exit-ID> => <next-waypoint-ID> elements, which could then be used when unlocking the next waypoint. This will require rewriting the path handling code, see issue #20 for details.

[datahead8888]

Just to check, will the number of exits (and paths out of it on the map) for a level that are allowed be arbitrary?

[Quintus]

I was currently thinking of allowing up to 4 different exits, one for each direction. With some more work, an arbitrary number should also be possible if you need.

Vale,
Quintus

[datahead8888]

I was thinking it should be arbitrary, but 4 could work for now as long as we keep the arbitrary idea on the radar. There are ways creative people could put that many level exits and map paths to use (as long as we don't have a brittle map path system).

[datahead8888]

Suggestion - we might add some sort of system by which you can see whether you have a hidden exit you have not yet found when passing over a level on the map.

Super Mario World has levels that look red if they have multiple exits. Donkey Kong Country displays a ! after the name of a level if you have not found all the bonus areas in it. We'll want to come up with something original, but it will help the player if we somehow tell them if they have secrets left to find. It also allows them to go secret hunting.

[Quintus]

Nice idea. Some suggestions on the visual indication are appreciated, though.

The information itself could be added to the level, and if an overworld detects a level that contains secret areas, it can change the visual appeareance of the level waypoint. The overworld would have to preload the level from the XML to have that information, though. WAIT. I have an IDEA. That could help us even with the slow loading times. We could preload the levels in a world in separate threads while the player is on the overworld already. Entering a level would then either directly enter it, or wait for the corresponding level loading thread to finish. Inside levels, similar could be done with sublevels. I definitely have try this.

Thanks for the input!

Vale,
Quintus

[datahead8888]

Color tends to be pretty visual. We probably need different colors than Super Mario World though:

• Green - all exits have been found
• Yellow - not all exits are found (we could also use red)
  --It's supposed to be like traffic lights in terms of color choices.

We also might consider something to denote the number of exits in the level, but if there are a LOT of exits it can only be shown numerically.

The preloading idea is very good. In addition to starting up the preloading of a level when you hover over it on the map, we can keep a level preloaded between deaths in that level and while reloading a level to start over in the editor. I'd also like to add a hotkey for reloading a level to start it over from the beginning for editor convenience. Lastly, it should stay preloaded when you load a save state - people will often load a state for the level in which they just died.

[datahead8888]

This task is open if anyone is available to pick it up in devel. It would be great if we finished it for the next release after release 2.0.

[datahead8888]

We will probably need to differentiate normal exits from secret exits in the level editor / level file format. What might work well for this?

[Quintus]

I’d just add another attribute to level exits that says "target level on worldmap". That way we don’t have to actually handle "secret" and "normal" exits different and would even allow to shortcut pathes. This requires rewriting the overworld routing system, but this has to be done anyway, these lines are very uncomfortable. It should be replaced with an automatic routing system.

Vale,
Quintus