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Yeah, here's the error message:
Error: Failed to load script 'maps/Map4': [string "maps/Map4.lua"]:12: '<eof>' expected near 'end'
Error: In maps/Map4: attempt to call a string value

[pseudocode]

Yeah, I know that much. For the moment I'm just working on the sprites, which takes up a lot of time to pull off, being as it's pixel art, which is basically pointillism, lol.

I have a basic idea of what to do. Here's the pseudocode of what I think I need to do:

Code Select Expand


when specific key pressed()
{
stop hero movement
display menu image
display selection image
check if item is obtained
display its sprite
be able to move the display selection image
when the movement would leave the menu left or right()
{
change the menu
}
when sprite is selected()
{
a text displays its name
}
when a specific key is pressed()
{
the item is selected
}
when specific key is pressed()
{
save menu is called
}
when specific key is pressed()
{
erase all images and sprites of menu
allow hero to move again
}
}


I just have to read up all the necessary Solarus documentation and familiarize myself with lua synatax in order to start on it. It's just a bit overwhelming having to basically learn a new language in order to script. It's well worth the effort, but like a kid on Christmas morning, I want to start my game as soon as possible. It's kinda hard to test items when I don't have a menu yet to select them and be able to use them, lol.

Just to test, I changed the code so that it only moves once. Still, nothing:

Code Select Expand


local map = ...

function map:on_started()

   local movement = sol.movement.create("straight")
   movement:set_speed(256)
   movement:set_angle(math.pi)
   movement:set_ignore_obstacles()
   movement:set_max_distance(-144)
   movement:start(MovingFloor)
end


I want to create a dynamic tile that moves to the right in an infinite loop. Here's what I got for code:

Code Select Expand


local map = ...

function map:on_started()
      local movement = sol.movement.create("straight")
      function loop()
         movement:set_xy(0,96)         
         movement:set_speed(256)
         movement:set_angle(math.pi)
         movement:set_ignore_obstacles()
         movement:set_max_distance(-144)
         movement:start(MovingFloor,loop)
      end
end


The dynamic tile, MovingFloor, is located on 0,96. I want it to move to -256 and then go back to 0,96 to start all over. What am I doing wrong? Hopefully nothing too horribly wrong, lol 

Here's a generalized idea of what I want to accomplish. I know that I'd have to first call  the background image and then the image for each sprite if the hero has it in inventory and then set the key for when the player moves left or right or selects then certain things happen. I have to really read the documentation. Most of the things needed have already been explained in the tutorial. But since I can imagine that more chapters are coming (hopefully!) I'd hope that screens will be the next one.

Any ways, for a game I'm currently developing, here's what I want to accomplish with the items screen (WIP):

For the moment this is very rudimentary for what I want to do (some items may change, I still have to fine tune some sprites, etc). There's an arrow submenu that the player can access by selecting the bow which then goes to the left for the submenu and a song submenu that the player can access by selecting the ocarina which then goes right for the submenu. There are 8 bottles and the equipment will also be shown in this screen (though I'm still debating on putting the equipment on a different menu altogether and use that space for something else - I haven't fully committed to a decision yet; this is just a mockup).

I plan to have 3 more screens to either direction for the save game / options, quest items / heart pieces, maps / gold skulltulas. Again, all I have are ideas for the moment while I familiarize myself with Solarus. If this were RPGMaker2000 then this would be a piece of cake; I've been using RPGMaker2000 for well over a decade and I can pretty much accomplish what I want (in terms of what's possible with its engine). I do have the plus of being very familiar with C++ (though not lua) so I just have to get my hands dirty and see what I can manage. I guess I'm just very anxious to test more than just mapping, lol.

Thanks! I will study them shortly and see what it is you're accomplishing from a coding standpoint. As for the sprites, I take it you're working it around something like the heavy metal ball in the Eagle's Tower in Link's Awakening?

Sure! Just tell me what I'd need to do! I have the latest version of Solarus Quest Editor installed (1.4.2).

I've loved all the tutorial videos on youtube on how to do most of the important things for Solarus involving a quest. However, I'm very anxious to see a Screen tutorial. Apart from menus, I believe this is super important for a quest. It's how you see the map, change keys, equip items, etc. In the mean time (besides the documentation - which is top notch, by the way) where can I go or what can I read that pinpoints and specifies what I need to do to make an inventory screen? Even a rudimentary one. I'm currently designing them and working on the graphics so I can at least occupy my efforts on that. But the programming... Any assistance? I've seen your code for Solarus and while it's very intuitive (great organization and comments) I would still like to see more ways of getting it done, I guess? Thanks in advanced!

[I also have scripts to carry custom entities which are not destroyed when thrown (I make them bounce when they fall)]

These are good news. I was planning trying to script something like this in the future. I guess that the script can be modified to simulate diving with this side scrolling (like in Link's awakening), which would be cool.

I have been working on several scripts with other functionalities that I would like to share when I finish making the game to the end of the first level. (I don't have too much free time, and drawing all the sprites takes a lot of time and patience, so it will probably be ready by the end of this year or a bit later).

Some scripts I have done allow to have 3 heroes and switch between the heroes on the current map with space bar (or using a switching menu in case the heroes are in different maps, but this menu is not done yet). I also have scripts to carry custom entities which are not destroyed when thrown (I make them bounce when they fall), and they can be thrown from one hero to another (they are picked in the air). Also I made custom buttons that can be pressed by any of the three heroes or custom entities (like weights that can be carried and thrown). Platforms also work well with custom entities that can be carried and the secondary heroes.

The only technical problem I had is that if you leave one map with some secondary hero and come back, the destructible entities, platforms, etc are reseted, which can make a secondary hero to appear overlapping a destructible entity (that had been destroyed before) or to appear over a hole (in case a platform was moved), etc. I solved this easily using a script that saves the state/position of the entities if necessary (it does not work in the current version of Solarus because of a bug that has already been fixed by Christopho, but I hope it to work in the next release).

These are some of the things I made, just in case you are interested. My (maybe too ambitious) goal is to make a hybrid game between Lost Vikings 2 and Link's awakening, but it will take some years of work until it is finished.

That sounds amazing! Have you been able to finish the script that at least makes liftable objects bounce and not break?

Another thing I was thinking of (as a band-aid) is to have dynamic tiles around the 16x16 block that Link "lifts". Is there a way to "deactivate" these dynamic tiles when Link lifts the stone so as to have the illusion of the 32x32 block?

Wow! That's some great work indeed! Now maybe some more difficult 2D scrolling parts a la Link's Awakening can be done? That would be awesome. But, the game did have some in depth use of the 2D scrolling besides mere underground passages linking 2 places: Manbo's Cave and 2 boss battles. That would be sweet if it could be implemented as smoothly as you're all working on it! A ZeldaII/Link to the Past hybrid sounds pretty effin' epic!

I'm trying to recreate the giant stone (the one that's 32x32). I was able to do everything adequately (using the script for lifting other stones (the 16x16 ones)). However, since it's an entity with sprite, only 16x16 of it is like a wall and the rest of it the hero will either go above or behind. Is there a way to make sprites be 100% wall-like as if it were a map tile?

Thanks! That image helped a lot! I can see exactly where everything goes! Thanks!

Yeah, I'm using the .png you provided in the resources (thanks!) but how do I know which area in the image corresponds to which symbol on the keyboard? That way I can add arrows and the Link face to the font (and maybe some other things) and know what to input in order to see it in the dialogue box.

I don't know if this question was answered or not (used the search tool of the forum but to no avail  ), but how do I get special characters to appear in the text in dialogues? For example, directional arrows, the Link face, Hylian text, etc.

Thanks in advanced!