Interactive World Map Script V1.1(Test V1.2 Now!)

[BlueScope]

As for the map ID, I guess that would've been somewhat obvious a bit earlier in the day ^^" However, you only included Map X and Map Y, not the respective Screen ones in your mockup, so it's not entirely my fault :p But yeah, now that I actually realize it's a teleport script as well (big ^^" here), the direction also makes perfect sense. Now that I know this, I think I'd like a sprite's head as indicator, instead of the updownleftright text... not only for the reason that visuals are often better suitable, but also as these would have an equal width, as opposed to the four words which will always look a bit thrown in there.
Also, I dunno if you thought about that, but when you select an icon for a town and then place it on the map for screen x/screen y positioning, you might want to set the town icon as cursor to get the user an exact idea on what they're gonna get.

And yeah, the reason I didn't testplay your stuff is because I don't have RMXP, and I know I'd wanna want raid through all your code when I'd look at the game, so yeah...

Regarding the input, it wouldn't be very hard to only allow letters and numbers (why the fuck numbers? >_< ) for input, however I have a fancy way in my mind to do it within Glitch's script... lemme talk to him about it.

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

let me start with cant wait to hear from glitch (code is so freaking dirty atm but you can see as soon as i get it to work/i clean it. the next thing i wanna say is yes the town icon is under the cursor while they edit, i have the part perfect all ready! (see picture) i know letters and numbers only is easy, anything more is too much i meant. btw i said numbers so they can do keyboard input for map id and such. oh i almost forgot about the character for directions, i dont really know how to grab part of an image...

edit:ignore text at top, that is way old from editor version 1. im already one 1.8 rofl

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

let me start with cant wait to hear from glitch (code is so freaking dirty atm but you can see as soon as i get it to work/i clean it. the next thing i wanna say is yes the town icon is under the cursor while they edit, i have the part perfect all ready! (see picture) i know letters and numbers only is easy, anything more is too much i meant. btw i said numbers so they can do keyboard input for map id and such. oh i allmost forgot about the character for directions, i dont really know how to grab part of an image...

 

[BlueScope]

As for cropping an image, it's actually not that hard, but for the purpose you need, it'd be easier and more logical to use just the head as seperate graphics. I can shove those over to you if you want them (but lemme know what charset you want me to take them from).

As for the code, you shouldn't need Glitch's script to make your own code more readable ^^ Actually, if you take a look at Glitch's scripts, I think you'll get a good idea on what you can do (even though he's commenting every frickin single line in the versions you have, so yeah, take it with a grain of salt ^^)

And regarding the input, you don't really need letters and numbers then, but letters or numbers: Town name gets a letter-only input, while values get a number-only one. You have to do the last one either way, as you'd otherwise store a string to your data file, which would cause errors in your projects.

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

if they use the wrong value i just check before i set it and the return 0 if they put a letter...but ya i have classes for letter only and number only input(tho it works untill i delete ever letter then seems to not accept input, havnt put much time into it)
i didnt think of just cutting up the image, i can do that the glitch comment was i was hoping you suggested to him a simple input so i have less work rofl.

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

what do you think about this?

 

[BlueScope]

I like it much better than the previous version... it's better structured, less stuffed and makes more sense.

As for what I don't like: The icon definately needs a white (or possibly Photoshop-checkered) background to see anything - right now, it's simply a bunch of pixels. I also don't see how a 'Next Icon' button is doing you any good... you might want to change it to 'Choose Icon...', bringing up another window with selectable icons, or something similar, but a simple forward switch isn't quite the best solution here, especially compared to the simplicity of the suggested method.
Then there's the input fields... they're okay by themselves, however I wonder why you don't display the number right in them, which is also where you change them. This is what'll be most intuitive for users, as that's what generic user interfaces do. While it still is cool to do something new once in a while, you have to care about recognizeability of your interface. And of course, putting the numbers in the fields would make room for the +/- buttons I'd still like to see ^^

Other than that, I like it... the faces look much more telling on the subject, and the Cacel button definately is a necessary addition :p You should pay attention to your spacing in the scripted part, though, as right now everything's all over the place and not correctly aligned to a grid that makes sense... but yeah, I'm sure you knew that ^^

Keep up the good work.

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

ya i knew the spacing was bad, did it in photoshop really fast. here is new version.

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

hurry up and log in blue lol i really really wanna release new version, V1.1 is just awful i opened demo to compare to new version and found like 25k bugs lol ive had over 100 people download V1.1 and it sucks! my reputation is dying! rofl.

 

[BlueScope]

Lol, I didn't know you wanted something from me ^^" (I saw your post like 20 mins after you posted >> )

So yeah, all that I think you could improve is setting the icon itself as the button to change it (along with proper visual hinting on that), and maybe allow text input for the filename as well while you're at it (because maybe some graphics are planned already, but not finished, and making 400000 placeholder graphics wouldn't make any sense, some might want to just use names for graphics to be implemented in the future). Other than that, numbers are usually right-aligned in input fields, as I told you a while ago... ^^ (guess you just didn't bother to change it in the mockup).

Other than that, I'd have to see a visual of the actually finished scripted window, as a mockup is hardly representative for the final outcome as in visual get-able-ness (if you get me :p ) and overall easiness. Good luck with this though!

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

because the script is all visual, if you make a town that has no graphic you cant see it, therefore edit it. i guess i could make a simple default graphic for towns where the graphic doesnt exist so they can edit it. anyways ill get on making the window, im sure its alot of work

 

[BlueScope]

Ah, I think you missed my point there... I get that it's all visual, but get this: Someone wants to make a game that includes about 100 towns. Each of them is supposed to have a different graphic. Now, to set it up with your script to work properly without getting back to it, they'd have to create exactly 100 placeholder sprites, named town_00.png to town_99.png, because otherwise, the exported .rxdata file won't have the filenames they need. Of course, they could also use the finished graphics, but yeah...
Basically, right now you're expecting the people to already have the resources for their games complete. I think it wouldn't hurt to let them set the filename manually, as then it'd be properly saved in the .rxdata file without the need of creating a bazillion placeholder files.

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

im just saying i have no way to open a town and edit it besides clicking on the graphic(and if there is no graphic...), its all saved in the data file now, none of it is in the script. i guess thats a design flaw, ill fix it

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

hey blue, how do i keep my old scene in the background paused and only this window open? all the checking for x and y coords are killing fps, i know i can make the code simpler and less math, but id like to pause all the map rendering math while i do that. if you dont know cool ill go ask in the script forum, but id rather have your input first.

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

here is that image you wanted btw
-gonna change the red buttons once it works right(save time im not an artist)

 

[BlueScope]

hey blue, how do i keep my old scene in the background paused and only this window open? all the checking for x and y coords are killing fps, i know i can make the code simpler and less math, but id like to pause all the map rendering math while i do that. if you dont know cool ill go ask in the script forum, but id rather have your input first.

what are you checking x/y coords for anyway? I assume the cursor, but you probably have methods that check if the cursor is on top of the map icons even though you're having another window active, right? To avoid that, check your scene's update method. Instead of just putting all the checks in there, wrap them in appropriate conditionals, like so:
[rgss]def update
  if @town_window.active
    @town_window.refresh
  elsif @icon_window.active
    @icon_window.refresh
  else
    # here goes all your 'if cursor is on top of map icon' checking
  end
end
[/rgss]

here is that image you wanted btw
-gonna change the red buttons once it works right(save time im not an artist)

Looks alright so far... you need to work on your spacing still, as well as on the general positioning - your whole window's contents are shifted to the left. "Town Name:"s text field isn't wide enough for it's contents, in case you didn't realize... I don't think you need the 'Town Name' above it either.
The font color in the background is awful, and the text boxes are also way too narrow for the content. Considering the varying types of backgrounds you gotta consider, I'd suggest an outlined text. Drawing it when the window's active doesn't make any sense either really, as I figure those controls are not active then.
I still think the checkered thing would work much better as a button than putting a seperate one next to it, but I already said that. ^^

As for the buttons, I dunno what you had in mind, but as I'm a graphic artist (which I thought you knew, considering your smart way of hinting on your missing buttons), I might be able to help ya out. I don't see how you can't use RMXP's default, though, as you did it for the heads as well (which btw are behind the selection, which looks strange ^^ ).

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

i really didnt know you were artsy, or i forgot idk lol, im not too worried about the visual atm. i dont think people would think to click on the checkered box to add icon. if u insist i will remove the name from the top. when i extended the name boxes they looked ugly, and why is any towns mane gonna be that long anyways?(which will only look bad in the editor anyways) sorry my thoughts are outta order.

the x and y choords are calculated only when the user clicks(cause ym mouse script is already doing the rest)
i was looking at scene_menu and figured the .active thing, just trying to take apart the whole scene so onlt what i want update at the right time.
are you talking about the red font? cause thats only there for me, will have a menu bar like photoshop for users

but ya, when i get off work i will make a new mock up irt your sugestions, thanks for all the advice

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

i changed it to this on my lunch break(what more should i do?)

 

[BlueScope]

Well, larely I'm kinda covering my art talents up a bit by putting that intentionally kidy-designed banner in my signature ^^" Either way, you may want to check out my dA page (which is linked below that) if you're interested

As for your window, it looks much better already. I agree on the long input fields looking bad (for the numbers at least), but I didn't tell ya to enlarge them now, did I - only thing I said was that the contents look shifted to the left. What you definately should do is some more spacing, especially between the field name and the field itself (for all of them), so you don't have such a stuffed window. Then, relaxing it by adding a constant vertical distance of, let's say maybe 8px like checkered to map ID seems to have, would work wonders visually as well (as right now, you seem to change between 8px and 1px distance, which can't work out).
What you could do for the number fields is putting two in the same line, like so:

Map ID: [    ]   Switch: [    ]

Map X:  [    ]   Map Y:  [    ]

Other than that, I still think number input fields's contents should be right-aligned :p

Wheather you're right or wrong about people not noticing that the checkered thing is a button, I guess making sure they do is the best solution. I can imagine a couple of ways to accomplish this, for example putting a text in the default (empty) icon that says "click here", or something. You could also replace it with a button as long as no icon is being chosen, however that is confusing.

Last but not least, some user guidance striking me... you may or may not have live updating of the background (for coordinates or whatever), but for each case, here's a suggestion :biggrin:
If you do have live updating, don't forget to test the shit out of it, making sure the cancel button works as intended. You also want to consider lowering the window's back_opacity a bit.
If your changes will only be visible after clicking on save, think of some way to show that to the user: Slightly dimmed background, the like.

 

[Kingdom Ablaze]

oh ok, i think i understand what you want/were saying before, i feel kinda dumb gonna work on that now glad you like it!!!!

edit: here is the new more spacey version

ps. i freaking love this one
http://bluescope.deviantart.com/#/d21l25b