53 replies to this topic

[thatshelby]

Fortunately, YoYo developers are devoting their efforts to totally new capabilities and speed improvements. Not wasting their time on trivial changes to the IDE.

I don't think it's trivial at all. What good is a program if it's too annoying to use comfortably?

Why is the "option" to use Action Icons annoying to you? How does it make you less comfortable? You're free to ignore them, and use GML code.

I never said it was, and in fact, I said close to the opposite:

I don't think there needs to be four modes, and i would even be happy without code-only: just get rid of these modal windows.

When I say the interface needs some work, I mean a total overhaul. I know it's not easy, but it should be done.
The changes I would like..
-Do away with windows completely. They're annoying to manage when you have two things at once
-Allow multiple code windows open at once, that AREN'T scripts
-Maximise everything on open, docked tabs with a list of everything opened.
-Changeable colors/images
-I'm not sure if this is coming with GM9 or not, but I'd like all assets to be saved as a folder/file structure, instead of a gm81 project file. It is in GM:HTML5, yeah?

[Big J]

I don't like the folder/file structure unless I am loading all my resources externally. I like everything in 1 file. However, that would be great as an option.

[Dangerous_Dave]

I don't like the folder/file structure unless I am loading all my resources externally. I like everything in 1 file. However, that would be great as an option.

GM HTML5 and GM Studio both use a folder/file format that makes it easier for multiple people to work on the same game at once.

It also includes the ability to export a GMZ file. You then send this file to your friend, and they open it using GM. Effectively, there is the best of both worlds.

[rucodemente]

Fortunately, YoYo developers are devoting their efforts to totally new capabilities and speed improvements. Not wasting their time on trivial changes to the IDE.

GM currently offers Simple or Advanced mode, Actions-icons or code. Let's hope they leave it at that.

I don't think this interface improvements are trivial nor unimportant... When you're working 8hr a day in a professional project you realize how this makes you lose a LOT of time, this is how I did come to this suggestion.

I do agree with you there are higher priorities now, but especially if they're targetting professional users, they really must pay attention to the program usability, or they will lose many potential users.

Why is the "option" to use Action Icons annoying to you? How does it make you less comfortable? You're free to ignore them, and use GML code.

Again, try making a game with pure code, 8hr a day with deathlines and all, and you'll notice how that is WAY annoying.

The real problem is the fact that the object-code editor is modal, so one cannot simply make a change to the code and run the game. They have to exit the code editor, and then run the game, then re-open the code editor and continue working. I get around this by putting 99% of my code in scripts... whether that code is re-used or not.

That's an interesting workaround, although certainly you'd also end up with lots of scripts and considering the current "resources tree" I'd rather not do that. Of course we could use scripts until that code part is done and won't need more editing, and then move them to a code window in the respective object/event.

[giga970]

I love the idea of seeing the code editor placed inside the right pane of the object automatically .

However, I think this should be based on a setting in preferences, not because of advanced mode.

(My Reasoning)

Simple mode doesn't include all the resource types available to Game Maker. (For those of us who've used advanced mode for so long may have forgotten this.) There are D&D users who I'm sure would like to take advantage of Fonts, Paths, and Timelines (as well as the additional Room properties tabs, modifying sprite masks, object inheritance, etc). Yes, a more advanced user would most likely be using code, but someone who is just maturing in D&D in Simple Mode should be able to experiment in his/her comfort zone with the added features of advanced mode, without forcing GML upon them.

Edited by giga970, 17 April 2012 - 08:11 AM.

[Big J]

Simple mode is stupid. Delete it.

[icymx]

Simple mode is stupid. Delete it.

For studio, yes. For GM9 I think Simple Mode should be kept, as it is one of the reasons GM caters for both beginners and advanced users.

I understand that D&D is still possible with Simple Mode, but still - when you are a beginner (or especially a young teenager just beginning to experiment with GM), Simple Mode keeps a lot of the confusing aspects of GM out and lets you focus on the simple stuff which is part of the reason behind why GM is so successful.

EDIT: typo

Edited by icymx, 17 April 2012 - 08:53 AM.

[Cakefish]

Optional but not mandatory.

I always keep GM in advanced mode yet still use D&D in parts of my games - I certainly don't exclusively use GML yet.

[Furritus]

code folding would is very helpful in any language

[Yal]

GM'81 gave us the ability to pick our default tab for the object editor, and after selecting Code as the default tab I've actually stopped counsciously noticing that I'm actually using DnD actions (I always right-click to instantly add the new code actions to the bottom of the Event when I want to add new code).

I think a code-only mode would be nice, but I actually like the current way you can split up your code in multiple code actions and then add a ///header comment to see what's inside that little icon.

[Overloaded]

In my opinion, in every event or object it should be a box to tick it. If it's unticked, there will be DnD actions. If it's ticked, there will be only coding.

Edited by D4RknEZz, 28 April 2012 - 01:39 PM.

[icuurd12b42]

In my opinion, in every event or object it should be a box to tick it. If it's unticked, there will be DnD actions. If it's ticked, there will be only coding.

I've seen a few of those... some are nice and others confusing. We had a topic on the subject here a while back and it turns out d&ds could be generated on the fly based on the code. In fact you could represent the code in anyway you want to... from d&d to flow charts.

[chance]

In my opinion, in every event or object it should be a box to tick it. If it's unticked, there will be DnD actions. If it's ticked, there will be only coding.

From a visual perspective, I can understand some users wanting to hide features they aren't using.

But to me personally, it seems rather pointless. And if I choose to use all code, the presence of those (unused) D&D tabs doesn't bother me. It's not like I have to click through lots of clutter to get the "code tab".

[rucodemente]

From a visual perspective, I can understand some users wanting to hide features they aren't using.

But to me personally, it seems rather pointless. And if I choose to use all code, the presence of those (unused) D&D tabs doesn't bother me. It's not like I have to click through lots of clutter to get the "code tab".

It's not the presence of them, but having lots of modal windows, and having to click so many things to access your code and edit it is a incredibly time consuming... and, again, when you work 8 hours a day on a game, you quickly realize how bad GM's interface is.