EUCLiD - the thing you've all been wating for!

[Pilchard123]

(click to show/hide)

LAYDEEEZ AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS OF ALL AGES! COME AND SEE THE WONDROUS WONDER THAT IS

EUCLiD!

Yes, that's right, it's an acronym! But what does it stand for? I'll tell you!

Some of you may have noticed that I've been acting ever so slightly weird for a few days, but maybe not, because I'm only the new guy! I've said things like

I can't really test it, I'm working on...other things right now. <conspiracy>

What were the other things? EUCLiD!

I've just worked out what the error message means - I was using UTF-8 encoding, not ANSI. Why I didn't check that, I don't know.

Why was it UTF-8? EUCLiD! and my stupidity....

Others may remember DAFT, the Dyson Asteroid Field Editor! Well, I've gone one better, and present to you EUCLiD - the Eufloria Universe Creator Like DAFT!

"What can it do?", you ask! "Why do I want it? How does it work? And why, just why is he talking like that?"

The last one I'll answer now: I don't know, so I'll stop. It's tiring, and my throat hurts.

As for the first ones, in order - It makes maps for Eufloria. It lets you make maps even if you know nothing about coding. And it's a bunch of boxes and buttons that you type in and it spits out perfect(ish) code for you!

I'm trying to reboot EUCLiD, with the following features planned:
Saving levels in development - Save levels while you go and eat or sleep or...stuff.
Editing non-EUCLiD maps - I think I know how to make it read maps and re-write them as a EUCLiD-made map.
Map optimser - Moves the map to a central position so that the used memory is a small as possible.
Empire Creator - Change the values of the AI attributes to your taste, and save them as a prefabricated AI.
Optional visual editor - It'd be easier to use, I think.
More things to change - Obvious, really. You can't do much as EUCLiD stands at the moment.
Multiple windows - Global variables in one window, asteroid variables in another, what the map looks like in another. Possibly a code display too.
More win conditions - At the moment, the only way to win a level is to capture all the planets, and the only way to lose is to lose all yours - it's hard coded into the editor. I want to add more variety.
Annikk mode - A box to put custom code in.
Gravity/IAI/Collision engine functionality- I really want to do this, but it may be a little hard to do. Annikk's template should help though.
Simpler behind-the-scenes code - You won't notice this, but I will. The code that runs this is ugly beyond belief.


While the currently available release is somwhat old, it does work, so you can download it below.

Download it now! (instructions, bug lists, FAQs, planned features to follow) I have not knowingly written any malicious code into it. It creates one file apart from levels, in your 'My documents' folder, called config.txt, and all that does if hold your save path, so you don't have to do it every time it starts up.

Download thread here

[Pilchard123]

BUG LIST\WARNINGS

WARNINGS

DO NOT enter text in any field except the level name field. It. Will. Break.
I'm working on a fix\prevention.

It is possible to create horribly unfair\impossible levels. It won't crash anything, but it's a bad idea.

In order to create a new level from scratch, is is necessary to close and reopen EUCLiD, otherwise you get all of the asteroids that you made in the previous level added to the next one. To reiterate - If you want to make two levels in a row, you must close, then reopen EUCLiD to make the second one properly.
BUGS

Sometimes the check for the size of the asteroid will always say that it is too small. (<=0) I'm working on a fix and a backup\reload system. For now though, just build the level, and close EUCLiD. You'll have to finish the level 'by hand', but it's better than losing it all. EUCLiD should work again the next time you start it up.

The check for a too-small speed value (<=0) always returns true. I have no idea why, looking into it. For now, it's disabled and it is possible to enter a negative speed.

[Pilchard123]

INSTRUCTIONS

Download, Unzip and install. There should be a folder in your Start menu called EUCLiD. This is how to open the program, if you want you can make a desktop shortcut, too.

On the first opening of EUCLiD, a window will appear, asking you to choose a save path. This should be where you want to save the levels to. When you click on OK, a small text file will be created in 'My Documents' folder, all it does is record the path you chose. This path can be changed at a later date by clicking the 'Change' button at the top of the screen.

The top box contains a few global variables that can be changed: the minimum number of enemy empires, the maximum number of enemy empires, whether flowers can grow, and the minimum distance between asteroids. Minimum separation is not a necessary field, but can be filled in if you want.

Once you have set these, click 'Check for Errors'. Fix any errors that appear and click check again. If it's all A-OK, click accept.

To create asteroids, fill in the fields, and click 'check for errors'.  Fix any errors that appear, and check again. This will create a basic asteroid with the attributes you gave it, and enables you to add trees and seedlings.

To add trees, choose the type of tree you want to add, then click 'Add Tree'. This will add a tree with the root pre-grown, but you can level it up if you want, by clicking 'Grow Tree'.

To add seedlings, enter the number of seedlings to add, then click on 'Add Seeds'.

When you have finished setting up your asteroid, click 'Add Asteroid'. This add it to the code, and allows you to make another one.

When you're completely done, click 'Build'. Your level is now written to a .LUA file and is ready to play!

A more detailed description of exactly what each setting does if on the way, but not just yet.

[Pilchard123]

FAQs

Just a few preemptive Q&As:

Q: Is it a virus/spyware/trojan/adware/worm/insert-other-malware-type-here?
A: Nope.

Q:DAFT could only save as a .txt file. Can this save as .lua?
A:Yes. And it's encoded right too, which took longer to sort than you might think.

Q:Is there going to be a <insert-feature-here>?
A:Possibly. It all depends on how much time I have and if it's possible/I know how to do it. This was actually a practice project for Visual Basic. I knew nothing two weeks ago, and thought I'd like to learn and make something people can actually use. Post it in this thread, and I might do it, if I can.

More to come if people ask questions.

[Pilchard123]

POSSIBLE NEW FEATURES

Optional visual editor - It'd be easier to use, I think.
More things to change - Obvious, really. You can't do much as EUCLiD stands at the moment.
Multiple windows - Global variables in one window, asteroid variables in another, what the map looks like in another. Possibly a code display too.
More win conditions - At the moment, the only way to win a level is to capture all the planets, and the only way to lose is to lose all yours - it's hard coded into the editor. I want to add more variety.
Special stuff creator\Annikk mode - A box to put custom code in.
Gravity engine functionality- I really want to do this, but it may be a little hard to do. Annikk's template should help though.
AI creator - Something else I really want to do, but just don't know how to start.
Simpler behind-the-scenes code - You won't notice this, but I will. The code that runs this is ugly beyond belief.
Idiot-proofing - There's a few things that I want to make less breakable, like accepting the global variables enables the asteroid creator, etc.

[Alex]

holy cupcakes

[annikk.exe]

Wow.

Nice effort dude!
Will have to check this out sometime... as soon as I'm done scraping all the paint off my hands, face, hair... etc...

[Rudolf]

BUG LIST\WARNINGS

WARNINGS

DO NOT enter text in any field except the level name field. It. Will. Break.
I'm working on a fix\prevention.

It is possible to create horribly broken levels, for instance by clicking 'Build' before anything else, or just horribly unfair\impossible levels. It won't crash anything, I think, but it's a bad idea.

BUGS



Sometimes the check for the size of the asteroid will always say that it is too small. (<=0) I'm working on a fix and a backup\reload system. For now though, just build the level, and close EUCLiD. You'll have to finish the level 'by hand', but it's better than losing it all. EUCLiD should work again the next time you start it up.

The check for a too-small speed value (<=0) always returns true. I have no idea why, looking into it. For now, it's disabled and it is possible to enter a negative speed.

Awesome. :-D  This is like Christmas yet again with all the great stuff you lot are making!

[AWS]

hm....verrrrry interesting indeed.
ill keep my eye on this one.
the last thing i want to do though is download a map maker that does a better job then my hand coded stuff...

...im cautiously intrigued...

 

[annikk.exe]

This is a great idea but I sincerely doubt it will ever be able to match "hand-coded" stuff.  So there is still a point to learning the code itself.  :>

This level editor might mean we get loads of new custom maps though... which would be awesome - even if they aren't very exotic, moar maps is good.  :>

[threephi]

Damn... Norton AV flagged euclid.exe as a bad file and deleted it on execution... gotta set my permissions now... it's kosher right

[annikk.exe]

Norton is a bit of a weak AntiVirus product these days.  It's probably just a false positive.  (I haven't checked it yet)

Incidentally, Kaspersky Internet Security is what I use on my PC, and on all my clients' PCs.  :>  I would recommend it.

[Bonobo]

OK, mebbe I should keep out of such discussions since I’m mainly a Mac user (and I know exactly why, having worked and taught on more operating systems in the past 25 years than I have fingers on my hands) and therefore experience extremely few of those dangers. But … after having tried out a few AV tools for windows, I stumbled over Microsoft Security Essentials, and I really mean stumbled over it since I got the impression that MS doesn’t propagate it enough, and many people I talked to don’t even know that it exists.

Anyway, I get the feeling that this is one exceptionally good program coming from Microsoft (besides Solitaire and Minesweeper ), and it found quite a few viruses on different media, could be that one doesn’t need anything else. But as said, I am not really an expert for Windows. And when using Windows (gotta wash my hands after this post ) I guess I am quite careful already, knowing of those dangers.

[Pilchard123]

Threephi - yes, it's kosher, or at least not deliberately dangerous.

[Rudolf]

This is a great idea but I sincerely doubt it will ever be able to match "hand-coded" stuff.  So there is still a point to learning the code itself.  :>

This level editor might mean we get loads of new custom maps though... which would be awesome - even if they aren't very exotic, moar maps is good.  :>

It should be easy to expand on though in oder to add more flexibility.
Things that would help:

Ability to define multiple rings
Ability to leave asteroid atttributes undefined and therefore procedural
Expose more global variables

[threephi]

Threephi - yes, it's kosher, or at least not deliberately dangerous.

I had no doubt 

It got flagged by the heuristic module for the simple reason that it's a home-brewed executable for which there is no track record.  I put it on the white list and it installed fine.

Norton AV isn't the hog it used to be, it's quite good these days IMO.  And FWIW I have used windows OS's for about 15 years and I can count on two fingers the number of times my computers have been infected with malware.  We all know that Mac's never get viruses, never crash, and emit rainbows with unicorns riding on them.

[Bonobo]

Yeah, Threepi, I simply love those rainbows Only here are no unicorns but, oddly, platypuses with propeller beanies. No idea how this could happen.

[annikk.exe]

Guess we would have to agree to disagree regarding Norton, then... :>

Although, anything is better than McAfee..

[AWS]

AVG all the way!

[Pilchard123]

On a more on-topic note, I am still working on the next release, but I'm completely re-creating it. It'll be more (for want of a better word) modular, so I can add stuff to it more easily. At the moment, the next one will have pretty much the same functionality as the current one, but be quicker to update.

[Pilchard123]

Development of EUCLiD is still in progress, but at a somewhat slower pace. First, an build error made it impossible to, well, build, and I don't know how to fix it. So, after deleteing that and starting over, I found I had also deleted all my notes on how to use multiple forms at the same time. Yay.

Now, I seem to have a working version, but Real Life is happening, so...yeah. In short:

I AM STILL DEVELOPING EUCLiD, BUT DON'T EXPECT IT ANY TIME SOON. Knowing what happens when I say that, it'll be done by next Thursday. But don't bet on it.

[Bonobo]

I like your humour

[Pilchard123]

If you mean my sig, that's not me, if you mean something else, thanks.

[Bonobo]

Nah, the signature quote I've read before (but that you chose that one also says something about your humour ).

I meant this: "Knowing what happens when I say that, it'll be done by next Thursday." Something ... with insight, with self-irony.

[Terrial]

Hey Pilchard, to fix the problem with no text in the fields, as I'm assuming you only want numbers use this: IsNumeric  to stop text in a text box where you want only numbers.  For instance:

Code: [Select]

If IsNumeric(textboxName) then
    thisvalue = Convert.toDecimal(textboxName.text)
else
    Messagebox.show("NO TEXT, ONLY NUMBERS BRAH", "TOTALLY AWEOMSE LEVEL EDITOR")
end if
edit: I'm actully going to use that code for mine too! lol

[Pilchard123]

Which version is that? I'm using VB2008, and your

Convert.toDecimal(value) should be CDbl(value),

and

Messagebox.show(text) should be MsgBox(text)

at least in VB2008, but if you're using 2010, or 6 or something, that would explain it.

Anyway, I'm using try-catch now, but thanks, I'll look into IsNumeric when I get a chance.

[Terrial]

yeah, I'm using 2003.  the isnumeric should work, and the messagebox i just always type that out by habit, it works either way.  and VB has SO many different ways to convert variable types, I just used one of those long winded typed out ones haha.

[Rudolf]

I know you don't want to add a graphical editor, but have you considered a bunch of basic shapes that people can choose from? That would not require much extra tbh and would let people choose between things like a circular map, an irregular asteroid field with arms, or just a mass of asteroids, and so on. There are templates for these available just by looking at the standard levels and loading their asteroid placement data as a template. You can even add some variables for them within reason.

[Pilchard123]

I think that I can make, if not a visual editor, a map preview window.


It could possibly be turned into a very simple visual editor with a bit of work, maybe, but it probably wouldn't be fantastic.

[Jeheace]

I would love to see a working visual map builder for Eufloria!

It's true, that most times hand crafted goods are better than ones popped out of a factory, but for some of us who haven't done much coding to begin with (or just to busy/lazy to learn like me) this would be a way for us to make maps to challenge our friends with.

Home made cheese cake vs. store cheese cake?

[dragoonreas]

I just started making my first Eufloria map a couple of days ago, but considering all 40 of the asteroids in the map are procedurally generated (and all but one asteroid will be moving around during play) I obviously can't use use EUCLiD or IDemon's Online Map Maker Flowar (although that's still in development at the moment anyway).

I ended up using a Mac program call Quartz Composer to design the layout and logic for the level and just translated the JavaScript to Lua Script which seems to have worked ok. Despite the (manual) translation process between scripting languages, it still seems to be faster than any other method I've seen described here due to being able to make changes to the code in real time and have it instantly updated in the viewer.

I actually had an idea today on how to make a visual editor in Eufloria itself, but there's one thing I need to check first to see if it can be done.

EDIT: Yes, it is possible to make a visual level editor in Eufloria. See my post here to find out what the final piece of the puzzle was.

[Pilchard123]

I would quite like to start this up again. Don't expect it to be quick, I'm completely restarting.

Since what was possibly an opportunity to start programming classes at college didn't happen, I want to get some practice another way.

[Bonobo]

[..] Don't expect it to be quick [..]

Nah, but fast

Greetz, Tom

[Pilchard123]

I just realised that i missed the whole point of why I wanted to post that - I forgot to ask what people wanted it to do!

While the first one served its purpose - that of helping me learn VB.NET - it didn't really do much. This one I want to have more functionality.


So what do people want? Anything sensible will be considered.

Planned so far, in no particular order:
Saving levels in development - Save levels while you go and eat or sleep or...stuff.
Editing non-EUCLiD maps - I think I know how to make it read maps and re-write them as a EUCLiD-made map.
Map optimser - Moves the map to a central position so that the used memory is a small as possible.
Empire Creator - Change the values of the AI attributes to your taste, and save them as a prefabricated AI.
Optional visual editor - It'd be easier to use, I think.
More things to change - Obvious, really. You can't do much as EUCLiD stands at the moment.
Multiple windows - Global variables in one window, asteroid variables in another, what the map looks like in another. Possibly a code display too.
More win conditions - At the moment, the only way to win a level is to capture all the planets, and the only way to lose is to lose all yours - it's hard coded into the editor. I want to add more variety.
Annikk mode - A box to put custom code in.
Gravity/IAI/Collision engine functionality- I really want to do this, but it may be a little hard to do. Annikk's template should help though.
Simpler behind-the-scenes code - You won't notice this, but I will. The code that runs this is ugly beyond belief.

[Pilchard123]

Agh! After ages of searching for an error in the code I finally found it; it was really obvious.

Code: (VB.NET 2010, MS form style) [Select]


 BlindLabel.Text = BlindBar.Value / 100
 ExpandBlind = "Haste: " & (BlindBar.Value / 100)


Trying to convert a string containing letters to a single-precision decimal isn't a good idea...

[Pilchard123]

Right - that's the empire creator done! For what I thought was going to be the easiest of the lot, it turned out to be a right monster. I dread to think what the rest will be like. I won't release it as it does nothing useful as yet, just saves a list of numbers to refer to later.

Anyway, this is still happening, I just havent said much because there wasn't much to say.

Screeny attached.

[Pilchard123]

Ay, I hate to be doing this so slowly. EUCLiD is still crawling along, barely anything has happened since my last post - xams and all that.

HOWEVER!

I may have a good boost to productivity in the future. I've been told that I can take those programming classes this year, instead of last year, just not for as long, so I'll be doing VB stuff anyway. Also, there's (I think) a part of the course that says that I have to make something that isn't just an exercise - I would think EUCLiD would fit that well enough, particularly if A&R were to 'ask' me to do it. (I'd prolly do it anyway). If that doesn't work out, I've got a project that's been made compulsory for everyone at my college, and according to my tutor, it may be possible to use EUCLiD for that.

On a related note: A large reason I took the classes I did was to avoid coursework (computing classes notwithstanding, that's interesting coursework). And now they drop a 100% coursework subject on us all. Yay.

[Aino]

How's the coding going? I'd like this if it has an in-game viewer and a coding window

Anyways, great job

[Pilchard123]

Pffft. Gonna try this in Java. Is that a really bad idea or not?

[Aino]

It's not, Java I think is also compatible with Mac and stuff

It gives no big difference, as far as I cans ee

[Bonobo]

Compatible with Mac is always a good idea

[Pilchard123]

If you came here from the "what are you working on?" thread, you know all this stuff anyway, but below is what I posted there anyway:

(click to show/hide)

EUCLiD news! I'm starting to work on it as soon as I have a chance. First, though, I've got to get requirements from the end user - that's where you come in. If you could post ideas/requests for features (sensible please, not "WOO MAEK IT FLY AN BAKE A CAK IMMA TROLL") in the EUCLiD thread, that would be a really big help. I know you've all kinda said what you'd like before, but I just really want them consolidated for the evidence that I have to produce. Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to make it Mac compatable just yet, I don't have the time to learn a language that insn't Windows-only before the deadline.

So, have at it.

[Aino]

Well, it would be really awesome to have a map displayer, so after you've added you you can see how it fits to the map

Also a coding window compatible with lua(highlighting lua scripts) would be great!

[Pilchard123]

Y'know, I might just scream. Now I've been told that EUCLiD in not usable for my EPQ. However, learning a new language (new paradigm, preferably too) is good for it. So...EUCLiD is back on the back burner. Again. I might write it in a Mac-compatible language when I do get a chance. Stand down with ideas.

[Aino]

Bummer? :/