Dev Blog
Hi, this is the Stranded III development blog (see also Forum Thread, Comment Thread).
Entry 22 - Sprite Lua API & Interface Screenshots - November 16, 2014
Lua API
I started to write the documentation for the Lua API.
s3sprite Lua API Library
I didn't document much yet - only a few commands of that sprite library - but it's a start. Yes, you see that I'm using a "library"-approach in Straned III. All sprite (2D stuff) related commands will be in the "s3sprite"-library. All object related stuff in "s3o", some core functions in "s3core", you can get things like the screen size with "s3screen" and so on.
Please also note that the new dev page is of course super unfinished and I will work on it to increase the usability and to fix bugs. Please don't report any problems with that page because I'm almost certainly aware of them already.
Some Interface Screenshots
I also worked a bit on the user interface and I drew some icons:
I'm drawing all icons in a 128x128 pixel resolution - just in case. The actual sizes in-game are currently 16x16 and 32x32.
Here's a basic (unfinished) idea for the character / inventory. Nothing special, nothing fancy. It just works like in all the other games so you have no trouble to get used to it. I'm aware that the body slots on the left look like there's a crazy astronaut with a tophat who's planning to go to a masquerade ball...
The two slots with the locks are additional armor slots for the upper/lower body.
By the way: This is the meaning of the items in the top bar (from left to right):
Leave
Settings
Load
Save
Character (stats, skills, ...)
Inventory (and equipment)
Crafting
Map/Diary/Paper Stuff/Research?
Close
I'll probably add the most important vital stats directly to this bar so you don't have to open the character menu for them. I'm currently considering to show as few interface objects (when no menu is opened) as possible. So you probably won't see your character values (health, hunger, thirst, ...) permanently but only when there's a good reason to show them (like sudden significant changes or critical values). You will probably be able to control this in the settings though. Maybe this will also be somehow restricted by a difficulty level. Like a hardcore mode were you only know that you're hungry because you hear strange sounds from your stomach...
I'm planning to have maaany different items in Stranded III so having categories makes a lot of sense:
Oh and those bars: weight and capacity (the bars have random values on this shot). I have said something about this idea before I guess. The capacity is limited by the items you use to store your stuff (it's a "hard" limit, you can't exceed it). Each "container"-item has a capacity and an own inventory window. "container"-items have to be equipped. That's why there are shoulder slots. They exist to be able to equip bags/backpacks. The weight is limited by your strength in first instance. Some container-items might get damaged under too heavy weight though. The weight limit is a "soft" limit. You may exceed it but it will have very negative impacts on nearly everything you do (slower movement, less jumping, higher fall damage, faster increase of hunger/thirst, drowning? ...)
Okay. That's it for now!
I started to write the documentation for the Lua API.
s3sprite Lua API LibraryI didn't document much yet - only a few commands of that sprite library - but it's a start. Yes, you see that I'm using a "library"-approach in Straned III. All sprite (2D stuff) related commands will be in the "s3sprite"-library. All object related stuff in "s3o", some core functions in "s3core", you can get things like the screen size with "s3screen" and so on.
Please also note that the new dev page is of course super unfinished and I will work on it to increase the usability and to fix bugs. Please don't report any problems with that page because I'm almost certainly aware of them already.
Some Interface Screenshots
I also worked a bit on the user interface and I drew some icons:
I'm drawing all icons in a 128x128 pixel resolution - just in case. The actual sizes in-game are currently 16x16 and 32x32.
Here's a basic (unfinished) idea for the character / inventory. Nothing special, nothing fancy. It just works like in all the other games so you have no trouble to get used to it. I'm aware that the body slots on the left look like there's a crazy astronaut with a tophat who's planning to go to a masquerade ball...
The two slots with the locks are additional armor slots for the upper/lower body.
By the way: This is the meaning of the items in the top bar (from left to right):
Leave Settings Load Save Character (stats, skills, ...) Inventory (and equipment) Crafting Map/Diary/Paper Stuff/Research? CloseI'll probably add the most important vital stats directly to this bar so you don't have to open the character menu for them. I'm currently considering to show as few interface objects (when no menu is opened) as possible. So you probably won't see your character values (health, hunger, thirst, ...) permanently but only when there's a good reason to show them (like sudden significant changes or critical values). You will probably be able to control this in the settings though. Maybe this will also be somehow restricted by a difficulty level. Like a hardcore mode were you only know that you're hungry because you hear strange sounds from your stomach...
I'm planning to have maaany different items in Stranded III so having categories makes a lot of sense:
Oh and those bars: weight and capacity (the bars have random values on this shot). I have said something about this idea before I guess. The capacity is limited by the items you use to store your stuff (it's a "hard" limit, you can't exceed it). Each "container"-item has a capacity and an own inventory window. "container"-items have to be equipped. That's why there are shoulder slots. They exist to be able to equip bags/backpacks. The weight is limited by your strength in first instance. Some container-items might get damaged under too heavy weight though. The weight limit is a "soft" limit. You may exceed it but it will have very negative impacts on nearly everything you do (slower movement, less jumping, higher fall damage, faster increase of hunger/thirst, drowning? ...)
Okay. That's it for now!