Combine Layer and Can Rotate Button

Feature Requests
1

Hi
I have a big wish for a feature

it should be possible to combine the two buttons ‘Layer’ and ‘Rotate’
at the moment i have the problem to rotate two layers independently
(my account dont work, i wrote the question as herr lehmann)

e.g. a tank with turret
my actual game piece list order is
Layer Hull
Can Rotate
Layer Turret
Can Rotate

but the stupid thing is, the hull rotates with the turret
if it will be possible to allow a rotate move in the Layer button, this would be fixed
to show the turrets direction would be a possibility, but for a large amount of units not the best solution

maybe it should also be possible to link a Rotate button to two or more single layers to rotate only these at the same time

thx

2

On Jul 19, 2010, at 6:42 AM, derdiggeohl wrote:

Hi I have a big wish for a feature

it should be possible to combine the two buttons ‘Layer’ and ‘Rotate’
at the moment i have the problem to rotate two layers independently
(my account dont work, i wrote the question as herr lehmann)

e.g. a tank with tower
my actual game piece list order is
Layer Hull
Can Rotate
Layer Turret
Can Rotate

but the stupid thing is, the hull rotates with the turret

Well, one quick solution would be to switch Layer Hull and Layer
Turret in the list order:
Layer Turret
Can Rotate
Layer Hull
Can Rotate

This will cause the turret to rotate with the hull, so that is likely
to be a more intuitive action. It doesn’t solve the coupling problem,
but it does at least make the behavior seem reasonable and not stupid.

========

A second solution, which will work as long as you don’t need too many
directions (like if you could only rotate by 60� or 30� steps) would
be to not use rotation at all but instead just use a set of layers and
cycle through them.

That way the rotations would really be decoupled from each other. So,
if you had 6 different hull or turret directions, you would create an
image for each of those six and just switch between them to do the
rotation.

3

Well, one quick solution would be to switch Layer Hull and Layer Turret in
the list order:

Layer Turret
Can Rotate
Layer Hull
Can Rotate

However, the hull will now be drawn on top of the turret, so you won’t
actually see it.

If it’s a hex game, I think the solution is to have 6 layers – one for each
hull facing – and then have a rotating turret on top of that. However, you
will have to introduce additional triggers so that the turret actually does
follow the hull.

  • M.

Well, one quick solution would be to switch Layer Hull and Layer Turret in the list order:


�
Layer Turret

�Can Rotate

�Layer Hull

�Can Rotate


However, the hull will now be drawn on top of the turret, so you won’t actually see it.�

If it’s a hex game, I think the solution is to have 6 layers – one for each hull facing – and then have a rotating turret on top of that.� However, you will have to introduce additional triggers so that the turret actually does follow the hull.


- M.

4

oh sorry my false
my turret IS above the hull, and my actuall solution works but its stupid.
you move the unit and whether you rotate the turret the hull rotates too. the last turn is so turn the hull back in previous direction.

i tried also a circle under the unit with a line to show visual where the hull is in line with, but that looks poor.

the solution with different layer for the turret will work, but its a lot of work for all the units i imagine vor the module

working with triggers is something i havent got a clue about. unfortunately i havent got a tutorial about using triggers and by reading the instruction/help file I can’t make head or tail of it.

sorry the pictures look a bit poor too :confused:

p.s. it will not be a hex game but a free tabletop

5

Try something generic symbol wise like your 2nd pic - a coverage arc and use your prototypes. Will save a lot of work

6

I’ve already done what you want with the “Turret Mod” extension for MBT. Check it out.

Rich.

7

the arc is under the hull in the list. so its possible to work intuitive.
first turn the hull, second turn the arc which is a symbol for the turret
it would be solving my problem, if i could have the turret layer under the hull layer in list, but shown above its like the drawing order in photoshop…
unfortunately i cant make the turret as a prototyp, cause every unit has a different turret

can download the MBT-Module but not the Turret Mod extension.
in the basic mod you have an extra token for the turret, did you mean that?
think that works with a hex map but not with a freely

another great feature would be to import animated gif datas
e.g. for explosions
or with a checkbox in the edit panel to allow that
every picture of the gif sequence is a pictre for the single piece levels

8

Here’s the MBT Extension:

http://www.mediafire.com/?ml49b3b69lun4su

Rich.

9

thanks for the link.
i watched at your expansion and assumed it to my module, but a little bit simpler without triggers. there are no need for triggers in my case

here you can see my progress

like bevore i have the arc to show the real line to the target. the turret is a layer with different angles, but you can only adjust it very rude to the target.
after all this work i will retry my wish:
Please, please, please - integrate a rotate butten directly in the layer command

i need 12 pictures for the turret and at least 2 more for the whole unit. this is too much.
(at the moment i plan with about 50 units, but by adding more countries and scenes there will be much more)
with this litte command it will safe so much work and time
furthermore its less complicated to find the right offset.

thanks for your answers buddies
feel free to tell me more solutions if you come up with
and of course your opinion for my solution