I have a problem that I’ve had for years, and I wondered if I foolishly have been missing something obvious. In a number of modules I’ve created, a player first builds a scenario and then later plays it. Building involves creating a map by laying out large landscape tiles with perhaps overlay pieces. After I’m done, I want to lock down this layout.
Currently I’m creating a personal solo version of Zombicide, and I do just that. I lay out these big landscape tiles, and I have a button that I push when done that hides all controls that only apply to building and not play. The one thing I can’t figure out how to do is make the tiles immovable. I wish I could set a property, say “moveable,” that controls that, but I don’t think I can.
Right now what I do is use do-not-stack to select those tiles with alt-left-mouse button so to minimize their accidental movement during play. I used to use control and shift, but it was a PITA because those keys add to a selection and not replace it, so I use alt, and I reassign the flare.
So am I missing something obvious? Having to use alt-selection to handle the landscape pieces is a pain.
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You could try using a ‘Replace with Other’ trait on each of the tiles and just duplicate the piece with the controls you want and add a ‘Does Not Stack’ set to never move. Then just have your button trigger all the tiles to be replaced with the adjusted tiles.
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That’s a really good idea. I never thought of it. Thanks.
If you want actual pieces to be your terrain, presumably you’re using Game Piece Layers in your map, so one other idea that occurs to me is a static piece in its own GPL above your terrain pieces but below all other pieces (units, markers, et al). This static piece would have no base image and a Layer with a level image that is entirely transparent but with dimensions big enough to cover your entire playing area.
Once a player is done setting terrain, a toolbar GKC could send a command to this transparent piece to activate the Layer. It ought to then work like a sheet of plexiglass that covers all the terrain pieces so you can’t select or interact with them. If a player needs to add/remove/shift terrain subsequently, you could disable the covering piece’s Layer to be able to “reach behind” it and select terrain again. If the game doesn’t require any adjustment after initial setup then this probably offers no advantage. But it could offer some more flexibility over the Replace with Other approach, which leaves only the undo feature as your recourse if a setup mistake is spotted later on (added too many, something’s in the wrong spot, etc).
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Another possibility is a side used only for the setup phase. Then you can use Restrict Access trait to prevent other sides from selecting or moving the pieces.
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Two more good ideas. I’m glad I asked.
I never considered putting a “glass sheet” above my landscape tiles, but that would work. I’ve been working on a module for solo Zombicide, and this would take care of the big square “board” tiles. I also have small tiles like doors that are above the big tiles, and I need to interact with those. I want them to be stationary, but I need to interact with them. DrNostromo’s idea would work for those.
Mark’s idea of assigning pieces to a non-playing side has merit too. I’ve actually considered it, but I never really pursued it. I seldom create mods with sides, especially for solo mods, and I wondered what would happen if I assigned a piece to a nonexistent side. Never got around to trying it. I’ll have to rethink that.
I’m going to derail my thread with another question. Is it possible to split a game between two modules? For example, suppose I worked on a collectible card game, and I created two modules. The first one would be used to create my deck. I would save the deck in a file. This module would be the builder/editor. The second module would be the Player. I would load the deck into this module solely to play the game. Is it possible? If so, what would it take to get it to work?
You could probably load the deck as a module extension. That’s what I do with my To Be King module.
I have extensions with different map layouts so that the map changes in every game. I use a separate module to create the map. I create an extension with the map graphic, load into the base module, place all the map’s assets, save the game and then include the saved game into the extension as a Pre-Defined Setup.
You may be able to do something similar.