Temporal Flux Feature Suggestions

[ZeaLitY]

Geiger has noted that in the coming weeks, he will have free time to work on Temporal Flux and create a release candidate that addresses current bugs and includes a new feature or two (time permitting). He hopes to release it by the end of the year. This thread's purpose is to take suggestions from forumers and Temporal Flux users concerning new features. What would you like to see in Temporal Flux? What have you had difficulty editing in the past? What could be made easier, and what utilities would you benefit from? This is your time to put suggestions forward for Geiger.

Let me first add a small disclaimer. There are obviously some things that will never be done for Super Nintendo emulation. Occasionally, someone asks in Kajar Laboratories if we can stick cut scenes or mp3s in ROMs; the plain answer is no. Also, Geiger already ranks certain areas of editing. For instance, graphical editing is last on the list for good reason. Geiger wrote a program capable of changing the events of the game to make a new adventure, something much more important than respriting Crono for a porn-themed text hack. Also, music editing is also a little down on the list. A Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past editor does let you play with the music in that game (as in writing new music), but it's very difficult and very "beta", if you know what I mean. The manhours involved for making something like that in Temporal Flux could be applied to something else much more conducive to rom hacking.

So let's get this started! What have you always wished for in Temporal Flux, and what can facilitate your current editing? This is your time to pick. Once a week has passed, a poll will be created listing all features. You will be able to vote for three. Time permitting, Geiger can integrate what we choose. Have at it!

[nightmare975]

I'd like if you would fix the rename issue on the location editor. I'm not sure if it's a bug or not, but when I rename a map, it likes to reset the map, even after I have saved.

EDIT: Plus, would it be possible to combine tile sets? Or add new ones?

[Chrono'99]

Are we supposed to propose only new features or can we ask for little tweaks of the interface? If it's the latter:

- A "Recently Opened Locations" menu would be very useful.

- In the Tile Properties menu, could the options that we can't select be grayed depending on what we set in each drop list? Sometimes, I set some properties and click on the map, but when I right-click back on the same tile, the settings are different, apparently because what I had set was not valid.

- About subtiles: instead of having to input values to set the subtiles of a tile, could we directly select them in the Subtile Swatch by clicking on them? If it's too troublesome to add this feature, could the value of a subtile be shown at the bottom right side of the screen when the mouse hovers over it in the subtile swatch?

- I don't know what exactly causes that, but sometimes after editing the events of some location, a bug causes the map music to be reset to Silence.

Those are quite precise suggestions, but I think it would make the hacking easier. Thanks for your attention and work.

[Kae]

As someone who's obsessed with getting the last detail of a map down just right, and thus editing the map many times, I'd love to see that music bug fixed -- you know, the one where if you alter the map it strips the music from it? That's incredibly irritating for me.

As for a feature I'd like implemented, I don't know how feasible it is, but if the option could be added in to not just lay whole tiles, but singular subtiles at a time, I'd be as happy as a clam, because that would add a lot of fine-tuning. Like I said though, I'm not sure how feasible that'd be, what with solidity and the Z-plane and all.

That all being said, working with TF is a breeze even now, when I compare to other ROM hacking programs. I applaud Geiger for all his hard work.

[Daid]

It's hard to think of somthing to add to somthing that is almost perfect.
I'd probably like an undo button if possible.

I can't think of much else. Temporal Flux is an incredible ROM Hacker and I glad that such a program has been created.
Keep up the good work!

[Dirtie]

Being able to dump tiles to PNG (as they are shown in the editor - not simply uncompressing the graphic data from the rom, that can be done already ), and possibly the ability to remove/hide duplicate tiles (there are a lot in some tilesets) in said tileset window.

[Chrono'99]

Being able to dump tiles to PNG (as they are shown in the editor - not simply uncompressing the graphic data from the rom, that can be done already ), and possibly the ability to remove/hide duplicate tiles (there are a lot in some tilesets) in said tileset window.

I'm not sure what tilesets you're refering to. Most of the "duplicate" tiles are actually different since they have a different Priority setting (very useful for layering and priorities).

[ZeaLitY]

My suggestions:

• Easier importing and exporting of maps, such as an option to overwrite a different map than the same slot of the map being imported or a copy / paste ability.
• A way to preview or approximate Chrono Trigger's text boxes for default font / a possible 8px font to avoid a lot of trial and error in making sure the lines aren't too long and don't cause errors.

I've tried to think of more, but Geiger has probably addressed my ideas already (such as naming a few of the OW event commands, and general tweaks like that).

[Geiger]

an option to overwrite a different map than the same slot of the map being imported

You should be able to do this now with any imported packet.  Just change the slot number when importing.  If that's not working, then some code is broken.  Or did you mean something else?

---T.Geiger

[ZeaLitY]

Okay; didn't know. That helps. For the copy / paste thing, my question is...lately, I've tried to use right click to copy certain tiles, switch maps, and then paste them. However, it takes a few times to copy the layers, solidity, and z-properties. If those could be copied all at once it'd save some time. Not that we're rehashing maps, but manually setting properties for staircases takes a while.

[Geiger]

I think Flux will copy properties if you are dealing with L1.  But copying all layers and properties at once is not something Flux will do at the moment.  Yeah, that would be a valid enchancement request. 

---T.Geiger

[nightmare975]

I agree with a simple undo button. I really hate srewing up and then having to revert back from what wasn't saved.

[but2002]

I know a way to give it an easier fell to use, You know if you want the thilesets look professional, yuou dont repeat the same tile over and over? You Use the seperate Tiles for the same effect  ( grass )?

Well why know add a "Click and Drag" feature, where all you have to do is click " grass" and select the area you want it, and It automatically tiles the tiles to the brother tiles too look right, and you can choose anotehr setting on which borders you want ( Shadows for the trees )?  Do you see what Im getting at?

[Chrono'99]

Would it be possible to correct the RenameEpoch bug? This command is not available to add in events, and the one which already exists (in Keeper's Dome) can't be copied or moved because TF gives an error message when you click on it.

[Zakyrus]

This may be a little far-fetched, but a palette editor would be really nice.
AI editor

Two things I would like to see fixed.
One, there is a glitch when selecting Layer 3 Options. If you change for example; the size of the location, layer 3 tiles vanish. This happens with other layer options aswell like addition/subtraction Full/Half.

Two, When exporting/importing tilesets. the tileset glitches when being imported into any other slot than the one it originated. Also, as mentioned above; a way to combine tilsets would be nice. (We are aware of palette issues.)