Version 5.12 [LATEST]

[James]

I just released version 5.12. By far the best change is more efficient object handling by enumeration - no more string comparison for events. You can read about it here: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=222

If you use any function in your game which required the object name in quotes, that will need changing so that there are no quotes. As an example:

Code: Select all

Create_Object(Object_1, 0, false, 32, 40);

Also, the .Name property of an instance is also scrapped! Use that and you will get compile errors. The new property is now .EName which is a u8. You can work out if an object is a ball by doing:

Code: Select all

If Instances[0].EName = Ball

End If

Eventually I will do the same for sprites to further improve the game speed. Here are the full changes:

Changes & Fixes

• Fixed 'Duplicate Object' functionality'
• You can use a small display for the actions list. See 'Options'
• Majorly improved game efficiency by enumerating object identifiers! There may be many compile errors with your project unfortunately because of this.

Minor Tweaks

• Removed 'Duplicate Event' functionality on the right-click menu
• List of Scripts for a 'Script' argument in an action does not contain ,1 or ,0 at the end of each item
• Removed the 'Add Path' button for now
• Removed the redundant 'Eternium' font
• 'Not Equal to' is available as a comparator.

Dynamic BASic

• Spaces at the end of lines are trimmed to avoid parsing mistakes (type being 'Integer ' and not recognized for example).

Download it here: http://dsgamemaker.com/downloads/Install512.exe

[Jason]

One thing I have found so far,
You said you removed the 'Add Path' button from DSGM for now, yet the folder icon under rooms is still there so you can still simply right click and click add path. This isn't really a threat seeing as paths do nothing at the current moment.

[bksonic]

Good release, particularly with the .EName variable.

Edit: I do wish you would bring back the ability to set the dimensions of a sprite with the parameters on the left (they seem to have disappeared).

[WinterAce]

This error is particular to 5.12, hence I posted it here. I updated to 5.12 today, and I get an error on compiling a blank project. This did not happen before I updated.

I just got back to working on my game after 3 weeks, and this appears...

[WinterAce]

Sorry for the bump, but I cannot compile anything. Help please...

[cilein]

Add an object to the project and compile, that or a sprite - I got the same but adding something to the project allows compile

[WinterAce]

That explains the ObjectEnums I was thinking about! Thanks Cilein! :D

[cilein]

Pas de probleme

[RedLink]

Just downloaded it, it´s a lot much easier to use than 4.9.

[Nobody]

How much better is it compared to 5.11?

[Bobbyloujo]

Changes & Fixes

• Fixed 'Duplicate Object' functionality'

Minor Tweaks

• Removed 'Duplicate Event' functionality on the right-click menu

So you fixed it by removing it?

[Thungbard]

Perhaps you should read a bit more carefully.

* Fixed 'Duplicate Object' functionality
* Removed 'Duplicate Event' functionality

Since each object can only have 1 of each Event, such as a Create Event, it never made any sense to be able to duplicate an event within an object.

[Bobbyloujo]

Oh, sorry.

[icedaddy]

I've not had time to get back to my DS projects yet but the latest changes to DSGM do sound good. However, as you say James, there are potential compatibility issues with pojects created with previous versions of DSGM. I do not advocate that maintaining backward compatibility is essential for DSGM as the effort required to do so would not be worthwhile. But there are some simple things that could be done to assist the users with compatibility issues when upgrading. The simplest, and in my opinion an essential, thing to do is to record in the .dsgm project file the DSGM version used to create the project. DSGM should check this version code upon loading a project and, at the very least, warn the user of potential compatibility issues, causes and remedies. Of course you could do a lot more than just displaying a warning but that would add a lot more development effort on your part which I think would not be worth it.

[Thungbard]

but the latest changes to DSGM do sound good.

I disagree. The main change was switching to enumeration which is useless when you can't accomplish the simplest of tasks yet. It's like upgrading the engine in your car but never installing tires. Sure it potential goes faster, but until someone invents tires we'll never know.

DSGM Changes will sound good when James says 'Now you can do everything you used to be able to do in version 4.9 in version 5.35' Which at our current pace may be the version when it actually happens.

When you can't do the simplest of things like using your own fonts, creating save/load states, declaring 2 dimensional arrays, declaring object instance scoped variables, etc. It's hard to call the version good. Currently it is impossible to make anything worth playing using version 5.

[JanMulder]

I completely agree with Thungbard.

I'm sorry to say James, but I think you should work on DSGM first before you start a new project like that HTML5 game player thingy.

Anyway, I think James has been really busy past weeks for he isn't online very much and he doesn't respond to the e-mail I sent him.

[icedaddy]

I am not defending 5.x and I'm going to get into an argument with you Thungbard about the relative strengths and weaknesses of DSGM 4.9 and 5.x (I have little experience of 4.9 and so do not consider myself adequately qualified to compare the two). However, I have made several very good games with 5.x (maybe the same results could have been achieved easier/better with 4.9 - I don't know).

I do however appreciate your frustration with changes to usage and functionality that inevitably accompany a major upgrade (as I understand it was effectively a rewrite in the case from 4.9 to 5.0). But that's life, if you like 4.9 better than why not stick with that?

You do make some valid points on useful functionality. Loading and saving is a Pro feature I believe and object scoped variables has been raised but I think is low on the priority list. Other things like loading fonts and data structures (like 2D array) should all be achievable, if you don't mind getting dirty hands, with the 'include a header file' feature introduced a few releases back.

There are a lot of features that could (and arguably should) be included in DSGM 5.x. James has been pretty responsive to feature requests in the past, although it does look (as JanMulder says) that he is working on something else now. If the effort is not put into developing 5.x to surpass the functionality of 4.9 then it will surely die pretty quickly.

[Thungbard]

Loading and saving is a Pro feature I believe

Loading and Saving blocks of text for things like storing dialogue and such is a Pro Feature. Loading and Saving Numbers such as High Scores and other Values of Variables is not accomplishable even with the Pro Features.

If the effort is not put into developing 5.x to surpass the functionality of 4.9 then it will surely die pretty quickly.

How quick of a death would you quantify that effort is not put into developing 5.x to surpass 4.9 Functionality? In roughly 3 Months the activity on the forum has dropped to around 1/4 of what it was before James announced he's no longer going to be supporting version 4.9, and it just keeps slowing down each week.

Don't get me wrong, 4.9 wasn't excellent it had several problems but at least you could perform practically all game making concepts moderately easily, 5.X certainly has the potential to be great but the problem is it has an identity crisis and does nothing remarkably well.

[JanMulder]

Loading and Saving Numbers such as High Scores and other Values of Variables is not accomplishable even with the Pro Features.

I think this can definitely be done, but not in an easy way.

James has made DSGM 5 so that everything that's in the actions works, but it's hard to go any further than that.

[icedaddy]

In roughly 3 Months the activity on the forum has dropped to around 1/4 of what it was before James announced he's no longer going to be supporting version 4.9, and it just keeps slowing down each week.

I totally agree with you. Although I have not been active myself on the forum for the last couple of months I have noticed this haemorrhaging of users also.

Woe the end is nigh. Only James can save us now! Let's hope he puts on his tights and cape and gets back on the case