Since we last updated, you’ve asked for a lot of need-to-have features for CodeCombat, and we’ve been hard at work making them. How hard? This hard:
Nick discusses the epic 120-hour hacking week in detail on his blog.
Here’s what’s new in the past couple weeks:
For Adventurers
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New, completely redesigned spell editor. With so much new stuff--currently-executing-line markers, more robust error message display, new spell-switching UI, an improved cast button, and 31 bugfixes--a lot has changed, so we need your feedback on this one!
Camera control. You can now pan and zoom by clicking and scrolling, so no more offscreen-Tharin woes. (Much larger levels are now in the works…)
Easy unit selection menu. Lost your guy with the code? Easily find him again with one click from your minion list.
Automatic fast-forwarding. When you leave the level playing and change the code, it’ll now fast-forward to the first changed frame, not playing the whole beginning part again.
New level: Hunter Triplets. We overhauled how shared methods work and now Hunter Triplets, the first level in the non-beginner campaign, is ready for action. Control Max, Jax, and Dax with one shared spell!
For Artisans
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Live-coding Systems in the level editor. Now not only the Thangs and Components, but also the Systems, of the CodeCombat Thang-Component-System game engine are all live-codable and reconfigurable as you design your levels.
New camera control. With new letterboxing support, zooming/panning/bounds control, and easy point, region, and viewport selectors, you can give your level that cinematic cutscene flare it deserves!
Level state memory. Tinkering with scripts? Don’t restart your level! CodeCombat now remembers all your level editing state, so just adjust the scripts and check the updated live preview.
Pathfinding! Not only does CodeCombat support A*-based pathfinding with the ai.Pathfinds Component and the AI System, but it also dynamically generates rectangular navigation meshes from your levels, so it’s one click to turn it on for each Thang you want to use pathfinding.
Configurable victory conditions. Instead of ending the level when all the humans or ogres die, you can now end it when any goal is completed. And you can now have hidden goals and how-many goals.
Intense battle music tracks. The latest compositions from our composer José Antonini are in, and they are epic. Check them out via the level editor, and don’t use them until the fate of kingdoms is at stake!
General Upgrades
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Internet Explore 9-11 support. This was tough! Give it a whirl and let us know how it goes.
Big performance upgrades for large levels, static sprites, and levels with many walls. We’re getting closer to being able to do epic battles within CodeCombat:
Coming Soon
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Thang Editor with all-vector art. Want to add your own sprites to CodeCombat? Want to zoom in and see the whites of their eyes in battle? Soon!
Tons of new sprites. We’re about to double our playable unit count with new units like the archer, the shaman, the peasant, and many more, courtesy of our artists over at RetroStyle Games.
Much smarter autocast. Your biggest complaint was how frustrating autocast can be when your spells casts before you’re ready. We’ve got some big improvements here we can’t wait to implement.
Cookin’ up more levels. With those level editor upgrades done, we’re putting the finishing touches on Rescue Mission, Taunt the Guards, Break the Prison, and It’s A Trap. Adventurers, we’ll need you soon!
Internationalization is almost ready. Soon it’ll be time for CodeCombat in as many languages as we have Diplomats.
Get Involved
CodeCombat is a community project and needs your help, so if you want the world to know how much fun programming can be, then check out the /contribute page to see how you can lend a hand. We especially need more Adventurers to help play new levels. Thanks!