#api for mods/ texture packs

10 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

thorn hazel
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it would be cool to be able to create mods for the game like for example adding custom levels.

empty zenith
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Custom levels are planned.

potent siren
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And already on the way of being made

thorn hazel
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welp, an api for mods might still have some uses

finite wasp
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What would that API include? A lot of the relevant stuff is compiled in the backend to machine code, so there is no easy way to create a generic modding API like you could create for Unity or pure godot games.

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  • custom levels are planned
  • texture packs I guess?
  • custom exporters ? Although these might be better as external programs instead of integrated into the game
  • custom execution backends?
  • custom builtin components? These are potentially very hard to do, on all sites
gusty citrus
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Check the thread in #development-branch-feedback starting around #development-branch-feedback message for Stuffe's latest information (beginning of this month-ish) and a bit of an idea of what he's planning

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As for Megalng's list of ideas:

  • Custom levels are of course the main point, so that's an obvious yes.
  • I'm not sure texture packs will be a thing for the same reason Stuffe has long resisted adding custom wire colors - it makes it annoying to share screenshots, especially with those who might have various visual impairments (such as color blindness). Maybe this will go somewhere if someone can come up with a solid enough argument, but I'm not holding my breath.
  • Custom exporters is maybe possible, but I think leaving it for external programs is a better idea. As long as the file format (well any future revisions to the format) remains published, there's not really much point to building that extra complexity into the game engine itself for the tiny fraction of the player base that would use it.
  • I'd be very surprised to see custom execution backends implemented. That has the potential to introduce just so many issues (especially sync issues with the server, which necessarily would not be running your custom backend), and again only a tiny fraction of the player base would ever care.
  • Custom builtin components seems even less likely than custom execution backends, as it has all the problems of changing out the backend but is also entirely unnecessary as custom components already exist. I'm sure somebody somewhere will eventually come up with something that's incredibly complex to implement as a CC while being near-trivial as a builtin (I don't know, SIMD instructions or something perhaps) but I don't see it being a particularly common problem, and the rare occasion it does crop up I think it'd be better here as a feature request so everyone gets to use it should Stuffe agree that its worthwhile.
finite wasp