ZC [2.future] Development Plans [To-Do]

[ZoriaRPG]

Zelda Classic (Viewer)

Zelda Classic:General

• Integrate the agfont library, adding TTF support to ZC.
• Allow editing ag.cfg via GUI/menus, using ZC.'
• Allow reading from allegro.log, or some kind of external file.
  
  • If another external file, then ZScript will need to be able to write to it.
  • We could probably build this into a TCP/IP communications stack, for strategy games.

General

General::Quest, Save

• Save datum carryover between numbered quests.
• Fix combos that only work on layer 0, to work on higher layers, adding any ZScript components that we may need.
• Improved sideview mode.

General::Flags

• Add Flag (Explosion Trigger ( combos that are triggered by contact with LW_EXPLOSION).
• Add: EWeapon trigger flags.

General::Misc

• Add 2-player, support, and multiple input device support.
• Potentially find a way to solve the need to make fresh saves when changing vars, or arrays.
  
• Add internal version detection, and reporting (when loading/playing a quest).
• Change ffc loading from absolute (all screens, all DMaps at the start of the game), to a pre-emptive loading; else allow reading, and running ffcs on other screens.
• Other ffc changes/improvements.
• Allow 8-bit icons, and improvements to save slot/name entry/display.
• Allow changing some system hardcoded colours, such as shoppe rupee prices, and death animation red flash.
• Push all game save data to another quest file, for sequel support.
  
• Fix large Link hitbox in sideview.
• Global (not screen-based) script-executing objects, like FFCs, but without ffc properties.
• Fix scaling 8-bit tiles/sprites, and such. At present, their colours are ruined when downsized.
• Might need to fix up-sizing 8-bit, too?
  
• Possibly allow higher resolution sprites, via scaling? Can we do this if we double the screen size, and pixel ratio?
• Find out why counter values, that are supposed unsigned ints, behave as signed ints; and fix rollover.
• Possibly convert counters to be signed longs.
• Make x/y/z coordinates floating point values, so that it is possible to increment/decrement them in fractional units of pixels. Note that they would still be floored when drawn, but it will be possible to store a coordinate value of 10.023, for example, which would be drawn as 10.
• Sideview slope (diagonal movement) combos.
• Add 'Sideview' DMap flag, for sideview quests, so that it is not mandatory to set this on a per-screen basis.
• Add subscreen object 'Equip/Unequip'

External

Quest-template::Gameboy

• Include a Gameboy quest template that includes most, or all of the content belonging to Link's Awakening, and the Oracle games, so that users may build similar quests without the hassle of piecing together all the scripts, graphics, and such.

Quest-template::Z3-Esque

• Something based on Pure, or similar. Possibly a Z3 tileset, with Z3 enemies, items, and bosses?
• This does not mean Z3-Screolling. Don't ask.

Quest-template::RPG

• Could be based on the RPG.zh engine, with a 'Dragon Quest' tileset, items, spells, menus, and the like.

Headers::std.zh

• Expanded std.zh for 2.53 and above.
  
• Includes a config file.
• Includes new functions, and constants.
  
• Includes expanded string,zh, that is now considered part of std.zh proper, and imported with it.
  -->This will not conflict with scripts that import string.zh.
• mem.zh for advanced array handling.
• Possibly linked lists and mock function pointers, until we add those internally.

Docs::ZScript

• Usage docs for ZScript, with examples.
• Usage docs for std.zh and all related files.

Docs::ZScript Parser

• Explains how the parser works.

Docs::Script Tutorials

• Self-explanatory, but we will list what we complete.

Docs::ZQuest Manual

• A big, long, horrific nightmare.
  
• Any volunteers to assist with writing this bastard?

Docs::ZQuest Tutorials

• PDF format.
• Video format, if we have a volunteer to record them.

Tools and Utilities::Editors and Viewers

• String Table Editor
• Palette Editor/Viewer
• Subscreen Designer -> We also need to be able to import subscreens as code.

Tools and Utilities::ZScript

• ZScript IDE -> Bobby Light's Java IDE might be usable as a base?
• ZASM Extractor -> Extracts ZASM from .qst file word table, back into ZASM instructions.

Tools and Utilities::ZLaunch

• Replace ZLaunch with LTMs launcher. or something similar that handles multiple save files.

Tools and Utilities::ROMView

• Fix ROMView, or replace with something new.

Tools and utilities::Misc

• Personal Quest Database, with quest rations, and such, that can be shared.

External::TCP/IP Communications

• Some method of transmitting text over TPC/IP via two Ip addresses on a given port, would allow turn-based strategy quests, and sharing seeds for randomised games, or time-based synchronisation.

22-Feb, 23-Feb,24-Feb : Some additions to the above llist, and other notations.
25-Feb: Expansions, plus 'External' category.
17-Jan-2017 : Updated