Paid request - variables / array extension

Welcome to our brand new Clickteam Community Hub! We hope you will enjoy using the new features, which we will be further expanding in the coming months.

A few features including Passport are unavailable initially whilst we monitor stability of the new platform, we hope to bring these online very soon. Small issues will crop up following the import from our old system, including some message formatting, translation accuracy and other things.

Thank you for your patience whilst we've worked on this and we look forward to more exciting community developments soon!

Clickteam.
  • Posted this in the paid requests forum, but thought I'd share it here as well in hope some good developer would be interested in earning some extra cash :)

    In short I would like an advanced variables extension for handling large amounts of data with thousands of entries in an efficient manner.

    I have a pretty detailed documentation and graphical concept for how it would work. I'm willing to pay 500€ for this done right, or whatever amount is decided upon.
    Windows version to start, iOS and Android version to come later with additional payment if required.

    I'm also willing to release the extension for free for the rest of the community.

    PM if interested!

    Orgininal post: Please login to see this link.

  • Why do none of the existing extensions for this meet your needs? Is there a particular extension that comes close but has a major flaw?

    Working as fast as I can on Fusion 3

  • Well I cant find any that works just the way I need.. what I need is this:

    - to have large amounts of variables (1000s or more) in one object and have multiple objects for different variable groups
    - each variable should be accesible through variable name (key) or index
    - main different data types available (int, bigint, float, bool, string, maybe even array??)
    - to be able to define variables in the frame editor in a list (separate gui window) but also add and delete variables during runtime
    - index should rebuild itself as new variables are added and removed (important for lists)
    - to move variables up or down in the pre-defined list (for better usability and grouping of similar variables)
    - built in function to loop through the available variables
    - fast and efficient object with smart memory management, object should expand as needed
    - object can be global and kept in memory between frames
    - saving and loading into files (ini and binary formats to start)
    - Windows, iOS and Android support, but Windows to start with
    - short and efficent syntax to keep event clean in editor :)

    What I end up doing now is using a long long list of global varibales which after a while becomes just impossible to handle. I then start using active objects just to store variables in which works but it not very efficient and becomes a problem when there are more than a certain amount (no more al. variable names).

    I used and tried almost all other variable and storage extension out there but none has all the features mentioned above and most are not avilable for Android and iOS.

    Having this would greatly improve (at least in my opinion) development of complex games that need a lot of varibles and as mentioned I'm willing to pay for it! And I dont want to sell it, I just want to use it :)

  • Are you kidding? The Array object is ancient and outdated. It lags the most basic functions all other arrays have since years.
    The replacing of these functions with own code makes the Array slow und much more unwieldy.
    I really can feel with SirEatAlot... Data management is one single pain. Since years...

  • The big problem with anything other than the official Array object is that the official one is the only cross-platform one, as far as I know.

    My Please login to see this link. (which I actually use), my Please login to see this link. (which I mostly don't use), and my Please login to see this link. (which I don't use anymore pretty much at all really). If there are awards for "'highest number of long forum posts", then I'd have probably won at least 1 by now. XD

  • Please evaluate each of these extensions and tell me the main reason they don't qualify, so I can understand what would need to be avoided in a new extension:
    - Built-in Array Object
    - Array 3D object
    - Array X
    - AssArray Object (Associative Array)
    - Dynamic Array
    - Internal List Object
    - MagicDeque

    Also let me know if one of those objects is closest to what you want.

    Working as fast as I can on Fusion 3

  • - Built in arrays
    I use arrays a lot, mainly for saving and loading levels, but when you have a complex project, like a big rpg or similar, with several hundereds (or 1000s) of variables, it gets really annoying to reference them during runtime using X,Y,Z.. I end up using huge excel spreadsheets just to keep track of which data is at which index.. not very efficient.. For ease of use variables must be accessible through names (although indexes can be useful as well in some cases).

    - Array 3D object - as far as I can tell this object is used for converting 1d arrays into 2d and 3d arrays

    - Array X - I remember this object but now I cant find it, maybe not supported by fusion 2.5?

    - Ass Array, Dynamic Array, Magic Deque - These are nice pretty customizible arrays but ther's no easy way to set up a pre defined list of variables in the frame editor

    - Global Store X, Internal list object - nice ways to store data during runtime, but not really variables (no names) and again no way to set up a pre-defined list of variables


    What I want is a kind of best of both worlds object, kinda lika a mix between global values and an array. Preferebly I'd like to see better variable handling built directly into fusion (maybe f3? :) but for now I really need something just to keep track of all the variables in my game and I can't find any object that fit the bill.

    Update: Yes, and as happygreenfrog mentioned, none of the above are cross plattform compatible :)

  • Are you kidding? The Array object is ancient and outdated. It lags the most basic functions all other arrays have since years.
    The replacing of these functions with own code makes the Array slow und much more unwieldy.
    I really can feel with SirEatAlot... Data management is one single pain. Since years...

    Thanks Gustav, nice to know I'm not the only one feeling this way :) data management for anything but really simple games is a chore.. really good variables management is a must and has been missing for years.. I love fusion, but this an area which is severely lacking..

  • I think I'm starting to understand. Would you take a look at my Please login to see this link.? I never actually finished it, but I could return to it.

    Working as fast as I can on Fusion 3

  • Wow LB, it seems quite similar to what I've been suggesting! I'll look into it a bit more! I've also sent the specification for my "variables" extension to Phi, he seemed to be interested in taking it on, but if you already have a similar extension started, I would be very interested to look at it!

    Also, Phi does not do android or ios development so that issue would still have to be solved..

  • What the heck... I never tried your extension, LB. Because I thought it will "only" give unlimited global values which we now have in Fusion.
    But it's much more than that. Grouping and no fixed order plus creation at runtime. That's really useful! I can't imagine why Clickteam hasn't updated the fixed Global Value structure so far...

    Thanks for this great extension, LB! :)


    Btw. I think I found an issue in the poperties editor with the groups. Will post the details in the Please login to see this link. thread.

Participate now!

Don’t have an account yet? Register yourself now and be a part of our community!