Items that stay the same way after you leave the frame

[UltraHammer]

Say the player goes into frame 1, where he finds an important key. He takes the key and leaves to frame 2. However, if he comes back to frame 1, he'll find that important key there, right where it was before. He grabs it, and now he has two.

I don't want this to happen; I want the key to stay gone when he returns. Or, for instance, if he moves a block over to one part of the room, when he leaves the frame and comes back, I would like for the block to continue sitting where he left it.

What would be the most efficient means of achieving these ends?

[Danny]

Create a global active object and use it's alterable values to store keys that have already been found.
In the objects properties you can check the box 'Global Object'. This object can be invisible to the player, just use it as an object to store values/strings. You can also do this with Global Values/Strings however you will ultimately end up finding yourself limited in values/strings as the game gets bigger, so best to use Global Actives.

Like such:
Player collides with key: Set Alt Value A("Global Storage") to 1

+Alt Value A("Global Storage") = 1: Destroy Key

[nivram]

A question if I may Danny. What method would you use to save "Global Storage"? I was thinking a Associative Array.

Marv

[Danny]

Hi Marv,

I generally tend to use Regular INI (INI++ where possible for PC), I tend to stay away from Array's unless I think they're absolutely necessary for storing tables or multiples. I'll post a screenshot up here of how I layered out IGX in editmode, it made things 100x easier to work with in the end.

Screenshot:
http://snag.gy/hP9Uk.jpg

I suppose everyone is different, but I like to think I can keep my project workspace as easily readable as possible, I also monster comment and group my code too. But certainly INI is better for me personally Marv, as I can use for all platforms, with ease and also the 64k limit doesn't get in the way as if push comes to shove I just cram more than one string/value into a group with delimiters.

[nivram]

OK Danny. Thanks for your insight.

Marv

[UltraHammer]

Thank you very much for the help!

[Alonso]

What I do, and you might find it handy, is to spread a value between all the items that can be picked up (via a qualifier). Then, when the player gets the item, you set a value in the ini/array specific to that item (by its spread value) and the frame in which it's found. For example, if you use the associative array: "framename_5" (spread value = 5). Then, when the frame starts, run a loop for the amount of items and check the ini/array to match for each item's spread value. If it matches, destroy the item. This way, you don't have to ever worry about coding such things again. You just place whatever item you want in whatever frame you want. The only drawback is that the z-ordering of items changes the spread value at the beginning of the frame, but you can easily account for that and leave it alone when the game's released.

[nivram]

What I have done in the past is use Global Values (since there is no limit and you can name the GV), and the Associative Array. Global Value bla bla=0 the item is there. Global Value bla bla=1 the item is not there. I am so used to doing this way it is almost automatic. Plus, the Associative Array is one of the few objects that carry over values to the Sub-application, making it great for inventory screens and such using the Sub-application.

Marv