REDUCED MAP SIZE
At approximately 1/13th the previous size uncompressed, and around 0.37% compressed, the new .L3M map files we've built are considerably smaller; preparing Liquid Cubed for both the larger courses and multiplayer.
More improvements and compression could be made, but this should suffice for now. We'll touch upon the file size again when multiplayer comes around.
NOTE: The ability to save and load XML's will be removed in 1.0.5 -- a converter will have to be used from then on to convert to the new .L3M's
TOOLS!
Tools were the requested fun feature of the other week, and now a basic setup for the tools are in the game! Press Q and E (or A and E for the AZERTY users out there) to switch between the tools.
Save state often though, without an undo button (yet) you have no easy way of reverting mistakes!
DOT TOOL
Place a single block down.Your typical "Minecraft /Infiniminer" placement tool. Left-click to remove blocks, right-click to create blocks as per usual.
LINE TOOL
Create a 3D line of blocks from point to point.
Right-click to get a starting point and release to create your 3D line of blocks.
This tool makes making stair cases and large symmetrical structures much easier to build.
Look forward to a key override in the future to better create straight (and vertical) lines as well as create variable widths.
FLOOR TOOL
Create a floor of blocks in the highlighted area.
Previously accessible by holding "CTRL", the ability to create a floor full of blocks has been made a full tool to free up the CTRL key for better uses in the future.
Left-click removes all of the inventory-selected blocks across the floor, right-click spreads the inventory-selected block across the floor.
CONVERT ALL TOOL
Convert all reticule-highlighted blocks into the inventory-selected block.
Very fun, the convert all tool is the old "DEL" to delete, but with the added functionality of converting whatever you have in your reticule into whatever you have in the inventory.
Try creating a bunch of springs, let it flood for a bit, and then turn it all into stone. Then turn everything into stone. Then turn it all back into water again! Mwuhahahahahaha!
ALT REVERSES PIPES
Rejoice! You can now hold ALT to flip pipes over! Between this and the Line tool, it's never been easier to lay down the pipeworks.
AZERTY KEYBOARDS
Users from France, Belgium, and other lands in which the AZERTY keyboards are used should now have the controls automatically switch to an AZERTY layout.
If it doesn't automatically change -- first let us know that our keyboard detection isn't working -- and then open the Settings.XML and set the keyboard setup to "AZERTY" instead of "Current".
Thanks to Ph33rSn1p4z for bringing this to our attention!
PRIORITIZING FUN
Our focus is on improving the performance of the liquids -- not recreating Minecraft -- but there's still plenty of fun things we can add to Liquid Cubed!
Last time "tools" were requested to be the top of the priority list, and the priority list was arranged in the following order:
(How would you arrange the "fun feature" priority list?)
A. Improved liquid visuals: (smoother edges, dissolving particles, variable width waterfalls, etc)
B. More blocks available (different colors, objects, etc)
C. HD visuals (specular & normal mapping, water reflection, distortion maps)
D. Re-designed Interface & Controls + Higher Resolution options
E. Perlin noise terrain generation
F. 2D Sprite critters for the fluids (fish, sharks, crabs, ducks, etc)
G. walking/swimming/collision mode (Ability to switch between free flight and walking/swimming)
H. NEW: Some More tools: (fill, rectangle, cylinder, etc)
I. NEW: Undo functionality
Great update.
Cant wait for A,B,E,F,G also H and I are pretty useful things.
Also is there a way to copy the bricks of smaller maps into larger maps.
(Haven't found it out yet if there is a way)
-I mean like copying the entire thing and choosing a place to plant it in a larger map.
It would help those who cant run the larger maps like they'd want to.
No ability to copy blocks between worlds yet, but I'll raise that up a bit in our development list.
If you're having trouble running the larger worlds, try pressing "F" to increase the fog. This will reduce the amount of drawing calls and greatly improve performance.
F, everything else. I WANT A NEW DUCK! D:
Same here!
... Fishies at the very least...
I would give Undo full priority, it's quite annoying not being able to remove bad placed blocks (and the line tool only doubles it's importance).
Wow. Of course, this is not as good or as complex as MC, but at least you LISTEN to what we say. I think this game will be very very good in a couple of months.
I think the undo thing is best, next to the more tools and animals.
It WILL be as good as Minecraft if Notch ever implements this game's water algorithm into Minecraft ;)
i'd rather have G and I first it would be cool to walk around
Can I expect this to be supported on OS X,IOS,Adroid and Linux in the future?
Through Mono, Linux and OSX should be possible. Once we move to D3D this will become a priority.