Beef Row
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 471
Registered: 12-28-2005
IP: Logged

A new option could be added to the editor to be applied on a room by room basis, "Use default ordering". If you check this option, then the editor will reorder the monsters within your room to follow a set hierarchy of movement order by type.

Roaches and mud/tar babies would clearly need to be last in the ordering so there isn't a divide between spawned and unspawned ones. Within each group, movement order could be left to right then top to bottom.

Since this would be optional and not set by default, it shouldn't break existing rooms, but if designers make a point of using it for entire new holds, it would increase predictability alot.

1 possible grouping scheme (listed from fastest to slowest)
goblins, wraithwings, serpents, rattlesnakes, wubbas, seep (not that this will matter very often), evil eyes, roach queens, rock golems, (and lastly, all equal to keep spawned and unspawned behavior as close to consistent as possible) roaches, tar babies and mud babies.

I know I'm probably missing some stuff (are bombs ordered by when you place them, for instance?) but the idea should be clear.


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"Now I will repeatedly apply the happy-face rule"

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1504
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

This is a very good idea. And it wouldn't destroy previous rooms. The only drawback might be that it's a bit confusing not to know which system is in order for a specific room, but the system used now is confusing anyway...