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Jack Brett edited this page May 9, 2024 · 8 revisions

A core concept of LUTE is Nodes and how these interact with one another and the Flow Engine.

Node Properties

Each Node can contain one or more Orders which essentially drive your experience in a step by step fashion.

Inpsecting a node is simple:

  1. Create your Flow Engine object and open/dock the window.
  2. Select the default node or any node that you have added to your Flow Engine. The Node's properties are visible in the inspector view:

nodeInspector

You can see many properties on the node including the name and description of the selected node. The currently selected node (s) are highlighted in green.

Customising Node Name and Description

We find it important to name our nodes in a unique fashion to ensure there is no confusion between multiple nodes. We also find adding a short description of the node helps other designers understand what this specific node will do when executed. Changing such paramters is easy:

  1. Select the chosen node you wish to change
  2. In the inspector window for the node, update the name and description
  3. Observe changes in the Flow Engine window

nodeName

N.B: Node names are shown in drop downs for selecting in various other parts of LUTE, as such you may wish to name them using categories. Placing a '/' in a node name will result in dropdowns collecting things into categories.

Creating New Nodes

Creating new nodes is easy using the Flow Engine Window:

  1. Ensure you have created a Flow Engine and the Window is open
  2. You can either select the 'Add New Node' button in the top left of the window (the '+' sign) or right click anywhere and select 'Add New Node'

addNewNodeContext addNewNode

  1. A new node has been added to the window with a default name and empty order list

Add a useful name and description now before you forget!

Node Context Menu Items

When right-clicking on a node a context menu pops up with multiple choices related to that node.

nodeContextMenu

Copying and Cutting

Nodes can be copied or cut (typical behaviours you find in other software such as word processors) and then can be pasted at another point (removing the original if cut was chosen). Multiple nodes can be selected by using the drag rect (hold down left click anywhere on the window and begin dragging to select multiple nodes).

selectRect

Duplicating

To duplicate (clone / make an exact copy of) a Node, without using copy/cut then:

  1. Right-mouse-click over the Node you wish to duplicate, and choose menu>Duplicate

duplicateNodeContext

  1. A copy of the Node should now have been added to the Engine (with "(copy)" appended the name of the duplicate):

Remember to add a unique name and descriptor as soon as possible.

Deleting

To delete a Block from the current Engine:

  1. Right-mouse-click over the Node you wish to delete, and choose menu>Delete

deleteNodeContext

  1. The Node should now have been removed from the Engine and Window

If you ever accidently delete a node or cut it or somehow it becomes lost then you can try the shortcut CTRL (or CMD) + 'Z' to undo your last action!

For information on the blueprint context item pleae head to Blueprints.

Node Types

LUTE currently offers three types of visuals for nodes depending on their behaviour:

  1. Event Nodes which are typically rectangular and cyan
  2. Choice Nodes which are typically hexaganonal and blue
  3. Normal Nodes which are typically rectangular and orange

nodeTypes

For more information on Node Types please read on:

Event Nodes

Choice Nodes

Normal Nodes

Typical Connection Between Nodes

Executing Orders in Another Node with Next Node

Executing Another Node Using Choices

Highlighting Connections

Event Handlers

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