Implement difficulties

[jakubg1]

Difficulties are stored in runtime.json in a particular game's main directory, however they are not used.
Change the type from integer to string.
Difficulties alter some values. Consider implementing them similarly to Luxor 2's system. Example from difficulty.gvf (one of the difficulties):

{
   Directory           = "adventure"
   StartStage          = 1
   FinalStage          = 14
   StartingLives       = 4
   CoinsForLife        = 30
   MinCollapseCount    = 3
   SpeedScale          = 0.50
   StageStepSpeedScale = 0.019
   ScoreScale          = 1.0
   Timescale           = 1.0
   TimescaleWarmup     = 1.5
   LivesBonus          = 50000i64
   PerfectBonus        = 10000i64  
   Downgrade
   {
      LossDelay        = 1
      Reductions       = 5
      MidSpeed         = -5.0
      MinSpeed         = -0.2
      SpawnStreak      = 20
   }
}

If one implements such values like here (preferably in the main game config file), there's no need to do it separately in that case.

[jakubg1]

Planned feature in Beta 5.0.0.

Outline:

• Each difficulty will contain:
  • A score set.
  • A level set.
  • Some general values, like sphere speed multiplier (look the table above?)
  • Possibly more stuff in the future.
• Difficulties will be sitting in config/difficulties/<name>.json and each difficulty will get its own file.
• Multiple level sets will be possible since they will be moved to config/level_sets/<name>.json.
• Also, a new element called a score set will be added to config/score_sets/<name>.json.
  • The idea is to make any score change to use a score set.
  • A score set will consist of score events.
  • Each score event will have their name.
  • A score event will consist of a value, a string associated with it, and possibly some more.
  • It will be possible to launch score events via i.e. game events (i.e. powerups and coins).
  • Example: "gem_6":{"value":6000,"text":[{"type":"parameter","name":"score"}],"font":"score0.json"}
    • Font and text can be set to null if we want the score to appear silently.
  • Sphere matching has a whole lot of difficulties, because all of the parameters can change when changing the number of the balls, color of the balls, and also combo and chain multipliers. Hope we can solve this.
    • Possible solution, although messy:

          "spheres": {
              "value": {
                  "type": "multiply",
                  "values": [
        	          100,
        	          {
        		          "type": "add",
        		          "values": [
        			          {"type":"parameter","name":"length"},
        			          {
        				          "type": "if",
        				          "condition": {"type":"parameter","name":"comboBoost"},
        				          "if": {
        					          "type": "max",
        					          "values": [
        						          {
        							          "type": "subtract",
        							          "values": [
        								          {"type":"parameter","name":"comboLv"},
        								          3
        							          ]
        						          },
        						          0
        					          ]
        				          }
        			          }
        		          ]
        	          },
        	          {"type":"parameter","name":"chainLv"}
                  ]
              },
              "text": {
                  "type": "concat",
                  "values": [
        	          {"type":"parameter","name":"_score"},
        	          {
        		          "type": "if",
        		          "condition": {
        			          "type": "and",
        			          "values": [
        				          {"type":"parameter","name":"comboBoost"},
        				          {
        					          "type": "greater_than",
        					          "values": [
        						          {"type":"parameter","name":"comboLv"},
        						          2
        					          ]
        				          }
        			          ]
        		          },
        		          "if": {
        			          "type": "concat",
        			          "values": [
        				          "\nCOMBO X",
        				          {"type":"parameter","name":"comboLv"}
        			          ]
        		          }
        	          },
        	          {
        		          "type": "if",
        		          "condition": {
        			          "type": "not_equal",
        			          "values": [
        				          {"type":"parameter","name":"chainLv"},
        				          1
        			          ]
        		          },
        		          "if": {
        			          "type": "concat",
        			          "values": [
        				          "\nCHAIN X",
        				          {"type":"parameter","name":"chainLv"}
        			          ]
        		          }
        	          }
                  ]
              },
              "font": {"type":"parameter","name":"font"}
          }
      

      • By the way, here's how it could look in the game editor, so it would be nicer and less of a hassle to edit:
        • Value:

          100 * ( [length] + {
            IF [comboBoost] THEN ( max ( [comboLv] - 3, 0 ) )
          } ) * [chainLv]
        

        • Text:

          [_score] .. {
            IF ( [comboBoost] && ( [comboLv] > 2 ) ) THEN ( "\nCOMBO X" .. [comboLv] )
          } .. {
            IF ( [chainLv] != 1 ) THEN ( "\nCHAIN X" .. [chainLv] )
          }
        

  • It resolves some problems though, because we can just pass a score event with parameters and get both your score added and a text displayed (or not) automatically.
  • More info soon, I guess...

[jakubg1]

The same solution again, written in currently supported expression data:

    "spheres": {
        "value": "100 * ([length] + ([comboBoost] ? max([comboLv]-3, 0) : 0)) * [chainLv]",
        "text": "[_score] .. ([comboBoost] && [comboLv] > 2 ? \"\nCOMBO X\" .. [comboLv] : \"\") .. ([chainLv] != 1 ? \"\nCHAIN X\" .. [chainLv] : \"\")",
        "font": "[font]"
    }

In order for it to work, the following expression features need to be added:

• String support
• .. (concatenation)

[jakubg1]

Score Events have been added here: 05d1213

[jakubg1]

Implemented in a basic form for now: 8b1b853