Playmaker and plugins

[LauraW]

Our team is making crafting skills using playmaker. How easy will it be to actually plug these in to Ativism? One reason we choose to use the MMOkit is because of integration with Playmaker. Could we get a list of the Playmaker commands?

 

Also, a tutorial on how to make a plug-in would be valuable. We will certainly be purchasing the Unistorm plug-in from the store but our crafting system is a little different from the usual game.

 

Thanks.

 

Laura

[neojac]

Hmm so we have a skill system already which you can use to make crafting skills or any type of skill. So wondering what you need as its already there. Also there is a crafting system in place to sue as well. Can you elaborate a bit more on what commands you require to use Play Maker?

[LauraW]

Okay, made a long response but it didn't stick for some reason.

 

I found this on the forum:

Yes, NGUI and Playmaker has already been integrated. So their systems is fully functional in Atavism Online if you own them.

 

I assumed I needed special commands for Playmaker to make it work in Ativism but from your response in this thread it seems we do not need any special commands. Can you confirm this? If so, then no problem.

 

As for the current crafting system, we want a more complex crafting skills than is currently provided in the plugin. Yes, I realize we could take the python script and rewrite it but our inexperienced programmer is not versed in python and prefers Playmaker. That above quote really sealed the deal for us on using Ativism. We already have skills completed with Playmaker, just need to get them into the Ativism system.

 

I am assuming we can plug them into your already created skill system. Is this correct?

 

Just to let you know, we are a family based team and learning is a huge part of why we are doing this. The inexperienced programmer is our college aged son.

 

Oh, and I wanted to add...we need much more documentation please. I realize you guys are busy, but confusion reigns for those of us who are not Greed Monger's level (great game, btw). My questions reflect my own confusion so sorry if you don't get them.

[jrothfork]

I'm looking for information on using Playmaker with Atavism like the person above... Is there anything special I need to know about getting it running with the Atavism system?

[LauraW]

Playmaker only works with the client, which really is not surprising. It does not work with the server. The claim is now that they always meant the client, although in my opinion, Atavism is the server engine, not the Unity client. Bit of a disappointment for us.

 

Same is true with NGUI. You must write the plugin to the server to make it work.

[neojac]

Playmaker is not a real scripting language so it can never work server side as its not a script. It was written to work with Unity and Atavism server side is done outside of Unity. You can use it to write things client side to do what ever you want done client side and then just add play maker section to send out the message to the server.

 

NGUI is different, the message functions is already server side. So lets say you need to do your login UI with NGUI, You create the NGUI layout on the client and then just add a send message function to that button which then send a message to the server to login. Its not a plugin or anything, just need to call on the messages.

[LauraW]

Thanks for the clarification.

 

The problem is when we asked about Playmaker and NGUI prior to purchasing the product, we were told on the forums that Atavism would work with Playmaker and NGUI.

 

We were not told that Playmaker would only work with the client until I made my above post. I understand why it does not work, but the initial response implied that we could use Playmaker with Atavism..not simply the client. Several people have asked about it here and on the Unity forums and this is the first time a public explanation was made. I know explained this to me in private, but my point in the above email is that Player will not work with the server as implied. Regardless of whether that implication was intentional, and I believe it was not, it is very good to be perfectly clear with potential clients. Otherwise, there is almost always disappointment.

 

I was clarifying this with the poster since my initial question was never responded to here publicly. Not all of us are as savvy about these sorts of things and we need clear responses.

[neojac]

I am confused, Playmaker does work with Atavism, just like it would work with Photon or any other package that's out there so I am lost with what you are saying. It works exactly the same as it would with all other network solutions that's out there.

[dortorea]

just to be extra clear here,

How would you use Playmaker with Atavism?

this above dialog is confusing me...

[LauraW]

Sorry to have confused you.

 

I am simply saying that when I asked the original question in this forum, I would have appreciated the exact answer that Neojac gave above, the detailed description of why Playmaker did not work. Not all of us are well versed in Unity's networking options and I guess I am not the only one. To his credit, Neojac did thoroughly explain this all to me in private and I appreciate this. I felt it needed to be said here for the benefit of others.

 

My understanding, and correct me if I am wrong, is that Playmaker can only be used for things that stay on the client. If you have to call the server at all, you need script and Playmaker is not script. Anything that uses the database is most likely going to have to call the script so you are extremely limited in what you can use Playmaker for in the game.

 

That said, we have used Playmaker to prototype and then rewrite into script, so it still is useful.

[jrothfork]

Here is an example of one way which I might think to try to use Playmaker:

 

Consider a typical quest or puzzle environment. It'd be fairly easy to create the puzzle/quest actions with Playmaker. The question would become, can Playmaker be integrated to send information to the server - ie, you complete the puzzle incorrectly, and the chest you're trying to unlock blows up and harms you. Playmaker could be used to do all of that - but can it initiate/change/update information related to the persons HP (hurt them based on the chest blowing up).

 

I'm sure there's a way to do this with scripting - obviously, but the advantage of PlayMaker is it's geared at empowering people who are not so well versed with coding. Considering that Atavism is sold as something that is "simplified" (but not dumned down), it'd be great if there were a lot of ways to utilize PlayMaker. Perhaps my example above is possible, or partly possible - I only asked because I'm a total newb and am building my tool-set for this adventure in game making.

 

Thanks!

[neojac]

That is exactly what you can do with playmaker, and the just use it to send a message to the server with the info. You do that exact thing using photon where you send messages to what has happens.

[jrothfork]

Perfect - that's the clarification I was looking for! Thanks.

[Xander93]

Why do you want to use playmaker?? use C#

[tomt]

Why do you want to use playmaker?? use C#

 

Why are you necroing post? that you have nothing to add to?

[Xander93]

I'm not necroing im just asking why, i have used playmaker and my experience is that im caged.

 

Cheers,

 

Xander