SuperTux - Milestone 2 Specifications

SuperTux Milestone 2
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Spoiler +Warning:
+This document contains a very +detailed description about SuperTux milestone 2, including every new +feature, as well as the full story. If you +only want to play SuperTux and you are not interested in the +development process, you should not read any further, as it will give +away a lot of surprises; however, if you are involved in developing the +game, reading this is a requirement.
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+
+Worldmap:
+After finishing Antarctica by beating the worlds boss, a cutscene, +replacing the currently displayed text, will be shown. (For a detailed +description of cutscenes, see section "Story".) Tux will then advance +to world 2, the forest island. Its worldmap will be built using the +same, possibly enhanced, format that Antarctica uses. The worldmap will +be designed as follows: The island consists of four sections. A light +friendly looking forest where Tux starts his journey, a ghost forest +section, and a transition between them; in the center of the island, +surrounded by the ghost forest is the world's castle, called Dark +Forest Keep. Levels will be spread throughout the whole island, +distributed as follows: 50 per cent of the levels are inside the light +section, 30 per cent inside the haunted section, with one or two levels +inside the transition area. The remaining 20 per cent will take place +inside the castle.
+Other than on the Antarctica worldmap, the levels should +be placed on different paths, so that there is always a choice between +at least two levels. Exceptions to this (i.e. levels with no +alternative to choose from) are
+a) the first level,
+b) levels on one path that are in some way connected by story,
+c) the (first) transition to the ghost forest section, and
+d) the castle levels.
+The primary goal of the forest world is to beat the boss at the final +castle level. In order to get there, Tux needs to collect five keys +scattered throughout the island which will open the door to the castle. +Thus, the paths on the worldmap should lead into five dead-ends that +hold the levels in which the key can be found. The path to the castle +is accessible from after the first level. However, when Tux tries to +enter the castle, he can't unlock the door without all five keys.
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+Levels:
+Unlike Antarctica, forest levels can have variable sizes, both +horizontally and vertically. In addition to that, levels can have a +number of different sectors of variable size, connected by doors, +portals, script events and spawn points. Due to this variability, there +is no recommended level size anymore; the "perfect size" of a level +solely depends on its design.
+The three different themes on forest world -light forest, ghost forest +and castle- are each represented by a matching tileset. All forest +levels use one of these tilesets; a general rule should be not to mix +them.
+Levels in the transition area between light and ghost forest, however, +follow a different design: Those levels will have a light sector and a +very similar looking ghost forest sector. Troughout the level, Tux will +need to travel between the sectors to solve puzzles and find his way +through the level. Transition between the worlds can happen by either
+a) actively walking through a portal,
+b) being beamed into the other world without warning, using invisible +triggers, or
+c) being caught by special badguys that have the ability to carry you +over to the other world.
+Levels have the ability to autoscroll in all four +directions. There is no fixed ending sequence like in Antarctica +anymore; level designers can use scripts to determine the ending +conditions of a level. These can include picking up an object, killing +a certain enemy or reaching a certain area.
+For more general information on level design, read the +file "levelguidelines.txt" in the docs directory of the SuperTux +repository.
+Level events can be automated using scripts in order to create in-game +cutscenes.
+
+Scripting:
+Milestone 2 will feature a scripting system that can be used to +customize events and objects inside a level. Any level +object and badguy can trigger a script; the language used for them is +Squirrel. Scripts are embedded in a level object +definition inside the level file, macros can be defined in external +.nut files.
+They can be used for the following actions:
+    -Create cutscenes
+    -Customize level objects and powerups
+    -Transform a level
+    -Manipulate levels by adding or removing objects and +badguys
+    -Finish a level
+
+Powerups:
+    -Super Buttjump
+We are in desperate need of ideas and, most importantly, final +decisions on that topic.
+
+Permanent Abilities:
+    -Flapping
+    -Butt Jump
+
+Level Objects:
+    -Coin - collect 100 coins to get an extra life.
+    -Bonus Block - contains powerups.
+    -Message Box - a special bonus block +that contains a message. Implemented as telephones.
+    -Ambient Sound - plays a looping sound effect +inside the defined range.
+    -Timer - adds a time limit to a level.
+    -Particle System - adds background visual effects +like clouds, snow, and rain.
+    -Door - respawns Tux at a defined +spawn point when activated.
+    -Spawn Point - defines the place +where Tux appears after walking through a door.
+    -Bell - When touched, Tux respawns at +the bell after dying.
+    -Trampoline - Tux can jump on them for a very +high jump; can be carried around.
+    -Falling Block - solid block that falls down shortly +after being touched.
+    -Powerup - an object that represents a powerup, such +as egg, flower, star, extra life, or potion.
+    -Message Trigger - display a message as soon as Tux +enters their range. Used to mark secret areas.
+    -Sequence Trigger - executes a script on contact.
+    -Moving Platform -
+    -Camera Blocker - prevents the camera from scrolling +into a specific direction. Instantly kill Tux on contact.
+    -Carryable Block - Blocks that can be carried around +and stacked.
+
+Badguys:
+    Poison Ivy - Forest equivalent to Mr. Snowball.
+    Mr. Tree - Large badguy that walks around slowly. +Needs to be jumped on twice.
+    Mr. Rocket - Shot out of a dispenser and flies +straight into one direction. Explodes on collision.
+    Dispenser - Frequently shoots rockets or drops other +badguys.
+    Zeekling - Flies around straight left or right, and +straight towards Tux when he gets close.
+    other badguy ideas: bird creatures, moles, ghosts
+
+Bosses:
+    Yeti
+    Forest Boss needed!
+
+Engine:
+Apart from the code needed to create the game elements mentioned above, +one goal is to make it easier to add custom content. Though it will not +go as far as allowing total conversations of the game, it should be +possible to easily change or add game content like graphics, levels and +sounds without touching the code. This will be accomplished by using +the PhysFS library for data handling, as well as adding functions to +browse the data folders for custom levels, worldmaps and scripts. All +game data, except music files, will be stored in a .zip archive located +in the data directory. Additional data paths can be specified using +command line options.
+
+Graphics:
+    Tilesets:
+    Forest: light green and light brown, rain
+    Ghost Forest: dead trees, dark brown, dark green, +dark grey, Fog, Ghosts
+    Castle: add dead flowers and plants on the walls
+    Tilable level backgrounds
+    Portals
+
+Sound:
+    Ambient sounds
+    Sounds with added environment effects (echoes, etc.)
+
+Music:
+Musical themes will be added for the following events and environments:
+a) Two themes for the light forest world
+b) Two ghost forest themes
+c) One castle theme
+d) Boss fight music
+e) Game-Over music
+f) Credits theme
+There might be different Boss fight and game over themes for +every world.
+An enhanced version of the main theme will be used.
+
+Story:
+Cutscenes at beginning and end of every world, maybe one interlude per +world.
+
+Level Editor:
+The in-game editor will be replaced by the external editor Flexlay. +With the release of milestone 2, Flexlay should support all newly added +features like new level objects, new badguys, and scripting. Binary +packages should be available for all platforms that run SuperTux.
+