Can we steal this? (Macro editor)
By
Adeon Hawkwood,
Posted on: 2009-11-07 22:40 in Suggestions and Ideas
Couple years ago I asked for that at one of the parties... however I think the person with whom I was speaking was rather drunk at the time 
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
I'm sorry, but I don't see the utility of this. Macros are already written in script, so all an interface would allow you to do is pick and icon to write the script for. If you need exact names, you can drag-and-drop powers and other objects into your chat line to use them, so that functionality you already have. You can even re-edit existing macros.
I've not see the Aion Macro editor, but I've seen the WoW one, and all it was was an icon selector, a name field and a code field. Having written a few macros, I don't see it as something that couldn't be written in the chat line, at least not in City of Heroes where we can't have several rows of commands like WoW can. That, and we don't have all the conditionals and complex operations.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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Follow the link and you'll see the Aion editor. You can, indeed, drag and drop powers into it to have them added. The point of it, of course, is to bring more awareness of macros into the playerbase at large as well as make them more accessible. |
Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
I'm sorry, but I don't see the utility of this. Macros are already written in script, so all an interface would allow you to do is pick and icon to write the script for. If you need exact names, you can drag-and-drop powers and other objects into your chat line to use them, so that functionality you already have. You can even re-edit existing macros.
I've not see the Aion Macro editor, but I've seen the WoW one, and all it was was an icon selector, a name field and a code field. Having written a few macros, I don't see it as something that couldn't be written in the chat line, at least not in City of Heroes where we can't have several rows of commands like WoW can. That, and we don't have all the conditionals and complex operations. |
What's more likely to be seen as user-friendly - drag/drop, tick off a check and add an icon you'll remember, and maybe once you're comfortable with it, type in some code yourself, or /macro somethingshort (which just shows up as somet on the button) powexecname ihopeispelledthisright (etc, etc, etc.) It's not, after all, just finding the power name or what have you, but how to call it.
The advantages, of course -
- No misspellings screwing up your macro (unless you *choose* to type them in.)
- Easier access (as in user friendliness) over the command line
- Being able to assign an icon easily as opposed to hoping you remember what "smb" means if you don't play the character for a while. (For instance, make a macro called "Bodyguard" - something many masterminds may want. It will be called bodyg - with the "B" and the "G" running off the edges of the button.)
Also, if you note the tabs at the top - "Macro" is a spot with all collected macros in a nice little list - drag-and-drop to your power tray. "Examples" are self explanatory, "Variables" explain the ones that can be used - which, of course, would be part of our help system anyway. Just for added functionality.
Here's the thing, though: other than the "easier access," everything else is already doable now. You can still drag and drop powers from your trays into the chat line and it'll dump their names right in the text. Is the format inappropriate? Are you looking for some kind of assumed command at dropping a power?
Again, I've written macros for WoW, and none of them ever went by just dragging and dropping powers. You still had to type in your commands to execute by hand.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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Again - it's great to have the name available, sure. But that doesn't necessarily *help* anyone writing a macro. /obsidian armor doesn't work as a command. /Sprint doesn't. You still have to know there's a /powexecname or /powexectoggleon (or off, or just plain toggle,) or another slash command available to use. And spell it properly (underscores optional.)
Aion - Yes, drag and drop works. Bringing up a skills window, I can drag the icon directly into the editing window and /skill (skillname) shows up. The same is true of emotes and actions. Dragging from the skill bar gives the specific power location on a specific bar.
Edit: Was going to post a video, but the text gets garbled when it gets down to a reasonable size. But here's the process:
- Open macro window, select new macro.
- Give macro name (10 character max.)
- Type in description (optional) and pick icon.
- Drag a power over from the skills window - for instance, my fighter has a power called Ferocious Strike. Dragging it into the window puts /skill Ferocious Strike in.
- Drag an emote over - emotes are just called with a slash in Aion, /cheer for instance.
Save.
Drag the macro to your skills (power) bar. Click it, the character performs the Ferocious Strike attack, then cheers.
Translate to COH:
- Drag power from power window - /powexecname (or the appropriate, if toggle's more appropriate) comes up.
- "Advanced" choices to the side give you options such as toggle on, toggle off, or put on auto.
- Emotes can be chosen from a list.
- Dialog can be put in, by default at "say," advanced menu being given a list of your current global (and default/available) channels.
(And not to be snarky, but I mentioned Aion specifically because that's where I saw it with this very functionality. Never got into WoW, didn't hold me even through a 10 day trial, so WoW's doing it differently to where you have to type everything in doesn't really... well, matter to the conversation.)
Just for the ability to choose an icon for macros, /signed. And hopefully better labeling support too.
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I'd support that. Macro/bind support in CoH is pretty poor compared to a lot of other games both in terms of capability and interface and I'd love to see it get expanded functionality.
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Bill, the only reason I picked WoW over Aion is because that's the only macro editor I've worked with (by request, no less), and for no other reason. Reading the Wiki entry on the Aion editor, I can't really say it looks, FROM THAT WIKI, to be any different. The way you describe it, however, does sound different in that it's at least easier to make things happen via drag-and-drop. The way the Wiki explains it, though, is "Add the actions you wish to achieve" and here's a list of slash commands. Enjoy! It doesn't actually describe what you described in the write-out.|
Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
(And not to be snarky, but I mentioned Aion specifically because that's where I saw it with this very functionality. Never got into WoW, didn't hold me even through a 10 day trial, so WoW's doing it differently to where you have to type everything in doesn't really... well, matter to the conversation.)
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The way you described a macro editor for City of Heroes sounds interesting, certainly. I would be on board for something like that, even if it feels like it's only geared towards macroing single actions, and I'm not sure how much merit something like this has as it essentially creates a double of an already-existing power, but let's go with that. How do you envision stringing several actions together? WoW did that by giving you I think 5 rows to write on and compiling the macro like a standard linear programme. Would you envision such an editor allowing us to do that, or do you just foresee a large text field capped at 255 symbols?
And another thing - what about keybinds? Everyone always talks about macros like they're the be all, end all of control management, but I've not used a macro in YEARS. I bind everything to the keyboard, and I'd like to see such an editor have the ability to bind things to keys. Specifically, it'd make writing my Mastermind binds a heck of a lot easier. Something like:
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| bind alt+a "bind t petcom_name sol attack$$bind g petcom_name sol follow$$bing b petcom_name sol goto$$bind y petcom_name sol aggressive$$bind h petcom_name sol defensive$$bind n petcom_name sol passive" |
Generally, with your clarifications, I can see the merit of such a thing, but ONLY if it includes key binding as well as macros. Otherwise, my feelings would be severely hurt.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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/mega_signed
Especially to this combined macro/bind idea that Sam has put forth. Me loves it, if only for the icon thing for macros (the ugly gray buttons actually keep me from using the system entirely) and making Khelds easier to sart.
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Yeah, Kheldians and Masterminds practically live on binds and macros. If the game had some better support for their abilities, like case-sensitive henchman commands or form-specific tray layout, I wouldn't be as much for this, but considering the game essentially provides you NO interface to use these ATs effectively and we have to write our own, an easier way to do that might be in order.|
Originally Posted by Thirty_Seven
/mega_signed
Especially to this combined macro/bind idea that Sam has put forth. Me loves it, if only for the icon thing for macros (the ugly gray buttons actually keep me from using the system entirely) and making Khelds easier to sart. |
Frankly, if I didn't have my home-brewed Mastermind binds, I would be completely unable to play Masterminds to my satisfaction. I actually fully see the merit of easier bind and macro writing when it's put like that, because I've done my utmost to offer my services in writing Mastermind binds for other people to their specifications. No-one ever wants to take me on, though, not new players, not veterans.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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Toggle_on ThumbsUp
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Agree with Ian
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Originally Posted by IanTheM1
Just for the ability to choose an icon for macros, /signed. And hopefully better labeling support too.
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So, macro editors (and just general macro/bind information) has been asked for in COH for a while. Yes, we have a nicely done third party City of Binds and such, and masterminds get some by default - but how many people out there (a) know about macros, and (b) go through the trouble of making them?
Well - like I said, I want to steal this and bring it into COH. Yes, it's another Aion item, but once you see it, I think many would agree this would be a nice way of doing things.
Aion's macro editor
I'm not overly worried about "they can do this, that, the other" or "these limits versus those limits," I'm mostly looking at the nice, clean interface (with custom icon you can assign to the macro!) and the drag-and-drop functionality - another "advanced" window could be added, perhaps, if you want to type in the slash command you want to put in, or things like tray switching and th elike from a pick list. Or even just a reference (updated) for the slash commands.