Falcury wrote:So, do we want this (multiple levels for each special event) to be possible?
I think maybe it's useful to take a step back and look at the project more generally. Maybe "do we want this" can be answered by looking at what mod authors are doing and requesting. After more versatile INI options were introduced, a handful of mods have been created, but none used SDLPoP. Even though, perhaps with the exception of never giving the prince his sword at the start of levels, all core/most-used customizations are available.
If there would be mod authors interested in working with SDLPoP, feature requests would pop up. Such interest might emerge if the application's advantages are more clearly advertised. I've written previously that a starting screen could show important keyboard shortcuts, such as F6/F9 to quicksave/load. Also, I think very few people are aware that SDLPoP supports some additional, unique tiles. I personally barely even remember what the unique potions in your mod were; was there a blue potion that teleported the player? I'm serious, I don't remember, and I don't think these potion customizations ever made it into SDLPoP. I should've made it (even) easier to add custom tiles to apoplexy's SDLPoP tiles screen, but it is what it is.
Anyway, maybe the
document that explains how to use SDLPoP (and MININIM) with apoplexy isn't enough, maybe there should be a video about modding with SDLPoP that also goes into the INI options. I also think most people are unaware of what's theoretically possible with SDLPoP. It needs some kind of
killer feature to get modders interested. A potion that can display text, a potion that turns back time but leaves gates open, or something similar. A multiplayer option, to have one player touch a button while another walks through a gate.
You're basically missing input from (potential) modders. No doubt, for example, David can give useful feedback to your "do we want this" question, but his primary interest (too) is probably with developing and not modding itself. Maybe there should be a thread where people can (brainstorm about and) make feature requests. And maybe a new administrator should point to that thread on Twitter, Facebook, and the main Princed web page.
I think new custom tiles that can be used with a proper level editor (either external, such as apoplexy, or as part of SDLPoP itself) could breathe new life into the modding scene. We could move away from all the super hard mods and get back to easy but cleverly designed levels. New custom tiles could play a big role in this. Potions are probably key here. And maybe different kinds of swords, like a sword that can remove new custom, differently colored walls.