TIC-80
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nesbox
Start with "dev mode" on when booting into the console
Problem
When opening https://tic80.com/create or running any of the official releases, "dev mode" is off in the settings. This means that after running a game, upon hitting Esc, people have to select "close game" from the menu every time they want to return to the console. Also, the shortcuts F1 to F5 don't work to return to specific editors.
This greatly hinders the development flow, especially for new people who don't know that they can disable this behavior in the settings. I think that both advanced programmers as well as newcomers would much prefer having dev mode on when they want to develop a game. Also personally, disabling dev mode would be the first thing I'd always do when opening TIC-80. So I think this should be the default behavior.
When I gave a workshop on TIC-80 last month, it was unfortunate to have to explain how to enable dev mode to each of the over 20 participants. I would rather want a smooth first-time experience for them, where they can switch between making and trying the game quickly, without having to find the correct menu entry before.
Proposed solution
When booting the console without immediately starting a game, enable dev mode. In this case, it is very likely that this is the desired behavior.
@nesbox pointed out that the menu would also be good to have when using surf. I'd propose to disable dev mode again when running surf, in that case.
Big agree!
Also, while we're at it, make ESC go to console in devmode instead of code editor, like it used to be.
These minor changes in workflow have basically made me stay in 0.90 for the time being...
In my opinion, A thing I like a lot about TIC-80 is how much it involves the average user into making things and dividing developers from regular users is not helpful in general. I think it'd be better if we could just jump back into the editor with a shortcut of some sorts, kind of like if we could use CTRL+ESC to go back to the editor and NOT disable the menu or whatever at all.
I simply don't think the dev mode is either useful or necessary if we took this approach, but it's necessary that there's proper discussion about the matter.
I simply don't think the dev mode is either useful or necessary
Dev mode is necessary! For so many TIC-80 users, "press ESC to go to console" is deeply ingrained to their muscle memory, so I can't be the only one to want that functionality back.
I simply don't think the dev mode is either useful or necessary
Dev mode is necessary! For so many TIC-80 users, "press ESC to go to console" is deeply ingrained to their muscle memory, so I can't be the only one to want that functionality back.
What I mean is that, why should we have to divide users from developers? At least make dev mode easy to toggle
At least make dev mode easy to toggle
imo, it IS easy to toggle. menu -> options > dev mode
Maybe as a clarifying question to @nesbox: why does the menu (and the "non-dev mode") exist at all? I always imagined that it served two purposes:
- Make it easy for "players" to modify the key layout (by making that setting visible in the menu that opens when you hit escape). I think it serves this purpose pretty well.
- Shield the "players" from the internals of TIC-80, so that they are not confused when they suddenly see white text on black, or strange editors. I agree with @darltrash that I would prefer it if TIC-80 would nudge the "players" a bit, by giving them an easy peek like "see, this is how the game is made! You can make games, too!" <3
But maybe there are more purposes for the menu! :)
Maybe as a clarifying question to @nesbox: why does the menu (and the "non-dev mode") exist at all? I always imagined that it served two purposes:
Make it easy for "players" to modify the key layout (by making that setting visible in the menu that opens when you hit escape). I think it serves this purpose pretty well.
Shield the "players" from the internals of TIC-80, so that they are not confused when they suddenly see white text on black, or strange editors. I agree with @darltrash that I would prefer it if TIC-80 would nudge the "players" a bit, by giving them an easy peek like "see, this is how the game is made! You can make games, too!" <3
But maybe there are more purposes for the menu! :)
No, no, no, I am not against the menu, I think the menu is a great idea and it's very nice to use in general! I am against the menu always showing up and getting in the way when I just want to test out the code changes I did, Maybe the default could be that there's no menu when you run the game from an editor and use a shortcut to make the menu display when in the editor (...maybe) and then default to the menu being ON for everything else
At least make dev mode easy to toggle
imo, it IS easy to toggle.
menu-> options > dev mode
oh that does make sense, yeah
I have no opinion on this question, but note that when you are on the menu, the F1 to F5 shortcuts work. So instead of typing Esc like v0.9 you can type Esc + F1 which is nearly as easy as they are adjacent keys. I never used dev mode thanks to this shortcut. However, if people don't know that, it remains a problem. Suggesting in some way to type F1 in the menu could be a solution ?
I strongly agree with this. The cart should start with "dev mode" on. I'm tired of pressing 'Esc' and choosing 'dev mode on' every time
