Is it possible to have the NAM puzzle pieces in a sub menu?

[sn1975 0]

Hi all,

I've not played SC4 or visited ST for a while and unfortunately I have quite a few questions, but I'll start with the one that I would like answering the most.

I have the latest version of the NAM installed and have been experimenting with the rail puzzle pieces but I am struggling to get used to how the puzzle pieces work in that you have to press the tab key to cycle through them sequentially.

I might be missing something, but am I using them correctly? I don't know if it's possible, but Ideally I would love to have each puzzle piece displayed individually in a sub menu?

Many thanks and kind regards,

Steve.

[Tarkus 6,931]

Unfortunately, submenus aren't possible due to game limitations. If we had such a solution figured out, we would have jumped to implement it years ago. TAB Loops are really the best we can do. I should point out, it does help to know that you can also go backwards through the TAB Loops by pressing Shift+TAB.

There was a submenu "workaround" that was developed a few years back, the DAMN system by daeley, which appropriates the game's advisor message system, but it's fallen into disuse in recent times.

-Tarkus

  Edited April 16, 2012 by Tarkus  

[murimk 217]

There was a submenu "workaround" that was developed a few years back, the DAMN system by daeley, which appropriates the game's advisor message system, but it's fallen into disuse in recent times.

Well, some are still using it... I can recommend this thread over at SimPeg, if you want to try it out.

http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=8895.0

Have no idea if it could be used for NAM pieces, but I guess i can't...

[Wiimeiser 434]

Which begs the question: what determines the order of the buttons? Why does Monorail appear at the very bottom of the rail menu? (and why does it even appear in the rail menu in the first place?) If we can move the Maxis parks to the bottom of the menu, what else can be moved?

[Tarkus 6,931]

Have no idea if it could be used for NAM pieces, but I guess i can't...

Actually, it can. daeley was active on the NAM Team around the same time as he was developing DAMN, and did an early proof-of-concept. It required the HIDs in RUL0 to be set up a certain way, which we've generally followed to the letter since, so the support's actually in place on that front.

But the actual effort (codenamed NAM2DAMN) never really took off just because there was so much legwork involved in just getting the existing NAM content at that time implemented with it.

Which begs the question: what determines the order of the buttons? Why does Monorail appear at the very bottom of the rail menu? (and why does it even appear in the rail menu in the first place?) If we can move the Maxis parks to the bottom of the menu, what else can be moved?

There's an "Item Order" property on the Icon Exemplar that controls it. The Icon Exemplar also controls what menu it is placed under.

-Tarkus

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Just as a matter of curiosity, is there any documentation anywhere that defines exemplars and their layout?

[Alexof 3]

No doubt using TAB key is kind of "annoying", however i am pretty sure that's the best they can do as Tarkus mentioned..

This is the main reason why i would like to see something like this implemented in SC5, giving the opportunity to modders to include menus, submenus etc...

  Edited April 17, 2012 by Alexof