Forum:Pikmin Engine by Espyo/Archive


 * This page has been archived. Please bring new discussions to the main topic page, even if you wish to reply to things said here.


 * User Espyo from Pikipedia is considering creating a Pikmin fan game engine so that the fanon games can become a reality. Would you be interested in this?

So, a user from Pikipedia, proposed to me on the chatroom that he'd be willing to make a Pikmin engine for making real fanon games, if we wanted it. He said that it'd be pretty easy to make Pikmin games; instead of just programming it, we could just write stuff on text files. Enemy graphics would be easy, as most fanon enemies are just recolors anyway. And Espyo even suggested that he could create a program to generate areas. So it'd be pretty easy to make an actual Pikmin game! And our ideas, which were just written, could come to life! Comments, questions, and concerns are welcome. Also, here's a poll, right underneath.
 * You can read some details of what I have in mind here. Even though the project has started, I still want to know what you think, so don't hesitate! — {EspyoT} 09:15, 13 July 2013 (EDT)

Summer 2014
Just wanted to check in, confirm I am still alive haha. The engine's latest updates look amazing! I can't wait to be able to attack enemies. I love the work you put into this one! Good job.
 * Thanks! Big changes are happening on Pikipedia lately, so I haven't been as active on the engine as I wanted to, but rest assured, the progress is going smoothly, and at the rate it's going, it looks like we'll get to play some incredible fan games in the future. — {EspyoT} 13:28, 22 July 2014 (EDT)

Pikmin run game
I plan on creating a game were you maneuver a running pikmin through hazards and enemies. However, I want the game to say certain things at certain times. How do I do it?Fanonrun 06:53, 2 May 2014 (EDT)
 * You mean like Temple Run? If so, the engine isn't made to make a game like that, I'm afraid. Otherwise, it will be possible to have the game say certain things at certain times, yes. — {EspyoT} 06:54, 2 May 2014 (EDT)

Editors
I need some feedback. Clear your mind and stop remembering any editor you've seen so far, specially the one present in the engine at the moment, if you managed to access it. Now, please answer me this: how do you see an animation editor working? In your mind, how do you imagine the creation process of a, say, Swooping Snitchbug's animations, using an editor provided with the engine? Anything from the interface, to the steps required, to the complexity of it all. I need your feedback, so I can balance the creation of the animation editor (and maybe others) between what I have, what I should do, and what I can do. — {EspyoT} 10:25, 5 April 2014 (EDT)

Hiding it

 * I just thought about this and was wondering about your opinion: when this game engine is complete, should we maybe "hide" it slightly, ie, no link on the main page? My concern would be that unscrupulous individuals would use it to make games and sell them. Maybe this is an unrealistic concern on my part, I'm not sure.
 * Hehe, there's no reason to worry. This was discussed before, on this same page, and basically, if somebody wants to make a game with this engine and sell it, it's fine. I say this, because if they do it, Nintendo will sue them so hard they won't know where to hide. What we're doing is just fan stuff for free in our spare time. If somebody tries to make profit out of an existing IP, and copyrighted materials, the owners can and will sue them. Specially Nintendo. — {EspyoT} 17:05, 16 March 2014 (EDT)
 * Yes, but then Nintendo might decide to give a C&D if they feel the engine will cause more problems in the future (suing is expensive) or if they're in a bad mood. --Dry Paratroopa 18:16, 24 September 2014 (EDT)
 * Quite true... We'll just have to hope for the best. Other similar projects are bolder than mine and are still alive and kicking. Plus I think that companies are more prone to cutting fans off if they feel the fan product could threaten the original sales. My 2D game engine would never surpass the 3D games they've got, so... — {EspyoT} 18:27, 24 September 2014 (EDT)

Cloaking Burrow-nit

 * Sorry it took me so long to finally get back to you. I love the new version! My one question: is the movement, enemy recognition and attack sequences, stuff like that that the Burrow Nit used universal, or will you have to reprogram everything for each creature?
 * It's universal, and every creature is independent! Otherwise it would kinda ruin the whole point. You can easily test this by editing Areas/test.txt. Go to where the Cloaking Burrow-nit is. This is the data for the instance of the lone CBN we see on the test stage. Just copy paste all of its info to create a new CBN on the stage. Oh, but change the coordinates to something like -100 0, or else it'll overlap the existing one. You'll see that both CBNs are completely independent, and there was no need to reprogram anything, rescript anything, reanimate anything, etc. Also, fun fact. I noticed your edit via my IRC Bot; I've just now finished working on a feature to track down recent changes from Pikipedia and Fanon, and I happened to notice your edit when he fetched it before my e-mail notifier notified me about it. — {EspyoT} 14:26, 12 March 2014 (EDT)
 * Would it work if I started going wild, ie: shrinking the CBN or making a monster sized one?
 * It has no reason not to! The only issue would be the clunkiness of playing with a giant CBN, as he'd probably catch presence of a Pikmin with the strangest distances. But other than that, it should and must work! — {EspyoT} 09:16, 13 March 2014 (EDT)

Cuscenes

 * How will cutscenes or special animations work? We can use textboxes, I know, but I mean in terms of perspectives. The engine has a fixed top-down perspective, so will there be special perspectives, or something? Also, how would we animate certain things in said cutscenes?
 * Heh, changes in perspective will certainly be impossible. Changing from top-down to anything else would require a lot of work and be a different graphical output altogether. I detail that a bit down below. Anyway, the most I can do is allow zooming and rotating of the camera. Alternately, it'll be possible to use pre-rendered images per scene. I mean, have the game show an image in the background, that can be whatever the game maker chooses. A lot of older games use this; off the top of my head, the intro to Quackshot, the intro to Sonic Robo Blast 2, ... As for the animation, it mightn't be too complicated. There should be a text file where you say "Olimar moves towards the corner of the room. Afterwards, Louie turns 180 degrees. After a one-second pause, Olimar runs to the opposite end.", except, you know, more technical-like. — {EspyoT} 07:39, 7 February 2014 (EST)

Christmas version

 * Just came back on and the Christmas version was great! I'll compile the github repo when I can. Hipe 16:21, 1 February 2014 (EST)

Invalid link

 * I am not sure the problem is my computer or the link, but every time I click the link, it asks what I want to do, I click save, and then the webpage crashes.
 * How weird... Try [this link], though I can't really imagine what the problem might be besides the file name. — {EspyoT} 09:56, 27 December 2013 (EST)
 * I got it working, but in the weirdest way... Anyway, thanks. The new version is awesome! Although I am curious, is there any interface with the rocket?
 * Thanks! At the moment, there is no sort of GUI anywhere. Not in the rocket or Onions. — {EspyoT} 18:06, 27 December 2013 (EST)
 * Um,where is the text file that lets you make pikmin,captains or enemys?
 * On the current version, it doesn't exist. The next version I'll release will have files were you can create your own leaders and such, but it's still incomplete. Like, you can only set the speed at which a captain or Pikmin moves, how fast they rotate, they color, and not much else, really. — {EspyoT} 08:08, 26 January 2014 (EST)

Controls

 * I just played around with it! I was wondering, could you please give me a quick run-down of the controls? I only how to move, throw pikmin, whistle, and take pikmin out of the onion (I can't put them back in, though).
 * Oh crud, I knew I was forgetting something! I'll update the update. As for the Onions, they're really incomplete. It'll have a full menu when it's done, but for now, all you can do is withdraw a Pikmin. — {EspyoT} 06:53, 24 October 2013 (EDT)
 * How do you make menus come up? As I said I'm running it on WINE. --Hipe 16:22, 20 December 2013 (EST)
 * No Onion menus yet. Right now, if you get close to an Onion and left-click, it'll pull out a Pikmin, provided there aren't 100 on the field. — {EspyoT} 16:50, 20 December 2013 (EST)
 * And also, I could write some documentation for you if you want me to.--Hipe 17:41, 20 December 2013 (EST)
 * Documentation? What do you mean exactly? (Also I was on IRC when you joined just now, but I was busy). — {EspyoT} 17:50, 20 December 2013 (EST)
 * Controls and info... that sort of stuff. --Hipe 18:06, 20 December 2013 (EST)
 * Oh, no need, thanks. There's not much about that sort of info, atm, and what exists is not yet final. — {EspyoT} 18:15, 20 December 2013 (EST)
 * And also (note to self: stop using and also), what do the purple boxes do? --Hipe 18:31, 20 December 2013 (EST)
 * Oh, those just provide information when you get close. I wanted to make some rudimentary wooden sign graphics, but I never got around to it. No such thing exists in any Pikmin game, but for some reason I decided to make them. Say, does the game fade out to black when you zoom out (press C or the roll the mouse wheel down)? In addition to that, does the cursor and captain spazz out at random? I really should hurry with a release that fixes the latter glitch... — {EspyoT} 18:37, 20 December 2013 (EST)
 * No, but I'm running WINE which is a Windows emulator, so I really can't say. --18:48, 20 December 2013 (EST)
 * Plus, where did you put the purple box-sign thing's graphics in your github repo? I've forked it to change the sign graphics to something that looks like a sign. -Hipe 19:14, 20 December 2013 (EST)
 * They don't use graphics yet. They're rendered using Allegro's native primitive rendering functions; in this case a rectangle. — {EspyoT} 19:21, 20 December 2013 (EST)

Beta testing and sharing
(1) Will there be beta testing, or will it just be pronounced complete and posted? (2) If it is not already planned, could you add some system so that users can share completed Pikmin games and play them?
 * I have two questions/requests:
 * 1) The engine isn't just going to be a thing that's made and later released and ended forever. It's a project that exists all throughout its development, and it's available for everyone (check the latest update that's included in my edit for more info). But yes, I suppose there will have to be a release where I ultimately say "This is it, you can now start your fangames using this engine!", and any version that's released from there on out will just be bug fixes and extra features. As for beta testing, it's too soon to go into detail, but I'm guessing that when the engine starts to become really complex, I'll compile some versions and have people quickly test them out, to see if they can find glitches. Otherwise, I'll just have like a weekly/monthly release, and people can play around, whether they want to help catch bugs or not (kinda like Minecraft's weekly snapshots).
 * 2) Well, that's the whole point, really. You create your fangame, either by editing the files or using the included editors, and once you have a fangame that has all the Pikmin, areas, music, etc. that you like, you just grab the files on the Game_data folder, throw it on Dropbox, Sendspace, or some other file uploading service, and share it with the world! Whoever wants to play your game can just add your folder onto their installation of the engine, and it'll play the game right away. That's what I've been planning all along. Now, if you meant some feature in which the engine connects to the internet and downloads a game automatically, that's something I've considered for a while, but might be too hard to implement, and not worth the effort. — {EspyoT} 08:24, 14 October 2013 (EDT)

Status update

 * Can we get a status update?
 * Sure. On the IRC channel, I post updates every once in a while. I haven't posted anything here for two reasons: a) I'm gonna start studying for my September finals just tomorrow. I haven't been quite inclined to worry about the engine with that in mind, you see. b) Nintendo's been recently banning more and more things. It made me feel a bit uneasy thinking about talking about the project. But screw it. Here goes an update. — {EspyoT} 21:28, 1 September 2013 (EDT)
 * Looking good. I just have to say, thanks, this is a dream come true!
 * I think all of us here at Pikmin Fanon thank you again and again for undertaking this project. Making real fan games has always been a dream for Pikmin Fanon, something we were always reaching for but never really managed to grasp and hold on to. This is going to revolutionize Pikmin Fanon. Suddenly, many games like Pikmin: Ultimate Doom and Pikmin: Connection of the Worlds will do far more than just tell you about the game. They will give you the game to play and enjoy! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
 * Thanks for the kind words :) I've got classes now, but they're only during the morning. I'll have the rest of the day to work on the engine. I know I said I'd eventually stop on this (I know I will, it's always how it works), but personally, I'd be more worried about Nintendo shutting me down. On the other hand, I guess they don't care about 0%-profit fangames... Maybe the fangames they shut down from Newgrounds were being paid with ad revenue? This isn't the case for the fangame engine. Either way, the development is going steady. There's a lot to do, it's complex, but somehow, progress keeps going brilliantly. — {EspyoT} 10:43, 15 September 2013 (EDT)
 * I think you should strictly forbid people from trying to make money of off the games they create, because if they start doing that, then you will be in trouble.

It begins

 * Ok, update time. I decided I should go ahead and make it (despite only 5 people showing any real interest), but there are two things to be said...
 * First of all, in order for the engine to really be flexible enough to handle several types of fan content... It'll have to be slightly more complex than I imagined. For instance, what if you want an enemy that shoots a stream of water towards one direction for 1 second, then walks towards the Pikmin for 3 seconds, stomping one of its two massive feet at a time? There is no enemy you could base yourself on. So, you'll have to specify that in the "shooting water" state, there is a hitbox that spans for how long the jet of water is, then after 1 second, it changes to the "stomping" state, where there is a foot here that hurts, but not another one, because it's in the air... Hopefully, it still won't be too confusing, and with minimal guidance, be it from other fan-made enemies or from simple tutorials I'll put up, anyone will be able to add enemies. Simple enemies might still be easy to do, though.
 * Secondly, I know I won't have enough time. I know I won't be able to do everything I want. As a result, and because this will be open-source, I plan on putting it on some repository so that others can contribute with code at any point, and so that if I have to abandon it, someone else can easily take my place. I'll try to make my code easy to read. — {EspyoT} 07:51, 3 August 2013 (EDT)

Pathfinding

 * To make Pikmin move around obstacles, you'd need a decent pathfinding system. What kind of programming/dev kit are you using to make the engine? Because I know some tricks with UDK, that's about the only one I am proficient in, save for Unity. But you need to pay for Unity, so I prefer UDK. UDK has not enough static meshes so I'd have to make structures and models with Maya, which also is a lot of money. So I couldn't help much with that, but I am still interested in the idea. I tried opening the files in Pikmin 2's ISO to find game code but i couldn't figure out the right program to open SZS files, the only program I found is for Mario Kart Wii.
 * To add to that, I had planned to make a mod for Pikmin 2 that converted it into a fan game, with perhaps new Pikmin types, etc, but I can't edit SZS files. As soon as I can open and modify the base code of those files, I am good to go. If only there was a way...
 * Well, because it's not gonna be 3D, just 2D top-down, I'll use Allegro with C++. I've grown to have quite some experience with it. As for the path-finding, for now, a simple set of waypoints would be enough. In the future, something like A* would be better. — {EspyoT} 06:29, 2 August 2013 (EDT)
 * Ah. Also, do you think it's possible to modify Pikmin 2? (Possibly NPC, I've heard Wii games are much easier to modify)
 * It might be. The files in the Wii version might be the same, though, specially because of how a Wii is "just two GameCubes glued together"; I doubt they changed most files for the NPC release. But anyway, to view Pikmin 2 model files, you'll need to extract the szs file with yaz0dec, then use rarcdump, then use bmdview2 to view the final bmd file. I tried with the Bulborb Larva and it worked. Don't know how possible it is to change the models, but keep searching. — {EspyoT} 07:51, 3 August 2013 (EDT)

Version 0.12
Happy holidays! My Christmas present is version 0.12 of the engine. The most important thing in this version is the revamped area editor. It's been rebuilt almost entirely to be more friendly and useful. Other than that, White Pikmin can now poison enemies using a new mechanic, "spike damage" – this can even be used to make, for instance, enemies that cause damage to their attacker the second they take any damage. Besides Pikmin sprouts now also advancing in stage, this update brings a few smaller things. It also slightly changes some file formats, so if you messed with any areas, Pikmin types, or the HUD, you will need to watch out. As usual, more information about all the changes can be found in the changelog. I couldn't finish the enemy for this version in time, but it will come in version 0.13, which should be released very soon, given its special nature. Download version 0.12 here, and as always, let me know what you think! — {EspyoT} 14:26, 23 December 2017 (EST)

Example Game
I've been working on a pikmin fangame, called "Pikmin World", which I hope will provide an example of what a more complete fangame currently works like. While it is incomplete, I still hope it will be useful. --I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 11:25, 21 December 2017 (EST)

Here it is: Pikmin World

PS: The desert level is really hard.


 * From the screnshots you've sent me about that stuck Pikmin/crash problem, it looks like you're really using a lot of the engine's features! I'll be glad to take a look at it when I have some time. — {EspyoT} 12:00, 21 December 2017 (EST)


 * Okay, so I tried it out. I like where you're going with it. The areas need to have more content in them, though. Thanks for sharing! With this, I could gauge the player's priorities and wants, and I was also able to find glitches and weird behaviors in the engine's logic that I wouldn't have stumbled into on my own. — {EspyoT} 17:53, 21 December 2017 (EST)

Weirdest Crash Ever
Program crash! Time: 2017/12/18 14:38:36. Signal: 11. Backtrace: ¸UÞ�¸UÞ� [9187343235540844544] ¸UÞ�¸UÞ� [9187343235540844544] ¸UÞ�¸UÞ� [9187343235540844544] ¸UÞ�¸UÞ� [9187343235540844544] BaseThreadInitThunk [1998161696] RtlGetAppContainerNamedObjectPath [2005751600] RtlGetAppContainerNamedObjectPath [2005751600] Game state number: 3 Number of mobs: 39 Bitmaps loaded: 128 (747 total calls) Delta_t: 0.07 (15.00 FPS) Please note that the characters after "UP" are actually up-arrows. This crash is so weird. I've played this game for a while, and encountered about 50 or so crashes from custom scripts. But this... I have no idea what caused it. --I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 15:41, 18 December 2017 (EST)


 * Aw drat... What were you doing when this crashed occurred? What were you doing right before it? Hopefully with that information I can figure out some weak spot and fix it for the next version. — {EspyoT} 16:49, 18 December 2017 (EST)


 * What I had been doing was I had pikmin carry a newly made enemy to the onion; after the enemy was absorbed, one of the pikmin froze. I whistled at it repeatedly, but eventually, it just crashed.--I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 09:02, 19 December 2017 (EST)


 * I see. What do you mean by "newly made"? You mean you recently made a new type of enemy, and you were testing that enemy out? Also, what happens if you just play the engine again, and carry that same enemy to the Onion? Can you repeat the crash, or did it only ever happen one time? — {EspyoT} 09:43, 19 December 2017 (EST)


 * Crash Image Of Frozen Pikmin, but no crash this time:

Image


 * The pikmin atop my head is frozen. Won't move, even if I whistle it or move myself, and it won't respond. This happens after carrying a new "Leech" enemy to the onion.


 * That's definitely weird! Think you can send me the enemy's data and animations file in some way, so I can create it on my end and try to replicate it? Other than that, you could try making sure that the parameters on the enemy are all correct and don't have insane values, like the number of carriers being set to "-1" or something. — {EspyoT} 12:37, 19 December 2017 (EST)

Here's the Nightmare Leech's folder: Nightmare_Leech

I changed one thing on the script since the crash; I changed "chomp = 0 Maw" to "Eat = ".--I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 13:05, 19 December 2017 (EST)


 * Well, I tried the Leech over here, and couldn't get a Pikmin to get stuck by having its corpse get carried... Tell you what, next time you can get that to happen, place your cursor on top of that Pikmin and press 5. This should show you some information about the Pikmin. If you get information on a different mob, try aiming better and pressing 5 again. When you've got the info on the Pikmin exactly, please send me a screenshot (press F12). I should be able to see what state the Pikmin is stuck in, and what states it went through to get stuck. — {EspyoT} 17:50, 19 December 2017 (EST)

I got the information. Image Of Debug Info --I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 09:04, 20 December 2017 (EST)


 * Ah, I see what's wrong. Notice how the Pikmin is stuck in the "grabbed_by_enemy" state. That means the leech had chomped this Pikmin, and never let go. You should add a "eat = " line on the death state. See if that works. — {EspyoT} 09:44, 20 December 2017 (EST)

That worked. I had another weird crash, but it occured before the fix.

Just A Notice
Hello, this is GreatBulborb again. Not that it's important, but I want to thank you for taking the time to make this engine. It will be EPIC when it's complete, and I can't wait for more updates.

Also, I made a 999 pikmin max game, and the results were rather funny. If I even moved with 500 pikmin, or less, considering I only tested with an army of at least 500, the game would turn brown. Nothing would appear on the screen, at least from what I remember. The brown coloration may just be because the level I was making was a desert, but it was still rather funny. This isn't too important, as not many games need or even allow that much pikmin (Just think of what that could do to an emperor bulblax!).

I've got an idea of how cutscenes could work. Seeing how objects have "Focus" options in their script, and can move to other objects, why not make cutscenes a type of hidden area, that when opened a chain of events based on an area's script would occur. An example would be the day's end cutscene, when a bulborb eats the pikmin at night after the day ends. On the cutscene area's start, the pikmin's script says "Mob= Red_Pikmin; Move = landing_zone (a reference to an object's name). It moves to the landing zone. Then, an event occurs where the bulborb attacks, chasing the pikmin (move = focused_mob), and then goes into its eating state, as the pikmin will no longer move (because the script doesn't have it do so). I hope this will make cutscenes an easier possibility. --GreatBulborb (talk) 20:14, 20 November 2017 (EST)


 * Hey, thanks for the words! I've actually never tested playing with a massive group of Pikmin, but I am surprised that the engine blows up like that... How good is your computer? It might not be able to handle that many Pikmin at once! Check your task manager and see the CPU and RAM usage. As for the cutscenes, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with them, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's something along those lines. Although, since the sunset cutscene in particular is so ubiquitous in the games, I may just make it part of the engine, instead of forcing people to create cutscene files for it. We'll see. Stay tuned for an update coming hopefully before the month ends! — {EspyoT} 04:05, 21 November 2017 (EST)

Version 0.11
''Hey! Pikmin'' releases tomorrow in the US and Europe, so to celebrate, I made an update! From here on out, I'll try launching more frequent, but smaller updates; this one took place just 2 months after 0.10. It doesn't add any big new features, but it does implement some big changes into the engine. For starters, pressing the "Pause" button now quits to the main menu. Areas are drawn in a different way internally, which should make them appear slightly different, but should also provide a performance boost. I've improved controller support in this version, and I've added a crash handler that should help me debug engine glitches better. Other changes include a fog effect, "missable" attacks, and smarter Pikmin task selection. The enemy I decided to make for this update was the Crumbug, the small Breadbug lookalike in ''Hey! Pikmin''! As usual, you can find the changelog here, and the download here. Enjoy! — {EspyoT} 15:25, 27 July 2017 (EDT)

Version 0.10
Time for a new version! Version 0.10, nicknamed the "Player Convenience" update, brings a lot of features and tweaks that should make playing with the engine more enjoyable. There have also been tweaks and features added to the editors, as well as some other random things across the board. The most important change this time is the fact that Pikmin groups are now controlled like in Pikmin 3 – you can select what type of Pikmin to keep on standby, and when you're ready, start mashing the Throw button, since a Pikmin of that type will always be grabbed and thrown. Other notable changes include smoother Pikmin movement while in the group, an "X" overlay if the held Pikmin can't reach the cursor, smooth dismissing, and a way to create new areas on the area editor. Unfortunately, if you have created any content for the engine, and want to use it in version 0.10, I'm afraid to say that this update changed up a lot of formats, and you'll have to spend some time making the appropriate changes. All of this is detailed in the Changelog page. Download version 0.10 here, and as always, enjoy, and let me know what you think! — {EspyoT} 09:57, 27 May 2017 (EDT)

Version 0.9
Happy holidays! This update doesn't bring much, but it is an important one. Quite simply, I've changed some of the graphics and sounds that are pre-packaged with the engine to replace all copyrighted assets with free license ones. This lowers the risk of getting into trouble with Nintendo. Of course the risk is still there, since I'm using the IP, but it's still a good idea in general. These changes also slightly change the way one or two things are presented in the engine. If you made custom textures, please read the changelog to know if you need to update anything. Other than that, this update fixes some tiny glitches and makes the area editor more pleasant to use, by making vertex merging work based on the camera zoom, just like the vertex dragging mechanic works.

Before I leave you with the download link, there is an important thing to note. The new textures and graphics are fairly different, but it seems unanimous that they're pretty neat. After the initial shock dies down, I think you'll find that they work quite well. The sounds, on the other hand...well, let's just say I wasn't born to be a sound designer. I apologize in advance if some sound effects make you think that the whole project is a joke, and if the Pikmin voices make you want to pluck your ears off. Feel free to leave any feedback, so that I can better gauge what worked and what didn't, in an attempt to bring more appealing assets in the future. Thanks! Enjoy version 0.9.0 by downloading it here. — {EspyoT} 15:38, 22 December 2016 (EST)

Is there a way to submit textures?
I have 2 ship parts and a treasure I want to submit(shock asorber and the gravity jumper and a packet of chicken flavoring). How do i submit textures??
 * Thanks, but it's more or less complicated. The thing is, the engine is all about the logic and such. The content you see when you play it right now is just a bunch of demo content made for showing off what the engine can do. So there's no need to add specific textures, objects, etc. On top of that, I'm currently reworking the graphics and sounds I release the game with, because half of the old ones were copyrighted. So it's a complicated time for me to accept textures. Nevertheless, since the concept of the engine is for people to create their own fangames, you can hold on tight to those textures and use them when or if you create your own fangame! Or if you never do, you can always upload them on the wiki for other people to use in their projects, if you're okay with that. For future reference though, the best way to send me content like that would be through e-mail, I'd say. — {EspyoT} 11:44, 12 November 2016 (EST)


 * okay then, well I'm just going to put them on my user page and anyone can use them as long as they credit me.
 * Sounds good. Oh, and the way to sign your posts is with four tildes ( ~ ). — {EspyoT} 14:25, 12 November 2016 (EST)

Version 0.8
Version 0.8, the Hazards Update, is now live! Get it here. This monster of an update brings not only raw hazards, but also status effects, sprays, and liquids, which are all inter-connected! It also brings a decent particle system, some nifty improvements to the editors, and of course, some gameplay tweaks. Some internal things also got changed, and users who made custom content for the engine will have to see if they need to change anything to be compatible with this version. There are also some problems I realized were introduced with this update, so I ask you to please be patient and pretend they don't exist, as I'll fix them at some point in the future. For a full list of changes, as well as warnings for outdated custom content, please read the changelog. Other than that, feel free to comment on this version's best, its worst, and any problems you find! — {EspyoT} 12:46, 6 August 2016 (EDT)

I have to say, I am impressed
This engine has reached new heights! I commend your work on this. I also am sorry I have been unable to help much, since I don't really have the time or really any talent that could even help. Nonetheless it is a great update and I am excited to see what comes out of this in the future. 23:24, 3 August 2016 (EDT)
 * Thank you so much! So long as you have interest in it, and share the word, that's plenty of help. Also, funny timing for you to post this. I'm going to release a new version later this week. If you had waited just a bit, you could've commented on the new version! — {EspyoT} 03:56, 4 August 2016 (EDT)
 * Fabulous timing! I feel maybe I should make a new video promoting your engine's new release. If you'd be okay with this then I totally would get to work on it right away! 17:11, 4 August 2016 (EDT)
 * Feel free to make any video at any time. I don't mind! — {EspyoT} 17:13, 4 August 2016 (EDT)

Suggestions (by the previously anonymous user with constant issues, questions, and suggestions)
Hello, it's me, GreatBulborb(one of the most loyal supporters, with constant issues, questions, and suggestions). I would like to suggest ideas never before suggested:

A. You could make it so all objects have health, so that any object could destroy or assist another(ex: a bulborb eating an onion, the sheargrubs attacking bridges, etc.)(all-forms of benefits).

B. You could allow onions to have pikmin-based self-defense mechanisms, like how swarm of bees is summoned to defend their hive(ecology/mechanics).

C. Allow pikmin to be able to attack allied objects, like olimar(ex: PVP, Wild pikmin, etc.).

D. An enemy spawn mechanic(ex: Random wild encounters)(all-forms of benefits)

E. Online play/or/sharing, both for non-commercial purposes, and both with proper references and citations(Usage).

F. The possibilities are infinite!(Just a comment)

--GreatBulborb 11:01, 1 June 2016 (EDT)
 * Those are some good suggestions. A and C are already a thing. All objects in the game already have health (when you "build" a bridge, you're actually hurting its object, and its "death" is when it gets built!), and objects are already internally separated by "teams". Any object can belong to any team, although I haven't added a way to set that yet. (In fact, anything can attack anything if the teams are set right. There was a version of the engine where enemies would chase and eat gates...) For B, that would probably be a bit too complicated and specific to implement. The engine should try to be first and foremost, flexible and simple, in order to allow creating content easily. Adding that would require a good amount of work, too. Not to mention that if the player doesn't want the Pikmin to go defend (enemy is too tough, too few Pikmin), that'll just be a disaster. I can implement D one day without much of a problem, but E will be WAY too hard. Programming an online turn-based game can get very complicated very fast, but programming a real-time game, with 100+ objects moving about at once will mandatorily go horribly wrong. I'm already planning to implement local split-screen, though. As for content sharing online, there are no plans, but the wiki will serve as a good platform for this until we need something better, if we ever do. Not quite sure what you mean by the references and citations part, though. Anyway, thanks for the comment! — {EspyoT} 11:38, 1 June 2016 (EDT)

Version 0.7.2
Some convenience features, mostly. This will give you a nice comfortable version to work with while I'm busy creating the hazards mechanic. Get it here. For the full changelog, see here, but the most important changes this time are much better visuals on the area editor, and some improvements on both editors. Note: if you have gates on your maps, you may want to check again, as I've increased the size of gates (so that 20 pellets can pass). — {EspyoT} 18:31, 12 April 2016 (EDT)

Version 0.7.1
A bugfix and balance release. Get it here. This release fixes a lot of problems, which you can see here, but the main ones are: I've also balanced task detection ranges, made it so you can specify the starting number of Pikmin in an Onion for each type, and released the original SVG files used for the graphics on the git repository. — {EspyoT} 15:09, 26 March 2016 (EDT)
 * Fixed enemies dying instantly if a Pikmin hits them while they're shaking.
 * Fixed enemies attacking obstacles.
 * Fixed Pikmin getting stuck in their thrown state.

Just a question, could you try and make it so enemies can attack enemies? I would like that, because if I made a massive bulborb(that would need bigger prey), I could have it attack smaller animals, such as dwarf bulborbs. That would be useful!
 * Will do! I actually added that to my list of things to implement some days ago, but now that I know there's interest, I'll make it a bit higher priority. — {EspyoT} 11:43, 5 April 2016 (EDT)

Version 0.7
Version 0.7 is out now! Get it here. The main additions this time are carrying paths and fixed wall collisions. But quite a lot of minor things were also added. Be sure to check them here. WARNING: if you made content (areas, objects, etc.) for the engine, you might have to make some changes to make them compatible with the newest version of the engine. Of course, you can also remake them from scratch if you prefer. — {EspyoT} 11:12, 19 March 2016 (EDT)
 * Areas
 * Open the area's text file.
 * Replace all of the following:
 * with  on the mob sections.
 * with.
 * with  on the edges section.
 * with.
 * with  on the vertexes section.
 * with  on the sectors section.
 * with.
 * with.
 * with.
 * with.
 * with.
 * with.
 * Swap the sectors numbers of each edge around (you can use regex for this if you know how).
 * Go to the areas folder, and create a new folder for every area you have. Place the old files in the respective new folders.
 * In every folder, rename the old text file to Geometry.txt. Create a new text file called Data.txt.
 * Move the first 6 parameters (background, name and subtitle, and weather) to the Data.txt.
 * If you're using the bundled textures, rename all instances of  with , and   with.
 * Objects
 * Create a new text file for your object called Script.txt.
 * Move the script and the first state parameter from Data.txt to Script.txt
 * If your object's script uses the  action, update it: this action is now a multiplier (1 is normal gravity, 0 no gravity, -1 upwards gravity), and you can use   to kill all vertical momentum.

How much space does this take?
I want to know how much space this takes. Also do you need anything for it to run? Pikifan4 13:30, 14 January 2016 (EST)
 * The whole engine, as it is right now, only takes up 5.50 MB. And no, you shouldn't need absolutely anything to run it. — {EspyoT} 13:58, 14 January 2016 (EST)
 * ThanksPikifan4 14:17, 14 January 2016 (EST)

Also, Scruffy told me that the next update would include being able to take pics of the whole area, anything else?
 * Plans for the next update are:
 * Being able to take your own images of the full area.
 * Animation editor can edit any text file, instead of only object animations.
 * Wall collisions will be severely improved (99% done as I type this!).
 * Carrying paths for the Pikmin to take.
 * Also, please consider reading Help:Talk page so you can better use talk pages, okay? — {EspyoT} 18:20, 15 January 2016 (EST)

A. Cool those sound good

B. Ok i will check Help:Talk page

Sprites
Hey same random Anonymous user who commented on your user page. That's not important so here's a link to a huge sprite sheet some people made. However, the game looks so un-spritish that these would be mostly useless. Some could be used for Piklopedia icons or maybe Onion menus. http://ymmot392.deviantart.com/art/Huge-Pikmin-Sprite-Collection-145799985


 * Yeah, I'm afraid the sprites won't do much good, since the game is viewed from a top-down view. The fact that the style is different from sprite art doesn't mean much, because anybody can just change the graphics to make them sprite-based too. But thanks for the link anyway! — {EspyoT} 17:03, 8 January 2016 (EST)

DarnPikifan4 12:54, 14 January 2016 (EST)

Textures Error
Hi! When I tried testing my map, the textures all had the word error. When I checked the error log, it said that the textures could not load. Do you know the cause of this?


 * Uh, I'm not Espyo, but I think I can help you. Did

you specify the extension? Is the file .jpg or .png? If you didn't add them, put them like so: example.png or grass.jpg. If you did specify the extensions let me or Espyo know


 * Thank you, Neo. Yes, that would be the main reason. Other than that, make sure that the textures do exist on the Game_data/Graphics/Textures folder. — {EspyoT} 04:02, 4 January 2016 (EST)


 * Thank you for the help! The extension was wrong. Oops! I appreciate the help.

January 1st 2016 update
Happy new year! I have a new version. It doesn't change much in terms of gameplay, but it introduces a main menu, with a way to edit your controls, access the editor, and pick what area you want to play on (if you have multiple ones). It also polishes some minor things up here and there, and introduces a. In addition, I'd like to announce that I'm creating an article for the engine: Pikmin fangame engine. This article and a few others will give an overview of the engine, answer some questions, provide a changelog, and give tutorials on how to create content. Download version 0.6 here! — {EspyoT} 12:41, 1 January 2016 (EST)

How to play your levels
just a question, how do you play a level you make? All that happens when I play is the "Testing Area". OOPS, all I had to do was rename my current "play" level to play.old (note: you do not have to use this EXACTLY),and rename my new one "play"
 * Yeah, at the moment, you can't really pick. Although you should be able to rename the "Play.txt" file to anything else really, not specifically "play.old". — {EspyoT} 04:03, 9 December 2015 (EST)

Making New Pikmin Types
If I were to try this, how would I make new Pikmin types? Or new enemies? I would assume I would just use a modeling program, but I would like to know if there could be another way, as those are very expensive and hard to find. &#35;MLGSWAG forever!-RockPikminFTW 01:25, 28 August 2015 (EDT)
 * The engine works in a top-down view, using sprites. So no models involved. That said, there's actually a free modeling program, Blender, and it's pretty amazing. — {EspyoT} 07:38, 28 August 2015 (EDT)

Is This Still Being Worked On?
Just wondering, as this engine will be very cool when it is complete!


 * Possibly. Updates normally take a while, but this is longer than normal...


 * I asked him about it on the IRC a few days ago, and he said that he completed the AI of Pikmin and enemies. Now he has to revamp the leader AI, as well as some other things, then he'll start working on something else for the engine. I don't know when he'll release the next update, though. 00:47, 2 July 2015 (EDT)


 * Progress is going great, thankfully. I'm a bit split on when to release the next version. On one hand, I wanted to release it after the new AI module, which is actually a pretty important change. But on the other, I don't really want to release a version that works almost exactly like the existing one, gameplay-wise... After the AI is all good, I'll keep adding smaller features (gates, bridges, normal time passage procedures, ...) until I think I have something that feels better to play than the current version. If all goes well...two more months? — {EspyoT} 04:00, 2 July 2015 (EDT)


 * Hey, that sounds good to me. Thanks for the reply!


 * I wanted to drop by to thank you for your continued work. I have been dealing with personal things for so long it seems I never can find the time or energy to keep up with the site.. And that includes the engine, which I still am proud that you are working on. Keep it up, you are a valued member of the community for doing this. 15:38, 3 July 2015 (EDT)


 * Thanks! Good news is that there are no plans to stop, for the near future. I still don't firmly believe I'll ever get this to the level of being a full game maker (I hope I'm wrong!), but I can at least make this something playable and fun. Like a Challenge Mode-only engine. — {EspyoT} 15:42, 3 July 2015 (EDT)

Issues with Windows 8.1

 * There is a problem with the engine, not beeing able to run on Windows 8 or 8.1. The program does start, but isn't displayed as a window, so one is unable to do anything. Sunny1506
 * I use Windows 8.1 and it's fine for me. Are you saying you see that the game opened, but you can't find any window? Like, do you see the icon for the game on the taskbar at the bottom, but no actual window? If so, go to the folder where the game is, open Options.txt, and go to the bottom until you find the lines  and  . Change those two numbers to like "50", so that the lines are   and , save the file, and try running the engine again. It's a weird issue with the window and its placement, so that's why I added those options. Let me know if that fixed the problem or not. — {EspyoT} 10:20, 16 February 2015 (EST)
 * Thanks for the help, Espyo! It works now :D I love this engine! Keep the good work up ;D Sunny1506

Area Editor Issue
In my last reply I thanked you for helping me access the editor. Now I am having issues with launching it. You might know of this difficulty, you might not. I created two batch files for the base of the engine's files, called "Animation" and "Area", respectively. The first one, "Animation" runs the command prompt line you mentioned which adds the letter 'a' to the end of the line. That works perfectly. The second one, "Area", adds two words to the end of the line in the batch file, but doesn't work. The Pikmin Fan Engine stops responding instantly. Perhaps it is because I edited the resolution in the "Options" text file. Nonetheless, I would like some help troubleshooting it. I have a link to a video of me detailing my process here. 14:31, 2 January 2015 (EST)
 * Thanks once again for the support! Let me just say that if you think you're up for programming and like the idea, do go ahead with it. You will not regret knowing how to program. That said, it's not all a big slice of heaven. Bugs happen, code becomes confusing, and at times, it feels like you wanted to do anything but program. But in the end, it's always worth it. Being able to create life just out of some text, and having full control over how it turns out is something out of this world. I'm afraid to say that you likely won't be able to help me, because all of the simple parts are pretty much taken, and the complicated stuff would require quite a few years of practice to get right. Anyway, I think I got a crash on a different PC too, on the area editor, and I've fixed the problem since. It's an easy fix, but I'd have to launch a new version to fix it, I'm afraid... It's been a while since I fixed it, but I THINK the problem doesn't happen if you have a secondary area. Just create a new text file on the Areas folder, and hopefully it should work. I think it was something related to a scrollbar acting up, but it never happened on my machine because I always have two area files (the actual area used in the alpha and a test area). Oh, before I submitted this, I just rummaged through my Dropbox, because at one point I sent a version of the engine to a friend to test something, and said version might just be after I fixed the problem you're having. So try replacing your .exe with the one [here], and hopefully the problem will be gone. Remember to make a backup of your original .exe first, though. Oh, and one final thing, remember that I'm on the IRC from 7 to 12 PM GMT, and pretty much all day during the weekends, so it would probably be better to chat there! — {EspyoT} 15:26, 2 January 2015 (EST)

The fix above doesn't seem to work. Replacing the .exe with one in the link did not make any difference, and the Area folder currently contains three files. Just like the original asker, we are using "Pikmin_fangame_engine.exe a a" to launch the area editor, and getting the same crash. Do you have another version available, or any other ideas on how we can fix this issue?
 * Hm, I checked my Dropbox folder again, and I also have [this] . Try that one. My folder is a bit of a mess, and the file names aren't helping. Sorry, my bad. Anyway, I don't have many more ideas, though I guess you could try having over 20 area files, instead of just two. This would definitely force the scrollbar to appear, which should fix the crash. I'm afraid I can't send a new version for the time being, because my current code is barely functional – you caught me in the middle of revamping the enemy scripting code. — {EspyoT} 19:19, 18 March 2015 (EDT)

I can't seem to get the area editor working, so, once again, any idea's?
 * I'm afraid not... If all goes well, I'll be releasing a new version somewhere next month, which will likely have solved all area-related problems. Until then... I suppose you could try a different machine. — {EspyoT} 03:59, 20 May 2015 (EDT)

Soundtrack
I am posting this as a bump, and because I have produced a song dedicated to the Pikmin Engine. This is my song, titled "Forest Waves", and I intend to either put it in a custom made area or give it to Espyo for use with his. I am sort of renewed with my interest in this project; for now I'll make things, like graphics and music for it, but I don't have much experience in C++. I will also attempt to make an area in the game itself. One more thing: I have many ideas, most of which revolve around gameplay mechanics: something that uses the engine's simplicity and limitations to create a very high content:re-playability ratio. I will make a subpage on my user page detailing these ideas. As for support revolving around the engine itself, I, although busy with the end of high school (and I am already taking college) I will try to look back and provide support. I hope and trust that this will become a very fun game.


 * Hi! Right, I am pretty late on an update, aren't I? Truth is I've been ultra-busy lately. But no worries, I have no intention of giving up on the project, and almost all of my big tasks are over, meaning I'll only focus on Pikipedia and the engine. The engine is just an engine, and it'll be made to support any song to the game creator's choice. So I can't add that to the engine itself, but people can add it to their game while making it. Speaking of, the song sounds pretty nice! It's a bit too ambiance-based for the likes of Pikmin, though, so it might not suit as well as other songs. I was thinking of composing my own music for the fangame I'll be making, but if I ever run out of time, I'll use yours and other free music online, if you don't mind. Feel free to help in any way you can, be it ideas, spreading the word, or anything else – you don't necessarily have to help with the code. I also have some gameplay mechanic ideas, of course, but feel free to contribute with your own. Also, I guess this is a good a time as any to say this, but because the engine is increasingly more demanding, I'll put less focus on flexibility so that I can focus more on actually getting the engine to a near-complete state. Meaning that outlandish gameplay ideas will be even harder to implement... Well, we'll let time decide on how that one turns out. Thanks for the support! — {EspyoT} 18:53, 1 January 2015 (EST)


 * About your fangame, sure, I'd compose some music if you didn't have time. Given greater descriptions I could compose types of sound more suitable to the theme.


 * And about the engine itself, I was thinking a few things to improve. The Pikmin get stuck randomly, which is something I will further examine. They seem to be able to be thrown, but don't move, so perhaps it is the recognition of the Pikmin's position that is wonky. Also, the Bulborb is much too strong. When Pikmin get stuck in front of it, which is understandable, I never am able to defeat it. Maybe by decreasing its base health by half, you can make for a better balance. When the Pikmin seeds come out of the Onions, there should be a sound to accompany it. As I understand the sounds can be added in, but it would be best if the game engine itself have it. Lastly, the game engine could already in its current state make for a solid game, if you make a GUI for the area making, or an ingame editor. I know this is planned, but just to highlight the importance of it, as you know it would make the engine much more user friendly. If you could edit the walls and vertexes in the game via an editor menu, it would feel so much more complete, and make it easier. Also just a generic start menu, while not necessary, would prove very beneficial. Everyone is trained to want a start menu, like a game tradition from back when they were actually useful for arcades.


 * As for the ideas, they were just base ideas to spruce up gameplay, so it may or may not be possible. Adding an objective system, like Pokos or Coins for Treasure, making pellets more sparse (which is already possible), and a few other things would help out any game's re-playability. I am assuming caves are possible, but I haven't seen a way to transition from one map to another. With caves, you could allow for much more intensive world-building. Because of the default speed of the captains, more ground to cover is much more gameplay. I had thought of a simple voxel system for dungeons, like randomized maps. They would have basic tiles of worlds that could be inter-changeable, to create an infinite possibilities of quick cave layouts. Given the nature of simple games with voxel mechanics, like Minecraft and Terraria, a lot of gameplay could be made from little code. So perhaps making a tile system for ground terrain, you could have on your hands even easier to implement map making tools.


 * I hope a few, if not all, of these ideas are enough to sustain the fact that I like this project. If I made the time, I could learn C++ and make my own version of the engine, but that would be a long time from now. I would personally add in the objectives, menus, and voxel elements myself. I would also add in loot, say Armor like different helmets that drop from killing beasts, and they would subtly influence something like walk speed, throw speed, or Pikmin strength. Imagine an experience system that allowed difficulty to be in an RPG like curve, so you could only defeat later area creatures late in the game. Just a thought, however. That is on the extreme side of exotic to implement. For now, bugfixes and making the engine more versatile is exactly what you are probably going to do. Like I said, if I learn C++ any time soon, a possibility given the nature of free courses, yay Khan Academy, then I can help with code. Thanks for being awesome, by the way. This project is amazing.


 * Oh yeah, I was typing this and forgot my question: Saves
 * What will be implemented in terms of saving the progress of games? Maybe save-states could be possible, but if the startup is based on an already established code, then maybe that's a little more complicated than I'd think.


 * Good ideas, but I feel like there's a point I haven't made clear. The engine is still really young in its age. Most of the things you mentioned will be added or changed in the future. I don't say this sounding condescending, but I felt like you had the idea that I'm aiming to make the engine near-final as it stands right now, which is not true. I do appreciate the feedback, even when it's obvious, but I just wanted to make it clear that the latest release had some really rushed things. Still, I'll discuss some of the great points you mentioned.


 * As for the music, we'll worry about that in the future.
 * The Pikmin get stuck randomly, and so do the leaders, on some walls. I haven't been able to pinpoint why, but I might have to revamp the collision code. I've been meaning to fix that for a while, as no game that's worth the name "game" could ever be allowed to have sticky walls! They also randomly glitch and become in some limbo state where you can't grab them. It's weird, but it'll all be fixed in the future, to the point where it resembles a canon Pikmin game; don't worry. The Bulborb is also incredibly broken, and unbalanced. Broken because the script and code that controls it needs to be remade, as it's currently quite glitchy. And like you said, it is indeed unbalanced – too much HP, attacks too frequently, too fast, etc. I plan on fixing all of these before the next release, so this will be the first and last time you'll see an overpowered Bulborb. As for the sounds, they're a bit different from the music, in that most of them will come packaged with the engine. The sound of seeds being expelled will be one of them. I'll also add some sparkling particles after the seeds are expelled. Like I pointed out yesterday, I'm focusing more on getting the engine to work, instead of making existing things prettier. As for the editor, I got news for you: both an animation editor and area editor already exist, and they're pretty much complete! I couldn't possibly design the area I did by hand. They'll be made easily accessible in the future, but for now, you'll have to do something weird to access them:
 * On Windows, open the command line (check the Start Menu, accessories), and type "cd ", followed by the folder to where the game is. You can know what folder it's on by opening it normally and checking the path at the top of the window. It should be something like "C:/Users/_____/Desktop/Engine", or something of the sort. Press Enter when you're done. This will basically make you enter the folder, via the command line.
 * Next, type the name of the engine's executable, then a space, and then any letter. This will run the engine with the animation editor.
 * To open the area editor, do the same, except instead of having ONE word after the name of the executable, have TWO words.
 * Menus will exist, and they will be pretty standard. I'm aiming to have a title screen that can be customized for each game, but still have the standard options: Story, Challenge, Multiplayer, Options, Quit. Other menus will also exist, of course. I'll try to make it resemble a canon Pikmin game.
 * As for cave generation, I'll have to make some sort of hybrid, and base myself on what Pikmin 2 does. I won't make tile-based levels, as that would requiring re-writting a lot, when I already have a decent map geometry system. But caves in Pikmin 2 are based on, so I think I'll have to do something similar.
 * If you do not know how to program, you can give up on the idea of C++. I don't mean this an insult, by any means. It's just that to make something that's optimized and a bit specific like this, it requires several years of practice. If you're already a programmer, then you'd do good in learning C++. But ultimately, don't worry about it. I'm grabbing the code by the horns, and so far, I'm handling it pretty nicely. Thanks for the offer, anyway! The idea of a Pikmin engine that supports elements like RPG-like leveling would be pretty insane, but I wouldn't count on it. We can get back to it in a few years, though. You never know!
 * Finally, saves: the engine should save the progress a player has made on story mode, as well as the alternate play modes, like challenge. I'm aiming to make it as detailed as the canon games, meaning it saves the last enemies you killed (so it knows in which day to respawn them), the last area you chose on the area selection menu, and other such tidbits. Savestates will likely not be implemented, because a) they can be used for cheating, by having people go back and undo any sort of mistake they make, and b) it could take months to get a savestate system that really works.
 * Like I said before, because the engine is still changing, worrying about resources (graphics and sounds) right now may be a bit premature, because stuff that's thought to be needed now might not be needed or might change in the future. So at this point, what I really need is just to get the word spread, and to receive more feedback. — {EspyoT} 06:18, 2 January 2015 (EST)


 * Thank you for the help accessing the editors! I believe that simple instruction set should be included in the README file for future releases. And to reply to the longevity of the project, I was merely suggesting end-game suggestions, for when the engine itself is complete, very far from now. I realized as soon as I looked into the source code of the engine that this will take a ton of time, a lot of effort, and slaving over the code for countless weeks. I myself haven't mastered any single programming language, other than my rudimentary "mastery" of HTML because of WikiMedia's markup and CSS because of its role in styling the site. I have dabbled in Javascript, however, I admittedly only made a mod for Minecraft, not something transferable to other means. I have a basic grasp of logic, and I am currently working towards learning mathematical logic systems that help solve problems, a flowchart-esque heuristic type logic flow. But I am limited to my ignorance of any non-web programming. I have seen what C++ can do, and Python, and Ruby, and so forth, but I never took the time to slave over the idea. However, this engine has me excited for the possibility that code brings about: from simple binary, derived are characters, which, when interpreted by a cluster of switches at the nano scale, form words, which define processes, which are transmitted to the display for us as biological entities to perceive. Once our optic nerves impress the sensory data into our working memory, and then to our short and long term memory, we are forever effected by it. From the infinite complexities of combinations comes reason, meaning, and emotion. This fascinates me to no foreseeable end.
 * I suppose this is a promise of my support. I envy your dedication to this, as I am fully aware it is a tiny droplet of water in the probably full pond of life you have. Most of all, I appreciate your making of this entire wiki's dreams come true. Once completed, the engine will serve to make the fanon true games. Thanks for that. 13:56, 2 January 2015 (EST)

Birthday update
New update! Please comment on it here. — {EspyoT} 19:10, 15 August 2014 (EDT)


 * I love it! This is going to sound really mean, but I was delighted when the Bulborb first ate my Pikmin! The height concept, the better graphics, the plucking animation, the walls, the sign, I loved it all! I could tell the game was still W.I.P., but it was wonderful to play around with.


 * As for your question of whether the community is excited about this or not, I cannot speak for others. I for one am very excited every time I see a new update to the game. Waiting long periods between updates somewhat diminishes the excitement, but then it updates and I am excited all over again.


 * I can't really say much other than that I love this, and I hope you keep up the awesome work!


 * Thanks! I've been getting positive feedback from other people too, but it's looking a bit quiet at the moment. As for the updates, they keep happening, and you can always check out the github page to see what my latest changes are. But I'd rather focus on posting meaningful updates instead of frequent updates. — {EspyoT} 14:43, 16 August 2014 (EDT)

While I am disappointed by long delays, I do support your approach. It is disappointing when you hear of an update to a game and only get 1 or 2 things done differently.

Looks exciting!

Sorry, but I've found another bug.
Sorry to be back so soon, but the same glitch has shown up. I've no idea why.

Time: 2018/01/19 14:38:07. Signal: 11. Backtrace: cºÿcºÿcºÿc¹y [0] cºÿcºÿcºÿc¹y [0] cºÿcºÿcºÿc¹y [0] cºÿcºÿcºÿc¹y [0] BaseThreadInitThunk [1955301152] RtlGetAppContainerNamedObjectPath [2011256624] RtlGetAppContainerNamedObjectPath [2011256624] Game state number: 3 Number of mobs: 17 Bitmaps loaded: 110 (524 total calls) Delta_t: 0.02 (59.99 FPS)

Note that this occured as I sprayed a new enemy I made (a fish called "Predatory Koirant") with an ultra-bitter spray. After the Koirant was stunned, the game worked properly for a few seconds and crashed. I've seen this behavior most often with faulty scripts for enemies I make, but I have no idea why.

--I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 15:44, 19 January 2018 (EST)


 * Sorry for the holdup. I really can't tell what could be wrong. Try to find an exact way to replicate this problem, every single time. Once you do, let me know how to trigger the crash, and send me the script so I can check it out. — {EspyoT} 17:43, 23 January 2018 (EST)

Why Can't My Treasure Be Carried?
So, I figured out the Predatory Koirant. It was the result of the bottom two states (Death and Returning) were being cut off by an improperly bracketed state above it. So, I got back to making my game. I created a special object (a bomb rock) as a custom object. However, the pikmin wouldn't carry it. So, I made it into a treasure. The pikmin still couldn't carry it. They would grab it, and sit there helplessly until it exploded. I don't know why they can't carry it, despite the fact that I gave it weight, max carriers, and even disabled its hitboxes so that it could be carried. None of these worked. --I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 11:28, 6 February 2018 (EST)

'''Script

=
========''' first_state = inactive

script { inactive { on_enter { animation = inactive near_reach = near }       on_opponent_in_reach { focus = mob state = active }       on_death { state = destroyed }   }    active { on_enter { timer = 30 animation = active }       on_focus_off_reach { state = inactive }       on_timer { state = destroyed }       on_death { state = destroyed }   }    destroyed { on_enter { animation = destroyed special_function = die_start particle = }       on_animation_end { state = deleting }   }    deleting { on_enter { special_function = die_end special_function = delete }   } } Data

name = Bomb Rock

height = 16 max_carriers = 1 pushable = true pushes = true radius = 16 value = 10 health = 10 weight = 1 reaches { near = 16 360 }

Animations animations{ inactive{ loop_frame=0 frames{ inactive{ duration=0.00 }		}	}	destroyed{ loop_frame=0 hit_rate=50 frames{ destroyed{ duration=0.10 }			inactive{ duration=0.10 }		}	} } sprites{ inactive{ file=Rock.png file_pos=0.00 0.00 file_size=64.00 64.00 game_size=32.00 32.00 offset=0.00 0.00 hitboxes{ explosion{ coords=0.00 0.00 0.00 height=128.00 radius=0.20 type=2 multiplier=0.00 can_pikmin_latch=false hazards outward=false angle=0.00 knockback=0.00 }		}	}	destroyed{ file=Rock.png file_pos=0.00 0.00 file_size=64.00 64.00 game_size=32.00 32.00 offset=0.00 0.00 hitboxes{ explosion{ coords=0.00 0.00 0.00 height=128.00 radius=32.00 type=1 multiplier=10.00 can_pikmin_latch=false hazards=fire outward=true angle=0.00 knockback=3.00 }		}	}	active{ file=Rock.png file_pos=0.00 0.00 file_size=64.00 64.00 game_size=32.00 32.00 offset=0.00 0.00 hitboxes{ explosion{ coords=0.00 0.00 0.00 height=128.00 radius=32.00 type=2 multiplier=1.00 can_pikmin_latch=false hazards outward=true angle=0.00 knockback=1.00 }		}	} } body_parts{ explosion }

Also, it might be notable that after grabbed for the first time, if the carriers are whistled back, pikmin will no longer carry it.


 * So is this a treasure or a custom object? Treasures shouldn't have a script, and custom objects cannot be carried. Enemies can be carried, but only after they die. There's no good way to do bomb rocks in the engine at the moment, but it's probably best that you wait a bit, because I'll add actual specialized bomb rock objects into the engine one day. — {EspyoT} 14:02, 6 February 2018 (EST)

Oh. Sorry. I guess I'll convert it into a landmine or something. Thanks for the information! --I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 15:20, 6 February 2018 (EST)

Version 0.13 and a rename
Time for a new update! This one is a bit different from the others in that the project got renamed. Allow me to explain.

When I started the engine, I realized it was ambitious, but in the last few years, I realized it's actually impossible. Not because it's a long challenge, but because creating an engine that can make people's Pikmin fangames come true is not possible. No one software will ever be powerful enough for that! If it were, it'd be a programming language. At best, users can use the engine to create a fangame similar to what they envision, but still very far off. Whether it's because they want their fangame to be in 3D (which my engine is not aimed for), they want there to be features I have no way of customizing, or they want features that are just flat-out impossible (like some MMO mode).

Editing something like an enemy's name, a Pikmin's attack power, or an area's carrying paths is a matter of simply specifying numbers or words. But customizing the exact behavior the main menu should have, or how exactly the mechanics behind treasure collection work, or how a boss should manipulate the terrain or your leaders, wouldn't be possible in the same way you just write "max_health = 300" or drag a point around in an editor. It'd have to rely on some base logic that I program, but said base logic could never work for all sorts of crazy and diverse behavior ideas and sub-logics. Again, if it could, it'd be a programming language, completely defeating the purpose of the engine.

To add to this, adding story mode to the engine is going to be very hard. Ignoring things like the game's appearance and forced camera perspective, we've got enemy scripting, spray types, area geometry, etc. built in a very powerful and flexible way. But adding a cutscene system, a progress saving system, or a gameplay system capable of handling corner cases (extinctions, sprouts in different areas, wild Pikmin, etc., as well as specific and dangerous interactions between these mechanics) is going to be one of my hardest challenges yet.

So, I sat down and thought about everything. First of all, I really don't want to continue development under the premise that the engine can make fangames come true. It is impossible, and I don't want to continue in that lie. In addition, I want to spend more energy on making the core gameplay fun, instead of debating how to make a story mode that can define a game. Basically, I want my project to be a fan-made engine with which other fans can create and play areas, enemies, treasures, etc. Not a mystical software that can make dreams come true.

As such, I've decided to rename the project to Pikifen! (It's short for "Pikmin fan engine", but it also works for the old name, too!) More than a rename, this is a rebranding. Having the new name, and the new mission statement behind it, means I can actually follow through with creating a fun engine, that focuses on the gameplay first, and maybe later, on the ability to create fangames. There are other reasons for this rebranding too:
 * Not having "Pikmin" or "fangame" in the name of the project makes it slightly less likely that Nintendo will interpret the project as violation of their IP's rights.
 * Not having "engine" in the name also makes it sound less like I'm creating a remake of the canon games's engine, and more like this is just my own thing.
 * The new name is short and catchy, as opposed to the cumbersome "Pikmin fangame engine" name.
 * If I want to stop development, at least the core gameplay will be developed, even if there is no story mode support.
 * I can spend less effort deciding what's the most powerful, flexible, and friendly way to make a certain feature such that it fits most fangames, and focus more on making it fun, while still keeping it customizable.

In short, I don't want to give the idea that the engine can make your dream game come true. I still want to make it very flexible, so people can create their own content in it, like always, but I want to make it clear that the ability to create a fangame with it is an afterthought, not the main goal. I hope you understand my views on the future of this project, but feel free to ask me if you have any questions!

With all of that said, let's get down to the changes in this version! I've changed the default resolution and zoom to make everything bigger and better to look at. Let me know how this looks, but know that you can still change the resolution in the options, or in the all-new options menu. You can also make the window fullscreen! Speaking of menus, they received a general overall, and the title screen now uses an actual set of living Pikmin flowers to show the logo. All of the user data was moved to its own folder, which should make sharing content that doesn't carry personal things much easier. I've also added the Whiptongue Bulborb, which didn't get included in the previous release due to time constraints. A more detailed and complete changelog can be found here, and the download link can be found here. As usual, let me know what you think! — {EspyoT} 13:56, 11 February 2018 (EST)

Version 0.14
Version 0.14 is here! This version mostly changes the way hitboxes and scripting work. For players, you will just see minor stuff working better, but for content creators, you'll have to do some things differently, and you'll also have access to more scripting options. This version also has the following highlights: leaders can now punch, added an Armored Cannon Beetle, Bulborbs now turn on the spot to align, like in the canon games, and dead leaders no longer lock up gameplay. Besides that, there are many more minor tweaks and bug fixes. I'm sad to say that content creators that wish to port their content to 0.14 will have a lot of work to do, as explained in the changelog, but as usual, I trust that these new formats are for the better. The changelog can be found here, and the download link for this version here. Let me know what you think! — {EspyoT} 10:47, 24 April 2018 (EDT)

A few words.
From what I've read, this update should be just what I need to make a good 75% of what my games were missing available.

The new script action "Spawn" should help me (potentially) make random enemy spawns (perhaps using the new randomize variable thing), which was one of the key concepts behind my game.

A scripting update is just what is necessary, but hard to accomplish, and so I thank you for the work you put into it.

--I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 13:10, 27 April 2018 (EDT)
 * Thanks for the words! The mob scripting is still a limited concept, but I hope it's powerful enough to accomplish most tasks that users need. — {EspyoT} 13:36, 27 April 2018 (EDT)

Question About The Spawn Mechanic
So, I tried using the "Spawn" mechanic to make an enemy (an imperial bulborb) spawn other enemies (dwarf red bulborbs) when it shakes. However, I wanted to spawn them on all sides, so I used negative relative coordinates, which promptly crashed my game. How do I get them to spawn behind and to the right of the bulborb? Am I doing it right? --I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 08:15, 10 May 2018 (EDT)
 * How weird, I don't see why the negative numbers would cause a crash. Does it work with positive coordinates? I'll check what's up with this crash later today. — {EspyoT} 09:59, 10 May 2018 (EDT)

It didn't crash with positive coordinates. Here's the Code for the spawn parameter: shaking { on_enter { stop spawn Dwarf Red Bulborb relative 120 0 0 0 spawn Dwarf Red Bulborb relative 0 120 0 0 spawn Dwarf Red Bulborb relative -120 0 0 0 spawn Dwarf Red Bulborb relative 0 -120 0 0

set_animation shaking }       on_animation_end { set_state examining }   } Otherwise, it's script is identical to that of a Red Bulborb. --205.213.195.20 10:10, 10 May 2018 (EDT)
 * Weird, that exact code is working perfectly fine for me... Does Error_log.txt say anything? Also, maybe it's crashing because one of the Dwarf Bulborbs is spawning out of bounds, or something? — {EspyoT} 15:13, 10 May 2018 (EDT)


 * Actually, you're probably right. The bulborb testing map takes place in the middle of two small islands over the void. Thanks foor the tip.--I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 10:18, 11 May 2018 (EDT)


 * Ah, that's good to know, but I should probably add some system to stop the game from crashing if a spawn happens out of bounds... Thanks for letting me know. — {EspyoT} 12:17, 11 May 2018 (EDT)

Version 0.15
This E3 didn't give us any Pikmin content outside of Smash, but at least I've got something to show for the E3 week!

Version 0.15 of the engine focuses primarily on improving the animation editor, which was really clunky and confusing. Between new features and streamlined menus, it should be much easier to use. Since I was already implementing some quality-of-life changes to the animation editor, I decided to port some of those to the area editor too. And since I was already messing with the area editor, I added a couple of new features I thought were important. The animation editor changes also came with changes in the way animations themselves work, though that also means that the file format for animations has been changed. If you made custom animations, you may need to port them, but not necessarily. For this update, I've decided to include a Yellow Wollywog – it doesn't match the topic of the update very much, but I needed to create something to test the new animation editor!

As always, you can get a list of what got changed, as well as a list of steps to follow to port your content in the changelog. Download version 0.15 here and let me know what you think! — {EspyoT} 15:53, 16 June 2018 (EDT)


 * Version 0.15.1 is now out! This revision fixes a crucial glitch in the sprite bitmap part picker, in that larger spritesheets on weaker machines could cause a stack overflow. I also fixed other minor problems along with it. Same as before, the full changes are here, and the download is here. — {EspyoT} 17:48, 23 June 2018 (EDT)

Just Checking In
Based on what I've heard from the detailed changelog, the most recent addition has added the ability for bomb rocks and with it the ability to have enemies eat enemies? If so, I can't wait for the next update- hyper-predatory bulborbs can finally be a reality! --I am the GreatBulborb! Bulborbs are the supreme race! Bow down before my might! (GreatBulborb) (talk) 16:07, 12 July 2018 (EDT)
 * Well, more or less. I've just tweaked the code a bit to pave the way for such features, but they aren't in the engine. I'm not quite sure what I want to do about enemy in-fighting just yet, but bomb rocks are planned to show up in the next update! — {EspyoT} 16:23, 12 July 2018 (EDT)

Version 0.16
The Nintendo Direct didn't bring any Pikmin news, but I do! Version 0.16 brings a lot of different features that allow the creation of more powerful and dynamic objects. These include linking different objects, making them have a parent/child relationship, sending messages between objects, the ability to walk on top of other objects, and rectangular collisions. To help demonstrate some of these, I have created a Beady Long Legs, the most complex enemy yet! It's not perfect, but given how complicated it is, even in the canon games, I think I did a good job. That said, I couldn't find a place for it in the usual area, so you'll have to create one yourself and spawn it in. I've also made several miscellaneous features, like a richer rendering system, more interactive Onions, and a handful of new actions and object type attributes. As always, the full list is of changes is here, and the download link is here. Enjoy!— {EspyoT} 13:26, 14 September 2018 (EDT)

Version 0.16.1
Much like version 0.15, version 0.16 launched with a couple of critical glitches. The most important change in the 0.16.1 update is that the sector deletion crash glitch was fixed. I'm so sorry for that. I've also added a way to specify a particle generator's Z offset, so particles can now be drawn above or below the objects that emit them, similar to how it was before 0.16. I couldn't tell how much that feature was missing till players reported it! It stinks that I broke some particle effects, but receiving the feedback was very important, so I'm glad that 0.16.0 steered the engine towards a better particle system, in the end. I've also tweaked the Beady Long Legs a bit, and brought some new features (which brought one format change), all detailed in the changelog. Download 0.16.1 here! — {EspyoT} 13:43, 22 September 2018 (EDT)
 * Quick note: If you downloaded it on its launch day, go download it again. Neo and Kman helped me fix a glitch with the Armored Cannon Beetle not working. Instead of launching a new version, I just updated the .zip file on GitHub. — {EspyoT} 10:48, 23 September 2018 (EDT)

Version 0.16.2
Version 0.16.2 is out! It fixes some more glitches and tweaks a few things. I've also added a couple of small requested features, like the ability to change the starting number of sprays, and the ability to make objects glow when under a status effect. As always, the full list can be found in the changelog, and the download for the latest version can be found here! — {EspyoT} 12:45, 3 November 2018 (EDT)

Version 0.17
Version 0.17 is out! This version introduces several important objects to the engine, like Pellet Posies, decorative plants, nectar, Candypop Buds, bomb rocks, and a few others. You can find some of these new objects in the "Play" area. As usual, there are also some improvements and new features in this version. Specific enemies can now drop specific things, like pellets or treasures, the editors got some minor quality-of-life features, Pikmin that carry a single-Pikmin object will now do it better, gameplay should have better performance, and perhaps most importantly, some nasty glitches with the area editor have finally been fixed! You can find the full list of changes in the changelog, and download 0.17 here! — {EspyoT} 14:04, 4 May 2019 (EDT)

Version 0.17.1
Version 0.17.1 is out, and it fixes a few annoying glitches that got introduced in 0.17. Most notably, it fixes some area editor problems. The changelog can be found here, and the download here. Enjoy! — {EspyoT} 15:16, 16 June 2019 (EDT)

Version 0.18
Pikifen 0.18 is out! This is the second "important objects" update, and as such, it introduces four new object categories: group tasks (Pikmin pose together to push, activate, etc., like cardboard boxes), scales (they measure weight, like seesaw blocks or crushable paper bags), tracks (they transport objects from point to point, like climbing sticks), and bouncers (they bounce objects away, like Bouncy Mushrooms and geysers). Some objects have also been added to the pre-packaged content to test these new categories and other features, though they are not present in the standard area. This update also revamps several things about object scripting and combat, like allowing the usage of variables in scripting in a lot more places. As always, the changelog can be found here, and the download here. — {EspyoT} 13:47, 8 February 2020 (EST)