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goliard14 days ago (1 edit)

Some more sophisticated dialogue and choice management, and dialogue branching (like, say, Adventure Game Studio). And a layer system. But honestly, you've come so far so fast, this seems like nit-picking. I was going to ask about animation and sprite sheet support, but you're already doing it! Bravo!

EDIT:

It is still a bit volatile at present, but you might think about Inochi2D for the future. It is an open source alternative for Live2D, a pseudo-3D puppet app for games (and, presumably, visual novels):

https://inochi2d.com/

It does make characters seem more alive, if used well...

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CapsuleTeam13 days ago

Hi Goliard!

Thank you so much for your excellent feedback and kind words! Comparing Capsule to such a legendary work as AGS is incredibly motivating!

Regarding dialogue and branching: I deliberately avoided the classic "node-based" approach (a real maze!). Capsule prioritizes a robust timeline system, combined with integrated scene and variable managers. This keeps the interface clear and focused on writing, while still allowing you to create complex, nested scenarios without getting lost in a tangle of lines! If you haven't yet explored the Timeline view in depth, I highly recommend using it to visualize your branching paths! 🗺️✨

Regarding the layer system: Absolutely! When designing the new architecture, a truly easy-to-manage layer system (Background, Props, Characters, Weather, Interface) was a top priority to give you complete creative freedom. It's planned for the final version 2.0. 🎬✨

I'm a huge fan of the Live2D aesthetic! Just imagining characters breathing, blinking, and reacting dynamically on screen gives me goosebumps! Since Capsule uses web technologies, the future integration of a WebGL-compatible puppet system like Inochi2D is an absolutely brilliant idea. I'll be following their development very closely! 👀💖

However, I want to warn you. It's very complex. First, we would need to create a custom system that no longer defines sprites as characters or anything else, but simply as objects, and that allows for the addition of different layers. A large part of the engine would have to be rebuilt. And only once this custom system is finalized could I even consider Inochi2D.

I want to clarify that Live2D will never be integrated into the engine; This would require lengthy negotiations with the studio responsible for Live2D, as well as a considerable financial investment.

Thank you again for opening up such exciting possibilities. Keep sharing your brilliant ideas!

Best regards,

The Capsule Team 🌸

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goliard12 days ago (1 edit) (+1)

Wow. This is a very ambitious roadmap! (I mentioned Inochi2D because it is an open-source alternative to Live2D, so it's encouraging for me to hear that you are considering it!). I have started to look at Capsule 1.9, and I will give you some feedback soon, if you'd like. You are proceeding at an astonishing rate -- this is going to be the best visual novel engine on the market, I am convinced!

EDIT: Not only that -- you could write RPGs and adventure games with it as well...

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goliard12 days ago (1 edit)

Hi,

Been doing some quick testing of the sprite animation, and everything works fine except for one thing. I instructed the program to only play the animation once, but it played 3 times. (I've put all the files concerned in a zip file if you are interested). Test file Note: the artwork isn't mine, it belongs to a web illustrator called Grickle -- I just animated one of his characters.

NOTE: I looked at how other engines deal with spritesheet animation. Here is an interesting approach in RenJS:
https://renjs.net/docs-page.html
(Search for CGs)

So one spritesheet could contain several animations. It would also be useful to be able to play them backwards as well as forwards!

(Please tell me if I should dial back the feedback -- don't want to overwhelm you...!)

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CapsuleTeam11 days ago

Hi Goliard, first of all, thank you so much for these tests and your feedback; it's truly invaluable.

I've identified the bug. The `stop` ("Once action") method resets the animation using the trick `animation='none'` on every line of dialogue where the character speaks. Three lines of dialogue = three restarts = animation played three times. The fix: use an `animationend` event to mark the element as `ss-done` after the first playback, and then don't trigger it again.

In short, i fixed it in the upcoming version 2.0, but in the meantime, I recommend using only one line of dialogue when using an animation with the `stop` function. 

Version 2.0 will almost triple the number of lines of code (which is already substantial at over 12,000 lines), so it will take at least one or two months to be released. This is where we're really getting into the most complex functions to code. Since it's a monolithic codebase and any change can create a snowball effect and new bugs, every addition now requires thorough testing.

I'll keep you updated on the progress!

Regarding RenJS's approach to sprite sheets, which was quite innovative when it was released, I must admit I find it uninteresting. It complicates an animation principle that has already proven itself, even within tools like RPG Maker.

I understand the principle, certainly, but either we stick with classic sprite sheet animation or we use Inochi2D or Live2D; we don't create a slightly improved sprite sheet that can ultimately be recreated with more frames.

But playing them backwards as well as forwards is a good idea, i take note about this one !

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goliard10 days ago

Thanks for the quick reply! Version 2.0 sets out an incredible roadmap -- I'm not surprised it's going to take some time. Meanwhile, there's a lot to learn about the current release!

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