#widget workshop

[never-obsolete]

Widget Workshop (1995)

[centrally-unplanned]

I have been taking my fit-and-starts second stab at playing Victoria 3 - I did a Japan run, and a Korea run, and this is a very frustrating game. It bothers me because its deep core is probably the best of Vicky so far. It understands that the appeal of these game is Factorio-esque; you want to build up this cool little supply chain that goes chug chug chug I make-a the widgets and numbers go up.

Vicky 1 was ofc just pure cheese; most goods could just be dumped on the global market with no buyer and do fine, certain goods were just hard-coded to be profitable, and insane things like 100% of import costs coming out of the government's budget pushed you towards a kind of samey, slapdash hyper-industrial mercantilism. Vicky 2 was the opposite - so opaque in its function that you as the player didn't really have agency over it, as the vaunted World Market just does its thing. Your strategies "worked" no matter what you really did though, so you just kind of followed basic "build factory in same territory as RGO" logic and let the system run itself. Both of these systems made for functional-but-not-exceptional gameplay loops.

Vicky 3 is more complicated than its predecessors, but in ways that makes how the economic system functions more concrete. You have local prices for goods, wider markets with clearly labelled high-and-low demand, and clearly defined "production methods" where buildings can commit to better tech at the cost of different inputs. As a player you can build factories, farms, and mines of a dozen different types anywhere, so you always have agency - and those new production lines gives you goals. Invent steel tools, so now your tooling workshops can make more tools but will need steel instead of iron as a input? You can switch over the lines...but make sure you have enough steel mills! And oh, that drives down the price of tools once you do it...so now your cattle ranches can justify switching their line to tool-assisted butchers! And now you make more meat, your local cost is low, but oh in the Russian market meat prices are high - as shown by that little gold coin icon it - so you can export it now!

Things are looped, contingent, and based on your decisions. It is simple, of course, you are making lots of little, easy calls that build you up over time - which is what makes it fun. It has to be simple, because otherwise it is a dizzyingly complex web of a million markets, it would never work. You feel like you are actually building the economy without being overwhelmed by it.

Which would be great if it wasn't stapled to one of the worst political & military systems I have ever seen, played with a UI God abandoned in shame.

So you can join the markets of other countries? Like you have your own market as a default, so you can click the "market" tab and it will show you how much wheat your country makes, how much iron it buys, etc. All good. But if you join another country's market, now that tab shows the collective market, everyone's wheat, iron, etc. Useful but like obiously I am not playing the market, I am playing the country; so how do I see how much wheat I make?

You can't.

You actually can't! Idk maybe they patched it in recently, but I couldn't find it and all the reddit threads I google from 2023 say you can't. Are you planning to declare independence and wanna see if you make enough food for your people? Too bad! Fuck around and find out I guess. I saw one thread where someone's advice was "save the game, declare independence, screenshot the new market, then reload". Quantum timeline level of experimental design going on in these guys' Bureau of Labor Statistics.

It isn't even the gameplay implications that bother me the most - this is a game about building an economy. You want to see what you built! And they stop you. It is baffling, and is just the tip of the iceberg - there are so many things like this. One of my favourites is that your "construction sector" is a hybrid of government and private projects, sometimes it is you spending the money, sometimes investors. Okay, cool, when it is you spending it comes out of your treasury, right? Well, yes, but the way they show that is when everyone spends it comes out of your treasury, but the private sector reimburses you for their share. Which you will not understand your first ~3 games, and instead just see huge red numbers on your budget screen and panic. And you are just left asking why? Why do that?

Beyond UI, the political system is just half-baked. It is "interest groups", each has baseline popularity, and verrrry slowly that changes as your economic structure changes (or revolutions). And to change laws you initiate campaigns to drum up support with roll dice to pass/fail. Which isn't a bad baseline, but it completely fails to capture how political change occurred in the era. Like the Meiji Restoration is "done" by you putting industrialists in power and kicking out the "landlords" lol. Japan didn't have industrialists then! Landlords are the ones who did the restoring of Meiji.

More importantly than inaccurate it isn't fun - to change a law you just arrange a coalition in power than kind of backs it, then pray you get good random events. In Vicky 2 they had a lot more railroad-style decisions and stuff you could do to capture history, "hit this military score benchmark and launch a civil war" kind of stuff. It wasn't complicated, and it was less organic, but it was pro player agency, you could take active steps to achieve it. In Vicky 3 it is mainly waiting or cheese - people often talk about getting the Meiji Restoration by deleting all your armies at game start and launching a civil war immediately that the AI will lose by default. A checkbox decision is better than that!

The military mechanics are the epitome of their "systems over gameplay" approach. What they wanted to do was two-fold; reduce micro in Vicky 2 where it is "click army to province" over and over, and "balance" the game by making combat not reward micro where players could cheese the AI. Very valid goals, I totally support it. What they did was built a system where armies auto-move to "fronts" and their AI can't handle it, but now as a player my agency over my units is gone so I can't fix it. The UI is awful, you can't even really tell armies to attack or defend, they just ~whim. You have to do a lot of clicking to fight the system - yes it is less clicking than Vicky 2, but in Vicky 2 that wasn't mentally taxing, it was fun enough to wage the war you wanted to wage. Everything was concrete and in your control.

Here...look, as Korea I declared war on China to gain independence. Then the UK - not my ally, just separately, declared war on China as well. So now we are kindaaaa on the same side? At which point half my army auto-reployed to Hong Kong because a "new front" had "appeared". One my one boat. Then the UK declared war on me as well and then 50% of my army was fighting the UK in the South China Sea alongside the Russians (???) while the other half of my army is sitting there at home facing the Qing troops along the Yalu River going "bro, wtf?". At one point a newly spawned army of mine tried to auto-redeploy to Senegal.

All of this is just so preventable - you wanna reduce micro? Make combat provinces really big. You just invade "Manchuria", no clicking from Jilin to Mukden, and have bordering armies support each other defensively or something like that so you don't have to dash back and forth. Don't try to make your AI "do it for you" because it clearly can't and you want to play your own game. I'm sure the above will get better as I learn the system but I can just see the hundreds of players who saw this system and insta-quit, because until you "understand" it, it stabs you in the back. Not what you want out of a game.

Anyway enough me whinging about the game for way too long - the fundamentals are strong in the end. I will test out mods, I could see an overhaul mod really fixing everything except maybe the combat (and then you just cope). I definitely want it to work, the potential is high.

[e-vay]

CC ORIGIN STORY by @lubedoo

Hello! I’ve been following your art for some time and really enjoy it! I especially like the Tails and CC threads and have been mulling just how CC came to be and how she first met Tails, given the brief outlines you’ve published. I scribbled out the first chapter of a fan fiction expanding on CCs origins which I hope you’ll like. Let me know what you think… I can write more if you like it. Hope to see more of Tails and CC soon either way!

Chapter 1: Walter’s Widgets

“No, this won’t work… the gear pitch is misaligned to the functional plane!”

The camera aperture on the small robot’s spindly head focused in and out on the tiny interlocking mechanism as its grouchy furred boss pointed at the offending interface with thin metal pick. Its pincer-like hands reached for the device, but it was quickly snatched away. The robot retreated a few feet on its wheelbase at the sudden movement.

“It has to be at the correct angle or it will bind and fail prematurely!” He looked sternly at the two droids standing in front of him, the second a more squat construction containing a platform and several manipulators. “Assembler, you have the steady table and precision arms. Can’t you work with Gear Placer to match these up?”

Assembler responded in a series of low hums and groan-like noises, while Gear Placer rattled off high-pitched squeals and beeps.

“Wait, whoa… one at a time.” The old woodchuck removed his glasses and grasped the bridge of his nose. “I can understand both of you but not when you talk over each other. Didn’t the interface chips I installed help with translating your machine languages?”

Gear Placer reached a pincer inside an opening in its head and plucked out a small circuit board, which clearly had been overtaxed. The melted wires and burn marks were testament to its overuse and failure. Assembler groaned about its being in a similar condition, but was unable to remove it given its location.

The woodchuck sighed as he examined the ruined electronics. “I suppose that’s what I get for cobbling you all together from different control boards and drivers. I never expected my Widget business to be so complex.”

Walter Woodchuck had built WW Widgets into a local phenomenon. It started as a hobby business, building little devices for himself and his friends in his garage workshop. But word spread about his clever and unique designs, and suddenly customers were sending in requests from as far as Reclusivia. It provided him with a nice retirement income and kept him busy for sure, but he knew he needed help if he was to keep building these devices to his exacting standards.

And Walter was by no means a “people person.” He tried hiring a few Mobian assistants but none lasted very long. He was very particular in how he wanted things done, and few of his hired help was willing (or able) to keep up with his demands. Even his nephew William could only last for short stints in the WW manufacturing area before needing a periodic “sabbatical.”

So Walter decided with the size and scope of his business to move out of the tiny garage and into a “Fabratory” he had built towards the back corner of his property. It was a moderately sized but impressive facility that functioned as a device development lab, a manufacturing floor, a warehouse, and a store front. The store was more of an Automat, with remote payment devices and clear-doored cubbies where his customers could pay for and retrieve their items. It was very rare that any of them met with or even saw Walter… and he liked it that way. There was even a small living space so he could spend as much time as he wanted in his own little world. He would send one of the robots for supplies as needed, and the store owners in town knew Walter was good for payment.

But as with Walter and the outside world, communication among his robots was severely lacking. He built them as the need arose, from Circuit Solderer to Chip Mounter and Metal Stamper to Test Aligner. Their names were childish but functional, as Walter didn’t see the need to personalize his creations, only to have them do their job as they were told. And since they were constructed over time, the parts available to build them varied as did their internal machine languages, resulting in a maddening (to Walter) Production Line of Babel. The robots understood everything Walter told them but little of what the others twittered and beeped. They were still effective in producing wonderful Widgets, but frequently also manufactured a lot of stress for Walter.

Walter turned back to Gear Placer and Assembler, impatiently explaining to each what needed to be fixed on the device they had presented. They both excitedly responded in their own languages and raced off to fix their mistake.

“There has to be an easier way,” the tired woodchuck grumbled. “Maybe if I built another robot, one that could understand all their code and interpret for them… and me…” His voice trailed off as he turned to his drafting table and began drawing up yet another design.

After a few hours of intense thought and technical sketching (and with a few interruptions from the Production floor), he looked at his newest blueprint. “Yes, this should do nicely. I’m sure Oscar has the proper processors, auditory inputs, and servo impellers to make this happen. It will be my most advanced creation yet. I’ll need it to be able to learn, accept and provide feedback, and adapt to our design changes.” His brow furrowed. “This is going to be somewhat expensive, but that latest Widget order from Spagonia should cover the cost. Well worth it.”

He looked over the plans again and leaned back in his chair. Walter crossed his arms, smiled, and relaxed a bit. “Yes, you will be a great help to me… Code Compiler.”

-----

Evay: Wow, this is amazing! Oh I sincerely hope you do write more! I know I've been neglectful in all of the details of CC's origin. I promise I do have a script written for a comic for her, but I love when you all take the initiative and interpret how you think things went. It's an absolute delight for me 🥰 I really enjoyed this read and I look forward to more. Thank you so much!

[the-beam-order]

All of the gene "bugs" that staff just comes down to say "WEHH WEHH ITS A CHOICE ACTUALLY THAT ON THIS BREED IT LOOKS LIKE SHIT" would feel so less whiny and "ackshually" if they just RAN POLLS.

Imagine. Between site news and the random dragon widget on front page, a little poll

"Do you think [GENE] on [BREED] should be changed [Click here to see the gene in the scrying workshop]"

Maybe it has a vote button, where it links to a post explaining why people think it should be changed

Maybe its just a yes/no or maybe its more nuanced like "yes because its inconsistent" "yes because its not pretty"

and then it lasts for a few days, maybe 5/7 to make sure a lot of people see it and vote

and boom. Staff has a nice idea of what their players want, and if "no dont change it" is the majority then players like me, that submit really inconsistent genes to bug forums, feel more like the community agreed its ok, rather than THE MOD ON THEIR HIGH THRONE OF POWER HAS DENIED YOUR REQUEST.

[nitrosodiumaltcontroller]

Making a Pause System

Today I learned how to do an in-game pause. I had a vague idea of how to do this, but this workshop helped flesh it out.

First we made a widget, using a Background Blur and some text.

Then we made an Input Action that could be triggered when paused.

Here we added the input action to the Input Mapping Context.

This is the code in the third person character, that puts the widget over the screen and pauses the game on a flip flop.

This is how it looks when triggered in game.

[womenofnoise]

Éclat Crew Berlin created an online workshop/challenge for ~2 electronic music pieces made only with materials from our Samples Without Borders pack. The results are 10 wonderful tracks.

eclatcrew · Éclat Part 127

Éclat Crew Berlin is a music-making collective for FLINTA* (female, lesbian, intersex, nonbinary, trans, and agender) electronic music producers.

[iheartgod175]

Totally Not Flustered

I almost forgot how simple it is to doodle Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! characters and backgrounds, and was surprised that I was able to get this finished so quickly, haha!

But uh, yeah. Pure nostalgia is what drove me to doodle this pic. Widget and Walden have always been my faves, and I remember that my good friend @jordby got me into the idea of shipping the two. I know I tagged them as the “brains and brawn” ship in the WIP, but technically speaking, Widget also has the brains to keep up with Walden, albeit more in a “street smart” way where as Walden’s more book smart. Their dynamic really reminds me of Zeeter and Multo, in that one likes to be in the thick of things and takes action, while the other likes to study things to find the solution. That’s probably another reason I like them so much, heheh 🤭

The background I doodled here is taken from one of the episodes featuring Widget’s workshop. I was able to test out some markers I got from my job and some cool erasable colored pencils, only the marker that I used died halfway through 😩 I still managed to get it done. Also, I know neither of them are this tall/short, but I figured it’d add more dynamic to the pic. And I had fun playing around with their eye colors. Blue fits Walden perfectly, while going green for Widget took a bit of testing, but it turned out nice!

I can’t really provide the context behind this pic, other than a smug/amused Widget and a flustered Walden is more than enough context. Widget’s like, “Really? Ya wanna try that?” And Walden’s like, “I’d rather you forget everything I just said.” XD

Enjoy!

[centreforporsche]

Design 911: We only like like-for-like…

Design 911 supply replacement parts for the world’s finest car – the Porsche 911, and other members of the Porsche motoring family. Of course, there are other companies who will do much the same thing. So, what’s the advantage of using D911? Simple, really.

Data tells us there are more than 5,000 motor parts suppliers in the UK, with – unsurprisingly – the largest concentration in London, with a full 9% of motor factor companies in the capital. That gives the lucky Porsche owner more than 500 options to replace the widget, sprocket, or non-specific thingy he or she needs to get their motor runnin’. So, why make us your first point of contact?

Design 911: Home of Porsche (and premium) parts.

When you love Porsches as much as we do, you treat every customer’s car like we do our own. That means no compromising on quality. If it’s not good enough for Porsche, we won’t use it. Our unofficial strapline of ‘every part for every Porsche’ isn’t precise enough: ‘only perfect parts for every Porsche’ is closer to the mark. Check out any parts page on our site. It couldn’t be clearer.

At Design 911, we have a rule. It’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) as first choice, and an aftermarket option as the ‘next best’. In short, if we can offer like-for-like, that’s what we’ll do. If we can’t, we’ll look for the next-best and make sure it’s a copy, not a compromise.

Plan B.

But maybe the OEM isn’t out there. The 911 is nearly 60 years old and there are more than 2,000 parts in every single one. So, there will always be gaps in the catalogue. Running a Porsche – or indeed any car – isn’t cheap and sometimes even with our discounts the part’s beyond the customer’s budget, then we’ll suggest a quality replacement that’s as good as the OEM. No Porsche? No problem. We list all the household OEM brands including Bilstein, Mann, Brembo, Textar, Bosch, Mahle and many more.

Check out our site. Enter your part number and each page lists each option, from all our trusted brands – essentially, every choice for your replacement component. Whether you get an OEM, or a high-quality alternative, you’re good to go. No compromise components, guaranteed.

Plan C.

Design 911 is a hotbed of professional Porsche expertise. It may be that the failure of an OEM is a great opportunity to tweak your car’s performance. If that’s the case, we may identify the potential for an upgrade beyond the Porsche catalogue. That level of engagement is just one benefit of speaking to an expert rather than trawling the web armed only with a part number. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know.

Insurance assurance.

Replacing the original component may involve an insurance claim and some policies are very specific about the acceptable grade of that part. Again, this isn’t something you want to discover after the event. When you know, you know. You know?

If you’re not sure, then speaking to an expert is a great way of backfilling your expertise. It can save you money, improve – or at least support – the performance of your Porsche, save any refused insurance claims and, most importantly, you’ll know that you haven’t made any compromises that Ferdinand Porsche himself wouldn’t have approved. If you’re stalking the Internet with a part number or planning to let another workshop handle your pride and joy, give us a call first. We don’t compromise. Neither should you.

Source URL - https://www.design911.co.uk/blog/design-911-we-only-like-like-for-like/

[nitrosodiumequilibriumproject]

Savegames..?

This was the result of one of our many, MANY workshops, to help us create a high score system for our games. The idea is you increase score by jumping, and if it's higher than your high score, it changes to that once you close and restart the game. Because it's saved in a savegame, which exists outside of the game to store data. So it would store playthroughs between someone closing and re-opening the game. Issue is, despite the project in question being created to the letter, it is dysfunctional and doesn't save your score.

I might create a different score system, that operates on a unique widget that overlays on the other widget. Each time you die, it sets Score as Distance x Coins. Then, it checks if that is higher than High Score, and if it is, changes it to that. Obviously, High Score will only remain between playthroughs.

[brandwhorestarscream]

Well, I got one person that said yes to the previous post, and that's technically 100% of the vote, so here is the entire list, in alphabetical order, of the Terran Task Force, complete with their ID code. Put under the cut because. Obviously 😂

Which one is your favorite? I'm dying to know 😊 send me all of your thoughts cuz Primus knows I'll need help developing these bitties

Accelerator (A-1)

Ace (A-2)

Aero (A-3)

Alkaline (A-4)

Allele (A-5)

Ammunition (A-6)

Ampere (A-7)

Antiseptic (A-8)

Arrowhead (A-9)

Ashfall (A-10)

Atlas (A-11)

Atom (A-12)

Aurturius Maximus (A-13)

Axis (A-14)

Axon (A-15)

Backstab (B-1)

Backstrike (B-2)

Barrier (B-3)

Baseline (B-4)

Bastion (B-5)

Blazewing (B-6)

Blockade (B-7)

Bodybag (B-8)

Boombox (B-9)

Brainwash (B-10)

Breakcheck (B-11)

Breeze (B-12)

Broadcast (B-13)

Bullseye (B-14)

Catacomb (C-1)

Catalyst (C-2)

Chainsaw (C-3)

Chisel (C-4)

Cirrus (C-5)

Clearsky (C-6)

Clearwater (C-7)

Cliffclimber (C-8)

Clockwork (C-9)

Constellation (C-10)

Cremator (C-11)

Crossbow (C-12)

Crossflare (C-13)

Crypt (C-14)

Cutlass (C-15)

Cyclone (C-16)

Dart (D-1)

Daybreaker (D-2)

Debris (D-3)

Demo (D-4)

Detonator (D-5)

Double Dash (D-6)

Double Dutch (D-7)

Downburst (D-8)

Dropkick (D-9)

Earthquake (E-1)

Echolalia (E-2)

Echolocate (E-3)

Enigma (E-4)

Equation (E-5)

Figment (F-1)

Firefly (F-2)

Flamethrower (F-3)

Flashflood (F-4)

Flashfreeze (F-5)

Flourescence (F-6)

Fogbank (F-7)

Fragment (F-8)

Freelance (F-9)

Frostbyte (F-10)

Froststar (F-11)

Gadget (G-1)

Galaxy (G-2)

Gasket (G-3)

Gauge (G-4)

Galvanize (G-5)

Geocache (G-6)

Glaciate (G-7)

Glaive (G-8)

Goldstrike (G-9)

Greenbeam (G-10)

Gripper (G-11)

Hailstone (H-1)

Hailstorm (H-2)

Handsaw (H-3)

Hardcore (H-4)

Hazmat (H-5)

Hellraiser (H-6)

High Dive (H-7)

Highwire (H-8)

Horizon (H-9)

Hyperdrive (H-10)

Ice Storm (I-1)

Igneous (I-2)

Ignition (I-3)

Illusion (I-4)

Illusory (I-5)

Imager (I-6)

Imperius (I-7)

Iodine (I-8)

Jailbreak (J-1)

Javelin (J-2)

Jumpdrive (J-3)

Jumpstart (J-4)

Keynote (K-1)

Kinetic (K-2)

Killswitch (K-3)

Lacerate (L-1)

Latticework (L-2)

Levellor (L-3)

Lightning (L-4)

Lightspeed (L-5)

Lobotomy (L-6)

Lookout (L-7)

Mach-3 (M-1)

Mach-4 (M-2)

Mach-5 (M-3)

Magma (M-4)

Maze (M-5)

Microbe (M-6)

Mirror (M-7)

Mistcover (M-8)

Molotov (M-9)

Myriad (M-10)

Network (N-1)

Neurotoxin (N-2)

Nightbuster (N-3)

Nightfall (N-4)

Nightwatch (N-5)

Nimbus (N-6)

Nocturne (N-7)

Noisemaker (N-8)

Nucleus (N-9)

Oasis (O-1)

Operate (O-2)

Orbit (O-3)

Overboard (O-4)

Overcast (O-5)

Overflow (O-6)

Paladin (P-1)

Paradox (P-2)

Patchwork (P-3)

Pathfinder (P-4)

Pendulum (P-5)

Permafrost (P-6)

Petri Dish (P-7

Phalanx (P-8)

Phobia (P-9)

Pipette (P-10)

Pitfall (P-11)

Placebo (P-12)

Quantum (Q-1)

Quicksand (Q-2)

Quickshot (Q-3)

Radiowave (R-1)

Raindance (R-2)

Rainglow (R-3)

Ratio (R-4)

Resevoir (R-5)

Riptide (R-6)

Roundhouse (R-7)

Sabotage (S-1)

Scoria (S-2)

Serpentine (S-3)

Shatter (S-4)

Shuriken (S-5)

Silhouette (S-6)

Skyline (S-7)

Skyscape (S-8)

Skysplitter (S-9)

Snapshot (S-10)

Snowglow (S-11)

Snowshower (S-12)

Sonar (S-13)

Soundblaster (S-14)

Spectroscope (S-15)

Spectrum (S-16)

Spillover (S-17)

Spire (S-18)

Spritz (S-19)

Squall (S-20)

Static (S-21)

Storm Cell (S-22)

Storm Warning (S-23)

Stratus (S-24)

Stunt Double (S-25)

Subatomic (S-26)

Sunshower (S-27)

Sunwave (S-28)

Supercell (S-29)

Supernova (S-30)

Swiftwind (S-31)

Symmetry (S-32)

Synthwave (S-33)

Syringe (S-34)

Tarot (T-1)

Thunderstorm (T-2)

Tidbit (T-3)

Tornado (T-4)

Trailfire (T-5)

Traintrack (T-6)

Transfusion (T-7)

Tripwire (T-8)

Tsunami (T-9)

Twirl (T-10)

Ultrasound (U-1)

Ultraviolet (U-2)

Uprise (U-3)

Vaccine (V-1)

Vantage Point (V-2)

Vaportrail (V-3)

Vaporwave (V-4)

Vial (V-5)

Void (V-6)

Warpgate (W-1)

Washaway (W-2)

Weathervane (W-3)

Whiplash (W-4)

Whistlestop (W-5)

Whiteout (W-6)

Widget (W-7)

Windchime (W-8)

Windcutter (W-9)

Windfall (W-10)

Windspirit (W-11)

Workshop (W-12)

Xenolith (X-1)

Xylophone (X-2)

Yellowcard (Y-1)

Yellowjacket (Y-2)

Zigzag (Z-1)

Zipzap (Z-2)

[alternativecontrollersgdd]

Custom Keybindings

For the start and into the afternoon we covered a few new things: Setting up remappable control inputs, setting up UI for this (learnt about child widgets) and setting up rumble haptics. This forms quite a big part of a games accessibility as it allows for people to better accomedate control inputs to improve the games playability for them!

To break down how this system works for remapping, I broke down the different noteable stages briefly (obviously not all of it just the main bits that I think are imporant):

Setting up your Input Actions (i.e. pause)

Creating the needed widgets

Code for displaying the pause menu

this section did have one bug which I fixed was that the pause would cause the widget to flicker on and off like crazy. I knew it was something to do with the input. I tried changing the trigger to pressed and that fixed the problem.

Adding input mapping to the enhanced input in the player character (this enables keybind remapping)

inside the keymapping widget we had to setup a way for the widget to retrieve data/information about the current registered keymaps. Here is my breakdown of the code:

Next moves to the Key slot widget where these inputs are going to be made. Here is my analysis for how it works:

^ Custom function which updates the keys when a new input is selected along with displaying the other keys.

and now the main last part of this is setting the playable mappable key settings in each of our input actions.

*NOTE* the only one that needed to be different to this is the movement input as that has multiple inputs stored in one. To do this it had to be configured in the input mapping context.

Now here is what this looks like in action !

Conclusion: I think this workshop has provided a good foundation for a necessary accesibility option that based on whatever game I create will possible be used to ensure it can reach a wider audience!

[controlleralt-jag0137]

UE5 Workshop: Pause System

This morning, we've had a workshop on how to make a great pause system, i've already made one of these in the past from Vertex Velocity, although this workshop did help me realise something that I was struggling with in the last pause menu I made.

Inside the input action for pause, there is a small box called trigger when pause, this negates any issues with the action not triggering whilst the game is pause, keeping the widget stuck on the screen. This is incredibly helpful and something I will be personally taking from this workshop.

To start off, we begun by creating a user widget, and created our pause screen, it was reccomended we used some background blur + text and so this is a quick simple screen I created

Next, we sorted out all of the input related segment of this. We created a new input action, and binded this to P in the input mapping context.

Finally, this is the code we created inside the third person character blueprint, it works by using a flip flop gate (another new thing to me i'll be taking and using in the future from this) to toggle between two states, those being a & b. The necessary code then follows for toggling the menu on & off from this flip flop gate.

In game, the menu looks like so:

I'd overall say this was a helpful workshop for me, whilst already being aware of how to make a pause menu, I learnt a few new methods that I can apply to future problem-solving when coding mechanics into a project.

[flutterflowdevsuk]

Enterprise Flutterflow Training with Flutterflowdevs

In today’s competitive business landscape, staying ahead in the tech-driven world requires embracing innovative tools and technologies. FlutterFlow, a powerful no-code platform, has emerged as a game-changer for businesses looking to accelerate their app development processes. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and robust features, FlutterFlow empowers enterprises to build sophisticated applications without extensive coding. However, mastering this platform requires expert guidance and a comprehensive approach. That’s where Flutterflowdevs’ Enterprise Flutterflow Training comes in, providing tailored solutions to meet your organization’s unique needs.

Why Choose Enterprise Flutterflow Training?

For organizations aiming to streamline their app development workflow and reduce time-to-market, investing in structured training is essential. Enterprise Flutterflow Training by Flutterflowdevs equips teams with the skills and knowledge they need to maximize the potential of the FlutterFlow platform. Here are some key benefits:

Customized Learning Paths: Every business is unique, and so are its application requirements. Flutterflowdevs’ training programs are designed to address your organization’s specific goals and challenges, ensuring your team acquires the right skills to deliver impactful solutions.

Expert Guidance: Led by industry experts with extensive experience in app development and FlutterFlow, our training sessions provide insights and best practices that are hard to find elsewhere. From beginner-level fundamentals to advanced techniques, your team will be guided every step of the way.

Hands-on Experience: Learning by doing is the cornerstone of effective training. Flutterflowdevs emphasizes practical, hands-on exercises that allow participants to work on real-world projects and scenarios. This approach not only enhances understanding but also boosts confidence in using FlutterFlow for enterprise-level applications.

Increased Efficiency: By mastering FlutterFlow, your team can significantly reduce development time and costs. This efficiency enables your business to allocate resources strategically and focus on innovation rather than being bogged down by lengthy coding processes.

Scalability and Collaboration: Enterprise Flutterflow Training prepares your team to build scalable applications that grow with your business. Additionally, the training promotes collaboration, ensuring your developers, designers, and product managers are aligned and work seamlessly together.

What to Expect from Flutterflowdevs’ Enterprise Training Program

Flutterflowdevs’ Enterprise Flutterflow Training is structured to provide a holistic learning experience. Here’s what you can expect:

Foundational Understanding

The training begins with an overview of FlutterFlow, its features, and its capabilities. Participants learn how to navigate the platform, understand its core functionalities, and explore how it integrates with other tools and technologies.

Advanced Techniques and Features

As the training progresses, your team will dive into advanced topics such as:

Customizing widgets and components

Managing complex workflows and data models

Integrating APIs and external services

Implementing authentication and security protocols

Optimizing performance for enterprise-scale applications

Collaborative Workshops

Interactive workshops are a highlight of the training program. Teams collaborate to solve challenges, build prototypes, and refine their projects under the guidance of Flutterflowdevs’ experts.

Post-Training Support

Flutterflowdevs doesn’t stop at training delivery. We provide ongoing support to ensure your team continues to thrive. Whether it’s troubleshooting, answering questions, or offering additional resources, our team is committed to your success.

For more details, you can visit us:

Flutterflow Web App

Flutterflow Web Development Agency

Top Flutterflow Development Company

[skilcamp]

Is Flutter Easy to Learn for Beginners? Unlocking the Potential of Flutter

When it comes to building modern, efficient, and cross-platform apps, Flutter has quickly gained popularity among developers. But a common question for those new to mobile development is: Is Flutter easy to learn? This blog aims to answer that question and unlock the potential of Flutter for beginners.

What is Flutter?

Before diving into whether Flutter is easy to learn, let’s start with the basics. Flutter is a UI toolkit developed by Google, designed for building natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase. It uses the Dart programming language, which is similar to JavaScript but comes with its own set of features that make it an excellent choice for app development.

Why Choose Flutter as a Beginner?

For beginners in app development, the question often arises: Is Flutter easy to learn compared to other frameworks like React Native or Swift? The answer depends on your background, but Flutter has several advantages:

Single Codebase for Multiple Platforms: One of Flutter’s biggest strengths is its ability to create cross-platform apps with a single codebase. This means you don't need to learn separate languages for iOS and Android development.

Rich Documentation and Community Support: Flutter boasts extensive documentation that makes learning more approachable. Its large, active community also provides tons of tutorials and guides for beginners.

Pre-built Widgets: Flutter is packed with pre-designed widgets that make it easy to create beautiful, responsive apps without needing to code everything from scratch.

Is Flutter Easy to Learn for Beginners?

So, let’s directly address the question: Is Flutter easy to learn for someone with little to no coding experience? Here’s why the answer is generally yes:

Friendly Learning Curve: Unlike other frameworks that require mastering multiple programming languages and libraries, Flutter focuses on one primary language—Dart. Dart’s syntax is clean and relatively simple, making it easier to pick up than languages like Java or Swift.

Hot Reload Feature: One of Flutter’s standout features is “hot reload,” which allows you to instantly see changes you make in your code. This feature is highly beneficial for beginners, allowing you to experiment and learn without waiting for long build times.

Comprehensive Learning Resources: Google offers a wide range of learning materials, including tutorials, workshops, and in-depth guides that make mastering Flutter more accessible. Whether you prefer reading or watching videos, there are numerous resources to help you.

However, while the framework itself is beginner-friendly, the easiest path to mastering Flutter still involves a basic understanding of programming concepts, such as object-oriented programming (OOP) and knowledge of Dart.

Challenges of Learning Flutter

Although Flutter is relatively easy to learn, no framework is without its challenges. As you dive deeper, you might find that understanding more advanced features like state management, animations, or integrating third-party APIs could be a bit tricky. But don’t be discouraged; these are common learning curves when picking up any new development tool.

Final Verdict: Is Flutter Easy to Learn?

In conclusion, Is Flutter easy to learn? Yes, it is, especially for beginners with some programming experience or those willing to invest the time to grasp its core concepts. With its simple syntax, vast resources, and helpful features like hot reload, Flutter has proven itself to be one of the most accessible frameworks available today. Unlock the potential of Flutter by starting small and gradually building your skillset, and you’ll soon realize that mastering it is a rewarding experience!

Are you ready to explore the world of cross-platform development with Flutter? Dive in, and you’ll find that not only is Flutter easy to learn, but it also opens doors to exciting opportunities in app development!

[truetechtrick]

Elementor Pro BD: Empowering Bangladeshi Web Designers

Elementor Pro BD: Empowering Bangladeshi Web Designers

Elementor Pro BD is transforming the web design landscape in Bangladesh, offering powerful tools for creating stunning, professional websites with ease. Elementor, a leading WordPress page builder, has revolutionized website design by providing an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that allows users to build and customize their sites without needing advanced coding skills.

Elementor Pro BD enhances this experience for Bangladeshi designers and developers, offering tailored support, resources, and a community that understands local needs and preferences. With Elementor Pro, users gain access to an extensive library of pre-designed templates, advanced design elements, and powerful widgets. These features enable the creation of high-quality, responsive websites that are both visually appealing and functional.

The plugin’s ease of use is particularly beneficial for small business owners, freelancers, and agencies in Bangladesh, who can now deliver professional-grade websites quickly and affordably. Elementor Pro BD also offers localized support, including tutorials and customer service in Bengali, making it easier for users to maximize their use of the tool.

Moreover, Elementor Pro BD fosters a collaborative environment through local workshops and events, helping users stay updated with the latest design trends and techniques. This community-driven approach not only enhances skills but also creates networking opportunities for professionals in the field.

In summary, Elementor Pro BD is a game-changer for the Bangladeshi web design community, providing the tools, support, and resources needed to create exceptional websites. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or a newcomer, Elementor Pro BD empowers you to bring your digital visions to life with ease and efficiency.

[daveg65]

313 - Siri Says I Found This on the Web for Yes

The latest In Touch With iOS with Dave he is joined by guest Patrice Brend’amour, Marty Jencius, Jeff Gamet, and Ben Roethig.We talk Beta this week. iOS 18 Beta 2 continues along with iOS 17.6 Beta 2. Apple Intelligence Coming to Vision Pro, but Not HomePod. Could the HomePod with display be a reality?In-store Vision Pro demos will see two big changes this month.Patrice pre ordered the Vision Pro in Germany. No surprise Apple Reclassifies iPhone X, OG HomePod, and Original AirPods as Vintage.

The show notes are at InTouchwithiOS.com


Direct Link to Audio 

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Website: In Touch With iOS

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Mastadon

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Instagram

Threads

Spoutible

Topics

Beta this week. iOS 18 Beta 2 continues along with iOS 17.6 Beta 2. 

Apple Seeds Second Betas of iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 to Developers

Apple Releases Second Beta of visionOS 1.3 to Developers

Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 10.6 to Developers

Apple Seeds Second Beta of tvOS 17.6 to Developers

Apple Releases Second Public Beta of iOS 17.6

iOS 18: 10 New Home Screen and Lock Screen Features

Apple Intelligence

Gurman: Apple Intelligence Coming to Vision Pro, but Not HomePod

HomePod with display corroborated by references to a new Apple 'HomeAccessory'

Some Apple Intelligence Features Likely to Require Paid Subscription

Apple Intelligence is coming this fall, but these features won't be included

More iOS 18 Beta updates and others

iPadOS 18 makes it easier to choose and add emoji when typing in iPhone apps

watchOS 11 Gains Integrated Shazam Widget for Identifying Songs

iOS 18 finally adds T9 dialling on iPhone

Apple Releases Second macOS Sonoma 14.6 Public Beta 

Here Are the macOS Sequoia Features Intel Macs Won't Support 

News

Apple Store Down in UK, Canada, and Other Countries Ahead of Vision Pro Pre-Orders [Update: It's Back Up] and Patrice pre ordered one in Germany, 

Apple Vision Pro Launches in China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore

In-store Vision Pro demos will see two big changes this month

Resident Evil 7 Debuts on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad, and Mac

Apple Reclassifies iPhone X, HomePod, and Original AirPods as 'Vintage

Announcements

Last Chance! Macstock 8 is Here! July 12-14, 2024 Macstock Conference & Expo come join Dave along with Jeff Gamet, Chuck Joiner, Brian Flaoigan-Arthurs, Jill McKinley, Marty Jencius, and many more.

As an In Touch with iOS viewer / Listener, you can score $30 off by using the coupon code INTOUCHWITHIOS as shown below at checkout for either the 3 day Weekend Pass with Workshops or the 2 day Weekend Pass. The code is valid until July 11, 2024.

We hope to see you at Macstock! 

Register Here

Our Host

Dave Ginsburg is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users and shares his wealth of knowledge of iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and related technologies. Visit the YouTube channel https://youtube.com/intouchwithios follow him on Mastadon @daveg65, and the show @intouchwithios

  Our Regular Contributors

Jeff Gamet is a podcaster, technology blogger, artist, and author. Previously, he was The Mac Observer’s managing editor, and Smile’s TextExpander Evangelist. You can find him on Mastadon @jgamet as well as Twitter and Instagram as @jgamet  His YouTube channel https://youtube.com/jgamet

Ben Roethig Former Associate Editor of GeekBeat.TV and host of the Tech Hangout and Deconstruct with Patrice  Mac user since the mid 90s. Tech support specialist. Twitter @benroethig  Website: https://roethigtech.blogspot.com

Marty Jencius, Ph.D., is a professor of counselor education at Kent State University, where he researches, writes, and trains about using technology in teaching and mental health practice. His podcasts include Vision Pro Files, The Tech Savvy Professor and Circular Firing Squad Podcast. Find him at jencius@mastodon.social  https://thepodtalk.net 

About our Guest

Patrice Brend’amour loves to create podcasts, automations or software. She also enjoys working with diverse sets of people, leading them to success and making a tiny difference in the world. Which she does as VP of Development at a Healthcare Software provider. She can be found at https://the-patrice.com and her podcast Foodie Flashback at https://foodieflashback.com

Here is our latest Episode!