C++ Engine Support for Life Bars...

[datahead8888]

As @sauer2 suggested in #127, it would be interesting to have life bars for bosses. He has been working on using Ruby scripting to implement this in levels, but we probably will want this to be supported at the C++ engine level as a feature. His levels will probably make good prototypes for us.

Features:

• Probably should allow an arbitrary sprite to be configured for the meter
• The meter should be able to be turned on / off, through scripting or maybe user settings.
• We have discussed making Maryo (if we name him that) have a life bar. The code needs to be reusable so that it can be used for Maryo and/or enemies.

Also keep in mind that @Quintus said the amount of energy a boss has can be configured through scripting.

[Quintus]

Probably should allow an arbitrary sprite to be configured for the meter

I doubt this is a good idea. Every boss would have other meters, maybe even the same boss different ones depending on who made the level. This will cause confusion.

Vale, Quintus

[datahead8888]

I doubt this is a good idea. Every boss would have other meters, maybe even the same boss different ones depending on who made the level. This will cause confusion.

Changing the boss sprite in scripting could be useful for themes in levels, but Quintus is correct that this would cause confusion in the official game worlds. Themes for levels are probably better done through skins using simpletoon's packaging. The sprite would need to be configurable at the C++ engine level of course in case we need to change it. We still may want a different sprite for the player life meter than the boss life meter (if we do a life meter for the player).