As it stands, storyboard elements rely on offset for their timing. It would be easier if they follow something like "3:3.1/4" (Third stanza, third beat, first tick in the 1/4 divisor).
Why change the timing from offset into beats?
Why change the timing from offset into beats?
- It makes fixing SB timing easier. Especially in complicated storyboards, it's such a hassle if a timing issue is found. At worst, it can ruin the whole storyboard. With this kind of addressing, fixing SB timing won't be such a burden.
- It makes loops more functional. Loops are SB elements that follow a rhythmic pattern of repetition. While handy in case of flashes and such, the way they are constantly timed via offsets actually makes them less useful. What I'm talking here is how maps follow the BPM in "running" the notes.
Here's a detailed explanation:SPOILERThe coding used here is:Sprite,Fail,Centre,"<filepath>",320,240
The map runs at 115.00 BPM and has an offset of 3,190 ms. To really see the result, replicate these information on a blank map, and use an image to replace <filepath>.
L,3189,207
F,0,0,261,1,0
F,0,261,522,0
This is the start of the loop:
This is near the end of the loop:
As offset is used to "replicate" how long a repetition of the event is, it is only added to the runtime offset of the map. It is evident in the second image, however, that the constant addition of this offset does not match with the ticks on the timeline, resulting in an off-sync loop.
I must tell you that "261" and "522" are the offset length of the events, and are the CLOSEST I can get. Even a minor fix such as +/-1 on either/both values makes the loop even wonkier. Try it out and see. - It basically makes storyboarding easier by itself. Mappers who code storyboards will find it easier to add elements using this kind of addressing. No more trying to figure out how much offset constitute a beat.