What new feature would you like to see?

[Demented]

Nadeo has created a lot of new ways to allow us creative freedom over the years.
If you could add a new feature to Maniaplanet, What would it be?
Please specify if your idea is for Trackmania, Shootmania or Maniaplanet in general...
... and please stick to only positive suggestions (no "this or that sucks and needs fixed", just new & useful concepts)

Use this topic as a collection for future development ideas.

[Demented]

Here is one that I would love to see:
Items that can be set to follow a Vector Path...

The items could have animated parts (like the wheels on trains) or just be single image objects. Then, when placing the object in a map you click a button "Create Item Path" and are presented with something similar to the Custom Camera in the Mediatracker, where you can position the object at a "Keyframe" then move it on a timeline to another (maybe interpolated) Keyframe and so on until you have your path laid out. Then choose a path type to follow such as;
Once: (object follows the path to the end then stops)
Ping Pong: (object follows the path to the end then reverses and follow it back to beginning)
Loop: (object follows the path to the end then jumps to the beginning keyframe and starts over) Looped should have an option to snap the last keyframe to the first keyframe for seamless loops.
Setting up a path, as I said, could work the same way as we set up custom cameras now with the exception that instead of moving the camera positions around you actually click on and drag the object to where you'd like it on your map adjusting the X-Y-Z-Roll-Yaw positions at each keyframe. (just like with cameras now).
So, you could use this method to make sliding platforms, an elevator, a ferry boat with a pingpong path or even a pod of Orcas surfacing and diving through the water along a looped path. Maybe a biplane flying through the canyons, a UFO landing, a convoy of trucks crossing a road or just a confused Duck swimming in a circle.
I think Item Paths could be a really fun tool to add to MP.

[745]

- Allow bigger construction areas on title packs.

- Placing and moving items by typing coordinates.

- Turning off non-default in-game interface elements, such as server interface, as an intermediate step of key hide all[*].

- Variant of camera 7 that will follow the car.

- Continuous maps, i.e. by crossing a line to the east of zone [0,0] the player is spawned in a set point at the west of zone [1,0]. This can make RPG/story maps softer and more comfortable.

- Custom rules for ladder and skill points on title packs.

[Demented]

- Continuous maps, i.e. by crossing a line to the east of zone [0,0] the player is spawned in a set point at the west of zone [1,0]. This can make RPG/story maps softer and more comfortable.

Good for Rally Race Stages too!

[Dommy]

Manialinks:
- Create manialink components through script.
- Create and attach custom game camera with arbitrary position/rotation/fov via manialinks.
- Event when clicking on the screen ingame with the world position clicked.
- Fix UI stretching and allow us to anchor manialinks to screen corners/edges/middle without distortion.

Script:
- Audio analyser.
- Multiple music layers.
- Sockets.

TM:
- Change player vehicle without respawning (or at least the skin).
- Multiple Spawns per map with mode being able to spawn the player in the desired one.
- Air control, jumping and turbo from TMT.
- Collisions online.

SM:
- Take control over previously spawned bot.
- Free switch between camera first person / camera third person.
- Bring back shooting out of a car.

TM & SM:
- Teleport player to arbitrary position on map with given velocity.

[null8fuenf10]

A new Envi in a City, with collidable Cars and destructable Envi Parts, like Fences, where you can drive through!

Custom Weathereffects

Bring more life to the Envis with moving Objects like Ships or let the Ferriswheel rotate in Lagoon.

[ToaOfJustice]

Here is one that I would love to see:
Items that can be set to follow a Vector Path...

The items could have animated parts (like the wheels on trains) or just be single image objects. Then, when placing the object in a map you click a button "Create Item Path" and are presented with something similar to the Custom Camera in the Mediatracker, where you can position the object at a "Keyframe" then move it on a timeline to another (maybe interpolated) Keyframe and so on until you have your path laid out. Then choose a path type to follow such as;
Once: (object follows the path to the end then stops)
Ping Pong: (object follows the path to the end then reverses and follow it back to beginning)
Loop: (object follows the path to the end then jumps to the beginning keyframe and starts over) Looped should have an option to snap the last keyframe to the first keyframe for seamless loops.
Setting up a path, as I said, could work the same way as we set up custom cameras now with the exception that instead of moving the camera positions around you actually click on and drag the object to where you'd like it on your map adjusting the X-Y-Z-Roll-Yaw positions at each keyframe. (just like with cameras now).
So, you could use this method to make sliding platforms, an elevator, a ferry boat with a pingpong path or even a pod of Orcas surfacing and diving through the water along a looped path. Maybe a biplane flying through the canyons, a UFO landing, a convoy of trucks crossing a road or just a confused Duck swimming in a circle.
I think Item Paths could be a really fun tool to add to MP.

This could also allow items to rotate around a fixed point, which would be useful for spinning obstacles, helicopters, and lighthouses.

I have two more ideas.

Programmable lights with custom fading and color options: Some examples of what this feature would allow creation of include traffic lights (perhaps to warn drivers to stop for those trucks), the bright portion of rocket/jet thrust, alarm lights (the sound would be provided by the Mediatracker), and animated holograms (which would work best when combined with vector paths).

Clouds with custom fading and color options: These would appear similar to the clouds already in ManiaPlanet, but they would be emitted by items, controlled by vector paths, and could grow or shrink as desired. Some examples of what this feature would allow creation of include the smoky portion of rocket/jet thrust, thunderstorm clouds (with programmable lights inside and Mediatracker sound effects), smokescreens, and volcanic activity.

[Miss]

Script:
- Sockets.

Ehm.. this is dangerous

[Derfuhr]

I think animated meshes could be funny in Lol-Maps. So we can make moving obstacles. I made a gif to show what i mean.


Http-Radiostations for Servermusic would be fine too, currently this is AFAIK not supported.

[Demented]

I am seeing exactly what I was hoping for on this topic... some really good and creative suggestions.

- Audio analyser, Change vehicle, Multiple Spawns, Teleport...
- Collidable cars, destructible environments and movable or animated objects...
- Changing lights, rotating items...
- Animated pendulum...
Those are just some of the ideas I really like too. They would open the doors of creativity even wider.
Some more appropriate for Maniaplanet than others but all ideas can lead to even more sparks of inspiration.

That pendulum idea reminds me of those games with dungeon maps where you have to time it just right to get through sets of swinging axes or fire blasting out at intervals. That would be fun.

Keep 'em coming. You never know what might make its way into the next version of things!