FOSS gamedev and creative worlds

Use the middle mouse button (scrollwheel) on a block to pick it. If creative (this should be modded) it should always pick the block and place it in inventory and wield it, to quickly select a block that has been placed in the world.

In survival it would seek in your inventory if you have that block, and select/wield it.

Kenney wrote:Use the middle mouse button (scrollwheel) on a block to pick it. If creative (this should be modded) it should always pick the block and place it in inventory and wield it, to quickly select a block that has been placed in the world.

In surival it would seek in your inventory if you have that block, and select/wield it.

+1.
Perhaps make a GitHub issue? I don't suspect it would be too complicated. (If we could send keypresses through Lua it could be done with a mod)

I think the best way to go about doing this is by adding a lua function which would look something like on_middleclick(), since different subgames have different ways of handling creative mode.

Good point idea, on_middleclick() would be better.

not shure if this would be a good idea. I playing sometimes on my Laptop, and the touchpad does not have midleclick.
if this gets added, I hope its configurable, to get the old controls back.

addi wrote:if this gets added, I hope its configurable, to get the old controls back.

There are no old controls for this, so you won't be missing out if you don't have a middle mouse button available.

Evergreen wrote:I think the best way to go about doing this is by adding a lua function which would look something like on_middleclick(), since different subgames have different ways of handling creative mode.

+ 1 with the proviso that there must be a key combo alternative, for players that can't use middleclick.

addi wrote:not shure if this would be a good idea. I playing sometimes on my Laptop, and the touchpad does not have midleclick.
if this gets added, I hope its configurable, to get the old controls back.

None of my laptops have middle mouse buttons. But they all emulate middle click when clicking left and right at the same time. Not sure if drivers are OS specific as our laptops (and desktops) are Linux and I pretty much haven't touched Windows since XP came out.

A lot of Windows users don't realise that the scroll wheel is also a mouse button even if they have one.

Or instead of middle click, use a key (like P for pick). Similar to color picking in OpenSpades/AoS

Kalabasa wrote:Or instead of middle click, use a key (like P for pick). Similar to color picking in OpenSpades/AoS

Oh, that's how it works in OpenSpades. Thanks for the info, I was wondering.

This should be added, I don't know why it wasn't added in the original Minetest.

I'm not sure what it should do.
Should the middle click "dig" a node or just highlight it?

Krock wrote:I'm not sure what it should do.
Should the middle click "dig" a node or just highlight it?

The point of middle click is to pick a node when in creative. For instance, if you middle click a dirt block you get a dirt block.

Plese don't forget about facedir. Picking the block type is just one part of it. Many blocks need to be aligned in one way or another. Using the screwdriver for each one drives you crazy. Therefore, I've written my replacer mod some time ago. It does not only pick "color", but also orientation. Instead of middle clicking, it's SHIFT+RIGHTCLICK. After that, it's as if you'd wield the block (only that you can't see the stored blocktype) - except that it gets placed with the stored facedir. And you don't have to dig the old block first - it replaces it immediately.
Don't get me wrong on that - using the middle mouse button to select a node is a nice idea. But if you've got people on your server who love to build something more complex than an ugly cobble box, you really ought to have the replacer mod installed. Maybe I ought to try to get it added to minetest_game.

Krock wrote:I'm not sure what it should do.
Should the middle click "dig" a node or just highlight it?

It's an eyedropper tool.

I like it. In non-creative, it would have to somehow move stuff from elsewhere in inventory to the hotbar, or change to a hotbar slot that has the item. I suggest simply finding the item in inventory and swapping that slot with whatever is in the currently active hotbar slot.