AGS Live Ceremony 2011

[Dualnames]

Hello, everyone. You probably have no idea what this topic is about. I can't blame you. I mean it's been about 6-7 months or so, and well, you probably wouldn't recall it anyhow.

In case your memory fails you:
http://i.tfster.com/cache/therealrevo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/lesbians-kissing.jpg


Right, so, we're planning on improving the same model used last year with certain stuff, so any suggestions and anyone willing to paint over the background we're using, would be nice.

Our first priority is to improve the speed as much as possible and increase stability to a maximum. But adding cool stuff isn't prohibited.

So please give out your suggestions on how to make this cooler and better.

[Ghost]

http://i.tfster.com/cache/therealrevo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/lesbians-kissing.jpg

Our first priority is to improve the speed as much as possible and increase stability to a maximum.

To increase the SPEED of lesbians kissing, give them some motivation to do it really, really much faster. Maybe tell them there's a price.
To increase the STABILITY of them kissing, I'd suggest duct tape, but that could be seen as somewhat odd.


ON TOPIC:
I'd happily share some character files, seeing that last year was extremely "hare"-heavy

[Icey]

Second. P.S. Dualnames couldn't you just use manual sets scaling for different characters cause I remember that was the problem last time.

[Snake]

*Lesbians kissing in live action.

*Also, I would like to see more options for avatars since it was hard to tell who was who last year (at least for me). I think we should all do our own specific avatars, I think that would be neat.

*Option to pick stage background beforehand...?

*Definitely more than one song, or an option to preview and pick which ceremony song to play at any point during the ceremony.

I'll think of more useless ideas.

[Ali]

I'd be happy to do a paintover of this background:


In the style of the one without enough space what I done:


But if you'd rather go with something new/better/morelesbianrelated that's fine with me!

[Icey]

You are should totally include a outside lobby where people can just walk around outside of the awards room. Ooh ohh and there should be a bar with a guy selling C.V.B haha
and I could even give give you Dave(PMQ) seeing how hes a pub master and all.

[Dualnames]

@Ali: http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q53/JustLedZep/1-32.png

There it is. The paint over is crucial, cause that means we save a lot of time defining every single coordinate. Main part being the stage floor, the exit (right) and the podium, those kind of have to stick there, the rest is totally allowed to change. Anyhow, just draw something, and I'm sure arrangements can be made.

[Ishmael]

Get rid of the clapping. If you must do it have the client PM the clap calls to the server instead of having them flood the channel. But ideally I'd prefer just removing it altogether.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I'm not sure what resolution it was at before, but obviously going for the maximum resolution possible will allow you to fit far more low res sprites on screen comfortably.

[Snarky]

I think there should be two channels, only one of which is muted during the official parts of the ceremony. Because honestly, it can get a little slow, and you want a bit of backchat/heckling/etc. The system could be smart enough to post automatically to whichever channel was currently not muted.

You could also have two rooms, the other a lobby or maybe a bar where people could hang out and talk at all times (and maybe watch the ceremony on a screen or something  :o), but I think that might suck people away from the awards hall, and I'd rather have people in front of the stage.

Get rid of the clapping. If you must do it have the client PM the clap calls to the server instead of having them flood the channel. But ideally I'd prefer just removing it altogether.

Do you mean the sound effect, or having designated times in the event for people to congratulate the winner? Or do you just mean that people typing "*clap*" appears in the chat?

I would disagree with the first two. You need to have the open congratulations, of course. They're a tradition, and they're how people show their support and enthusiasm.

I think the sound effect worked quite nicely, and I would actually recommend adding more of them. Particularly, when you see the ceremony in action, the sequence feels a little off the way it was this year. You had the list of nominees, in silence. Then you announced the winner (in silence, if I remember, though maybe there was a drum roll?). Then the winner gave a speech (in silence, though there was a good bit of heckling once people figured out they could post by changing their /nicks; if you take my idea for two channels, this hack wouldn't be necessary any more). And only THEN there was applause.

So I think it would be cool if there was some music during the listing of nominations, the drum roll that may or may not have been there already before announcing the winner, applause when the winner is announced, and then the winner's speech and the congratulations.

If what you're talking about is just having all the *clap*s flood the channel, then yeah, there could be a smarter way to filter those out. Maybe have stuff like this just appear over the character's head for a very short time?

[Ali]

@Ali: http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q53/JustLedZep/1-32.png

There it is. The paint over is crucial, cause that means we save a lot of time defining every single coordinate. Main part being the stage floor, the exit (right) and the podium, those kind of have to stick there, the rest is totally allowed to change. Anyhow, just draw something, and I'm sure arrangements can be made.

Thanks!

I'm not sure what resolution it was at before, but obviously going for the maximum resolution possible will allow you to fit far more low res sprites on screen comfortably.

I was thinking the same thing, but that doesn't fit with Dual's keep-everything-the-same suggestion... I'll try to work something out.

[Snarky]

Second. P.S. Dualnames couldn't you just use manual sets scaling for different characters cause I remember that was the problem last time.

Maybe using this: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=30129.0

[Armageddon]

I say we get some real class up in that award room, maybe a nice red rug, with tassels! Give it some real authenticity.

[Ali]

Before I go further, here's a rough sketch at 1024x768:



Would that be functional? Cool enough?

[Dualnames]

Looks quite nice, fine by me

Some stuff though I forgot, see I have a black part at the bottom cause that's where the text appears, and the game's resolution is 640x480 and increasing it more, means kind of like killing speed and performance here, I can downscale the background to 640x480.

Just I am nitpicking, see? I am an ass. Here you are volunteering and I am already bossing you around.

[Ali]

I'm happy to draw it at 640x480, it'll take less time. I didn't realise that a bigger background would cost speed.

There is a gap at the bottom of this one for text the same size as your black area (give or take some wobbly sketching). Does the text area have to be black or can I draw a frame of some kind?

[Dualnames]

Just black. The gui fills it so no frame is needed.

[tzachs]

I can't wait for this!
Ali, your background already looks great. 

As for suggestions:
1. I loved the 'clapping', and like Snarky said, it would be nice to have more sound effects, like 'cheer', 'whistle' and maybe even 'boo' (to be used when theo gets his 15th award)  ;
2. I liked the idea of a lobby room.
3. A button that will allow you to search for a specific person in the crowd.
4. And now for the unrealistic suggestion that will never happen: being able to upload your own character with the animations, and having all other clients download your character and show it... Now wouldn't that be cool? 

[Dualnames]

Here's what I am planning to do:

1) Using the AGS theora plugin to play videos, that way, each video on each instance of the client program plays at its own speed.

2) Clapping needs to be reduced, at least i'll disable the annoying cluttering and still allow it to occur, just without flooding.

3) Lobby room, yeah, out of the question. I mean, yeah, it's fun and all, but if you want to have that, just join before the ceremony and stay afterwards. It's kinda pointless, and well, I am still not convinced it's that useful.

4) About the button for specific search, can you be more specific on how does that work?

5) If somehow, AGS could take a bunch of sprites and create a view in-game, I'd be willing to do allow your fourth point, tzachs.

Increasing the resolution as progz suggested means that performance is killed. And since this is via IRC, then it's doubly killed.

[Wyz]

The way the client work right now is that it has an extra channel for all meta stuff. We could easily move the claps to that channel so they won't flood the main channel.

Changing the resolution will be a lot of work for Duals. Adding a lobby also for me. I'll leave that up to Duals, I'd be up for it though.

Dynamic loading characters is not possible unfortunately since AGS won't allow views to be added at run time. But hey, they can be included in the game just (or a reasonable time) before it goes up.

I don't mind heckling but obviously there need to be some order or things will get out of hand. Maybe we could add whispering or something. (so only people (literally) close by will hear it).

Finding people is quite easy, just as in the real world shout their name and have bystanders look behind their backs.
Well the names are shown when you hover over the character, but maybe a command could be added.