AGS/General adventure game-making resources

Phemar · Wed 17/04/2013 09:35:51

So I've been gone quite a while now (my last game was made in 2006 o_O) and I've recently started a new project with a few friends.

Well I was very sad to find out that a lot of resources that were available back in the day are now lost in the dark depths of time and broken links.

So I was thinking of starting a Dropbox to host a whole bunch of cool stuff (fonts/templates/modules/plugins/tutorials/nifty pieces of software etc). Anyone keen to help out? Anyone got some cool stuff lying around that they'd like to share?

Babar · Wed 17/04/2013 19:06:29

There is this: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=14864.0
Which, to be fair, contains a lot of incompatible game art, not to mention broken links.
There's also the instagame pack.

But yeah, it'd be cool to have a proper resource for this. In fact, why not another instagame pack? A collection of sprites, BGs and GUIs and music that are consistent with each other!

Peder 🚀 · Wed 17/04/2013 19:56:32

If wanted I could also create a page on AGSA for this and host files. I'll at least help in any way I can

.

Joseph DiPerla · Wed 17/04/2013 21:34:11

I have been slowly working on my Simpsons Template over the years. In the past few months though I have been really going nuts on it. I have about 50 rooms, still 12 playable characters, but now some of them contain extra animations. I also added an LEC Style GUI to the template for the user to choose from if they would like. The template is updated now to AGS 3.30. Every room is connected and ready to go along with Walkable area's and walk behinds. The only thing thats left to do with it for its next release is to give some documentation and also finish the hotspots. Basically, I want the template to be completely ready to be made into a game or machinimasodes with as little as possible work needed from the developer. I still got a bit to go, but the next update to it will be ready within 2013, thats for sure.

Tramponline · Thu 18/04/2013 21:00:28

That's a great idea, Phemar!
A central and concise hub for AGS resources would be awesome. Especially considering Peder's offer to host it at AGSA.

Our AGS Wiki is quite confusing at times, especially for newbies (even provided they worked their way through the manual).
Since I'm exactly at that point, where I'm searching for script tutorials etc., I'm definitely willing to help out in this endeavour
in any way I can!

One thing we should definitely consider is having a direct link to Densming's AGS Tutorial Videos on YouTube, since they're an invaluable
source of a first step-by-step approach for people new to AGS. (Or maybe even hosting those videos itself - not sure what's more feasible?)

@ Calin Leafshade/ @ ddq
Another mandatory read for "advanced" newbs IMO should be "AGS Script 101: A Primer" by Steven Poulton and Drew Wellman.
It was hosted somewhere for a while, but seemingly the site went down. I was able to retrieve the data from google cache, but
it's all garbled due to formatting.

I've tried to contact Calin about it, but that friggin' woodelf doesn't seem to check his PMs too ofton

. So if either DDQ or Calin are
seeing this thread: Do you guys still have a hypertext version of that document somewhere? (an additional PDF version for offline work
would be awesome too).

Densming's video tutorials and "AGS Script 101: A Primer" should definitely be included in a central resources hub under tutorials.

Quote from: Joseph DiPerla on Wed 17/04/2013 21:34:11
I have been slowly working on my Simpsons Template over the years.

Awesome to hear you're still working on that Simpsons template, Joseph!

Downloaded it ages ago and was really impressed. Your template
would provide people starting out with AGS with the perfect means to create a game without much "fuss".

kconan · Fri 19/04/2013 03:55:27

Densming's Tutorials were first for me, followed by looking over the old AGS demo game source code, and then is was on to SSH's modules.

For game graphics and music resources, I like www.opengameart.org. I stumbled across some great music there which fit perfect for my game, contacted the author for permission, and he was more than happy to lend his work for just credit.

Armageddon · Fri 19/04/2013 04:59:21

If anyone has the Snatcher template from here that would be cool.

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=10123.0

Phemar · Fri 19/04/2013 06:17:47

I don't think the Instagame packs are very successful/useful to be honest. They're normally geared to one specific theme and don't contain things like objects and animations. I mean, in the past ten years there must have been like two games made with Instagame? I think Joseph's template might be more helpful to newbies looking for instant game material.

Scripting resources should definitely be compiled somewhere. The only problem I've recently had with scripting resources is that quite a bit of stuff still uses old-style code and hasn't been updated to the latest version of AGS. Also, most modules that have been released are not very good at commenting things making it quite hard to understand exactly what the author is doing with each function/block of code. This also makes it hard to use the modules as a learning tool.

Another point on scripting refers to the manual - while the manual provides you with everything you need to know in order to make a game, it is still missing a section explaining some of the more advanced scripting techniques - eg, there's no mention in the manual of #define, ifndef, endif etc. The only way to learn about these things is to examine existing code.

Also, certain utilities have gone missing from the face of the internet. I can't find a copy of LucasRipper anywhere, nor ScummRevisited etc.

So these are the main reasons I started this thread (and the fact it took me about three hours on google to find a copy of the LucasArts speech font, among other things

).

Oh yes, one more point - Some GUI modules tend to use the .GUE file extension which I understand belongs to AGS (or used to), but the latest version of AGS only seems to accept .GUF for GUI imports.

Calin Leafshade · Fri 19/04/2013 06:25:55

Quote from: Tramponline on Thu 18/04/2013 21:00:28
I've tried to contact Calin about it, but that friggin' woodelf doesn't seem to check his PMs too ofton . So if either DDQ or Calin are
seeing this thread: Do you guys still have a hypertext version of that document somewhere? (an additional PDF version for offline work
would be awesome too).

I do apologise. I have been neglecting AGS for a while.

The latest version of the book can be found in PDF format here:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/27247158/book.pdf

Some of the formatting is a little wrong but its legible.

I do mean to finish it at some point...

Tramponline · Fri 19/04/2013 23:57:13

Thanks Calin, much appreciated

Quote from: Calin Leafshade on Fri 19/04/2013 06:25:55
I do mean to finish it at some point...

That'd be grand, though even in it's present form it is already very concise and immensely helpful to programming/scripting newbs such as myself.
Thanks again for the effort...

BTW you wouldn't mind if we included that book in a central AGS resources hub? (I know nothing is settled yet, but just asking doesn't hurt.)

Calin Leafshade · Sat 20/04/2013 01:28:51

Feel free to do whatever you wish with it unless you plan to use it to further the communist agenda in Nottinghamshire which is counter to the license agreement.

Slasher · Sat 20/04/2013 09:36:11

QuoteThe latest version of the book can be found in PDF format here:

very interesting book

Tramponline · Sat 20/04/2013 09:57:23

Quote from: Calin Leafshade on Sat 20/04/2013 01:28:51
...unless you plan to use it to further the communist agenda in Nottinghamshire which is counter to the license agreement.

AWWWHHhh, man! What's with all teh restrictions...?!

@Everyone
We definitely need more suggestions and input. This can only work as a joint effort.

Keep it coming, guys and gals... (*insert Baron's monocle smiley-thing)

miguel · Sat 20/04/2013 12:14:46

Well, I have a completed game made around 2009 that never got released because it was not fully tested or revised for typos. I can release all the backgrounds, character sprites or even the full game if you think it would interesting for new guys around.

Adeel · Sat 20/04/2013 16:24:30

Quote from: miguel on Sat 20/04/2013 12:14:46
Well, I have a completed game made around 2009 that never got released because it was not fully tested or revised for typos. I can release all the backgrounds, character sprites or even the full game if you think it would interesting for new guys around.

Well sir, it would be great help if you did so.

I would LOVE to use your Character in my first game (with full credits to you, of course!) Since, I cannot draw well.

Retro Wolf · Sat 20/04/2013 18:45:06

Don't forget about the Reality on the Norm resources, tons of backgrounds, characters, objects, some music, and a GUI. It would be good to have that in another location (the RON site is down at the moment).

Quote from: Calin Leafshade on Sat 20/04/2013 01:28:51
Feel free to do whatever you wish with it unless you plan to use it to further the communist agenda in Nottinghamshire which is counter to the license agreement.

When i'm up Notts the only think on the agenda is why I've spent too much money!

Tramponline · Sat 20/04/2013 18:51:38

Quote from: Tramponline on Thu 18/04/2013 21:00:28
~~One thing we should definitely consider is having a direct link to Densming's AGS Tutorial Videos on YouTube, since they're an invaluable~~
~~source of a first step-by-step approach for people new to AGS. (Or maybe even hosting those videos itself - not sure what's more feasible?)~~

OK, forget what I wrote about densming's video tutorials. Just saw that they're linked on the http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/ags/ main page.
I was scanning our AGS Wiki resources section most of the time, coz there's that AGS Wiki link in the forum's menu bar...

miguel · Sun 21/04/2013 00:37:48

Quote from: Adeel S. Ahmed on Sat 20/04/2013 16:24:30
Quote from: miguel on Sat 20/04/2013 12:14:46
Well, I have a completed game made around 2009 that never got released because it was not fully tested or revised for typos. I can release all the backgrounds, character sprites or even the full game if you think it would interesting for new guys around.
Well sir, it would be great help if you did so. I would LOVE to use your Character in my first game (with full credits to you, of course!) Since, I cannot draw well.

Hi Adeel,
I'm sorry but Stee has taken over this game. He helped me back then and knows the story and all. It's funny because we'd been talking about the game some days ago and as soon as I posted this he email me asking if he could fix it and polish it as well.
Please do consider making a RON game, there are tons of resources available to make a good game.

Well, Stee just told me he will release all the material for public reference. But this time in a proper state.