Resonance

[Vince Twelve]

Without drag and drop, you would not be able to perform the same range of actions on items in the game with the same degree of ease and fluidity.

Take for example, the STM (short term memory).  You can add any item (couch, ash tray, guy sitting on bench) in the game to it for use in dialog later in the game.  To add an object to your STM, you just click and drag the item, the STM comes down automatically, and you can drop it into an available slot.

If you were to do this without drag and drop (i.e. with normal mouse clicks) we would have to put some sort of extra GUI choice between the player and his action since left and right clicking are already assigned to interact/examine respectively. 

For example, a GUI similar to the Sierra verb-switch gui could go at the top of the screen, then you'd have to click the "add to STM" verb and then click on the object you want to add.  To me, that's cumbersome. 

Or you could put something like a verb coin in there, so when you click on an item you can choose to add it to your stm, or interact with it.  But again, that's cumbersome because you have to do it for every click where you'll almost always want to interact.  I don't want to make such a common command take two clicks.

As it's implemented, I think that the drag and drop feels entirely natural and intuitive (or at least I hope so).  It's especially familiar since you do it probably every day on your computer, putting something in the trash or moving a folder.  I developed and tested the game using a laptop with no mouse about 80% of the time, and could easily perform every action without fail using a standard track pad.

Of course the real judges of how well the system works are the players, and so far, I've heard only very positive reactions to the interface!  So, I hope when you get your hands on the game, you'll think so too!

Let me know which software or games you think used drag and drop to their detriment so I can try them out and figure out what kind of pitfalls to avoid!  Thanks Crimson!

[Crimson Wizard]

Well, usually it was irritating for me that you have to keep mouse button pressed all the time while moving mouse. Maybe it is only me, but I found it tiresome in certain cases, and I sometimes I have this paranoia that I'll "drop" the item on occasion

But that depends on implementation ofc, like how often/frequent you should do that, etc

[ThreeOhFour]

Oh, haha, you mentioned me so I can talk in here without feeling like I am giving away secret squirrels I am not supposed to be.

Crimson:

I gotta say this man, despite what reservations you may have about dragging and dropping it all feels perfectly natural. I mean that. Maybe it takes a minute or two to familiarise yourself with the interface, but after that you realize that every other point and click adventure game ever made has been doing it wrong, and somebody has finally figured out how to do it right.

Ryan Timothy just asked me about this, so this is how I feel: If Resonance's interface doesn't change the way we make adventure games, then people are complete fools. The conventions we've been accepting all along as standard seem so outmoded and redundant compared to this that I can't help but frown when I go back to playing other games (including my own).

Sorry for the shameless drooling in your thread once again, Vince  

Edit: Also, congrats on getting the game sent in to the IGF comp, guys, and best of luck!

[Dualnames]

Crims, I do recall Vince had this option built up for portable computers that you didn't have to hold the mouse..at least that's what I recall..

[Vince Twelve]

Ha, I think Ben is overstating the case a bit,  but he's not alone in liking the interface!  Hopefully you'll like it too Crimson!

And Dualnames is right, Laptop-Mode is a planned option.  I hadn't mentioned it because I implemented it early on, but haven't been maintaining or testing it.  I will try my best to have it included in the final version.  It will make a double click into a drag start, and click again to drop.  It will need a lot of testing to make sure it feels right.

[ThreeOhFour]

Hehe, now that I re read it that sounds like a rhetoric filled propaganda flyer! I sound like Peder talking about Gameranger  

Seriously though, Vince, your interface is one of the few interfaces in the AGS world that excites me and makes me feel like I can see The Future (and I'm not allowed to talk about one of the other ones )

[Snarky]

Congrats on the fundraising, Vince. Two thousand dollars! That's a very respectable sum. Looking forward to see how you'll put it to use in the game.

[CosmoQueen]

 :o :o :o Oh my gosh! Those graphics take my breath away! They totally remind me of Sierra games like Laura Bow or Pepper's Adventure's in Time. I just wish I had seen this sooner, I would have definitely spent money on helping you support this.

[Dixon]

And Dualnames is right, Laptop-Mode is a planned option.  I hadn't mentioned it because I implemented it early on, but haven't been maintaining or testing it.  I will try my best to have it included in the final version.  It will make a double click into a drag start, and click again to drop.  It will need a lot of testing to make sure it feels right.

You better get it ready, I've paid for that feature! 

[Vince Twelve]

@Snarky: Thanks!  Though, it's looking like it might be a bit less than that as the single largest donor is having trouble clearing the bank!  Plus Kickstarter gets their cut, and Amazon gets theirs...  Still, it's a huge help, and I super appreciate your pledge and all the rest!  The difference will be noticeable!

@CosmoQueen: Thank you!  The graphics team rocks, I'm super lucky to have them!  Keep your eye out for future preorder/pledge opportunities.  They may happen!

@Dixon: You did indeed!  And it's on my list!  It just wasn't on my list for the IGF deadline!  I'll get it in there, like I said, it just needs a lot of tweaking!

[Dixon]

If you need any more support just let us know. By the looks of it this might not only become one of the best AGS-games ever but perhaps even one of the best adventure games ever. 

[Vince Twelve]

@Dixon if that happens, I look forward to my swimming pool of cash!

Just a bump here for the new vidya:

Here's the first minute and a half of the video I sent in with the IGF submission.  The rest of the video was a bit too spoilery.

YouTube!

[i k a r i]

Nothing says teaser trailer like... half trailer...

[Vince Twelve]

TimW of Indiegames.com named Resonance one of his 10 favorite games of the IGF!  That's good news! 

He also mentioned that all the AGS games in the competition this year were good!  And I had never heard of one of them...

The finalists are supposed to be named in the first couple weeks of 2010, so keep your fingers crossed!  Go Team Blue Cup!

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Yeah!

[markbilly]

Well done! All of those games look brilliant, too!

[SarahLiz]

@Dixon if that happens, I look forward to my swimming pool of cash!

Just a bump here for the new vidya:

Here's the first minute and a half of the video I sent in with the IGF submission.  The rest of the video was a bit too spoilery.

YouTube!

That was definately a tease.   :'(  But I have to say, even though the thought of waiting till (late?) 2010 for the game to be released, I am so excited!!  It looks VERY well-done and so interesting!  I know it will be a commercial game, but ehh...so what??  I will pay almost anything for a GOOD adventure game.  Can't wait!!!   

[Jimbob]

You was robbed of an IGF nomination! (as was PuzzleBots)

Dayum

We'll just have to hijack the Audience Award or something

[Vince Twelve]

Thanks JimBob!  Yeah, adventure games got pretty shut out (as per usual, I guess) from the IGF, with the exception of Trauma which is a pretty groovy looking experimental adventure deal, that I'd like to try out.

But it's all good!  It was a huge field of 300 awesome entries, so getting noticed through all that was always going to be a long-shot.  Thanks for the support!

After I finish crying, it'll be right back to work for the Resonance team!

[The Ivy]

*raises glass*

Right there with ya.