AGS Video tutorial on YouTube

[Nickydude]

Just putting my 2 cents in to say what a wonderful job you're doing on these videos. It was these that got me into AGS just a few weeks ago, please keep them coming as they're great!

[matt]

wow a great idea

[MisoSoup]

Hi I hope it's ok to bump such an old thread, but I've been watching the video tutorial and I wanted to say thank you. I sent you (densming) a pm but I don't think it worked and I wanted to let you know how grateful I am for all your hard work.

I also have a request for a video. Could you (or have you?) make a video explaining what to do once your game is completed?

I have made a (very modest) game, which I would not have been able to do without your instruction, but now I don't know what to do with it. I have read the manual, but am none the wiser, and searched the board but still don't get what I'm supposed to do next.

Thanks again, you're a star!

[Khris]

In the editor, press F7. Then go to the games folder, copy the Compiled directory somewhere else, rename it, pack it, upload it.

[Matti]

What should there be left to do? Give it to people by uploading it (the compiled folder)!

Here's the games main page and at the very bottom of it is a link to add your own games to the database.

Also, you should probably post it in the Completed Game Announcement forum so people get to know about it.

There are many upload sites like Megaupload or Webfilehost. Make sure you compiled your game once it's ready and that you disabled the debug mode.

Ah, beaten by Khris. Whatever.

[MisoSoup]

Thanks Khris and Matti I think I'm inching closer to what I need to do, but I still think a clear, consise explanation somewhere would benefit those of us who aren't as intelligent or experienced as you guys.

Your contributions have been very helpful though - I didn't know you had to switch the debugger off, so thanks Matti

And, although I've read the relevant part of the manual, I still don't understand whether I'm obliged to credit AGS or anyone in my game, and what form that's supposed to take.

Also, as I've never uploaded a computer program before, that whole process is quite mysterious, although I have managed to glean some clues from your comments.

I must confess, I haven't really understood the manual at all, and everything I've managed to do has been as a direct result of densming's wonderful tutorials - they are very clearly and thoroughly explained and follow an order which is sensible to the user. Hence my request for a video on what to do next - I don't understand it and densming explains everything in an understandable and comprehensive manner.  (Thanks again densming!)

[Khris]

Not sure what the problem is here...
Download Winzip or Winrar (google them), create a new archive and drag the compiled folder in there (I find it very convenient if the archive contains a folder, not the individual files). Both packers come with help files and are easy and intuitive to use.
Now that your game is a single archive file, upload it to one of the linked sites. That involves clicking a browse button, selecting the archive on your hard drive and clicking the upload button.
Wait for the upload to finish, then copy the link that'll appear, and put it in a new thread in the Completed Games forum, together with a few screenshots and a short description, ideally.

You can create screenshots by pressing F12 in AGS or best in x1 windowed mode using the keyboard's print button.
Then paste them into paint or Photoshop and crop them if necessary (remove the ugly window border, too ).
Upload them to an image file host (e.g. www.imageshack.us) and put them in the game's thread using the [img] tag.

Some people put a readme in the archive that credits Chris Jones or other people that helped them. You probably won't need to do that, especially not for your first game, which you shouldn't publish anyway

[MisoSoup]

Thanks Khris

I'm laughing at myself now, because as soon as you said "together with a few screenshots," I thought "Eek! how do I do screenshots?" only to discover you'd explained it in the next sentence, so thanks again

But what do you mean by "you shouldn't publish anyway"? Are you suggesting it would be a mistake to let this forum see the (embarrassingly bad) fruits of my labour? (Because if so, I'll take your advice and not link to it here, I'll just use the link to show (sympathetic) friends and family)

Thank you for your explanation - I think I get the gist, and I'll have a go at trying it out (cross your fingers for me)



Edited To Add: Yay! Dit it! It worked! Thanks Khris, thanks Matti, you guys are ace!

[Khris]

Cool!

And by that I meant that the first game anybody produces is usually really bad. The games database is full of those, and looking at my own, which I didn't complete, much less upload, I wouldn't want anybody to have to play that either
It's sort of an unwritten rule.

If you did put lots of work in there and tried to produce a quality game, avoiding the usual beginner's mistakes (walking too slow, cutscenes/dialogs not skippable, unclear room exits, no hotspot descriptions, etc.), then by all means get some beta testers, and publish the final version.

[MisoSoup]

Hahaha  You just described my game almost perfectly (except you forgot to mention the crappy graphics and general lack of playability)

I think I'll be keeping this one to myself and not letting you guys see it

So there 

[Divon]

interestingly enough, this conversation is actually making me want to play your game MORE rather than less.  lol 

[MisoSoup]

interestingly enough, this conversation is actually making me want to play your game MORE rather than less.  lol 

lol I have a feeling none of you guys will ever get to see just how humble my game truly is 

(Although, I have to confess to a terrible urge to show you it despite its not inconsiderable flaws)

[Knox]

Bah dont worry about it...enjoy your hobby, dont worry what people say

[Khris]

Solving those issues isn't that much work, and since this is the technical forum anyway:

-Increase the character's animation speed
-look up StartCutscene in the manual and set a speech text skip option
-add a label on a GUI that's always on, set the GUI and label to not clickable and set the label's text to "@OVERHOTSPOT@"
-add/name exit hotspots

I didn't want to discourage you from publishing your game, with a bit polish added people will surely want to play it.

[densming]

Hi MisoSoup, thanks for the nice comments, I'm glad the tutorials are helpful to you.  :-)  I've had a few people send me emails about how to publish their game once they've completed it.  I should really make a video about it.  I see that Khris and Matti already answered you, but I think the videos could benefit from answering this question anyway.

[Karlos]

I just wanted to say I loved the video tutorials as well!  They were well put together, and very informative.  I think a publishing one would be helpful as well.

[BlueAngel]

I want to send a thank you too!
Never got this far without them (and all the good posts on the forum and lovely helpful people here  )
Please put more of them up!

[MisoSoup]

-Increase the character's animation speed
-look up StartCutscene in the manual and set a speech text skip option
-add a label on a GUI that's always on, set the GUI and label to not clickable and set the label's text to "@OVERHOTSPOT@"
-add/name exit hotspots

Haha, easy peasy! 

I've been tweaking my game a bit since your last post, and I'll get to work on the @OVERHOTSPOTS@ thingy soon. Fortunately densming has covered how to use the GUIs in his tutorials, so with luck I should be able to do it (maybe  )

(Tsk! And I thought my game was finished - shows what I know)

[MisoSoup]

Bah dont worry about it...enjoy your hobby, dont worry what people say

Thanks general *salutes*

I think that maybe there should be a thread (sticky?) for people to post their first games in, so they can get (kindly) criticism and show off their efforts, but folks playing the games know not to expect too much from them

There isn't one already is there?

[MisoSoup]

Hi MisoSoup, thanks for the nice comments, I'm glad the tutorials are helpful to you.  :-)  I've had a few people send me emails about how to publish their game once they've completed it.  I should really make a video about it.  I see that Khris and Matti already answered you, but I think the videos could benefit from answering this question anyway.

Ooh, hello densming *starstruck*

The videos are terrific - I think they're the first series of youtube videos I've ever bothered to watch all the way through

And, although I managed to post a game thenks to Khris and Matti, I definitely think a step by step guide would be useful - I found it quite difficult to locate information on how to complete and publish a game, and I assume other people find themselves in the same position

Keep up the good work, your tutorial is completely indespensible and I would have given up on AGS weeks ago without it


Edited to add a big "hear hear!" to Karlos and BlueAngel (cuz I don't know if you can multi-quote on this forum :p)