Custom Game Template ??

[shinypuppet]

Dear Forumgoers,

I've been experimenting with and learning the AGS program, and I LOVE IT! I just recenty finished KQ1 VGA and thought it was spectacular. Anyways,

The reason for my post is this... near the beginning of the help file tutorial, it explains how to select a "game template" or icon basically, that will launch your game. The blue coffee cup is fine and all, but for the type of game I want to make... it's not quite the impression I was looking for. I've tried everything I can think of, ms paint, new icons, looking for template makers (i haven't found any), and I'm completely stumped. All the file says is that you might be able to download new ones off the net at some point. What crap is this ?!

it's probably the simplest question to answer, but somehow the light has failed to reach me. How the heck do I go about making my own custom game template ??

alone in the dark,
--Shiny Puppet

[Moox]

templates are different then icons,

for a compiled game icon save a file called user.ico in the games uncompiled folder

for a template, go to game in ags and click make a template.

[shinypuppet]

umm....

I must have phrased this wrong. I do know that there is a "make game template" option under the "game" tab in the AGS window. I already tried that... granted, it comes up with a new template that has the game title I want.... but it doesn't have the GRAPHIC. I don't want everyone to double-click on a blue cup to start my game, I would like people to click on the custom made symbol instead.

Or maybe I'm going about this all wrong. What's the diff between an icon and a template? I was under the impression they were the same thing, or similar. An executable with my own graphic is what I'm after. Any other pointers that might be useful?

- SP

[LordHart]

An Icon is the little thing that is the icon for the exe file. The templates are used to start a new game off with... an example being the Blank Template that comes with AGS...

This is used so it has the minimum number of files, with only things that will run the game, and no rooms. If you downloaded the AGI template, you would have the old AGI system of a parser type interface to start with, so you don't have to deal with working out how to code it from scratch.

You understand now?

[Ashen]

From the manual (although it's pretty well buried):
Custom icon
If you wish, you can use your own custom icon when you build a Windows EXE file. To do this, simply place your icon in your game's folder, and name it USER.ICO. Then, load the editor, make sure it is set to generate a Windows executable, and save the game.
Your icon must be standard 32x32 pixels in 16-colour. If it is any other size or colour depth, the editor will give an error.

NOTE: The icon must be a proper Windows .ICO file, not just a renamed BMP file. Icon editors, such as AX-Icons from http://www.axialis.com, will convert it for you.

You can also have a custom icon for the Setup program generated. To do so, create your icon as above but name it setup.ico in the game folder.

Is this what you're after?

[kl4Uz]

I think Ashen is right.

What you're talking about, has nothing to do with templates, imho

[Edwin Xie]

So, are there any free Icon Editors? You know, Freeware, not shareware and can you make icon files in MS Paint? Without remanimg the bmp file? Hey, wait, Graphics gale. FOr some reason, it can make .ICO file format.

[Gilbert]

You may try IconArt.

[Edwin Xie]

yay I got the template!

[TerranRich]

No asking about graphical programs here. Read the forum rules. I'm not locking this post because there still might be unresolved issues regarding the other questions/

[Edwin Xie]

Ok.......

[TerranRich]

I'm assuming everything has been resolved, and I am setting this topic as solved.