New here, so I apologize if it's been asked 40 times, but I've been lurking except for the art competition threads and searched for two days now and haven't been able to find an answer to this question. Also for reference I've read the tutorials and the wiki but I haven't spent a lot of hands on time with the editor yet.
I want to start working on a game, and I want a gui system for interaction like the Apprentice series or (I think) the Ben Jordan series where when you hover over the top of the window, you get the drop down for just save/load/quit, and during the game, you right click to switch between interact/walk/look/etc.
I can't see how to do that, and I was looking for some good starting points. Again, sorry if I've just missed it somewhere else.
BONUS POINT LIGHTING ROUND!
Is something like what I listed above also possible with the 9 verb system? I'd like to have the options in future games for give/take/push/pull etc as well.
Thank you!
(aptly named) - amateurhour
(also no, I won't sign all of my posts, I promise)
Just remove the buttons from the icon bar and decrease its size/move it/make the background transparent. That's really all there is to it.
Right-clicking to switch cursor modes is the default game's initial setup, not sure what you're asking exactly.
Quote from: amateurhour on Mon 02/07/2012 22:27:58I haven't spent a lot of hands on time with the editor yet.
You should ;)
If I understand your 9-verbs question correctly and you're planning to add additional modes at some point so that the only way to switch verbs is right-clicking 9 times in the worst case scenario, save yourself the trouble. I think it's pretty safe to say that nobody is going to play a game like that.
I find it annoying enough already to get from interact back to look (4 clicks, if active inv item), clicking through 9 verbs is probably the worst interface idea I've heard yet.
Thanks for the quick reply and the shot of reality Kris. : )
So people prefer the large menu with all of the different options as opposed to the right click in general?
I guess for me it's that my first PnC adventure game was Maniac Mansion on the NES (I know, I'm a heathen) and having to continuously switch controls by clicking a new action was frustrating, as where when I played Apprentice 2 the other day I LOVED the ability to just right click to cycle.
I could see using both though, and I definitely see your point about incorporating the right click only with the 9 verb being an inconvienience to a lot of people.
Thanks again, I guess this can be closed!
Well, everything I wrote is subjective of course. Questions of the "which interface do you prefer" sort are more suitable for adventure related though.
Personally, I prefer a two button interface to everything else (left click: interact/talk, right click: examine). 99% of the time, there's only one use for an object anyway.
Regarding Maniac Mansion on the NES, being able to cycle through the verbs is of course a great alternative to having to awkwardly select them with a d-pad steering what has originally been a mouse cursor. If there is an actual mouse though which makes clicking the buttons a breeze, removing them is highly questionable IMO.
Also, the current 9-verb template has built-in hotkey support which is by far the quickest and most convenient way to switch verbs IMO.
Older LucasArts games used t for talk to, p for pick up, etc., but I really like LucasFan's approach where the leftmost three keys of each letter row map directly to the nine verb buttons. I've gotten so used to it that I can select a verb without having to look at the keyboard or the onscreen buttons. And that's how an interface should be; it's not supposed to be a struggle to use it, it's supposed to get in the way as least as possible so you can focus on playing the game.
That's actually a few really good points.
Honestly to start I'm just planning on making a few short three or four room games and there won't be a lot of detail action wise so I might even consider that simple three action interface (2 left click/1 right) to start.
Also mapping the 9 verb to the number keys works well too.
Thanks again for the advice.