Demo Quest

[Jimi]

Wouldn't it be much easier to just start a new demo game?

[Matt Brown]

i think this could be an excellent way to promote the new template feature

I've been meaning to ask about this. what is teh new template feature? I  haven't updated my AGS in a while, since I dont use mos tof teh new features. could somebody explain it to me?

[Joseph DiPerla]

A template game is sort of like when you use Visual Basic and Visual C++ and when you start a new project it asks you what type of project do you want. EG:

A web browser
A note pad
A basic form

And then it asks you for specific info on each application, like what is name is and what kind of controls to have.

The templates are similar to this, but they instead are user created into an .AGT file. When AGS loads, it looks for these AGT files just like it would look for an AGS Plugin. When you click new game, it asks you which template to use.

You can make a template game with no rooms, but all the GUI graphics and stuff and all the buttons programmed in already.

Download it and try. It is a very useful feature.

joey

[Pumaman]

Wouldn't it be much easier to just start a new demo game?

I don't think so, no. A lot of people put a lot of hard work into the current demo game, and to throw it away for no reason would be silly.

The current game does include most of the GUI demos - LEC, AGI and SCI, which are worth keeping, and the main games factory graphics are sweet too, so we don't want to dispose of them unless absolutely necessary.

[RickJ]

And I was also thinking that maybe with the demo and source of each game, we can include a text file which could be a tutorial for what we did? What do ya think?

Funny you should mention this JD, I am about to spring a docbook tutorial system on everyone.   I'll make  seperate thread in this forum about it.

So yes, I agree that it would be nice if there were tutorials, in some form, for each of the demo components.  Templates would also make a lot of sense for GUI's as well.  I think you would want to strip out any un-necessary stuff from templates so as to minimize the work some one would need to do to start a new game.

JD would you like to be a project coordinator, you seem to be pretty good at that sort of thing?  I will be willing to contribute .

** edit **
Here is the new docbook thread ...
http://www.agsforums.com/yabb/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=5745&start=0    

[Matt Brown]

whoa! that sounds cool!!! I think this would be a great time for me to upgrade.

thanks chris!

[Joseph DiPerla]

Project coordinator sounds good! I dont mind. Really it all depends on what Chris thinks too. If he is cool with that, then I am down.

I can start with anyone interested in helping out with this to PM on this board.

Joey

EDIT: Should this topic be moved to Games in Production?

[Joseph DiPerla]

OK, Chris has given me permission to try and make a Demo Game, always using the original Demo Game as well. Remember, those who made that game put a lot of effort into it.

Right now I need, several people to help me in this.

First off, I am gonna need Graphic artists:

Background artists
GUI artists
Object Artists
Inventory item artists

I will use the original character from the original demo game. If anyone wants to make NPC's, let me know.

Also, I need those who would want to participate in making the Demo. IF you want to participate a piece of code or a small demo game, let me know by PMing me and mentioning the following:

Name
What you want to code
What graphics you'll be using

I want to try and make this small in size.

Also if you have suggestions regarding what should be done, please post them here.

RickJ, if you could PM me, I would appreciate it.

Joey

[Petteri]

Well, as I said earlier I would like to do some character art and backgrounds. PM me (my nick is Petteri A) or email

[scotch]

I'll do background art.. and basic character art.

[agsking]

Yes I can do come backgrounds or characters is you want.

[Pumaman]

Good stuff guys, and good luck.

One request - try and do decent commenting on any scripts included in the game - the demo game will be distributed in its source form, and preferably people should be able to understand what the script is doing

[Joseph DiPerla]

I had encountered an issue though... In the old demo quest, we had some stuff that used the animation editor. Should we redo that stuff scripted, and should we seperate the Demo Quest into seperate adventures for easier understanding of the source code?

Joey

[RickJ]

One request - try and do decent commenting on any scripts included in the game - the demo game will be distributed in its source form, and preferably people should be able to understand what the script is doing.

I couldn't agree more.  There also should be consistent coding and commenting styles as well.

I had encountered an issue though... In the old demo quest, we had some stuff that used the animation editor. Should we redo that stuff scripted,..

I would seem like the answetr to that is yes.  CJ please confirm for us.

...Should we seperate the Demo Quest into seperate adventures for easier understanding of the source code?

I guess the main demo should include the original demo quest, and the AGS factory.  The factory would include a number of departments.  From each of the departments you would be able to launch seperate games.  What does everyone else think?  

[Eero]

I think that original Demo Quest and AGS Factory definitely should both remain...

[Pumaman]

I had encountered an issue though... In the old demo quest, we had some stuff that used the animation editor. Should we redo that stuff scripted, and should we seperate the Demo Quest into seperate adventures for easier understanding of the source code?

You don't have to keep it strictly faithful to the original, so if you don't want the animation in there then just remove it completely. But yes, otherwise please do re-do it using the new interaction editor.

Oh, that's another thing - where possible, it would be nice to use the interaction editor rather than scripting, since it'll be easier for newbies to understand.

As for splitting it up - I would say yeah leave the original demo intact, but remove the arcade rooms from it, as they caused a lot of clutter in the global script and so forth - if they can be placed into a seperate "Advanced" game or something, that'd be cool.

[Joseph DiPerla]

Ok, thanks CJ and RickJ. BTW: I just wanted to add that RickJ will be co-coordinator on this with me. He seems very talented and skilled and he also seems like a good team leader and coordinator. So I am glad to have him help me in this.

Joey

[cornjob]

Good luck, guys. I worked on the old demo, so if you need anything, let me know.