Messages

The slug-like movement and the flat base does look more 'correct' in that slugs and other blobby creatures do move like that.

I agree with Evil that the bobbing movement is very cheery, but I don't think that's a problem. Your characters are very cheery, and unless they have to deal with the decline of the milliner's trade and destitution I can't see why that would be a problem.

If there is a slimy villain of the piece, it might be interesting if he slid around in the manner of ProgZmax's edit.

I wouldn't worry about them looking naughty. People won't seeing it unless they're looking for it. And if they're looking for it then they're unlikely to be offended.

A is GUI control 1, a button with "A" as its label. There are 25 more buttons labelled B-Z.

Thanks for the tip Besh. I'll make that change and have another go at getting my head around the crazy old work of scripting.

Thanks SSH!

I'll check out String.Contains, I knew that the ifs were pretty inelegant.

Sorry I wasn't clear about how it didn't work. The first swap works, but the second jumbles the letters in a way that doesn't make sense to me.

I think I see what you mean about reapplying the swap to the failed de-code, but I don't think keeping the original coded message in a string would work properly. The code cracker is supposed to worklike this:

Beginning:

Code: "ABABCD"

Buttons: A B C D E...


After I swap buttons A and B:

Code: "BABACD"

Buttons: B A C D E...


After I swap buttons C and D:

Code: "BABACD"

Buttons: B A D C E...

Would this be possible if I referred to the original code each time? Would it help at all if I uploaded the game?

Thanks for the feedback SSH, sorry for asking so much. I'm just not much of a scripter.

-Ali

[Code]

Hello everyone,

I've been struggling with this for a few days now and I can't get my head around it. I want to script a Code Cracker that works in the following way. A GUI label called Code displays a message encoded using a subsitution cypher (A=B, C=Q or whatever). Below, 26 GUI buttons with ID numbers 1-26 display the letters A-Z. I the player to be able to re-arrange the buttons, and have the new alphabet they create re-work the lettering in the Code label.

I've created two character arrays, Alphabet1[27] and [/b]Alphabet2[27][/b] for storing old and new versions of the button alphabet in slots 1-26.

I've managed to scipt a button-swapping script, but only using outdated code. I've added strings First and Second to store the labels of the clicked buttons and integers FirstID and SecondID to store the ID.

My idea was to alter the array Alphabet2 by replacing the character at FirstID with the first character the string Second and vice versa. Then the script should go through the GUI label checking each letter based on Alphabet1 and changing it to the corresponding character in Alphabet2. Afterwards, Alphabet 1 has its characters replaced by Alphabet2.

This doesn't work properly and I'm too dim to work out why. Is there perhaps a better way of approaching this. I'd be grateful for any input.

For reference, here is an example of the on-click code for the A button.

Code: ags

if (FirstID==0){ //If is the first button clicked store its ID, loc & text in the appropriate variables
Ã,  FirstID=A.ID;
Ã,  FirstXpos=A.X;
Ã,  First=A.Text;
}
else if (FirstID!=0){ //If is the second button clicked store its ID, loc & text in the appropriate variables
Ã,  if (FirstID!=SecondID){
Ã,  SecondID=A.ID;
Ã,  SecondXpos=A.X;
Ã,  Second=A.Text;
Ã,  SetGUIObjectPosition (0, FirstID, SecondXpos, A.Y);
Ã,  SetGUIObjectPosition (0, SecondID, FirstXpos, A.Y);//Swap the first and second button positions
Ã,  Display ("Clicked %c then %c",Ã,  First.Chars[0],Ã,  Second.Chars[0]);
Ã,  Alphabet2[FirstID]=Second.Chars[0];
Ã,  Alphabet2[SecondID]=First.Chars[0];//Swap the 2 letters in the Alphabet character array
Ã,  Display ("Replace %c with %c.",Ã,  Alphabet2[FirstID],Ã,  Alphabet2[SecondID]);
Ã,  FirstID=0;
Ã,  SecondID=0;
Ã,  CodeA=Code.Text;// Code is a GUI Label containing a string whose letters I want to alter
Ã,  while (StringPos<(CodeA.Length-1)){//Go through every letter in the string replacing it with
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[1])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[1]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[2])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[2]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[3])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[3]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[4])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[4]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[5])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[5]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[6])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[6]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[7])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[7]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[8])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[8]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[9])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[9]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[10])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[10]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[11])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[11]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[12])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[12]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[13])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[13]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[14])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[14]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[15])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[15]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[16])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[16]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[17])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[17]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[18])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[18]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[19])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[19]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[20])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[20]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[21])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[21]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[22])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[22]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[23])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[23]);
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[24])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[24]); 
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[25])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[25]); 
Ã,  Ã,  if (CodeA.Chars[StringPos]==Alphabet1[26])Code.Text=CodeA.ReplaceCharAt(StringPos, Alphabet2[26]);Ã,  Ã,  Ã, 
Ã,  Ã,  StringPos=StringPos+1;
Ã,  Ã,  CodeA=Code.Text;
}
StringPos=0;

Alphabet1[1]=Alphabet2[1];
Alphabet1[2]=Alphabet2[2];
Alphabet1[3]=Alphabet2[3];
Alphabet1[4]=Alphabet2[4];
Alphabet1[5]=Alphabet2[5];
Alphabet1[6]=Alphabet2[6];
Alphabet1[7]=Alphabet2[7];
Alphabet1[8]=Alphabet2[8];
Alphabet1[9]=Alphabet2[9];
Alphabet1[10]=Alphabet2[10];
Alphabet1[11]=Alphabet2[11];
Alphabet1[12]=Alphabet2[12];
Alphabet1[13]=Alphabet2[13];
Alphabet1[14]=Alphabet2[14];
Alphabet1[15]=Alphabet2[15];
Alphabet1[16]=Alphabet2[16];
Alphabet1[17]=Alphabet2[17];
Alphabet1[18]=Alphabet2[18];
Alphabet1[19]=Alphabet2[19];
Alphabet1[20]=Alphabet2[20];
Alphabet1[21]=Alphabet2[21];
Alphabet1[22]=Alphabet2[22];
Alphabet1[23]=Alphabet2[23];
Alphabet1[24]=Alphabet2[24];
Alphabet1[25]=Alphabet2[25];
Alphabet1[26]=Alphabet2[26];
}
else if (FirstID!=SecondID){
Ã,  FirstID=0;
Ã,  SecondID=0;
}
}

As I say, I don't really know what I'm doing and I'd appreciate any thoughts!

Thanks,

Ali.

I don't see how Mikko's shadows fail to take the wall's thinkness into account, if that's what you meant. Mikko's drawing looks pretty much spot-on to me.

All the recent debate threads about religion and politics got me thinking, 'Who should play cartoon characters if they were in live action films?"

A profound philosophical inquiry, I'm sure you'll agree. So far all I've come up with is:

Homestar Runner: Zach Braff (JD from Scrubs)
Strongbad: Jack Black
Bubs: Cedric the Entertainer

I'd like here who you guys think would to a good job of bringing cartoon and adventure game characters to life.

I don't believe Sinsin has put the shadows 'right'. I don't see that the top shadow line in Sinsin's edit makes any more sense than the original lines. In fact the original shadow lines make more sense to me.

light comes from source
light hits wall
light does not continue

Light does continue, it bounces around the room hitting many other things, including the 'camera'. If the shadow lines remained where they were but were softened a little, it would create the illusion that soft light was reflecting from the right-hand wall. Realistically, most of the light in the second room would be indirect diffused light.

I like the new colour scheme and the extra props make the room look much more lived in.

The first one was good, but I didn't like the sequel.

Even if you, as an adult don't like crass language, the moment you see it in-game you're free to turn it off, delete it, if you've got absolutely zero tolerance for it. Will a single bad word spoil your day?

The Gabriel Knight supports your objections well. One use of a well motivated expletive is far from gratuitous. In this case, to my mind, a warning is unnecessary. Some people would like to be told, though. I wouldn't object to Gabriel Knight having a warning label because I'm happy to ignore it.

One instance of swearing wouldn't ruin my day. Generally swearing enhances my day, that was just an example. I tend to play adventure games with my very squeamish girlfriend however, and a single unexpected exposure to extreme gore really could spoil her day.

You're absolutely right that meaning overrides content, but on occasion I like to be informed of 'extreme' content. That way I can warn her that a game will be gory, but ask her to give it a chance because the plot sounds good.

Protecting children isnt the only purpose of content advisory information, there are adults who might rather play a game without swearing for example.

I agree that categorising games based on content advisory ratings would be silly and you're right that game makers will take steps to warn players of potentially offensive content. I do think that a standard series of easy-to-understand and easy-to-apply labels might make that easier.

Using non-AGS game characters isn't very appropriate however the first works better, I feel. I think this is because the graphical style of those sprites is passably similar.

The AGS sprites are in very different styles and don't look that great together. The sizes are inconsistent, Though Piet is low-res, it doesn't look right for him to be three times smaller than Garfield.

Even though the Ben Jordan games are terrific, Ben isn't particularly distinctive. If I were you I'd choose some of the most visually recognisable AGS characters and redraw/rework them yourself in sillouhette.

It would be fun to try and work out which character was which.

I can understand people's objections to the current rating systems and to the proposed rating system, but I think they can serve a purpose.

I enjoy dark themes, but I don't like gratuitous gore. A warning label could be useful for me because it would help me to identify something that screenshots and a synopsis might not. On the other hand, if I read a sufficiently compelling storyline I would be happy to disregard such a warning.

Content ratings are not necessary, but for some people they can be useful. The proposed system will be optional, so makers will not be compelled to apply the system to their work and players will not be compelled to pay the ratings any heed.

That seems like a happy state of affairs to me.

This room is coming on very nicely, but it has a case of the sitcoms. You can remedy that by putting some objects up against the invisible fourth wall. I'd suggest a writing desk in the bottom left of the bedroom.

It could also do with some signs of having been lived in. Boxes under the bed, magazines on the dresser, pictures on the walls.

Thanks for your responses guys. I don't think I know enough about scripting to attempt my own dialog system at that time. I really wish I'd asked this question before I started writing all the dialog!

If/When I ever start another project I'll definitely bear your module in mind monkey, but last time Garage Gothic advised me to script something myself it turned out very well, so I might consider that...

Thanks again!

-Ali.

This was great, a significant improvement on the original. It felt at least 50%more Ben Jordanny.

One question, is this part of a campaign to normalise the wearing of green trousers? We know Ben wears green trousers, but looking at the dead ranger's get-up gives a response along the lines of "he's wearing an ordinary pair of green pants". Ordinary? I hardly ever see people wearing green trousers. Is this the famous question you're surprised no one has asked?

Also, what happened to that scene where Han Solo talks to Jabba?

When it comes to voice acting a pre-defined character, it's impossible to please everybody.Ã, 

I should clarify that it wasn't just the voice acting for Vimes that bothered me, they changed his character altogether in order for him to be the villain of the piece. In fact he behaved more like Captain Quirk. That's a small point though, it didn't hamper my enjoyment of the game.

I love the new feature in 2.72 that allows you to alter the colour of dialogue topics which have been said. I've noticed however, that it looks a bit odd when my 'Goodbye' topics change colour after they've been said once. It would be good if it was possible to alter a dialogue topic's 'said' state to keep particular topics 'unsaid'. This would be useful for 'Goodbye' and 'Remind me of...' topics.

This 'Goodbye' issue led me to realise that it doesn't seem to be possible to end a dialogue except from within a dialogue topic. It would be very handy if it was possible to call the 'Goodbye' topic by clicking outside of the dialog GUI or right-clicking.

I couldn't find specific references to ideas like these in the tracker. Would they be remotely feasable/useful?

I disagree with most of your criticisms, but you're absolutely right about Vimes. They game made him posh and snippy, and he's neither of those things.

I don't think that's just to do with voice acting, the character of Vimes was distorted (I suspect) in order to distinguish him from Lewton. Vimes is my favourite character and I do remember being irritated by that, but I don't think it damages the game overall.

One other thing I hate about text games is that for the most part you have to type in a specific thing. Pick up or take, anyone?

I can't think of a IF game that didn't consider 'pick up' 'take' and 'get' to be synonyms. I'm glad you're supporting your objections to text adventures, but I'm not sure that's fair.

You might as well argue that graphical adventures are bad because the characters walk too slowly. Occasionally they do, but not often.

[Player enters room (after fade-in)]

You can't make a character walk and talk at the same time using 'Character.Say'. The easiest thing to do is have a character walk to his destination, and then speak. If simulaneous speech and walking is absolutely essential, check out this module:

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=24162.0

I'd strongly reccommend you try something simpler. Since this is an intro cutscene, your code should go in 'Player enters room (after fade-in)' in the room interactions. Something like this should work:

cNpc.Say ("I'm going to walk somewhere now.");
cNpc.Walk (100, 200, eBlock);
cNpc.Say ("Well, here I am!");

In this example 'Npc' should be replaced by the script-o-name of the character you want to move. 'eBlock' ensures that the character reaches its destination before speaking a second time.

You won't be able to control the main character during this sequence because all the events are blocking. If you can't skip the speech, check the skip options on the Game Setting page.