Messages

i may be doing something wrong but even one stock object (like the key or cup) slows my game down to a crawl , but i can plaster characters all over the place and it runs fine..

i think it might be (in my case) a graphics card issue tho as i don't see this problem mentioned to this extreme anywhere?. so im just by passing the objects and have-ing give inventory item as a result of walking onto regions  and other interactions..i can add and remove characters in the same way as the objects and use the object graphics  so it doesn't seem to limit things too much..

must be my Voodoo GFX Card

may be yur importing the sprite using grab entire image and leaving the top left pixel  as setting the transparant colour?

try putting one black dot in the top left of your sprite image and importing it again...im probably off beam ,but i can see that that might catch me out ..  

AGS is fantastic , i being a newbie, am just using the in built paint tools to draw the regions hot spots etc it's fine apart from two of the regions (4 and 7 i think?) are both red which can get a bit confusing...tho i'd love it if the region colours were semi transparant so i can double check whats underneath makes life hard if i have a large region on the room somtimes..but this would not be a priority i must admit!!
many thanks for a great programme !

well there yu go .saves downloading a new programme just to stretch the sprite..

on windows ME there is a stock microsoft programme called paint (very basic) this has a width and or height stretch facility that works ok...dun do much else mind but it's available right click open with choose paint from the list

yep it would be very fiddly if yu have a lot of rooms..

but from what ive read here in the forum and tutorials etc
yu shud be able to script a when player enters room interaction that
simply returns the player to the previuos room after a few seconds using a character memory buffer and a timer but im a real newbie to all this so thats beyond me (sounds like it shud be pretty simple once yu know how tho)


im still working with the little i do know..

do a search in the help section of AGS for
memory buffer and timer and see if you can suss it out..

give yur self an inventory item (small picture of the map) use the pink poster to save time or to test this

set this up in player character interaction

when yu use the inventory item/map on yur self
choose the take player to another room interaction


this room will use the full sized map image as the background;

then just place regions or hotspots that when clicked on will take you to the other rooms yu want to reach

disable character view in the map room options if yu dont want to see yu character on the map..or change the player view when in the map room to perhaps the red cross sprite

in views
create new view (note the new view number)  click on the frame  wording and double click on the red cross sprite in the default/main sprite list (then write this number in the room settings character view box)

then when yur in the map room yu can walk yur target red cross around the map with a walkable area and arrange the hot spots/regions on the map to correspond to whichever room yu want to go to...

etc

if yu have trubble going to the rooms in the wrong place use the "go to room at  x and y" interaction

have unlockable rooms on the map by having hot spots regions set up as
"if player has inventory item then go to room.."
meaning that certain rooms wont be reachable untill yu find item x or whatever..


mind yu having re read the question im not entirely sure thats what yu meant?


if yu want the characters to enter the map room..then after a few seconds return to the old room automatically then yu need to have the characters appear on the map screen in diferent places according to what room they came from (go to room at x y) and set up a region there that as soon as they walk of it (when player walks of the region) they are sent back (go to room) to the room they just left...  

yep i agree..if burgulary assault and any other similar acts were persued with the same tenacity as a parking offence ,then there would be less crime all round...the police not investigating, or following up, on a burgulary because theyre are too many to cover, and not enough man power/money to go round ; is like saying i wont wear shoes today because i can't find my socks...

this is use-full as well using the same script (hope no one minds me wittering on like this)

setting a region interaction
when player walks on to

run script  (click on edit script and enter the code in the window under the green header)

int ran=Random(2);
if (ran==0) GiveScore(1);
else if (ran==1) GiveScore(2);
else GiveScore(3);

then add action after this;

run script

int ran=Random(2);
if (ran==0) GiveScore(-1);
else if (ran==1) GiveScore(-2);
else GiveScore(-3);


////////

giving some dynamics to a room where yu need to accumalate points in order to escape/leave the room


adding action after this as

run script

if (game.score < 5)
NewRoom(4);
else if (game.score > 12)
Newroom(5);



where NewRoom(4)  is ROOM4  (change number in the brackets to change destination room)
and NewRoom(5) is ROOM5 etc

and editing the score amount in (game.score < 5)  the number  5 is the score amount and < means less than ;  > means more than ;

with some experimentation with the score amount and placement and number  of regions to create a good balance and adding scores to recieving objects/inventory items

would add a bit more replayability to a room


i want to look in to (for the battle system)
a way of triggering the battle script sequence when the NPC is within a certain distance of the player
i notice theres a way of referencing the distance for the NPC in the follow character scripts so it looks like it can be done (hopefully without a global variable as i have no idea how to script GV's at all)
this way i can have the enemy NPC wander round the room , perhaps give the player a stealth mode (or suggest it anyway) and raise some tension around wether the NPC walks close to the player and "finds" him'

im very much a begginer and really trying to address the problems im having understanding ,and using the custom scripts , bearing in mind that later on i will understand evrything better; but theres allways a period for every-one where even the simple things are too scary to attempt



putting this into the repeatedly execute interaction for the room (click on the "I" buton in room settings to bring up the room interaction screen)
does the same job for the low score ends game idea..

run script

if (game.score < 5)
NewRoom(4);  


tho if this is the first room in the game you need to give the player a score as he enters the room for the first time..to prevent him from dieing due to having no points at game start up

first time player enters screen

run script

GiveScore(155);


/////////

this gives the player 155 points/

then settings up regions

when player stands on region

run script

int ran=Random(2);
if (ran==0) GiveScore(-1);
else if (ran==1) GiveScore(-0);
else GiveScore(-0);



//////////


then while the player is on this region his score will drop by about 10 points a second  (use when the player has a large score)
and if he gets below 5 points he gets transfered to the game over screen..

creating a bit of panic.. you could have this region in front of an object the player needs to get to.
or as a haunted forest he must travel thru, or a mine field he needs to cross or similar .or an end of level boss etc...(there's a script for disable region some where so  use inventory item disable region would work)

.and you could allso have a region with

when player stands on region

if player has inventory item

run script

int ran=Random(2);
if (ran==0) GiveScore(1);
else if (ran==1) GiveScore(0);
else GiveScore(0);

followed by remove inventory object

for a score/health rejuvenation area which will only work if the player has a specific (and rare) inventory item..he of course loses the inventory item by use-ing the "health spar"l so he can't use it more than once

just thinking/learning out loud here...gathering enough easy/quick/re-usable script elements
to start to create the "game dynamics" then it's the really difficult bit, writing the plot..  

i added this as a way of controling wether the battle ends with game over or ending the battle with a win for the player;;

if
score less than 5
take player to game over screen/

else
if score is greater than 12
give player inventory item 3 (the item he lost after triggering  the battle )
restore the walkable area (which was disabled after triggering the battle)
displaying a message (stating the enemy is wounded and the player can now escape)

which looks like this in script;



if (game.score < 5)
NewRoom(4);  
else if (game.score > 12)
AddInventory(3) && RestoreWalkableArea(1) && DisplayMessage(527);




so far so good..i now have some sort of gameplay/battle element to use!


and because it's all in the NPC character interactions i can use this character over and over again thru out the game ;

which works ok for the game im making as a test/ because the NPC character is a first world war german foot soldier so he doesn't need to be altered for different rooms etc.
he takes a map off the player and i cannot travel from room to room without the map so i must attack him to get it back..so it works as a game... just about any way..

so for the newbies like  myself who woouldn't know what to do with a global variable if it bit him on the doobrie heres the whole battle system


////////////


cursor 8 /rename to Attack


in the enemy NPC character interaction;
under the new attack character option



run script

int ran=Random(2);
if (ran==0) GiveScore(1);
else if (ran==1) GiveScore(2);
else GiveScore(3);

then add action after this;

run script

int ran=Random(2);
if (ran==0) GiveScore(-1);
else if (ran==1) GiveScore(-2);
else GiveScore(-3);

then add action after this;

run script

if (game.score < 5)
NewRoom(4);  
else if (game.score > 12)
AddInventory(3) && RestoreWalkableArea(1) && DisplayMessage(527);


///////////

yu could use this instead of the final run script


if (game.score < 5)
NewRoom(4);
else if (game.score > 12)
Newroom(5);


if yur score goes below 5 yu go to game over room
if yur score gets above 12 yu go to a new room and can continue the quest/adventure  



or perhaps favourite is

if (game.score < 5)
NewRoom(4);
else if (game.score > 12)
Newroom(5);


if yur score goes below 5 yu go to game over room (room4)
if yur score gets above 12 yu go to the room you are actually allready in
and set the room interaction to remove the NPC when yu enter the room..there by removing the danger and winning the battle.... summat like that anway

my apolgies TK,
im getting a parse error using the script /at character in the line the script is on/
i'm using the script in the NPC character interaction
(this puts it in the global script section so that's ok?)


like this

if (game.score == 12) character[GERM].room == 4;


NPC character is called GERM  room 4 is the game over screen

have i interpreted the script correctly?
does it require place-ing in a different section or requier any extra scripting anywhere?

really sorry bowt this im right at the bottom of the learning curve

realy im trying to write this battle sysetm so that newbies like my self can make use of it
and the more i look at it; the more interesting this simple approach seems to be, am really anxiuos to get past the problem

i'll keep experimenting with it to see if i can see my mistake..could you add any info i might be missing re where to use the script?

edit;;

shud i be writing it like this

if (game.score == 12) {character[GERM].room == 4}


ill give it a go//



UP_DATE/


still can't get the script to work allways gives the error at chracter but yuve steared me in the right direction so it all helps


i did a bit more searching around and this works

placed in a run script after the original set

if (game.score < 5)
NewRoom(4);  


this moves the player to the game over screen if his score drops below 5 ;

which is ninety percent of the battle

so the battle system works like this so far;

//////////////////////

cursor 8 /rename to Attack


in the enemy NPC character interaction;
under the new attack character option



run script

int ran=Random(2);
if (ran==0) GiveScore(1);
else if (ran==1) GiveScore(2);
else GiveScore(3);

then add action after this;

run script

int ran=Random(2);
if (ran==0) GiveScore(-1);
else if (ran==1) GiveScore(-2);
else GiveScore(-3);

then add action after this;

run script

if (game.score < 5)
NewRoom(4);  

///////////////////////


room 4 being a game over screen with the reset game option/message ...press F9

if i set up a system whereby the enemy NPC can be removed from the room then all is well;

in the scenario im using to test this ,i've had the NPC triggered by a walk off region command,
allso at the same time removing a vital inventory item from the player; he can only get it back (or be re-issued it) by killing the NPC ..which sets up the need for the battle (other wise the player could just ignore the NPC completely)

perhaps i could set it up so if score is above x give player inventory item , then i can use the inventory item on the NPC to remove him from the room LOL i dunno

superb !!

many thanks TK

is there a way to script this event?


move character x to room x when score is x


my eyes are going screwy reading and re reading the manual and tutorials and i can't find any reference to this any where , it must be there some-where but i just dont seem to be able to find it....the score must be used to trigger events surely?

sorry if it's in the manual etc , i just can't see it there... you know how it goes sometimes yu can stare at things for hours and just not see them  

get your self a copy of EJAY  (some versions are free on cover discs)
not sure how yud convert the results to midi tho ?

/////////

righto here we are an ultra  ultra simple battle system;


cursor 8 /rename to Attack


then in the enemy NPC character;
under the new attack character option



run script

int ran=Random(2);
if (ran==0) GiveScore(1);
else if (ran==1) GiveScore(2);
else GiveScore(3);

then add action after this;

run script

int ran=Random(2);
if (ran==0) GiveScore(-1);
else if (ran==1) GiveScore(-2);
else GiveScore(-3);


///////////


when you click on the NPC with cursor 8 (which can be a sword graphic etc)/
your score goes up and down according to action of the random scripts


all i need now is to get a

move character x to room x when score is x


and if the player score is below x he will be moved to the game over screen

and if the player score is above x the NPC is moved to room -1

then it's just a matter of adding animations sound and such like

seems a pretty flexible system capable of a lot of variation/elaboration

whaddya think?

it might be possible to stage a fairly dynamic large scale battle using lots of NPCs each running these tiny scripts?

using givescore(-x) and a "go to room x" command if the score gets below a set amount...(with room x being a dead end with the message you have been killed (can use the reset game option to start game again or the gui to load a save)
am thinking about a bog simple battle system based on interactions between characters
(playing perhaps a combat animation instead of the talking view) where the conversation choices might somthing like  

player character topic choices

"strike with sword"
play talking view 1
random score reduction on NPC between x and x

"defend"
play talking view 2
random score increase for player character between x and x

"escape"
return to normal view end converstation
reduce player score by x


and the same options randomly chosen for the NPC

if it's not possible for the NPC to carry a score then perhaps

if in region x
if player score is above x
give player inventory item x
play animation /
remove NPC x from room/

i have only a limited ability to use the scripting st the moment.

could you change the volume of the ambient sound?

alternating the volume between very low and normal would give it a gap

for a reasonable approach to making back ground music...try this

think of the music as a series of layers..

first;

choose four chords and slowly repeat them in a specific order  ie 1/2/3/4
(alter the order in which yu play them to change the "mood" for different parts of the game) ie 2/3/1/4
choose a sound that allows each chord to wash into the next to avoid gaps in the music

second;

select another sound and choose four single notes that match the chords
and play them in the same order as your chord sequence
experiment with this again altering the order for mood changes in diferent rooms etc

thirdly

select another sound /chord or single note/ and play this  once or twice during the sequence but in the same timing as the original layer one chords
so it alternates as chord /silence/chord/silence


so the completed music is arranged like this



layer3;chord1/silence/chord3/silence/repeat
layer2;note 1/ note 2/ note 3/note 4/repeat
layer1;chord1/chord2/chord3/chord4/repeat

very very basic but once yu have a recognisably musical set of layers yu can then elaborate and experiment..

by changing the sounds order  tempo /adding another layer/removing a layer etc yu can create a series of musical segments that sound different and yet still maintain a common theme thru out the game

im new here but; how about giving the player an inventory item when he completes all the tasks he needs to have done to remove the wall, and making the walkable area conditional on have-ing this inventory item....or failing that place a region at the fence that transfers the player to another room when he has that item, and have that room on the other side of the fence..or somthing along those lines.?

many thanks!

i think i've got the vodoo card set up right ,it seems to be coping with the AA ok now

going to be a long while before i make any progress on a game , im just bashing around on a single room getting used to what does what , but from what i read on the forum and tutorials a sim type game seems possible...i'll stooge aaway at something little by little and hopefully sooner or later i'll start to understand it better