Messages

Is it a popup gui?
It seems to me that one of your GUIs is pausing the game.
Try to turn GUIs off and see if character walks.

I intend to spend some cash and buy myself a completely new computer. Problem is - there's lots of different stuff available and I'm not familiar with all this new technology around...

My goal is simple: To get all at least every game released in 2005 and before to play smoothly with medium-high settings.

So I'm asking some recommendations for a motherboard, CPU and video card. Videocard, should be GeForce card, I think. But I don't know which ATI cards equal with which GF cards so some explanations on this could change my mind aswell.

Also, any other important things to keep in mind, so my system wouldn't get old fast.

* Added support for graphic filters, and added a standard 2x and 3x scaler, along with Hq2x and Hq3x filters.

\o/
yay!

During game & clicking onto somewhere. Not always, though.

http://www.2dadventure.com/upload/jones_remake.gif

There's only one walkable area on the screen -- the road.
AGS can't crack it. How to make it work more stable?
Would separating into different walkable areas help?

Yes, I have.

Reunion is a step forward from that.

Problem is - we don't have enough realistic modern day manage-a-country games.
You can always be a leader of nation -- in some other time. A king, a tribe leader, warlord, whatever.

But not on 20-21th century. Not a president. Not in nowadays world.
And this sucks.

I enter too! I hope it's not too late 

I hear good entries here... mine is not that dark and deep, but I've never been any good with Fruity neither.
Lame beat, lottsa synth pads and heavily phased piano...

Hope I followed atleast some rules  And you have patience to atleast once listen it through.

http://www.increator.pri.ee/muz/Little_alien_kittens.mp3

Tried it, and hated it. Darwinia isn't somewhat my style.
I like informative games. And realistic ones.

You've probably already heard of "Theme Hospital"

Of course!
And spent a bit too much time on this!
Way too much...

InCreator, you don't mention the civilization series, or Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri - some of the best turn based strategy games imo. Just a hint in case you haven't played them.

DUDE!!!
Even now I do have Civ 2, 3 and 4 installed...
Though I'm quite sick of them already (oveplayed SO much) and also TOO similar newer game, Galactic Civilizations 2.

Thinking about that, Master of Orion and Reunion both rocked equally. Anything else like this in this world? (and no Star Control, please)


Dark Colony is something I saw, er, 10 years ago?
It was in one of those pay-to-play places that could be found anywhere in Estonia at this time. Rooms filled with LAN-ed computers where you could pay per hour and multiplay yourself crazy with friends or other customers. And they had EVERY cool game in the world! Probably due no piracy law and free flow of Russian pirate-game-collection CD's. Places like this are very rare nowadays and replaced with neat, Quakeless and boring internet cafes...

I've always wanted to try out Dark Colony, but forgot the name... Thanks for waking up an exciting memory.

Rock manager looks fun. I'll try out a demo.

But my biggest wish is still to find something similar to Shadow President and Conflict: Middle East Political Simulator.
The only game of that type I really couldn't handle was Hearts of Iron 2 -- it was WAY too complicated. What a waste of money...

Mobygames' search is something I didn't know about, but it sure looks useful. Thanks for the tip.

[PC]

Once in a while, I conduct wide search on web for some PC games I don't know about, but could love.
This causes some gems to be revealed. Problem is, it's absolutely random and I would have better luck in playing lottery.

For me, the release year and graphics won't matter much, unless it's a first-person shooter from the start of 3D age. There's nothing as horrible as old Lithtech engine...

The four genres I'm really into are:

* real-time strategy
* tycoons
* political simulators
* and turn-based strategy

For example, I think I've played all RTS and tactical shooter classics. Spent countless hours on Westwood's and Blizzard games, went through all Jagged Alliance, XCom, etc games and sequels... I simply love things like this.
I've seen it all. Even the fever of Starcraft. I also don't have to mention everything turn-based that has to do with Heroes of Might & Magic for example.
But where to go next? New RTS's have Lord of the Rings and Star Wars written all over them, and that's something that makes me climb curtains. Out of disgust.

Political simulators are another weird thing that's both extremely rare and cool. I caught myself playing Hidden Agenda few days ago... a game with 2 colors and <10 animations total. But it's so awesome! Similar things are Conflict: Middle East Political Simulator, Genkhis Khan 2, Shadow President, Crisis in Kremlin... Though these are games from stone age and probably made zero profit, they're unique and extremely addictive.

Yet, I want to find more things like this. Newer, older, prettier, uglier, whatever. I still think that there's many things I haven't discovered yet. How could I find them? Google is not an answer here... Neither are (otherwise quite useful) sites like Gamespot: if I search for top rated games in some genre of all time, and it results with 20 first pages full of simply newest games that were just released, this isn't worth a thing. Also, all the top gaming sites always hype the newest and more popular things. But such complicated and deep games as I like aren't popular enough to get a review and screenshots posted. They simply aren't mainstream.

Any ideas where to start? A place where I could search very deeply or just good game-name/series hints?

[whole]

What I did mean about graphics was that if he drew something with black cartoony outlines, he'd better stick to them on backgrounds also. Or find some other way of achieving harmony between styles.

The theme sounds interesting to maybe polish people only, yes, because it absolutely fails to introduce/explain it to outsiders.

If I'm ever gonna make a game about Estonian history (I actually dreamed about making historical one, about crusades of 13th century here), I'll give my absolute best to make the theme interesting and educational. I even imagine that this cannot be done without long intro sequence with Eastern-European map showing how Teutonic Order progressed in occupying the Baltics and long texts to tell the tale.

Ace Quest? No. The pioneer AGS games lacked quality yes, but they were simply better games. Recently, new games just fail to do that. Last as awful first-game-attempt I remember was game named Framed, by zooomer1990. The graphics was at same amateur level, the music and puzzles were as random. The text... well, it was even worse. But the game! I loved it. Simply because hard trying was seen everywhere and atmosphere thing was only thing that worked at maximum. Atmosphere. That did whole trick. So, common thinking that without superb storywriting, art and sound -- a good game is impossible to make -- is purely wrong.

[use]

I'm sorry to say this, but... the game is quite awful!
I believe that it's your first try and you're very proud about finishing it, but some (noted) crits would only help:

* I have no clue what's going on. Why are people on the street? Who's people on posters? Wtf?
If you want to make a game that shows people "true polish life", DESCRIBE the happenings. Like, what's going on, who's who and what-for-fighting. That's what the "look" icon is for.

It's pointless to watch football match if you never know who's playing.

* Don't mix graphics! Atleast until you learn to do it properly.
Photos? Weird 3D? MSPaint? All in one? That simply looks terrible.

* Try to understand what are icons/cursormodes for!
Look - using it on ANYTHING should ALWAYS result some text that describes what are you looking at.
Always. This is what player always uses to find out what to do and what is particular thing good for.
Interact/use - This is for entering apartments, opening doors and picking up stuff. If it's not possible, HINT player. Like, when door is locked, player character should SAY that. And if neighbor is home, player should mention this too, because nobody tries to open door with his teeth (by talking to it, etc)!
Others you know. But these two were very badly mixed up

* Icons/cursormodes are to help,
not just to finish the game. I mean that even if you only have to use something, people will always try also looking at it and even talking to it. So, add things that are NOT needed to finish game to each hotspot aswell, possibly even aiding player, like giving hints.
Example:

You have to open door. USE DOOR. To finish the game properly
But you CAN look at door. Which gives player a message, something like "i should use the door" or "wonder what's behind the door?" or "the door is open", etc.

In your game, you couldn't do almost anything that wasn't neccessary to progress the game. To be honest, I didn't care to finish the game, since it feels like a big mess. And I explained why.

Maybe you should think this over and make a new version.

Would anyone else find this useful?

I've been... suggesting this for AGES.
CJ should remember my numerous threads...
Also, I believe that there IS already entry in suggestion and bug tracker, though i'm not sure.

Quote from: Babar on Today at 15:49
Just curious, and probably going way out over here, but Space Quest 6?

Sorry, no.

And still no name?
Must be pr0n!

You're rich.
I have 5Mbit connection for £15 a month.And in Estonia, dial-up modem is something that can be found only at a museum...

* Proper scaling of TTF fonts at low res.

* Also, though I'm not sure could and how would it work -- direct animations as video files. Like, instead of frames, I could import .avi or .mpeg file into sprite editor and use it as an object (animated texture/whatever) without need to make it animate by script. i.e -- draw a bg with tv on it and put .avi sprite over the place where screen is...

I don't know how it's called. A dynamic sprite?

* Transclusent area editing. Like, when drawing a walk-behinds in AGS, (optional) transclusent color would make it much easier (I know CJ-s "area editing tools" upgrade policy, but I've never been fond of doing this in paint programs).

* Highly improved and more flexible GUI making. To make cool GUIs more easily, instead of using somewhat predefined templates (like a text window, for example).

Yes. It was quite terrible in King's Quest 3 remake, for example.
BTW, Game Maker doesn't just create "big window" but forces fullscreen with desktop resolution. This simply eliminates window frames and title bar, and keeps game in the center of black screen.

I noticed that playing full-screen on many LCD monitors won't work on low resolutions. Then again, playing in window doesn't feel very well, especially due other things on desktop interrupting the experience.

Is it possible for any AGS game to run in window, but window is automatically full screen size and game is centered at its own resolution? I mean, just black borders around game window to cover the screen? It would help alot to keep mind on game.

If anyone has used Game Maker, well, GM can do that. Have a black screen around game in the center.

Weird suggestion yes, but I think it would make windowed gaming better. Probably as an option from default game setup...

Guilty as charged!

compatibility 800x600 IS required.

Believe it or not, there nothing to do with 1024x768 if you're sitting infront of 14-15" CRT monitor, and this monitor is not that rare, especially among people who occassionally play low-res games.

Text is simply too small to read in hi-res on a small monitor and eyes die fast.
Also, I'm still cursing myself for buying 19" LCD - 320x240 looks downright AWFUL on it.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that your idea rocks. It surely looks better!