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Geeks Guide to the Galaxy Podcast (Topic: Pixel Art)

Listened to this podcast and thought I'd share. It has a panel of pixel artists discussing the future of Pixel Art. One of the panelists was an artist for Secret of Monkey Island and is currently working on the Thimbleweed project. The podcast itself is one of my favorite's for anything sci-fi related.

I think Pixel Art will be here for a while, but it's going to be niche, and probably rarely will be mainstream.

-MillsJROSS

Pasting does not appear to be working in the newest AGS.

• I upgraded today and I noticed that the paste shortcut and menu options are not working.
• The copy is working...I'm able to paste code external to the AGS editor.
• I'm on a Windows 8 machine. I've uninstalled and re-installed to see if that would fix it, but I'm getting the same issue. I've tried moving back to the older version, but now that I've saved my game in 3.3 there's nothing I can do.

-MillsJROSS

I've decided I should participate more in the AGS community. For too long I've been neglecting you guys and my creative outlet. Now I come back with life lessons and hopefully a bit more sticktoitiveness.

Why have I ignored you? It boils down to change. You see I don't like it. All of you new guys kept coming in and there were too many faces and same conversations, and I began to feel disconnected. I began to feel that the effort needed to reconnect was far too large. But it's not just you new guys, its the old friends, too. They slowly started disappearing from the community and I slowly began to post less and less.

At the time I stopped frequenting this site, I thought it had to do with my age. I was maturing. Which is all true. I'm older now. I come with a different perspective and maybe less passion than my younger self. But when I boil it down, it's simply that the outside world became very attractive to me. I went to college, then to work, got my first car, lived by myself for the first time, almost got married, moved to a new city, found a great job, found new great friends, etc...

So what brought me back? Partly nostalgia. I still love adventure games and play them from time to time, but I truly remember that the time I spent here was full of passion. I want that passion back. I really enjoyed being creative with a group of people.

So what am I working on now? Really just myself. All last year I focused on polishing my professional development and getting back into pleasure reading (I am the destroyer of books again!). This year I want to spend some amount of time focusing on my creative hobbies. Music, Humorous dialog, voice acting, making adventure games, etc...

This community had served me well before, and I hope it will again. Feel free to reach out to me if you need any help on anything, and I'll make my damnedest effort to reengage with all of you.

That is all.

UPDATE(May 13th, 2009) - New Job Position

The main job site (CLICK HERE) has a new position available. Script Reviewer.

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UPDATE(April 29th, 2009) - Late magazine, yay!

The Adventunare Times Volume 1, Issue 4

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UPDATE(March 19th, 2009) - Another magazine, another day/month.

The Adventunare Times Volume 1, Issue 3

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UPDATE(February 19th, 2009) - Added Jobs section check it out.

Jobs

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UPDATE(February 2nd, 2009) - You probably thought I would just go away....well you're wrong. I'm still here, and as it's the beginning of a new month. I bring forth to you a new magazine. I haven't been updating as often, because I've been busy in life, but I'm making arrangements to find the time of day, don't you worry.

The Adventunare Times Volume 1, Issue 2

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UPDATE(January 6th, 2009) - I'm still working on the game, although I haven't updated my diary recently. Additional excitement, I changed the web-site styles. The other website was too restricting. I haven't fully tested browser compatibility issues with this one, but I made sure it worked on my current IE and Firefox. If you have any issues tell me about it, and I'll see if there isn't a fix (other than you getting an updated browser). I also plan on doing a few more tweaks in the future.

The good news is, I don't allow myself to make such big changes UNLESS I have worked on my game. So any change to the website does mean that I have progressed in the actual game, in some fashion or another.

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UPDATE(December 30th, 2008) - That's right...I made a magazine. Be entertained! I command it.

The Adventunare Times Volume 1, Issue 1

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UPDATE(December 8th, 2008) - I just came back from an extended vacation. Which is why you haven't received an update for a tiny while. I'm still alive, and I'm back to work with just as much vigor on the game.

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UPDATE(November, 25th 2008) - Can someone say competition? Check out the website and read the Home message and find out for yourself. Also, I heard mention that there's another download of something available on the website. I went there myself, just to make sure. There was something. But I'll let you find out for yourself.

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UPDATE(November 21st, 2008) - A lot of updates to many of the pages of the website. Check them out. I added a Fan Art section, a new poll, updated diary message, updated home message, and a comments section. Not too shabby, considering I worked on the game, too.

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UPDATE(November 17th, 2008) - One section of the game has been created and a new poll has been added. Not all of the game has been developed, so it's difficult to give you percentages, but there has been consistent, or at least constant, work done. Expect more information in the future.

Also there's a new section called Ask Ace. There's actually a way to get Ace to answer your questions correctly. See if you can figure it out. If you can't, send me a story on the story section, and I'll send you an e-mail back on proper instructions on how to correctly use it to amaze friends and family.

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OK, I'm completely disregarding the rules in this forum. I have not started working on this game. What I have done it launch the website that will be integral to creating the game.

See I'm starting over again. Yes, I'm allowed to do that.

Since I've technically already created this game before, there's already an inherent plot that's been developed.

For those not knowledgeable in forum lore. Ace Quest was released six years ago when AGS was still DOS based. Was it a good game, was it a bad game? The answer is yes. But more importantly during the creation of Ace Quest, I pimped the hell out of the game. Which is why you still (very rarely) see "Play Ace Quest!!111!" on a few messages. In six years I've learned one thing...pimping is fun, and I don't intend to stop. So I officially release Ace Quests official website (It's a work in progress). Which will be the launching pad used to create the game. If you have time, go the "The Story" section and submit your own story. While a general plot exists...I'm letting you guys give me ideas for free!

acequest

Now I don't really expect to be releasing screen shots, because I've decided to go with a skeleton approach to creating the game. That is, I'll create the rooms before the graphics, and then either take my hand at it, or force someone else to take their hand in it. Either way, it won't be done until the game is mostly programmed. At which time, I'll promptly put on my pimp hat, and go amongst the masses.

-MillsJROSS

Over the past year I've been really getting into web development/design. (Mostly because it's my job). In that year I've grown an intense love for all things JavaScript. At first glance it was very familiar to me, being a C++/Java programmer, but when I began to breech its depths, I soon discovered that it was entirely a different beast. It did things I wasn't expected, and worked in ways I was unfamiliar with. This made me uncomfortable.

I was immersed in a language I couldn't articulate very well, and I was surrounded by poorly written code (which I didn't know at the time). It probably didn't help that most of the people who use JavaScript consider it a bastard language, not worth their time or energy. So most of what I was trying to learn from was mangled code just eking out an existence. This made me more uncomfortable.

I don't like feeling uncomfortable, nor do I like coding in something where I'm not exactly sure how everything works. So I took to learning as much about JavaScript as I could. I read several technical books, blogs, forums...wherever I could find information (and then make sure it was valid to this day). I soon began to grow some respect for the language, and then just really began to enjoy programming in it.

The one thing I noticed, when trying to find information, is that most JavaScript articles were published in 2005 (which is right about the time the phrase AJAX was introduced). I find its very difficult to find much of anything after this. There are still a few people blogging, here or there, and I tried it myself (however, I found it difficult to blog when I was the only one reading it).

There's not much point to this other than seeing if anyone else has a passion for JavaScript, and perhaps, finding out some new JS websites.

-MillsJROSS

Kind of a vague subject I know, but it's hard to pinpoint exactly what this post is about.

I'm getting to a point in my life where I'm reflecting on my past, and, consequently, my future as it applies to Adventure Games. Looking back in the past, I am filled with regret for the little amount of work I have put into making a game. Yeah, I was going through college. I had a part-time job. I had friends to hang out with. But it's not like I didn't have any free time. I still love Adventure Games as much as I ever have, and the desire to make the games is just as big as it ever has. But I've come across a wall.

It's not a wall I can really ignore. In the past five years I have barely, and I mean barely, touched AGS. I've played around with it here or there, but I haven't created anything of significance. I have this strong desire to do something about it, but every time I try, I'm left staring at a blank screen. I try to create small, manageable game ideas, but they never pan out.

I started working full time not so long ago, and I'm absolutely loving it. I don't know what it is, but when I'm at work I am really productive. Yes, I'm getting paid for it, but why should I be more productive on a application I personally don't care for, then creating something I've been thinking about doing since I was a little kid?

I think the difference lies in that at work, I'm given tasks to do, and completion of those tasks doesn't take longer than a day to two weeks. There's a big picture to what is being developed, but I don't have to be concerned with it. I can be given what I need to do, drive forward, and be rewarded quickly when I complete my task. The task of creating an adventure game is daunting. It's one task in my head. I can't split the tasks up. I see one thing that must be completed. The graphics, music, plot, dialog...it's all just one big blob of work.

So now I'm getting to the heart of the matter. While I deem myself an intelligent person, I no longer think I am capable of creating a game. I am left with a feeling that I'm not fulfilling my desires and personal goals. I need to fulfill this goal. It's been my drive for so long, and I have no desire to change that. Stalemate.

I think I need someone to work for. I think I need to take what I like most about my job, and apply it to this hobby of mine. I need someone who can give me a small amount of tasks at a time, where I know of the big picture, and may contribute to it, but I'm not concerned with how the big picture will be put together. Give me a task, I complete it, give me another one. While this may seem droll and hardly a way to attack a hobby, it seems that that's how, I, as a person, work.

I want to fulfill my desires, and while I used to think I was able to fill them myself, I think I realize now I need to depend on other people. Am I the only one who feels this way? And for those who don't, how can I help you? Or, tell me your secret.

-MillsJROSS

Isnt' life interesting. I just got a call from my roomate that our house was broken into. I'm staying at my parents, and can't get over there for another month before I make a police report, of course. They broke my window, and stole maybe twenty dollars from me.

As I'm staying at my parents house for the summer, and working full time, I don't have time to go down there and assess the damages. But they left my computer, and my games, and books. Or at the very least, didn't take all of them, but I won't really know what they stole for about a month and a half. They apparently left my room in disarray, which of course nullifies the ten hours I spent reorganising my room before I left. I made sure eveything that was important to me was still there. But once again, I can't really assess what they've stolen until I go there myself. They might have stolen my check book, but as I ran out of checks, hopefully, nothing will come to pass.

I'm glad I was smart enough to take all my DVD's with me, which I might leave at my parents house, when I go back. Probably the worst thing they did, was apparently went on my computer and looked at porn...which as it turns out, at the very least, tells us when they broke in.

I didn't really have any expensive jewlery or anything I couldn't do without, other than my computer, trombone, and some books. So I'm not horrible. My other roomate had a lot of things stolen, but they generally stayed away from anything big, so I guess it was a small job. The stuff they stole from my roomate, like fraternity pins, is unique enough to find them out, if they try to go to a pawn shop. Which is how my roomate tracked someone down who had stolen something from his car last year. So I can only hope that they try to sell the stuff they stole.

-MillsJROSS

Whether, it's noticable or not, there is a link between one aspect of a game to another. By aspect I mean graphics, music, story, dialog, etc...

Obviously, these aspects are linked in the fact that added together they create the game. But there also linked in how they affect each other. For instance graphics and sound have a strong link. If a room looks scary, the music and sounds will also lend towards giving an atmosphere of fearfullness. But I want to take this link, and apply it with the evolution of technology.

Using music and graphics again. Take an old school game. We first started out with the ability to use very few colors, maybe 16. Of course, the ability for the computer to play music was limited to the computers internal speaker, which if you've ever heard it play music, is nice if you like different pitches of beeps. But let's bump up the graphics to 256...now we need to bump up the ability for the computer to play even better sound. I'm not saying that one led to the other, these things were naturally going to come about. But if we increase the graphics more, let's just skip ahead to today, with 3D getting closer to photo realism. Regardless of the fact that there can be some good music made using MIDI's, we need more. This isn't a bad thing, but you can't just slap on MIDI music to game with todays standard graphics...regardless of how good the music is. As graphics go up, so to does music.

This almost goes without saying, they play off each other well for creating atmosphere/mood. As these two are closely related, they're relationship is apparently direct. But what about the story or puzzles? Are these linked to graphics and sound. If I make a game with 3d graphics and full orchestrated music, should I expect that the story be improved as well? Improvement of story is subjective to oppinion, naturally, but can I expect a well written, interesting, more involved story than years past?

Should my puzzles be more intricate? I have more room to flesh out a story line, shouldn't my puzzles be fleshed out as well. Working with the better environment, my character has 3D to work with, yet in most games it's really essentially down to two dimensions. It's very rare that a puzzle in an adventure game is made to adapt to the 3d environment. Rather we just stick in older conventions, that worked previously, but now the player just has more to look at.

Let's take The Longest Journey as an example of a new game and analyze it (I haven't played Dreamfall yet, otherwise I would use this). Graphics, sound, and storyline are more fleshed out than games of the past. But the puzzles remains pretty much the same. And although the dialog was a lot heavier, it hasn't changed from 2-dimensions. I'm not saying that it should, but perhaps the problem adventure games are having as of late, is bringing certain things to a new level.

All the aspects of the game are linked somehow. And as one improves, it only seems naturaly that others should improve, as well. But it seems that while we are making breakthroughs in some areas, others are being left behind, because they worked previously. So I just want to discuss what we think hasn't been improved. What needs revamping?

Graphics, Sound, Story: Imroved
Puzzles, (Adventure Game) mechanics, dialog: Needs Improvement

so...uh...discuss.

-MillsJROSS

I'm trying to make a tutorial for begginers, and eventually want to have topics for intermediate users. I'm trying to be as detailed as possible, and get the user to interact with AGS as they read the tutorial. What I have here is an indepth tutorial on how to create a new game file. Tell me what you think.

http://www.geocities.com/millsjross/AGSTut.zip

-MillsJROSS

I don't know if I'm in a minority or not, but I love listening to MIDI's. I don't know what it is about them, but they just appeal to me. That said, I don't nearly have enough MIDI's, or at least not anything new, and would love to have more. So if you'd like to post a collection of your very own MIDI's, (one's you've created), I'd be much appreciative. I promise I wouldn't use them for anything other listening. And because I know you can't ask without giving, I've compiled a collection of my own. Not all pieces are complete, and I'd prefer if anyone wants to use MIDI, they ask me, but they're there for the taking.

http://www.geocities.com/millsjross/MillsMusic.zip

If you'd like to critique them, I'd be happy to hear anything, but prefer that you'd PM me rather than clutter this thread...because hopefully more people will post their own collections.

-MillsJROSS

Sometimes I really hate my computer.

I had a project due, and I was fairly confident I would get it done. So, thinking this, I sign off my computer to watch a movie with my friends the night before it's due. So I get back to my room at 12:30am. And decide to do a quick bit of more of the program. I turn on the computer (which is generally how I use it), and then I remember how much my life sucks. As Windows XP tells me to select a user to log on, I look at a list of users, and the list is strangely small. And by small, I mean nonexistent. So I couldn't get past the log-on screen, and I had a project due, that's just marvelous. I tried to think of all the bad things in life I'd done to deserve this, at this time. I had given a bum some change earlier...but other than that, all good things.

So I decide to check out if Safety Mode would allow me to log on. All I got from that was a lower resolution so the non-existent list of user names looked bigger. Alright, I hunted down my Windows XP to do a repair. It was a highly outdated cd, before service pack 2 came, and whatnot, but it would allow me to log on with an administrative password. That is, if it took my password. Which it didn't. Alright, calm down, it's not like ten percent of your grade is sitting in your computer right now, taunting all the work you've put in.

I decided to call Windows. Maybe they'd know something about this, because it either had to be a malfunction or some sort of virus. So I use my roomates computer and find a number. Call that number, and the person who answers asks me all these questions, and once I've told my story, she tells me that I need to wait till their technical help can get there, at 5am. I knew it wasn't her fault, but why have me go through my story if she was just going to have me call back at a later time? So I set my alarm for 5am, because I want to do this damn project!

So yeah right...I wake up at eight. Not too bad really, but 5am...I was definatly kidding myself. So I call the number, and once again go through this whole process, and then she asks me for my windows id number on the side of system. So as I go down to read the number, naturally the phone disconnects. I call again, before hand writting down the number so it was easily attainable (Which was no easy feat, since they decided to make the letter 4 point font). It's not nearly so bad, because at least I've gotten someone right away. So I get another person. And they inform me that because I got XP from a supplyer, Dell, they told me I would have to contact them. I knew what they'd say, my service contract was expired, and they'd be like "Dude, pay us money or f*** off!" Which I explained the guy on the other end. He then told me, well you could get help through the internet, in which I said, "Haven't you heard a single thing I just said, I can't log onto my computer." Of course, I'm paraphrasing, I did make a curt and probably rude statement however. The other option was paying a phone line 35 dollars for a technician.

35 dollars! Obviously he didn't realise I'm a poor college student. What ticks me off even more, is that the other person sounded like she was about to get some help. I thought about calling again, getting another person, but at that time I just didn't care. And I knew how to fix the problem, I just wanted to know if there was an easy solution, like press ctrl+g+e+t+o+n. So I told the guy that I was angry, hung up, and reinstalled windows with the cd.

This didn't take so long, and the system was ready by nine am, and I worked on my project. It just absolutely pissed me off. So if any of you have any interesting computer problem story's and want to vent, now's the time.

-MillsJROSS

After downloading the s.7 vs of AGS and completing  a quick begin game options room, I wne to test and make sure everything was working, since I didn't use any of the new scripting. The full mode wouldn't display the graphics, but CTRL+Q seemed to work fine. Windowed mode showed everything. Neither allowed AGS to shut the program down properly, to which I used a quitgame(1); function call. Thanks for any help.

-MillsJROSS

True story...

So I parked my car on top of a drainage grill thing, and I got out a air pump because I was going on a long car drive the next day. As I was sitting there I got a phone call, so I answered it, and put the cell in my lap. After the tire was pumped sufficiently I got up. My cell phone didn't agree with this decision and decided to plunge for the drain. I was outside my friends complex because I was going to play poker that night, so he came out and I asked him to call my phone, because it was dark and I still had an ounce of hope that maybe the cell phone was under my car. So I watched through the grill as my phone began to light up, mocking my existence. I wasn't so concerned about losing my phone as much as losing all the numbers programmed in my cell.

So using my keen puzzle logic skills attained from our cherished adventure games, I quickly went to the task of trying to extract my phone. It was about four feet down in the drain and luckily it was dry in there. Okay so I needed something long...find long stick or pole. My friend had a broom handle...it was just long enough to reach the bottom. Good. Now I need something to grab phone. Duck Tape! The best invention of mankind, came to the rescue. OK. So the phone sticks, but I can only lift it about two feet before it falls. So I obviously need to get some more surface area. I cannabalize a tissue box and wrap the tape around it, then somehow attatch it to the broom handle...after a few minutes of work my cell phone extractor is complete. So in goes the pole, up goes the phone, and down goes the phone when it hits the grill. So I assess the situation again. Someone needs to put there hands in the grill and grab the phone. I already have a group of friends watching the whole process, and one of them is a five foot girl with small hands. Perfect! And with correct cooridination we manage to get the cell phone out!

It was totally worth dropping in the drain!

-MillsJROSS

By we, I mean FSU (American) Football, and by Hurricanes I mean the University of Miami. Most of you probably won't be excited at all by this, but for the past five years we've lost to them six times (we played them twice last year), and they have all been close games. Games where we were ahead and they caught up, and games where if we had a good kicker we would have won. I went to the game expecting the same thing to happen. We scored ten points in the first quarter and Miami didn't get anything, but they were Miami and they have a knack for catching up. Second quarter they score a touch down, making the score FSU 10, Miami 7. If it was any other team I'd still be excited about having the lead, but this had been the situation for the past five years, we start out well and they finish well. Third quarter yielded nothing. We were one yard away from goal, on first down, and by golly if their defense didn't shut us out and bring us back four yards and another five for a penalty, and we missed the kick from 9 yards away. Fourth quarter. This is the one. I'm feeling absolute dread in my stomach. This is the quarter that Miami excells at. And for a tense thirteen minutes as the ball goes back and forth, mainly because both teams have an excellent defence and both have a lacking offense. Miami is at field goal range, two minutes to go for the game...fourth down...and they fumble. And that's when I realise as long as we can eat two minutes from the clock, we've beaten them. Which is exactly what happened. WE WON! We beat the curse.

I'm sorry if this bored you all, but this is easily the most memorable game that I've been to. And it definatly makes you feel good when the fans tell you that you kept the team strong (I'm in the band, Marching Chiefs, and if you've seen a FSU game, you're bound to have heard us). So that's really all. I'm excited and wished to share with you all.

-MillsJROSS

For everyone to enjoy...it's best if you played Yahtzee's game first.

http://www.geocities.com/millsjross/3DAF.zip

Mirror -Ã,  www.terran-x.com/al/3DAF.zip

You may have to cut and paste this, as it is a geocities account.

-MillsJROSS

It's time for a new competition...Whoo!!!!

I like these theme kind of competitions, so let's continue with one! Yay!

This one will be for the kiddies.

Imagine a baby or young kid playing with their toys, and incorporate it into your music. But wait...what's that under the bed? Oh no! You're going to need a diaper change! A monster is comming!!! Oh but here come your parents to save the day!

So what does this competition entail

1. Playful childish melody
2. a monster comming to frighten child
3. Parent's comming to save the day

Use a different noticable tempo for each of these three. The tempo change doesn't have to be sudden, you could have the piece slow down or speed up to another tempo. Length? I'd say roughly one to two minutes...you could make it longer if you wish (I'll most assuredly listen to it), as there are three themes you feel free to make them longer if they need to be for musical coherency.

Hope you have fun with this one.

-MillsJROSS

That's right, you heard it first. Or not first, if you came here after the first person. Ace Quest, the original, has been updated to windows, and I have included production notes in the gui. Press the button in each room to read my commentary on the game.

http://www.sylpher.com/aq/newgame.zip

I hope you enjoy!

-MillsJROSS

I'm trying to get it so that when two Global ints are set to a number upon talking a a character the script detects this, and turns on a dialog option. But my script seems to do nothing.

if ((GetGlobalInt(5)==5) && (GetGlobalInt(4)==5)) {
  SetDialogOption(6,8,1);
}    

Am I doing somthing wrong?

-MillsJROSS

What with this being the month that Mittens is taking place, I think it's now time to start gathering intelligence as far as the next mittens is concerned. Right now there are no secure plans, as nothing other than mere chit chat has been passed between fellow USA AGSers. But here is what I think what will be happening...

It'll end up being on the east coast, making a central point that takes less time all around for everyone outside the US to get here.

It'll probably be in the months of June/July

It'll be anywhere from 1week to 10days

That's about it. I know of a campsite near where I live that I could probably get everyone in for however long, but I'm not sure on price yet (it's got a ropes course, and I think we can get served meals for breakfast/lunch/dinner but still this might be a variable on how much people would be willing to spend). And as we still haven't determined a location for it, it's still up for grabs. It won't necessarily be on the east coast, but I feel that's the best route.

So that said...I make a bid for it to be held in Florida.

When we get more bids everyone will vote on it.  

-MillsJROSS

I have a point in my game, where after something happens I want a dialog box to appear when I get to a certain screen. Now I set a Global Int, and with the other code, my code works fine. But once I put a displayMessage, code, it displays the message no matter what the GlobalInt is set for. (I've already set it so it starts at 0 from the beginning). What's wierd is that the the scripting works perfect until I put that code in. And I know I've put it in correctly. I even tried a couple of diffrent kinds of Display scripts...the same results as the DisplayMessage.

-MillsJROSS