Messages

Like Squinky, I generally have some sort of funny idea and work of it. The key to making them without a blockage, I suppose, is to know what's happening in your game. What kind of mood you want the entire game to represent. What kind of story. The intro is easily one of the most important aspects to a game, because it's through the intro that you can grab a player's interest and tell him what he/she is to expect for most of the game.

It's much easier to make an intro if you know where the story is going to take you. The intro should tell you who your main character is. Their personality and other odd and ends. It's probably a good idea to know what the ending of the game will be, as well as key aspects in the middle of the game. If you don't want to plan your game out in full out detail, that's fine. But you should always have some idea of where the  game is going.

IThe hardest part for me is creating graphics. Next to that narrations and dialog are simple. Good luck, I'm sure it will be a great intro.

-MillsJROSS

I'm suprised by some of the lenghts of your Global Scripts. Is it a matter of making your code neat, and adding comments and spaces? What are some of the functions that take up soo many lines. AQ1 only has about 100 lines in the global script. AQ2 is nearing 400 with 20+ rooms. So what makes the brunt of most of your code? Or rather, what functionality did you add to your game to boost the global script lines so much?

-MillsJROSS

I think provided a screenshot/website(with screen shot) is a good thing. For the most part, though. I won't download the game, now that I don't have the free time I used to, until it get many positive reviews.  So part of pimping is getting people to review your games and post about it. Don't get your friends to get on just to give a review, if they aren't a member of AGS and never intend doing anything with it. It's better if you get a few established members reviews. I'm much more apt to download a game if someone who's here on a regular basis gives a review on the thread vs. someone new.

A lot of pimping should be done before the game is even finished. If you get people excited about playing your game early, you have a better chance of getting more people to play the game when it is released. The announcement forum should be utilized for that. Everytime you do some significant work in your game and you feel it's that much more further, update your announcement thread. The more it's seen, the more people will see it.  By significant, I mean more than just one room, or if you've compeletel made some changes to the game.

It's outside these two forums where pimping could work against you.  If you're making a whole thread outside of these two threads, completely about your game, to me, you've already started to annoy me, that is, unless you're asking what people would prefer in your game. But if your game is already released, there is no reason to make a thread about it elsewhere. People will find it in the announement forum.

There are more pimping rules, I'm sure but it's late and my brain isn't working so well. But I think one of the best pimping techniques, is simple to make a series of games. Using Ben Jordan as an example. People new to AGS will see BJ4, and then if it looks like it's good game(Which it is), they'll want to play the previous ones. You don't have to work on a series, though, since making a good game will naturally already give you an audience.

Remember, there are many great games that don't get the attention they should. Whether this reflects on the author's ability to pimp or not, its out there. Most of the time it happens, the person who submitted the game isn't an established member, and almost no one recognized that person. It's important to be recognized. If you want the community to accept your game more easily, you should become a part of that community. It's not a rule that always applies, because if a game is great enough, we will come.

-MillsJROSS

Finding sound effects, is probably one of the more time consuming tasks. Because even when you find them, they don't necesarily match up in your mind. Still, they add so much to a game, and it's worth it.

As far as ripping sounds from commercial games, I won't do that. I only accept work that I'm certain is free to me. Even, though, I'm fairly certain no one is going to be like "I remember that sound effect from such and such." It's more of a morality issue. It's such a small thing, and unnoticable, but I try to keep as much on the legal side of things as I can.

-MillsJROSS

Sadly, I won't be able to attend Mittens 2005. Had a blast at the other one, but as of now, I don't have any funds. That said, once you guys get a firm date and location, I'm willing to open up discussions for an Amerittens.

-MillsJROSS

I have no problems with this at all. For one, I'll probably never see it, and if I do see it, then it's probably because it's been popular enough to move to a time slot that allows me to watch it. I'd also like to say, this in no way ruins Looney Tunes in my eye. The classic's will still remain classics.

It's better that they create "new" characters than mess with the classics and hip them up, like in Space Jam, as has been already mentioned. If it's bad, than it's bad. I'm sure we'll all survive. I don't feel that it makes Looney Tunes any less than what it is. This is something new. And bravo for them for having enough balls to put this out. It'll be a nice conversation piece. 

-MillsJROSS

Unless you need to print the number back to the screen, there is no reason to put the specific number into an array. Just think about it from a purely mathmatical perspectice. What is average? It's the sum of some numbers divided by how many numbers there are. So all you need is an integer that sums up all the grades after each entry. Or in other words add the grade entered into an integer, making sure the integer is set to zero in the begining of the program( So if 81 is the first grade, int sum = 81; 92 the second grade, int sum = (81 + 92 ), and so on ).  Highest score is easy. You just make another int, once again set to zero initially, and compare it with the new grades. If it's bigger or equal that nothing is done, if it's smaller, then set it to equal the large number.

I'd show you the code, but I think all the information above is more than enough. It's all pretty simple, and it's better if you figure out the code from your textbook/teacher/memory. Good luck!

-MillsJROSS

I screen the calls when I'm at my parents. If I don't recognize the caller id, then if it's someone important they can leave a message or call sometime when my parents are home. I never have understood telemarketers calling at 11 in the morning on weekdays. Perhaps they assume there to be one working parent or some such. In any such event, I either hang up if I hear that little pause, or I politely tell them that I'm not the person to talk to.

I don't hate Telemarketers. I just don't like getting phone calls interupting my day.  The people I'm mad at, are the people who keep Telemarketing going. Namely, those who actually by the product that the Telemarketer is selling. Because, obviously, there must be enough people buying from Telemarketers to support it.

-MillsJROSS

I saw this just recently, so it's fresh on my mind. But in the Drew Carey Show, there was an episode where the power went out. And all the lights turned off at the end, and it was pitch black. The only thing wrong with that is there was a huge window in the back and it was daytime. But my dad and I usually are good at finding film/tv f-ups. They always give us a laugh.

-MillsJROSS

I only use my cell phone as my means of contact. I get an occasional wrong number, from time to time. What pisses me off, is the people who call, and it's the wrong number, and then they call again. But other than that, I'm quite happy phone wise.

-MillsJROSS

Just wanted to mention, that whether or not your main character is visible in the room, he/she/it is still in that room. Or it was so in the version I have.

-MillsJROSS

Given there was a list of all applicable entries, the more sensible option would have been to have a checkbox system for all the voteable games in each category. It would have made the page a little larger, but collating votes at the end would have been much, much simpler. Maybe an idea for next time 'round...

The trick with this technique, is you have more work in the actual set up process. I think our real problem, lies in our slack to do this until it's actually time. If someone kept updating the new games comming out consistently throughout the year, the workload would be less when it comes to nomination time.

As far as a check box technique, I agree this would be better. We could always add an other option next time, should there be any games that were missed. Of course, this is all easy for me to say, considering I'm not doing any of the work.

-MillsJROSS

I enjoyed the game, thoroughly. As always, the games keep improving in my eye. There were less odd moments in the game where I was wondering what I was doing. The dialog is becoming more fleshed out and realistic, within the context of the game. A few ackward moments here and there, but overall very well put together.

The music fit the game perfectly, as it usually does. And ambient sounds were perfect. I enjoyed the little tidbits of animation you put here and there.

The plot was cohesive. Any complaint I have is minute. But here they are anyway.

Spoiler

As mentioned before the cell is unforgiving. It also doesn't make sense to be on a timer. My call phone doesn't start calling until I press the call button. However, that said, I enjoyed the extra bit of effort in allowing us to type in the number. Even, though, yes, realistically we might have programmed it into our cells.

The only other complaint I have, is the very corny ending. With the guy catching the girl. It was just too convenient for me.

[close]

Other than that, though. It was a great game, and I'm looking forward to the next few.

-MillsJROSS

The reason there isn't a program, is there are too many variable within the voting process. Because we had to type in the games, there is bound to be spelling errors. So making a program to count everything won't be accurate.

-MillsJROSS

I'm sure counting all the votes will take a bit of time. Be patient...it'll all be available in due time.

-MillsJROSS

D.C. Pah! I laugh in your direction. It'll be held in Florida, where are the cool people be at!

-MillsJROSS

I like the programing aspect as it appeals to my mathmatical and logic set mind. That said, my absolute favorite part is making dialog, and then seeing what it becomes. For some reason, it'll seem ten times funnier in the game, vs written in the dialog editor. And I always get a kick out of how much flesh it adds.

Animations, the actual making of them is not fun for me, as I'm not a artistic person, and utterly hopeless when it comes to drawing. However, after all the work is done, it's quite enjoyable to look at the outcome.

-MillsJROSS

The dog thing is not true.

That's not what you're mom says! Zing!

Um...I, too, attend classes, if I wake up. Watch tv, mess around on my computer, programing here and there. I enjoy chess, and other mind-logical puzzles. I play a weekly game of poker. I fraternize with my fraternity (Band service fraternity). And generally just slob about.

-MillsJROSS

If you at first you don't succeed copy-and-paste, and the mp3 will be yours. That or just wait, because if a few people have already listened to it, geocities might close the website for an hour to keep him within the constraining limits of space.

Mills: Its good and it does fit the theme, but it is very much background music as it is quite slow and boring... but maybe not in a bad way.

Um...thanks?

-MillsJROSS

It's a loopable MIDI, yay!

http://www.geocities.com/millsjross/SPOOKY.MID

-MillsJROSS