Messages

This looks great!
I love the rain down the window effect.
Can't wait to play.

Hi everyone.

I am glad that you like the look of my game.
When the time comes I hope you enjoy playing it.

Thank you BarbWire and RetroLee for play testing.
I'm relieved that you haven't found anything too terrible... Yet.
Keep up the good work.
I will have a slightly revised version for you later, if you want to take it for another spin.
I'll PM you about it later tonight.

Yours.
Jay.

[THE DECORCIST]

Hi All Good Peeps Of AGS.

J-Soft Is Proud To Present.
----------------------------------

THE DECORCIST

The Decorator has been Released: Please visit the Completed Games Thread to Download.

The Story

Lord and Lady Featherstone are thrilled when they inherit Grantley Mansion from a widely travelled, recently deceased, Uncle.
The building has stood empty and neglected for years, but they are confident that it can be restored to its former glory.
Deeds signed, key in hand, they take possession only to discover, to their horror, that the mansion is already possessed by a legion of unearthly squatters.
Remembering an advertisement he has seen in the local newspaper Lord Featherstone enlists the services of Dan a renowned, but unconventional, Decorator to rid the place of these uninvited guests by performing a Decorcism.

http://www.j-soft.indrek.org/Images/Decor_shot2.png
http://www.j-soft.indrek.org/Images/Decor_shot3.png

The Decorator is a Platform/Adventure which is played over two rooms.
However, there is a lot more to the game than meets the eye.

The Decorator is 640x480.
Controls are Keyboard only.

I still have a few loose ends to tie up and some game testing to complete.
Hopefully due for release within the next fortnight.

I hope you will enjoy... THE DECORATOR.

Yours.
Jay.

Brilliant.

60 pixels in height should be more than enough.

Thank you for your help.

Yours.
Jay.

Ha ha!

Gurok.
you are a genius. That works just how I had envisioned it.
Also, thanks to you, I understand how it works.

One last Question.
What is the largest size I can draw my Trophy at, to be displayed in a signature.
I copied the Key in your signature and opened it in my paint program and it says 76x56.
Is the height of 56 pixels an acceptable size?

Yours.
Jay. 

Ah. I see.

I have just been doing some reading, from the manual, and getting hideously confused.

Thank you ever so much for taking the time to explain this and for showing me this script.
I really do appreciate it.

I will try this out and let you know how it goes.

Yours.
Jay.

Hi Gurok.

That sounds like a good idea... However... There is one minor bump in the road.
I have never used DynamicSprites and also have no idea how to draw a graphic to one.

Could you give me some advice or point me in the direction of something that explains DynamicSprites please.

Yours.
Jay.

Hi All.

In my game I have made a secret area that you can find.
In this area there is a Trophy that you can collect to which a message is displayed "You have found a secret!", or something like that.

My question...
Is there a way of making the Trophy useful?
What I mean is... When the player collects it a Trophy graphic is saved to the game folder... maybe.
Then the player could use it within their signature on forums, like people have Trophies here.

I have been searching for an answer to this question but have come up blank.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Yours.
Jay. 

Hi Slasher.

The problem you are having is exactly what I have come across and I don't know why it does it.
I set a character to Walk to coords and then add a waypoint to make him come back.
He always walks faster going and slower coming back... Pixelated little pillock.   

Hi Mandle.

Let me see... Umm... Hmm... Ohh... Alright then... Yes!

Glad to see that you are keen to find out what happens to our Hero.
I still have a shed load of work to do on it, though.
I am only one man doing everything (art, scripting etc.)
However I do have many people telling me what they want me to put in it.

The effect that I have sorted is actually for another game I have been making.
A kind of chill project from my main one, if you like.
Hopefully I will post something on the GIP thread soon.

Yours.
Jay.

Hi All.

Don't worry, I have just sorted it out.
I did it this way

Code: ags

int trans = object[0].Transparency;
while (trans > 0) {
  trans--;
  object[0].Transparency = trans;
  Wait(1);
}

Now it works beautifully.

Edit...Again.
I will show you how I got the result I wanted.
I noticed whilst trawling through the search that a lot of people seem to have problems with transparency so this may help.
Where object is [?] the question mark is to be replaced with your object number.

1. I started by creating a full screen Object of my changed background. (You may have to mess about with the objects Baseline depending on where other objects are on screen.)
2. within my room script I put this.

Code: ags

function room_Load() {
  object[?].Transparency = 100; // Make full screen Object invisible.
}

3. Then within the function where I want the fade-in to happen I put this.

Code: ags

        // BEGIN FADING IN FULL SCREEN OBJECT SCRIPT.
        //-------------------------------------------
        int trans = object[?].Transparency; // Fade in the full screen Object until it is visible. 
        while (trans > 0) {
        trans--;
        object[?].Transparency = trans;
        Wait(1);
        }
        // END OF FADE IN SCRIPT.
        //-----------------------
        SetNextScreenTransition(eTransitionInstant); // Change room instantly with no black.
        cEgo.ChangeRoom(?); // Change ? to your next room.
      }

 
4. The next room will have its main background picture which is the same as the full screen Object we used in the last room.
   Use the same full screen Object for our new room and in our new rooms script put this.

Code: ags

function room_FirstLoad() {
  object[?].Transparency = 0; // Makes the full screen Object visible the first time Player enters room.
  // BEGIN FADING OUT FULL SCREEN OBJECT.
  //-------------------------------------
  int trans = object[?].Transparency; // Gradualy fade out the full screen Object until it is totaly invisible.
  while (trans < 100) {
  trans++;
  object[?].Transparency = trans;
  Wait(1);
  }
  // END OF FADING OUT SCRIPT.
  //--------------------------
}

I went for a white fade-in and out to the new room, in the end, because it better suited what I wanted but...
If you are using an object that is the same as the next rooms background then you can do away with step 4.

I think that this is a rather nice little effect and I hope that this helps someone else. 

Thank you all for your help on this matter.

Yours.
Jay.

Hi Slasher.

Sorry to take so long in replying, things are a bit hectic at the moment.

Yes, I only want to change the background but wanted the changed background to fade in gradually.
Once the background has finished fading in I would then change room instantly because then I could make new objects etc.

In the manual it says this.

In order to fade an object in/out, the best approach is shown in the example below:

Example:

int trans = object[0].Transparency;
while (trans < 100) {
  trans++;
  object[0].Transparency = trans;
  Wait(1);
}

will gradually fade out the object from its current transparency level to being fully invisible.

This is very nice but I can't get it to work, my full screen background object won't fade in or out.

Edit:
If someone could just point me in the right direction of how to fade an object in from totally transparent then I could work the rest out by myself.

Yours.
Jay.

Hi Guys.

Sorry it's taken me a while to reply.
I haven't had access to a computer over the Weekend.

Cassiebsg and Mandle.
Thank you. I was going to do it with a full screen object but just wondered if I could have used a background frame instead.
Mind you I think doing it the object way I might even be able to get a nice animating effect to work as it fades in. (so long as it doesn't affect game performance.)
I will just have to test it and see what happens.

Adeel S. Ahmed.
Thank you. I tried what you suggested but strangely AGS totally ignores the 'SetBackground' part and just fades out and back in.
I thought, after trying it though, that the effect wouldn't be much different then just creating another room to change to.
This maybe the path I will choose if all else fails.
At least I could set up other interactions, if I decide to.

EDIT:
I have just found this little gem.

Code: ags

1.SetNextScreenTransition(eTransitionInstant); 

Ok. Bear with me on this...
If I used a full screen Object and faded it in then after the fadein script used the line above then change room.
I think I may get just what I'm looking for... I think.
Also I could then set interactions, if I want, because it would obviously be a new room.
I'll let you know if it works, when I get around to trying it.

Thank you all for your help, it is much appreciated.

Yours.
Jay.

Hi Peeps.

What I would like to try and accomplish should be fairly simple... I think.
The only problem I have is that I don't know the best way to do it.

A certain room, in my game, the background is in a dilapidated state but by using some magic everything becomes shiny and new.
I have done this by creating one other background frame and assigning it when the magic happens...But.
Is there a way of making this transition fade-in instead of just... Boom! there ya go.

Am I going about this the right way or is there a better way?

Yours.
Jay. 

Hi Cassiebsg.

You are absolutely correct.
I have tested every method of this now and it only seems to happen if the key is held down for to long. (on Keyboard Only.)

You see, I have to have it set on 'Keyboard Only' because there are multiple creatures that can hurt you.
By doing it this way you can read the message and escape if a foe gets to near to you.
It's a shame that I can't stop the flickering from happening but... Shit Happens!

Thank you for your help.

Yours.
Jay.

Hi Humaldo.

I have had lots of grief, in the past, with Brackets.
I'm not sure about this but give this a go and see what happens.
I made a few changes.

Code: ags

function on_call (int value) {
  if (value == 0) {
    disableBooks();
  }
  
  else {
    if (value == 10) { //Returning from a Dialog
      Display ("End Of Act 1");
      Wait(40);
      Display("Now it should change to Act 2...");
      cCharacter.ChangeRoom(4); //This character disappears
      Wait(40);
      Player.ChangeRoom(4);
    }
  }
}

EDIT:
If you have created your own 'Function' for your Room.
Then you may want to put THIS into your Rooms 'function room_RepExec() {'

Code: ags

on_call();

I hope this helps.

Yours.
Jay.

Hi Cassiebsg.

What type of events have you set you for the dialog?
That little line that says "Allow Speech to be skipped by which events", cause maybe that is interfering?

I have it set to 'Keyboard Only' as my game is entirely keyboard controlled.
Thanks for your input.

Vincent:
Thank you ever so much for your help.
The people I have got testing my game can't see a problem... and so...
After all of this I have decided to leave it just the way it is.
I think the problem lies with me trying to be too much of a perfectionist and seeing problems where there aren't really any.

Yours.
Jay.

Hi Vincent.

I edited my last post as I felt it to be defeatist.
I am here, again, and in the words of 'Commander Peter Quincy Taggart' "Never Give Up, Never Surrender". ... (I love the film Galaxy Quest.)

Let's try this again.
Looking at your script 'SayBackground' works well with my script... However...
I wanted to use the Speech Style - 'SierraWithBackground' as I have a nice little portrait to go with the speech.
I should have mentioned this before... Sorry.

If I can't get the Portrait thing to work then I will go with 'SayBackground' instead.

I really appreciate your help, Vincent.
You have helped me before on this game and will receive a credit. 

Yours.
Jay.

Hi Vincent.

When I say:

// Etc...(There is a considerable amount of script after this.)

I mean that it is pretty much the same for every object that is in that room.
I have used up my Object Limit !! (There are SHIT loads of them.) 

Yes. I have already tried Hotspots but the same thing happens, You press A or Z and the message flashes then disappears.
As I said before, though, this doesn't always happen.

I have Regions set up for other effects... and even used Characters for... More Effects...

The way that you have suggested will not work with what I have. 
You see I have tried to be clever and incorporate Platform with Adventure.
It all works beautifully, except for the occasional 'Message' hiccup.

Edit:
What needs to happen is that when you press key (A or Z) the message is shown and the game pauses (still showing the message.)
Then by pressing any of the Arrow keys the game un-pauses and continues. (That would be the ideal setup.)
You see I have Creatures that move to and fro, on each level, that can take away valuable 'Sanity' points, should they collide with you.

Edit:
Sorry for my depressed state earlier.
I am so near to completion and this problem (Niggle) is really PISSING ME OFF !! 

Thank you for your help.

Yours.
Jay.

Hi All Good Peeps.

I hope you are all well.

My game that I am working on at the moment is almost finished.
It is a kind of Platform/Adventure game and is only controlled by the keyboard.

Arrow keys = Move.
A = Look.
Z = Pick up / Use.

I nearly have everything working just the way I want.
The only thing that is bugging me is the 'cCharacter.Say' parts of my game.
The problem I am having is that, every now and then, when the A or Z key is pressed the 'cDan.Say' message flashes up and disappears in less than a second.
This doesn't always happen but annoys the hell out of me when it does.

As you will see in the section of script below, I have created a Function for all of the Objects in my room.

Code: ags

function Interact_Objects() {
// INTERACT WITH OBJECTS SCRIPT.

  if (AreThingsOverlapping(DAN, 1021)) {
    if (IsKeyPressed(eKeyZ) && gMansion_Map.Visible == false && gQuit_Dialog.Visible == false ) {
      oKey.Visible = false;
      cDan.AddInventory(inventory[1]);     
      cDan.Say("Blah...Blah."); // Use Z key to pick up object.
    }
    
    else{
      if (IsKeyPressed(eKeyA) && gMansion_Map.Visible == false && gQuit_Dialog.Visible == false )
      cDan.Say("Blah...Blah."); // Use A key to look at object.
    }
  }
  // Etc...(There is a considerable amount of script after this.)

To make the Function work I have called it from the rooms 'RepExec'.

Code: ags

function room_RepExec() {
  Interact_Objects(); // This calls upon the 'Interact_Objects' script above.

I would be most grateful if someone could shed some light on why this small but irritating bug happens.

Yours.
Jay.