Messages

The main purpose of the gen-gen forum is to keep all the crap out of the other forums.    A secondary purpose, I suppose, is  that a discussion or heated debate about polictics this or social issue that, would perhaps provide inspiration for an AGS project.  

Being the old fart I am, I haven't found much of interest for me in the gen-gen forum, so I just don't waste much time there.    I check in once in a while, when I am bored and want to waste some time.   It's not surprising to me that some of you have matured over the years and now find the gen-gen fare less than fulfilling and  somewhat childish.  Just do what I do, spend your time on more productive things.

The only problem I have with the gen-gen forum is that some individuals tend to engage in vicious personal attacks upon those who disagree with their opinions.  I think this practice is counter productive and does nothing for the advancement of AGS or adventure gaming.  

If some people want a place to go where they can agree with each other by all means setup your own forum and let CJ and the rest us be.  

Cheers

 

It's really interesting how intolerant we can be.  Why do we find it necessary to enage in persopnal attacks on peole who voice opinions different than our own?  

It seems I have missed a lot, but when I have come across Yuster's postings I found them to be unique and intersting.  I hope she stays around and doesn't give up.  

Cheers
Rick

1.  Try using AreCharObjColliding (CHARID, int obj) instead of displaynic(..).

2.  When you declare variables you are not guaranteed that they will be set to any particular value.  You have assumed that true would be set to  a value of zero.

function displaynice() {
int true,playerx,objectx;

3.  You scare me man .  Don't be changing the value of variables named true or false, it's considered to be bad programming practice.  

true=1;

Instead just do this: int true=1; or Use another variable name such as "status" if you want to change the value during program execution.

4.  Yes.

if (playerx==objectx) // can I here do this: (character[A].x==GetObje...)

I have a suggestion as to the size of prerendered characters.  It seems to me that characters look much better when scaled down  than when scaled up.  With this in mind why not size characters for the foreground of a small 600x400 room?  In this way the character would be scaled down by AGS nearly all the time.

What do you think?  

Do a google on "abandonware" or try here http://www.freeoldies.com/.

To begin with, I was going to have a different schema for each different type of thing.

hehe... If you did I probably would have said the following ...

But then, I thought that you'd probably want to use a "default interaction type" property for hotspots, objects, characters and inventory - and therefore it made more sense to share the schema.

:)

If an "open source" or "tutorial" or "game template" category was added to the AGS games page or a similar mechanism then everything wouldn't need to be hosted in the same place.  

Also if there were some common guidelines as to structure and content of the tutorial and examples then  there would be some degree of consistency betwen authors.  Currently there are a lot of variations only because there wasn't a suggested example to follow.  Now what I am suggesting are some minimal requirements such as everyone providing the source code in a common format (be it templates, txt files, or whatever), a runnning example, and a document describing what the code does, how it does it, and how it can be applied.  

Here is a brief explanation of how DocBook works.  Hope this helps weveryone's understanding.

DocBook is just a document "compiler" that takes a source xml file and creates an output file in one of a number of formats, including HTML, PDF, CHM, and others.  The look of the output is controlled by other xml files similar to html style sheets.   So if one wanted to chage the look and feel they would just change the style sheets and re-compile everything.

Custom Properties

* if you mean can you have a different schema for different types of thing, the answer is no not currently - there are enough properties to go round that even if one is only applicable to rooms, for example, you can just leave it blank in other types of thing.

I guess intuitively, I thought that there would be different schema for different types of things.  In my mind properties used for rooms mostly wouldn't be applicable to characters, hotspots, etc, and vise versa.   IMHO having seperate schema would be better.

I also managed to confuse myself as well.  The default values showed up everwhere as they should.  It just game me the impression that changing a value in one place would be carried over to other places.  

In addition having game properties would be useful as well, IMHO.   Please consider adding this in a future version.

I really like the idea of custom properties and expect to make great use of them.  Please take the above comments as my review/evaluation of this new feature and make use of them as you will.  Thanks for implementing such a great idea.  

Cheers
Rick

Custom Properties - possible bug

CJ are custom properties supposed to be specific to each entity?  If so I found a problem.  I defined some properties for a room but when I look at a character's or inventory item's custom properties they are the same as the ones defined for the room.  Is this how it is supposed to work?

The property thing is really cool.  Being able to change property values at run-time is really way cool.  Also, would it make sense to have Game Properties as well?    

Doesn't the knowledge base contain short question/answer type things rather than large script examples, tutorials, and reuseable modules?

[eDE Forum]

A number of people have created tutorials with the intent of educating the great "unwashed" masses (i.e. beginner, novice programmes).   The problems is that these tutorials are widely scatered on the net, are not consistent in structure and format, and are not cordinated between authors.  

I have been doing some work with DocBook, an industry standard, XMLish  documentation tool.  There are zillions of systems freely available under Linux, but  in Windows such things are $$costly.   Stefan Priebsch, in Germany, has released eDE, an open source, DOS/command line  based  system for which I have created an AGS GUI fron end (it need somne more work but is basically functional).   The advantage of DocBook is that the same source can be published in any number of formats, index and table of contents are automatically generated, and individual tutorials can easily be combined into larger collections.

Jimi and I wrote an example tutorial explaining how to create an empty game template, using DocBook.  This was to be the first in a series of tutorials.  This example is published in HTML, PDF and CHM (windows help file), each file can be access from the links below.  There is also an HTML Chunk format where each section of the document is on a seperate page and the user clicks on NEXT, PREV, TOP, buttons to navigate the document.

eDE Forum
http://www.e-novative-forum.com/index.php

Example Tutorial Source
http://www.icehouse.net/rickj/ags/tutorial/mingt.xml

Example Tutorial Output
http://www.icehouse.net/rickj/ags/tutorial/index.html
http://www.icehouse.net/rickj/ags/tutorial/mingt.pdf
http://www.icehouse.net/rickj/ags/tutorial/mingt.chm

The Module Tester  Junc is referring to provides an easy and generic means of  testing of script code modules.   The idea was to package each chunk of script into a module, where a module is equivalent to a room.   If someone had the Module Tester downloaded already they could then just download the room file use the module tester to open and run it.    This was all done before the "game template" mechanism was created so there is room for a discussion as to whether a module should be a complete game template, a room, or possibly both.  

Dorcan has done a great job with his website, but I think this solves only one part of the problem.  I wonder if the AGS website should contain Dorcan's tutorial page or something like it.  That would kind  of solve the centralization issue.   Also if some moderators and reviewers could be recruited then I think the content could be encouraged to be in an agreed upon structure and format and some consistency achieved between authors.  There also could be a list of requested tutorials, so that if someone got an urge to do something useful they could go there for ideas.  

Dorcan, also makes a great point about the need to support multi-language.  Again, DocBook's ability to generate TOC and multiple formats could be helpful in this respect, by eliminating the burden of document formatting etc from the author/translator.

Here are my thoughts as to what should be included in a tutorial/script module.

• Tutorial, explaining what the script does, how it works, and how to use it in one's own creation.
  
• Script code in a plain text file(s).  
  
• Example application that can be downloaded and run.
  

In any case, I think we can accomplish more by coordinating our efforts in this matter.  I look forward to hearing your comments in this thread and to perhaps forming a consenus.


*** Edit****
SSH's list should be merged with the above, probably should be the basis for the tutorial ...

Pattern Name: for easy ID and reference
Problem: to tell us what it solves
Motivation: Initial example of problem
Context: Other situations in which problem occur and to which solution can be applied
Solution: Details required to solve problem
Considerations: caveats, alternative solutions, alternative applications

... I could get started right away on making rooms and importing frames etc. Dialogues no problem (Anything that has examples you can nick from the Demogame really.) - If there was a Lose-Inv X then people like me could make make a fairly desently working "game" before having to dive into the (To me VERY scary) global script.

This would then make non-tech people (Or non Smart - Again; me) less prone to being overwhelmed and giving up. ...

Dennis, Yuster

A number of us are working on tutorials and a remake of the Demo game to make scripting easier for newbies and everyone.  Your insights and input would be useful in helping us identify the things that would be of greatest use to beginners.  Check out this thread To SSH, Scorporius, and all AGS scripting "experts"... in the beginners tech forum.  Send me a PM if you wish to participate in review and production of tutorials and DemoQuest remake project .

 

What Scorp says, exactly!  

If you have multiple project spaces and multiple versions you can spend a lot of time looking at the info box.   My question is if it's not a lot of trouble why not just display the info on  startup?  If CJ doesn't want to do it, I am certain he has a good reason and that is good enough for me.

Cheers..

CJ,  
I just noticed the little help box that pops up and shows function parameters.  That really rocks, thanks for taking the time to include this for us.    

I would find it useful to see the revision number in the initial splash screen.  Is there a way to automate this?  If not then a perhaps a more practical and only slightly less useful alternative would be to include a string differenitating the beta versions from released versions (i.e. the splash screen of released versions would be as they are now and beta versions would include a string similar to this "beta test version".

I know it's trivial, but if it's not too much trouble something like this may keep one of us from disaster someday.  Thanks for listening anyway.  

Hmm,  is he really in mainland China?   If so, why don't we put up a free website somewhere, on his behalf, calling for the overthrow of the communist goverment and demand that those resonsible for the the masacare in Tinamen Square  be brought to justice.  We can put links to kikme where ever he goes on the net, or at least enough for the Chinese Gov to find him.  

I think you all know this already but the forum has moved to the followin URL.

http://gaia-spa.com/cgi-bin/blusoft/YaBB.cgi

I just say let him be, being him must suck enough.

Timosity I can't keep from laughing.

I say we tell his mommy and daddy.... btw has anyone figured out his IP address? If we can find out who mommy and daddy are we can sue them.