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I know my art is pretty bad, but im sure my sick humour makes up for it 
Sorry folks but I wanted to contribute...

Next: "Mum, do farts have lumps in them?"

If you get into C# and then into XNA may I recommend not getting Benjamin Neitsche's book on the subject (published by Wrox I think). Its really not suitable for a beginner. Microsoft's own book wasn't too bad, my personal preference was XNA Unleashed by SAMS. (SAMS are my favourite publisher ever since my first book on Visual Studio .NET 2003)

Java books are hit and miss. If your first starting I used some old battered book I can't remember what it was called as it was needed for the course. It was really useful. At the moment im skimming through Java 6 in 21 days, which is too broad.

Consequently no one has noticed my typo in my code 

Hate to say it but its way, way too bright.

If my vote counts... darker colours, or less white. Its starting to look like a wordpress thingy (i don't like wordpress thingy's).

Java is a good language to get stuck into, with all the range with mobile phones at the moment. Good thing with java is the C# is basically a rework of the old J++ they had to discontinue (sun sued the shit out of them), so the languages are very similar in terms of syntax. Of course theyre different, but you pick up one its a lot easier to crossover to the other.

I enjoyed programming in C# when I had the chance. Im back at java now, which is equally handy since theoretically the knowledge I have from C# helps with Java and vice versa. When you think about it it paid off for M$ as they still get to keep the majority of their Java users, and said users can now program for Windows, Xbox, Linux, Mac, Mobile phones etc.

Pretty Impressive. To sum up:

Console.WriteLine("Welcome to the Real Languages!!");

System.out,Println("Java is cool too!!");

JORDAN M.D



[Removed]

Point on the ending is taken and I concede it does end a bit suddenly. However, Colin is not necessarily supposed to be a "winner". Leaving your job as an over-reaction when you have no other job lined up is not really a winning idea and that is why most people don't do it no matter how much you may feel like it sometimes!

:

I'd like to point out at this time that I am still looking for a job so if anyone wants to give me lots of money for doing nothing feel free to pm me (and I don't mean any of that "I earn upto £5,000,000 a day working from home crap. Rich princes from Nigeria requiring my bank account need not apply  )

 :o

This is brilliant! I've tinkered with XNA a little bit as part of a course I was doing. Its good to see people starting to develop useful tools with it. Its a shame M$ are so arsey about publish XBLA stuff. I guess the solution would be that everyone would have to invest in a CC subscription to run on 360, which isn't a terrible thing.

Good Luck!

Personally, I'd go east, only because I hear China has a very interesting culture and is a beautiful place to visit. Its more likely you'd take a pay cut going east though right?

It all depends on your preference. I say I'd go east but im sure i'd get sick of it very quickly. Also I don't know how to put this right, but a lot of people I've met from China, Vietnam, Thailand and others I've had great difficulty trying to understand what they say. I live with 2 vietnamese people this year, and it was a nightmare trying to hold a conversation.

Of course I've always wanted to go to America too. I dont know if your a local scot or whether you're in US, but the advantage being moving west would be that at least everyone is fluent in English. Whats the whether like in Colorado?

The bug is still there




Just to be a pain 

I know my mates dad got laid off from a high paid job last year. I didn't know things were getting this bad though.

I guess like everything I've timed it wrong. Im taking a break from studies to work this year, I guess its not looking good.

Best of luck to all of you. Its not nice having to try and look for work in the middle of university exams. I can't imagine how stressful it is trying to get work to pay bills, food etc. I know for a fact I don't want to go back home to my folks. Theyre doing my head in at the moment and I've only been on my hols for 2 weeks.

Did she soak your Limey Lizard in Femspray?

Just a question Ghost. Would it bother you if you partner used to be a man?

Which reminds me, Minds Eye was one of my favourites. I'd take a look at that.

Cheers Progz 

[DOES]

Now that DOES sound interesting! :o

Sparky.

If you're referring to my post, then no it wasn't interesting in the slightest. We had to make the universities diy kit of some sort of roomba (i think that was what they were called, basically some sort of dome on wheels) follow a trail of light using its sensors, then we had to implement analogue control schemes (ie the further you push the stick the faster it goes etc) which is a nightmare in C, amongst some other things I've since forgotten. I think its fair to say i failed miserably, but a learnt a valuable lesson to never use C ever again. I would like to learn c++ at some point though

Back on topic.

If there was some magical way of exporting AGS Games as flash, they could be incorporated into the Wii as the wii apparently allows flash games (I hate the things so I wouldn't really know). This would also make it possible to run games on most the modern phones (the ones with flash included) too.

This is the easiest way of doing things as you wouldn't need to create a seperate version of AGS (one for symbian,one for android one for i(mnotareal)phone, one for LG, one for motorola etc). However Im not even sure thats physically possible.

Nintendo wouldn't license a compiler that everyone can use to make wii games. I'd rule out Wii as a viable option (if any are viable)

Android if im right in thinking so is a linux variant.

I think we'd be better off  sticking with the current platforms for AGS Editor and just having different export options for compiled games.

It is then at my sole discretion whether I use any of your work in the project, of which any unused items are unpaid for etc...etc

It wouldn't be a bad offer, though I'd rethink that bit because that really is unfair !

That bit is more the security clause in case the artist "-welshes" out on you (as progz put it  ) You have to bear in mind that different artists have different styles/expertise and so if you have one person doing all the backgrounds for you who leaves, then you have to find someone who can match that style or in some cases you may have to start from scratch. The backgrounds have to match up otherwise it looks out of place, which in turn can makes the game look tacky, losing the sense of immersion in it.

yeah it was definitely the res issue. Thanks for the help.

I've been reading up a bit more on sdks, and it seems that symbian s60 supports quite a few languages

The S60 platform SDKs enable you to build applications using Symbian C++, Open C/C++, Javaâ,,¢ technology, and Web Runtime (WRT). In addition, several of the SDKs support development with Python for S60 using an SDK plug-in. When used with your favourite development tools, the SDKs provide you with access to all the APIs implemented in a particular edition and feature pack. Once you’ve coded your application, the SDKs include tools to compile that application for testing in the S60 emulator. In the emulator, your application can be tested without the need for an S60 device, which improves development time. Once the application is tested, tools to compile and package the application for installation on an S60 device are provided.

The SDKs include comprehensive documentation and example applications to enable you to make the most of the S60 platform and SDK tools.

Makes you wonder if it could be implemented as a plugin in AGS so you could just build a mobile version.

Anyway who am i kidding I can't c++ to save my life. I barely struggled through C. Don't make me program silly robots again!

This is an idea I had for if/when I ever release a commercial game. I wouldnt mind any critique on what people think of this neither, would be good to know where i'd stand:

Have the design planned out first - things can be flexible but you essentially want the product finished in your mind/on paper. This way you have the puzzles, story, dialogue sorted out and know how many backgrounds you want (you can go one further by having placeholder images -quick sketches you've made to see how the game pans out. These sketches/concept art can then be given to artist so he/she knows the general feel of what you want).

Once you know how many backgrounds you want, lets say 50, you negotiate a contract like so.

50 backgrounds at x amount of money each. On completion of backgrounds you are entitled to x% of profits from the game/ x% of profits for the first x units sold.

You could also have something like failure to complete all backgrounds within timeframe (although rushing things isnt good) results in forfeit of contract and only being paid x per background each. It is then at my sole discretion whether I use any of your work in the project, of which any unused items are unpaid for etc...etc

Using this method should rule out all but the die hard artists.  It ain't a pretty way of doing things (it feels like the big man screwing the little man aka most record companies, new artists) but it should get things done. I'd hope. Otherwise I've wasted a lot of time.


Like I said though, jot everything out first, so the game is as good as complete when you come to employ artists. That way you know whether your actually going to stick to the project yourself. Also as mentioned previously theres no shame in throwing together a few shitty backgrounds as placeholder images just to get the feel of things. I heard this was done on Halo in some parts, before the final work was done.

I doubt its the game since other people seem to be running it fine. Probably something to do with me running it on a laptop on vista.

If you could sort it out on my save for me it would be much appreciated. Uploaded here:

http://www.agsn.co.uk/I Broke Colin Simpson.zip

If not im not too bothered about starting from scratch again (i can afford a couple more days off). Either way much appreciado 

just tried a different version (the freewebs one as opposed to the mirror on mediafire i previously d/led). Im still not able to enter the password, wont let me type more than 5 characters). Shame really. The only other option i can think of is if someone would like to send me the game with a save after the password has been entered (providing you dont have to enter password every time) and i should be good to go. Would be much appreciated.