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Oh, ok. Adding the "PALgorithms." part hadn't occurred to me.

Now I can't get the "ColouriseArea" function to work. It gets an "Undefined token" error.

Is there a way to disable the "text follows the character" aspect of the SayBackground function when the character is walking? In LucasArts games if you walk away while the character's talking the text stays put, making it easier to read.

I'm trying to mess around with this. I don't know a lot about coding and the documentation here isn't much help. For instance, with ProcessPalette, how am I supposed to pass the "palindex" array?

ProcessPalette(7, bluearray[]);   gets me an "array index not specified" error

ProcessPalette(7, bluearray[0]);   gets "Type mismatch: cannot convert 'int' to 'int[]'"


Maybe you could make an example game? Or at least some example code?

If you need ideas for stories, this is a great resource: https://twitter.com/#!/tng_s8

Oh, I remembered a good context-based one-- Return to Zork. Even using an item on something could have multiple options (show knife to X, give knife to X, stab X with knife.) I really like that dimension of control and complexity, at least for adventure games. I forgot this thread was about RPGs, whoops.

I always liked having a number of different verbs, and the sentence-constructing aspect of the multiple verb system. Remember that it evolved out of interactive fiction which, though occasionally sadistic, was still generally solvable. It's up to the designer to keep the complexity of the interface in account to the actual crafting of the puzzles.

The heart of most adventure games is that the player is exploring a world that he or she can actually physically affect. In any game, having multiple tools (be they verbs, items, weapons, spells) with which to affect the environment can deepen the immersion, but the creator has to be careful to design the puzzles and story of the game so that it sits nicely between streamlined progression and challenging flexibility.
This has to be coupled with a satisfying level of interactivity in the game-world. If you have a lot of verbs, you have to allow them to have application. Red herring actions, or at least something beyond the stock "Why would I pull that?" style responses.
And if you have a two-button interface, the same applies. If you don't at least make the environments have a variety of hotspots that can be and examined and interacted with outside of the ones that advance the plot, the player will feel that they're on some sort of linear slog. A roller-coaster that you have to manually pedal.


Are there any interfaces that use a sort of context-based list of verbs? All I can think of is the verb coin, which occasionally would change the mouth icon to mean "eat", etc.

Ohh. Ok. Didn't realize you could. For the record, in my mind, when the cursor disappears = non-interactive cutscene. That bit needs a visual queue that the player still has control. Perhaps a different cursor icon instead of none?

Edit: Oh, I should've read the "How to play" section at the intro screen. Still, a panic mode cursor icon wouldn't be bad. Anyway, great demo. I love the graphics and atmosphere, and the scripting's really slick.

Loving it so far, but I'm already stuck. :o  Is there a way

Spoiler

past the man eating wall in the second room?

[close]

I have the same problem, running doesn't help!

Solid game! I dug the cute graphics, the setting, the jokes. The puzzles were mostly pretty simple but I still got stumped a few times. Definitely worth the bucks.

It would be good to have a number of verbs which can easily be assigned or reassigned to the left and right mouse buttons. They could be rotated on a GUI or by key commands. This is no different from selecting weapons in a FPS-- people don't seem to have trouble with that.

Even relatively mundane 'look at' responses add detail to the environment and the protagonist. "Looks like mahogany." or "Reminds me of the one my grandfather had."

One of the fine things about adventure games is the act of exploring every nook and cranny of the gameworld. Use your imagination and give everything a base level of detail and interaction, and it will go a long way to creating a rich experience for the player.

.FXB is the standard VST bank preset file. I don't use FL Studio, but maybe this post would help? http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=251260

GM.fxb is a full library of FM versions of standard MIDI instruments. You can also find .fxb files, which are just individual instruments rather than collections. Try googling for things like VOPM patches, VOPM presets, VOPM banks, etc.

Way back in the day I posted a collection of 30 MIDIs called, of all things, MIDI30.
I just thought I'd mention that these and about 60 other original MIDI files (total: 91 songs) are free for AGS-game use here:

http://www.neilcic.com/MIDIs.zip

Use, credit, enjoy!


Note: A couple of these were composed for other people's games (Piratefry, Waldo) but I don't think it should be a problem. The vast majority of them were made between 1998-2003 for my own unrealized and uncompleted games. Turn this .zip of my failure into a resource for your prosperity!

T....T....T...Trapezoid?! :O


HELLO!

* Babar grabs hold of Trap and doesn't let go until he's made at least 3 games

Hi! I don't know if I'll make any games for real, but the overpowering siren call of FM synth beckoned me.

On topic: One thing I forgot to mention about VOPM, is that someone ripped a TON of instruments from Sega Genesis soundtracks (which also used FM synthesis) into this collection:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ynnygzowyzw You can sift through them pretty much endlessly.


Another neat little option is this: http://www.shikadi.net/keenwiki/IMF_Creator

It takes a midi input and plays it with FM instruments. You can also create custom instruments OR load them from IMF files, which were used in old Apogee games. You can download a ton of theme here:
http://www.exotica.org.uk/mediawiki/index.php?title=Special:Modland&md=qsearch&qs=imf

(And if you want to actually listen to these IMF files rather than just steal instrument sounds from them, download Winamp and AdPlug.)

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/228.html

Here's a little VST plugin called VOPM that emulates Adlib-style synthesis rather well. You can use it in the sequencing software of your choice, as long as it supports VST. Either mess with the sliders to create your own sounds (difficult) or load patches from the GM bank included with it (easy). You'll need to load a new instance of it for each new instrument, but you can then export your work as an MP3 or OGG and nobody will know the difference.

Quick example ditty I made with it: http://neilcic.com/vopme.mp3

One warning, I'm not sure how stable the plugin is. I've had a few BSODs while using it.

Hey guys! Thanks for the free, unprovoked promotion, Petteri!
Yeah, I haven't been involved in the forum much. I realized that I was terrible at following through on my games and felt sort of like dead weight to the community, I guess. Though I do still get the itch to make something in AGS (which I still think it one of the best programs ever.) Maybe I'll get a good idea some day.
Anyway, thanks if any of you bought my CD.

Hmm... My computer has the exact same pr

I had an online girlfriend, Chloe, for about six months earlier this year. She lives in California, and she contacted me on AIM after seeing my animations. We had some fun online conversations for a while, and eventually she asked me to call her and a friend...
It continued on, we started calling eachother more often, and after knowing her for just a couple of weeks, we were in love with eachother and decided to be "going out". I'd never had anyone I could call a girlfriend before this.
We managed to talk on the phone every single night for the majority of our relationship. In April I flew to California to meet her for a few days, and it was utterly glorious. Much making out ensued.
Leaving was extremely sad. Being without her for the next few weeks, it made me pretty miserable. Long distance relationships, as far as I can tell, require something to look forward to. After a while she planned a trip to Massachusetts, and I had a reason to be happy again.
It didn't quite work out, though. I'm not sure if it had everything to do with the long distance... but it does require a lot of patience, and she was probably too young to always be able to draw up the maturity it takes.
She had a movie shoot for a while, which put her in a different environment, new friends, and no time to talk to me. She ended up falling out of love with me as easily as it came in the first place. She still came to visit, but it was heartbreaking for both of us.
Having deep feelings for someone who lives far away is very difficult if you think about it all the time. And that's hard to avoid, but I suppose it can work as long as you're able to appreciate what contact you do have, even if it's only over the phone or internet.

I got screwed by the quill thing too... But I can't figure out how to get past it anyway. I can't talk to the highwaywoman while she's distracted by the guard!

Well, it's just my opinion. What appeals to me about it is the way it reflects the humor of internet culture, which I've been breastfed on for quite a while now. Not a lot of other television shows are that in touch with this kind of culture, so I think it's fresh, interesting and not to mention very funny. It's kind of an awkwardly produced show, but I think that's excusable for the kind of humor and quirky stuff it's showcased. If you don't think it's funny you won't think it's funny, so forget it exists (...existed) and carry on.