Messages

i'm confused.

shouldnt this be simply

Code: ags

if (player.Moving) oWheetWhoot.Visible = true;
else oWheetWhoot.Visible = false;

In all intents and purposes, isn't that basically the same thing I'm trying to do, but written without the "{" and "}":s? How does that function differently than my:

Code: ags

if (cEgo.Moving == true) {
    oWheetWhoot.Visible = true; 
    oWheetWhoot.Y = 169; // cEgo walks on Y 199
    oWheetWhoot.X = cEgo.x - 13; // Makes oWheetwhoot float over cEgo sprite
} else {
    oWheetWhoot.Visible = false;
}

It's those

Code: ags

    oWheetWhoot.Y = 169; // cEgo walks on Y 199
    oWheetWhoot.X = cEgo.x - 13; // Makes oWheetwhoot float over cEgo sprite

lines that I'm worrying about now. To me it feels like they are causing the flickering for some reason. I'll just have to get back to testing to see if I can get it to work once I get back home.

I tested this script in the following form:

Code: ags

function room_RepExec()
{
if (integerthatgoesupeverytenseconds >= 1) {
    oWheetWhoot.Visible = true; 
    oWheetWhoot.Y = 169; // cEgo walks on Y 199
    oWheetWhoot.X = cEgo.x - 13; // Makes oWheetwhoot float over cEgo sprite
} else {
    oWheetWhoot.Visible = false;
}
}[code]

The flickering still takes place when cEgo is walking around. The only variable being checked receives a 
[code]
integerthatgoesupeverytenseconds++;

every ten seconds or so.

Also, doesn't the cEgo.Moving return "true" when cEgo is walking? Or am I misunderstanding its purpose?

@Unai: oWheetwhoot is a small object that floats on the main character at roughly knee-level and loops a simple animation. It is supposeed to be visible only when cEgo moves, otherwise it is not visible. Think of an object being used as an overlay to simulate a character's feet kicking up dust as he/she walks.[/code][/code]

Here's a little bit of code:

Code: ags

function room_RepExec()
{
if (integerthatgoesupeverytenseconds >= 1 && cEgo.Moving == true && oWheetWhoot.Visible == false) {
    oWheetWhoot.Visible = true; 
    oWheetWhoot.Y = 169; // cEgo walks on Y 199
    oWheetWhoot.X = cEgo.x - 13; // Makes oWheetwhoot float over cEgo sprite
} else {
    oWheetWhoot.Visible = false;
}
}
// oWheetWhoot is animated all the time (eRepeat) 

I tried removing the checks for cEgo.Moving and oWheetWhoot visibility, and when cEgo remains in place, oWheetWhoot is shown correctly. BUT: when cEgo walks left or right, the object seems to flicker.

Any ideas on the cause? Ways this could be improved?

This looks and sounds awesome in every aspect. And hearing how much work people are putting into this, I think it's a pretty safe bet that this will see its release in the near future. Great!

Whoa, darn! I started my project on thursday and on sunday I had 80% of the graphics done (all background, objects, the GUI and inventory items, and main character's standing frames), as well as about 25% of the scripting. The GUI is finished on operational and I have a rough scetch on the intro and outro. Not bad for my first MAGS, if I do say so myself.

I don't think I've ever been this fast with anything before. I have to agree with Calin there: MAGS is excellent, indeed!

Current objective: make it possible to play the game from start to finish by friday. Then add intro & outro and some extra goodies and proceed to final testing!

How is everyone else doing?

Aww heck! For some reason I missed that one in the manual...

Well this should simplify things greatly! Thanks Calin!

I am making a custon same/load GUI, in which I represent each saved game with a symbol.

My goal: when the save/load GUI is loaded, the game checks either the name of the saved game, or a variable in the saved game file, and then shows a corresponding symbol from a list. Say, the player has completed 50% of the game and saved into slot 2. When the save/load GUI is loaded up, the game checks the name of the save in slot 2, finds that it has been automatically named as "2_50" and then shows the player a symbol that represent a 49-50% game completion.

Main question, therefore, is:

When a game is saved with the SaveGameSlot() command, it is given a name. How do I read said name into a string variable?

OR

If this is possible: how can I read a single variable from a saved game? Lets say that there is a global variable in the game called "int savecompletion". The game records the players progress in percentage into this variable. When the player opens the Save/load GUI, is there a way to read this variable from a saved game slot and show it to the player?

If yes, how?

This looks incredible! Definetly going to play this one, and if you ever need beta testers or something, don't hesitate to send me a message!

[anian]

MY vote for winner: anian

Thought I'd say a word or two about each of the stories, writings, thingamabobs etc:

Calin Elephantsittingonface - My Penultimate Torture
> An interesting take on the whole "bunch of virgins in parad... Ahahahaha! Who am I kidding!? You're gonna be in limbo for all eternity, SUCKER!" scheme, and a devious take on all religion.


Oliwerko - Where's good?
> For some reason I didn't catch the afterlife part in this one, though (as expected when the theme is "afterlife") there were a lot of questions, with no answers, about a higher power and the rules and regulations of good and evil.


Zetsaika - Curiosity
> I personally think this one could have done with a little more meat around its bones, as it seems a bit short. The main character reminded me a little of Herbert West, though suicide was not quite his style anyway.


Jimbob - Story with no name
> I liked this one quite a bit! A personal afterlife, shaped by its "owners'" (for a lack of a better word) memories and past is a very intriguing idea indeed. It got me thinking of what my afterlife might consist of...


Atelier - Hunwald
> Sorry, didn't get it. The connection between the story and "afterlife". I thought of afterlife as something that takes place after one's death, but...

Nope. Still don't get it.


Dualnames - Monologue
> I didn't get much out of this one. Too abstract? I'm not sure if that's the right word (non-native english) but it feels close, at least, to what this story felt like to me.


anian - Poem with no name
> I'm not a man of poems or rhymes! But then again I found myself reading this one aloud, whispering to myself, for some reason. Very enjoyable, actually. Good job!


Akatosh - A way out
> Is there cyber-porn in Canada? If yes: What bank account do I transfer my donation to? Where do I sign?

*
1: A gameplay mechanic or quirk to set it apart.
2: Interesting and credible story that does not start off too slow (players will lose interest)
3: Immersion, ie: the events and things of the game should feel like they belong in the game's world

*
A good character and story design, clever use of sound (music, SFX and voice acting), clever use of gameplay mechanics, immersion

*
Illogical puzzles, lack of immersion, horrendous graphics (simple is good, detailed is good, detailed but poorly drawn and cluttered = horrendous), a story that starts off too slow or ends without any closure, unskippable tutorials, games that need tutorials (give basic controls in manual, have player lear by doing!), unskippable cutscenes (especially with voices / music), too easy, too hard (some like games easy, a selectable difficulty level is good).

*
Lucasarts

*
Mouse & keyboard are ok. It might be a good idea to mix them up a bit (I intend to do this in the future)
* Anything else you can think of....

I just had a vision! I've never participated in a MAGS before, but darn it, I WILL try!

Feelin' creative today. Here's another background (90% complete) for your enjoymet Cianty! Thanks for keeping an eye on this thread all the time!

http://www.whamgames.com/images/Forumsht/R_n_D_01.png

I happened on this topic and got an instant idea in my head so I had to write this. I'm not sure if it is ok by the rules, it seems to be quite different from what others have posted, but I still wanted to post it. Hope you guys enjoy!




The following transcript was recovered on a data disk, which in turn was discovered inside an emergency escape pod, evidently launched manually from the Alpha Centauri IV research station by an unidentified person. The transcript is a text-form of an audio log, although some of the data is corrupted, resulting in only a partial extraction of the video-log mentioned in the transcript.

[Record date: Jul. 28th 2714]
[Record start time: 00:14:42 SET (Standard Earth Time)]
[Recorder: Rank 2 Observer S. Miller (OS-SS-56-773-A)]

[Begin transcript, manual start]

Testing, one, two, one two... Good.

My name is Sean Miller, I work in the Alpha Centauri four research station. My ID code is five-six-dash-seven-seven-three-dash-alpha. I am responsible for observation of the research on this station, and of collating reports to be sent back to Earth.

I - [fragment]

I, uh - [fragment]

- seem to be having difficulties typing, so I'm doing an audio log now. Its - [fragment]

- uh - [fragment]

Its so hard - [fragment]

- so -[fragment]

Hrcrmm [clears throat]

Quantum physics divides all things into dimensions: the first dimension a mere concept of a point in space.

The second dimension, a line drawn from the point, creating a two-dimensional shape.

The third dimension gives the shape depth, creating the three-dimensional space you and I see every day.

A proper quantum theorist would use more difficult terms, I'm sure, but -

- but this will do. [fragment]

The three-dimensional object also acts as a point, a point in time.

The fourth dimension is time, a sort of line of three-dimensional objects, moving from order into disorder. A vase falling from a table and shattering on the floor, for example. A sort of river of three-dimensional objects forming a uniform line, which cannot turn on itself.

The fifth dimension gives time a shape, allowing it to ebb and creating the multiverse. An infinity of routes time might have travelled, a fork in the river. What if the vase never fell? What if it was never there to begin with? It boggles the mind just thinking about it. There are more dimensions, but they are of no matter to us here. Save for one...

This log is paired with a vid-log of our experiments. The scientists narrated it, or thought they did, but after the experiment began, there was no sound. All was still and quiet. I will do my best to narrate the vid-log, as a layman, to give perspective to those who might watch it later. I -

[sound of bottle opening, liquid being poured into glass]

Gllb, gmph, gghh [Drinking ?]

Hahh [Unknown sound?]

[click, button]

The vid-log begins in an room. This is not the first time we ran such an experiment, and knowing what to expect the scientists decided upon this room for a reason which will become evident later. Professor Anderson is seen removing a protective plastic cover from a circular device, which we will reference from now on as the "portal". Professor Geller is at the moment handling the camera from outside of the frame, panning it around the room, showing that the room is a standard space of one-hundred square meters, walls, floor and ceiling consisting of uniform metal plates. The room was used as storage space before it was emptied, and as such the walls are unpainted and bare. A single metal door can be seen, next to which are some machines that are used to feed power and coolant into devices attached to the portal, via tubes and cables. There is also a small cylinder-shaped cage, which is covered with a black cloth. This contains a small canine which was selected to participate in this test. I myself can be seen standing next to the door, making notes. This was the first time I participated in the experiments conducted with the portal.

Professor Geller now moves the camera close to the portal and places it on a tripod so that the view is through the portal, towards the solid back wall of the room. The original audio track contains some notes and narration from the professors at this point, as they talk each other through the power-up sequence of the portal. You can -

You can see a bright light in the portal as it is powered. The sequence takes precisely fourty-three seconds. The light fades after a short while and the portal seems unchanged, save for two details. There are now two objects visible that were not visible before: a small object on the floor near the portal, and a larger shape in the back corner of the room. All audio is cut at this point -

I can remember the professors talking, well, trying to talk to one another. It seems that all sound had disappeared, as if we were standing in a vacuum, although the air was still perfectly breathable.

Professor Anderson's hand is visible in the frame now, as he places three sensors through the portal. You cannot see it from this angle, but the objects seem to just disappear as they are placed through the portal. Two devices transmit wireless signals and the third is connected to the machinery near the door via a thin wire. Professor Geller now moves the camera a bit to show you the monitors. Both wireless devices have stopped transmitting immediately after being placed through the portal, though the wired device is transmitting data. It registers the temperature as minus seventy degrees centigrade, and fails to detect any kind of background radiation, even the small traces that normally penetrate the station walls. After a short while the professors remove the sensors, and as professor Geller is now holding the camera in an angle, you can see how it seems that the devices professor Anderson in retrieving are materializing from thin air.

I was astonished to see it. A wormhole we called it at one point, not long ago.

The professors have named the space behind the portal as "dimension zero", though few call it with a different name.

[click, button]

[pause: 81 seconds]

[metallic object clattering against a hollow metal surface (table?)]

[pause: 12 secunds]

[click, button]

I rewinded the vid-log a little. I - [fragment]

I didn't want to see - [fragment]

I - [fragment]

Professor Anderson is now holding the camera next to the portal, while professor Geller moves the portal.

The device is standing on a wheeled stand for easy transportation.

There is still no sound.

Professor Anderson turns the portal so that you can better see what is on the floor, the small object we glimpsed earlier. This is the first time the objects are properly studied, as we only have limited time to conduct these experimets, due to the massive power drain of the portal. There was one previous study conducted alone by the late professor Stone, though he didn't use a camera to visually record the event.

The camera is now moved closer for a better view. The object seems to be a small furry mammal, likely a small rat. It is unmoving and looks like a pale, transparent shadow of a real creature. Professor Geller produces a long metal rod and uses it to gently poke the creature through the portal. Perhaps an unscientific method, but an effective one. It seems that the rod passes through the rat-creature, scraping the floor. The camera is jerked back and professor Geller is frantically speaking at professor Anderson, who is holding the camera, but there is still no sound. The professor drops the metal rod and presents his palm to the camera. There is a black mark on the skin, as if a very localized frostbite had caused superficial necrosis of the skin. The -

Geller grimaces and shakes his head. It is not visible, but he nudges the metal rod away with his foot.

He seems distraught and shaken, but after a very short pause and some frantic gestures of pulling a plug and denial, the professors decide to continue.

The portal is moved once more, and as it is turned the camera can now see the larger object in the corner.

Hahhh! [gasp]

gnnn [?]

My god - [fragment]

[sounds of shattering glass]

Aah! [fragment]

The large shape, it - [fragment]

Similiar to the rat-thing, the figure is a transparent and pale shadow form, the professors move the portal around to get a more precise view of the thing. It is a man. A human being.

He - [fragment]

Stone had called it purgatory - [fragment]

MY god, I - [fragment]

The shape of professor Stone is standing in the corner, wearing his usual lab-coat, his eyes seemingly gazing at the ceiling, right next to the spot from where his body was recovered not long ago, before the room was cleared. He had written on the walls -

Purgatory - [fragment]

His hands are holding the scalpel. He was found with a scalpel lodged in his - [fragment]

In his - [fragment]

There is a long incision - [fragment]

He had cut - [fragment]

My God, how can a man even - [fragment]

From his lower lip all the way to his chest, the cut is curved and struck an artery and his trachea -

He died fast, God bless his soul. The camera is moved so you can better see the face. Stone's face. His mouth is agape and his -

His eyes! [fragment]

They moved! They looked at us, followed us as we moved! He -

He was there! In - [fragment]

In purgatory - [fragment]

God!

God, I - [fragment]

huuuhn, huh, huhhc [sobbing]

[click, button]

They watch us - [fragment]

From beyond - [fragment]

[Footsteps, sound of door opening, footsteps, sound of door closing]

[Silence: 100 seconds]

[End transcript // Automatic recording halt, no user detected, 404]



[Addendum]

No communications were received from the Alpha Centauri IV research station after Jul. 24th 2714.
A rescue party arrived aboard the USS Killigan on Sep. 1st 2714, there was no sign of the crew of the research station. One body was recovered from the morgue; that of professor A. Stone. He had died from drowning (likely in his own blood) and / or massive blood loss due to a likely self-inflicted wound.

The portal device mentioned in the transcript was recovered and its safety is currently under evaluation.

[End of addendum]

Back to the first page, you cur!

After a ton of work and a lot of great help from the Critic's Lounge, a new background is finished. It looked so awesome that I wanted to post it up here as well!

http://www.whamgames.com/images/Forumsht/finalhydroponics.png

I now have almost 25% of the rooms in the game covered, though they are mostly the simpler ones and the trickiest ones are still just rough sketches.

Ok, I tried to lower the fader for the rear rows now (sorry Darth, but the idea is that the tubes continue high up before making a turn and merging elsewhere, so I can't give them a visible "end" in this room.)

Here's what I call "the final version". That means that I'm going to take a break from developing it and might look at it again some time later, maybe. Or then I might just stick it in the game as is. Who knows?

http://www.whamgames.com/images/Forumsht/finalhydroponics.png

It looks quite nice by now, but I would get rid of the back wall gradient, it looks.. bad. I don't know, if you want a transition then you should probably do it like you did with the top of the plant tanks.

Yeah, I'll still have to look at that part again. I tried a smoother gradient earlier but it looked perhaps a bit too sleek compared to the quite flat colourd of the rest of the game.

http://www.whamgames.com/images/Forumsht/hydroponicstest05.png

Another edit. In my opinion, this is pretty darn close to being finished at last!

Yeah, the two lines look a bit crude at the moment, though I'm not sure what exactly you mean by your new fix. I'll have to look into it, though.

I will add a slight shadow to the base of the tubes, though not quite as wide as in your example. Again, keeping it simple is the only reason. I was thinking of animating some of the floor panels so they could be raised, but I think I'll leave it out as it would have no gameplay purpose and it could mess up the shadows.

The darkness that is used to vanish the top parts of the tubes: I don't quite agree with your vision there. If you look at the vanishing points (from the sides of the picture) you'll notice that the vanishing point is at the same height as the top of the door on the left. In that case, t he tubes in the back should disappear LOWER than the ones in front, if I wanted to follow the perspective aspect of the matter. As it is, I only use the darkness to vanish the tubes so that they wont extend to the top of the screen and because I want to avoid drawing ceilings, so I think I wont be changing them. Besides, I use a simple room-wide object which has an alpha channel to simulate the darkening in the final game, and I dont want to bother making three of 'em just for that little detail.

Hehe! I'm actually avoiding extra light sources, to keep shadows etc simpler. The "light band" is actually just a colour-coded band of color on the wall to help crewmen identify the area they are in (for example: white = medical, red = security and so on).

Thanks Matti!

I have no idea how to actually fix the  fade to black at the top, and I don't think that's the topmost issue at the moment. As long as the plants look OK and the room works overall, I'm glad!

Here's another edit:

http://www.whamgames.com/images/Forumsht/hydroponicstest04_with_corn.png