Topics

I've just about finished my second game... thanks to a bunch of you on the forums.

I don't want to release it until someone beta's it.

Anyone up for some beta testing?

I have two rooms to go but the two most complicated are finished as of tonight.

Story

This was suppose to be a MAGS game for the time travel month but the month got away from me.

I had decided that I wanted to make some REAL 3D characters so I got this program Poser 6.Ã,  The program was much more complicated than I anticipated and so I couldn't finish the game in time.

If you recall, that MAGS called for time travel, a wearable inventory item and something else I can't remember but I think it's in there.

You're in this 'forsaken' place but through your travels you find out why and how to fix it.

It gets a little complicated when you have to make a bottle of wine from scratch... but when you're done you get to meet Chris Jones... You get to meet his dad too!

The game is sort of a preface to something bigger since there are a whole bunch of other places to travel to but I never got to those other places.

It's sort of a medium size game with about 35 rooms.

There are about 35 characters as well... some walk... some don't.

Here are two sreenshots

The first is the AGS Coffehouse and they are all supposed to move while they are talking (at the same time) That's one of the problems.Ã,  YOU KNOW WHAT THE FORUMS ARE LIKE!!!
Background Speak and Wait don't go together well.

The second is one of the planets you have to go to.
The wearable inventory item!Ã,  This seemed like the perfect place.Ã,  I made a shirt but no pants.Ã,  OOPS!


If anyone is up to Beta testing this it would really be great since the last time I did a game, I didn't have anyone to test and it didn't bode well.

Special thanks to Strazer and Ashen for all their unknowing help on the forums for getting me this far.

ASHEN!Ã,  I'm really trying to learn how to script. I'm still not doing very well on Counters or Global Integers yet.

Steve (theatrx)

I know this has been covered in a whole bunch of places but I'm still not getting the answer to my problem.

Setup:Ã,  I have twenty characters doubled as 'objects' so the characters can 'talk' while the objects are animating while they are talking with overlaps... this is a good thing.

The 'characters' view is transparent so the spoken words happen where they are supposed to happen over their counterpart 'objects'.

I've done the 'in the background thing' but am forced to put a 'wait' statement in so that you can actually read what they are saying.Ã,  The wait statement stops the actual movement which is not good.Ã,  What I like is that the spoken is overlapping during the speech before and after.

I've looked at Strazer's module and although it's very cool it still doesn't do what I want... It allows one spoken... Not good.

I've also looked at the overlays and that still doesn't quite work correctly...

The two central characters 'CJ' and the player (at least in this point of the game)Ã,  have to be in the forefront... Meaning they can interrupt and talk while all this other stuff is going on.

So how do you get all this 'action' happening in the background without interupting the foreground.

Personally, I could have gotten this to work if there were more than 20 timers but I've exhausted those already.

Can't there be more timers?Ã,  Like a shitload more!!!

I exhausted 8 timers on one sequence and I did two of those because they looked so cool. (5 characters in the scene and three talking while moving) two moving during idle moments... so it looks great... I think.

The concept of timers is a great way out of this problem but a better way out of the problem is maybe the concept of a 'background' character that gets to do stuff without interrupting what's going on in the forefront... No matter what he/she says or does... they could move, talk, whatever and the action never stops.

I've thought about doing a 'multiple' object, which would include all the 'animated' objects.... animating when they are supposed to and then interpolate the 'spoken' word in timed intervals.Ã,  This could work but it is a lot of work.Ã,  It seems there should be a simpler way... The spoken 'words' would not be a said comment but more like artwork 'imposed' on the scene.Ã,  Seems possible.

I have to say that working on this new game, I have learned so much about the AGS engine and scripting (which I didn't want to do) because it seemed so daunting.

Chris... you're brilliant... and moderators... I don't know how you do it.Ã,  So many questions... New modules coming out all the time.Ã,  Growth... change... inspiration.Ã,  You guys are incredible.

My track record is bad I know. I did a game. The first one. I got upset... frustrated... asked a lot of stupid questions... posted in the wrong forums... I know I know.

I still think this platform is incredible.

I have been foraging through with this project (my new game) to creating an interactive tour of the downtown where I live for our Downtown Business Association.Ã,  What this means is... I'm using AGS for 3D rendering with actual 'real' people as the characters.Ã,  I bought this new program Poser 6 which will allow me to put the shop owners face onto a figure.Ã,  I'm using this in my new game.

I know you're all going to say I'm a Photoshop whore and I guess I am.Ã,  Do you actually know how hard it is for you to get something worthwhile out of photoshop?!Ã,  But my concept is to build an actual city and have a walkthrough... and be able to talk to everyone in the city.
Okay I'm ranting but I hope you get the picture.

One other thing, I'd love a magnifying glass view during the drawing of 'Walkable areas' and 'Walkbehinds'. It's very hard to get the pixel thing to work when you can't see the pixel.Ã,  I'm getting old.

Can anyone help on the background speak thing?Ã,  Many thanks.

THEATRX

Here's a screenshot of the room in question

I worked on the Mags November... It was close but I missed the deadline.Ã,  Wanted to work on December MAGS but again... December got away from me.Ã,  Where does one post games that are finished for Old Mags competitions?Ã,  In the New Games listings?Ã,  And how do you post it?Ã,  As a MAGS that didn't compete?Ã,  I have to tell you... one month for a game is tough!Ã,  Although, everyone probably knows that already.Ã,  My stupidity... I was working with a new 3D sprite maker... poser 6 which proved to be much more difficult than I could have ever imagined.

The sprites look great now... I think... but I think the game itself suffered for making the sprites look good.

I guess all I am asking is... what do you do with a MAGS game that isn't a MAGS game any longer?Ã,  Steve

I was going over the module thread from a little more than a year ago to today.

It is truly amazing to me how many people said that converting from plug ins to modules was impossible and yet... The new modules coming out on a weekly basis is astounding.

SSH, Ashen, Akumayo, RickJ, Steve McCrea, Pumaman and many others... You guys are doing incredible work.

You guys are turning AGS into an incredible engine... not that it wasn't incredible before... Thanks Chris.

Just wanted to say to 'you' guys and everyone else that has created a great module... Thanks.Ã,  It really is appreciated.Ã,  Steve (theatrx)

I have finally finished my AGS game for my son
A Day with Michael.

The links to upload are:

http://www.americangirlscouts.org/agsuploads/files/ADWM1C.zip
http://www.americangirlscouts.org/agsuploads/files/ADWM2C.zip
http://www.americangirlscouts.org/agsuploads/files/ADWM3C.zip

Screenshots are at
http://www.adwm.8m.com

You will have to make a folder...
wherever
and put all these files
into one folder... once all of them are there, click on the
adwm.exe file and everything should work.

Sorry it had to be three files but I just couldn't get it any lower
and get it in on the AGS 25 mg maximum.

I hope you don't have problems.

I uploaded it myself and it seems to work fine.

I finished my first AGS game!Ã,  I am sooooo happy.

Steve

I have my iconbar and inventory which work fine.

I have a room where there is an object that has 9 hotspots... and they need to have the player use inventory items on them... that works.

I also have a text bar GUI that when typed on in English translates what has been typed into Hieroglyphs.

This also works.  However, when I put the two together in the room, the iconbar, inventory and Hieroglyph text bar all work but the Interactible Object does not respond.

Since it's an object z-Order doesn't work so why is the text bar blocking my object from working?  I've tried changing the baselines etc. but that does nothing.

I'm using version 2.71.631 with sprite compression and the Sprite Preview does not work now.  Is this supposed to happen in this version?  I've been testing the game to see if they look all right but this is sort of time consuming. 

I got this message today:

Illegal exception
--
An exception 0x0000005 occured in ACWIN.EXE at EIP = 0x0043796B ; program pointer is +379, ACI version 2.71.894, gtags (513,2)

It says this exception was fatal but the engine doesn't crash... hmmm. So what's up?

Steve

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone that has helped me put my first game together.

There is so much to learn with AGS and Chris is the candle in the wind at this point... as well as all of the moderators who plow through all the newb questions.

Thanks to all of you for helping me through my first ADVENTURE with AGS... it is most daunting but thrilling nonetheless.

I still don't understand the script thing at all but I'm hoping to.

Steve

I really looked on where this shoud be posted... No Clue... There is no where to reach the guy.  I will and always do trust the moderator to put this in this right place... Many thanks. Steve


I've been working on a new project since I started using your program. I think it's marvelous.
I would like to start a new company that makes games for people.

I.E. A Game for the Downtown Business Association that would tour each business.
I.E. A game for any business that wants a game about their business
I.E. A game for any business... anywhere... that thinks this could improve their business.

I love how your game engine works... for the most part... I will ask for  favours.

Chris... I think You could make a lot of money if some smchuk like me decided  that this could work for Business.

Since I saw how this engine worked I thought... Hmmm. This could work on a whole  bunch of levels that I don't think Chris even thougt about... You probably did  though... What I'm saying is... If I decided to pump a bunch of money into this  project... would you be willing... or your dominions be willing to give me some  new code... Stuff that is not in the current Edition?

Disable stuff
If you have stuff
If you've been here
The usual "on Pop Ups"... Not in Code

In pop ups... not actual code... I'm not doing code... Short and sweet


If so... how much do you need for me (money/cash/pounds) asking you to do a bunch of stuff?

I have two backers that have seen what I've already written with your program...  they are impressed...  I told them it was you.

Chris... what I'm asking is... I have photographers... script writers... Character makers...Music Writers... I need AGS to be universal.

I think I can sell finished 'games' to busnesses to promote their business.

To communities... to promote their communities...

I think what you've created is intense and useful.  I want to run with it.

I have some AGS Guys that are willing to write modules... I like modules alot more than plug ins. 

So what kind of fee are we talking about to make AGS a game engine for the world? 

I think you're there... already... I think you need a push.

I don't want to write code at all... I want a simple "Look at my business" kind of approach... nothing hard... some puzzles but not hard... look at this... look at that... that kind of thing.

Let me know.

I didn't check spelling at all so it's all probably wrong... Sorry.

Give me a clue... I think we both can make some money.  Steve

And PS Thank you for a wonderful game engine... You did great work!!!

I'm about a week out from finishing the game I started. My family and friends have played it for just over a week.Ã,  It is a short game. I simply wanted to try AGS to see if it would work for the application I wanted it to work... It will.

Thanks to all of you that were so supportive of this new guy that wanted to make this work

Ashen... many...many thanks for all your support.

The game... my game ADWM will be up and running by next weekend.Ã,  It's a little mushy since I made it for my son and his new bride, Ruth. Still, it's an adventure...

I am a new guy and the whole AGS thing seems exciting... provocative... especially in the uses that I see.

Most people here, when I asked for help were snotty and demeaning... Cool.Ã,  I guess that's the way it is when a new guy comes into play... sort of like a freshman in high school... Still... I can't learn if you won't teach.Ã,  Ashen taught!

Again, thanks to Ashen for taking a little extra time to teach.

AGS is important I think in that it teaches cognitive thought in a multidimensional way.Ã,  How does one get from A to B... in a 'created' world?Ã,  There are many ways to get there... but which is the right way... which is the way that 'everyone' will understand.

Chris Jones... You're the bong.Ã,  Thanks for allowing us to play in your incredible world.

My game is a short adventure... maybe a couple hours depending on if you get the whole hieroglyph thing... Hugs to all.Ã,  Steve

I have a few suggestions but they are across topics... so where to post...

1) There should be disable/enable regions
2) There should be disable/enable walkable areas
3) There should be disable/enable room animations

4) There should be a decent tutorial for the new version of
AGS 2.71 since there are so many discrepancies between the
new one and the old one... GUI's don't work at all like they worked in the old one.

I really like AGS but I'm having a hard time working with old rules and new rules.

The other thing... The rules of where IF Player has inventory item and IF player has been in room needs to be defined much better than it is... Should these be placed in the room... should they be placed with an object... should they be placed after fade in... before fade in... There are a number of places that they can be placed but they DON'T WORK EVERYWHERE... So... where do they work best?

Thanks for the Christmas No play... Changed the date... easy...

I had to have a copy for my son for Christmas day... Nice try.

Still... AGS is the bong.  Hugs to all for a prosperous and happy New Year. 

The reason for these enable/disables is... For those of us that are not great scripters... these additions would make it so much easier to do a 'non script game' but still make it interesting for the player.

Other than scale and light... What use is multiple walkable areas?  If they can be enabled or disabled... then they are usable in that they can go to other places... I'm being redundant... sorry. Steve.

Just wondering what the criteria is for the above... How long is a short, medium, long game...?  Just thought I'd ask since heaven knows I don't want to post it in the wrong place!  Steve

I love AGS

[Screenshots]

Here is  a game that I've been working on for the last month.

AGS is daunting...

It's my first time out with AGS... I'm having a blast...

Oh...

What is the story about?

This guy finds himself in a nice place... but things may or may not be as nice as they seem.  He meets some cool people... finds cool stuff and picks up what he thinks he needs... Death comes close a number of times but he evaids it like the Adventure Hero he is... In the end... everyone is happy... Even if they do have to die a couple of times on the way to happiness...

There you have it... My game in a nutshell.

Screenshots



more ...
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWM1.jpg
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWM4.jpg
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWM5.jpg
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWM6.jpg
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWM7.jpg
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWM8.jpg
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWM9.jpg
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWM10.jpg
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWM11.jpg
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWM12.jpg

Hope you like the shots... I sent them to my son already and he's really maxed on his face being in the game... And his new wife...

Some Music:
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWMMusic1.mp3
http://theatrx.8m.com/ADWMMusic2.mp3

Steve (THEATRX)

Edit by Darth - Thanks for the update Steve

I've been rumaging through the forums... and the tutorials that I could find since many of the links don't work... I've never scripted anything before and knowing how to script would be very helpful... Just telling me that something is available doesn't mean that I know what the correct context is... or where to place it... I've downloaded every tutorial I've found and gone through them but none of them have examples of what the "finished complete in context" code is actually supposed to look like.  If there were some basic 'examples' of how to do things... I could probably figure out more as I went along.  Is there a scripting tutorial available?  Basic would be good but I think I'm looking for some more advanced stuff too.

As far as the AGS interface for walkable areas, rooms, objects, hotspots, regions and even sprites... etc.  I've had no problem with any of this.  It's very cool the way all this works but the scripting part is really confusing me.  Thanks beforehand. 

I need help with this too.  I have nine buttons...
M1
M2
M3
I1
I2
I3
R1
R2
R3

M = 1000
I = 1
R = nothing in particular

I want it to add up to 2003 which is the password...

MMIII

Is this possible?  I've gone through the sheets and I get the objects and solo numbers but I'm not getting how you get it to add up to the right number and then include what you pushed into the GUI label box.

I really love AGS by the way... I've built a really cool player character... and the rooms are all high res with running streams and flying birds... Awesome game engine... Steve

This is pretty cool.  I started to learn AGS... the reason... I wanted to make an interactive 'tour' of my theater but I don't have the pics yet but I wanted to learn the program... So I started making a game... after awhile I realized "I was making a game" so I reworked the beginning and now it's a game for my son and his new wife, Ruth.  I love AGS I'm so happy that it's around.  Here is a screenshot of the opening.

http://theatrx.8m.com/Michael%201.jpg
http://theatrx.8m.com/yellow%20wood.jpg

Another screen shot.

I still need help with the password question in the GUI.  Thanks.
Steve