How to make a Game?

[Mistery]

Yes, indeed, certain protection on your pc might also cause issues - like a firewall for example.
Also the break that you have mentioned might have caused this problem.

Hmmm, I think all download links should work, but the second mirror is one of an admin on Adventure Makers Forums, maybe you can try that one.

Good luck

[~*Mercedes*~]

Hi there..i just wanted to post back and say that i was successfull in downloading it the second time..woohoo..and I"ve been playing with it all night..lol..funny thing..I opened up the "paint" that comes with it..and just started..experimenting..and OMG..I've already drawn 7 rooms..and with closeups..I can draw!..not bad..not terrific but pretty good ..like considering I"ve never done it. I have some questions though..of course.haha.

1. The icon editor..i opened it up and started drawing in there..kinda like paint i think..anyways..it seems to want to save on top of the one item i have which is a key..like on top of it ..as opposed to a separte icon ..i drew something..buttons, anyhow i didn't want it to replace the key..but it wouldnt let me save as a separate thing..:..What is the Icon editor?

2. Sounds...how do i get sounds..like a door thats locked ..stuff like that..clicking sounds.for buttons....

3. And finally, i want to make a puzzle like thing..nothing big but i was thinking of ..something like the stop light thing you have but not the same, but something with colours.

Perhaps..all three being red or whatever..how can i do that where when someone presses it it changes colours..one at a time..

Is this the right place to ask these questions.? I don't want to ask you everything, for I might drive you to drink..lol

When i'm done is there someone i can show this too..? before submitting it..would like to show you all i've done..

Ok well that's it for now..I have to apoligize..im really hyper and i've tried to edit my post a few times so I didn't sound like a wingnut..lol..but I can't help it ..I'm really enjoying this..

Many thanks once again!!!

[Lilliputt]

Congrats on finally getting AM to work!
Here are my suggestions for your questions Mercedes. I am sure Mistery will have a lot to add. Personally, I don't use the icon program that comes with the AM, but as far as I can tell it works as paint, yes
1. I dunno if I understand what you mean. It is possible to go to "File"/"Save as" and then choose what you want to call your file and where to save it

2. Why don't you try the hotspot properties and add a sound? When someone then clicks a hotspot, like a door, the sound will play

3. I would suggest to read the AM FAQ at the AM home page. Very useful tips are given how to create small puzzles

If you mean if there is any one who would volunteer to beta test your game then sure, I might be able to help You could also create a thread about your game in progress and ask gamers for help beta testing
Good luck with your game, Mercedes!

[Mistery]

Great to hear that the download and installation was successful the second time

Now to your questions:

1) I don't understand what you mean with saving "on top of the item that you have"
With the icon editor you can make small icons (save them as .ico files) that you can use as items in your games. If you open the Icon Editor, you can "draw" an icon (e.g. a hammer), and then save it as .ico file.
Another possibility for getting items to use is either to download free icons from the internet, or to resize other images and convert them to .ico files with transparent backgrounds (with GIMP or Irfan View for example - these are free software).
You find a list of links for images, icons, and sounds for example here:

http://www.adventuremaker.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1262

2. Again, there are a lot of free sound effects on the internet, check the thread on the Adventure Maker forums:

http://www.adventuremaker.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1262

Import them for example for the Hotspot Properties on the Audio tab (if the sound should start when the player clicks that hotspot).

3. Simpler puzzles can be created with the free version of Adventure Maker. For more complex puzzles, the full version is better, since you can use scripting.
To create changing colors, you need to work with variables. My tutorial that I've mentioned in one of my previous posts, contains such examples.
A simple example: change colors from red to yellow, and then to green when the hotspot is clicked, you need to create 3 similar hotspot images with the different colors, and also variables.
Create for example the variables red_clicked and yellow_clicked.
Then create a hotspot, and load in the hotspot properties the green image in it.
Create a second hotspot on the top of the first hotspot, and load the image of the yellow image in it on the Action Tab of the Hotspot Properties. On the Variables Tab of the Hotspot Properties, set "Change the value of one or more variables..." to yellow_clicked=1; and also set "The hotspot must only be enabled if..." yellow_clicked=0 (so when the player will click this hotspot, it will disappear, and thus the green image underneath it will be visible).
Create a 3rd hotspot, and load the red image in it. On the Variables Tab of the Hotspot Properties, set "Change the value of one or more variables..." to red_clicked=1; and also set "The hotspot must only be enabled if..." red_clicked=0 (so when the player will click this hotspot, it will disappear, and thus the yellow image underneath it will be visible).

However, for a more complex puzzle like mine, where you need to set different colors, or set code numbers on a number pad, in order to get an item, you will possibly need the full version of AM, or find some creative workaround, which is possible, but requires lots of thinking to find a good solution.
Bmatt has found very good solutions for rather complex puzzles with the free version, such solutions take some thinking and planning.
Again, I wouldn't start out by trying to create such a complex puzzle, but rather learn to work with variables first by creating simple puzzles. Once you have some experience with them, you can start to think about solutions for more complex puzzles.
Here are examples of puzzles that you can create without scripting - they might be helpful to understand how to use variables:

http://www.adventuremaker.com/help/puzzles.htm

And just as additional information: You can test the features of the full version (scripting, 3rd person plugin, 360° panorama etc.) for projects with less than 20 frames by clicking the according buttons and confirm the message about evaluating features of the full version.

Before you submit a game, make sure that you do a lot of beta-testing to fix all bugs if possible. If you still need beta-testers before you post the game as new game, you can post it in the "Game In Progress" section of the forums, and ask for testing:

http://gamershood.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=21

However, it is not easy to get beta-testers

[~*Mercedes*~]

..hey I never saw this here..here i am asking this same question over and over again on the other forum to no avail...and the answer is right here...[about coloured boxes.].. cool...thanks Mystery..!

Although I understand variables..i sometimes need a nudge on where to start...


I would delet other posts but there are questions there in addition to this one....so I'll leave it there for now..never know...


I was wondering...I am looking for boxes, text boxes or other wise that move when u press them....is that an animation ...or is that scripting that does that...if variables will work with that...and it just requires some innovative thinking...I'd like to try it...only for the life of me...I can't find any..lol...i would like to upload a few..if thats possible..
Again thank you..!

[Mistery]

I wouldn't delete posts, because they might be also helpful to other people

You can simulate movement by using variables.
You need to create different boxes and let them disappear/appear according to the variable status.

For example you create hotspots next to each other with the same colored box image. To make the impression that this box moves (I hope I don't make a logical mistake):
You create variables: box1_clicked, box2_clicked.
The first hotspot should be only be visible if box1_clicked = 0 and box2_clicked = 0. If you click this first hotspot, it should change box_1clicked = 1
The second hotspot should only visible if box1_clicked = 1 and box2_clicked = 0. If you click this hotspot, set box2_clicked = 1.
The 3rd hotspot should be only visible if box2_clicked = 1.

Such simulation of moving boxes (or other objects) can be done without scripting, although with scripting, you might be able to create more complex things - for example a slider puzzle.

[~*Mercedes*~]

Hey Mystery...thanks for responding..!

I have another dumb question..I thought maybe you could help me...:

I'm almost done building my website..and i'm on the games page now..seems kinda silly with just the one..lol..but i'll add..

My question is, when announcing my new game...i have to announce that free version of AM has to be downloaded..to play...is this a separate download?..basically first download it, "AM" and then come back and download or however they choose to do it... or does the download of my game "come with free version"..? as one file..that would be awesome..lol..

I guess I'm wondering how to word it...so i can either include link to AM right below my game link... wondering on how to announce it to submit it..:

Could You please help me with this pretty please..I have searched on how it was done..but not finding it....:

I"ve yet to compile it cause Ive added a few changes..

Also, included link to Mystergames..as well as Bmatt..on my site..I hope that this is ok..? I'ts not yet published so If it is a problem no biggie..

[Mistery]

Sure, no problem to add a link to my site, thanks

Yes, downloading the free version of Adventure Maker is a separate thing. They don't have to leave your homepage and come back. They just need to download and install first AM, and then download your game (it works also the other way around ). Then they just have to double-click on the .am1 file of your game, and it should start


To announce your game, I would add title and a small description, the system requirements (Windows XP, Vista, or compatible) and add the download link. Then say, that in order to be able to play this game, they need to download the free version of Adventure Maker from here: http://www.adventuremaker.com/downloads.htm

[ottyk]

Does anyone here use AGS?
Can someone tell me how to use an inventory item with a hotspot?
Ive looked in the manual and the forums but i cant find an answer.
help?

[~*Mercedes*~]

What is AGS..I don't know it..but if its anything like the program I'm using ...is there no link or anything that says "Manage Inventory Items"..or "Create Events" Right click it ..Is that the name of program you use exactly..I could search a bit for you..

*EDIT* Adventure Game Studio


Found something..~not sure if this will help or not.

 if (player.ActiveInventory!=iKey)  // used item isn't the key
    player.Say("I'm not sure how to use that on the door.");
  else {  // key was used
    player.Say("It fits!");
    // open door, etc.

This is code for if you are using a key..you would replace key with other inventory item ..also change "text" And add additional text so any other item couldnt be used to get the same effect.ex: loaf of bread..lol

does this help?

Also a link that might be useful to you..is a demo for beginners..i believe.

http://www.bigbluecup.com/yabb/index.php?topic=23083.0

Not sure if I'm allowed to post links or not..I may be allowed in this thread..either way grab it whilst you can i suppose..

[ottyk]

thaanks mercedes that helt helped LOT

[~*Mercedes*~]

Good I"m glad..

That was the cleanest one I thought.. It's been a while since I've used statements..but it's all coming back to me now.~.I've seen enough of them lately..~

[Merlina]

Ok, after reading the thread I have a few questions, I didn't see them answered, but if I missed them I apologize. I have tried AM before and it is cool, but my question is do a lot of people actually download games to play them? I know I don't I use the ones online which means I need flash...I actually have Flash and have taken courses on it, but more for the animations/website design so not so much for the game development. Is there a program somewhere maybe that you use with flash to add different things or maybe has actionscripts to use or something? I can make the pictures, that's no problem. It's more about the advanced programming. The main things I want to learn is

1. How do you make an inventory
2. How do you make a code lock (like where you have to either rotate something to the right number or type the right number in)
3. How do you make it remember what was done (I once made a sort of click through game in Director with a partner, but we ended up making frames for each decision of each path so the order didn't matter and it was a pain and didn't work out so well. We did this to develop a "fake" inventory as well.
4. Also if you use animations in a flash game (like I want to take 3d art that I have and animate it) would you just have the for example arrow you click to turn start the animation and then anything clickable or whatever would be on the last frame that it would remain on? I'm just wondering if I'm understanding that part right. I haven't used Flash in so long.

My last separate question about game making is has anyone ever used Dark Basic/The 3D Gamemaker/or any of their products before? I actually saw one in Compusa once and never saw it again. It looks like it might be nice (even if it is downloadable games) and you obviously can do a lot with programming as well (I get the impression that even with the full version of AM it has some limitations with that?) but I don't want to go into buying a program unless I know what it is like.

Also, is there a thread, or someone interested, to look for people to help with products? I have game ideas, along with the ability to render 3d pictures that I wanted to use for a game, but still need the programming knowledge. I was thinking though that maybe there are programmers who are looking for artists, lol.

[Jones]

Sorry this is not helpful but: Welcome to the forum Merlina!

[Mistery]

Hi Merlina, welcome to the forums

I'll try to answer to those questions of you that I'm able to answer:

I would say that if you are working with the free version of Adventure Maker, and players need to download it, too, in order to be able to play the game, there are players who do that, but probably not too many.
If you have the full version, and therefore are able to create a standalone executable (.exe file) of your game, there are indeed a lot of players who download it - if it looks nice and matches their taste. I think it's also up to you to post or to submit your games to the "right" places
Of course you should not expect that your very first game will be downloaded by thousands of players - but if you create a couple of games that people like, and also do a little advertisement, you can get hundreds and even thousands (over a couple of months of course) of players from my own experience.

There are a lot of game creation tools out there - free, rather cheap up to very expensive. You can find a list of some here:

http://gamershood.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3575

I've played around with a few of them (trial versions or free full versions) to see how I get along with them, but until today I'm still working with Adventure Maker. Because it fits my needs most so far, and because I'm not able to program a game from the scratch. I've found also other very good tools, but they had other limitations, upon which I've returned to Adventure Maker.

Of course it depends what kind of game you would like to create. There is no software available that has no limitations - they just fit different needs. That's why there is not an optimal game creation software for all.
Therefore your choice depends on different criteria: what kind of game, what kind of features you need, what scripting/programming knowledge you have, what are your system requirements, how much money do you want or can spend on a software etc.

I can't help you with Flash, but there are a lot of online tutorials, e.g. here:

http://gamershood.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10130

http://www.actionscript.org/resources/categories/Tutorials/Flash/

http://www.newgrounds.com/collection/flashtutorials.html

Feel free to post some of your artwork examples here:

http://gamershood.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=47

But you can also check out forums that are specifically about game development, and see if there is someone interested in collaboration.
(e.g. here http://forums.indiegamer.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20, or one of the forums of game creation tools/software)