Total Noob - Here we go!

[scissorheart]

Hi

Just a quick note to say that I have decided to throw myself in at the deep end and learn how to program a Dizzy game from scratch. I did a little bit of SQL and Access in an old job so I kind of understand the theory behind programming. The first of the three books looks a bit daunting though! Arrghhh

Oh well - guess i'll never get anywhere without trying huh!

Rob East

[delta]

good luck rob! try to understand the basics first - the difference between Static (Brush) and Dynamic (Object) Tiles, how objects in the map are manipulated in the code, etc etc.

unpak a small game like 'mushroom pie' using the 'pak' tool that comes with the dev tools, and look at the coding and map to try to understand better how the game is coded. use the books for reference when you're not sure what something does, or you can ask in here and someone will usually be able to help.

[scissorheart]

Thanks

I certainly will. I am goint to read through all of the books and make a few little demo games in order to get my head around the process before I start mapping out a full game. I'll take my time and absorb lots of ideas from the original games and the new ones that have been created here and hopefully, I'll have a new game to pass on to you all!

Rob

[xelanoimis]

Welcome to the community!

Yes, it's best to start with the books, but don't expect to understand everything before you start a small game of your own. For example, in a simple game, you don't need everything that is written in the GS9 Programming Book. You just need to know the basics, for example, how to call a function like the one provided by the engine to show a simple text message.

Work on the examples from the DizzyAGE manual because they show you how to implement the most common situations, found in a classic Dizzy game. Then try to put them together in a little game of your own.

And, if you need help, don't hesitate to ask.
Good luck!

Alex

[Meph]

Couple of things i haven't found the answer to.. (probably very simple)
But how do i name objects? (like bread) and i how do i go about getting things like bats to move? i've spend all day getting to grips with the map first attempt i forgot to make sure platforms were blocks (to stand walk on) than just background lol but i think i've got those controls sorted now.
at the moment I'm just trying to get the baddies to move.

oh i have a story and a map drawn put and puzzles in on paper, IF I'm able to master the basics with dizzyage id be a happy Chappy. once i've got theses baddies to move and can name the items i can start trying to code theses puzzles.. LOL I'm not giving up.. in fact i've giving up 4 times today but I'm still battling on... Really want to do this.

Cheers!

(by the way I'm alittle dumb and having no clue about any of this but i keep telling myself gotta start somewere..hey i have a brain like to think its not useless)

[Mishmash02]

You seem to be a lot further into doing things than I am.
So don't worry and don't give up, I'm still getting used to the map, I've no idea how to actually run a game yet but I haven't read that part of the book yet so that would be why =p
I too have my ideas on paper, and mentioned a few of them to TF (although some of them I doubt I'll be doing just because they're a bit crazy lol)

Looks as though there might be a few more upcoming games soon then =)
Give it about a year before mine is ready though lol (just in time for next years comp haha!)

[Meph]

Well i found how to do it.. i just can't do it...well it doesn't work.
going by the book i was testing with the 'bucket' as the book described. seems simple enough, follow the instructions as written down and it doesn't work.

so i tried something else.. the conversation with Daisy test..again following the instructions and nothing happens.. the only difference is with the bucket the game wont load due to a scrip error and with daisy it will load but you still can't talk to her. I'm not sure what I'm getting wrong as I'm doing everything the book tells me.



What makes its worse its just the beginning...lol

[pamuch]

Well i found how to do it.. i just can't do it...well it doesn't work.
going by the book i was testing with the 'bucket' as the book described. seems simple enough, follow the instructions as written down and it doesn't work.
so i tried something else.. the conversation with Daisy test. the only difference is with the bucket the game wont load due to a scrip error and with daisy it will load but you still can't talk to her.

What makes its worse its just the beginning...lol

This is happening to me as well.
and as you say these are at the beginning
i've also unpaked the healing potion game to compare the script but thats beyond me to.


Here is a good idea on the dizzyage website is a page for video tutorials
maybe the likes of T-F,pteal ,Alex who have made allot of games could do some tutorials on scripts for us beginners.
This may help more beginners made games as i'm up to 3 good idea's
and have done 2 maps but with out the scripts the games will not get finished

[delta]

I too have my ideas on paper, and mentioned a few of them to TF (although some of them I doubt I'll be doing just because they're a bit crazy lol)

a BIT crazy?!?!?

[delta]

Well i found how to do it.. i just can't do it...well it doesn't work.
going by the book i was testing with the 'bucket' as the book described. seems simple enough, follow the instructions as written down and it doesn't work.

so i tried something else.. the conversation with Daisy test..again following the instructions and nothing happens.. the only difference is with the bucket the game wont load due to a scrip error and with daisy it will load but you still can't talk to her. I'm not sure what I'm getting wrong as I'm doing everything the book tells me.



What makes its worse its just the beginning...lol

right, regarding the Bread item, firstly make sure in the map properties for that tile, you have the Draw property set to img+mat, this ensures it draws the image and the material.
second, make the Class property 'item', this ensures the game will try to pick it up if you press enter when standing over it.
thirdly, items you're picking up must have a brush 'type' of 'Dynamic'.
and lastly, you must assign a unique ID property for the item. i normally try to keep all items in sequential order, eg. 1000, 1001, 1002 etc. it can also help to have a list of them in somewhere like notepad, for easy reference when writing the code.

then in the game.gs script file, you need the following bit of code in the function called ObjectsSetNames(), so that it looks something like this:

func ObjectsSetNames()
{
	ObjSetName( ObjFind(1000), "LOAF OF BREAD" );
}

there are a few reasons why the script may have returned an error, the most common one being that you may not have put a ; at the end of the line of code. However i think in this instance it's more likely that you haven't changed the brush type of the item to 'Dynamic', so when the game looks to assign a name to object 1000, it's not finding a dynamic object with ID of 1000, because it's still a static brush.

regarding Daisy, i think it's probably the same thing, either you haven't changed the brush type to 'Dynamic' or you haven't set the class to 'Action' (for items that need to be actionable).

Try that and let us know if it still doesn't work.

Also a quick note on brush types. 'Static' brush types are best for background tiles, anything you want to walk on, or anything that you won't ever be moving or actioning in the game. if you'll be moving it (even if in the code) or actioning it, you need to change it to 'Dynamic' type. Dynamic brushes are used for items, coins, moving baddies, or anything you need to action, such as a character or a trigger for a door. If you want a 'blocker' such as a door, you'll need to use a Static type brush.

i hope this helps.