Friday 18 December 2009
Thursday 17 December 2009
How many e-mail adresses do you need?
Six, that's how many I need. This is the method i'm using to keep my inbox sorted and spam free.
A) personal address which includes my real name for trusted people, family, banks etc.
B) Three addresses using my mediajack domain, one for professional contacts such as job applications and freelance contact.
a second address for my business card,
and a third to display on the website.
The third one will likely get picked up by spambots and get a bunch of unwanted messages sent to it, but by having the other addresses I can easily get to work related mail.
C) A social address linked to my MSN Live account, this is the address I would use to sign up for facebook and twitter and get all my social updates in one place.
D) A spam G-mail address using a made up name, I use this account for whenever you have to put a legitimate email address on a sign up form. This is where all the spam newsletters from all the sites I've percussed things from end up.
A) personal address which includes my real name for trusted people, family, banks etc.
B) Three addresses using my mediajack domain, one for professional contacts such as job applications and freelance contact.
a second address for my business card,
and a third to display on the website.
The third one will likely get picked up by spambots and get a bunch of unwanted messages sent to it, but by having the other addresses I can easily get to work related mail.
C) A social address linked to my MSN Live account, this is the address I would use to sign up for facebook and twitter and get all my social updates in one place.
D) A spam G-mail address using a made up name, I use this account for whenever you have to put a legitimate email address on a sign up form. This is where all the spam newsletters from all the sites I've percussed things from end up.
Wednesday 16 December 2009
Linked in, After Effects, Drawing, Coke Ad.
I Now have a linked in profile, you can find me at http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/jack-greenslade/17/458/689
--
I've been checking out the After Effects training on http://www.videocopilot.net
I made a hoodie turn from blue to red, brilliant!
--
Drawing of the day
If captain hook, Pac man, a dinosaur and a monk had a kid, it might look something like this.
--
Coke ad added to site
You know those annoying video advertising boards you see at the sides of football pitches that are really distracting and annoying? I made one of those.
http://mediajack.co.uk/coke
--
--
I've been checking out the After Effects training on http://www.videocopilot.net
I made a hoodie turn from blue to red, brilliant!
--
Drawing of the day
If captain hook, Pac man, a dinosaur and a monk had a kid, it might look something like this.
--
Coke ad added to site
You know those annoying video advertising boards you see at the sides of football pitches that are really distracting and annoying? I made one of those.
http://mediajack.co.uk/coke
--
Thursday 22 October 2009
Photoshop
This is a shot from La Jetée style short film "The Slowest Crisis"
This is the original photo.
I love Photoshop.
This is the original photo.
I love Photoshop.
Saturday 6 June 2009
Who Buried Paul?
Brian Moriarty, a former Infocom employee and author of some classic text adventures such as Wishbringer (1985), Trinity (1986) and Beyond Zork (1987 has done many excellent lectures at Game Development conferences including Who Buried Paul? a talk about the persistent rumor that Paul Mcartney died in a car crash in 1967 and how many Beatles fans found clues in the Beatles music and album art. Near the end of the talk he suggests mystery solving could be used in games, I believe this may have inspired the the creation of alternate reality games.
Video and transcript of the lecture
ARG. Alternate Reality Games
"Alternate Reality Games not only exist on the web - they call you up, invade your TV show and fly helicopters outside of your house. This talk will provide a quick introduction in ARGs, and focus on how we're using lessons learned from Perplex City Season 1 to make Season 2 a much more fun, more accessible and more immersive experience. Credits: Speaker:Adrian Hon"
I'm starting to think that ARGs are something I might like to get involved in as a job. I don't think I could do it on my own one reason being that I'm not into puzzle making, but doing websites, videos, and minigames for ARGs could be fun.
I'm starting to think that ARGs are something I might like to get involved in as a job. I don't think I could do it on my own one reason being that I'm not into puzzle making, but doing websites, videos, and minigames for ARGs could be fun.
Digital Storytelling
I've been looking at Alternate reality games (ARG) recently and one of the things that has put me off them is there over complexity, sometimes requiring a high level of maths to solve the puzzles.
In this video from Google Tech Talks Adrian Hon from ARG developer Mind Candy talks about the projects his team worked on that took a different approach to telling stories on the web.
Telling stories in new and interactive ways is something I have been interested in for a while, my project for my first year in Interactive Media "Sparrow" was an experiment in telling a story with interactive elements, it wasn't as interactive as I would have like to make it as then I didn't have the flash skills I do now but its something I would like to revisit.
Click the image to play sparrow
In this video from Google Tech Talks Adrian Hon from ARG developer Mind Candy talks about the projects his team worked on that took a different approach to telling stories on the web.
Telling stories in new and interactive ways is something I have been interested in for a while, my project for my first year in Interactive Media "Sparrow" was an experiment in telling a story with interactive elements, it wasn't as interactive as I would have like to make it as then I didn't have the flash skills I do now but its something I would like to revisit.
Click the image to play sparrow
Monday 11 May 2009
Tuesday 5 May 2009
using anxbox 360 pad on a mac
Driver: http://tattiebogle.net/index.php/ProjectRoot/Xbox360Controller/OsxDriver
Joypad to keyboard button linker http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/12293
Joypad to keyboard button linker http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/12293
CV Research
A couple of sites I visited while researching CVs I did visit more but I cant post everything I do.
Sunday 3 May 2009
Friday 1 May 2009
GDC Vault
I recomend that everyone goes to http://mygdc.gdconf.com/vault/1337 and checks out all the free recordings from the game developers confrence espeshialy The game design challege this years theme is "my first time" the participants must design a game based on there experience losing there virginity.
IGDA
Another site I frequent for a more videogame centric focused talks and writings is the igda the inernational game design assosiation igda.org. They sometimes post videos of talks that have taken place. including this one about the different generations of game developers and speculates on what my generation (Generation Y) is all about.
a few of my faverate things
I love good talks/lectures, we haven't really had that many people come into university to talk to us but here A couple of sites that have great talks that inspire me and often distract me from practical work.
TED.COM
FORA.TV
They even have talks about games and interactive media
Another site that deals in presentations often critequeing ones from the above sites is presentationzen.com
TED.COM
FORA.TV
They even have talks about games and interactive media
Another site that deals in presentations often critequeing ones from the above sites is presentationzen.com
Thursday 30 April 2009
GotoAndPlay Website
I followed some tutorials to get a better idea how to use CSS and XHTML and I made this site for the gotoAndPlay exhibition.
jackuchu.net/gtap
Its somewhat similar to the final official site put together by Jim.
gotoandplay09.co.uk
Poster
I made this poster for our GotoAndPlay exhibition, lots of people liked it but it couldn't be used because Nintendo might sue us.
A life well wasted
In the latest installment of a life well wasted Robert Ashley talks to an anonymous game developer about working in the industry, its sounds like a horrible business to work in and this interview has reinforced my thinking that high budget game development isn't the place for me.
Check it out
From the life well wasted blog there's a piece on Eskil Steenberg who at the moment is single handedly developing love a MMO, his outlook doesn't seem so positive either.
"My apartment, the cell of my self-imposed prison sentence." That doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me.
Check it out
From the life well wasted blog there's a piece on Eskil Steenberg who at the moment is single handedly developing love a MMO, his outlook doesn't seem so positive either.
"My apartment, the cell of my self-imposed prison sentence." That doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me.
Added feature: FastBox
FastBox
Like the water that makes you fall slower this fastbox makes the character run faster.
code on player=
var fastspd:Number = speed*1.5;
// Test fastbox and speed up
if (_root.fastbox.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
speed = fastspd;
}// else {
//speed = setspeed;
//}
Like the water that makes you fall slower this fastbox makes the character run faster.
code on player=
var fastspd:Number = speed*1.5;
// Test fastbox and speed up
if (_root.fastbox.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
speed = fastspd;
}// else {
//speed = setspeed;
//}
Added features: Death
Death
//Code on thing you want to kill the player.
onClipEvent(load){
this.frm = "221";
}
//Code in thing you want to kill the player.
onClipEvent(load){
onEnterFrame = function(){
var hit = this.hitTest(_root.player);
// Start Playing
if(hit)
Then
(_root.gotoAndPlay(frm));
}
//
This works in a simolar way to the soundboxes lots of diffrent death boxes that send you to diffrent frames depending on what "frm" you direct it to.
to make a respown point that you will redirect flash to, create two frames one with a blank frame where the character was and another with the character placed where you want him to respawn.
//Code on thing you want to kill the player.
onClipEvent(load){
this.frm = "221";
}
//Code in thing you want to kill the player.
onClipEvent(load){
onEnterFrame = function(){
var hit = this.hitTest(_root.player);
// Start Playing
if(hit)
Then
(_root.gotoAndPlay(frm));
}
//
This works in a simolar way to the soundboxes lots of diffrent death boxes that send you to diffrent frames depending on what "frm" you direct it to.
to make a respown point that you will redirect flash to, create two frames one with a blank frame where the character was and another with the character placed where you want him to respawn.
Added Features: moving platforms
Moving Platforms
When trying to make moving platforms I ran into a problem the platform would move but the character would not go with it. I fixed this problem by turning the moving platform into a moving springboard that propelled the character a small height giving the player time in the air to move the character along with the moving platform.
Code =
var movspringHeight:Number = 11;
// how high you jump on movingspring
if (_root.movingspring.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -movspringHeight;
_y -= 4;
this.gotoAndStop(4);
}
When trying to make moving platforms I ran into a problem the platform would move but the character would not go with it. I fixed this problem by turning the moving platform into a moving springboard that propelled the character a small height giving the player time in the air to move the character along with the moving platform.
Code =
var movspringHeight:Number = 11;
// how high you jump on movingspring
if (_root.movingspring.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -movspringHeight;
_y -= 4;
this.gotoAndStop(4);
}
Wednesday 29 April 2009
Added features
Fans
I wanted to make platforms that you could jump through and then land on I managed to make them but when the character was on them he wouldn't walk on them he'd just sort of float above them playing his idle animation so I added a bit of code to make him play the falling animation and changed the art of the platforms into fans. The last paragraph of code makes adds the ability to jump while on a fan.
Code:
var platformHeight:Number=0
//platform resistance
if (_root.platform.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -platformHeight;
_y -= 1;
this.gotoAndStop();
}
if (Key.isDown(65) && _root.platform.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -jumpHeight;
_y -= 4;
this.gotoAndStop(2);
}
I wanted to make platforms that you could jump through and then land on I managed to make them but when the character was on them he wouldn't walk on them he'd just sort of float above them playing his idle animation so I added a bit of code to make him play the falling animation and changed the art of the platforms into fans. The last paragraph of code makes adds the ability to jump while on a fan.
Code:
var platformHeight:Number=0
//platform resistance
if (_root.platform.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -platformHeight;
_y -= 1;
this.gotoAndStop();
}
if (Key.isDown(65) && _root.platform.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -jumpHeight;
_y -= 4;
this.gotoAndStop(2);
}
Added features
Springboards
Springboards prepare you into the air much higher than normal jumping.
Code used
var springHeight:Number = 30;
// how high you jump on spring
if (_root.spring.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -springHeight;
_y -= 4;
this.gotoAndStop(3);
_root.spring.gotoAndPlay(2);
}
Springboards prepare you into the air much higher than normal jumping.
Code used
var springHeight:Number = 30;
// how high you jump on spring
if (_root.spring.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -springHeight;
_y -= 4;
this.gotoAndStop(3);
_root.spring.gotoAndPlay(2);
}
Player code
The actionscript2 code that is placed on the player character is
onClipEvent (load) {
var slide:Number = 0;
//moving plaform slide
var grav:Number = 0;
// gravity
var speed:Number = 10;
// how fast you walk
var jumpHeight:Number = 15;
// how high you jump
var springHeight:Number = 30;
// how high you jump on spring
var movspringHeight:Number = 11;
// how high you jump on movingspring
var platformHeight:Number=0
//platform resistance
var dangerHeight:Number = 7;
// how high you jump when hit by danger
var slow:Number = .7;
// sets water falling speed
var fast:Number = 7;
var slowspd:Number = speed/2;
// sets water walking speed
var fastspd:Number = speed*1.5;
var setspeed:Number = speed;
var scale:Number = _xscale;
var ex:Number = 10;
// makes hitTests better, change for a closer hitTest (warning, more buggy if smalle, less real if further)
this.gotoAndStop(2);
var movingItems = new Array();
}
onClipEvent (enterFrame) {
grav++;
_y += grav;
// If not touching the ground then fall down (gravity)
while (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
_y--;
grav = 0;
}
// Test water and slow down
if (_root.water.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
if (grav>0) {
grav *= slow;
}
speed = slowspd;
} else {
speed = setspeed;
}
// Test fastbox and speed up
if (_root.fastbox.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
speed = fastspd;
}// else {
//speed = setspeed;
//}
if (Key.isDown(key.RIGHT) && !Key.isDown(88)) {
// Moving Right
_x += speed;
_xscale = scale;
if (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
this.gotoAndStop(1);
} else {
this.gotoAndStop(4);
}
} else if (Key.isDown(key.LEFT) && !Key.isDown(88)) {
//Moving Left
_x -= speed;
_xscale = -scale;
if (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
this.gotoAndStop(1);
} else {
this.gotoAndStop(4);
}
} else {
// not moving or falling
if (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true) && !Key.isDown(79) && !Key.isDown(73)) {
this.gotoAndStop(3);
}
//fast movement
if (Key.isDown(key.RIGHT) && Key.isDown(88)) {
// Moving Right
_x += fastspd;
_xscale = scale;
if (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
this.gotoAndStop(1);
} else {
this.gotoAndStop(4);
}
} else if (Key.isDown(key.LEFT)&& Key.isDown(88)) {
//Moving Left
_x -= fastspd;
_xscale = -scale;
if (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
this.gotoAndStop(1);
} else {
this.gotoAndStop(4);
}
} else {
// not moving or falling
if (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true) && !Key.isDown(79) && !Key.isDown(73)) {
this.gotoAndStop(3);
}
}
// Check moving blocks
// loop through them all
for(var i =0; i< movingItems.length; i++){
if (movingItems[i].hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)){
var offset = Math.abs(_x - movingItems[i].block._x);
_x = movingItems[i].block._x;
}
}
}
// Animations
if (Key.isDown(79) && !Key.isDown(65) && !Key.isDown(key.LEFT) && !Key.isDown(key.RIGHT) && !Key.isDown(73)) {
this.gotoAndStop(5);
}
if (Key.isDown(73) && !Key.isDown(65) && !Key.isDown(key.LEFT) && !Key.isDown(key.RIGHT) && !Key.isDown(79)) {
this.gotoAndStop(4);
}
//
if (Key.isDown(65) && _root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -jumpHeight;
_y -= 4;
this.gotoAndStop(2);
}
if (_root.platform.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -platformHeight;
_y -= 1;
this.gotoAndStop();
}
if (Key.isDown(65) && _root.platform.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -jumpHeight;
_y -= 4;
this.gotoAndStop(2);
}
if (_root.spring.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -springHeight;
_y -= 4;
this.gotoAndStop(3);
_root.spring.gotoAndPlay(2);
}
if (_root.movingspring.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -movspringHeight;
_y -= 4;
this.gotoAndStop(4);
}
if (_root.danger.hitTest(_x, _y+3, true)) {
// Jump
grav = -dangerHeight;
_y -= 4;
_x -= 0;
this.gotoAndStop(5);
}
//switches
if (Key.isDown(88) && _root.soundbox01.hitTest(_x, _y,true)) {
loadMovie("plechide.swf",_root);
}
if (Key.isDown(88) && _root.soundbox02.hitTest(_x, _y,true)) {
loadMovie("plecnin.swf",_root);
}
// Hiting from Right
if (_root.ground.hitTest(_x+(_width/2)+ex, _y-(_height/2), true) || _root.ground.hitTest(_x+(_width/2)+ex, _y-(_height/6), true) || _root.ground.hitTest(_x+(_width/2)+ex, _y-_height, true)) {
_x -= speed;
}
// Hiting from Left
if (_root.ground.hitTest(_x-(_width/2)-ex, _y-(_height/2), true) || _root.ground.hitTest(_x-(_width/2)-ex, _y-(_height/6), true) || _root.ground.hitTest(_x-(_width/2)-ex, _y-_height, true)) {
_x += speed;
}
if (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y-_height-15, true)) {
grav = 1;
}
_root.gravTxt.text = grav;
}
Visual style
Changed my mind on the visual style, I've opted to use photographs of post it notes to create the levels
http://www.jackuchu.net/plecpost.swf
it doesn't run as fast as i'd like in the browser, I might have to compress the images or dynamical load them in.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
classy-video-games.
I might use this simplistic artstyle using only one or two colours.
Im running out of time, back to work.
Wednesday 1 April 2009
Sunday 29 March 2009
10 things to know before you pitch a VC for money
What you've got to show
Integrity
Passion
Experience
Knowledge
Skill
Leadership
Commitment
Vision
Realism
Coachability
--
Order of things
Company logo
Buisness overview
Management team
Market
Product
Buisness model
Strategic Relationships
Competition
Barriers to Entry
Financial Overview
Use of Proceeds
Capital & Valuation
Saturday 28 March 2009
Thursday 19 March 2009
Latest version of the game
http://jackuchu.net/plectrumbeta/plectrumbeta.swf
With working loading screens and less crashing.
also goto http://jackuchu.net/plectrumbeta/plecspace.swf
for a preview of how I want to incorporate more musical elements into my game.
With working loading screens and less crashing.
also goto http://jackuchu.net/plectrumbeta/plecspace.swf
for a preview of how I want to incorporate more musical elements into my game.
Wednesday 4 March 2009
Plectrum will be more playable soon.
The loading screens on the previous version were broken, causing many people to believe the game had crashed, I have found a solution to the problem and a new version will be uploaded shortly.
Still looking for audio to use in the game, if you have created a music track new or old send an MP3 to jack@mediajack.co.uk
Still looking for audio to use in the game, if you have created a music track new or old send an MP3 to jack@mediajack.co.uk
Thursday 12 February 2009
latest version of Plectrum
http://jackuchu.net/plectrumbeta/plectrumbeta.swf
To go to a level stand over the album art and press X.
This build adds moving platforms, auto scrolling camera section. Platforms you can jump through, I need to make these better as you can fall through them and sometimes you cant jump when your on them. Also added to the length of the Imogen heap level.
Monday 2 February 2009
Top 15 platformers of all time from Retro Gamer Magazine 37
25...Castle of Illusion
24...New Zealand Story
23...SMB
22...Tomb Raider
21...Pitfall!
20...Monty on the Run
19...Super Castlevania IV
18...Bruce Lee
17...Super Ghouls & Ghosts
16...Banjo Kazooie
15...Flashback
14...Castlevania Symphony of the Night
13...Sonic
12...Impossible Mission
11...Yoshis Island
10...Rainbow Islands
09...Prince of Persia
08...Chuckie Egg
07...Bubble Bobble
06...Jet Set Willy
05...Sonic 2
04...Super Mario 64
03...Super Mario Bros 3
02...Manic Miner
01...Super Mario World
24...New Zealand Story
23...SMB
22...Tomb Raider
21...Pitfall!
20...Monty on the Run
19...Super Castlevania IV
18...Bruce Lee
17...Super Ghouls & Ghosts
16...Banjo Kazooie
15...Flashback
14...Castlevania Symphony of the Night
13...Sonic
12...Impossible Mission
11...Yoshis Island
10...Rainbow Islands
09...Prince of Persia
08...Chuckie Egg
07...Bubble Bobble
06...Jet Set Willy
05...Sonic 2
04...Super Mario 64
03...Super Mario Bros 3
02...Manic Miner
01...Super Mario World
Tuesday 27 January 2009
Wednesday 21 January 2009
Re making Hide and Seek
I'm remaking the Imogen Heap Hide and Seek level of Plectrum. Originally I used the paint tool in flash to draw the levels, but I have found that its more effective to use boxes, as this stops there being rough terrain that the player can get stuck on.
I'm looking into making some of these boxes change size or rotate to the rythem of the audio thats being played, but that might only be doable in Actionscript3. I quite like this style of graphics so I might keep these pink/black boxes for this stage.
I'm looking into making some of these boxes change size or rotate to the rythem of the audio thats being played, but that might only be doable in Actionscript3. I quite like this style of graphics so I might keep these pink/black boxes for this stage.
Ananita Design
One of the developers using flash that i really admire is http://amanita-design.net/
They created games like Samerost which does not look like a traditional flash game, It uses digitised graphics, photoshoped from digital camera images.
They also made a game for the band The Polyphonic spree, which I guess was based on there music.
These games are good looking and can be fun but sometimes get a little frustrating when you get stuck somewhere and have to resort to pixel hunting.
Ananita are currently working on a new point and click game called Machinarium, which Is looking really good.
Machinarium Preview from Amanita Design on Vimeo.
Where do I go from here?
Even though its the end of this module on the course im still going to continue developing Plectrum.
Things I'm going to do.
Finish Levels
Change the art style to something more "artistic"
Talk to Game Design lecturers and see if they have an ideas as to how to improve it.
Get noticed by publisher
get game released over XBLA PSN or Wii Ware.
Make enough money that I can keep making games wont have to get a proper job.
Things I'm going to do.
Finish Levels
Change the art style to something more "artistic"
Talk to Game Design lecturers and see if they have an ideas as to how to improve it.
Get noticed by publisher
get game released over XBLA PSN or Wii Ware.
Make enough money that I can keep making games wont have to get a proper job.
Evaluation of the project, so far
I say so far because although tomorrow is the deadline of the course modual I don't see it as the end of this project. I want to keep working at this until I have a fully finished game that I can submit to flash portals/festivals etc.
Research
Having a blog has really helped show how much research I have done, It's much easier to show what I've been looking on a blog than having to print stuff out and put it in a research folder.
Development
Its been a little slower than I would have liked but creating something good takes time,the majority of the coding is done now, and I can concentrate on making levels.
Analysis
I tried to analyze most of what I researched, I think I did ok.
Outcome
Its not a finished game but I think its a good indication of where the game is going, maybe if i'd set myself a less ambitious task it could have been done by now. But if you have low ambitions your more likely to be ignored. I'm pleased with what I have so far.
Overall its been a good project. There were some miner hiccups along the way such as getting distracted by Box2d and having some trouble with code, but over it think it went well.
Research
Having a blog has really helped show how much research I have done, It's much easier to show what I've been looking on a blog than having to print stuff out and put it in a research folder.
Development
Its been a little slower than I would have liked but creating something good takes time,the majority of the coding is done now, and I can concentrate on making levels.
Analysis
I tried to analyze most of what I researched, I think I did ok.
Outcome
Its not a finished game but I think its a good indication of where the game is going, maybe if i'd set myself a less ambitious task it could have been done by now. But if you have low ambitions your more likely to be ignored. I'm pleased with what I have so far.
Overall its been a good project. There were some miner hiccups along the way such as getting distracted by Box2d and having some trouble with code, but over it think it went well.
quick idea
Just had an idea to feature sections in my game where there is a locked door and you have to collect musical notes to unlock it, each musical note corresponds to a music stem, so gradualy as you get each note the music will become more fully featured, when you have them all the whole track will be playing.
that might be a little more complicated that using music boxes i'd have to put code in that says
on entering all music = stop
on entering all music = play
on entering all music - volume set to 0
when hit note2 volume note moviecip 2 = 100
when hit note 3 volume notemovieclip = 100
or something to that effect.
that might be a little more complicated that using music boxes i'd have to put code in that says
on entering all music = stop
on entering all music = play
on entering all music - volume set to 0
when hit note2 volume note moviecip 2 = 100
when hit note 3 volume notemovieclip = 100
or something to that effect.
Sound Problem = Fixed
There was a sound bug in my game to do with the sound boxes, altering the volume of them would effect the volume for all sounds. I got My tutor Adam to fix this, but then I lost the files, so I was back to square one. But now after weeks of messing around with code I have figured it out. To alter the volume of sounds independently you need to link them to a movie clip.
So when creating a new sound use this code
this.createEmptyMovieClip("s1",1);
this.my_sound = new Sound(s1);
Im so glad that this is fixed now as it was the main thing that was holding me back from creating levels.
Although losing the code that Adam fixed for me was a set back, it did give me the chance to try and figure it out on my own and I can now understand more actionscript than I used to. This helped me create other things in my game such as the spring boards that propels the character into the air. I knew that pressing the jump button altered the characters y coordinate so I took that code and altered it a bit so it would happen when the player touches the box, then i altered how high it would make the character move.
One more thing I want to add to the game is platforms that can be jumped through and then stood on.
So when creating a new sound use this code
this.createEmptyMovieClip("s1",1);
this.my_sound = new Sound(s1);
Im so glad that this is fixed now as it was the main thing that was holding me back from creating levels.
Although losing the code that Adam fixed for me was a set back, it did give me the chance to try and figure it out on my own and I can now understand more actionscript than I used to. This helped me create other things in my game such as the spring boards that propels the character into the air. I knew that pressing the jump button altered the characters y coordinate so I took that code and altered it a bit so it would happen when the player touches the box, then i altered how high it would make the character move.
One more thing I want to add to the game is platforms that can be jumped through and then stood on.
Monday 19 January 2009
Latest version of game
http://jackuchu.net/plectrumbeta/plectrumbeta.swf
Done:
preloaders
intro
menue
audio previews for first 3 levels
idle animation
springs
To do:
Make the preloaders work quickly
complete levels
Development
With the advent of games like little big planet and halo 3 level design has become a medium not only of the game developer but the player themselves. I had an idea of letting the user draw a level out on paper and then capturing it throgh a digital camera then converting the captured image into vector graphics to be used as the ground in a level, I abandoned this idea as little big planet already does it better and because It steps away from the theme of levels based on music. I'd rather spend time developing levels of my own than enabling others to create there own levels.
The picture above shows How I was inspired by lyrics to songs to make the levels the way they are. Here I show a puzzle where you have to send the enemys into the fire so you can cross, based on the lyric form my violent heart by nine inch nails "in to fire you can send us, from the fire we return, consider us a consequence of how much you have to learn."
Other examples of using the lyrics as inperation for the levels can be seen in the imogen heap hide and seek level. When the line "spin me round again" is sung, the stage rotates.
Development
I wanted to include horizontal moving platforms in my levels but unfortunately it proved quite hard to do, I could create the moving platforms but the character would not move with them, this goes against traditional platforming conventions and could frustrate people. I worked with my tutor to code a solution but it relied on plotting x and y coordinates of the player and each individual platform and proved more complex than I thought it would be, I got over this hurdle by putting springs on the moving platform s the character automatically jumps when on a movin platform, this encourages the player to move with the platform.
Development
I want some of the levls to have a very hand made kind of feel, with sketchy moving lines and hand drawn graphics in a style not to dissimilar to Yoshi's Island on the Super Nintendo. At the moment all the graphics are vectors and it looks far to much like a flash game. I want my game to not instantly look like it was made in flash a game that does that well is samarost (http://amanita-design.net/samorost-1) which uses photographic elements to good effect.
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