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[rohlfinator]

So I really want to make a game. I was reading the op and I'm wondering if I should learn how to program or use something like GameMaker. Any recommendations?

I'd highly recommend Game Maker if you're completely new to coding. You'll pick up a lot of important programming concepts while you learn it, but it will ease you in much better than trying to learn C++/Java/etc. from scratch. And you'll be able to get to functioning gameplay much quicker, which I've found immensely helpful for keeping myself motivated.

You can always "upgrade" to a real language later if it interests you, and knowing Game Maker will give you a better head start on that than trying to dive in headfirst.

My mindset is that my first several games will be more or less crap anyway, the important thing is just getting them done and learning from the experience.

 

[eot]

Cool! Thanks, guys.

Went with: walkingOffset = velocity * 0.8f * (float)((Math.Sin(0.075f * Utility.getMagnitude(velocity) * gameTime.TotalGameTime.TotalSeconds) - Math.Sin(0.1875f * Utility.getMagnitude(velocity) * gameTime.TotalGameTime.TotalSeconds))) / maxSpeed;

Fuck your readable code

and here I thought I wrote code that's hard to read

 

[allreal]

Hello all Developers!

I am currently attending a Video Game Sound Design school and am looking to collaborate with game developers.

If anybody needs a sound designer for a project I would LOVE to collaborate to CREATE something AWESOME and CONTRIBUTE to an awesome game(or potentially awesome game)

I am learning FMOD and WWISE. I can also provide assets/sfx/foley. I am capable and willing to learn and grow in any capacity.

This would be something for my reel which I am always looking to add to. Please PM and we can talk!

 

[PlebeGames]

So I really want to make a game. I was reading the op and I'm wondering if I should learn how to program or use something like GameMaker. Any recommendations?

I would recommend learning Javascript and/or C# and rolling with Unity. That's what I did, it was rough at first getting the hang of coding, but there are so many excellent resources (like Unity Answers) and tutorials that you'll get the hang of it soon enough if you stick with it. The key is to start small, and finish something. Even if it's just a proof of concept. Once you've got the basics of programming down you'll be off and running in no time.

And just to chime in on the "using Unity for 2d" discussion, I've found it more that adequate for my current project. I'm sure it's been mentioned, but figuring out how to import textures uncompressed and unmodified was key, since I'm going for a "pixel art" sort of look. If you don't know how, all you need to do is select the texture in the project window. Then in the inspector, change the texture type to "advanced". Uncheck "Generate Mip Maps", and change the filter mode to point. Then for whatever platform you're planning to build to (in my case iPhone/mobile), check the "override for xxx" option box and change the format to something uncompressed. I use RGBA 16 bit. Now all of my pixel art is nice and crisp and unmodified.


On a related note... how played out do you think the "pixel art indie game" look is getting? It seems to me there's an awful lot of that aesthetic going around. I think it looks great if done right, but I'm worried we're reaching a saturation point or something.

 

[razu]

I would recommend learning Javascript and/or C# and rolling with Unity. That's what I did, it was rough at first getting the hang of coding, but there are so many excellent resources (like Unity Answers) and tutorials that you'll get the hang of it soon enough if you stick with it. The key is to start small, and finish something. Even if it's just a proof of concept. Once you've got the basics of programming down you'll be off and running in no time.

And just to chime in on the "using Unity for 2d" discussion, I've found it more that adequate for my current project. I'm sure it's been mentioned, but figuring out how to import textures uncompressed and unmodified was key, since I'm going for a "pixel art" sort of look. If you don't know how, all you need to do is select the texture in the project window. Then in the inspector, change the texture type to "advanced". Uncheck "Generate Mip Maps", and change the filter mode to point. Then for whatever platform you're planning to build to (in my case iPhone/mobile), check the "override for xxx" option box and change the format to something uncompressed. I use RGBA 16 bit. Now all of my pixel art is nice and crisp and unmodified.


On a related note... how played out do you think the "pixel art indie game" look is getting? It seems to me there's an awful lot of that aesthetic going around. I think it looks great if done right, but I'm worried we're reaching a saturation point or something.

I would +1 the Unity community. Type a question and it's usually answered already.

And for 2D textures. All my UI textures are imported un-messed with. But the amount of options are pretty startling! I set Texture Type to "GUI", and Format to the oddly-named "Truecolor". Don't need mip-maps for UI/sprites, unless you're zooming in and out. Works perfectly.

 

[Feep]

Looking at that amount of money is just soul crushing. Holy shit. That's more than I've ever had at one time in my life.

I made Sequence for under $5500, if that makes you feel any better. And there's, uh...a reason...one of those positions is costing so much money. >.>

 

[qq more]

Hello all Developers!

I am currently attending a Video Game Sound Design school and am looking to collaborate with game developers.

If anybody needs a sound designer for a project I would LOVE to collaborate to CREATE something AWESOME and CONTRIBUTE to an awesome game(or potentially awesome game)

I am learning FMOD and WWISE. I can also provide assets/sfx/foley. I am capable and willing to learn and grow in any capacity.

This would be something for my reel which I am always looking to add to. Please PM and we can talk!

What kind of sound effects do you make? Any good 16-bit ones like Sonic?

 

[Blizzard]

Cool! Thanks, guys.

Went with: walkingOffset = velocity * 0.8f * (float)((Math.Sin(0.075f * Utility.getMagnitude(velocity) * gameTime.TotalGameTime.TotalSeconds) - Math.Sin(0.1875f * Utility.getMagnitude(velocity) * gameTime.TotalGameTime.TotalSeconds))) / maxSpeed;

Fuck your readable code

The code, it burns, it burnnnnns! I half-heartedly wish some evil debugging problems on you until you move your hardcoded constants elsewhere and maybe format it more nicely.

Also my new prediction is that Duke Nukem is voicing Feep's new game.

 

[Feep]

The code, it burns, it burnnnnns! I half-heartedly wish some evil debugging problems on you until you move your hardcoded constants elsewhere and maybe format it more nicely.

Also my new prediction is that Duke Nukem is voicing Feep's new game.

"It's straight up Feep time"

 

[Miutsu]

I made Sequence for under $5500, if that makes you feel any better. And there's, uh...a reason...one of those positions is costing so much money. >.>

Feep got a hollywood writer for his game! AAA+ production confirmed.

 

[Feep]

Feep got a hollywood writer for his game! AAA+ production confirmed.

I wrote the game, and I literally live in Hollywood, so this is technically correct

 

[inky]

I wrote the game, and I literally live in Hollywood, so this is technically correct

Feep is a Hollywood writer confirmed! Have you been approached to write the new Star Wars? Maybe, you know make it like a rythm game musical =D

 

[Blizzard]

Feep is a Hollywood writer confirmed! Have you been approached to write the new Star Wars?

Maybe he could turn it into some sort of musical special, perhaps featuring holiday songs!

 

[razu]

I just put out a build of Chopper Mike on test flight.

I've added all manner of little details. Hints on level start, info bar to summarise where you're at before the level begins, Chopper descriptions, mode progress indication, level select screenshots... it goes on..

All these little bits add and add to the final quality of the game. And they get easier and easier to add as your game gets closer to finished. As long as they *are* little things. It all gathers pace and you start to feel like you've made a proper game!

Best day ever.


Still lots to do..!

 

[BlueMagic]

Guys, is this the best way to load textures at runtime in XNA, or is there another way? Or maybe it's just not good to load things outside of the content pipeline?

FileStream fs = new FileStream(stream, FileMode.Open);
Texture2D t2d = Texture2D.FromStream(game.GraphicsDevice, fs);

Wait or can you just load from the content manager at runtime? I thought this wasn't possible (at least easily), brb gonna check.

 

[Nemo]

Goddamn I hate menu and HUD design work, sometimes you get this amazing idea and then you open photoshop and doesn't even come close to what you had in mind an hour later. These things always come out best when you start working on them out of the blue without anything set in mind from my experiences

reposting: i'll make video game music for you guys! i'll do it pro bono, i just want the bones

I can recommend this dude!

 

[Feep]

Guys, is this the best way to load textures at runtime in XNA, or is there another way? Or maybe it's just not good to load things outside of the content pipeline?

FileStream fs = new FileStream(stream, FileMode.Open);
Texture2D t2d = Texture2D.FromStream(game.GraphicsDevice, fs);

Wait or can you just load from the content manager at runtime? I thought this wasn't possible (at least easily), brb gonna check.

Unless you're loading in a SERIOUS amount of assets, you can actually just load everything in at once from the content pipeline. I literally loaded every single asset in Sequence at startup. = D

 

[AlexM]

I'm almost 100% sure you cant load stuff from the content pipeline at runtime because it's not precompiled

I remember I had to do that for one asset as well. I think it was for a user uploading their avatar to the game or something. Otherwise I just use the pipeline.




Sadsic do you have any samples? Soundlcould etc?

 

[FormallyMegadrive]

Unless you're loading in a SERIOUS amount of assets, you can actually just load everything in at once from the content pipeline. I literally loaded every single asset in Sequence at startup. = D

Well really, why wouldn't you unless you're using a ridiculous amount of game assets at ridiculous sizes? Modern computers are pretty nice, even low-end laptops can handle a fairly sizable amount of loaded assets.

 

[chris-013]

So what's the best java 2D library ? Slick2D ?

 

[Blizzard]

So what's the best java 2D library ? Slick2D ?

I seem to recall looking for one about a year ago, and that was the one that looked most promising to me, but I didn't end up making a game with it.

 

[rohlfinator]

I seem to recall looking for one about a year ago, and that was the one that looked most promising to me, but I didn't end up making a game with it.

That was pretty much my experience too.

I think a lot of people code directly against lwjgl (which I believe Slick is based on) also.

 

[Miutsu]

So what's the best java 2D library ? Slick2D ?

I cannot vouch for Slick2D but LibGDX is damn great, especially if your target is mobile.

Edit: It's what we used for our last game (Stiled) and it is what we are using for our next game, has great support from the devs.

 

[AlexM]

Yeah I would call libGDX a more evolved version of Slick2D.

Both are quite good though.

 

[chris-013]

Thanks !

 

[jrDev]

Has anyone here tried Game Salad?

 

[Legato.Reborn-]

Well, I actually used the suggested sin(x) - sin(2.5x), believe it or not. XNA uses Math.Sin, and I needed to cast it to a float. The 0.8f is just a scaling factor (how big the steps are), which I got by messing around with.

I also wanted to scale the step size by how quickly the unit is moving, and it has to be in the correct direction anyway, which explains the velocity (which is a 2-D Vector) / maxSpeed factor.

I *also* wanted to scale the step *speed* by how fast the unit was moving, so that explains the scaling factor inside the Math.Sin of Utility.getMagnitude(velocity), which just returns the unit's speed, basically. The 0.075, when multiplied by the maximum velocity of 80, will return 6. The 0.1875, when multiplied by the maximum velocity of 80, will return 15. So, sin(6x) - sin(15x), which is an equivalent function to sin(x) - sin(2.5x), I just sped it up. Got the "6" factor from just messing around.

It looks complicated, it isn't. A real coder in a team environment would get shot for making something this unreadable, but I'm the only coder, so whatever. = D

Thanks for the reply Feep.

 

[JulianImp]

The tile system experiment has been a success!



Now that I can place tiles, flip and rotate them, all that's left to do is writing some format for saving and loading tile layouts and this small tool will be ready! I had to do some hacks to flip UVs around (ie: checking the vertex IDs inside Unity and manually swapping them around), but hopefully it shouln't bog down the performance too much.

Here's the code I used. Please remember the UV flipping and rotating code requires the tile plane's vertexes to be in the same order I used them in (which is, from left to right and top to bottom, 3-1-0-2), but once the tool's done I'll probably release a UnityPackgage with everything built-in (and will rewrite the code to be english-friendly for ease of use):

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class PruebaAtlas : MonoBehaviour {
	
	[SerializeField] private int indiceX;
	[SerializeField] private int indiceY;
	
	[SerializeField] private bool invertirHorizontal = false;
	[SerializeField] private bool invertirVertical   = false;
	[SerializeField] private int  rotar90Grados = 0;
	
//	public bool logs = false;
	
	private void Start() {
		int i;
        Mesh mesh = GetComponent<MeshFilter>().mesh;
        Vector3[] vertices = mesh.vertices;
        Vector2[] uvs = new Vector2[vertices.Length];
		
        for (i = 0; i < uvs.Length; i++) {
        	uvs[i] = new Vector2(vertices[i].x + indiceX,vertices[i].z + indiceY);
        }
		
		Vector2 uvAuxiliar;
		//Flip horizontal:  1 y 3, 0 y 2
		if (invertirHorizontal) {
			uvAuxiliar = uvs[0];
			uvs[0] = uvs[2];
			uvs[2] = uvAuxiliar;
			uvAuxiliar = uvs[1];
			uvs[1] = uvs[3];
			uvs[3] = uvAuxiliar;
		}
		
		//Flip vertical: 3 y 0, 1 y 2
		if (invertirVertical) {
			uvAuxiliar = uvs[0];
			uvs[0] = uvs[3];
			uvs[3] = uvAuxiliar;
			uvAuxiliar = uvs[1];
			uvs[1] = uvs[2];
			uvs[2] = uvAuxiliar;
		}
		
		//Rotar 90º (en sentido horario)
		for (i = 0; i < rotar90Grados; i++) {
			uvAuxiliar = uvs[0];
			uvs[0] = uvs[3];
			uvs[3] = uvAuxiliar;
			
			uvAuxiliar = uvs[0];
			uvs[0] = uvs[1];
			uvs[1] = uvAuxiliar;
			
			uvAuxiliar = uvs[0];
			uvs[0] = uvs[2];
			uvs[2] = uvAuxiliar;
		}
		
        mesh.uv = uvs;
    }
}

I'm still having some problems with the material's scales when rendering the game in its standalone 240x160 resolution, despite the fact that everything is supposed to be pixel-perfect. To fix that I've set the materials' scale to 0.0156249 rather than 0.015625 (1/64, which is the number of tiles container per row and column in my texture atlas), but I'm still trying to find out why the glitch happens to replace the hack with a more stable fix that isn't likely to wreck the tile system someday when exposed to some specific conditions. This is one of the reasons why I hate using real numbers (and their inexact computer representations) for object coordinates and scales, but that's what Unity gives me so I might as well get used to it...

 

[razu]

Today's video capture of Chopper Mike, unedited, just as it happened. Captured from iPhone 4S running at 60 lovely frames per second!!

Click for video...
​

Almost finished the 'systems' part of the game. Should be able to move back to Choppers and levels soon, then... release it to the iOS/Android world!!

Then PC.. then Mac.. then OUYA...

It's going to be a busy year!!

As ever, follow progress on https://twitter.com/jamielowesdev

Take it easy!!

 

[Spierek]

Looks really nice and smooth. I'll be sure to check it out when it hits PC.

 

[razu]

Looks really nice and smooth. I'll be sure to check it out when it hits PC.

You'll enjoy the PC version I'm playing right now then, 1920x1080@60fps, with 8xAA.. Smooth!!

Just taking the opportunity to work on the controller button flow. It's all about the instant restarting!!

 

[Dali]

So ive begun the long arduos journey. Pretty sure I bit off more than I can chew as a first attempt, but oh well. I can always scale things back or scrap the idea completely and usethe knpwledge gained on the next attemp, lol.

 

[razu]

So ive begun the long arduos journey. Pretty sure I bit off more than I can chew as a first attempt, but oh well. I can always scale things back or scrap the idea completely and usethe knpwledge gained on the next attemp, lol.

Not trying to sound 'wise', but I think you need to have a few goes at it before you know if you're biting off more than you can handle.. As ever, just give it a go. It can only go bang!!

Good luck!

 

[Apocryphon]

This is probably the completely wrong place to post this but basically I'm looking for some feedback on a GDD I put together for Uni???

The download link is HERE - it's a 4MB pdf.

 

[Dali]

Not trying to sound 'wise', but I think you need to have a few goes at it before you know if you're biting off more than you can handle.. As ever, just give it a go. It can only go bang!!

Good luck!

Thanks for the encouragement! I guesss youre right. I mean look at what noogy did his first attempt, lol. Im no noogy though.

 

[Spierek]

You'll enjoy the PC version I'm playing right now then, 1920x1080@60fps, with 8xAA.. Smooth!!

Hell ye-... Oh wait, my laptop's 1366x768. :C

This is probably the completely wrong place to post this but basically I'm looking for some feedback on a GDD I put together for Uni???

The download link is HERE - it's a 4MB pdf.

Actually, this might be the right place to post it. I'd like to offer some insight but I've never written a GDD myself (yet), so my opinion won't be worth a lot.

 

[Nibel]

Sadsic is awesome, check his SoundCloud

https://soundcloud.com/sadsic

 

[eot]

Today's video capture of Chopper Mike, unedited, just as it happened. Captured from iPhone 4S running at 60 lovely frames per second!!

Click for video...
​

Almost finished the 'systems' part of the game. Should be able to move back to Choppers and levels soon, then... release it to the iOS/Android world!!

Then PC.. then Mac.. then OUYA...

It's going to be a busy year!!

As ever, follow progress on https://twitter.com/jamielowesdev

Take it easy!!

How are the touch controls going to work? It seems like it will require quite a few different inputs to control.

 

[Diablohead]

I have spent all evening trying to get all my visual effects to load in better at the start of each area, i've changed it so there is quite a bit of control for toggling on and off stuff, plus using less memory is a good result too.

 

[Teknopathetic]

"How are the touch controls going to work? It seems like it will require quite a few different inputs to control."


Looks like just a Virtual Joystick and then touch to control thrust to me.

 

[Ranger X]

Played my game for the first time yesterday through an HDTV instead of a monitor and woaaaa...

*giggles*

Like am making an old console game or something. Sort of a fantasy happening!

 

[Noogy]

Thanks for the encouragement! I guesss youre right. I mean look at what noogy did his first attempt, lol. Im no noogy though.

Hey, I still don't know what I'm doing I lucked out and my first attempt turned out well, but it wasn't easy. Everyone always says your first game will be crap, but whether that's true or not, it's an invaluable experience that you can't put a price on.

Best of luck, and keep aiming high!

 

[Feep]

Hey, I still don't know what I'm doing I lucked out and my first attempt turned out well, but it wasn't easy. Everyone always says your first game will be crap, but whether that's true or not, it's an invaluable experience that you can't put a price on.

Best of luck, and keep aiming high!

Legit, I have no idea what I'm doing either.

 

[Noogy]

Legit, I have no idea what I'm doing either.

One day we'll make a video game and sell it.

 

[Feep]

One day we'll make a video game and sell it.

Fake it till you make it!

 

[BomberMouse]

You'll enjoy the PC version I'm playing right now then, 1920x1080@60fps, with 8xAA.. Smooth!!

Just taking the opportunity to work on the controller button flow. It's all about the instant restarting!!

First of all, it looks amazing and Mike is lovely. Great job. With that said there's only one weak point and that's the UI. It's very bland looking and not as consistent as it might be. For example:

- In the distinct screens the arrows are not aligned.
- The font sizes are a bit weird too, why the button's font is bigger than the header?
- Why show a preview of the stage then show another preview of the stage after selecting the chopper?

Why use arrows when you are on a touch screen? You are using a touchscreen after all. Can't you just show all the choppers at once and change the preview based on the selection? Think like a fighter selection screen. Same goes for the select stage. There's a reason all the other similar games show a big screen with numbered stages and the current star ratings. With your current UI it's a pain to find in which stages you are missing some stars since you have to go through every single one of them. Why not make a bingo card showing the stages and every time you complete a row/column you unlock something new?

 

[AlexM]

Sadsic is awesome, check his SoundCloud

https://soundcloud.com/sadsic

really interesting sound. I likes.

 

[jrDev]

First of all, it looks amazing and Mike is lovely. Great job. With that said there's only one weak point and that's the UI. It's very bland looking and not as consistent as it might be. For example:

- In the distinct screens the arrows are not aligned.
- The font sizes are a bit weird too, why the button's font is bigger than the header?
- Why show a preview of the stage then show another preview of the stage after selecting the chopper?

Why use arrows when you are on a touch screen? You are using a touchscreen after all. Can't you just show all the choppers at once and change the preview based on the selection? Think like a fighter selection screen. Same goes for the select stage. There's a reason all the other similar games show a big screen with numbered stages and the current star ratings. With your current UI it's a pain to find in which stages you are missing some stars since you have to go through every single one of them. Why not make a bingo card showing the stages and every time you complete a row/column you unlock something new?

This is a great critique!

 

[jrDev]

reposting: i'll make video game music for you guys! i'll do it pro bono, i just want the bones

I would love to have you do some music for my app!

I might not be able to pay you right away though even if I want to...

 

[PaineReign]

Wish I would have posted in this thread like 3 months ago!

First, game pimping:

I finally released my first game, Dynasty of Dusk, on XBLIG, Amazon, and Desura.

It is in the style of 8-bit RPGs, super fast battles, balanced to have minimal grinding (although ymmv). Launch Trailer here. It is not an amazing game, but for around 3 months work, I am happy with i and I have learned A TON.


But anyway, now that my game is actually out, I am at a bit of a loss in terms of marketing. I contacted a few XBLIG reviewers a while ago and am sending out some codes, but I would like to do more. How do you guys usually promote your stuff? Send out emails with a bunch of codes and hope for the best?

Also, how do I find my XBLIG sales data on the App Hub? Or does that not update until after a set amount of time (a month, a quarter)?