Platformer Tutorials #1 Basic Movement is now up!

firemaplegamesfiremaplegames Member Posts: 3,211
edited November -1 in Working with GS (Mac)
Hey all,

I have just posted my first Platformer Tutorial in the Support section. (It hasn't been added to the main wiki page yet), but you can access it directly here:

http://gamesalad.com/wiki/how_tos:platformer_tutorials

The first tutorial covers basic left and right movement of the main Player.

The tutorials are meant to be followed in a series, so each one will build upon the previous one. My hope is that by the end, people will have a better understanding of how to build a complex game in GameSalad.

Hopefully they will help some of you out!

Joe
Fire Maple Games

Comments

  • synthesissynthesis Member Posts: 1,693
    Whew...that's a big one. Nice job!
  • TwistedMechTwistedMech Member Posts: 408
    Joe, Any chance you could post the completed tutorial project so we can edit/download it instead of the basic one thats available?
  • butterbeanbutterbean Member Posts: 4,315
    Awesome Joe! Thanks for the help! Is your platformer demo ready for us to download? :)
  • butterbeanbutterbean Member Posts: 4,315
    Thanks Tshirt :) I meant the other one with the platforms and jumping etc, but I did see this one was:) A huge thanks to Joe for that!
  • missmmissm Member Posts: 41
    thanks for the tutorial...
  • firemaplegamesfiremaplegames Member Posts: 3,211
    Thanks!

    No the Sneak Peek file was just a test file that I was working on. Just to show people what I was up to. That was from a few weeks ago, though, I've already recoded it several times since then.

    My goal with these tutorials is to try and help people learn how to code their games better. To learn how to tackle a complex game from scratch. Not just to steal my code and slap some new art on it. I want people to be able to make fun, original games. Not a bunch of versions of "Boxy McBox jumps around Boxland".

    I could just release the code, but then you wouldn't understand how I made the programming decisions I made. I would get bombarded with questions like "How do I add this feature? How do I add that feature?"... That's no fun! I want to give people a solid foundation to be able to add new features in their own original games. I want everybody to be able to teach ME how to do cool new things!

    A platformer game is extremely complex. That demo I showed a few weeks ago has at least a hundred Rules just to get jumping and interacting with platforms working properly. It is not easy! But a platformer game is a fun project to try and complete. It teaches you many aspects of programming, and at the end you have a cool template to work with.
  • rebumprebump Member Posts: 1,058
    Cool FMG! Look forward to peeking under the hood.

    I had started using GS with the intention of making a platformer and played around with the aweful (in terms of movement/control) demo platform template that "comes with" GS.

    Not knowing anything about GS at that time made me think otherwise.

    Now with this first test game wrapping up, I feel I could probably jump back into the idea but unfortunately, I have had a couple simpler ideas pop up since then. :-| Go figure.

    Will make a platformer one day!

    Will be interested to see how smoothly/quickly your jumps occur as well as platform count management.
  • quantumsheepquantumsheep Member Posts: 8,188
    "Boxy McBox jumps around Boxland"

    I'd buy that for a dollar! ;)

    Edit: Oh, and I suppose I should say 'thanks!' too!

    Thanks!

    When I finally get round to a platformer, this will undoubtedly be invaluable! Cheers, Joe :)

    Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
    Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io

  • JGary321JGary321 Member Posts: 1,246
    Anybody know where I can get some Mario graphics???? What? It's for my facebook page....really....
  • JGary321JGary321 Member Posts: 1,246
    FMG - Just read the tutorial all the way through while I was snackin, & I must say job well done. This tutorial of yours is gonna be great for newbs & veterans alike. It will be especially good for those of us without programming backgrounds, b/c we don't know how to optimize things.

    Good job man, looking forward to the future updates.
  • firemaplegamesfiremaplegames Member Posts: 3,211
    Thanks, man!
  • butterbeanbutterbean Member Posts: 4,315
    lol @ Jgary and Quantum, you guys haven't changed since the day the forums opened :)

    Thanks Joe! I wish I could go back in time with this tutorial and fix some of my debut games! :)
  • JamesZeppelinJamesZeppelin Member Posts: 1,927
    Awesome!

    Just saw the update on the wiki. A veritable horn of plenty if i must say!!

    Thanks for taking time to share!
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