Broad questions about point and click adventures

a.grajirena

Hey everyone, I just found GameSalad and I'm excited about getting started. I am interested in making casual adventure games (in 1024 x 768) with GS. Kind of along the lines of the samorost games. I am thinking there will be small puzzles on each screen that must be solved to move on to the next, along with some things to interact with that don't necessarily progress the game. I have some question as far as my approach (since this is my first experience with developing games.)

the way i see it, the level loads with a small animation (character walks on screen and stops). From here the game awaits an input and possibly contains a few idle animations and sounds. clicking only works on objects (so you can't move the character around arbitrarily.) there will be a small puzzle that must be completed which leads to the character walking off screen and then onto the next scene which has another puzzle.. etc. etc.

How would I approach this?

I am thinking that I would have two basic scene types. Animation scenes and Interaction scenes.

"Level One"
Scene One - animation (character walks on screen, maybe gestures at a puzzle component and then stops)
Scene Two - interaction (picks up where animation left off, idle scene that awaits input)
Scene Three - animation (character reacts to object user clicked on, which progresses the level state)
Scene Four - interaction (and so on and so on, until level is complete and character walks off screen)

Does this make sense? Thanks!

synthesis

All of those should be able to work in one scene.
Treat a scene as a "room" to do stuff. Use sequencing attributes to allow certain to happen in sequence

For ex.
Rule
When sequenceStepValue = 1...only allow this to happen
When sequenceStepValue = 2...now allow this to happen
When sequenceStepValue = 3...now allow this to happen
etc.

Then if you want to change "rooms" or locations (visually)...then change scenes. Treat scenes like levels...not sequencing...otherwise you gamer will be waiting on scene loads constantly.

Adventure games are quite doable in GS...just have to keep your graphics optimized and gameplay sequenced well. Be diligent and well-organized with your sequencing values and I think you will do better in the end.

Sounds challenging for a first effort in GS...but if you have programming experience elsewhere...you should be up to speed on GS within a week.

a.grajirena

Ah, cool! That makes sense and I'd rather handle scenes that way. I don't have much experience with ANY of this but I've been working hard to learn as much as I can.

Ok, I tested using a sequenceStepValue attribute to handle different rotational states of a rectangular actor and I get it. To use this would I make an empty sequenceStep actor to handle the attribute, that the actors on screen could refer to and trigger the transition?

This brings me to the question, how do I make the transition animations in GS? Do I have to use the rules to move the actors and objects in the scene to their next state then add sprites to make the actual animation (walkcycles etc.)? Also any tips on optimizing the graphics?

Thanks a lot, This is really helpful!

synthesis

If you are just getting started...
I recommend that you put the game salad down and step back.

Ok...now that you have released game salad from your clutches...pick up the safari browser and READ all weekend. Read everything in the support section. Read anything you can find on Wiki. DO ALLLLLLL the tutorials. Read at least 20 pages of the forum boards...every post...in the "using" game salad section.

ONLY THEN...will you be ready to pick up game salad again.
If you do this...it will save you TONS OF TIME in the end and you will have 80% of GS in your back pocket.

Prepare...then Play!

a.grajirena

I hear you, and I'll follow your advice. Your right and what you explain is what I was doing... until I crossed the theory vs. action threshold. I kind of jumped the gun and felt I could learn by doing, but I still have a lot of reading to do and should probably start making things with tutorials rather than thin air.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to help and also steer me in the right direction. I'll pop up again after I've spent some more time with the information available.

synthesis

I think if you spend the time in boot camp first...you will be a much more finely tuned game-building machine later. Gotta learn to walk before you ride a bike. Enough metaphors yet?

Anyway...
I think if you do the training, you will have in your mind all the tools available before you start building a complex game as you describe...and your game development will be easier and your game will ultimately be better!

Good Luck!
Synthesis