Some noob questions (don't know how to do it, anything is thankful :D )

Ultracity · December 2013

Hi guys!

I regret asking this to you, because I guess all of you know how to do it, so you can think that is a simple thing, but that's not my situation as a starter that am I. :-S

Well, if you allow me to ask to you those questions, I start:

- I want to make a game (not for earn money) which has to have the following things:

+ The scene will be a sea, so you're a sea animal (maybe a jellyfish, I don't know), and well it's simple, you just have to take the coins and achieve a final goal.

I know it is suppose to be an easy thing for you, but I apologize for having to ask this to you, I wouldn't do it If I had found it in Google (but don't know which name it has, so don't know how to search to find that). As is an easy game, I hope you can answer me If you don't mind, I expect you doesn't spend lot of time replying me because I'll feel sad if you have to spend lot of time of your life replying some newbie questions that could be answered if he (me) would have searched well.

As I said, sorry about that.

In the game I want to do the following things:

- Make a start menu, at the moment I can display a text and if you click on it, you go to the first level. You can read there the instructions of how to play at the game. The only thing is that it is very dull, because is only letters, and I would like to display a kind of picture which contains the letters and make it more intuitive and funny.

- In the menu you can select some levels (the ones you haven't done you can't play, they have to be blocked), and a chapter in which you can play other kind of (little) games not as the same way as you can play with the main purpose of the game (This part I think I've found some tutorials)

- The scene of the main game: Well, I need the following things:

+ How to add a wallpaper (I'll find the wallpaper or design it, don't worry about that, just want to know how to add it)
+ How to make bubbles as this video from (1:15 more or less at the video), don't want to do the same, for example imagine a point in the scene that makes that bubbles going up (I think I can make this using particles system)

MOVEMENT/MOTION of the actors (Here I have some big doubts)

I have the pictures of the coins in some positions, and the same for the main actor, the jellyfish, but I don't know how to make that they can move (I've heard that is something related to "frames", can be?)

I can do a counter for show how many coins you've caught, I would like to know how to have three lifes (for example, like three hearts) then if a shark touchs you, you restart the level and you have one life less. I also would like to know how to set a life icon (as the coin) in the scene so if you catch it, you have one more life. I don't know how to do it and don't know how to search it. Sorry about that, seriously.

Finally, I would like sharks to appear (from the right to the left) in the scene, so you have to avoid them, but I don't know how to do it... Sorry. :-?

-------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I have to thank you if you have read all this. I know you have things to do that are more interesting that helping a newbie guy who could find the answers by himself, but I swear to you that I wouldn't be asking this to you if I know how to do it, really.

I hope you think they are easy things to do, and hope you can bring me some links or videos or the name that they have so then I can type the words in Google to find it, or just telling me how to do it.

I understand if you don't want to help me or just spending time of your lifes in helping a newbie guy who is very far away from you, but I'll apreciate every help that you can bring me.

Really, I have to say that I hope to find how to do it, I'll work hard to do the pictures and motions, but I have to know how to do it.

I have to apologize about my English. Sorry if I have mistakes, if you don't understand something you can ask to me.

Honestly grateful,

Ultracity.

Armelline · December 2013

- Make a start menu, at the moment I can display a text and if you click on it, you go to the first level. You can read there the instructions of how to play at the game. The only thing is that it is very dull, because is only letters, and I would like to display a kind of picture which contains the letters and make it more intuitive and funny.

I'd suggest you grab a pen and paper and sketch out what you want the title screen to be like. If you're great with art, sketch it out in Photoshop maybe. I always try to liven up my start menus with *something* that moves, though with my extremely limited graphical ability it isn't normally very exciting

Sounds like here you're in need of inspiration, rather than specific help.

- In the menu you can select some levels (the ones you haven't done you can't play, they have to be blocked), and a chapter in which you can play other kind of (little) games not as the same way as you can play with the main purpose of the game (This part I think I've found some tutorials)

There are many level select templates out there. Some good ones are the cover-flow style, and the Mario world map style. Again though, here you're needing to plan what you want more specifically and clearly. Once you've done that you know which type of template/tutorial to search for. Then it's a matter of learning how it works and recreating it!

+ How to add a wallpaper (I'll find the wallpaper or design it, don't worry about that, just want to know how to add it)

Add the image to your project in the image tab and then drag it onto your scene! Adding a wallpaper can be as simple as that. It's worth sizing it by manually typing in the height and width and position, though. If you just resize it by using the handles it might end up a weird uneven size.

+ How to make bubbles as this video from http://www.deepblueapps.com/gs-particles-template/ (1:15 more or less at the video), don't want to do the same, for example imagine a point in the scene that makes that bubbles going up (I think I can make this using particles system)

Bubbles should be pretty easy to make with the particle system. The best way to learn that though is by experimentation!

I have the pictures of the coins in some positions, and the same for the main actor, the jellyfish, but I don't know how to make that they can move (I've heard that is something related to "frames", can be?)

Okay, you seem to have two issues here. Moving your actor is fairly simple, depending on the control method. So the first thing you need to do is decide what type of controls you want. Do you want?

Tap the screen to have your actor jump / move to that location?
An on-screen control stick?
Tilt controls?
Direction buttons?

How do you want your actor to be able to move? Freely around the screen? In set directions? Snapping to grid?

You need to think about these things before you know what you're needing to learn.

I can do a counter for show how many coins you've caught, I would like to know how to have three lifes (for example, like three hearts) then if a shark touchs you, you restart the level and you have one life less.

Once you have a better understanding of attributes, this will be super easy. You'll have an attribute called "Lives" and every time a shark touches you you will take one away. You'll have a rule somewhere that says "when lives=0 change scene" or something similar. To add lives, you'll have a rule that activates when your character collides with the extra life icon that says something like "when character collides with extralife, lives=lives+1".

Finally, I would like sharks to appear (from the right to the left) in the scene, so you have to avoid them, but I don't know how to do it... Sorry. :-?

You'll probably have a hidden actor off the screen on the right side that spawns shark actors at set or random intervals. I'd definitely tackle this last though. By the time you've done all the other stuff, this will seem easy.

Everything you want to do is really easy. Ignore what others have said, with a bit of hard work you can have this game running in a few days. Learning GameSalad isn't that hard, and making games really isn't. What is really time consuming is polishing games.

I'd also recommend playing around A LOT as you learn. Experiment. Try things. Don't just watch a long list of tutorials. Every time you watch one stop, experiment, try it out, play around with it. Learn by doing.

There are some tutorials you really do need to at least look through as you start, though. I'll give you a couple of essential things to read/watch. Read them, play around. Ignore what others have said about spending weeks watching tutorials. And ignore anyone who said anything as absurd as it taking months to make a game in GameSalad. It may take months to make a highly polished game, but you'll have something fun working in hours or days!

To understand GameSalad you need to understand three things: Actors and Attributes, and Behaviours.

Actors and Attributes

Behaviours:

Once you have a good idea of how each of those work, you'll probably already have a good idea of how to do everything you've mentioned.

Finally, I took a look at @jamie_c's class. It looks like exactly what you need. He seems to really take the time to ensure you understand what you're doing. So many of the tutorials being mentioned tell you HOW to do something but not WHY to do something. As a teacher for 10 years, this gets a big thumbs up from me! If I was learning GameSalad again, I'd definitely go for that class. And if he hadn't already made it, I'd definitely be tempted to do so myself

The_Gamesalad_Guru · December 2013

You need to do more study. It takes time to learn gamesalad. It's unrealistic to pickup the software and make a good game in a month or months even. Watch the videos and read tutorials and play with some templates. Nobody can tell you in a forum post how to do everything. This is something you need to begin yourself by studying and asking questions when you're stuck. It's up to you. If I tell you how to do everything what's the point? All you did was copy something and you've learned nothing.

Plus stop making multiple threads on the same subject.

jamie_c · December 2013

There are a lot of tutorials that touch on most of the subjects you mention. At my site, linked in my signature, there are tutorials on movement, graphics and animation, treasure pickups and more. If you are interested in more I also offer a couple classes in Gamesalad.

grimmagelol · December 2013

Search on You tube for Game salad cookbook.

Here's some u might want to watch a few times. But u should watch all the cookbook videos at least once.

Make your actor move when pushing a button

get a water pic for background and wrap the scene and make the water move.

Wrapping scene

Making Lifes

Reseting your scene

Just spend a whole day watching all the cook book videos. Im sure after that u will have some idea of how to start building your game.

Armelline · December 2013

Somehow I managed to duplicate my last post. Please remove this one! (Wanted to buy: Ability to delete my own posts

)

Ultracity · December 2013

You need to do more study. It takes time to learn gamesalad. It's unrealistic to pickup the software and make a good game in a month or months even. Watch the videos and read tutorials and play with some templates. Nobody can tell you in a forum post how to do everything. This is something you need to begin yourself by studying and asking questions when you're stuck. It's up to you. If I tell you how to do everything what's the point? All you did was copy something and you've learned nothing.

Plus stop making multiple threads on the same subject.

Hi, thanks for reply. I'm learning a lot of things and you're right! Now I can do a lot of things without tutorials, only understanding how it works, not only copying, I guess in a few months I'll have something more interesting to work with. Thanks and apologize about making another thread, I didn't want to make anybody upset.

Search on You tube for Game salad cookbook.

Here's some u might want to watch a few times. But u should watch all the cookbook videos at least once.

Make your actor move when pushing a button

get a water pic for background and wrap the scene and make the water move.

Wrapping scene

Making Lifes

Reseting your scene

Just spend a whole day watching all the cook book videos. Im sure after that u will have some idea of how to start building your game.

Hi!

Wow man, that's what I needed! Thanks for your work and sorry about spending time looking for this, I really apreciate this. Thanks a lot.

I'll take some looks to the cookbook, sure!

- Make a start menu, at the moment I can display a text and if you click on it, you go to the first level. You can read there the instructions of how to play at the game. The only thing is that it is very dull, because is only letters, and I would like to display a kind of picture which contains the letters and make it more intuitive and funny.
I'd suggest you grab a pen and paper and sketch out what you want the title screen to be like. If you're great with art, sketch it out in Photoshop maybe. I always try to liven up my start menus with *something* that moves, though with my extremely limited graphical ability it isn't normally very exciting

Sounds like here you're in need of inspiration, rather than specific help.

- In the menu you can select some levels (the ones you haven't done you can't play, they have to be blocked), and a chapter in which you can play other kind of (little) games not as the same way as you can play with the main purpose of the game (This part I think I've found some tutorials)
There are many level select templates out there. Some good ones are the cover-flow style, and the Mario world map style. Again though, here you're needing to plan what you want more specifically and clearly. Once you've done that you know which type of template/tutorial to search for. Then it's a matter of learning how it works and recreating it!

+ How to add a wallpaper (I'll find the wallpaper or design it, don't worry about that, just want to know how to add it)
Add the image to your project in the image tab and then drag it onto your scene! Adding a wallpaper can be as simple as that. It's worth sizing it by manually typing in the height and width and position, though. If you just resize it by using the handles it might end up a weird uneven size.

+ How to make bubbles as this video from http://www.deepblueapps.com/gs-particles-template/ (1:15 more or less at the video), don't want to do the same, for example imagine a point in the scene that makes that bubbles going up (I think I can make this using particles system)
Bubbles should be pretty easy to make with the particle system. The best way to learn that though is by experimentation!

I have the pictures of the coins in some positions, and the same for the main actor, the jellyfish, but I don't know how to make that they can move (I've heard that is something related to "frames", can be?)
Okay, you seem to have two issues here. Moving your actor is fairly simple, depending on the control method. So the first thing you need to do is decide what type of controls you want. Do you want?

Tap the screen to have your actor jump / move to that location?
An on-screen control stick?
Tilt controls?
Direction buttons?

How do you want your actor to be able to move? Freely around the screen? In set directions? Snapping to grid?

You need to think about these things before you know what you're needing to learn.

I can do a counter for show how many coins you've caught, I would like to know how to have three lifes (for example, like three hearts) then if a shark touchs you, you restart the level and you have one life less.
Once you have a better understanding of attributes, this will be super easy. You'll have an attribute called "Lives" and every time a shark touches you you will take one away. You'll have a rule somewhere that says "when lives=0 change scene" or something similar. To add lives, you'll have a rule that activates when your character collides with the extra life icon that says something like "when character collides with extralife, lives=lives+1".

Finally, I would like sharks to appear (from the right to the left) in the scene, so you have to avoid them, but I don't know how to do it... Sorry. :-?
You'll probably have a hidden actor off the screen on the right side that spawns shark actors at set or random intervals. I'd definitely tackle this last though. By the time you've done all the other stuff, this will seem easy.

Everything you want to do is really easy. Ignore what others have said, with a bit of hard work you can have this game running in a few days. Learning GameSalad isn't that hard, and making games really isn't. What is really time consuming is polishing games.

I'd also recommend playing around A LOT as you learn. Experiment. Try things. Don't just watch a long list of tutorials. Every time you watch one stop, experiment, try it out, play around with it. Learn by doing.

There are some tutorials you really do need to at least look through as you start, though. I'll give you a couple of essential things to read/watch. Read them, play around. Ignore what others have said about spending weeks watching tutorials. And ignore anyone who said anything as absurd as it taking months to make a game in GameSalad. It may take months to make a highly polished game, but you'll have something fun working in hours or days!

To understand GameSalad you need to understand three things: Actors and Attributes, and Behaviours.

Actors and Attributes
http://cookbook.gamesalad.com/tutorials/1/parts/4

Behaviours:
http://cookbook.gamesalad.com/tutorials/1/parts/3

Once you have a good idea of how each of those work, you'll probably already have a good idea of how to do everything you've mentioned.

Finally, I took a look at @jamie_c's class. It looks like exactly what you need. He seems to really take the time to ensure you understand what you're doing. So many of the tutorials being mentioned tell you HOW to do something but not WHY to do something. As a teacher for 10 years, this gets a big thumbs up from me! If I was learning GameSalad again, I'd definitely go for that class. And if he hadn't already made it, I'd definitely be tempted to do so myself

Hey...

You've cheered me up! Lot of thanks, really. Now I'm more confident and I'll work harder.

Lots of thanks, I really apreciate.

Regards

Some noob questions (don't know how to do it, anything is thankful :D )

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