First Few Things I Need to Learn When Starting Game Salad

GirlTravelFactor

Hi Game Developers! I am new to making any Indie Game and Game Salad. I am interested and want to produce or develop an Indie Game, even just once. For a little info, I used to be a FoxPro Programmer and currently SEO Specialist.

Some of the things I know is that my game will be Web, Mac and iOS publishing ready. I once watched that save an Initial or First Scene for the Intro and work on the Second Scene for the game itself. I also notice that I should prepare my JPG and GIFs if I want to publish nice graphic game. I know not much..

I am watching Game Salad on Youtube to learn on how the Game Salad Creator works. I know you'll point me to Tutorials, I'll be reading that also, but there might be something on a Developer's point of view. Anyways, I think there are some underlying info or tips to make my life easier when I start working on my first project or anything I can use while I am starting my first game. And I hope you can give me some tips and strategies

Also, technical question might be coming soon when I start doing the game on Game Salad Creator. Thank you in advance guys.

For any helpful and creative tips and strategies, I'll be helping you submit your Indie Game at Social Bookmarking Site I have (not much but someone might stumble your game at those links). If you are very diligent on submitting tips, I'll send you a link where you can submit Press Release, Bookmarking Site, Directory and other Sites.

Note: Send me the link of your game via Direct Message to keep this thread clean. Thank you.

gyroscope

Hi @GirlTravelFactor All good stuff; I really like your professional attitude and aspirations (and already you've been helping other members) - a credit to the GameSalad community, I say!

Of course, fire away with any questions you have concerning GameSalad Creator - there's lots of knowledgable people here in the Forums always willing to give advice and help.

P.S While you're getting to grips with GSC, don't forget to quickly run through the Manual (http://gamesalad.com/manuals)- it is worth it.... then the many excellent user-made video tutorials after (and after The Cookbook) - that way you've less chance of getting "information entanglement" !

Your social network site to promote, etc., is sounding good stuff too - well done there. Any links yet?

quantumsheep

@GirlTravelFactor said:

Some of the things I know is that my game will be Web, Mac and iOS publishing ready. I once watched that save an Initial or First Scene for the Intro and work on the Second Scene for the game itself. I also notice that I should prepare my JPG and GIFs if I want to publish nice graphic game. I know not much..

There will be technical issues when developing for the web (html5). Do a google search for html5, or search the forums, to get some insights!

First scenes are also useful for loading in any saved attributes - if a player has unlocked 12 levels, for example, then you save that value in-game and load it up on startup.

I am watching Game Salad on Youtube to learn on how the Game Salad Creator works. I know you'll point me to Tutorials, I'll be reading that also, but there might be something on a Developer's point of view. Anyways, I think there are some underlying info or tips to make my life easier when I start working on my first project or anything I can use while I am starting my first game. And I hope you can give me some tips and strategies

It may be worth just diving in with the creator. Have a look at the Alien Conquerors free template that comes with GS. Play it, then look at what each actor does.

It'll give you an idea of how to do certain things (e.g. movement left/right, constraining that movement to the edges of the screen, spawning things like bullets, changing attributes like the amount of aliens on screen, changing scenes and defining when a 'victory' condition is made).

I'd also suggest getting a cup of tea and reading through what every behaviour does in creator itself (each has a description when you click it). Very useful, and you can try and use it straight away if you like to see what it does as you're already in the creator.

Then modify the AC template. Add more lives. Add more enemies. Change the speed of the bullets. You can do all that and learn very quickly.

Hope that helps!

QS =D

GirlTravelFactor

Hi @gyroscope! Thank you I think I'll have lots of specific question when I start my project. As of now, I am watching videos on how to use Game Salad Creator. But I am hoping someone can give me tips to make it easier for me to use GSC.

Like standard size format, shortcuts, tips of multimedia, strategies on how I make my game more interactive etc

I am using Social Bookmarking Site such as StumbleUpon, Delicious, Folkd or Reddit. Social Networking Site such as Facebook, Google Plus or LinkedIn. Press Release and Article Submissions site too. But I haven't tried that on Indie Gaming. You have to research first, awhile ago I was looking for Directory where you can submit Indie Games. I had seen some but I haven't tried them yet.

GirlTravelFactor

Hi @quantumsheep That's very descriptive, thank you.

I am not a pro in doing codes (a little HTML and PHP only) but since I work 8 hours a day in Windows/Desktop, I am usually more inclined to check out games in HTML.

First scenes are also useful for loading in any saved attributes - if a player has unlocked 12 levels, for example, then you save that value in-game and load it up on startup.

I'll keep this in mind, even though I don't fully understand it yet.

Alien Conquerors free template

Need to check this. I got a little excited and downloaded all the templates. I didn't know what those are for when @gyroscope showed me the link at first. I think those will make my life in Game Salad easier! >:)

Play it, then look at what each actor does.

Very good tips

It'll give you an idea of how to do certain things (e.g. movement left/right, constraining that movement to the edges of the screen, spawning things like bullets, changing attributes like the amount of aliens on screen, changing scenes and defining when a 'victory' condition is made).

I have to take note of this.

I'd also suggest getting a cup of tea and reading through what every behaviour does in creator itself (each has a description when you click it). Very useful, and you can try and use it straight away if you like to see what it does as you're already in the creator.

Need to do this.

Then modify the AC template. Add more lives. Add more enemies. Change the speed of the bullets. You can do all that and learn very quickly.

Need to do this.

Thank you so much @quantumsheep. Every advice you gave are very useful! At least now, I know where to start and you gave specific task on what should I do. Again thank you so much.

quantumsheep

No problem at all!

The first part you didn't fully understand about the levels - perhaps this will help.

If you have a game that has 100 levels in it and your player gets to level 20 in one session, you don't want them to start at level 1 when they play the game again.

Instead, you 'save' their progress - in this case level 20 - and then load this progress back when the game starts up again.

You can save all sorts of things like the player's high score - that's a common one in arcade style games. Or how many aliens have been killed. Or bullets fired. etc etc

In larger adventure type games, you'd want to save what room the player has reached. Or what puzzles have been completed. So that the player doesn't have to do it all again from scratch every time they play your game.

Hope that's a little clearer?

QS =D

GirlTravelFactor

I get it now @quantumsheep. I never thought of that before and even on the game I am about to develop.. Honestly, you've been very enlightening.

gyroscope

And to underline the most important aspect of the excellent advice given by @quantumsheep:

@quantumsheep said:
I'd also suggest getting a cup of tea....

(Couldn't resist that!)

GirlTravelFactor

Lol @gyroscope and @quantumsheep! I am really going to do that.. with cup of coffee

Wow, I tried testing Alien Conquerors.gameproj and saw its folders. This kinda reminds me when I was coding for FoxPro. I think I will enjoy learning Game Salad.

quantumsheep

@gyroscope said:
And to underline the most important aspect of the excellent advice given by @quantumsheep:

>

@quantumsheep said:
I'd also suggest getting a cup of tea....

>

(Couldn't resist that!)

My mistake, sir. I should have bolded that!

gyroscope

@quantumsheep

No worries, my friend, i will amend that slight oversight immediately:

(Bit strong for my taste, but hey, there's a biscuit as well.... (*) )

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Sorry for the slight diversion of your thread, @GirlTravelFactor!