Will pay for GS programming help

fstltnafstltna Member Posts: 96
I have posted a couple of messages looking for help with my game but never heard back from anyone whop said they would help, so I am changing my tactics... I need someone to look over my GS code and see what I am doing wrong/not doing in the best way, and I will pay for it.

I don't think that it would take more than a couple of hours at most to look it over and give me a heads up, and I will pay a reasonable amount for a couple hours work.

The main issue I am having is trying to calculate the scores and setting the text for each actor to be that dice combination score. Look here: image

All the zeros should be the score for that current dice combination...

You can email or gtalk me at pulpfictionstore@gmail.com if you are interested in helping me out, I look forward to hearing from you!

Comments

  • synthesissynthesis Member Posts: 1,693
    It sounds like you need a 3 step rule for each digit value actor.
    The first step is to check if the dice is rolled. Use a boolean value for that.
    The second step is to check and see if the dice roll is relevant to the digit value for that. IE. - Is the roll a small straight or not.

    This is a much more complex rule structure and the core of your game. It may be bettter to use a controller actor for that.

    The third step is then to add the relevant dice together to create a score value.

    Here is an example for 6's:

    Rule 1 - is the dice rolled? TRUE or FALSE
    If true...Rule 2 >>

    Rule 2a: Is die 1 a 6? T or F - If true 6total = 6total + 1
    Rule 2b: Is die 2 a 6? T or F - If true 6total = 6total + 1
    etc. for all 5 dice.

    Rule 3: Number of 6s = 6total.
    ScoreForSixes = 6total * 6 (points)

    Rule 3B: reportScoreFor6s = True (which will light up the score)
    6Total = 0 (to reset to a default for the next roll)

    repeat this sequence for each total.
    You can add lots of other custom rules along the way to make it more intersting or to add visual FX.

    You might also consider using your own number.
    Design a digit png for each number.

    Then in your rule set...
    If digitValue=1 > change image to digit1.png
    If digitValue=2 > change image to digit2.png
    etc.

    Hope this helps and saves you some cash for the reviews.

    In the future...
    You will definitely get help if your questions are short and to the point.

    To ask...Will somebody help me make a scoring system? won't get very many responses if any.
    To ask...Will somebody explain how to report a score value to a digit actor? may get you more feedback.

    Cheers!
    Syn
  • fstltnafstltna Member Posts: 96
    What you describe is what I am doing basically. I am doing all the code for rolling the dice and getting the scores for each combination. That is a big bunch of nested rules and isn't what I am having trouble with. What I am having trouble with is the parsing out the resulting scores and posting them to the various "display text" fields.. For some reason my code that gets the scores created is not being called, so I think there is an issue with how I am trying to call it...

    I need someone who knows GS better than I do to look over my code and see what is going on...

    Marisa
  • synthesissynthesis Member Posts: 1,693
    Again...
    track out your switches.

    Remember that the computer is LITERALLY only doing 1 calculation at a time and the order of precedence is critical. It can be frustrating. I have spent hours before trying to figure out why a boolean won't fire and 99 times out of a hundred...it was because something else fired a microsecond earlier and caused it to shut off.

    Make sure that your booleans are in order.

    I often put rule sets inside a switch wrapper...and then organize them in a step by step process.

    In other words....when runStep1 is true...
    Rule sequence executes...
    runStep2 = true
    runStep1 = false

    when runStep2 is true...
    and so on...

    Make sure that you have followed EVERY SINGLE attribute and switch and make sure that they are firing in sequence.

    use a note pad and a flow diagram to assist you. Track those booleans.

    And is all else fails...SIMPLIFY SIMPLIFY SIMPLIFY.

    I have many times rebuilt something 5 or 6 times to get it to work correctly. And every time I rebuild it...the solutions gets simpler and more elegant.

    (BTW: For someone to sit down and look through your game could take dozens of hours...so I'm not sure if you will have many offers...unless you are offering up some serious cash...which I don't think is necessary...)

    Just keep working at it and find that bad switch.
  • synthesissynthesis Member Posts: 1,693
    Another thought...
    Make sure your root sequence is structured correctly.

    The core logic should be:
    1) dice are rolled
    2) calculate combinations
    3) activate scoring options
    4) calculate scoring
    5) wait for user decision
    6) process user decision
    7) prepare for repeat or end sequence

    My suggestion is to make sure you break the game apart into core steps.
    Don't try to start a new core step until the previous core step is PERFECTLY executed.

    This might help you.
  • fstltnafstltna Member Posts: 96
    Thanks. I will keep looking at it myself, but I still want to pay for a couple hours directed work by an outside & more experienced GS coder. I have several other games in mind and I would like to use this game as a steppingstone/example for my future work...

    Marisa
  • fstltnafstltna Member Posts: 96
    There is a lot of code there as I need to allow up to three rerolls per turn, clicking on the scoring gallery resets the reroll counter, and each score gallery item can only be used once. If this was C I wouldn't have these issues but I cant find good tech info for GS for things like defining subroutines and passing args so I end up making several sets of slightly different global variables...

    Marisa
  • synthesissynthesis Member Posts: 1,693
    Couple other thoughts.

    Here is a tip that helps...try following it:
    http://gamesalad.com/forums/topic.php?id=4117#post-24536

    Also try using a code break attribute. Doing this in VERY GOOD practice and easy to do. Its always my first attribute I create in a game.
    http://gamesalad.com/forums/topic.php?id=3913#post-22935

    Using a disable rule can help you isolate where a problem is.
  • synthesissynthesis Member Posts: 1,693
    Your last post above is not "Thinking Like GS". You can't really define stuff on the fly in parallel sequences if they are communicating with one another while doing it. GS is VERY procedural in its nature when trying to execute communication sequences between actors or functions.

    Stay procedural with your logic and that might help some.
  • synthesissynthesis Member Posts: 1,693
    Also...
    Yes...since GS has no database, arrays, or any other good way of storing/sorting data...
    single attributes are all that you have...and complex games will require A TON OF THEM.

    I use actor attributes for internal values and temporary values.
    I use scene attributes for gameplay or shared values for unlocked actors.
    I use game attributes for global values or shared values for locked actors.
  • fstltnafstltna Member Posts: 96
    You definitely know what you are doing, you sure you don't want an easy $50 to see what I am doing wrong?

    Marisa
  • AfterBurnettAfterBurnett Member Posts: 3,474
    fstltna said:
    I have posted a couple of messages looking for help with my game but never heard back from anyone whop said they would help, so I am changing my tactics... I need someone to look over my GS code and see what I am doing wrong/not doing in the best way, and I will pay for it.

    I don't think that it would take more than a couple of hours at most to look it over and give me a heads up, and I will pay a reasonable amount for a couple hours work.

    The main issue I am having is trying to calculate the scores and setting the text for each actor to be that dice combination score. Look here: image

    All the zeros should be the score for that current dice combination...

    You can email or gtalk me at pulpfictionstore@gmail.com if you are interested in helping me out, I look forward to hearing from you!

    Hey, sorry I still have your game and have been super busy... turned out my game had a whole heap of bugs and I've been ironing them out this week before resubmitting to the App Store. I'll hopefully be able to take an extremely closeup look at your project in the next few days (still testing testing testing) but by all means if you find someone else who can fix the issues for you before then, go for it!

    Cheers and sorry for the late response!
  • WeswogWeswog Member Posts: 1,171
    Sorry for taking a while I have been busy submitting my next app

    Cheers, Weswog
  • fstltnafstltna Member Posts: 96
    I can use all the help I can get!

    Marisa
  • firemaplegamesfiremaplegames Member Posts: 3,211
    On those Display Text behaviors, are you using Change Attribute?
    If you are, try using Constrain Attribute instead.
    Sometimes the Change Attribute fires right away and does not catch the change.

    If you want to send me the file, I will take a quick look at it.

    joe at firemaplegames dot com
  • AfterBurnettAfterBurnett Member Posts: 3,474
    Edit... gonna try again... see if I can figure it out.
  • AfterBurnettAfterBurnett Member Posts: 3,474
    Oh, I see Joe will help out. I bet he'll beat me to it but I'm redownloading the file now and will see if I can sort it. It will probably be a little over my head but I'll give it a go ;-)
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