More Questions

mrTortex

Hello.

Following on from my previous post, and just before I sign up, could somebody help me with the following.

Can Gamesalad link up to online scoring systems, like Open Feint?

How does Gamesalad handle large levels built with spritesheets, is there a level editor like LevelSVG?

With the Box2D physics system in Gamesalad, can I break joints based upon rules such as speed of collision?

How is scoring handled in Gamesalad, how is it saved?

Can user preferences be used in Gamesalad, to set level difficulty, sounds on and off etc?

How does Gamesalad handle incoming calls and messages on the iPhone?

How does Gamesalad deal with the retina display and need for dual res images to cope with it, and older models?

Can I test on the device as easily as I do in XCode, simply run on the device?

Just need to be sure before I sign up, I'm not rich and this is a big chunk of cash for me!

StusApps

I'll take them one at a time:

Can Gamesalad link up to online scoring systems, like Open Feint?

No

How does Gamesalad handle large levels built with spritesheets, is there a level editor like LevelSVG?

It doesn't and no.

With the Box2D physics system in Gamesalad, can I break joints based upon rules such as speed of collision?

No, your box 2d implementation really only allows you to control rotation, restitution, drag, friction, gravity and density.

How is scoring handled in Gamesalad, how is it saved?

You can save either boolean, integer or real number values to keys that you can then have the program call upon or alter.

Can user preferences be used in Gamesalad, to set level difficulty, sounds on and off etc?

Sure, that's down to you including them in your game. But yes, it is possible.

How does Gamesalad handle incoming calls and messages on the iPhone?

Pauses the game and takes the call. This is an IOS feature not a game salad one, always the same for apps.

How does Gamesalad deal with the retina display and need for dual res images to cope with it, and older models?

Very well actually. If you make your game with hi-res images it will automatically include a low res version in your binary. The game will then display whichever depending on the users device. No hassle and nothing extra to do at all for the developer (apart from tick a box).

Can I test on the device as easily as I do in XCode, simply run on the device?

Yep. download and install the GS viewer (which is an xcode app) build and run it once for each device. Then whenever it is on the same network as your mac GS will see it and give you the option to test on device.

Hope that helps.

Stu

mrTortex

Cheers for the answers, that really helps. I think for the time being I'll hold off until GameSalad matures a little.

JoeMeister

Hello StusApps.
Looks like you know a lot about GS.
I am new to it and love it.
Would you be able to help me with a problem?
I like to build a sort of "Where is Valdo" game.
I uploaded a sample for better understanding to the site.
Search for "Yorkie Time"
The Problem:
You have to find and click/touch on a couple of items on the screen,
once you found them all the rest of the picture should disappear and reveal
the photo underneath.
Hope I am not asking for to much.
Thanks

Riffel

create actors on the screen, on the fist touch add 1 to a integer.
when the total is reached set visible or alfa attribute of picture to true.

StusApps

Riffel said:
create actors on the screen, on the fist touch add 1 to a integer.
when the total is reached set visible or alfa attribute of picture to true.

What he said :-)

JoeMeister

Thanks.
That actor on the screen is that my picture in the background I like to appear,
OR is it the picture of the Windmill I am applying the integer to?
Remember I am totally new to this.
Somebody should write a Manual.

Thanks again.

quantumsheep

Hey Joe, and welcome to the forum!

Someone *is* writing a manual - I'm sure newcomers will find it useful.

It should be out this month I think, by another user, 'Photics'.

Cheers,

QS

JoeMeister

Thats great news. While the Team at GS did a good job in getting us started it lacks specifics.
The forums and wiki are great but I find myself spending way to much time looking for answers.
I just want one actor to disappear (Picture of Windmills) after a certain task is completed in order to reveal the next actor/photo underneath.
I am sure there is a simple solution but when you new to this it looks like Mt. Everest.

quantumsheep

Believe me, when you're on top of Mt. Everest, it looks a long way down!

Essentially you have to have a global integer variable called something like "foundCount" (you can call it whatever you want really).

You add these by having your scene visible and clicking on the centre tab 'attributes' on the sidebar which shows all your actors. This is a global variable you're adding.

On the two actors you have to click, add a variable to them (double click them to bring up their rules and it's in the sidebar on the left with all the other actor's variables like size, colour etc - just click the little '+' button to make a new variable)

This is a self variable - i.e. it's on the actor itself.

Call this variable 'clicked' and make it a boolean

On the actors have the following rule:

If touch is pressed
AND
If variable self.clicked is false

Behaviour: Change attribute foundCount to foundcount+1
Behaviour: Change attribute self.clicked to true

This will add 1 to the variable 'foundcount' only once.

Now on your windmills actor, have the rule:
If attribute 'foundcount' = 2
Behaviour: Change attribute self.alpha to 0

Otherwise
behaviour: Change attribute self.alpha to 1

This should do it.

When you leave the scene to go back to the menu, or on the 'start' button on the menu itself, use the 'change attribute' behaviour to reset all your values.

e.g. change foundcount to 0

Hope that helps!

QS

JoeMeister

Thank you....Thank you...Thank you!!!

andy_the_baker

hi there. can i piggyback on this?

is there a way of declaring a global variable though? here is a simple example of what i'm trying to do:

there is an icon of two characters. if i touch one, and drag it to a spawn area, it'll spawn said character. i have everything else working except the ability to tell the spawner which character to spawn.

thanks.

Riffel

Creste a game atribute (+button). When actors ia grabed change the game.atribbute. Make spawner actor look this atribbute and choose.

andy_the_baker

god. how did i miss that?!? thanks!!!!

andy_the_baker

got one more, and this might be more of a glitch perhaps? i'm trying to apply two rules concurrently: touch inside, and touch release to activate the spawn (i want to drag the icon to the spawner and then release the touch so that the player doesn't accidentally spawn in the wrong area).

this doesn't work the way i imagine it to. i can drag something to the spawn area, and release, but then it doesn't spawn. what makes it spawn, however, is if i just click on the spawn area (thus satisfying the "touch release" has occurred at some point in the spawn area). then whenever i drag an icon to the area it just spawns as soon as the touch enters the area.

any help from this wonderful community would be appreciated! thank you kindly for all the help so far.

andy_the_baker

bump once (then letting go if no one answers )

gyroscope

Hi andy, I'm guessing this is because you've both conditions set, i.e inside and release, which isn't possible to have at the same time. The way around that is to put the on release Rule inside the inside rule, if you see what I mean. I think...(I tend to be trying to help lately and not getting much right... ;-)

andy_the_baker

thanks for the reply! i did try nesting the release rule into the inside rule and that didn't work. i think you're absolutely correct: you can't be inside and release at the same time. i'll have to think of some mechanism that works around that - perhaps set a variable that enables another rule totally outside of this one. yay! logic puzzle for tonight.

thanks. it's appreciated.

JoeMeister

Its being released today.

Thanks