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Chit-Chat / Re: How did you find out about us?
« on: September 17, 2011, 09:56:13 am »
Game maker blog: http://gamemakerblog.com/
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Chit-Chat / Re: What got you interested in game making?
« on: September 11, 2011, 10:35:02 am »
As a kid, I loved making my own version of the stuff I enjoyed. I made my own toy "play-sets" out of cardboard boxes, wrote my own comics, created my own board games, the list goes on.
Then I discovered you could make text adventure video games on computer using a simple editor. Making video games is the last thing that I still experiment with to this day. There's just so much to it, and the way a game interacts with the mind of the player is still something I don't fully understand.
Then I discovered you could make text adventure video games on computer using a simple editor. Making video games is the last thing that I still experiment with to this day. There's just so much to it, and the way a game interacts with the mind of the player is still something I don't fully understand.
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Game Ideas / Re: What games have you completed in the past?
« on: September 04, 2011, 09:46:40 pm »
I started playing around with game creation back on my father's old Apple II. However, if I limit myself to games created after the internet was invented 
I have been using Game Maker to create the following:
Stellar Jetman http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/games/41753-stellar-jetman-10
This was a remake of an old hidden gem of a NES game called Solar Jetman (original can be played here:http://nintendo8.com/game/267/solar_jetman_-_hunt_for_golden_warpship/). You travel to 4 or so alien worlds in your mothership, which lands on the planets and sends out a smaller ship to explore around the planet's caverns looking for power-ups and hunting down boss-alien ships to destroy. If you tractor beam power-ups back to your mothership, you can use them when docked with the mothership to customize your explorer ship. If your explorer ship gets destroyed, your pilot flies out with a jetpack and you can still save him if you make it back to the mothership in one piece.
Overall, it's a rough but fun exploration game.
Treasure Raider http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/games/32140-treasure-raider
This one has a mechanic like the board game "labyrinth". You are in a maze with walls that can be shifted or rotated around to create paths. From there you must avoid traps and try to collect treasure chests for points.
A nice short game. A little too hard at the end, but otherwise kinda neat. I've been told it's fun to squish enemies in the moving walls.
Catch Bots http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/games/48631-catch-botz
In this game, you control two robots at once. They throw an orb to each other that can be used to smash enemies to clear the level. You get more points for smashing more enemies with one shot.
For this game I was going for a retro-look, but it didn't really turn out. Don't let anyone tell you retro-graphics are easy, they still take good design decisions to look classic. Ignoring the graphics on this one, it's not a bad game with a lot of levels. It's partly an action game involving aiming and avoiding traps, but also partly a puzzle game where you try to figure out how to hit multiple enemies with a single shot.
Galatics http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/games/162236-galatics
This one is a simple tactical game where you move fleets of ships around a system of planets to destroy your opponent's base. The enemy AI adjusts it's difficulty during play to vary the pace of the game, give you a challenge, but also adjust to your skill level.
This one is probably my best overall game in terms of production-level. It sure took a long time to make. I'm pretty happy with it, although I had to remove a lot of cool features I had planned due to time constraints. But I think it still holds up and can be fun. Not too long either, if your good with strategy games.
And that brings me to my first Stencyl game:
Asteroids Plus http://www.stencyl.com/game/play/4223
It's an asteroids game where you collect gems mined from asteroids and return them to planets to score points. The more you return at one time, the more points you get but the harder the enemies that come after you. So, you can play it safe or push your luck.
I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, and it only took a few weeks to create which really tells you something about Stencyl's capabilities. It might be the most fun simple game I have made.
Thanks for reading, and for trying out some of the games if you had time. I hope to make many more as I learn Stencyl, and maybe collaborate with some of the creators of the fine games listed in this thread
I have been using Game Maker to create the following:Stellar Jetman http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/games/41753-stellar-jetman-10
This was a remake of an old hidden gem of a NES game called Solar Jetman (original can be played here:http://nintendo8.com/game/267/solar_jetman_-_hunt_for_golden_warpship/). You travel to 4 or so alien worlds in your mothership, which lands on the planets and sends out a smaller ship to explore around the planet's caverns looking for power-ups and hunting down boss-alien ships to destroy. If you tractor beam power-ups back to your mothership, you can use them when docked with the mothership to customize your explorer ship. If your explorer ship gets destroyed, your pilot flies out with a jetpack and you can still save him if you make it back to the mothership in one piece.
Overall, it's a rough but fun exploration game.
Treasure Raider http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/games/32140-treasure-raider
This one has a mechanic like the board game "labyrinth". You are in a maze with walls that can be shifted or rotated around to create paths. From there you must avoid traps and try to collect treasure chests for points.
A nice short game. A little too hard at the end, but otherwise kinda neat. I've been told it's fun to squish enemies in the moving walls.
Catch Bots http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/games/48631-catch-botz
In this game, you control two robots at once. They throw an orb to each other that can be used to smash enemies to clear the level. You get more points for smashing more enemies with one shot.
For this game I was going for a retro-look, but it didn't really turn out. Don't let anyone tell you retro-graphics are easy, they still take good design decisions to look classic. Ignoring the graphics on this one, it's not a bad game with a lot of levels. It's partly an action game involving aiming and avoiding traps, but also partly a puzzle game where you try to figure out how to hit multiple enemies with a single shot.
Galatics http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/games/162236-galatics
This one is a simple tactical game where you move fleets of ships around a system of planets to destroy your opponent's base. The enemy AI adjusts it's difficulty during play to vary the pace of the game, give you a challenge, but also adjust to your skill level.
This one is probably my best overall game in terms of production-level. It sure took a long time to make. I'm pretty happy with it, although I had to remove a lot of cool features I had planned due to time constraints. But I think it still holds up and can be fun. Not too long either, if your good with strategy games.
And that brings me to my first Stencyl game:
Asteroids Plus http://www.stencyl.com/game/play/4223
It's an asteroids game where you collect gems mined from asteroids and return them to planets to score points. The more you return at one time, the more points you get but the harder the enemies that come after you. So, you can play it safe or push your luck.
I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, and it only took a few weeks to create which really tells you something about Stencyl's capabilities. It might be the most fun simple game I have made.
Thanks for reading, and for trying out some of the games if you had time. I hope to make many more as I learn Stencyl, and maybe collaborate with some of the creators of the fine games listed in this thread
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Archives / Re: Do more with games
« on: August 20, 2011, 07:21:47 pm »
Good ideas all around, can't argue against that. I think the stencyl dudes are probably more focused on building the stencyl platform up to improve game development and as a place to trade resources, which is probably a source of revenue they are counting on. So, the website development is probably secondary, but some simple features like the ones you mention might show up in time. Also, because stencyl exports to flash, you can host your games on big, well developed sites like Kongregate and Newgrounds. Those sites will probably always be way ahead of Stencyl.com in terms of features because that is their specialty.
But, stencyl.com still makes a great showcase for stencyl-made games, and extra website features would always make it better so it's not out of the question at all.
But, stencyl.com still makes a great showcase for stencyl-made games, and extra website features would always make it better so it's not out of the question at all.
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Ask a Question / Re: What happened to highscores?
« on: August 07, 2011, 01:40:20 pm »
Ah, I wondered if something like that might be the reason. So does that mean one day there will be blocks and everything to support Mochi instead? (not informed about how that works)
That's fine, my only complaint would be that it's a bit awkward now (with no replacement highscores in there yet) if you have a game using highscores, but if you update your Stencyl, it will break your highscores if you update the game. Is it possible to download older versions of Stencyl to use just for updating older games?
That's fine, my only complaint would be that it's a bit awkward now (with no replacement highscores in there yet) if you have a game using highscores, but if you update your Stencyl, it will break your highscores if you update the game. Is it possible to download older versions of Stencyl to use just for updating older games?
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Ask a Question / Re: What happened to highscores?
« on: July 31, 2011, 12:50:15 pm »
I was one of the "almost nobody" who has used it on my game (http://www.stencyl.com/game/play/4223).
This is disappointing news, as I think it was useful. You could use it for high scores, or use it to save player information so that it would be the same no matter which computer the player uses to play the game.
Kongregate is fine... if you use Kongregate. But also I don't think you can do quite as much with it besides a normal highscore list. Isn't it a bit early to decide when something is not useful, as many people are still new to the system and there really aren't that many high quality games out there made with Stencyl yet.
Of course the decision could be based on other factors not discussed here, etc. Oh well, I suppose high scores are not essential. Anyway, maybe when extensions are created someone can release a high-scores extension or something.
(http://www.stencyl.com/game/play/4223).This is disappointing news, as I think it was useful. You could use it for high scores, or use it to save player information so that it would be the same no matter which computer the player uses to play the game.
Kongregate is fine... if you use Kongregate. But also I don't think you can do quite as much with it besides a normal highscore list. Isn't it a bit early to decide when something is not useful, as many people are still new to the system and there really aren't that many high quality games out there made with Stencyl yet.
Of course the decision could be based on other factors not discussed here, etc. Oh well, I suppose high scores are not essential. Anyway, maybe when extensions are created someone can release a high-scores extension or something.
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News / Re: Summer Game Jam Results
« on: July 31, 2011, 12:28:26 pm »
Congrats to the winners!
Also, I was very pleased with the level of feedback from the judges. They really took time to write some insightful suggestions for the games.
For anyone who may be interested, I have updated my game according to some of the feedback.
It can be played here: http://www.stencyl.com/game/play/4223
Also, I was very pleased with the level of feedback from the judges. They really took time to write some insightful suggestions for the games.
For anyone who may be interested, I have updated my game according to some of the feedback.
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News / Re: Summer Game Jam (Ends June 30th - Win $100!)
« on: June 28, 2011, 07:22:53 pm »
My entry:
It's an asteroids game with an explorable map and four kinds of enemies. Collect gems and bring them back to the planets to score points. The more you bring back at once, the higher the bonus points. However, the more gems you carry at a time, the more the pirates come after you so be careful... it can get fast-paced and dangerous pretty quickly.
Please give it a try, let me know what you think!
Link: Asteroids Plus
It's an asteroids game with an explorable map and four kinds of enemies. Collect gems and bring them back to the planets to score points. The more you bring back at once, the higher the bonus points. However, the more gems you carry at a time, the more the pirates come after you so be careful... it can get fast-paced and dangerous pretty quickly.
Please give it a try, let me know what you think!
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Archives / Re: Parallax Scrolling
« on: June 12, 2011, 02:14:33 pm »
Could you use a large actor sprite as the background instead? You could set the speed of the background actor to be going the opposite direction and at a % of the speed of the camera. The actor would have to be behind everything else in the scene. I'm not sure how well that will work with tiles... can the scene editor put an actor behind the tiles but have other actors in front/same depth as those tiles?
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Game Ideas / Re: Drawing to the screen - and making it stick
« on: June 09, 2011, 08:06:21 pm »
I'm new to stencyl, but I know in game maker this would usually be done with surfaces. Basically, a surface is an image you hold in memory, and reference it using a variable name. Then, you draw to it just like drawing to the screen, except you use the "draw to" function to make the game draw to your surface when using the drawing commands, instead of to the screen (which is the default).
Then, you just draw the surface to the screen every step. Your surface is not erased and refreshed every step like the screen is, so the result is that everything you draw "stays" on the screen.
The advantage is there's no making long lists of points or coding needed.. you just draw the same way you always do, just to the surface instead of the screen. This is really useful for drawing games, but other games too (like for pausing the game, screenshots for save games, etc.)
I don't know if this is possible in stencyl yet or not, but I would sure like to find out.
Then, you just draw the surface to the screen every step. Your surface is not erased and refreshed every step like the screen is, so the result is that everything you draw "stays" on the screen.
The advantage is there's no making long lists of points or coding needed.. you just draw the same way you always do, just to the surface instead of the screen. This is really useful for drawing games, but other games too (like for pausing the game, screenshots for save games, etc.)
I don't know if this is possible in stencyl yet or not, but I would sure like to find out.
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Game Ideas / Re: Leveling up in RPGs
« on: June 05, 2011, 06:59:37 pm »
You could think of a well-balanced level system as a kind of automatic difficulty adjuster. This works best if you allow your player to keep his experience points towards the next level, even after dying.
If a player is highly skilled, they can just breeze through easy early stuff but will soon get underpowered, which will make things harder for them. But if they are really that skilled... they will continue to make progress. If they are not quite skilled enough, they will start dying and having to repeat stuff until they either figure it out, or gain enough levels that it becomes easy enough for them.
It still takes good balancing though. If the game is almost 90% stats based, then being under-leveled just means it's impossible.
On the other hand, other posters are probably right its mostly used as a goal/reward system. Nothing wrong with that, but there are probably better systems possible.
If a player is highly skilled, they can just breeze through easy early stuff but will soon get underpowered, which will make things harder for them. But if they are really that skilled... they will continue to make progress. If they are not quite skilled enough, they will start dying and having to repeat stuff until they either figure it out, or gain enough levels that it becomes easy enough for them.
It still takes good balancing though. If the game is almost 90% stats based, then being under-leveled just means it's impossible.
On the other hand, other posters are probably right its mostly used as a goal/reward system. Nothing wrong with that, but there are probably better systems possible.
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Archives / Re: StencylForge Search/Sort by "Creator"
« on: June 05, 2011, 05:34:06 pm »
awesome, I was noticing that certain people upload very well made, flexible, and useful behaviors and it would be great to search for more by their name.
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