[Game concept project] Times Square

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Offline LimeLemon

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[Game concept project] Times Square
« on: May 26, 2010, 21:05:33 »
I wanted to make a game. And I wanted it to be original. So by just thinking about some of my previous games and other random stuff that drifted through my mind I came up with this idea somehow.

The basic idea is pretty simple. Every screen is a closed room and is divided into X squares (views). All are visible at once and are fixed. Now, the character can jump and stuff and interact with creatures and objects. But for all the squares excpet the one the character is in, time is frozen. Which means that all the objects and creatures there just freeze, then being restored and resuming all actions when they are unfrozen. Or, time is frozen only in the current square. Or, time freezes/unfreezes in all squares the character enters. Or... yeah, you get the idea. Anyway, this would make some very interest puzzling possibilities. I think. Because I haven't come up with any yet. Because I have been busy trying to get the basics to work.
Spoiler: image (click to show/hide)
Everything seems to work except that the creatures are frozen or unfrozen all the time, not caring about views. I know where the fault is, but can not really figure out why or how I can fix it.

Did I mention I use Game Maker? Well it's pretty simple, so you should have no problem understanding if you have basic programming knowledge. The following results in the monster being permanently frozen:
Spoiler: ...and the monster (click to show/hide)

So, can anyone tell me what I missed/did wrong? It seems it's something with the if view is not equal to char.view and the following if frozen is equal to 0, or the whole block.

Oh and ofcourse the source file so you can play around with it!
http://www.mediafire.com/?wzudyryntgk

Many thanks, any answer will be appreciated.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2010, 21:08:00 by LimeLemon »
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Offline AClockworkLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2010, 22:49:49 »
For something like this, you should probably be using GML.
I think to freeze/unfreeze you should be using the functions:
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Offline LimeLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2010, 23:22:06 »
A heplful help file? What has the world become!
"They are not visible anymore nor are any events executed for them. So for all actions and functions they don't exist anymore."
Well that does not sound good at all. I still want to be able to interact with them, like jumping on them etc. But I guess that could be fixed by having the mask/sprite as a separate object that follows it (if you then make the object itself 1 px you also fix the problem with crossing two squares).
Gonna try this now. Thanks!

Well ok that code did not work at all, but let's see if I can manage to tweak it or make my own...
Nope, whatever I do it totally breaks everything.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2010, 23:44:05 by LimeLemon »
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Offline AClockworkLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2010, 06:38:18 »
whoops :^^:

lets try this again. i can't promise this will work, seeing as I'm at school at the moment and don't have my portable Game Maker with me.

Note: you will need to have Game Maker in advanced mode to do this

create an object for each section. it's probably a good idea to make them a transparent colour with a identification number on it, you can make it invisible in it's properities.

now you need to create another object. let's call this obj_check_sector. put an event for collision with each sector object. in each collision event, set a variable (NOT GLOBAL) to the sector it is hitting (for example, var_sector)

now, set the obj_check_sector as the parent object for all the objects you want to enable/freeze, and your main player. in the step event for your main player, put this: (in an execute code block)
Code: [Select]
global.player_sector=var_sector

and now, wherever your control mechanisms for the enemies are:
Code: [Select]
if (var_sector!=global.player_sector) {
//control mechanisms HERE!
}

This will hopefully work, i will try and get it working when i get home, and post up a source code.

By the way, would you like to team up on this? i really like the idea, and this would be a good way to expand my knowledge. I wouldn't always be available, as i have a fair bit of homework, but i will try to work on it as much as i can  C)
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Offline AClockworkLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2010, 09:55:09 »
Ok, it's all working  C)
YAY!

I've attached a .gmk for you (zipped).
open it up and have a look and fiddle with it to get the feeling of how it works. i suggest you look up parent objects i the help manual, it really helps. (i know, wtf? a helpful help file! XD)

Edit: I've downloaded your source and had a fiddle, and am still working on it. i will upload it soon


Ok, i have now finished fiddling with your version, and it's all working. Instead of using views to do all the work (which i think is a little messy  :^^:), it now relies on the squares. for the final game, you should either make these invisible, or give them a thin black border. i've attached it as well. working.zip was my test file, times square.zip is my modified version of your source (the new one)
« Last Edit: May 27, 2010, 12:21:11 by AClockworkLemon »
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Offline LimeLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2010, 18:08:35 »
Wow, thanks a bunch!
Now I just need to come up with some puzzles (hinthint, nifflers).
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Offline Razzorman

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2010, 23:09:19 »
It's pretty cool, but I think the levels should be shorter, and the arc makes the gun pretty useless.
My only star: :hiddenstar:

 :D

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Offline AClockworkLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2010, 00:47:45 »
It's pretty cool, but I think the levels should be shorter, and the arc makes the gun pretty useless.
Wha?
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Offline Razzorman

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #8 on: May 29, 2010, 13:26:52 »
Oh crud. I was in the wrong topic. :oops:
I had just played some Lunge Lemon Ninja, and wanted to post my opinion. I didn't read the topic title, and thought something like "LimeLemons game topic. Seems about right."

I really like the concept for this game though. Looks awesome.
My only star: :hiddenstar:

 :D

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Offline LimeLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #9 on: May 30, 2010, 03:06:24 »
Wow this is even the wrong board! You must be very good at failing, sir. But I'm glad you like both!
If anyone wonders I'm currently implementing a physics engine. It's really neat, it will allow you to have moving platforms, pushable objects and so. It's out of my league though, so I hope I don't have to make any big changes.
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Offline AClockworkLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #10 on: May 30, 2010, 03:34:12 »
If anyone wonders I'm currently implementing a physics engine. It's really neat, it will allow you to have moving platforms, pushable objects and so. It's out of my league though, so I hope I don't have to make any big changes.

Sounds good. If ya need any help, just PM me or post here or whatever  C)p
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Offline LimeLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2010, 01:09:17 »
Hey, guess what? Nothing works!
Since it seemed to be hard to just cut out what I wanted from the engine, I implemented the game into the engine instead! Saves a lot of work, and I didn't have to do, like, anything.
But, it won't work. I have played around with it, and whatever I do the solids are permanently frozen and the monsters never gets frozen.
One of the things that could have gone wrong is something I'm going to ask about. If you call a parent event that says exit, does it only exit the parent event or does it also exit the offspring event?
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Offline AClockworkLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #12 on: May 31, 2010, 01:39:01 »
about parent objects -
You have to be careful with parent objects, if you call their events, it basically gets the code out of the parent and chucks it into the child object. therefore, if you exit from within a parent object, it will exit in the child object.

I'll d/l your source and see whats going wrong :)

Edit: WHOA... whats with all the mario bs? it's i right mess, i'll see if i can figure something out :)

Edit: 2Do you actually want all the mario stuff, or are you just using it for the engine?
« Last Edit: May 31, 2010, 01:51:20 by AClockworkLemon »
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Offline LimeLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #13 on: May 31, 2010, 18:14:07 »
They came with the engine. I used the Demo of it because it already contained all stuff and I just wanted to test so yeah.
No mario stuff, it's placeholders.
I will now try to just retrieve that part which I need, and possibly "translate" it so it uses the normal GM physics so it can easily be edited. I mean seriously, this engine's physics are built from the ground up!
Oh and here is the whole thing, excluding the Demo which was provided in the last file, that is actually a tutorial:
« Last Edit: May 31, 2010, 18:21:27 by LimeLemon »
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Offline AClockworkLemon

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Re: [Game concept project] Times Square
« Reply #14 on: June 01, 2010, 02:51:46 »
I've had a fiddle around, and i think the best path with this thing is to figure out how the platform engine works, and then to write your own engine from scratch. It's not too hard, if you want i can help you out. (I'm about to start anyway  C)p) This is simply because the pre-written engine has way to much functionality than you need (as far as i can tell).

Edit: haven't been able to do much, really, as i have to study and whatnot for exams next week. I'll have another look at in a week or so
« Last Edit: June 03, 2010, 09:38:51 by AClockworkLemon »
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