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151
Announcements / Re: Subject
« on: July 22, 2009, 04:44:24 am »
Is there going to be any part of the final thing that'll be the same as it was in R1 ? ()
152
General ENIGMA / Game Maker 8
« on: July 20, 2009, 01:58:36 am »
So, there's a GM8 beta now. Will ENIGMA have some of this? Most of it's a bit pointless and just shortcuts what you could already do with code (alpha channel, trigger events) but the new sprite and code editors are much better.
What is New
Version 8.0 of Game Maker has a large number of improvements over version 7.0. Below the most important changes are described.
Incompatibilities
Text splash screens can no longer show images. However, web splash screens have been added that can show full html documents with images, etc.
A number of changes have been made to the functions related to sprite and background resources. This is due to the fact that Game Maker uses a completely new mechanism for these resources. If your game uses a lot of calls to functions that load or save image resources on the fly you are strongly recommended to keep using the old version 7.0 for that game.
News
Game Maker now default shows a News page when it is started. Here new version will be announced, new resources will be indicated, there is information about competition, and game design tips and tricks. News is shown only once a day. In the Pro Edition this can be switched off. You can always access the news through the Help menu and you are encouraged to regularly check the news for important information about Game Maker.
Tutorial
Game Maker now has a standard built-in tutorial for beginners. It is shown in a panel at the right of the screen. Experienced users can indicate that they do not want to see the tutorial anymore. To accommodate for the tutorial panel, Game Maker is now default started in full screen mode. It does however remember its settings so changing it once to windowed mode will from that moment on start it in that mode.
Alpha-blended backgrounds and sprites
The new version Game Maker uses backgrounds and sprites with alpha (transparency) channels. This makes it possible to create and use much nicer sprites. PNG files with such information are now correctly loaded. The sprite and image editor have been completely rewritten, including many new drawing options and effects. A new sprite file selector was added that shows the animations in the sprites. Also we bundle a large number of high-quality sprites with Game Maker that you can use for free in your games.
Enhanced collision checking
You now have more collision checking options. For example, you can indicate that collisions should be with an enclosed disk and you can enlarge and reduce the collision mask. The sub-image of the sprite can have a combined mask and you can set the dependence on the alpha transparency value.
Splash screens
A new function splash_show_web(url,delay) has been added that can be used to show web pages as splash screens. You can also use local html pages for this. This allows for a powerful mechanism to e.g. create help pages. A close button is added to the splash screens. Also a number of new actions have been added to show the different types of splash pages and to change splash settings. (The old Show Video and Webpage actions have been removes as the new actions include them. They will though still work in old games.)
Trigger events
A new type of event has been introduced: Trigger events. Trigger events you can specify yourself. You give them a name and a condition, written in GML. After this they can be used in all objects, just like other events. With this you can easily extend the functionality of Game Maker.
Time lines
The timelines have been extended. The property form has additional buttons to e.g. spread out the moments and to delete or duplicate ranges of moments. Timelines can now be paused and restarted and they can even be played backwards. Also they can now loop automatically.
Importing and exporting resources
The possibility to merge games has been replaced by a much more extensive system to import and export resources. The user can indicate which resources to export to a file (.gmres). Next they can be imported in a different game. In principle only one resource can exist for each name. When there is a name conflict when importing the use can specify to keep the original, replace anyway, take the one that is most recently changed, or keep both (not recommended). To be able to do the third option, all resources now keep track of when they were last changed.
Rewritten script and code editor
The built-in script/code editor has been completely rewritten, making it a lot easier to write code. For example there is pop-up function name completion, argument help, matching brackets, improved color coding, line numbers, on-the-fly error checking, code snippets, and a sophisticated find and replace functionality.
Other changes
There are a number of other changes and additions. Here are some of the important ones.
Constants can now be defined in their own form (rather than through the Global Game Settings). As a result they can remain visible while you are e.g. writing scripts. You can also load and save the constants to text files.
Also included files are no longer shown in the Global Game Settings but in their own form.
The loading time for games has been considerably improved. Also when running a stand-alone game.
Many small visual improvements
Added function random_range(x1,x2), irandom(x), and irandom_range(x1,x2). The latter do give integer results and can include x or x2.
There is now a game setting to disallow screensavers or powersaving options (sleep, hybernate) while the game is running (default disallowed).
What is New
Version 8.0 of Game Maker has a large number of improvements over version 7.0. Below the most important changes are described.
Incompatibilities
Text splash screens can no longer show images. However, web splash screens have been added that can show full html documents with images, etc.
A number of changes have been made to the functions related to sprite and background resources. This is due to the fact that Game Maker uses a completely new mechanism for these resources. If your game uses a lot of calls to functions that load or save image resources on the fly you are strongly recommended to keep using the old version 7.0 for that game.
News
Game Maker now default shows a News page when it is started. Here new version will be announced, new resources will be indicated, there is information about competition, and game design tips and tricks. News is shown only once a day. In the Pro Edition this can be switched off. You can always access the news through the Help menu and you are encouraged to regularly check the news for important information about Game Maker.
Tutorial
Game Maker now has a standard built-in tutorial for beginners. It is shown in a panel at the right of the screen. Experienced users can indicate that they do not want to see the tutorial anymore. To accommodate for the tutorial panel, Game Maker is now default started in full screen mode. It does however remember its settings so changing it once to windowed mode will from that moment on start it in that mode.
Alpha-blended backgrounds and sprites
The new version Game Maker uses backgrounds and sprites with alpha (transparency) channels. This makes it possible to create and use much nicer sprites. PNG files with such information are now correctly loaded. The sprite and image editor have been completely rewritten, including many new drawing options and effects. A new sprite file selector was added that shows the animations in the sprites. Also we bundle a large number of high-quality sprites with Game Maker that you can use for free in your games.
Enhanced collision checking
You now have more collision checking options. For example, you can indicate that collisions should be with an enclosed disk and you can enlarge and reduce the collision mask. The sub-image of the sprite can have a combined mask and you can set the dependence on the alpha transparency value.
Splash screens
A new function splash_show_web(url,delay) has been added that can be used to show web pages as splash screens. You can also use local html pages for this. This allows for a powerful mechanism to e.g. create help pages. A close button is added to the splash screens. Also a number of new actions have been added to show the different types of splash pages and to change splash settings. (The old Show Video and Webpage actions have been removes as the new actions include them. They will though still work in old games.)
Trigger events
A new type of event has been introduced: Trigger events. Trigger events you can specify yourself. You give them a name and a condition, written in GML. After this they can be used in all objects, just like other events. With this you can easily extend the functionality of Game Maker.
Time lines
The timelines have been extended. The property form has additional buttons to e.g. spread out the moments and to delete or duplicate ranges of moments. Timelines can now be paused and restarted and they can even be played backwards. Also they can now loop automatically.
Importing and exporting resources
The possibility to merge games has been replaced by a much more extensive system to import and export resources. The user can indicate which resources to export to a file (.gmres). Next they can be imported in a different game. In principle only one resource can exist for each name. When there is a name conflict when importing the use can specify to keep the original, replace anyway, take the one that is most recently changed, or keep both (not recommended). To be able to do the third option, all resources now keep track of when they were last changed.
Rewritten script and code editor
The built-in script/code editor has been completely rewritten, making it a lot easier to write code. For example there is pop-up function name completion, argument help, matching brackets, improved color coding, line numbers, on-the-fly error checking, code snippets, and a sophisticated find and replace functionality.
Other changes
There are a number of other changes and additions. Here are some of the important ones.
Constants can now be defined in their own form (rather than through the Global Game Settings). As a result they can remain visible while you are e.g. writing scripts. You can also load and save the constants to text files.
Also included files are no longer shown in the Global Game Settings but in their own form.
The loading time for games has been considerably improved. Also when running a stand-alone game.
Many small visual improvements
Added function random_range(x1,x2), irandom(x), and irandom_range(x1,x2). The latter do give integer results and can include x or x2.
There is now a game setting to disallow screensavers or powersaving options (sleep, hybernate) while the game is running (default disallowed).
153
SHUPAER123'S HOME / Re: Linux Game maker
« on: June 30, 2009, 10:52:47 am »
Don't you have enough topics to advertise this in already (whatever it's named this week)?
154
Announcements / Re: Expression Evaluator complete.
« on: June 22, 2009, 03:29:13 pm »Well, I thought of this because when you click "Creations" at the top of the page, it says:QuoteComing soon... in Valve Time.
-a2h
This may help.
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Valve_Time
It's a joke because Valve never release anything at the stated time. a2h borrowed the joke; I don't think he intended to suggest it'll be related to Steam at all. I'm guessing EDC will be done when i) they've coded it fully and ii) ENIGMA is ready for the world to see.
155
Announcements / Re: Expression Evaluator complete.
« on: June 21, 2009, 06:24:39 am »Also, feel free to keep guessing at the secret from last topic.
I'll be working.
Are the games actually going to be posted on Steam?
That's not only impractical, but also Steam does not run on Linux and has restrictive DRM.
156
Announcements / Re: Expression Evaluator complete.
« on: June 18, 2009, 10:21:08 am »And on that note, I think using a single = in ENIGMA when compiling doesn't work either. >_>
Yeah, that's a bit more serious. The majority of existing GM projects use "=" rather than "==" I think.
157
Announcements / Re: Expression Evaluator complete.
« on: June 18, 2009, 12:53:12 am »
"Does that mean it works on the C++ one, or you just mentioned it because it's GML which allows that?"
The latter. I thought the GML one wouldn't recognise "=", but as Josh said it's just the standalone evaluator that doesn't.
The latter. I thought the GML one wouldn't recognise "=", but as Josh said it's just the standalone evaluator that doesn't.
158
Announcements / Re: Expression Evaluator complete.
« on: June 17, 2009, 11:46:13 am »
On the GML one:
1=1
Error at 2: can't assign to that
1==1
1
1=1
Error at 2: can't assign to that
1==1
1
159
Issues Help Desk / Re: Wildclass double declaration halts compile
« on: June 14, 2009, 10:18:37 am »
Technically it's never going to be faster on anything, because the number of instances increases without limit. My FPS went from about 40 after 10s to 15 after 30s and I'm sure it would keep on falling.
That's after I changed double to var so it could run in GM, of course.
It's pretty though.
That's after I changed double to var so it could run in GM, of course.
It's pretty though.
160
Off-Topic / Metroid: Other M
« on: June 04, 2009, 01:35:46 pm »
Nintendo's E3 was great for fans like me. Golden Sun DS, a New Super Mario Bros. for the Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2.
But the best announcement was a new Metroid for the Wii called Other M. The trailer was awesome and I can't wait.
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-09-metroid-other/50237
...just posting because Metroid is my favourite game series.
But the best announcement was a new Metroid for the Wii called Other M. The trailer was awesome and I can't wait.
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-09-metroid-other/50237
...just posting because Metroid is my favourite game series.
161
Announcements / Re: Compatibility Issues
« on: May 05, 2009, 02:06:47 pm »How about since Enigma is supposed to be cross-platform, you only include features that are cross-platform. I haven't been keeping up with Enigma but is it still even supposed to be able to compile any GM code?
(As far as I know) ENIGMA will implement all or the vast majority of GM functions, but using cross-platform libraries like OpenGL instead of GM's Direct3D. So, yes, it will compile 'any' GM code.
162
Announcements / Re: Compatibility Issues
« on: May 05, 2009, 10:21:19 am »QuoteYou use GConf already in ENIGMA? What happens under KDE?GConf is not limited to GNOME, although it is a GNOME application. KDE distros like Kubuntu or KDE Fedora will probably have some sort of registry.
KDE doesn't have a registry of any kind by default, and nor do distros using it. GConf is portable, sure, but it'd have to be a dependency and GConf itself depends on several GNOME libraries; to install a single GConf-using app would bring along a lot of GNOME baggage.
164
Announcements / Re: Compatibility Issues
« on: May 03, 2009, 11:26:48 am »
You use GConf already in ENIGMA? What happens under KDE?
Yes, forgot /etc required permission. A hidden directory in the user area is probably the best solution. That's where GConf is stored, by the way.
Off topic:
Will the next be release be on the order of weeks, months or years? (Don't shoot me...)
Yes, forgot /etc required permission. A hidden directory in the user area is probably the best solution. That's where GConf is stored, by the way.
Off topic:
Will the next be release be on the order of weeks, months or years? (Don't shoot me...)
165
Announcements / Re: Compatibility Issues
« on: May 03, 2009, 05:58:46 am »
You'd probably want to use /etc (configuration files) rather than /var, /var is for more temporary data like logfiles and program 'working set data' like databases. And, you're right, writing to the registry for security is always a bad idea; I don't know why anyone thought otherwise.
Interestingly, GNOME (which is the most common desktop environment for Linux) does have a registry, called Gconf. But by using it you would be making it GNOME-specific and really it's not worth it.
I think Linux uses MIME-types for file association. File extensions are meaningless on Unix systems.
Interestingly, GNOME (which is the most common desktop environment for Linux) does have a registry, called Gconf. But by using it you would be making it GNOME-specific and really it's not worth it.
I think Linux uses MIME-types for file association. File extensions are meaningless on Unix systems.