Anyone remember that old forum that was replaced by the Programmers Union? Well, it didn't seem to have any use back then, but now that I've gotten back to work on my Click FAQ... it seems that it would actually be useful after all. And since so many of you like to show off your talents... here's your chance.
I've got a few more questions on my list that may just have more than one answer. So, instead of giving my (possibly incorrect) opinion on them, I'm putting them out here so you guys can be quoted in the Click FAQ as well:
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Newbie:
What's the best music file type?
* MMF's too expensive! How can I get it for cheaper/free?
* My game doesn't run on other people's computers! What should I do? (I'm still a bit unsure which .dll files work for MMF, CnC, TGF...)
Why does everyone hate installers?
How do I update MMF?
* It says that some .cox file is missing! What's a .cox file?
What's Vitalize?
How do I get more people in my team?
Novice:
Can I convert a MP3 or WAV file into MIDI?
How do I find the distance between two objects?
How do I encrypt a file?
My game's too slow! How do I speed it up?
* My game's too big! How do I make it smaller?
How do I make a Vitalize game? (honestly, I haven't tried myself :/ )
How do I make the game scroll faster/smoother?
Intermediate:
No, seriously, I want to make a REAL custom movement engine. Something with realistic physics and stuff. How do I do it?
How do I do 'bullet time'?
How do I make a level editor?
How do I make an online high score table?
How do I make instant bullet hits?
How do I make an inaccurate bullet?
How do I make a multiplayer game?
How do I hack into... I mean prevent people from hacking into my game's save file?
I'm making a game with two players battling each other with swords. How can I keep the swords in the players' hands? (a classic since the old, old Klik n' Play FAQ)
I heard you could do more with loops than just loop an event many times! What else do people use loops for?
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There, a direct copy & paste of the 'uncertain' questions for the next version of the Click FAQ. Feel free to state your opinions on whatever topics interest you, so that they may be quoted . And if you don't want to be quoted... just say so.
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
in the newbie section, you should include example game files (like pong, breakout, snake etc. (basically newbie-style games)) if you aren't doing so already.
btw, the stopping people from hacking into save games would be asked by novies wouldnt it? (seing as you could put it in with the encyption bit)
That's a good point, I forgot about Matt of Bumderland's FAQ, but it is quite old and doesn't have things like, 360 degree instant shooting, and custom platform movements, for example
Q: * My game doesn't run on other people's computers! What should I do?
A: Be sure that the operatin system is Windows. If you're using Klik & Play, distribute the game's .mus file, .snd file, .gam file, .mtf file and .img file, as well as the .exe and knps.dll.
For TGF or CNC games, you'll need cncs32.dll. For MMF games, you'll need cncs232.dll. If you are using the DMC2 object in your game, be sure to include bass.dll.
Q: How do I find the distance between two objects?
A: sqr( ( (X("Object2") - X("Object1")) * (X("Object2") - X("Object1")) ) + ( (Y("Object2") - Y("Object1")) * (Y("Object2") - Y("Object1")) ) ). If you have MMF 1.5, you can also use the Advanced Direction Object.
Q: My game's too big! How do I make it smaller?
A: Crop/shrink all the images in your active objects, and instead of using high-quality stereo .wav files use mono .wav files. Also, change the color settings from 16 million colors to 32767 (the second number is probably wrong, but it's the one that's in the 32,000's)
Q: Can I convert a MP3 or WAV file into MIDI?
A: No.
Q: How do I encrypt a file?
A: If you have MMF 1.5, use the Blowfish object. It really isn't that hard. All you need to do is to create a key, and then encrypt a value/string with that key (in the EncryptString$() function, the key is the first string you need). You can also use the Binary Object or the Encryption Object, or just make up your own encryption.
Q: It says that some .cox file is missing! What's a .cox file?
A: A .cox file is an extension. If it can't find out what the extension is suppose to do that it can't open up the game. Kris made a program a while ago that could pull out extensions from klik .exe's (http://www.create-games.com/download.asp?id=4255)
Q: How do I update MMF?
A: Go to the Clickteam website (http://www.clickteam.com) and check for the latest builds of MMF. To find out your current MMF build go to Help | About in the menu. Most of the times a community site like The Daily Click or Klik-Me will report a new build so that you don't have to constantly check the Clickteam website.
Q: How do I make a Vitalize game?
A: It's just like making a regular game, except you compile it as an internet application. Then you put the code on this website into your HTML/ASP/PHP file: http://www.clickteam.com/English/vitalize.htm
Be careful, though, as many extensions are not Vitalized and therefore cannot work in a Vitalize application.
I think that many of the intermediate questions are better answered with an example, mainly because it's hard and confusing to write MMF code in text.
Joe:
Novice questions are for questions that are mostly fact-based, intermediate questions are for the ones you have to think, while the newbie ones are the ones that could potentially get you flamed . I'm not sure about including example files, especially since they take up space and most people wouldn't actually appreciate me increasing the file size by 200 KB just to put in an example they could code in 10 mins.
Tigs:
Yeah, that's where I got most of the questions . I already sent an email to the dude asking if I could use some of the answers to his questions, but I made a post here just in case someone has a different idea of doing the stuff above. There's plenty more questions I didn't add, coz I was certain enough that there's only one answer to them.
RapidFlash:
Thanks, especially on the .dll file details and that link to Kris's extension thingy. Though I'm pretty sure there's another .dll file that I'm not sure what it's for.
Mind if I quote you and give you credit for those answers?
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
Q: How do I do 'bullet time'?
A: The way I do is by having "Alterable Value A("Object") = 0" in every line of code that deals with movement. Then, when you activate Bullet Time, you turn on a flag (in this example Flag 0), and then you do something like:
Alterable Value A("Object") < 2 --> Add 1 to Alterable Value A("Object")
Alterable Value A("Object") = 2 --> Set Alterable Value A("Object") to 0
("Object") Flag 0 is off (this is your bullet time flag) --> Set Alterable Value A("Object") to 0.
Of course, you still would need to slow down all the animations. Unfortuanetly, the "Change Animation Speed..." method doesn't always work, but the Change Animation Speed extension fixes it (MMF only, http://www.clickteam.info/extensions/extview.php?id=35). The whole Alterable Value A("Object") code can be used for more things later on, such as going an average of 1.5 pixels per loop (Going exactly 1.5 pixels per loop is impossible, but with the above method you can do 3 pixels per 2 loops, which gives you an average of 1.5 pixels per loop).
Oh, and a correction: There are programs that can convert MP3/WAV to MIDI, but they're terrible (from the FAQ Tigerworks posted).
Q: What is Mod? (I know this isn't on your list, but I had the same question as a newbie)
A: Mod (known as Modulus) finds out the remainder of a division, i.e. 4 mod 2 will return 0, because 4 / 2 = 2 and 0/2. 5 mod 2 will return 1, because 5 / 2 = 2 and 1/2. This article explains it in more detail: http://www.create-games.com/article.asp?id=1351
Kris's extension grabber is only good on TGF/CNC, and it's only good if you have a game that uses it... (and how many people know what extensions a game uses anyway?) It makes me wonder why you didn't link to an extension list instead
FireMonkey: Really? I've tried it on some MMF games and it can take extensions from it (and the extensions work). And you're right, Muz, have this link: http://www.clickteam.info/extensions/
All new extensions can't be grabbed with it because their authoring interface data has been taken out for the stand-alone EXE version... however, most exts that work with TGF/CNC as well still have the interface, so you would be able to use them correctly.
LOL. I had that 'What is mod?' question on my list, but since the answer was pretty simple, I didn't bother to put it in this list...
Clickteam's extension list sucks. I very strongly prefer the third-party ones, but you can get most extensions from a quick search on Google anyway.
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
You mean the Critic's Lounge? I suggested that forum to Shadow and I was happy when he said yes, puzzled when the discussion was focused on giving advice to klikkers. It was supposed to have resembled what Digital Works is. Anyway though I don't care.
I dunno. I just don't like it. Maybe it's the color or the fact that only a few of the extensions I'm looking for seem to be there. Google searches are so much easier.
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
Here's another fairly common question:
"Why should I create a custom platform engine? The MMF platform engine is good enough for me!"
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
Hey guys... I'm planning to release the next version of the Click FAQ pretty soon, so any more comments on the stuff? I think RapidFlash is getting a bit prominent in there...
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
Deleted User
10th September, 2004 at 08:17:20 -
Newbie:
What's the best music file type?
mp3
* MMF's too expensive! How can I get it for cheaper/free?
dounload mmf exprees
* My game doesn't run on other people's computers! What should I do? (I'm still a bit unsure which .dll files work for MMF, CnC, TGF...)
change what makes it not work??
Why does everyone hate installers?
because they are boring
How do I update MMF?
CLick team
* It says that some .cox file is missing! What's a .cox file?
What's Vitalize?
.cox files are my files mmf named them that cause amnesia and nuke and me last name is cox
How do I get more people in my team?
Novice:
Can I convert a MP3 or WAV file into MIDI?
yes
How do I find the distance between two objects?
x and y posions?
How do I encrypt a file?
-
My game's too slow! How do I speed it up?
dont use machen independant speed
* My game's too big! How do I make it smaller?
delet some crap or zip it
How do I make a Vitalize game? (honestly, I haven't tried myself :/ )
imposible
How do I make the game scroll faster/smoother?
u make the game not fill screen to window size
Um... MP3's are definitely not the best file type. If you want quality, go with a high-quality WAV file. The reason that people don't use those too much is because they take up lots of room. So Radix is right, mods are better for games (at least freeware games).
As for billybobjoe198-Happigamer's comments: I've already answered most of those questions, and the answers you gave add absolutely nothing to them. Also, machine independent speed makes your game go faster. I believe that turning on DirectX and VRAM makes your game go faster too, unless you have too many semitransparencies (Just ask Tigerworks).
Er... what's wrong with MP3s? They're small (compared to WAV) and they've got very high quality for all that compression.
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
There's nothing wrong with them, you're just better off using mods for freeware. We don't want to go telling n00bs they should use MP3s in all their games, do we?
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. And if you don't want to be quoted... just say so.
Edited by the Author.
. I'm not sure about including example files, especially since they take up space and most people wouldn't actually appreciate me increasing the file size by 200 KB just to put in an example they could code in 10 mins.
mmf named them that cause amnesia and nuke and me last name is cox
