newbie questions

[Kael25]

Hi, guys. I just downloaded this the other day and I'm just having a few problems with a platform game I'm woking on. They're probably fairly easy to fix, but I'm "script illiterate" (not just unskilled... we're talking "monkey with a typewriter" here ). The only other programs I've used are the RPG Maker programs - them I can use fairly efficiently, but then again, there's no scripting involved... Anyway, here are the problems I'm having at the moment:

1. When I have the hero walk and have his animations change, he doesn't revert to the "stop left/right" animation once the key has been released.
On top of that, if he is walking, say, right and I press the "left" key whilst still holding down the "right" key, he starts moonwalking ("walking left" animation whilst walking right) and vice versa.

2. When he jumps, if he comes into contact with a tile (which I've set as Collision Events to stop him), he stops mid air against it and won't decend until the directional key is let go.

3. I made tiles that form "steps" like this: o0o But when he approaches them, he sort of "climbs halfway up them" if the directional key is held and if jump is tapped whilst against them, he "slides" up them

Any help with these issues would be greatly appreciated (hopefully they won't require heavy scripting - monkey with a typewriter, remember) and sorry if they've already been covered before. Thanks in advance!

[Just4Fun]

Welcome Kael25:

I haven't done much with platform games, but GE does have a few built in tutorials that show how to setup some of what you are talking about. Look in the tutorials directory on your C: drive and load anything that has "Caveman" in the title. These are also listed in the GE--> Help directory.

I, too, very familiar with the "monkey with a typewriter" feeling when it comes to C programming. You are not alone. I started just where you are. I am now graduated to a "great ape at the keyboard", but I've got a long way to go before I can claim the title of "human at the keyboard". Pointers, for instance, are driving me crazyer than I already am.

I think the best way to learn GE is to start small. For example, try getting your actor to walk based on a keypress left or right. Then build on that. Of course, the built in tutorials and documents go a long way in helping you to learn the program too.

Glad that you have decided to join the GE "family"...

[Kael25]

Hi Just4Fun, I liked your demo showcasing some of the capabilities of GE.

I tried the tutorials, but alas, half of them don't work (halfway through, the arrow just clicks on empty space or opens up different boxes than what it's supposed to) I think it because of the resolution or something... Unfortunately, the ones that don't work (Caveman, paths, space invaders and a couple of others) are the ones I need to work out my problem
I was able to get the walking animation to change by messing about with functions and the double jump problem by combining a couple of solutions others posted using variables (variables/switches I know how to use thanks to RPG Maker, it's those dang "if"s and "then"s that irritate me...). Much prefer switches/variables But, for some reason, the hero still faces left when walking right (and vice versa) from time to time, and getting the screen to scroll smoothly rather than jump about in time with its' parent is a pain...

Are there any online versions of the tutorials or text versions?

P.S. My apologies to everyone for not having a more descriptive subject heading, it's just that the problems cover a wide range of areas and I couldn't think of a way to categorise them all and still remain specific.

[Just4Fun]

Thanks for the 'kudos' Kael. I'm not much of a programmer, but I do enjoy tinkering around with GE when time permits.

As far as your problem with the tutorials go, I guess that Makslane has found a few bugs on some systems. My best guess is that he will get them fixed. He really is a world class programmer.

In my case, luckily, my computer runs the tutorials just fine, but when I want to really study them, I don't use the actual tutorial feature. I just load in the example from my hard drive. On my hard drive the directory for the tutorials is: C:\Program Files\Game Editor Pro\Tutorials. If you can find that directory on your computer, you should be able to load the Caveman demos. Use the file --> open command on the GE menu.

I would be curious to know if you can get these demos to open. You should be able to open them just as you would any other demo. If not, there is something that is definately wrong.

BTW, what is your operating system?

[Kael25]

I use Windows XP Home Edition. I can get the demos to open so I can study them, but I have a hard time memorising all the implementations that have been made and what they do in regards to gameplay. Usually I just take what other people have scripted and try to identify what commands do what so that I can use similar processes in development. I would love to be able to pull apart a couple of "old-school" platformers from the SNES/Genesis era and study their scripting by toying around with them and see what changes are made.

[duracel92]

Hello, I think these answers might help you.. -that makes me feel like a person from a call centre...

1. When I have the hero walk and have his animations change, he doesn't revert to the "stop left/right" animation once the key has been released.
On top of that, if he is walking, say, right and I press the "left" key whilst still holding down the "right" key, he starts moonwalking ("walking left" animation whilst walking right) and vice versa.

Use a mouse button up event, so when the key is released the animation changes to "still" animations.

2. When he jumps, if he comes into contact with a tile (which I've set as Collision Events to stop him), he stops mid air against it and won't decend until the directional key is let go.

Add gravity, or the code I will try find for you that will stop this.

3. I made tiles that form "steps" like this: o0o But when he approaches them, he sort of "climbs halfway up them" if the directional key is held and if jump is tapped whilst against them, he "slides" up them

I'm not quite sure on this one, but it might just be the same problem as number 2.

[duracel92]

Here a link that might help you, look at the 2nd post.

http://www.game-editor.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1450

[Kael25]

That worked perfectly!! Thanks duracel92!!!