I just finished my 1st Dizzy game - Polish needed

Hi Guys,

I've just finished my 1st Dizzy game and I'm just wondering if I pick anyone's brains on a few things for suggestions/how I would go about adding/tweaking aspects for the 2nd version of this game before uploading it on here for you guys to check out. I apologise if I sound like a broken record as I've probably covering areas that you're all spoke about before, but I couldn't find any topics on them, so am I here, anyways ...

1.) Is there any sites or forums here that share alternative tiles, music and sound effect files? My game visually doesn't look or sound too pretty at the moment

2.) How would you go about creating an title screen, start menu (new game, load game, etc) and End menu/screen (end of game)?

3.) I'm currently trying implement a sound effect to play for each speech bubble that appears. Is there way to code it so it will always play a certain SFX by default for each speech bubble without having SamplePlay(FX_) for each piece of dialogue in the code? As I have alot of dialogue in my game and this would double the size of the script.

4.) Also I'm wondering if it is possible to implement some type of respawn point in certain rooms, so instead respawning in the same place where you died in the level, you respawn at an certain point? Has this been done before? Is it possible?

5.) I'm been trying to figure out the code how to make the screen go black for a little while, then return back to normal (gameplay). Any suggestions for code?

Lastly, is there a topic on here for people to post/upload their games once I've finalised the game? Sorry it's quite a list, I didn't realise - I may just form other topics make it easier to digest. Thanks in advance and any help on such issues would be greatly appreciated! :cool:

[quote data-userid="317" data-postid="54830"]

Hi Guys,

I’ve just finished my 1st Dizzy game and I’m just wondering if I pick anyone’s brains on a few things for suggestions/how I would go about adding/tweaking aspects for the 2nd version of this game before uploading it on here for you guys to check out. I apologise if I sound like a broken record as I’ve probably covering areas that you’re all spoke about before, but I couldn’t find any topics on them, so am I here, anyways …

[/quote]

Congratulations! {yolkfolk}:clap:

[quote data-userid="317" data-postid="54830"]

1.) Is there any sites or forums here that share alternative tiles, music and sound effect files? My game visually doesn’t look or sound too pretty at the moment

[/quote]

ermm no tbh, there isn't. Regarding tiles, you can un-pak any DizzyAGE game and nick any tiles you want to, or alternatively draw your own (I use a program called 'GIMP' for mine). Music-wise, there is an additional download of music files available on the DizzyAGE site, or you can look on http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/, which is where I got the music for TLoD and CoTM (Use a program such as Audacity to edit them and convert them to .ogg format). Regarding samples, that too is difficult. for TLoD and CoTM I think I nicked a few samples from 'Dizzy and the Other Side' and edited them using Audacity.

[quote data-userid="317" data-postid="54830"]

2.) How would you go about creating an title screen, start menu (new game, load game, etc) and End menu/screen (end of game)?

[/quote]

my 'Make your own Dizzy Game' tutorial tells you how to create title and ending screens, and you don't need a start menu, as the game will already have intro and game menus coded.

[quote data-userid="317" data-postid="54830"]

3.) I’m currently trying implement a sound effect to play for each speech bubble that appears. Is there way to code it so it will always play a certain SFX by default for each speech bubble without having SamplePlay(FX_) for each piece of dialogue in the code? As I have alot of dialogue in my game and this would double the size of the script.

[/quote]

sure, open up file messages.gs, find the function called Message( x, y, text, colorink, colorborder ), and put the SamplePlay(FX_); line into that function as the first line. That should do the job for you (let me know if it doesn't work). :smile:

[quote data-userid="317" data-postid="54830"]

4.) Also I’m wondering if it is possible to implement some type of respawn point in certain rooms, so instead respawning in the same place where you died in the level, you respawn at an certain point? Has this been done before? Is it possible?

[/quote]

sure it is. First you'll need to set a 'death' property number for those particular hazards, then you can use that number to call a special 'respawn' code for that particular death number.

So for example lets say you want to set a specific position for being killed by a bear. Set the 'death' property for the bear object to '1' (or any other number) in the map, note that the thing that kills you will have to be type 'dynamic' (using class 'hurt' or 'kill' and collider 'call handler'), rather than type 'static'. Then you can use code similar to below:

func PlayerRespawn_1()
{
	SamplePlay(FX_RESPAWN);
	PlayerSet(P_DEATH, 0);
	PlayerSet(P_LIFE, 100);

	PlayerSet(P_X, XPOSITION);
	PlayerSet(P_Y, YPOSITION);
	PlayerEnterIdle();
	MusicFade(0,3);
	MusicRestore();
}

the number '1' in PlayerRespawn_1 must be the same as the 'death' property for the object that kills Dizzy, and you also need to replace XPOSITION and YPOSITION with, well, the X and Y positions you want Dizzy to respawn at!

[quote data-userid="317" data-postid="54830"]

5.) I’m been trying to figure out the code how to make the screen go black for a little while, then return back to normal (gameplay). Any suggestions for code?

[/quote]

you mean fade to black, or just flick off like a light switch? also, do you mean the entire screen (including HUD), or just the room display? It should be fairly easy to rattle a bit of code out for you, it just depends what exactly you want to do.
[quote data-userid="317" data-postid="54830"]

Lastly, is there a topic on here for people to post/upload their games once I’ve finalised the game? Sorry it’s quite a list, I didn’t realise – I may just form other topics make it easier to digest. Thanks in advance and any help on such issues would be greatly appreciated! :cool:

[/quote]

once you've finally finished (and paked the data folder to make a 'dizzy.pak' file), email it to AdzM and to Alex Simion, and they will upload it to yolkfolk.com, and the DizzyAGE site for you. As for a topic, you can create one yourself in the 'fan games' forum :smile:

A final note, get someone else to test the game for you before you release it. This is because no matter how much you've tested it, someone else will always see a problem or bug that you've missed, or will be able to correct spelling, or suggest an improvement, or something. Basically they'll look at it with a fresh pair of eyes, and I promise you, your game will be better for it.

[quote data-userid="317" data-postid="54830"]

1.) Is there any sites or forums here that share alternative tiles, music and sound effect files? My game visually doesn’t look or sound too pretty at the moment

[/quote]

If you're after any Dizzy sound effects from the original games, there's a library of them here from the Spectrum, Commodore, Amiga and Sega Megadrive versions. :smile:

[quote data-userid="317" data-postid="54830"]

Hi Guys,

I’ve just finished my 1st Dizzy game and I’m just wondering if I pick anyone’s brains on a few things for suggestions/how I would go about adding/tweaking aspects for the 2nd version of this game before uploading it on here for you guys to check out. I apologise if I sound like a broken record as I’ve probably covering areas that you’re all spoke about before, but I couldn’t find any topics on them, so am I here, anyways …

1.) Is there any sites or forums here that share alternative tiles, music and sound effect files? My game visually doesn’t look or sound too pretty at the moment

[/quote]

Choose any. Only write, who the author of a melody.

http://www.zxtunes.com/news.php?&ln=eng

Thanks Delta for your encouragement and your advice, very helpful and thank you to everyone else for the tips {yolkfolk}:raspy:

[quote data-userid="23" data-postid="72062"]

sure, open up file messages.gs, find the function called Message( x, y, text, colorink, colorborder ), and put the SamplePlay(FX_); line into that function as the first line. That should do the job for you (let me know if it doesn’t work). :smile:

[/quote]

Oh yes of course, I end up forgetting about the other script files as I never use them as all my code is in single game.gs file but I think it would certainly be good to start dividing up certain code sections into other script files to make easier in the long run to manage.

[quote data-userid="23" data-postid="72062"]

you mean fade to black, or just flick off like a light switch? also, do you mean the entire screen (including HUD), or just the room display? It should be fairly easy to rattle a bit of code out for you, it just depends what exactly you want to do.

[/quote]

Sorry I should of been more precise but I'm after a "fade to black" effect (affecting only the room display, not HUD) then after a few seconds fades back to normal gameplay.

Thanks again Delta and everyone else!

Jonesy