Author Topic: Samantha's Game  (Read 11886 times)

GameDeveloper

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Samantha's Game
« on: 2005-12-04, 10:15:28 PM »
I have decided to finally post about one of my many games.  This one is called 'Samantha's Game'.  Simple name I know, but the design in the game is anything but simple [at least I believe it to be].  The main character is named Samantha; she is not human, but rather she is a wolf.  It involves her being trapped in a doungeon in her dreams and she must solve the many puzzles to escape.  A being called 'MASTER'[caps] has trapped her in her dream - In hopes to kill her.  This game involves 25 levels and is very challenging!  It has no enemies, they are replaced with only puzzles and traps.  The graphics are a bit simple, but that wasn't a huge emphasis in this project.  If it is to be played, make sure to turn the brightness up on your comp. if you can't see it!  I would love to share this project with everyone, and I'd like for it to be reviewed by Ben Marty [bluemonkmn], but I have no idea on how to get it to anyone...  Could anyone help?

I look forward to hopefully getting this game out there, and maybe many more if people enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it! :)

bluemonkmn

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #1 on: 2005-12-05, 06:24:56 AM »
How large is the project and all its files when zipped?

GameDeveloper

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #2 on: 2005-12-05, 11:41:40 AM »
I'm not really sure on how to zip it, and the whole project shouldn't be that large, it only has about 3-4 tilesets, 25 maps, and a few images.  Could you help me zip it?  I'm sorry, but I'm new to this. :(

EDIT:  Wait, I think I figured it out.  I finally decided to at least try it before getting help.  The whole archive is 93 KB... is that a good size? 
« Last Edit: 2005-12-05, 11:58:36 AM by GameDeveloper »

durnurd

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #3 on: 2005-12-05, 01:06:37 PM »
That's incredibly small.  Though BMP and MAP files do zip well.  Ah, you don't have much or any sound / video, do you?  That's usually what kills the size of the game.

So yes, that is indeed a good size (unless, of course, you forgot something).  If you'll read the sticky at the top of this forum (Projects), you'll see it tells you exactly what to do:

Quote
There is a list of projects that have been submitted to me in the Scrolling Game Development Kit Project list at http://gamedevprj.sourceforge.net/.  If you would like your game to be considered for review and inclusion in the listing, please post a link to your game in a new topic in this forum, and make it clear that you would like you game included in the listing.  If you don't have a place to host your game (to link to), email me directly by clicking my email icon at the bottom of this message, let me know that you have a game you'd like to have listed, and I will provide a method for you to send the game to me.

Please reserve replies to this sticky thread for discussion of the project submission process itself, and the sort (not details on individual project submissions).
« Last Edit: 2005-12-05, 01:13:22 PM by durnurd »
Edward Dassmesser

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #4 on: 2005-12-05, 01:23:43 PM »
Oh, good!  I thought it was large [when actually it's pretty small ;)].  Well, I can't host it, so do I E-mail bluemonkmn?  his e-mail address is in his profile, correct?

billybob884

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #5 on: 2005-12-05, 09:58:48 PM »
heh, 93kb large? right now, my game compressed (with all audio/video) is 26.6mb (26,600kb!)  ;)
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move." :: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

durnurd

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #6 on: 2005-12-05, 10:41:27 PM »
Technically, 26.6 * 1024 = 27,238 KB
Edward Dassmesser

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #7 on: 2005-12-06, 04:55:39 AM »
yea, 27,913, but same difference
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bluemonkmn

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #8 on: 2005-12-06, 06:52:17 AM »
Since your game is so small, you could try attaching it to a reply in this discussion thread.  If you click on the "Additional Options" link in the reply page, you should see a way to attach a file to a message.  Then everyone else can play your game right away while I review it.  If you have trouble attaching it to a forum message, let me know.  Nobody has tried this feature yet so I'm now sure how well it works yet.

GameDeveloper

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #9 on: 2005-12-06, 09:30:14 AM »
Alright I'll try that.

Tell me if anything is wrong, such as you can't play it, it didn't attach to this post, levels don't work, etc.  This is my first time zipping a project, so be kind about it.  Oh, when you unzip it, make sure that you put it in a folder in your GameDev. folder [where all of your other games and the main program are].  That's the only way it worked for me. ;)

I wanted to say something to anyone who plays it, when you are in each level, make sure you sit back and think for a good while about what to do.  Make sure you make the most logical next step.  If you see spikes, dodge them ayway you can, if you see multiple crates, try stacking them if you can.  I didn't implement any kind of a save feaure [not good, I know], but you can always edit to the game to start back on the level you died on.  Have fun, and don't give up!  All, of the cool puzzles are worth it! :)

EDIT:
  I took this one down, it was the frustrating version.  Look on page two for the game.
« Last Edit: 2005-12-07, 02:24:20 PM by GameDeveloper »

durnurd

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #10 on: 2005-12-06, 02:13:43 PM »
Nice game.  I like it.  A few things though.

First of all, there are some spelling errors (dungeon, silhouette) and grammatical issues (Only use "Thy" instead of "Your" or "Thee" instead of "You".  You seem to be using the two interchangably and for refferences to others as well, for example, using "thy" in place of "he" or "his" is totally incorrect)

Second, If you die, it would be easy to restart the level rather than simply make you dissapear, and this would be incredibly more fun rather than having to play the game through perfectly every time.  Instead of deleting the player sprite, activate a special function that teleports the player to the same map they are currently on with the "restart sprites" flag checked.  Alternatively, you could teleport them to a different map that says "You died" or something, with the "Remember old map" flag checked, then when they press a button, activate a function to return to the old map, restarting the sprites.  These are all easy things to do, and if you need help implementing them, just ask.  Also, simply deleting the player sprite isn't very "game-friendly".  There's no hint of what to do next.  At least something should happen.

Also, the very first screen of text should say "press space to continue" (And prefferably every one thereafter as well).  Also, in the tips part, add a "(Use space to activate)" to the end of the door, since it isn't obvious.

Those are things that I think would make the game much more user-friendly.  Beyond that, my suggestions are cosmetical only.  Like: Add music and sounds.  Music for this kind of game could easily be pure MIDI (really small stuff), and the sound effects don't have to be much either.  Just a "click" when they push a button, a "bing" when something appears, you know.  Maybe a door creaking open when they exit the level.  I've attached some sounds that you might think about using (they're really small).  MIDI music is easy to find online, and not that tough to write yourself.  You've just got to make sure that if you take it from somewhere else, you either get their permission, or don't need it to use the music.
« Last Edit: 2005-12-06, 02:18:34 PM by durnurd »
Edward Dassmesser

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #11 on: 2005-12-06, 03:52:47 PM »
I thank you for your criticism.  I realise the game needs some work, and I already knew that the 'no-save' feature, or restarting, would simply kill it.  I do realise there is absolutely no sound, but it was that way for a specific reason.

The whole idea of not telling you what to do next was supposed to make the player think about what to do next, but that would take trial and error, which is impossible without a save feature!

Still, I thank you for your comments, and I hope you enjoyed it at least a little.  I have a question, did you finish it?  I know it seems ambiguous and a little ridiculous(the game does), but I was just wondering.

durnurd

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #12 on: 2005-12-06, 08:03:47 PM »
After dying a few times, I stopped playing, because I had other things to do.

But I think not disclosing the game mechanics as far as "Push the space bar to remove this message" goes a little to far if you don't want to tell the player what to do next.
Edward Dassmesser

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #13 on: 2005-12-06, 08:21:35 PM »
Yes, I suppose you are right.  My fault.  I suppose that wasn't the right game for me to submit :(.  I'm sorry you feel that way about my project, I suppose there is no way of changing that.  I can at least hope, for what it's worth, you enjoyed it a tad bit.  At least the bit you played it.

Thanks for playing, though.  I usually only set these games up for special occasions near here.  It's good for a change that others played it. :)  I hope Bluemnkmn likes it alright, or anyone else.

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Re: Samantha's Game
« Reply #14 on: 2005-12-06, 09:17:43 PM »
I like it a lot as well.   8)

I agree with almost everything durnurd wrote.  Although no sound I don't mind since I have no room to talk as I haven't entered the world of putting sound in my games either.  But i plan on composing some midis soon, and recording some sound effects.  ( I like to try to use my own work when possible)

Also, reading durnurd's post about spacebar beforehand helped me past that small frustration quickly. ;)

I enjoyed it a lot, and I was even on the phone through many of the levels, (easy to play one handed:))   I thought I was going to get though it all without diieing, but I died in the late teens somewhere, then edited the project to restart at that level, and played through to the last level.  I had to restart the last level a few times because I got stuck, then a few times because some of the crates would fall through platforms instead of riding on them, but I finnally figured it out and got to the end.

All in all, I would say its a great project, a few minor tweaks here and there and it could be one of the most simple yet complete and entertaining projects on the list.   :D
I'd be interested in any other projects you would care to share.

A little side note on design with SGDK in general.  I think you could avoid a lot of the busy work with sprites, collisions, and special functions if you did one of several things.  You could have made all the levels on 1 or 2 maps (one for scrolling and one for non-scrolling) and reused all the sprite templates, collision definitions, and special functions.  OR, You could also have made 1 fully functioning map with all necessary templates, collisions, and special functions and then copied and renamed the .map file 25 times and added them all to the projected by editing the .gdp file. (this is very easy to do)  Then edited the content of the maps as normal.