I'm Back, and I'm Kicking Bottom

[Super Napalm]

Wow I never saw you come back Jamie o0

You might not remember me but I did have one of my crappy early games featured on your VERY old STA website

[Jamie Bailey]

As much as I'd like it to happen, I don't think there will be a TA2 or another major Sonic fangame from me unless I get MMF2 or something. I'm still with CnC, MMF 1.5 and a bloody anti-virus program that keeps getting rid of essential files the programs need. I can still make games, but cant include sound (so any thought of you doing music for my next project goes out the window before I even start), the programs pester for extensions if I want to use ini files and god knows what other problems I haven't yet discovered. And I'm not up with today's fancy movement engines either, let alone be talented enough to pull off my original idea for a TA2 (though I'm still not sure if that idea would work well gameplay wise).

But hell, I originally came to this community armed with Klik & Play in 2000, so who knows what'll happen.

EDIT: Oh, and Napalm, even though I'm terrible at remembering things, I actually do remember you, so hello again!

[DragonXVI]

Oooon the subject of all this MMf 1.5/2.0/1.337 and GM5/6/7 nonesense, since I'm a merciless lazy git who can't be bothered writing his own game engine (Outside of simple top down space shooters, which due to lack of plot may be retrofitted into a fangame) because he spends all day writing code

Sooooo Can someone give me a nice unbiased opinion of which one is/has:

a) Most Powerful (Scripting a plus, floating/decimal values and decent math calculations a complete plus)

Best Level/Frame Editor

c) Simplest yet effectivest Collision Detection

d) Decent String/Text handling

e) Anything else nifty about it (Parallax/Layers, GUI, Extensions)

f) Cheapest

g) Best Online Tutorial Support (Quick learnin')

h) Doesn't crash/corrupt your projects every 12 seconds.

Because otherwise I'm going to go back to Flash

[Streak Thunderstorm]

If you check out my topic on Mecha Madness, you can see what MMF2 is capable of. there's been a great engine written by Damizean and DW and a few others that is open source for everyone to use. I'm pretty much putting 20000000000% more into it but yeah... MMF2 handles math well. Lots of math calculations. Parallax can be pulled off easily. I have yet to get a corrupt save file, too.

Now to address F... Let's just say it cost me less than I make an hour.

And I don't work.

[DimensionWarped]

Oooon the subject of all this MMf 1.5/2.0/1.337 and GM5/6/7 nonesense, since I'm a merciless lazy git who can't be bothered writing his own game engine (Outside of simple top down space shooters, which due to lack of plot may be retrofitted into a fangame) because he spends all day writing code

Sooooo Can someone give me a nice unbiased opinion of which one is/has:

a) Most Powerful (Scripting a plus, floating/decimal values and decent math calculations a complete plus)

Best Level/Frame Editor

c) Simplest yet effectivest Collision Detection

d) Decent String/Text handling

e) Anything else nifty about it (Parallax/Layers, GUI, Extensions)

f) Cheapest

g) Best Online Tutorial Support (Quick learnin')

h) Doesn't crash/corrupt your projects every 12 seconds.

Because otherwise I'm going to go back to Flash

Since unlike Steak over there, I realize you obviously don't want MMF (as it lacks over half of what you want), I'll recommend an alternative for you that has all of these things. Well, A, B, C, D, E (except extensions), pretty cheap, not sure about online tutorials, and H.

While I personally don't know how to use it (and it weirds me out), Torque Game Builder has all of these features and costs 100 bucks (or you can get it through other means cheaper).

http://www.garagegames.com/products/96/

Note: the 3 out of 5 review is because they are saying that for anyone who actually wants to sell the game, a pro license is necessary.

If you want to "try" it, AIM me.

[DragonXVI]

I tried TGBX in conjunction with their XNA Library (Which needs lots of actual coding, which is what originally turned me off from it, since I was looking for a lazy option ), and while the editor was pretty good coding the components for everything took ages (And required such a "YOU VILL COMME UND MUST GEFOLLOW MEINEN STRUCTUREN!" awkward layout that it weirded me out fairly quickly too). The Sprite "Editor" was ok, and a couple of useful features (Attaching entities to other entities, like Particle Emmiters to things) but overall a bit messy, and the basic documentation that came with it was a little basic.

In fact it was terrible.

I haven't tried their normal TGB with its "TorqueScript" nonesense, but I suspect it's very similar. It probably would be enough but I'm still not entirely sure, I may grab a trial period of it and mess about to see what's what.

MMF *would* probably be enough for doing "It" again, but I was never really comfortable with their event system

That said, since I'm captain Mc WishyWashy I'll probably just end up writing my own thing anyway and therefore having the excuse to take several years

[Damizean]

I'd say you give a try to Game Maker, it has the most powerful scripting system and collision detection of them all (C based syntax, but more relaxed, specially when it comes to handling variables), even though it requires more effort to optimice your game. As for parallax/layers/thing, as the system is flexible enough to render anything you want, you do that pretty easily. Also, it's the cheapest option out there

[USC]

GameMaker's great and all...the only complaint I have is that it tends not to run on...pretty much every computer I've ever used.

Seriously, back during my brief stint as SFGHQ content maintainer, I had to go to the public library and use only one specific computer there in order to review GM games.

I don't know if this has been improved upon with GM 7 though...

[Aaron C-T]

Shit dude, glad you came back, man. Although, I feel so much older. I didn't realize I had been around that long. You left when I was in middle school and I'm in my freshman year of college now. Wheretf is Luckett and Waffle X, now that you've mentioned it?

Oh shit, I haven't seen a large sausage roll in ages. Jamie! ^.^

::Hella glad he didn't allow himself to disappear for very long::

[SonicProject]

Welcome back! You likely don't know me! Fan of your games!

And hell yeah, Ragnarawk looks awesome! Is it going to become commercially available because I'd buy it!

[Icecreamkid]

Yea I'd say Game Maker is the best in terms of most maybe all the features you want. Handling variables in GM is exellent as well. Also the level designer is great as well. So you should check it out.

[DragonXVI]

Scatta: He's still about, I check his site every now and then and see him on MSN, He did 2 animated episodes of WX which're around somewhere (Check Newgrounds)

SonicProject: Ragnarawk's future is pretty uncertain. I'm currently working at my job so I've kinda stepped aside from its production, but some of the other members have discussed the idea with various companies, don't think I can really say much more :/

Tried both GM7 and MMF2 now. I'm drawn to MMF2 because it's brought back so many memories and they've managed to overcome many of the lack-of-features problems they used to have (Decimal Points! Finally! And decent Array handling!)

I've now got to figure out if the developer version is actually worth its ridiculous price (It probably isn't )

[Damizean]

So you've choosen the erratic scripting system? Oh god, you're going to regret it if you get to make anything more complex than 1+1...

zeraw zeraw zeraw

[DragonXVI]

It's all part of the fun

(Of course that puts it up there with flash and its "Oh? For loops? More than 10? Sorry but I will now die!")

Of course I did enjoy TGF's old "Now when you say this object, I take it you mean ALL of them yeah? Oh wait, a flag now? Hmm.. I'll just do this one over here then..." system of referencing

[DimensionWarped]

Dude, MMF will have you screaming at your monitor within a couple weeks of using it.

[Jamie Bailey]

Actually, you know what people? I'm really getting that itch to do something good again, and to do that I need software that doesn't get half deleted every time I put it back on my computer.

So does anyone know a place to get MMF2 cheap (in pounds £), or will I just have to order it from the Click Team site? Yes, I've tried looking around and was rather unsuccessful.

And with three posts I seem to be living in Red's topic. Well what can I say? It's cosy in here.

[DimensionWarped]

You can either AIM me or email me ([email protected]) and I'll help you find it at the cheapest price possible.

[Super Napalm]

Well without going into the area of torrents, theres not many places you'll get it cheap other than at Ebay...

[DragonXVI]

Dude, MMF will have you screaming at your monitor within a couple weeks of using it.

What do you think I did when MMF1 first came out? At least a year of joy "Oh cool! Transitions 'n stuff!" for about 2 days, and then "God this sprite editor's crap" and finally "ARGH THIS THING IS PAIN! WHY DOES IT LIE SO?". Eventually this led to a degree of acceptance in the same way you'd tolerate sitting on some spikes - I find some of the best games ever made are down to working around the limitations of the platform at hand (Exhibits A, B and C - The PS2 isn't exactly easy to work with, and MMF isn't exactly limited to the mundane either. )

Now granted maybe trying to jimmy the features of Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog into it isn't as easy as say, Mario or Megaman. But as I've said, I'm probably going to keep things simple anyway (And if indeed I decide to take up the MAdventure mantle, I certainly won't need anything above some fastloops and array management.

Of course I'm taking all bets to how long I last before I march around to the clickteam offices and pee on everyone.

As for MMF2, the normal version is around £70 (Providing you don't want to sell your games there's not too much point in getting the £200 one), Your best bet may be to hunt for it on American sites (Amazon.com?) and use the exchange rate to your advantage (Although customs may violate you )

[Rael0505]

You can either AIM me or email me ([email protected]) and I'll help you find it at the cheapest price possible.

I love how shady that sounded.

[DimensionWarped]

Yeah, I know, isn't it awesome how shady it sounds? Thats totally what I was going for. I spent like 15 minutes crafting that post to make it sound that shady. First it was too long winded. Then it was too obvious. Finally, I managed to find the perfect middle ground on shadyness and abruptness.

In other news...

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/wrath/features/bard/bardclass.xml

Oh no! Ragnarawk has been stolen!

[twodee]

Wow, it's been awhile. Weba.

[Guest Shadix]

Yeah, I know, isn't it awesome how shady it sounds? Thats totally what I was going for. I spent like 15 minutes crafting that post to make it sound that shady. First it was too long winded. Then it was too obvious. Finally, I managed to find the perfect middle ground on shadyness and abruptness.

In other news...

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/wrath/features/bard/bardclass.xml

Oh no! Ragnarawk has been stolen!

amazing...

[DragonXVI]

Oh no! Ragnarawk has been stolen!

First thing I got sent when one of my ex-teammates noticed it

I like to think, y'know, "Great Minds" and all that

(And how infinitely more awesome WoW would be with that in it, as we'd prooved)

[CrypticSailor]

weba sir, weba. I commend you for being a profesh programmer. I quit all of that, and I'm stuck as a technician/becoming engineer <RC, btw. I'm not sure if I even talked to you but I remember all of your projects. Can't wait to see some of your new stuff!