Amiga Plus 1997 #3

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Text File | 1997-01-31 | 21KB | 539 lines

GAMELINKER PROGRAM ================== Introduction ------------ The game linker program, as its name suggests, draws together all the graphics and sounds you have created, and allows you to combine them into a complete self-contained game. The following general functions are available: Specification of which graphic files to load (for walls, floors, objects and so on) Definition of individual animation frames within each graphic file Specification of which sound effects to load during play Complete definition of the appearance, behaviour, statistics and noises made by up to ten different types of alien Complete Definition of the name, appearance, behaviour and effectiveness of up to twenty different types of bullets. Definition of the name, appearance, rate of fire, firing noise and type of ammunition used for up to ten different player guns (the extra unused bullet types are there to allow the aliens to have different weapons from the player) Definition of the appearance, type of behaviour (collectable, activatable destructable or scenery) value to player (in terms of the ammo, health, fuel, weaponry etc the player gains by activating/collecting) of up to 32 types of object. Definition of level names and the text printed prior to playing each level Using the Game Linker --------------------- Upon running the program you will be presented with a simple title screen instructing you to use the right mouse button to activate the menus in the usual workbench fashion. The menus available are: File Edit The File menu contains the following choices: Load Game Link File Save Game Link File Quit Whilst the Edit menu contains these choices: Levels -> Graphics -> Samples -> Bullets -> Guns -> Aliens -> Objects -> The '->' symbol indicates that further submenus can be accessed by highlighting that choice. Under the 'Levels' choice you will find the following: Set Levels Directory Change Level Names Under 'Graphics': Set Object GFX Frames Set Floor Tile Filename Under 'Bullets': Define Bullet Data Under 'Guns': Define Gun Graphic Filename Under 'Aliens': Define Alien Stats Under 'Objects': Define Object Stats Each of these facilities will be documented in turn, beginning with the 'File' menu. ****************************************************************************** **************************** The FILE Menu *********************************** 8***************************************************************************** ****************************************************************************** ********************************* The EDIT Menu ****************************** ****************************************************************************** LEVELS submenu ============== Set Levels Directory -------------------- Selecting this presents you with a file requester. Navigate using this requester until you are *INSIDE* the directory where you want the LEVEL_A ... LEVEL_P directories to be created (or where they already have been created) If there are no directories with the names LEVEL_A ... LEVEL_P in the directory you choose, the game linker will ask you if you want to create them. If you do, type Y, otherwise if you wish to cancel the operation and choose a different directory, type N, and reselect the 'Set Levels Directory' from the LEVELS submenu. Change Level Names ------------------ Selecting this presents you with a screen listing the names of all 16 levels. The coloured horizontal bar above the list indicates the maximum width and the exact centre of the text when displayed on the game menu screen. To change a level name, just click on it with the left mouse button and type. Press RETURN when finished, then click on DONE if you have finished changing names. Remember that your names will be truncated to a length of 40 characters if they are too long. GRAPHICS submenu ================ Define Object GFX Frames ------------------------ This feature allows you to specify which graphic files are to be loaded into the game when it is run, and also define the position and size of individual animation frames within each file. Selecting this option brings up a screen, which if you are starting from scratch will have only the number '1' in the top left hand corner. Clicking on this number 1 with the LEFT MOUSE BUTTON will bring up a file requester. Use this to select either ae XXXX.DAT file generated by the graphic converter, or a XXXX.WAD or XXXX.PTR file the graphic compacter produces. If the file is acceptable, you will see the filename you selected appear next to the '1', and a '2' appear just below it. You can change a filename by clicking on it, or add a new one by clicking on the blank number at the bottom of the list. Clicking on an accepted name in the list with the RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON brings up a new screen allowing you to define the individual frames of animation within that file. The screen will show the contents of the graphic file at the top of the screen (the bottom is marked by a shaded grey bar), and there are some buttons and options to select further down. REMEMBER: The graphic converter slices the picture file you gave it into blocks of the size you then specified, then joins them together to form one long horizontal strip. If you defined the size of the blocks to be the same as the actual frames of animation, the following procedure is greatly simplified. X: aaa Y: bbb These are updated continuously while the mouse pointer is over the graphic strip at the top of the screen, indicating where in the strip you are pointing. Clicking with the LEFT mouse button whilst pointing at the graphic strip copies the X and Y values into the Frame Left and Frame Top values for the current frame. [SCROLL LEFT] moves the strip currently displayed 1/2 screen to the right to display frames lying further to the left. [SCROLL RIGHT] works identically but in the opposite direction. Frame Number: Indicates the number of the frame currently being defined. Each graphic file has a seperate set of up to 32 frames (0-31) Frame Left: Indicates the position of left hand edge of the current frame in the graphic strip. Clicking on the number allows you to type in a new value. Frame Top: Indicates the position of the top edge of the current frame in the graphic strip. Clicking on the number allows you to type in a new value. Frame Width: Indicates the width in pixels of the current frame. Clicking on the number allows you to type in a new value. Frame Height: Indicates the height in pixels of the current frame. Clicking on the number allows you to type in a new value. [PREVIOUS FRAME] allows you to edit the previous frame if one exists [NEXT FRAME] allows you to edit the next frame unless the maximum 32 frames have already been used. [COPY WIDTH TO PREVIOUS FRAMES] Copies the width of the current frame into all previous ones [COPY HEIGHT TO PREVIOUS FRAMES] Copies the height of the current frame into all previous ones [COPY WIDTH TO SUBSEQUENT FRAMES] Copies the width of the current frame into all subsequent ones [COPY HEIGHT TO SUBSEQUENT FRAMES] Copies the height of the current frame into all subsequent ones [GENERATE FRAMES FROM GRAPHIC DATA] This option uses the data provided by the graphic converter to automatically produce the left edges (top edges are set to 0), width and height of all the frames. This will only produce the desired effect if: All the frames are the same size The graphic converter was told to slice the source picture into blocks of precisely the size of each frame. SAMPLES submenu =============== Define Sfx Filenames -------------------- Selecting this option allows you to create a list of up to 60 sound samples which will be loaded along with the game. It is possible to then link specific actions by the player and the aliens/objects to these sounds in other sections of the editor. To load a sample, click with the LEFT mouse button on the space in which you wish to place it. A file requester will appear, with which you can select a RAW sound sample. NB: See IMPORTANT NOTES for information about restrictions on samples. To hear a sample as it will be played in the game, click with the RIGHT mouse button on a sample you have previously loaded. If no sample is in the space, you will be presented with the requester to select one from disk. BULLETS submenu =============== Define Bullet Data ------------------ Selecting this option allows you to define the appearance and behaviour of the bullets which can be fired by the player's guns or the aliens. Initially, the screen will display a list of bullet names of the form: BULLET TYPE A Edit bullet statistics . . . . . . . . BULLET TYPE T Edit bullet statistics Clicking on the bullet name allows you to type a new, more meaningful name for the bullet you are designing. Type the new name an press <RETURN>. Clicking on 'Edit bullet statistics' brings up a new screen with the following options. Please note that some of the options do not appear, depending upon the current settings of other options. In each case, click on the current value to change it. Damage To Target Per Bullet Defines the damage inflicted should the bullet strike a target directly. This does not include any damage due to explosive force. Visible Bullet or Instant Effect Defines whether or not the bullet is a visible (ie relatively slow moving) projectile, like a grenade for instance, or an 'instant' one like a rifle bullet. Gravity Value *NOT FOR INSTANT EFFECT* Indicates the effect of gravity on the bullet. Grenades are a good example of gravity-affected bullets, wheras energy bolts would normally have a value of zero. Bounce off walls *NOT FOR INSTANT EFFECT* A flag to decide whether the bullet rebounds from or impacts upon walls. Bounce off floors/ceilings *NOT FOR INSTANT EFFECT* A similar flag to the one above, this time referring to interactions with floors and ceilings. Bullet lifetime *NOT FOR INSTANT EFFECT* Defines the time in 50ths of a second for which the bullet exists, after which it will terminate and proceed with its impact animation and/or explosion. Using this value it is possible to create timed grenades or short range weapons like flame throwers. Explosive force *NOT FOR INSTANT EFFECT* A value indicating the explosive force generated upon impact/timeout of lifetime. The smaller the value, the weaker the explosion. Avoid excessive values (more than 300 or so) as it becomes very difficult to fire the weapon without being killed in the blast. Movement speed (0-5) *NOT FOR INSTANT EFFECT* Defines the speed at which the bullet leaves the gun. Each increase of 1 to this value represents a DOUBLING of the movement speed in the game. Define Bullet animation *NOT FOR INSTANT EFFECT* Brings up a further screen allowing you to define the appearance and animation of the bullet. See below for full instructions on using this feature. Define Impact animation Similar to the above option except that it defines the appearance and animation of the bullet after it strikes something. This animation is played through ONCE after which the bullet is removed from play. *** DONE *** Returns you to list of bullet names. Bullet Animation definition --------------------------- Each 'frame' of animation for a bullet requires five pieces of information to be defined: Graphic File Number The file where the frame can be found Frame number The number of the frame within that file Scaled Width The relative width to which the frame is scaled in the game Scaled Height The relative height to which the frame is scaled in the game Vertical Offset The amount by which the visible graphic is offset vertically from the centre of the actual bullet (NEGATIVE VALUES ARE UPWARDS, POSITIVE VALUES DOWNWARDS) These five pieces of information are shortened to GF, FN, SH, SW, VO in the linker, and you will initially see a single line of these numbers. It is possible to increase or decrease the number of frames using the * ADD FRAME * and * DEL FRAME * buttons at the bottom of the screen. When adding a new frame, notice that the five values in the previous last frame are copied to the new last frame. This is helpful when defining a sequence which, for example, uses the same graphic file for each frame, or the same scaling values or vertical offset. NB: The bullet animation will be repeated during the lifetime of the bullet, but the impact animation will be played only once. To change the GRAPHIC FILE value of a frame, click on the number with the LEFT mouse button. You will be shown a list of the graphic files you have loaded and you should choose one from the list with the LEFT mouse button. To change the FRAME NUMBER value of a frame, click on the number. If you do so with the LEFT button, you will be prompted for a number. If you do so with the RIGHT mouse button instead, you will be shown a picture of the current frame, with buttons to choose the next or previous frame in the graphic file. Clicking on *** DONE *** from this screen returns you to the animation screen. Click on *** DONE *** when you have finished defining the animation sequence. GUNS submenu ============ Allocate Bullet Types --------------------- With this option it is possible to define which bullets each player gun fires, how many they fire, the delay between each shot being fired and which sound effect to play when the gun is fired. It is also possible to change the name of each gun to a more meaningful name. The screen changes to show a list of guns, with the name, type of bullet fired, number of bullets fired per shot, delay between shots (in 50ths of a second and sound effect played for each gun. Clicking with the LEFT mouse button on the name of the gun, the number of bullets fired or the delay between shots allows you to type in a new value. Clicking on the bullet type brings up a new screen from which you can select which type of bullet the gun fires. Clicking on the sound effect number brings up a list of the sound effects you have loaded from which you can select the desired firing noise. Click on *** DONE *** when you have finished defining the gun data. ALIENS submenu ============== Define Alien Stats ------------------ This is one of the most important, and most complex parts of the linker program. It allows you to define the complete behaviour, appearance and armament of all the aliens within your game. Selecting the option brings up a screen with the aliens listed thus: 0 ALIEN A | Define Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 ALIEN J | Define Characteristics Clicking upon the green alien name allows you to type a new, more meaningful name for the alien. Clicking upon the corresponding 'Define Characteristics' button brings up a further screen where the characteristics of the alien can be edited. Starting at the top, the options are as follows: Graphic Type Clicking on this option toggles between Bitmap and Vector types. Bitmap graphic aliens use frames of animation from the graphic files you have specified. Vector graphic aliens use frames from the vector object files created by the Object and Animation editors supplied with this package. [ Define Animation Frames ] Brings up a screen listing all the different sequences of animation which must be defined for the alien. This option will be discussed in more detail later. Default Behaviour This describes the behaviour of the alien when active but not able to directly see the player. Clicking upon the green text describing the behaviour switches between the following behaviour patterns: Prowl Randomly The alien will wander around the map looking for the player. Prowl Randomly/Track Player. The alien will head towards the last position it saw the player standing (if known), then prowl randomly as above. Guard Start Control Pt The alien will head towards and wait near to the control point assosciated with where it was placed in the map. Reaction time This is the time in 50ths of a second for which the alien must see the player (uninterruptedly) before it will proceed into response mode (usually some form of attacking action). Default movement speed The speed at which the alien moves during its default behaviour. As a rough guide, a value of 16 would be a very fast alien! Response Behaviour This describes the behaviour of the alien when it has spotted the player (see reaction time above) AND CAN STILL SEE HIM. If the player moves out of sight the alien will return to its default behaviour. The following options can be cycled through by clicking: Prowl Randomly The alien ignores the player and continues to wander. Guard Start Control Pt The alien remains near to the area in which it was placed and makes no moves to attack the player. Attack to side (unarmed) The alien moves towards the player in an arc to keep out of the player's line of fire, trying to get in range so as to make a physical attack. SEE ANIMATION DEFINITION FOR DETAILS Attack with gun The alien stands and shoots its gun at the player. SEE ANIMATION DEFINITION FOR DETAILS Response Movement Speed The speed at which the alien will move (if at all) when in response behaviour mode. Response Timeout The amount of time (in 50ths of a second) before the alien moves into Followup mode regardless of whether it has completed its attack or done the specified amount of damage (see below). Damage Taken Limit -> Retreat The amount of damage the alien must sustain before it will enter retreat mode. Damage Inflicted Limit -> Followup If the alien inflicts this amount of damage to the player in a physical attack it will move into followup mode regardless of the response timeout. Followup Behaviour This describes the behaviour of the alien after it has ceased attacking but can still see the player and is not retreating. If the player goes out of sight during followup, the alien will go into default mode automatically. Clicking on the option cycles through the following: Pause The alien pauses for a time. Attack to side (unarmed) The alien moves towards the player in an arc to keep out of the player's line of fire, trying to get in range so as to make a physical attack. SEE ANIMATION DEFINITION FOR DETAILS Guard Start Control Pt The alien will return to near where it was placed in the editor. Followup Movement Speed The speed of the alien during followup mode (if it moves at all). Followup Timeout The amount of time in 50ths of a second before the alien will return to response mode if the player is still visible Retreat Behaviour This describes the behaviour of the alien after it has sustained enough damage in response mode. The alien will stay in this mode until a timeout occurs, or the player moves out of sight. Clicking on this option cycles through the following: Pause The alien pauses for a time. Attack to side (unarmed) The alien moves towards the player in an arc to keep out of the player's line of fire, trying to get in range so as to make a physical attack. SEE ANIMATION DEFINITION FOR DETAILS Guard Start Control Pt The alien will return to near where it was placed in the editor. Retreat movement speed The speed of the alien during retreat mode (if it moves at all) Retreat timeout The amount of time in 50ths of a second before the alien will return to response mode. Type of bullets fired Clicking upon this option allows you to select a bullet type from those you have defined. The alien will fire these when prompted by the attacking animation (if it is armed with a gun; see response behaviour modes above). Number of hit points This is the amount of damage the alien can take before dying. If when it dies it sustains more than three quarters of this amount it will be deemed vapourised and will leave no body behind.