Options if AM doesn't support Windows 7

[reneuend]

I've been doing a lot of research the past few months looking at alternative software packages should AM not support Windows 7 in a timely matter.

It would be nice if we knew what the future was for AM, but since we haven't heard from GM, I'm thinking its time to start looking.

From just reading through their website, I'm liking Game Studio. The downside is that it isn't made for Adventure game making, but you could make adventure games with it. It's just that it would require extensive coding. I wonder if taken the time, someone could build a framework for adventure gaming with it?

There website is located at: http://www.conitec.com/english/gstudio/index.php

I'll work with the demo and see how it goes.

[Harvester]

Good luck with it, I had none when we experienced with it But we didn't invest much time into this one, so it must be our fault. I prefer Unity, but I don't know how easy it is to do something 2D with it.

Harvester

[JasonMc]

Incidentally, the XP version has its own glitches (i.e. video support, .gif animation issues, and transparency issues with most effects), which makes it untenable for my company.

As I mentioned in another topic, I switched my work to Visual Basic Express 2010. It is far easier than one might think (especially if you have an understanding of vbscript,) and the results are amazing! Not to mention, you can build for literally any version of Windows, including their mobile devices.

Visual Basic Express 2010 is free. The only difference between that and the expensive pro version is the templates available.

If anyone is interested, check out James Foxall's "Teach Yourself Visual Basic in 24 Hours." Excellent course. I now know all the basics, and the rest I am learning through experimentation, help documentation, and a visual basic programmer's forum.

So far, I've been able to duplicate the "hotspot" effect by using the Picture Box tool (transparent by default). If you have the creativity, it is literally possible to do anything with VB. I'm taking some of the AM plugin concepts and carrying them over to my code. Most of them are rather portable, once the syntax is changed from VBScript to VB (a very small jump).

BTW, we might want to grab all of our codes, plugins, and tutorials off of here and save them, because if AM is discontinued instead of updating it (rather possible, considering how long we've been waiting...), the forum would end up going down with it.

[reneuend]

JasonMC. Your work sounds very intriguing! How hard is it to handle the animation effects and video cut scenes?

Maybe we should form another forum dedicated to building a framework around Visual Basic. I'd be willing to help with development. If you're interested I'll get the forum up and running and we can start moving on it.

[JasonMc]

You took the thought right out of my head, but I haven't been around long enough to suggest it. We should DEF start a Visual Basic forum for game making. Lord knows we need one...there aren't any dedicated VB game forums out there, from what I can tell. It would be very handy, having a place to share code and extensions (Visual Basic plugins, basically).

Just give me the link as soon as it is up and running, and I'll join pronto.

Animation effects is SO easy in Visual Basic. You have two major options - either you can use Flash (just Google the instructions for setting it up in Visual Basic Studio Express), or you can just put animated gif files with transparency into the picture boxes, quick snap.

gif animations actually DO support transparency on their own I found out. I recommend Microsoft GIF Animator. Its free, and a nice, fully featured program for making them.

As to video playback, you can either take full advantage of Microsoft's DirectX system (free development kit, though I'm trying to figure out a tech issue with it on one of my systems...), or you can just use the Windows Media Player system.

[Harvester]

This sounds good. These are the moments in which I hate myself for being an arts student instead of pursuing my programming/maths intention which I used to have I hope this will go somewhere... towards a game making environment with far more up-to-date functions and customisation than AM?... I wish I could help. Really.

Harvester

[JasonMc]

There's hope for you. Believe it or not, I do NOT have any formal programming training. It is far easier than it seems.