-- Ark 22 -- Adventure/rpg; Complete., Updated 08.11.07 Options

[Srehpog]

Have you thought about object inheritance?

Oh, yes. However, very few objects share common code (the few that do have inheritance) and I'd rather avoid using it for such important objects as the Player and boat, since the amount of shared code is minimal anyway.

For example, you could use the buttons like this:

show_message_ext('Test','Yes (&Z)','No (&X)','What? (&C)');

Unfortunately you can only make it respond to one character, so Y and N would in this example not be possible. You also need to make all message boxes a show_message_ext because for the defaults you cannot specify the shortcut keys.

I assume there's no way to NOT show the desired letter in the textbox, i.e. having the user see only "Yes" etc. but having the game react nonetheless to Z-X-C? If this is so, the only option is to do as above and include the letters in the messages, since I might want to add gamepad support to the game, and having all different response keys would be inelegant. For standard messages, however, I believe almost all keys work by default, so there's no need for a shortcut.

Could you make that an extra key stop in the inventory, giving it a description just as the other items have?

Certainly.

I realise suggestions like those above bring the finishing point further away as opposed to closer, but I suspect you really have the finishing-touch attitude towards game creation, so you hopefully don't mind.

Smarty

Absolutely not. The game is 'finished' as such anyway, mainly. Anything at this stage is just extra finishing touches, as you say, or just responding to feedback and improvements, etc. It doesn't matter how much work an idea is (within reason) - if it's good enough, I'll probably add it.

Suggestions:

- Should I make all the item descriptions and other messages in the Pause menu as if they were the character's thoughts, like the Directive, or leave them in the second person ("your rifle", etc.)?

- Should the full map only be available after the player has visited the map hut to get directions for the Plains? This would, however, mean that the Plains would have to be inaccessible without the directions explicitly being given, whereas at the moment if you know the way you can get there without going to the map hut. The result meanwhile would look something like...



....this? (Except probably darker and maybe more than just a single colour)

[Smarty]

I assume there's no way to NOT show the desired letter in the textbox, i.e. having the user see only "Yes" etc. but having the game react nonetheless to Z-X-C? If this is so, the only option is to do as above and include the letters in the messages, since I might want to add gamepad support to the game, and having all different response keys would be inelegant.

None that I know of, I'm afraid.

- Should I make all the item descriptions and other messages in the Pause menu as if they were the character's thoughts, like the Directive, or leave them in the second person ("your rifle", etc.)?

That's a matter of personal taste, really. I personally like the third person approach better for overhead games such as this one, and 1st person more for 3D FPS type games.

- Should the full map only be available after the player has visited the map hut to get directions for the Plains? This would, however, mean that the Plains would have to be inaccessible without the directions explicitly being given, whereas at the moment if you know the way you can get there without going to the map hut.

It's probably indeed more elegant not to give any map before the player visited the map hut. Who cares if people want to walk around without a map? They get exactly that - disorientation. You can't get very far on the plains without having had clear directions anyway.

Smarty

This post has been edited by Smarty: Jan 23 2006, 12:57 PM

[Phas]

I don't really do that whole "rating" thing, so I'll just say AWESOME GAME. Keep up the good work.

[Stickperson12345]

I LOVE ARK22! If you haven't beaten or played this game, you will want to! Anyone can tell that extreme effort was put into this game, and it's still improving! Awesome storyline, great graphics+cutscenes, and imaginative and fun gameplay! Some of the puzzles were really innovative, and figuring out how to beat a boss was always a fun challange. I played this game non-stop until I beat it! I am hoping and waiting for sequel! Get rid of all the tiny little bugs floating around and I'll be suprised if this doesn't become a staff's choice. So Srehpog, thank you for making such a great game with such skill and determination!

-Stickperson

This post has been edited by Stickperson12345: Jan 26 2006, 01:52 AM

[they live3]

Screenies look very cool just for the screens 7/10

[Srehpog]

Arr, me hearties. Sorry for the delay - upload problems.

File updated (30.1.2006)

Download full package

Download .exe only

I personally like the third person approach better for overhead games such as this one, and 1st person more for 3D FPS type games.

There is now a third tab on the Pause screen labelled 'Item'. You can use it to gain information on your current trading item....obviously. Just for you, that was.

It's probably indeed more elegant not to give any map before the player visited the map hut. Who cares if people want to walk around without a map? They get exactly that - disorientation. You can't get very far on the plains without having had clear directions anyway.

Feature added. No map, no sense of direction....no Plains.

Get rid of all the tiny little bugs floating around and I'll be suprised if this doesn't become a staff's choice. So Srehpog, thank you for making such a great game with such skill and determination!

The more bugs that are found, the fewer will remain.

Also: All menu boxes can now be responded to with Z, X and C. It is therefore imperative that you tell me if you see a message box with either:

- No shortcut keys
- The wrong shortcut keys
- A message selection button which now has no effect at all (extremely serious)

....so please be on the lookout for that sort of thing, if you're still playing. Also, there should be a small, sleek Ark 22 website with info and stuff on at some point (i.e. when I finish it), but you people already know everything about it and more so that's not so important. What's left.....thank you and have a nice day? That'll do.

This post has been edited by Srehpog: Jan 30 2006, 10:28 PM

[kavar]

this game coust me 5 day to finish. But is the best game that already I play.

[Crusader]

That's F for Flask. If you have the flask, and have something inside it, then pressing F will make you drink it (or if you die while there's Coffee inside it, it will assume you drank it at the last moment - I'm not that cruel). I assume you don't yet have a full flask? If not, please say so, since that would be a very significant bug.

Oh, I guess I didnt get the flask yet. As a mater of fact I just reached that part(with the sea snake thing). I've been stuck there for days .

[Srehpog]

Oh, I guess I didnt get the flask yet. As a mater of fact I just reached that part(with the sea snake thing). I've been stuck there for days .

Well, you don't actually need to kill that boss - that's only if you really want the Flask. It's also easier to get the weapon upgrade for the AWC-400 first. If you've just finished the first dungeon, you need to head to the very Eastern edge of the lake. Once you've fought through there, the North edge has a dungeon too, and finally somewhere ON the lake itself.

Stuff:
Also, people, I've left all my ArkNotes in another country, so if anyone has, or can remember, where all the crystals or fossils are, please post them. I'm writing a walkthrough, see...

Other:
As the item-box idea shows, if anyone has any other ideas for suggestions to improve anything in the game, just say so. I welcome all new ideas. Do keep this topic afloat, it's only until March.

Art for you today? A tank.



Enjoy.

This post has been edited by Srehpog: Apr 22 2008, 08:26 AM

[gamerboy251]

WOW! 10/5

[Srehpog]

Just to let you all know that there's a few things I still need your help on. Not much, but...

- ZXC response-messages: find any missing/false keys?
- Fossils: who has them all - where are they?
- Crystals: as above, where are they all?

And news:

Stuff
To be added to the next Ark 22 update;

- Mortar delivery service. Quite simple. Buy a ticket, pop it in your flask, then when you want something, release it and specify what you want. It will be.....sent to you immediately. Just stand back.

This post has been edited by Srehpog: Mar 1 2007, 12:38 PM

[Xayu]

I want to play that game, looks awsome. Please get the webspace working ;D

Greetings Xayu

[Srehpog]

The webspace is working, isn't it? That website and both links work when I try them, and it can't be a locality problem since I've already shown them to users outside the network on which the site resides.....hmm. Try again, perhaps?

- New controls info screen. Replaces the F1 Game Information, and comes with very sexy scrolling text and more Terragen'd background. If you can think of anything else to add to this section other than basic controls, why not mention it?

- Joystick/gamepad support.....eventually. When I get a gamepad or a joystick, perhaps. I also need to work out a way to avoid the two systems interfering like they do in Border Artillery DX, where you have to chooce between one OR the other since joystick 'keyboard_clear' events when buttons aren't pressed mess with the keyboard.

- Mortar dev. service....not yet. That's next. Debating whether or not to add multicoloured flare to mortar request. Pros: flashy graphics, Cons: more objects and sprites. Still, 20Mb is massive anyway, an extra one or two won't hurt.

- Art. Still going, if you like. Something spoilerish this time, but I like it. Perhaps you will.

This post has been edited by Srehpog: Mar 1 2007, 12:38 PM

[Jap]

All I can say, two and a half years, thats a killer! As I've read somewhere, a game is held professional, if a player plays it for 10 or more hours, thats what usually big game companies are reaching for. Well done on your game!

[gamerboy251]

100/10! to bad i couldnt get off the ship.

[ChaoMaster]

I think an online deathmatch arena is needed. Its fun but that would add cool stuff to the game.

[Cloud Architect]

wow looks like a lot of people have replied since i said "yay updates" and brought this back from the dead...
perhaps some music would be good in this game. It spoils it a bit.
by the way i dont' mean all over the place. I just mean in certain areas like dungeons.

[ChaoMaster]

There is music in the game.

[Cloud Architect]

There is music in the game.

musn't have let the music play on my pc then.

[S-Chuck]

You can turn the music on and off.

In the menu that contains the map and all of the items you have collected, there is an item on the right that is there from the start which you select to change this. Try that