Could someone evaluate my noob level?

I'd really appreciate it if someone could evaluate my noob level and once you've seen how good I am at this point me in the right direction, tell me which tutorials I should read or preferably watch to improve myself and get a better understanding of MMF2.

This is my firs time using MMF2 but I was using Corel Click and Create A LOT back in the day, though I never got all that good at it.

This is a .mfa file so you can look over the "code", event editor and stuff, see how I do things and point me in the rigth direction.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8CRDNRW6
That's just a simple incomplete platformer/action level I made for this very purpose, it pretty much consists more or less of everything I know how to do in C&C and now MMF2.

It's not even a complete level, it shows how I do the following things:
- Picking up a new weapon
- Toggling weapons, you can only switch between two
- Dialog Boxes
- Enemies reacting to different weapons differently
- Character Upgrade(Jump Boost)
- Switch that activates two teleporters
- Enemies that need the right weapon AND more than one shot to be taken down
- A simple HUD
- Some for of lame melee attack
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What I never figured out how to do:
- Save/Load Game
- Strings, Flags, all those math-like command things
- I never used Global Objects because Click and Create would often crash with those, I need to get a better understanding of Global Events
- I never learned how to do a proper beat em up game, something like Final Fight
- All kinds of other, complex things
- Enemy AI
----------------------------------------------------------

I want to start working on a serious game with a quest system, multimple playable characters ALL of which except one are primarely melee based. One character is a Brawler type the other fights using a sword.

It's supposed to be a fairly complex game with a quest system, inventory system, a GOOD save and load game system and to make that I have to get a better understanding of MMF2.

At this point I can't even dream of making that, I have to first understand the terminology, stuff like strings, values and all that jazz. I can use some simple values as you'll see in the demo thing i made, but that's about it.

I'm not sure if bumping is ok on these forums, but I'm gonna go right ahead and do it because guys, I really need someone to see how far I am with this and where to start learning.

Some of the tutorials I tried reading and watching here cover the basics I already know.

Considering you just started using MMF2, i would say you are doing pretty good

Here is a tip though
If you ever get bored or have any times on your hand, Put all extension on a frame, and go to the frame editor and see what each one can do. This can save you a lot of trouble

Also look at the examples that come with the extensions

thanks for the tip, I do try to look at some examples, but every single one i tired is a tad confusing.
For example the one for that 3d stuff has all these values and what not but doesn't really explain what they are.

for example
"(480-Y( "Mouse Movement" ))/480.0*360+180'

I don't understand all those numbers at all
I know how to do movement and stuff but I don't understand the numbers, coords and all that I keep seeing.

you shouldnt use that one, it.... stinks

yeah lol, figured as much it doesn't look all that good.
just an example of what i opened up that's all.

btw I don't really know anything about programming and I really hated math at school, so maybe that's why i have a hard time getting all this

ShinigamiKiba, there are some fine examples in the file archives that may help. Also I have some example files on my website that may be of help. You are doing well so far with MMF. You might also want to consider smaller projects until you are more acquainted with MMF. What ever you do, do not get discouraged. Keep coding.

Marv

Marv's website is definitely the one to check out for examples. :)

stephen1980

thanks, there really are some great examples on there.
So anyway, I tried to do the save/load game example that comes with MMF and I get it, seems fairly simple, but there's no way in hell this is the only way to save and load a game lol.

I mean you have to manually make it save and load each and every object you want saved in the game o_O that just don't feel right to me.

What happens if you want to have mutliple save slots or if it's a huge game with a ton of objects?
I tried doing it with "groups" or whatever they're called now in MMF, you know "player", "bad" and all but that didn't quite work out.

I think I definitely have to learn and understand equations, strings and such and none of the places you guys told me to check out seem to have that stuff explained, not as an example but as what they are, what they do and so on, so I can understand what I'm doing and why.

Learning how to use an array or ini file for saving is what you are looking for. Let's start by the following:

I suggest to go with INI first, later learn arrays. As you can edit the INI without any hassle from the outside with Notepad++ or similiar tools.

When you start the game it will ask for the playername. Use a simple edit box and let the player tyo in his name.

In your game folder create a new folder e.g. "profiles"

Save a new ini there with the apppath$+"playername" + ".ini"

The ini could look like this:

Code:

---

[Player]
Name=ShinigamiKiba
Lives=6
Score=44556
CurrentLevel=3
...

---

If this is working, add a List object on the screen and on frame start load the files from the "profile" subfolder. So you list whould show one entry named:

ShinigamiKiba.ini

Modify the events that the new player name only gets ask if you start a new game. And when you click on the continue/load button or similar you get the list. And let the player pickup his "profile". Use the Ini object to load the file (later use ini++ for more features).

Then on your game at frame start load from the ini. Load the lives value and so on.

From there on you can continue on your own. No limitations!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ShinigamiKiba

thanks, there really are some great examples on there.
So anyway, I tried to do the save/load game example that comes with MMF and I get it, seems fairly simple, but there's no way in hell this is the only way to save and load a game lol.

I mean you have to manually make it save and load each and every object you want saved in the game o_O that just don't feel right to me.

What happens if you want to have mutliple save slots or if it's a huge game with a ton of objects?
I tried doing it with "groups" or whatever they're called now in MMF, you know "player", "bad" and all but that didn't quite work out....

---

If you want a simple "Save everything" just use the inbuilt save game (under storyboard controls), it does exactly that - has inbuilt slots too.

At the moment it's a bit buggy (if you have an Active with the path movement it'll crash) but generaly speaking it works.

For selective / advanced saving, just use the inis etc that were already mentioned.

Also you'll want to take a look at "Frame has just been saved / loaded" in the help file if you're going to research this.