BLAM IT! BLAMIT TO HE double hockey sticks! I dont have Adobe Photoshop (takes too much room on my computer), so I use a combination of GIMP, Open Office Draw and Pixelmator. I'll tell you what, that crap is getting on my nerves. I have to make the scene in one, then save it and open it in another to extract any background noise in the picture, then save and open it again in another to put the finishing touches on it. Then STILL have to open it after all that in PREVIEW to shrink or enlarge it... ALL BEFORE I even add the pic to the GameSalad SDK to put into the level.
(Since I am NOT a graphic designer and have no clue how to use these, it makes this process that much more difficult. Maybe there is a way that I could use just one of the three and save some time, but who knows where I can learn this stuff? -Any feedback on how to use any of these would be greatly appreciated btw.)
So I decide to take a shortcut this time and do all the parts to the level first then do them all at once from start to finish to "SAVE TIME", yet alas... Preview won't do one of the scenes right and on top of that they aren't stretching correctly so the scene doesn't look clean! I am so peaved I want to just chuck my friggin computer across the room! It took me hours to get the scene how I wanted it, and after hours of trying to work around it, I have found that it won't work!!! I have to do the darn thing over AGAIN!!!
So frustrating!
I need some serious motivation today...
Here we go!!!!!
That's what I'm talkin bout!!!!! Til the roof comes off, til the lights go out, til my legs go out... yes... I need to hear more...
Hold on a second... Here we go... That is what I need to do, pick the world up.... (level 4) lol.
Alright enough motivation for me... Back to work.
xoxo
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
So I've been working pretty hard and getting into the swing of how to make a game to publish to the mac, iphone and ipad stores respectively, using GameSalad (aka GS). Just finding out what I wanted to do was rough enough. I went through trying to make my first "app" with GS, and although I still have a great idea for an app... the tools just aren't really equipped for what I want to do. So I decided to go back to the drawing board and change up my strategy. Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I did just that and started working on making a game.
At first I was like, "There is NO WAY that I can do this... "just NO WAY"! It turns out, it was easier than I thought! They have templates that are meant to show you what exactly you can do with the system and they use them so much in examples, so I said to myself... I said "SELF! YOU GOTTA GET YOUR S@%T together and just DO IT!" So I started picking one of the templates apart and come to find out... it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Yes there are a few questions I have and would love to have some "one on one" guidance with, like making my background character move separately from my main character and the scene itself (I'll tell you my adventure with that below) and a few other little things. For the most part however, I have been able to put together a functioning game with most of the bells and whistles. Needless to say, even though my art kinda stinks, I am pretty impressed with myself (and GS for making it possible).
I finished with part of level three yesterday and started messing with the GS creator and I think I accidentally published my VERY UNFINISHED game to the website. I may post it here later today. I am not sure if I should do that so soon or not. I am a little cautious because I am a beginner at this and it may take me a little longer to finish my game than someone experienced. So I kinda don't want to post it, then have some jerk off come along and say 'o seems like a neat game... let me tweak it and get it to the app store in a day or two' (LOL just my kinda luck).
ANYHOO... so back to the background... I have these little clouds and I want them to move separately from the rest of the scene in the game. I want them to spawn on their own and come through the scene on their own time, some slow, some a little faster and all coming from different xy points in the game. It took about an hour and I finally got the cloud to move on its own, so that was cool. Only problem with that was, it started out right but eventually it was dropping slowly out of the picture. I just wanted them to go straight through, and either loop back around or respawn. It took a while to get it to work, but it worked... for a hot second... but I changed something and they started dropping again. For the life of me I could not figure out what I needed to do to make it happen. So then I stared watching tutorial videos, next thing you know it was a long time passed so I said forget it I need to finish the levels first, then I can worry about the bells and whistles.
NOW IT'S ON TO LEVEL FOUR!
Either way, I'm excited!
Let's see... what is my inspiration today? Not what you would think... I need a real inspirational video!
One that was designed specifically for motivation, cuz I'm only three levels in... I need like 11 more.
Ah It's puny, but it still does what it is supposed to!
Okay so here's the deal! I started on my "APP" on GameSalad. Someone talked me out of it... and I am glad they did! I decided to do some more research and see if my idea was on the app store... it's not... still! So that is at least good, the the down side, if I do this app with no experience I won't get it out there anyway because the design would be horrible. So I am doing a game.
I AM NO ARTIST AT ALL! :-( So building this game is gonna be difficult for me. I can't pay an artist or designer.. (HELLO... STUDENT HERE) so I have to design each level ON MY OWN... So far the design is crappy but the game is kinda cute and a little fun (to me... but my opinion could be a little biased). Either way I like it, and I'd definitely let my little nieces and nephews play it. Plus their moms wouldn't mind because there is no dying and no shooting in this game. It's Just good old fashioned fun so far, plus I got some kick butt songs for the soundtrack for the game.
This is the extent of my art skills for the game (below). That is a picture of the first part of what is hopefully gonna be level three. I know... it needs work... some stars or flowers or something... but it's a learning process.
You think that is bad... you should see the level one background. Either way every day I am finding that GameSalad is pretty darn cool!
Speaking of SDK's I did come across another one in my research that I like. StencylWorks. To me this is even simpler than Gamesalad, you really just point and click, they both have their advantages. As far as suggesting which... I couldn't do it, I like em both. Although I will say using some of the stencylworks tutorials somehow gave me a better understanding of how to use GameSald. Go figure!
Well back off to the races! Today I am building the rest of the monstrosity you see above... hopefully making it look better... and then moving on to level four. What I am most concerned with is getting the structure and levels together, then I guess I can go back through and fix the overall looks of each level.
Whoa, I am so NOT an artist, they should make a song about it (procrastination becomes her). Like to hear it... here it goes...
LOL! (I actually like Lady Gaga, but I thought this was funny anyway). 51 million views wow!
This is like day three or four for me on GameSalad and I am already 1/3rd of the way through with my app!!! I am so please with the turn out of the first few screens!!! I had to take a break to report in here... The anticipation to getting it done is KILLING ME! Now to figure out how to get $99 to post the doggone thing is "a Whole Nuther Issue" altogether.
So far there's been some pretty nice people on that site! I haven't seen anything but cordiality (if that's a word). I have spoken to a few here and there, all wonderful and supportive too! I had a small kink where I couldn't get the touch areas to redirect where I wanted them to, and that took over a day and a half to figure out, but once I got it... it has been smooth sailing so far.
These guys and girls at GameSalad have posted so many neat games! I wish I could link you to them all and show you every one, but alas... I can't. I may just start doing a review every now and then.
Geez I'm excited as H E double hockey sticks!
I need some motivation...
I think that was a cool vid!!! I think it had the most views or something and it was listed in the add screen so... why not...
I was so tired last night. I talked to an acquaintance for a little while online last night. That little link I gave a while back, the cartoon about developing an app. So true so far, I am sleepy all the time. On this computer almost 24/7, and all my friends ARE becoming virtual. Nevertheless, I am determined. The building of the app is coming along pretty well. There is a little tutorial online that is showing me the ropes so that is a tremendous help, otherwise I'd be completely lost.
I just really want to remind myself in this post exactly what I am going through because I never want to forget this experience. My skin on my face is becoming dry and my muscles are getting weak in my legs from sitting all day and night. I have a feeling... it is hard to describe... it's like I am wasting my time, but I can't stop. I feel like if I do complete this and nothing happens, I will be soooo disappointed. I mean I been really working on this, up til dawn, sleep for three or four hours then back at it. I mean that so far is the most dedication I have had to just about anything. AND STILL GOING! I know it has only been a week or so, but if I continue without sleep like this I am gonna be a nervous wreck when school starts.
SLEEP, the issue that is haunting me. I am so enamored with doing this game that it literally bugs the mess outa me if I try to put it down or stop and do something else. I swear one of these days I am gonna wake up with KEY prints on my face from falling asleep on the keyboard of this computer. (SMILE)
All in all, on another note, I have decided to add two new features to my app. I can't wait til I am almost done so I can reveal it to everyone. Not that anyone is looking right now, but maybe it'll get some attention somewhere down the line. I know I have to stay focused and get it done, but the thought of being able to sell the app and keeping it up there with the professionals is a little scary of a thought. Plus, there are some features for the app that I had in mind that I am not sure I will know how to make happen... or if it can happen with the program I am using.
Either way, I gotta keep it moving and cross that bridge when I get to it.
I think it's time for some inspiration...
I am going a little different today... This is a video I did on a walkthrough of how to change your icons on your desktop and dock.
Up early this morning. For those of you who are just tuning in... I looked on my facebook today and found that GameSalad has not only a facebook page, but several other pages as you can see when you visit the links. Anyway, after visiting a few of their pages I have even more ideas! This is really an exciting time for me. The thing is, if you know me at all, you know I will totally immerse myself in this until I am finished.. and here is the problem with that. I will make that my life, so I have to find a way to balance everything, school, work, exercise and diet, AND this game designing too. Here is an example of someone else's game you should check that out btw... it's pretty fun (the game and the blog)! He did a blog on his experience and I am like, so in awe of his and everyone else's games on there. Mine looks corny and cheesy... cheap even (no pun intended to the example site I just mentioned). I mean I am just getting started so I don't know if that is normal for someone to feel that way, or if it really does look cheap and cheesy. I guess, for lack of better words... I am intimidated! That is SO rare for me! I guess I need to put myself out of my comfort zone a little to make it happen.
I know what you are thinking.... sounds like a lot to take on, but I don't think it will be too difficult. I just don't want to get overwhelmed and quit. So I need to find a way to stay focused on exactly what I am doing.
HaHaHA lol. When I tell you what my first two apps are, you are sooo gonna laugh ( I think).
Either way, here is some inspiration....
Speaking of R. Kelly
While looking for (the actual video of I believe I can fly) I came across this new one... (well new to me). I like it, although it's funny how right after his wife left him he started makin all these BABy babY PLEASE, PLEAE COME BACK TO ME SONGS... When a woman loves is the first one where I notIced it... now I see this one!
It makes sense, she did stick with him for a LOONG time after I would have (MAYBE, I guess he got somethin strange that makes em stick around...) $$$ MAYBE? BUT THAT'S JUST A GUESS! Well like they say... you never know what you have til you lose it, n HE LOST IT... but I'm sure there will be some new one to take the neglect for a few (un)measley paychecks.
I found Game Salad! Pretty awesome concept, AND I am already making graphics for the app that I am making with Game Salad! I never thought I would come across such an easy FREE program! Who would'a thought? Anyhoo, just checking in. Here is a link to GameSalad.
I was up until about... the crack of dawn when I came across it. What is funny is, I have seen the mention of it before around the net, but I never even gave it a second thought. Now I know what you are thinking... If you use GameSalad, you won't learn code, which was my original goal. Ease your troubled mind dear sir or ma'am, I still fully intend to learn how to write scripts. I just have a new first priority. GET THAT APP TO THE APP STORE ASAP! Just a matter of time people!
So it took me a few days to get my head right on which programming language to use for programming in Xcode. I have found a pretty good book called Programming in Object-C and I think that is gonna do it for me. I had already started reading my Java book and my old school c programming book, but I think I am gonna stick to the Objective C book because all of the examples use the Xcode SDK. Even though it seemed like Java was an easier language to decipher and understand for me (or maybe I've just had more Java in my 'view source code' life than I've had C languages). The good news is, I don't think it's impossible to learn, just may take a little longer than expected.
I still don't know at this point, because even though there are questions at the end of each chapter, I don't really have a way to gage how well I am doing. It seems like understanding, barely, what is going on in these test programs is all I can do at this point. Even though I have successfully written 8 or 9 small programs that output small phrases and fractions, I don't see how the vision that I have for my app could possibly get done with this little bit of information I am learning, any time soon. Do I think or have the confidence at this point, now that I have made it to Chapter 3 in this book, that I will understand the language enough to execute the MAJOR IDEA I have for my app? HELL to the NO! Will I continue to try and learn it so I can? YOU DAMN RIGHT I WILL!
If I have to turn it into a lifelong hobby, I am determined to write this program! Gunna do it... Gunna do it. So there you have todays post.
A little inspiration for the evening...
AHH soothe the mind with the thought of the Aston Martin that I will be purchasing after the launch of my FABULOUS IDEAS! (Hey that's how I'm thinkin... don't ruin it for me with mention of advertising and getting the app off the ground and all that JIVE TALK, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it... if I even get to it!)
I think that is about all for now, I just have to wait for this video to upload... so much pressure... so much anticipation. The thought of sleep is literally annoying the crap outa me!
HAAAA haha ha ha ha ha ha ah! Patience is a virtue after all! GOODNIGHT!
By the FYI way... I crashed my MacBook last week and O IT WAS A MESS! I changed permissions on it and BOY O BOY it didn't like that------> AT ALL <------- (sound). Meanwhile, when I went to restart because it started acting... uh FUNNY... to say the least, it wouldn't start back up. Then I started logging in - in Single user mode and trying different commands at the command prompt root. (sound from up there again) MAJOR FAIL! I ended up screwing it up worse by trying to use the exit command in the middle of a chmod. I felt like a piece of me just died. I ended up with a Kernel panic, a LOOPING START KERNEL PANIC (the worst one in my opinion). Thank the Lord for Mac's inexpensive operating systems and other upgrades.
Hello World! No it is not a coincidence that I used Hello World, that, as I have recently learned, is the first code that you learn to write and execute when writing code, java... c... applescript even. Why did I learn that recently you ask? Simple, I am aspiring to become a developer. Self taught in all things script. Then I plan on moving on to real estate development, but that's 'a whole nuther blog' :-)
My ultimate goal is to be able to write script well enough to submit a working and functional application to itunes for the iphone, ipad and then submit the same application for the android. I will be doing this with NO experience whatsoever! Sounds impossible? So far as I can tell it sounds that way because it is! I have found several tools online to help me in my journey and I will be trying to keep this blog along the way.
Folks, you may just hear me cuss after about a few weeks of this... but I plan to do everything I can to keep this blog and my momentum going. It will be tough for me to post every day, but I will try.... Btw, did I mention I am a full time student that has been carrying a 4.0 GPA for about 3 years? Ya so there's that too. Totally different major so this self teaching of the scripts will be an extra few hours a day, AFTER my studying for any classes and Before I post here, which should be LATE, but nightly. So there is no telling where my posts and my subject matter will go at this point. I think I may be doing this to help MYSELF stay focused! Who knows?
As far as apps go, I have a great idea for an app (which I will not share for obvious reasons). When I launch it I want to have plenty of posts to remind myself what kind of journey I took ( a customer or two wouldn't hurt either). Plus I need to keep track of a few things like websites etc (I will try to keep my blog LINK RICH - meaning I will link to as many definitions of words and websites as I can so that if you happen across this blog, you will be able to grasp some of the same concepts and ideology I am trying to grasp).
So far I have found a few Applications that will facilitate my practice and learning. I am using Xcode for developers, and of course I got that from APPLE, that is the tool that their developers use to create iphone, ipad, safari and mac applications. The language base for this Xcode S.D.K. (I BELIEVE) is AppleScript. I am also using Eclipse for the Java. Of course I have a few ebooks and library books of the subject matter as well. I have learned several simple concepts, however, this is not easy for me. I have little experience with writing anything for the web. I mean I know HTML... but who doesn't? And for those that don't there is always the latest WYSIWYG editor for making web pages so it's no big deal either way. Learning the concept of script - by yourself - with no foundation to build on EXCEPT HTML is not lookin good right now... BUT...YA GURL is not gonna give up that easy! I won't go out without a fight, even if I lose, at least I was willing to try.
HERE GOES MY besT shOT! I came to WIN... to Fight... to CONQUER... to Thrive... Let me post some inspiration...
Remember, it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all! So keep fighting for what you believe in and what you love. NO ONE ELSE WILL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU BETTER THAN YOU CAN DO IT FOR YOU (in most cases)!
Im FRIGGIN POSSIBLE! Annoying! Always EATing!!!!!!! Since I am next to the dang kitchen I have to listen while ROOMIE in the kitchen BANGIN the pots and pans out AT THE CRACK OF DAWN (for me)! I can't stand it! UGH! I swear that vid is right on the money!
ANYHOO, I am up now, so I guess it's time for business. I am on break from school, for the holidayz of course... so I can put my full attention to learning code. Let me see.... what is on the agenda for today? I am reading for two hours from "Becoming XCODER", JAVA for dummies, then I move on to Applescript Object C Explorer. I am only putting one hour into C Programming today. I think I have the basics down, and I think I downplayed my knowledge just a tad.
I do have a few basic concepts grasped a little better than expected. I do understand the FUNDAMENTALS of stuff like CSS and how the languages and API's work. DON'T get me wrong tho, when I look at these SDK's (especially XCODE) I am completely clueless as to how to write a program. I mean I get Interface Builder, pretty simple drag and drop stuff, but write some code in the editor and make it work, see how that goes for ya, LMAO! I want to link to a youtube vid to give you an example of what I am taking about... HEY these KIDS were doing this two and three years ago... AND THERE IS NO WAY THEY HAVE TAKEN A CLASS FOR THIS! Somethin huh?
Well anywayz, off to work! Enjoy your day... I'm gonna try to fininsh mine out on a better note.
