I've downloaded the Demo of Coldstone, followed the tutuorial and created an NPC. It walks and talks and is great. Anything beyond that is losing me. I'm assuming the tutorial with the full version is more in debth. But, before I raid my piggy bank and purchase this. I need to ask if I need to attend Oxford before actually getting a grip on this as well as being able to actually build a game??
:eek:
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I'm a Producer/Director & Casting Agent.
I Read
Quote
Originally posted by Potomax:
**First, you can't buy it now... it has been removed from the market because of countless bugs.
Second, I don't think the manual in the full version contains more information... I don't remember it had...
**
Oh Ok, I think I did hear it was going to be upgraded. Guess I'll just have to wait til then. Thanks.
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I'm a Producer/Director & Casting Agent.
I Read
Before you start to ask how hard it is to learn to use CS you should ask your self what am I going to do with it.
As with any piece of software it will take a while for you to learn the ins and outs of things. It could take you as little as a week to learn to make a very small game and a lot longer to make a bigger game. When I started with CS it took me about 2 months to fully understand most of the things, but 2 years latter I still found something else I did not know I could do. Learning CS in my oppinion is progressive, you learn the each part when you need to use them in a game.
Also I believe the tutorial is the same, because the demo is the full version just unregestered.
If you want to know how hard CS is to learn, just use the demo it will let you do everything the full version will.
NOTE ON DEMO (You can only build so far before it will not run your game, like 30 NPC)
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Magnum gloriam Efeionae est!
The forest is calling,how
will you answer?
(url="http://"http://www.angelfire.com/biz7/pppgames/index.html")P.P.P. Games Online(/url)
Quote
Originally posted by EMT:
I need to ask if I need to attend Oxford before actually getting a grip on this as well as being able to actually build a game?
When you are able to get the demo registered it is the same as before but the restrictions on the number of events, etc. is lifted. Building games is then easier, too. After a week or two of playing with the demo you could probably write a better tutorial than the one which you have. There is no other.
This forum is the best place to get your questions answered. The natives are friendly here and we encourage newcomers. You're not a noob unless you act stupid. Most of us here have had to ask the seemingly obvious questions at one time or another. Personally, I know very little about computer programing (being one of the older models without enough memory - that's me, not my machine) and I find Coldstone very easy to learn and use. We do appreciate the use of standard English and frown on AOLspeak. Game developers are expected to know how to communicate.
Have some fun. Ask away. Let's get to know each other. Welcome to the Coldstone forum. 
~RD
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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)
Coldstone is very easy to use. The manual leaves a lot to be desired unfortunately. There are plenty of resources out there if you need them. Check the links page for some sites to help you
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Pilky
(url="http://"http://www.mcubedsw.com")M cubed homepage(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.mcubedsw.com/network")M cubed Network(/url)
Quote
Originally posted by Pilky:
**Coldstone is very easy to use. The manual leaves a lot to be desired unfortunately. There are plenty of resources out there if you need them. Check the links page for some sites to help you
**
Thanks to one and all for your comments and support. I do appreaciate. I think the two things I'm not quite getting a handle on is the actual developing of an "area", or "scene". If I were doing a plugin for Pillars, I'm not sure I understand how you figure out "where" the World ____ (example: World 09).I have heard people discussing using Bryce. I've been working with Bryce for probably 3 or 4 years and I'd be interested how you incorporate Bryce into Coldstone. I can appreciate taking two years or so to really be able to move around it with confidence. Bryce is the same way. I'm still learning Bryce.
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I'm a Producer/Director & Casting Agent.
I Read
About Bryce...
You can use any program to make graphic files to be used in ColdStone. JPEG PNG and several other types of picture files are supported. You just have to make the files outside and then put them inside you game folder. In ColdStone you can just add them to a map by clicking/dragging. Very Easy
About maps ("area")...
Make a game useing the midevil start game in CS. Make a new map in CS and make sure to set the "Ground tiles demensions (in pixels)" to 96, so it is the same size as the ground tile graphics. Then in the forest base folder choose a picture you like. Then click on the map and it will be put there. It is just like using the paint area of AppleWorks. Next you can create a new layer and put other pictures over the ground, like a tree.
About the plugins...
I have not done very much with Plugins, and even less with POG, however I am sure several of the pepole on this web board know where each of the world areas in POG are. If you ask around it is likly you will find someone who can help you.
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Magnum gloriam Efeionae est!
The forest is calling,how
will you answer?
(url="http://"http://www.angelfire.com/biz7/pppgames/index.html")P.P.P. Games Online(/url)
(This message has been edited by Efeion (edited 07-10-2004).)
Quote
Originally posted by EMT:
**If I were doing a plugin for Pillars, I'm not sure I understand how you figure out "where" the World ____ (example: World 09).
**
Someone made a plugin tool thing for checking what the map is called. You can find it on the add-ons page. It's called pog tools or something like that^^
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I want to die on a rainy day...
Quote
Originally posted by EMT:
If I were doing a plugin for Pillars, I'm not sure I understand how you figure out "where" the World ____ (example: World 09).
When you chose to make a plugin, Coldstone asks you to find the plugin data file for the game for which the plugin is designed. You browse the game folder (in this case PoG's folder) to find and select "Plugin data.txt" and the appropriate PoG elements are made available to you such as graphics, sounds, map data, etc.
When you complete your setup for the plugin, a very short process, look in the events folder, and then the "defs" folder. You will see that an event has already been created for you. It is called "Plugin_DebugInfos.cet." If you build a release of this new plugin you've just created and drop it in the "Plugins" folder of PoG you will have a keydown event. Anytime you hit the "D" key while playing PoG it will give you a dialogue box which informs you of the name of that map and the player's X and Y co-ordinates. Developers are advised to remove this event from the list before the final build of the plugin is made available to the public, but it is very handy to have during the testing process as it allows your testers to tell you exactly where the character's head disappears under a rock - to give just one example.
Stark Bledfast has made a plugin called "PoG Dev Tools." What it does is allow you to jump (teleport) instantly to any tile within a map or jump to a new map at the same co-ordinates on which your player sits. This plugin is not available on the addons page, but I'm pretty sure that he would email it to anyone serious about PoG plugins. It's very handy to have, but you could also build your own to do the same thing.
I hope that gives you a good start. ~RD
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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)
(This message has been edited by Rubber Ducky (edited 07-11-2004).)
Quote
Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
**Stark Bledfast has made a plugin called "PoG Dev Tools." What it does is allow you to jump (teleport) instantly to any tile within a map or jump to a new map at the same co-ordinates on which your player sits. This plugin is not available on the addons page, but I'm pretty sure that he would email it to anyone serious about PoG plugins. It's very handy to have, but you could also build your own to do the same thing.
**
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=coldstone&category;=resources&display;=downloads&file;=PoG_Dev_Tools.sit.hqx")http://www.ambrosias...v_Tools.sit.hqx(/url)
Its sitting right there on the add-ons page. It's in the top 10 downloads thingy
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Pilky
(url="http://"http://www.mcubedsw.com")M cubed homepage(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.mcubedsw.com/network")M cubed Network(/url)
Thanks, Pilky. Clarification: It's not on the PoG addons page. I'm embarassed to admit I didn't check the Coldstone resources. :redface:
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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)
Quote
Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
**When you complete your setup for the plugin, a very short process, look in the events folder, and then the "defs" folder. You will see that an event has already been created for you. It is called "Plugin_DebugInfos.cet." If you build a release of this new plugin you've just created and drop it in the "Plugins" folder of PoG you will have a keydown event. Anytime you hit the "D" key while playing PoG it will give you a dialogue box which informs you of the name of that map and the player's X and Y co-ordinates. Developers are advised to remove this event from the list before the final build of the plugin is made available to the public, but it is very handy to have during the testing process as it allows your testers to tell you exactly where the character's head disappears under a rock - to give just one example.
**
Since I haven't made a plugin for POG, I didn't know this. Terrific idea. Since my maps are 95% finished, and I'm placing the access tiles, I've started to do this. Thanks RD!
Quote
Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
When you chose to make a plugin, Coldstone asks you to find the plugin data file for the game for which the plugin is designed. You browse the game folder (in this case PoG's folder) to find and select "Plugin data.txt" and the appropriate PoG elements are made available to you such as graphics, sounds, map data, etc.
You mean, every graphic is listed for each map? Do you know how this is generated? Where is the folder, specifically? What specific info is needed for someone to make a plugin? Can't they make their own maps?
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-- Debra
Danillitphil Productions
(url="http://"http://www.danillitphil.com/graphics/index.html")www.danillitphil.com(/url)
Quote
Originally posted by Debra:
**You mean, every graphic is listed for each map? Do you know how this is generated? Where is the folder, specifically? What specific info is needed for someone to make a plugin? Can't they make their own maps?
**
The actual folders stay in the game folder, but a plugin accesses them from there. You have the individual plugin folder and then a list of all the game folders when you go to make a map, or select a picture or animation for an NPC or item. I've taken a screen shot of what you see when you go to select your graphic. it's (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/rootfolder.jpg")here.(/url) The specific info needed is the game data file.
Of course you can make your own maps either using ground tiles and stamps from the original game or using new graphics which are unique to the plugin. In constructing Damsels in Distress, I did some of both. Several maps use PoG tiles (sometimes in unique ways) and the Ice Cave required almost all new graphics.
Edit: To game developers - As far as I know, when you indicate that you are allowing plugins to be made for your game, all your graphics will be available to anyone who wishes to make a plugin for your game. If you wish to keep your graphics somewhat secure, it's best to NOT allow plugin development.
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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)
(This message has been edited by Rubber Ducky (edited 07-11-2004).)
Quote
Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
**When you chose to make a plugin, Coldstone asks you to find the plugin data file for the game for which the plugin is designed. You browse the game folder (in this case PoG's folder) to find and select "Plugin data.txt" and the appropriate PoG elements are made available to you such as graphics, sounds, map data, etc.
When you complete your setup for the plugin, a very short process, look in the events folder, and then the "defs" folder. You will see that an event has already been created for you. It is called "Plugin_DebugInfos.cet." If you build a release of this new plugin you've just created and drop it in the "Plugins" folder of PoG you will have a keydown event. Anytime you hit the "D" key while playing PoG it will give you a dialogue box which informs you of the name of that map and the player's X and Y co-ordinates. Developers are advised to remove this event from the list before the final build of the plugin is made available to the public, but it is very handy to have during the testing process as it allows your testers to tell you exactly where the character's head disappears under a rock - to give just one example.
Stark Bledfast has made a plugin called "PoG Dev Tools." What it does is allow you to jump (teleport) instantly to any tile within a map or jump to a new map at the same co-ordinates on which your player sits. This plugin is not available on the addons page, but I'm pretty sure that he would email it to anyone serious about PoG plugins. It's very handy to have, but you could also build your own to do the same thing.
I hope that gives you a good start. ~RD
**
Thanks so much for this info. I'll go check out "PoG Dev Tools". I also appreciate the help in forming an area. It's really not clear in the manual, so outside of creating NPCs there's really nothing in the manual that's really clear on starting off with a new area. And once again, I really enjoyed Damsels!
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I'm a Producer/Director & Casting Agent.
I Read
Just got back from the addons, there is a complete tutorial that goes through building an entire game. So I downloaded it. It's much more than on the demo. So I'm going to go check it out. I'm sure it'll be helpful, then hopefully in a week or so I can afford to by Coldstone.
(This message has been edited by EMT (edited 07-11-2004).)
I figured out how to make a list from the map by copying the map onto the desktop and making it .doc. Then I opened it with MS Word and cleaned it up. But it's just a list. It's nothing what your graphic shows.
I have no idea how to make it able for plugin development, which is what I do want. My exterior world borders are meant to be expanded. I'm aware that I'll need to share my graphics, which I'm willing to do. I have some significant game-wide events that the plugin developer will need to know, also. But I'm assuming that the developer will see the event arrays and how the NPCs and maps fit the arrays and figure that out. I may be asking too much.
Well, I'm jumping the gun though. I need to finish my game first! Thanks RD!!
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-- Debra
Danillitphil Productions
(url="http://"http://www.danillitphil.com/graphics/index.html")www.danillitphil.com(/url)
CS is extremely easy to understand. Took me about 2 days and I pretty much knew everything about it (except the bugs, of course). Games are easily made. The hardest thing about CS is understanding that it takes time to make good games, and also to stick with one thing, since you get so many creative sparks with different ideas.
If you were to ask me, I'd say dont look at the manual. I didn't and I still haven't even opened the file. Of course, that's just me.
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"Stiney! Get me a danish!"
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(This message has been edited by OgreBob (edited 07-11-2004).)
Quote
Originally posted by Debra:
I have no idea how to make it able for plugin development, which is what I do want.
In the Coldstone menu, select the pull-down "Project" and go to "options." You bring up a game editor which has a tab for "plugins." Make sure that "allow plugin development" is checked. If not, check it and do a new save and build.
I assume you have a build of your game somewhere (how else could you test it?) Go to file menu and select "Create new game." Follow its lead. Select where you want it to be - next screen select "plugin" (NOT "medieval") and CS will ask you to find the "plugin data" in your game folder. Follow the prompts until it says you have created a plugin for your game.
At this point you should be able to open the new plugin to make entries. You might have to select "change game" in the file menu but I suspect your new plugin is already open.
Now select "New - map." You should come up with an empty map and a window which has a blank "Plugin root folder" (because you haven't put anything new in it yet) and a pull-down arrow for "Game root folder" which will look something like my screen shot. This is what the plugin developer will be able to use.
I don't have a "RD game" to work from, only PoG, so I'm going by intuition here, but there is no need for the original game developer to need this list of folders until a plugin is to be created. I think Coldstone creates this list from the "Plugin_data.txt" which it asked you to find. Does that all make sense?
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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)
Wow! Thanks, RD. I'm actually going out of town now for the rest of the week. I'll do this when I get back. Yes, it makes sense. Thanks again!
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-- Debra
Danillitphil Productions
(url="http://"http://www.danillitphil.com/graphics/index.html")www.danillitphil.com(/url)
Quote
Originally posted by Debra:
**I have some significant game-wide events that the plugin developer will need to know, also. But I'm assuming that the developer will see the event arrays and how the NPCs and maps fit the arrays and figure that out. I may be asking too much.
Well, I'm jumping the gun though. I need to finish my game first! Thanks RD!!
**
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your viewpoint), the plugin developer does not have access to any of the game information besides the graphics and what he/she can figure out through playing it and using debug events. If you need developers to know anything about your game I suggest you include a "Developer's Readme" of sorts, which could also include a map of the world, plot notes, etc. It would be so much easier to make a plugin with that kind of information. 
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Cha0s
(url="http://"http://www.world-of-cha0s.hostrocket.com")The Homepage of Cha0s(/url)
