Monday, May 25, 2009

Tuesday May 26: first day working with Gamemaker

OK, to start this week right, we are going to begin using a program called GameMaker. It allows you to make some simple yet compelling side scrolling computer games without knowing any code. The first step is to install the program, which is included on the CD I have passed around. Also included are a sample game I have made, along with some picture files



OK, so here's what you do after you install the program



turn on the program

stay in simple NOT advanced mode

dont upgrade (obviously)




the first thing to do is add a room. Rooms are like levels,its where the action takes placeto do this click on RESOURCES at top of screen, then click on "Create Room" This will create a room called "Room0"
your room will have three tabs. Click on the "Backgrounds" tab to change the background color
run your program to see if your room works by hitting the little green arrow at the top of the program
The next thing to do is to add some "sprites" that you will use in creating objects. Sprites are picture files, while Objects are things that exist inside your program. Some objects use more than one sprite, but most use only one. You'll see why in a little bit! But first, lets add those sprites:
click on RESOURCES at top of screen, then click on "Create Sprite" the next step is to give your sprite a name. Name this first sprite "PacLeft"then clcik the LOAD SPRITE button, goto the folder I have given you and choose the "PacLeft" image file. Then, Click OK
Repeat this process three more times, adding Sprites that are named PacRight, PacUp, PacDown. Use the other Pacman Images that are available...its easy to figure it out! You can also add any other sprites you like, just make sure to name 'em so you remember what the heck they are!
The next step is to create an object. In most games, the first object you create is the main character, the one that you make run around and do stuff. So lets start with that:click on RESOURCES at top of screen, then click on "Create Object"
Name your Object "PACMAN" and then, assign it a sprite. To give your object a sprite, click the little blue button right next to the word "sprite1", then choose one of the Pacman sprites you've already loaded. I chose PacRight, but thats just me
Once you've done that, its time to add your object to your room. You do this by clicking the "objects" tab on your room, then go down to the bottom left where you see the word "undefined", clcik the little blue button right next to it, then choose PACMAN.
Then, click somewhere in your room to add your object. Run the program to make sure it works!
Crap, he doesn't move! Hmmm... we'll have to change that! Right click on your PACMAN object, then click Properties.
Next, we will add an event and an action that happens because of the event.The first action we want is to make our Pacman move, and the best event for that is a keyboard event.SO, click on the "ADD EVENT" button, then click KEYBOARD, then choose
Now let's make something happen when we hit that key: an action. At the top right right, you will see a button that looks like eight red arrows pointing in eight different directions. Drag that into the ACTION window
A little dialog pops up... click the word "object" then choose the Pacman object from the listClick the arrow thats pointing right, then set a speed of 3CHECK the "relative" check box, then click OK
BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE, we are going to add an action for what happens when you are not pushing a key...otherwise, your pacman will just fly off the edge of the screenclick on the "ADD EVENT" button, then click KEYBOARD, then choose For the action, choose that same eight headed red thingmabob and drag it into the Actions windowchoose the PacMan object, then click the dot in the center of all the arrows. Set the speed to "0", and check the "relative" box, then click OK
Now, run your program and see what you get
Your final challenge for today is to make your PacMan move in all four directions
Cheers,Mr. L

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

To Do in CET Wednesday May 20th

Greetings one and all!

Today we will use the time we have have for the following purposes:

A) you will post to our Google discussion group a description of the "video snapshot" you took of a program you have worked with. Make the description something along the line of a "step by step" explanation of what is happening during the video you have made. Label it with your name and the phrase "My Video" Please do this even if :
  • you have not yet completed using "CamStudio" to film your program in action
  • you were unable to get the video from your machine to me
  • your machine ceased functioning, and you will have to finish this project on some other computer

B) Do a search online for "free online file storage", or a similar phrase. What we're trying to do is discover more useful applications of technology that are also without cost, and reasonably ethical. The websites you use MUST be able to store files AND be able to share these files with other people. Please set up accounts on at least two of them, and see if you can upload something to each one, even just a small file. Then, please post to our discussion group, label it with your name and the phrase "free online file storage". In the body of the message, please give the website addresses of the sites you used, followed by a brief description of the advantages of using those particular sites. Why should someone else take your advice?

C) Time permitting, please post a two paragraph description of what you believe is the single most useful program we've used so far has been, and why you think it is so. And NO, "counterstrike" does not count!

Cheers,

Mr. L

Friday, May 15, 2009

To Do In CET FRIDAY MAY 15

To Do In CET FRIDAY MAY 15
By now, most of you have a fairly decent familarity with most or all of the following programs:
  • Reptile
  • Goldwave
  • Multiquence
  • ChaosPro
  • various ScreenSaver creators/editors
  • SketchUp
  • various diagnostic programs like CPU-z, Everest and Belarc
  • and lots of other stuff that I cannot recall off the top of my head right now

You've also been recently introduced to a program called "CamStudio", which allows you to create a video of whatever happens on your desktop, and save it to a file.

Today, you are going to use CamStudio and do the following:

A) record how to do at least two or three related things in ONE program -- your choice of program

B) save the recording to an avi file; name it after yourself plus the name of the program you recorded

C) When you are done with that, I have a program to convert your avi to an Mpeg type file, which will be much smaller

D) I will then collect this mpeg file

That'll do for today. Lets get going!
Mr. L

Thursday, May 14, 2009

TODO in CET Thursday May 14

Hello all, we've got two out of three things to do today:

A) you've got that quiz on Windows registry

and then either

B) Keep working on creating screen savers, which you started earluier this week

OR

C) You can start with a couple of new programs I've just got in today. Available on both thumb drive and CD

Your choice, but lets get something started. Between the seniors leaving soon and a second round of MCAS, there's not of lot of spare time

Cheers,

Mr. L

Monday, May 11, 2009

TODO in CET Monday May 11:

Unless you are otherwise engaged in some truly worthy project, here is what you need to do today:

A) You already should have some rough idea about how to use the REPTILE texturing program: please create at least five images using this program, and store them in a folder where you can find them
B) You already should have some rough idea about how to use the CHAOSPRO fractal generating program: please create at least four images using this program, and store them in the same folder as above
C) You have no doubt created some cool sound effects in GOLDWAVE already; please copy over at least three sound files you have created in this program into the same folder as above
Now, having gathered in the raw material you need, you need to do the following:

Install any two of the screen saver creating programs that you got from me last Friday, and use each one to create a different screensaver, using the images and sounds you have gathered. I will collect your work before the end of this block

Cheers,
Mr. L

PS Wednesday first block we are upstairs in A323. Part of the time will be spent taking a quiz on Windows Registry; I will have a practice quiz setup on our website for that

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wednesday May 6: Say What You DO

Greetings on this all too short day:

There is only one thing I need you to do,and it is this: think about all the things we have done in class in the past two weeks, the different programs you've tested out, different operating systems you've installed, whatever it is that you have taken upon yourself to do, and then

A) make a post on our Google discussion group detailing what it is that you have done.Make sure the subject line includes your name AND a short description of what it is the body of your post will be about. Do you want to discuss your work with MASH? SketchUp? GoldWave? Multiquence? ChaosPro? Windows 2003 Server installation? It's up to you which one you choose (Just make sure its something that you actually did)

B) The body of your discussion post be be at least three paragraphs of three complete sentences each.

C) Your paragraphs should deal with the following:

  • Paragraph One -- why did you choose this particular technology? What drew you to it in the first place? Why do you want to discuss THIS particular thing?
  • Paragraph Two -- List at least four things you managed to do with whatever you discussed in Paragraph One that you thought were informative, enlightening or just plain cool
  • Paragraph Three -- Pretend that you had to demonstrate to someone else - a friend, a schoolmate, an adult,a family member-- HOW to do at least one of the cool things you did in Paragraph Two. Pretend (remember?) that this other person knows NOTHING about this topic before you explain it to them.

D) After you're done, then any remaining classtime is yours

Mr. L