90% of the tutorials on the site are broken. Some that are labelled as "tutorial" aren't actualy tutorials, just some code with minimal content.
TDC would benefit hugely from a site hosted tutorial pack.
Lets make one. But before everyone starts banging out tutorials, let's discuss it first.
What type of tutorials?
(Examples)
Basic Gameplay
-Handling Health, Multiple Weapons, Level Restarts, etc
Custom Platform
-Fast Loops Engine
-Non Fast Loops Engine
Gunplay
-360 shooting (multiple versions)
-Weapons formulas + Systems
Etc. Etc.
Each Tutorial would include code (obviously) and a decently written article. The point for this is that the code may be lost on some people, and the article could help them understand. (Comments on code tend to be cryptic, make perfect sense to the author, and no one else).
Comments, Ideas, etc.
===========
The List (updated as people make suggestions!)
Custom Platforms
-Fastloops
-Non Fastloops
Special Effects
-Fades, Particles, etc
Art
-Spriting & Design (Probably more article like, but excellent non the less!)
The Grit
-Optimizing code
-Bugfixes
i think everyone can benefit from this. even the most veteran coders/designers dont know everything.
one problem is that people have varying methods of getting the same thing done. which one do you use in the tut pack?
another thing is that noobs tend to combine tutorials to attempt a game and then dont understand why its so buggy or doesnt work. the code needs to be abstracted as possible, as close to widget status as possible.
i also dont think high level coders should make the tuts. although they have the most knowledge, they tend to be the most complicated and hardest to understand. pixeltheif for example is probably one of the best coders and most knowledgeable about click products here but i think most people have no idea what the hell hes talking about unless they already have a basic understanding of the topic.
so i guess something along the lines of beginner, intermediate, advanced, and hardcore (where people like pixelthief come in) tutorials would be awesome
Originally Posted by Cecilpixeltheif for example is probably one of the best coders and most knowledgeable about click products here but i think most people have no idea what the hell hes talking about unless they already have a basic understanding of the topic.
Agreed. I think we should do a mini TGF one as a prototype of sorts. We can proved multiple ways of doing things, and just split them up into easy, intermediate, advanced, and wtf pixelthief? (Within each Pack)
Peblo Custom ratings must be 50 characters or less
Registered 05/07/2002
Points 185
1st February, 2009 at 20:29:44 -
Love the idea, I'd throw in some stuff.
We need some online stuff too, along with graphical effect tutorials.
Loading/saving from various file types. Examples of optimized code (closing groups when not in use, sectioning off fastloops...)
You know, clicker essentials.
"Isn't it always amazing how we characterize a person's intelligence by how closely their thinking matches ours?"
~Belgarath
Personally I think there should also be more graphics tutorials on the site. That's one of the areas people on TDC don't seem to improve on as much (understandably as programming and gameplay is a tad more important)
I might try and make one after my current project.
Originally Posted by -Adam- Personally I think there should also be more graphics tutorials on the site. That's one of the areas people on TDC don't seem to improve on as much (understandably as programming and gameplay is a tad more important)
I might try and make one after my current project.
There's a couple. Might make that my next articles post.
Art
-Pixel Art (beginner to advanced)
-Spriting (beginner to advanced)
-Animating (beginner to advanced)
-3d rendered sprites (advanced)
+styles
-sidescrolling (beginner)
-topdown (beginner)
-3/4 (intermediate)
-iso (Advanced)
The Grit
-Proper Coding Habits
-Commenting
-HowTo: Debugging
n/a
Deleted User
3rd February, 2009 at 19:06:06 -
In addition to the standard click tutorials, maybe some people wouldn't mind doing some video tutorials, for those who have trouble reading over someone's code. I mean, I have no problem reading code, but I'm sure there are plenty of people that might give up on certain subjects, especially if it's commented horribly, and it also helps to see something done step by step, rather newcomers placing in the code they think is needed, and there's some hidden piece of code that ensures the code's success.
I have been looking all over the place but cannot find a tutorial i need. I think you giuys should add a tutorial on how to make a sidescrolling shooter. Im talking about like you see in many online flash games where your guy walks left and right and the mouse aims and the guys gun and hand follow the mouse. I attempted this in one of my games but i had no clue how to do it.
arm and gun are seperate actives. always set their position relative to its parent object:
gun->hand
hand->character
and then make them always look (or be rotated, or both, much smoother and 360degrees) at the mouse x,y coordinates (which is usually an object that is a crosshair)
theres a bit more too it to get the orientation of the gun and hand to be appropriate to be left and right of the body but thats the just of it.
shab are you still looking at this thread? lol. we need to start getting people to actually make tuts.
Lets not forget basic/advanced how-to Genres. While some art tutorials can cover one aspect of a certain genre, they can't be used in others. Also, while almost everyone knows how to do a classic 2d run and gun shooter. How the heck do they know how to do a Rpg/adventure? Some genre specific articles to include: Racing, Turn based RPG, Tactical RPG, Shooter, RTS, Platform, 360` shooter, etc etc.
(and its about time someone else noticed the broken links)
Edited by Xhunterko
All platforming problems can be mostly solved here:
I remember zeb But there should be an easier way than putting detectors on the side of every platform?
n/a ...
Deleted User
6th February, 2009 at 00:01:19 -
Problably. If there were some way to do part of player collides with part of platform. You know, it'd be really nice to have something like a button in each frame of your animation that you can hit to create a new action point, and rather than a point an invisible drawn section that could be used as a detector for attacks, grabs and whatever. Sort of like an alterable value or string, but in every frame of animation.
Object is playing animation Falling
+Action point is overlapping backdrop
-Change animation to Hanging
-Stop falling
Stop falling means stop whatever events make the object fall. Put the action point where the grabbing hand would be or something. In retrospect, it wouldn't work that well.
So yeah, that would be a good tutorial to have. So would graphics tutorials, specifically shading, aliasing, alpha channels, and color selection.
You know there doesn't appear to be anything to help people wanting to dabble in making music. In fact I've struggled to find a decent starter sample pack for those interested in making their own mod music. I'm sure one or two members can lend a helping hand.
I would like to help with making one or two of the easy (and non music related) tutorials.
id also like to make some of the basic or intermidiate tutorials. if i ever get some time between work and sleeping to actually do anything ;___ ;
n/a
Deleted User
6th February, 2009 at 17:32:20 -
I just submitted a music theory article. I don't think it's really tutorial material, well, it'd be kind of redundant to make a tutorial in a click product about something other than click products.
Well of course you wouldn't use a click product for any music creation related tutorials (except perhaps showing people all the options available in MMF or something)
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Edited by an Administrator
more like that plx
) But it sounds like a plan to me. 
