tommydanger

Hi all o/ I'm making a psp game, and at some point I need a splas screen. (It looks always good when you have a splash screen ) So I decided to created a fictive company, this company will represent my work under a different name (instead of my nickname, like i normally do ) So I thought about good names, names that are meaningful. So I came up with "pixel::feel" This is the first version: This is my first try at a splash screen. I know there a far more experienced 2D Artist in here so I would like to know what you think My intent was to represent the "::" in the name as pixels in the splash screen, however they turned at some point into 3D shapes As for the 2 different fonts, I like them so far. "pixel" in a pixel font cause pixels are essential for games "feel" in a friendly lively font representing the feel aspect of a game. I also think the color scheme works well together !? But as I said this is my first splash screen and I'm open for criticism.

Well AI can be pretty complex when you are heading for neural networks. A friend of mine still trys to replicate something similar like neural networks in c++ . Even though he knows that he will fail, he still fiddles around with that matter As every programmer you should have a strong background in mathematics. Well if you want to know how to add AI in a game you should visit gamedev.net They have covered pretty much everything you need to know about game creation, even AI http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ you can choose between these sections:AI Theory,Introduction, Genetic Algorithms, Documentation, Neural Networks, Pathfinding and Searching, Gaming, AI Links; This and the links above should get you started

By PSD you mean Adobe Photoshop right?If so, open up your psd in Image Ready (part of Photoshop afaik)With Image Ready you can slice the image and save it as html for use in a webbrowser.Then select the "Slice Tool" (K) and slice it up the way you want.With the "Slice Select Tool" you are able to edit the slices afterwards (height, position,...)When you are done, "File->Save Optimized" enter a name for the html file and save it, voila your image is now net ready :)Image Ready created a html file with tables and in the "images" subdirectory you will find your sliced images, however you can edit the subdirectory by clicking "File -> Update HTML..." Click "Output Settings" button and edit the images folder name.You can also edit the way the images are named it is up to you but I think Image Ready is the best tool to slice images,... it is the only one I have ever used

Well, I tried Blender after I got familiar with 3D Studio Max.And I think that was my mistake :/I knew the basics of 3DSM, how to make a low poly model by boxmodeling, unwrapping it ,etc...As you all know 3DSM isn't _that_ cheap I decided to try a free alternative.I knew Blender for a long time but I have never actually done something with it.So I downloaded -> installed -> opened it and yeah, I was a little bit shocked :/I was used to the 3DSM interface -> 4 viewports.Instead of 4 viewports I got 1 with Blender (by default) so after a couple of minutes (>30min) I got my 4 viewports back \o/.Then I messed around with the remaining interface (buttons) and yeah wasn't that fantastic :/In the end I deleted Blender off of my harddisk the same day I installed it :/I think my mistake was that I tried to use blender without reading any tutorials, additionally I was used to the 3DSM interface and missed it.In 3DSM it simply works fine, you click this button and look what happens, the next and so on after a couple of minutes you are to do some very basic models.However this is not the case with Blender, without any tutorials you are literally lost.So my advice is, before you even think of using blender and you allready know another 3D program (regardless what your current skill is in this programm) read a tutrial first.People told me to read tutorials before I download Blender but yeah, I skipped that advice, which was a very big mistake in the long run :/So if you're going to use Blender, read some tutorials first it's not a shame :)You will only benefit :)However if you don't want to render your stuff and simply want to make models for your game, I recommend Milkshape3D.It is very easy to use, no need for a tutorial pretty self explanatory :DThe only downside is, that it is only free for 1 month if you wan't to use it longer you have to pay a very little fee

Well, first you have choose which video format do you want to use and wether you would like to code the video codec by yourself or use a open source library. I would use C(++) as this gives great speed. I'm sure you have allready converterd a dvd movie and know the time it takes to convert You said you want to save each frame as bitmap? So I would choose between the following 3 file formats: BMP,PCX,RAW. Well if you have plenty of MB free I would choose RAW, very simple file format. BMP is also very easy to understand. However they are not compressed in any way. If you don't like the two either, you can take PCX. PCX is a little bit outdated but it uses RLE compression (Run Length Encoding), but also very easy to load Take that three if you want to write your own image saving library. If you want to use any other image format, I would take PNG and use libpng to handle the PNG stuff in my code. It's up to you Look on http://www.wotsit.org/ for additional infos (file format) As for the video codec I don't know that much about it. but I think it's easier to pick a format thats not compressed

For the casual user Microsoft is the way to go :)It doesn't matter if it comes preinstalled or not, the fact that it is easy to use makes it the #1 choice for everyone (casual pc user)If you want to install a program all you have to do is download the exe file.On Linux you have to check your dependencies if it fits the requirements.If not you have to install that first, most common via console.That alone is too much for a non geek :)Sure you have the same thing with MS .Net libraries, but again, all you have to do is to download the exe file, execute it and the missing libraries are installed, then install your program of choice.MS just keep things simple, as they should be for the average user, though you have freedom to modify your OS to your liking.Linux tries to keep things simple too, not as good as MS but they are heading in the right direction (KDE(YAST),Gnome)I think what moste people irritate is, that it looks like Windows but it acts different.You see some similarities to Windows and you know in Windows you had to do this and that in Linux it's just different.I think that's the main reason why people dislike Linux, they used to to Windows but don't want to bother reading the manual :/

hmm I don't know for sure but I think this are simply fonts ?! Seeing as the two 'O' look exactly the same You can try searching the matching fonts here: http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=109 I think I've found the first font: called 'Base 02' http://www.dafont.com/base-02.font ?!

hrm, why do everybody want to edit settings in Linux via a texteditor?You know SUSE has got a nice GUI named KDE ? :)No need to edit them manually.Lets say you have SUSE 10.1 and you want to change the bootloader options:1.) Open K-Menu2.)Click on "System -> YaST (Control Center)"3.)log in as su4.)click on the system tab5.)click on where it says "bootloader" on the right colum, it will load the bootloader6.)edit it to your liking, done ;)You can arrange the order of the entries, set the default entry, rename the entries and set the time delay and of course many other things :DSee, there is a purpose of KDE

I love the discussion Well, you're right but only if you apply it to PC games. For example take a look at Gameboy Advance or Nintendo DS games. They "mirror" the old decade. When you look at those systems games, they look simplistic compared to current PC or console games. Most of the games that are being released are 2D topdown RPGs or fun games like Nintendogs, Brain Age. But it doesn't matter if they lack of graphics (3D,pixel shader...), they still fun to play Hence they even port older games on the NDS like for example FFIII. I don't know it for fact but I think developing a game on NDS takes a lot less people than any other platform. They don't have to deal with state of the art graphics due to limited hardware. But that's not bad at all, they can do the game the same way as they did 10 years ago, and it works people buy it As mentioned, they ported FFIII. Sure they are interested in money but they woudn't port it if the game was boring. Even if the game has nothing new to offer (both graphics and gameplay wise) the consumers still buy it, simply because it has a great storyline and gameplay. Yes sadly if you want to develop a PC game all you need is good graphics (in the first place). You draw attention with good graphics. The daily PC gamer don't care if you have an amazing storyline, if the graphics looks like one year old. They want to experience a whole new world as this is why they spend a lot of money in new computer parts. Well, if I really want to do Game Design but I'm not part of the industry yet I would do NDS like games.Like a nice RPG, all you need is a coder and a artist. If you're luck you can do it all yourself But I wouldn't want to create a whole game, as time is limited I would try to create a demo of my game. The demo must provide the core gameplay elements, all features you would like to see in the game should be implemented, ...aslong as they are possible of course But before you even start think of a little storyline. Basically it should be a little teaser of your original storyline. 15 minutes of gameplay should be enough. Once you have that you can start your game as it will be a demo you don't have to worry that much thus making the developement part much easier. It will also increase the chance that you will actually finish it When you feel the demo is in a good shape you can start going to various game companies and say "Hey thats me and this is my little game that I wrote" Atleast thats what I'm trying to do Yes When you're a small company I like the way MS is going with XNA: https://www.visualstudio.com/vs/game-development/ Basically it's a pool of tools dedicated to game developing. You can make games for Windows or XBox 360. Atleast some XBox Arcade like games But that's still a great opportunity for small companies. You don't have to spend thousands of dollars for a XBox360 SDK. Just download XNA and you're ready to go However, to play your XNA based games on 360 you have to pay a little fee but it's affordable. You can then decide if you send the game to microsoft and choose to publish the game on Xbox Arcade

I would highly recommend Azureus: http://www.vuze.com/ It uses the Java framework, so it's available for Win/Linux/OSX It has a nice handy GUI and the usability is great I know it cause I use Azureus Before Azureus I used the standart bit torrent client provided by the inventor. Azureus is completely different, you can hold and resume your downloads and set your max. download speed. As its hosted by sourceforge its also open source

I think you must see it from two sides:Ok it is always bad when you experienced bad support, but it doesn't mark the end of MS.(atleast not anytime soon)MS is active in a lot of areas.They are not restricted to desktop applications anymore.But when it comes do desktop environments, MS is still the way to go.For the casual user it's the best choice.The handling is "smooth" and self explanatory.Even elder people can get used to it, I don't think that these people would get used to Linux that quick ?!Sure there's SUSE but it still lacks in desktop related things, though the installation routine is much better than any other distribution.So I don't see a change in the desktop environment anytime soon.As said for daily desktop use, MS is still the way to go :)I have installed both, XP and SUSE on my notebook, before SUSE I had Kubuntu.I'm a programmer so I was curios to what Linux has to offer.So far I love it, but I wouldn't delete XP completely off my harddrive :)Furthermore I have to work with some WIN only software and it's just not worth emulating everything with WINE.That's another reason as to why MS will stay #1Too many companies rely on WINBut that's not bad aslong as everything can be achieved with no hassleStill, it's a different thing if you want to use WIN for your daily desktop use or you want to run your server with WIN :DI'm not experienced enough with server+MS to say something usefull about it so I will end this post

very good points Vyoma :)But I think game creation has changed over the last years.Just remember Pacman or Pitfall, if you look at the credits it barely says that 5 or more people worked on the game.It was alot easier to make games 10 years ago, the games where fairly easy (in terms of game development), they used 2D graphics,256 colors and thats it.All you need to know was how to code :)The coder could also provide the graphics for the game by themself, as the possibilities where restricted.Nowadays you got Pixelshader, Bumpmaps, Paralaxmaps, Enviromental Maps,.. it isn't that easy anymore.Just look at gamestudios nowadays, they got experts on allmost every aspects.Nowadays gamestudios barely have 10 or less employees.It was just a matter of time with the introduction of realtime 3D graphics.As the complexity raised, due to higher standart it wasn't possible to just go ahead an start developing a game, you had to write your ideas down, and provide a basis for your members.So the design document is a must have nowadays, to keep everyone on track.I know it for fact, cause I mapped for HL/2 and when I started I got lost really quick, I wasn't satisfied with the map, wether it was the brushwork or some slow downs as I reached the engines limit :/Now when I want to start a map again, I first lay out everthing to make sure, everythings smooth and write down the desired atmosphere, this helps a lot, when everything is in shape I fire up the editor and start mapping.Also the change from HL to HL2 was intense.To make a map for HL all you need was the level editor.To make a map for HL2 you need the level editor too, but also need to know how to model and how to integrate the model into the engine :/But this just confirms me that game developing is much more difficult these days than it was before.

You could have found it yourself Among the very first hits on google searching for 'access mysql' http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ I don't know if it's any good but atleast it's free I think it is not that easy to write an access2mysql converter, not to mention that somebody would then distribute it for free As I said, not guaranteed to work, you may have to try another one

I'm sceptical about some of my answers, but it's always good to play compiler yourself, to sharpen your skills

Yes the second looks by far more professional :)Tone down the blue in the first pic, nowadays people prefer "soft colors", so use a light blue instead.Also what looks good nowadays is a "glossy" look.e: I just watched your site and I like it, like the glossy look

kewl I use Firefox, Thunderbird and Sunbird :)Sunbird is a nice Calendar I like it for it's Rainlendar compatibility.Mozilla products are easy to use and I wouldn't want to miss it :DI also have the portable versions on my usb flash drive :)I will use FF no matter if the new IE is out or not Since I have internet I use FF