GS - How to go about reading and working on

kkchong

Hi, am a bit lost on reading, organising and working on GS creator and related reading and research materials, and i am having so many downloads, files, documents, programmes all over the pages..
can someone share with me a more logical way of using GS,,?
KK

MarkOnTheIron

The more logical way is to start with little steps. Follow the tutorials, read the official GS manual and maybe the Unofficial Textbook. See some of GShelper.com video and try to reproduce the steps yourself on a project.

The try to do something yourself, play with the GS Creator, learn from your mistakes, smash your head in frustration because something just won't work, when the pain will ease sometimes the right solution will pop in your mind, the try again and again...

At least that's what I did when I started using it.

jonmulcahy

start here and go through all the tutorials:
http://cookbook.gamesalad.com/tutorials/1/parts/1

simo103

@kkchong .. I think it is likely different for everyone but I think you have done the best groundwork you can and perhaps it is time to jump in. I think I learned best by starting a project I was interested in doing (thus was motivated to learn) and then piece by piece I added elements and looked at sample templates, past forum posts etc for info (and asked the forum if stuck). Unfortunately there is no step by step best practices type resource for all things and part of the reason why I think is that a procedure would be best in one situation and not so effective in others. Additionally as GS matures and the the Appworld devices change, a recommended procedure today, changes tomorrow. As an example Apple allowed 20meg or less games to be uploaded by buyers on cell networks .. so keeping a game size under 20megs was a challenge to strive for, it is now 50megs. Also in some cases where FPS is important to control, many look to recycle actors, whereas depending on the game, spawn and destroy would work fine.

Sorry (long story ... er long ...) I would get started you will learn so much from trial/error and finding how to get things working just the way you intended.

BSideGames

Photics book was great when I first started, I learned the hows and why just from the first read through.
Well worth the purchase.

kkchong

Thanks Mark and jon, yes, i have basically gone through all the tutorials, the GS manual, got a printed copy on my desk, read all the templates,, free and payable,, read all the you tube postings,, a lot from tshirtbooth, and many others, some of which are helpful, others less so, and now starting on this forum, a great place to land on. But i find that i really need an indexed GS dictionary so when i am in trouble like how to do this or that, i can flip to the page and go through step by step . The attributes,, behaviors,, the intelligence and the logic,, it is really the way the GS guys have written in their own language how to do this and that,, it is like learning a new language, and leaning the way our GS guys think to do things.. not easy at all.
these all i have so far learned in last 100-150 hours buried in three weeks, geez still a long long way to go,,
Mark, what are the unofficial text books yo have refered to ? how much more info do they provide ?
KK

kkchong

tks simo, i have actually started on two projects,, and i need to be wary about using descriptive words, logos and pictures which could be subject to intellectual properties rights even though i meant only as a free loading in apple apps for a start.
Having said, i realised i have ventured a bit too deep to stop now into a chess/checker based project, to only now realise it is not a good easy first project for any newbie to start with , using GS, God help me please,,,, hahaha
I want to impress my daughter when she comes home next week from UK ,, gosh,, not going to sleep for next 100 hours,,,,,,
kk

NettekovenGames

Maybe you can start with a 2D platformer that is not hard and will get you some experience for the bigger projects

kkchong

yes,, i started on 2D platform.. heheh, knowing i have one dimension less to bother with. i also figure 2 D platform is more friendly to older folks like me,,, people who dont play MMORPG that much,,, fingers are not listenng to command , and eyes and minds work slower,,,,hahahah

Photics

Mark, what are the unofficial text books yo have refered to ?

I think Mark is referring to my book... The Unofficial GameSalad Textbook.

Platformers are tough. One of the tricky parts is getting the jumping to work right. Fortunately, GameSalad has a template. It shows one way to do jumping.

kkchong

Hi, Photics,, thanks so much for the information shared. I am so full of curiousity to read about your personal site and the writings on GameSalad vs Stencyl which prompted your decision not to continue with GS. I thought it was pretty much a waste when you actually wrote this book "The unofficial GameSalad Guide" and would be a somewhat iconic symbol.
I would definitely think many would have benefited from your writing, especially before GS launched its offical creator guide last month which was very helpful to beginners.

do you run an e-copy of your book?

I have also noticed another book "GameSalad Beginner's Guide by Miguel DeQuadros (Paperback, 2012)", but not sure if both your books and this other one would cover areas which are not already covered in all the materials within GS websites including this forums...

having said,, i will now follow your site closely,, for sure for a higher level awareness.

cheers..

KK

kkchong

Hi Photics, or should i call you Michael, smiles. I have read most of the stuff in your website and have bookmarked for future reading. wow you are quite prolific in writing and your knowlege in game development is really advanced. Thanks for sharing your insights about the game development world in your photic.com website. It is really informative and most importantly very current. As for now, after reading your review of GS I am now even more committed into learning more and spending more time to work on GS, with their improvement on quite many areas. And i think it will be a matter of time, GS will be open to connect games to the internet users. Well i have time to wait since i am new. Oh, btw, i have also taken your initiative to join stanfords folding@home project under photics team no. 60254. i am just wondering how to put a litte icon in my system tray to watch the program running and usage.. any advice?
Best wishes to you, guru.
kk

monkeysalad

i realised i have ventured a bit too deep to stop now into a chess/checker based project, to only now realise it is not a good easy first project

I'm finding that any 2-player game is way too complex for a GS newb. One of the first projects I did was to try making Rock, Paper, Scissors... I couldn't even handle that, let alone something like Checkers.

kkchong

@monkeysalad, thank you for your advice. maybe i take a step back and rest for a few days before starting out again. cheers.