Questions About Adventure Maker

In this thread you can ask general questions about the usage of Adventure Maker.

For specific questions (about scripting, technical problems etc.) please visit the Official Adventure Maker Forums where you will find helpful members

I am having great fun working with Adventure Maker, I think many of the features are very practical... butaaa... I have question. It's about creating a hotspot that is available on more than one frame. It sounds so fascinating but I am not sure how that would work in a game. I found an explanation here http://www.adventuremaker.com/help/techniques.htm#frames_merging but that only partly tells how it works, not why. I am just curious and would like an example if possible

Another matter that has nothing to do with this. I was hoping for some place to post general questions and suggestions in this place... butaaa... I think I got lost again

Indeed, Adventure Maker provides a lot of features for point-and-click adventure games.

About your question:
The "Runtime Frames Merging" offers you an easy solution for many different situations. Basically, it makes your work much easier. Here some basic examples:

• You would like to create a timed game. In this case you can create a countdown by using VBScript, create a frame where the time counter is created, and with help of the "Runtime Frames Merging" feature, you can display the elapsing time on every other screen.

• You would like to have a score or a status bar shown on all screens (or many screens). You can create them on 1 screen, add the necessary VBScript to the hotspot, and with the "Runtime Frames Merging" the score or the status bar will be shown on all screens upon your choice.

• You can use it to create a hotspot for a magnifyer, or a map, that should be available on all screens (or many screens). Instead of creating that hotspot on each screen separately, you create it only on 1 screen, that is then merged with all screens where the manifyer or map should be displayed and used.

Hope that gives you a first idea about the "Runtime Frames Merging" feature.

I don't quite understand what you mean with your hope to find a place for general suggestions and questions What would those suggestions and questions refer to?

Really?! But... thaz great!! :D:D:D Thank you very very much for the answer. It clears things up a lot, yes, and will be useful in the imaginary third game we is gonna create

About the other matter... suppooooose... uh.... for arguments sake that is ...juuust wondering if there is gonna be a forum games subforum *blushes * But here is the thing... this doesn't seem to be the proper place to ask such a question, you see....

I'm glad to hear that Mystery's post helped to clear your question

About your other question:
Currently we haven't planned to add forum games. This forum has mainly been created to introduce games by Mystery's Games, to provide help and hints on them, and to open a discussion among hobbyist game creators and artists in particular. In case we notice a strong interest in forum games by the majority of members, we might reconsider this decision at a later time. But for now, the focus of this forum is on development of adventure games.

That is cuz she is the best ever *Feels happy to get good help from Mystery*

I see. Ok, thank you very much for the answer. I will hope the majority will have an interest then, eventually. I have no doubt this site will grow very fast

I am sorry for double posting, I hope you don't mind. I have been waiting for someone to post so I can ask this other question I have. Just to make it clear I have the full edition of AM and have been poking around with insertion of video clips for my games. It is possible to choose WMV files but whenever I try to run the game I get an error message.
"Error description: Error while attempting to play the following file "nameoffile.wmv". Automation error."
I have so far only been able to make avi files work but I would rather not because an avi file is much much larger than wmv. Is it really possible to use a wmv file in AM?

Another problem I have also experienced is if I want to begin my game with a video clip. The problem here is the size of the frames. If I run a video clip using a frame that is larger than the clip it is not possible to hide the frame behind the clip, i e the clip does not run in it's own frame but on top of the frame set to run the clip. I have only managed to come up with one solution and that is to make a very small frame to start the clip and then have the timer run so that the next frame is shown as quickly as possible. However, doing this means an unavoidable "jump" between frames. I was wondering if there is any other way to start a game with a video clip?

Hi Lilli,

No problem because of double posting in this case

For your first question about WMV files:
It is possible to use WMV files with Adventure Maker, I have tried them myself with success, but it can be a bit tricky.
You can find an answer to a similar question on the Adventure Maker forums by the software creator (GM-Support) here: http://www.adventuremaker.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3130

For the second question:
Video and Flash files run always on top of frames (they are kind of embedded in frames).
Now it depends what you want to do how you handle those files:
- What settings have you tried? Have you tried to set the video fullscreen on the Action Tab? Does this work, or is the video played at real size? In that case, have you tried the "strech" option, and set its target size to the size of your regular frames?
- If you wish, can also run a small intro video on top of a solid frame (e.g. black), and then set the timer to go to the next screen. In that case you don't need to create a very small frame, but can embed the video on a frame with a specific color that will surround your video.

Let me know more details about your second question how you have tried to embed the video

For the first question I will follow the link given. I have Windows Vista as well as the member who is asking the question in the provided link. Thank you for sharing

For the second:
Yes, I have tried all the available options in the Action Tab but I still have the problem of making it work as I would like. The stretch option doesn't help even if I set it to the size of the frame and I have no idea why that is because it seems like a logical option. The clip seem to get the same height and width no matter what I do. Also, I have been able to adjust the placing of the clip but there is always a part of the frame behind it showing on the sides.
I have also thought of the second option, i e try a black frame and then set the timer to go to the next screen. The problem is that I will still get a little "jump" because the clip is a pic of the same scene as the next frame. It's of course not a major issue, I was just wondering what my options are and if I have missed anything.

How big (I mean now the MB) is your video file?
If it's not too big, you can give it to me, and also the next image with the scene. Then I can try, too, and see what happens.

EDIT
Oh, and what is the target size of your frames?

Ahem... you kinda sorta a' ready have the unfinished game, dear da alien. It's the one with the rain generator
It is our biggest project and I am in doubt if we will ever get it finished *sigh*. The project frame size is custom set to 871 X 530. Thing is, the next two frames are also set on timer with fading transitions. So far I have only managed to make it work with an avi file and as you know the clip is short but the file size is a -go-and-hide-myself-size (24,8 MB)

EDIT: Btw, I realized that it is possible to check wmv files with Media Player 6.4. only it is too old to run on Vista I dunno how to encode for another version than Media Player 11

Sorry for the long delay.

I'm going to do some testing with embedding small sized video files into bigger screens asap.
(Btw, sorry, I have not much space on my laptop, so that I can't keep files for a long time, therefore I don't have your video file anymore).

Hmmm, I have no idea either at the moment how you could check the compatibility on Vista. I run XP, so that I can't test it. Gonna look around if I find an answer somewhere.

I will send the video clip to you soon but at the moment I am wrapped up in a really crazy idea :haha: I just realised how to make hotspots work as drag and click without using the inventory. It sorta works too I am INSANE I tell you

I still have not seen anyway to solve the avi thing anywhere on the net but I will keep looking

Sounds great

I'm currently too busy anyway with other stuff, but I'll experiment with videos as soon as possible.

Great to hear that you are working on new games

Well, now that I realise how to make it work I have all the frames and icons to finish it. Hopefully it will be done soon and then once again pplz will be amazed by the almost logical Lilliputtish logics

Lol, I'm looking forward to playing it

I have created an online game with AM, just a small demo... butaaaa... I seem to have problems with firefox for the timed event. For some reason it works better on IE.
I have changed the index page slightly because I wanted a link inserted so that the gamer can choose to go back in order to restart the game for example. I was wondering if this may cause a bug for the timed event

Could you PM me the link to the game, so that I can doublecheck the differences between FF and IE?

Uhm... but you have already got a PM about the game. *Feels confused* Anyway... I will send a PM, yes

Thanks! Didn't know you meant that game, I thought it was another one

Hmmm, my general impression is that frames need pretty long to load in both browsers, even with a fast internet connection. I haven't noticed big differences between FF and IE.
What kind of image files have you used? JPG or BMP?

Ah... okay

I used JPEG. Just a few frames. Cannot say why they take long to load but that is really not my main concern. I have tried on FF several times but the last timed event that happenes won't load. It is odd because others do not seem to have the same problem

No, I didn't have this problem either, all timed events worked for me in FF and in IE

YAY! Thank you... ahem... and thanx for playin'

Really nice game!