Re: [Audyssey] Reviewing space in audio
Hi tom. One idea which has occurred to me, is rather than changing the pitch of the monster, you might have a sound which is played at the same time the as the monsters' original sound and indicates it's position. this wouldn't break up the game the way aa "nearest monster2 speech key would, and would leave things immediate to the play, but would also mean you can position monsters where you like, rather than being limited to what is audible. for instance, have a scope locator which is always active, but only sounds for monsters on an alternate horizontal plane to yourself, so that you will here both the harpy's flying wings and the sksleton's footsteps, and a low or high beep dependenting upon whether it is above or below you. You might also considder as ken suggested altering the sounds in another way besides pitche, for instance having the sound of enemies above you echo more, while enemies below sound far more basy. These are just a couple of ideas, but certainly I think it would be possible to have an indicater that you can here while walking along. this will for instance let you have situations which are comon in games like marrio but totally unknown thus far in audio, such as you needing to jump up onto a lege with an enemy patrolling it, and having to wait until the enemy has retreated from the edge of the ledge before jumping up. Beware the Grue! Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] realism was, Reviewing space in audio
hi Tom. I'm afraid you seem to be putting together too issues here, god mode and unrealism. take a game series like mega man, which has imho some of the best balanced and best designed weapons of an imaginary game series. In the Mega man x games, hidden in each stage was a heart tank which extended x's life bar, and allowed him to carry more life, to the point that if you got all 8, you'd have twice as much energy. You could also find subtanks, which you could keep and which could hold more energy so that when you activated them they restored you to full health, though you could only have four. then, you got the 8 boss weapons. then, you get x's armour power ups which let you do things like temporarily hover in mid air, charge up your weapons to produce more powerful shots, or help you find items with a radar system. Yet, inspite of all these items, even if you have all of them, the game is stil! hard, due to the speed, clever placement, and difficulty of enemy attacks. This is a game which gives you man unique itmes which in another series would be like a godmode, yet which aren't due to the general difficulty of the game. for instance, you might have double health with all heart tanks, and four bonus health restores waiting with the subt tanks, but one hit of sigma's beam sabre and you can kiss good bye to a third of your health. And bare in mind you don't just have to fight sigma alone, first he sticks his robotic wolf velgwader on you, then you fight him, then his head attaches to a large wolf battle body which you then have to destroy as well. so in this case, the instantly acting restoring energy energy tanks are actually all part of the stratogy, do you use one when fighting sigma's wolf? do you save them for later? If they functioned more realistically, releasing health over time, they simply would be of no use in that fight. likewise, sinse Mega man x has no close range weapons, all weapons fire out of his arm cannon. Some may not fire too far, some indeed, like the silk shot in mmx2 may be very close range, but all have a minimum range sinse they all come out of his gun. One gun, firing all these weapons, indeed the idea of the hole weapon copy system in the first place, is pretty ludicrous when considdered in the light of realistic weaponry. but in the context of the mega man series, put against the physics and mechanics of each boss and the stage design, it works perfectly well and fits in with the general style of the game. to take another example. the other day I was playing marrio 2 and fighting the boss birdo (and before any confusion results, I mean the traditional marrio 2 where you can sellect from marrio, tode princess or luiji and kill monsters by chucking stuff at them, not the direct sequal to marrio bross originally only released in japan). Anyway, for those who don't know, birdo is a large pink creature who repeatedly spits eggs at you which fly along a vertical plane and go off screen. to defeat her you need to jump on an egg, pick it up in midair and chuck it back at her. later on in the game, this becomes harder sinse Birdo starts chucking fireballs, or fighting you over pits, or firing eggs extremely fast. Realistic? hell no! I can't think of one real world creature who has an infinite supply of it's own eggs to chuck at you, let alone firebreath. However, in the context of marrio 2, with it's rockit ships that you can pull out of the ground, it's walking bombs and mad explosive mice, it's a great addition. I'd personally say rather than realism, games need to have a self-consistant world and structure independent to that game, and balanced within that games' world according to difficulty and consistant item rules. for instance in marrio 2, some bombs walk around, while others you can pick up, but all will explode the same way and will damage either you or an enemy if your close. Beware the grue! Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Compiling Help Files
Hi Thomas, So...do you, by chance, know of anything accsssible to write said help files? Best Regards, Hayden -Original Message- From: gamers-boun...@audyssey.org [mailto:gamers-boun...@audyssey.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Ward Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 9:22 AM To: Gamers Discussion list Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Compiling Help Files Hi Dark, Well, Maybe. I know that in Jaws if you press insert+h for help while in the Microsoft help viewer it tells you to select a topic and press f6 to read the text. It appears that Window-Eyes 7.5 now has a similar feature where you can press+shift+control+question and get some really useful keyboard help on an application. I'm glad that screen readers have this sortof built in help, because although Microsoft includes them in the operating system they don't exactly advertise them. You can read through manuals an books on Windows 7 and directions are almost exclusively about pointing and clicking with little thought to accessibility even though you and I know that there are hundreds of built in keyboard shortcuts to do the same thing. However, this is a general accessibility/tech support topic so we probably shouldn't go there. Smile. On 3/18/11, dark wrote: > i'm a litle surprised that it's not mentioned in the applications notes for > the chm help files maps in hal, --- sinse those usually list handy shortcut > keys, but maybe it's such a generic windows key dolphin assumed you'd > already know by reading the windows basic section of Hal's own help, > which i must confess I've only ever dipped into slightly, rather than > reading through end to end. > > Beware the Grue! > > Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Compiling Help Files
Hi Tom. There probably is such a key in hal, it's most likely that I'm too used to using specific keys I forgot that one, sinse there are lots of keys some of which get used more than others I tend to find. I'll have to ask dolphin next time I'm on the phone to them, which might actually be soon sinse I'm trading in this laptop for a new one, sinse my brother has an xp laptop which he bought six months ago (yes, one of the last xp machines made), but he rarely uses it and actually wants a netbook instead so I'm going to have it, which might mean ringing dolphin for a new install key for Hal, though i suspect I've stil got a spare one. Beware the Grue! Dark. - Original Message - From: "Thomas Ward" To: "Gamers Discussion list" Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 2:22 PM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Compiling Help Files Hi Dark, Well, Maybe. I know that in Jaws if you press insert+h for help while in the Microsoft help viewer it tells you to select a topic and press f6 to read the text. It appears that Window-Eyes 7.5 now has a similar feature where you can press+shift+control+question and get some really useful keyboard help on an application. I'm glad that screen readers have this sortof built in help, because although Microsoft includes them in the operating system they don't exactly advertise them. You can read through manuals an books on Windows 7 and directions are almost exclusively about pointing and clicking with little thought to accessibility even though you and I know that there are hundreds of built in keyboard shortcuts to do the same thing. However, this is a general accessibility/tech support topic so we probably shouldn't go there. Smile. On 3/18/11, dark wrote: i'm a litle surprised that it's not mentioned in the applications notes for the chm help files maps in hal, --- sinse those usually list handy shortcut keys, but maybe it's such a generic windows key dolphin assumed you'd already know by reading the windows basic section of Hal's own help, which i must confess I've only ever dipped into slightly, rather than reading through end to end. Beware the Grue! Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Reviewing space in audio
Hi Thomas, Ok...so are you taking out the shooting up or down? Best Regards, Hayden -Original Message- From: gamers-boun...@audyssey.org [mailto:gamers-boun...@audyssey.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Ward Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 11:41 AM To: Gamers Discussion list Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Reviewing space in audio Hi Dark, That's a good question and one I presently do not have an answer for. As I said before I absolutely hate using pitch changes in some cases because it totally changes the way the sound effect sounds ruining the effect I'm aiming for. At the same time pressing m to speak the location of the nearest enemy monster is equally not very good. However, some things might just be common sense. A Skeleton walks on the ground so if you are up on a ledge a little daductive reasoning would mean he is below you on the ground. Harpies fly so they'd be a little more difficult to figure out since they could be above, below, or on the same level as you. As it happens G3D was designed for 3d based games and I've been having troubles with the game mechanics in MOTA. So I'm going to have to disable the look up/down feature etc in beta 18 because I simply can't get it working without rewriting a crap load of stuff in the engine since I didn't write the engine necessarily to do this in 2d games, but only 3d games. Cheers! On 3/18/11, dark wrote: > hi Tom. > > that actually sounds a lot like the system i've been seeing recently in > super metroid, where you can aime in all eight directions, and often > need to. > > My one concern however in audio is how you will know that that a given > enemy is vertically above or below. > > for instance, if you here a harpy attacking, when your on the edge of a > ledge, is the harpy emmediately right/left, above, or below. such > information will be needed if your to avoid attacks correctly, but I'm > wondering how you'll such positioning without the player directly using the > look key, are you going to change enemies pitch or similar? > > Beware the Grue! > > Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] OT/quick question.
Hi Ryan, Its beginning to look that way. I'm frankly out of ideas at the moment. There are times when something breaks that there isn't any alternative but to do a quick reinstall. However, if you know when you began having this trouble you might be able to do a system restore back to a date prior to the problem which may or may not fix the problem. At the moment that's my last fresh idea. On 3/18/11, Ryan Conroy wrote: > Hi Tom, > > I searched for that file, and the only one that came up was version 4.5. I > tried installing that one, and it said it's not compatible with my computer. > Any more ideas? lol I'm probably going to have reinstal windows again, huh > > -- Original Message -- > From: Thomas Ward > To: Gamers Discussion list > Subject: Re: [Audyssey] OT/quick question. > Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:14:33 -0400 > > Hi Ryan, > > Try going to the Microsoft website > http://www.microsoft.com/downloads > and look for Microsoft Setup Installer 3.1. Reinstall the MSI runtime > and see if that fixes your problem. Your Microsoft Setup Installer > runtime might be screwed up. Only problem is if it is messed up you > might not be able to update/fix it with the update as it requires MSI > to be installed to update. I don't envy you. I really don't. > > HTH > > > On 3/18/11, Ryan Conroy wrote: >> Hi everyone, >> >> This could be a topic of gaming, but it's more of a tec question.. >> Anyways, I'm trying to install Entombed, and even with other files it does >> this too. I get this error: >> The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. graphic 603 This >> can >> occur if you are running Windows in safe mode, >> or if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. >> Contact your support personnel for assistance. >> OK >> Now I'm not running Windows in safe mode, so that knocks that out. Does >> anyone know or have any idea this is happening? I can't install anything, >> I >> keep getting that message. >> Any help would be appreciated. I hope I do not have to reformat, I just >> got >> a new harddrive, and reformatted the old one so I could start fresh. I >> don't >> understand why this is happening. >> >> Ryan >> >> >> $67/Hr Job - 25 Openings >> Part-Time job ($20-$65/hr). Requirements: Home Internet Access >> http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3131/4d834faecd6ad20e344st02vuc >> >> --- >> Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org >> If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to >> gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. >> You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at >> http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. >> All messages are archived and can be searched and read at >> http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. >> If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the >> list, >> please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. >> > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > > > > Groupon™ Official Site > 1 ridiculously huge coupon a day. Get 50-90% off your city's best! > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3131/4d83abacd809a309246st01vuc > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Adrift
Hi, Hmmm...that's odd. I just downloaded the generator zip file from the Adrift website, and it opened with no problem. Try downloading it again, and if possible try a different zip utility. If that doesn't work I'll try sendspacing it to you, but the main download should work fine. On 3/18/11, Milos Przic wrote: >Hi all, >Tom wrote about Adrift programming language some time ago. I tried > downloading it from the ifarchive but the zip archive is corrupted. So if > Tom, or anyone else who has the interpreter and the programming interface, > can you send it to me or tell me where to download it from? >Thanks, and best regards! > Milos Przic > msn: milos.pr...@gmail.com > skype: Milosh-hs > > > __ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature > database 5966 (20110318) __ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Reviewing space in audio
Hi Ken, Have you looked at FMOD EX by any chanse? The reason I ask is because FMOD Ex works with Visual Basic .Net and has an extremely good 3d audio engine. It is regarded my many game developers to be the best comercial sound engine/API on the market. For free games FMOD is free, and comercial licenses can be as low as $150 for a shareware type license. I think if you want really good audio for your games FMOD Ex is your best bet. Another alternative you might not be aware of is SlimDX. SlimDX is a free and open source wrapper for Microsoft DirectX and it supports both DirectSound and XAudio2. So if DirectSound isn't your cup of tea you can use their Managed XAudio2 library to access the advanced 5.1 and 7.1 3d audio it supports. HTH On 3/18/11, Ken the Crazy wrote: > Ah, > Too bad it won't work with vb.net. I've thought about porting Heli over but > there's no point unless I can get a better 3d engine than DX. I tried > experimenting with Openal, but I can't even install the thing--and if it is > installed, it doesn't like my hardware, and the software aspect doesn't seem > to be there either, which is why I think it's not even installed at all. > I've been trying to get in touch with the developer of the Blind Eye, to see > about using the AM3d engine, but no luck, so for now I'm just concentrating > solely on Phrase Madness. Meantime, Louis is still working on the server > code so people can upload and download comments to and from their game. > He's had other stuff going on too, so it's taking him a while. > > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Reviewing space in audio
Hi Dark, That's a good question and one I presently do not have an answer for. As I said before I absolutely hate using pitch changes in some cases because it totally changes the way the sound effect sounds ruining the effect I'm aiming for. At the same time pressing m to speak the location of the nearest enemy monster is equally not very good. However, some things might just be common sense. A Skeleton walks on the ground so if you are up on a ledge a little daductive reasoning would mean he is below you on the ground. Harpies fly so they'd be a little more difficult to figure out since they could be above, below, or on the same level as you. As it happens G3D was designed for 3d based games and I've been having troubles with the game mechanics in MOTA. So I'm going to have to disable the look up/down feature etc in beta 18 because I simply can't get it working without rewriting a crap load of stuff in the engine since I didn't write the engine necessarily to do this in 2d games, but only 3d games. Cheers! On 3/18/11, dark wrote: > hi Tom. > > that actually sounds a lot like the system i've been seeing recently in > super metroid, where you can aime in all eight directions, and often > need to. > > My one concern however in audio is how you will know that that a given > enemy is vertically above or below. > > for instance, if you here a harpy attacking, when your on the edge of a > ledge, is the harpy emmediately right/left, above, or below. such > information will be needed if your to avoid attacks correctly, but I'm > wondering how you'll such positioning without the player directly using the > look key, are you going to change enemies pitch or similar? > > Beware the Grue! > > Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Reviewing space in audio
Hi Damien, Oh, I see. That makes sense. It does help to know the technical language being used. Otherwise whatever you are reading about doesn't make any sense at all. However, there are mailing lists etc for creative writers I've found helpful over the years. There are some people on those forums/lists that are good researchers, can look up information like this, and then explain it in down to earth fassion that a newby might be able to understand. Although, I haven't used those lists in a long time I remember having a discussion on one of those lists about the possibility of FTL, AKA faster than light, drive systems for starships. Although, I've had some college level physics I'm no expert on quantom mechanics and lack the necessary mathematical skills to even consider talking about this stuff compitently. However, we got into some basic ideas like some sort of tachion drive system that would be FTL, but not something as fast as warp speed. Since tachions are the only thing we know that can move faster than light it makes for a good interesting discussion for a science fiction game that uses a faster than light drive system, but at least has some basis in known physics. Make sense? So maybe the answer for you is if you aren't sure about a topic go to Yahoo Groups, Google Groups, and hunt around for a creative writing mailing list where ou can post questions of a technical nature and have people either help research or explain things so you can use them more effectively in a game. It really helps to bounce ideas off another person anyway as they'll often see problems and other things you missed in drafting your game idea. All authors do this to a certain point, and most authors locate technical advisers to read over what they have written and see if it jives with what they know. HTH On 3/18/11, Damien Pendleton wrote: > Hi Thomas, > In actual fact I did try to do a bit of research on different weaponry, but > it tends to use a lot of jargon, especially for beginners, on subjects. It > seems to all be written from an expert's point of view without considering > the experience or knowledge of other less experienced researchers who are > researching something without any prior knowledge whatsoever on the subject. > I find that I can only really carry out research on things I do know a bit > about before I can even begin to understand it properly. > Regards, > Damien. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] realism was, Reviewing space in audio
Hi Dark, Oh, I think you slightly misunderstood what I was saying. Obviously, there have to be acceptions based on game play, plot, etc but by and large what I am getting at is that even completely imaginary characters, weapons, and other items have to act somewhat realistic in a game world. I.E. in a way that is plausible. For instance, in Mysteries of the Ancients there are healing potions all over the place made from Phoenix tears. Well, we all know that these are completely imaginary items since the Phoenix is a mythical bird. However, I don't believe even a magic potion like that should restore you to full health instantly. It would take at least a couple of minutes to restore your health and strength to normal. Even in Harry Potter in the Chamber of Secrets when Harry is injured it took Harry a few minutes to heal when Forks healed him with his tears. So basically even though Phoenix tears are magical, completely imaginary, I'd say that most people realise that any cure magical or not shouldn't be instantanious. As for weapons imaginary or not they should have some restrictions. Using your example of Iceman's ice weapon you pick up regardless of how imaginary it may be things like min and max range still apply. If the ice weapon is two feet long then obviously you have to have a very minimum of two feet between you and the enemy in order to aim the weapon at the enemy. You shouldn't aim towards the floor and hit the enemy square in the face. You still need room to actually point it at the enemies face, and if you hit the enemy square in the face that is believable. You see what I mean? Its interesting this topic has come up, because I have been discussing this very issue in a gaming article I'm writing on creating games, developing memorable characters, etc. It seams all too often when people creat characters for a game like Dungeons and Dragons most players try to take the god-moding strategy by inventing the most invincible, most powerful, and absolutely perfect character imaginable. What I think people overlook is that some of the best heroic characters in fiction have weaknesses and make mistakes just like everyone else. That's what makes them memorable characters, because they aren't all knowing, perfect, and display human characteristics all of us have to deal with. For example, let's take Professor Dumbledore. He shares many of the characteristics we would expect in a heroic wizard such as being kindly, wise, a powerful wizard, and has a list of achievements as long as your right arm to prove it. To Harry, Hermione, and Ron Dumbledore is larger than life. However, by the time the seventh book is released we find out Dumbledore is not all he seams. He has made mistakes, a hidden past few know about, and has made poor choices/decisions that he shouldn't have. Even in Chamber of Secrets one wonders why someone as wise and smart as Dumbledore would hire a complete frod like Lockheart to take up the job of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. It could be as simple as no one else for the job as was stated, or Dumbledore wasn't aware of exactly how much of a frod Lockheart was when he hired him. Either way it turned out to be a poor decision, because when push came to shove Lockheart was a liability rather than a help to Harry and Ron when they go to rescue Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets. The point I'm aiming for is that characters are more believable when they aren't so perfect and wonderful after all. They must face challenges that even there own strength, character, and abilities may not be able to overcome. They must be sorely tested. Not even super heroes like Superman and Supergirl are totally perfect. Whip out some criptonite, and you'll reduce them to weak mortals hardly able to stand. In Superman Returns when Lex Luther stabs Superman with a criptonite knife Superman nearly dies and probably might have if Lois Lain hadn't showed up in time to rescue him and pull the criptonite knife out of his back. Its a reminder of Superman's own mortality we rarely see when fighting normal villains, and a reminder no matter how big and powerful you are there are always weaknesses that can be exploited. There is an old joke that proves this point. Q: If Batman and Superman were having a fight and Batman didn't have any criptonite who would win? A: Batman, of course. He always has criptonite hidden in his utility belt, and always comes to a fight prepared. What this joke really means is that if you are prepared even the mightiest hero or mightiest super vilain can be defeated. Everybody has a weakness. Batman who his undoubtedly a light wait compared to Superman could in theory beat Superman in a fight if he knew Superman's weakness and could use it to good advantage. In fact,in some of the DC Comics Batman has defeated a number of super vilains simply by being prepared. For instance, Dark Seid is undoubtedly one of the most evil and powerful enemies in the DC Comics universe. He is a god-l
Re: [Audyssey] Compiling Help Files
Hi Dark, Well, Maybe. I know that in Jaws if you press insert+h for help while in the Microsoft help viewer it tells you to select a topic and press f6 to read the text. It appears that Window-Eyes 7.5 now has a similar feature where you can press+shift+control+question and get some really useful keyboard help on an application. I'm glad that screen readers have this sortof built in help, because although Microsoft includes them in the operating system they don't exactly advertise them. You can read through manuals an books on Windows 7 and directions are almost exclusively about pointing and clicking with little thought to accessibility even though you and I know that there are hundreds of built in keyboard shortcuts to do the same thing. However, this is a general accessibility/tech support topic so we probably shouldn't go there. Smile. On 3/18/11, dark wrote: > i'm a litle surprised that it's not mentioned in the applications notes for > the chm help files maps in hal, --- sinse those usually list handy shortcut > keys, but maybe it's such a generic windows key dolphin assumed you'd > already know by reading the windows basic section of Hal's own help, > which i must confess I've only ever dipped into slightly, rather than > reading through end to end. > > Beware the Grue! > > Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Compiling Help Files
Will just say jaws tells you to hit F6 after choosing a topic , but the other one I use in things like audacity, for example, is Ctrl + F6 which sort of jumps between different parts of some interfaces. Stay well Jacob Kruger Blind Biker Skype: BlindZA '...fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...' - Original Message - From: "dark" To: "Gamers Discussion list" Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 12:21 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Compiling Help Files i'm a litle surprised that it's not mentioned in the applications notes for the chm help files maps in hal, --- sinse those usually list handy shortcut keys, but maybe it's such a generic windows key dolphin assumed you'd already know by reading the windows basic section of Hal's own help, which i must confess I've only ever dipped into slightly, rather than reading through end to end. Beware the Grue! Dark. - Original Message - From: "Thomas Ward" To: "Gamers Discussion list" Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 6:09 PM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Compiling Help Files Hi Jim, Glad I could helpyou out with that. I really wasn’t aware that so many people didn’t know about the f6 command. The f6 keyboard command seams to be a fairly common Windows hot key for switching frames and window pains in a number of Windows applications. I know in Firefox, for example, f6 jumps between the frames in the application the same way it switches from tree view to edit view in chm files. It is so common I pretty much assumed everyone knew about it. So I’m glad I could share that with you guys. It will make accessing Microsoft help files much easier from now on. Smile. On 3/18/11, Jim Kitchen wrote: Hi Thomas, Thank You! the f6 key thing sure makes a world of difference with the chm files. I don't know why it never dawned on me to do that. I mean I have used the f6 key in the VB6 help system, but never thought to do it in other windows helps. Thanks! TGIF and BFN Jim Computer experts are working feverishly to develop artificial intelligence. Some of the people in my office have perfected it without the help of a computer. j...@kitchensinc.net http://www.kitchensinc.net (440) 286-6920 Chardon Ohio USA --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
