Grey Alien Framework Tutorials

Does any one have some tutorials for the Grey Alien Framework?
(Besides the info that comes with the framework)

Or are any planning to do some?

Probably a good idea, however most of us are busy writing our games with the framework and don't have time to do tutorials. If you have specific questions then Jake(Grey Alien) is very quick at getting back to you with advice and help.

I admit that there should be more tutorials and docs, but I'm also busy with my games and adding in new features. It would be great though if a third party made some tutorials ...

Grey: Give me a free copy and I'll make some tutorials ;)

:-) have you made any before?

No, but I think it would be fun and fairly easy to do, and I know BlitzMax well. :)

email me :-)

Email sent.

Speaking of new features, I don't suppose there are any plans to lose some of the hard-coded filenames and extensions in the framework, are there? Seriously, every time I get into a project with the framework, I eventually hit a point where I start getting resource errors only to find that you've hardcoded something like "okbutton.png" into the framework somewhere. I mentioned this in my review of the framework way back when I bought it and the issue just keeps cropping up.

I really like your framework's major features (fixed rate logic being tops on my list, followed by the TMenu class) but I feel like I am constantly fighting with the framework to get what I want. Your framework is like a software jackhammer; it's a great tool for its job and I wouldn't want to dig up a big porch foundation without one, but I'm always exhausted when I'm through using it.

I have several specific suggestions but this is starting to get into thread hijack territory. Maybe I'll write a tutorial to atone. Do you have any specific framework topics in mind, Tri|Ga|De?

SpaceAce

SpaceAce please send me your suggestions including any hardcoded paths that are troubling you. I wouldn't have thought I'd have done that but may some of the dialogs have a hardcoded OK button or something? I'm on the Mac so I can't check right now.

SpaceAce:
Nope, any tutorial will be fine, a hole bunch of tutorials will be great. May even increase the sale of the framework.

See! That's it I'm buying a Mac.

Actually I just realised that I DID have the source on the Mac and could have checked. So I can't use that as an excuse anymore!

Grey Alien - I'm working on another framework project right now, so I will try to take note of those things when they pop up. While I am thinking about it, I have two suggestions:
1) Consider changing your sound and image loading routines to use Objects the way LoadImage does. I wanted to use a couple of resource packers but that turned out to be completely unfeasible because your functions all want to load things from disk and won't accept something like a pre-loaded image or TBank. I started rewriting framework functions to suit my needs but after 8-10 rewrites, I realized it was just too much of a hassle.
2) Maybe create some sort of TGame initialization function that can be overridden instead of using the New() method. For instance, changing the format of the default ini file is a hassle because I can't just extend the TGame class and override the relevant functions due to the fact that extended types call their parents' New() methods automatically. Stuff like that makes it hard to extend and customize the existing framework types.

Tri|Ga|De - Well, pick a topic or two. Try to focus on one or two small things. Grey Alien's game framework is very large and I can't do an all-encompassing tutorial.

SpaceAce

SpaceAce. Thanks for those, I'll make a note of them in my user requests log.

SpaceAce:
A tutorial on how to change the gameplay. Lets say a breakout clone. So how to gp from a shooter(ATOMG) to a simple breakout game.

SpaceAce:
How about those tutorials?

Just emailed you a new tutorial :-)

Keep these tutorials coming. :)

The last tutorial was a God Send. Using the Template and comparing with AOTMG I was able to set up a barebones framework that can be used for each and every game I wanna make. :)

Just thought I'd say that the framework really does work well and saves you a lot of time. :)

More tutorials please. :)

Blimey, I'm feeling tempted.

haha, never ;-) You seem pretty skilled TonyG, I'm sure you can make your own, and you'll probably just tear mine apart (he says in a paranoid voice) - there's probably a few good things in there though...

btw, thanks Amon, glad you like the tutorial, although of course credit goes to the author and not me. Hope to see some more at some point.

Any new tutorials planned?

I'm hoping that Nolan will roll out another few, that would be nice. Maybe Space Ace will too, who knows?

I still have on my to do list to finish off the getting started guide properly, so one day ...

I'm working on one as we speak. :)

Progress has been slowed down by school, as finals are looming nearby. However, that should be over soon, and then I can dedicate a lot more time to the tutorials.

The current one will show how to make a simple game(pong) using the framework, along with a few other neat things. It should be out relatively soon.

sounds wicked! But take care of your schoolwork too.

Any news on this new tutorial?

Torrente hasn't made a new one yet. Maybe when his finals are done he will, I hope so.

SpaceAce never did one either, sniff ..

I'm working on the second one now. School just ended on Friday, so now I will have a lot more free time.

GREAT! look forward to it.