Comments for Matt Tuttle http://matttuttle.com He writes code Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:46:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Flixel vs. FlashPunk by Marduk Hamaan http://matttuttle.com/2011/02/flixel-vs-flashpunk/#comment-141 Marduk Hamaan Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:46:22 +0000 http://matttuttle.com/?p=177#comment-141 Well this really does clarify things. Personally i agree with your opinions, but i'm a bit of an ameteur at these things so i'll have to go with Flixel first before i go into anything programmer intensive. Well this really does clarify things. Personally i agree with your opinions, but i’m a bit of an ameteur at these things so i’ll have to go with Flixel first before i go into anything programmer intensive.

]]> Comment on What Happened to Text Adventures? by Gerry Rzeppa http://matttuttle.com/2012/04/what-happened-to-text-adventures/#comment-140 Gerry Rzeppa Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:20:43 +0000 http://matttuttle.com/?p=692#comment-140 I think you've addressed a number of text-only shortcomings in your prototype; nice work. But I still found myself thinking, in many cases, "I'd rather be seeing and clicking on a picture here, rather than text." The trick, I believe, is to combine pictures and words, using each where they are best suited to the job. I think I've figured out how to do that, buy I'm reluctant to publish the idea here lest it be stolen before I can get it implemented. I'd be happy to discuss it privately, however... gerry.rzeppa@pobox.com I think you’ve addressed a number of text-only shortcomings in your prototype; nice work. But I still found myself thinking, in many cases, “I’d rather be seeing and clicking on a picture here, rather than text.” The trick, I believe, is to combine pictures and words, using each where they are best suited to the job. I think I’ve figured out how to do that, buy I’m reluctant to publish the idea here lest it be stolen before I can get it implemented. I’d be happy to discuss it privately, however… gerry.rzeppa@pobox.com

]]> Comment on What Happened to Text Adventures? by Matt Tuttle http://matttuttle.com/2012/04/what-happened-to-text-adventures/#comment-139 Matt Tuttle Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:40:26 +0000 http://matttuttle.com/?p=692#comment-139 I completely agree with your statement about having better ways to do things. Which was kind of to my point about text adventures. I think the medium of text can still be interesting and provides the player with a sense of imagination. The way I perceive a book is completely different than the way you might. It's the same way that watching a movie after reading the book feels a bit hollow because you might have had a grander vision when reading text. Both of you have really great points and it's just been something sitting in the back of my mind. I happened to put together a little web text adventure that removes the parser and some of the barriers I mentioned. Still not perfect but it was an interesting exercise. You can see what I did here: http://matttuttle.com/prototypes/text/. I completely agree with your statement about having better ways to do things. Which was kind of to my point about text adventures. I think the medium of text can still be interesting and provides the player with a sense of imagination. The way I perceive a book is completely different than the way you might. It’s the same way that watching a movie after reading the book feels a bit hollow because you might have had a grander vision when reading text.

Both of you have really great points and it’s just been something sitting in the back of my mind. I happened to put together a little web text adventure that removes the parser and some of the barriers I mentioned. Still not perfect but it was an interesting exercise. You can see what I did here: http://matttuttle.com/prototypes/text/.

]]> Comment on What Happened to Text Adventures? by Gerry Rzeppa http://matttuttle.com/2012/04/what-happened-to-text-adventures/#comment-137 Gerry Rzeppa Mon, 16 Apr 2012 06:15:07 +0000 http://matttuttle.com/?p=692#comment-137 What happened to text adventures is, I think, analogous to what happened to slide-rules when calculators became affordable; better ways of doing essentially the same thing became available and simply replaced their predecessors. Which, for example, is both easier and more entertaining? To: 1. Read a description of a door 2. Enter "open door" 3. Read a description of the door opening or to: 1. See a realistic door on the screen 2. Click on the door 3. Watch the door open So if we think of a text adventure as simply a collection of puzzles within puzzles, there are simply better "puzzle interfaces" available now. The Interactive Fiction crowd, on the other hand, would like us to think that text adventures were never about puzzles, per se, but were an alternative form of storytelling. Perhaps. But does Interactive Fiction really provide a better was of telling stories? Or is the best way to tell a story still simply linear, the exact sequence of events being determined by the author? As an author myself, I know my stories are better when read as written, and not piecemeal by jumping around in the chapters and trying to figure out what's going on. And so -- much as I've always been intrigued by the genre, I'm afraid I have to conclude that it's probably a dead end. I do, nevertheless, have an idea for a program that I think combines the best features of both text and graphic adventures, and would be happy to discuss that with you, Matt, or any other interested party privately. I'm here: gerry.rzeppa@pobox.com What happened to text adventures is, I think, analogous to what happened to slide-rules when calculators became affordable; better ways of doing essentially the same thing became available and simply replaced their predecessors. Which, for example, is both easier and more entertaining? To:

1. Read a description of a door
2. Enter “open door”
3. Read a description of the door opening

or to:

1. See a realistic door on the screen
2. Click on the door
3. Watch the door open

So if we think of a text adventure as simply a collection of puzzles within puzzles, there are simply better “puzzle interfaces” available now.

The Interactive Fiction crowd, on the other hand, would like us to think that text adventures were never about puzzles, per se, but were an alternative form of storytelling. Perhaps. But does Interactive Fiction really provide a better was of telling stories? Or is the best way to tell a story still simply linear, the exact sequence of events being determined by the author? As an author myself, I know my stories are better when read as written, and not piecemeal by jumping around in the chapters and trying to figure out what’s going on.

And so — much as I’ve always been intrigued by the genre, I’m afraid I have to conclude that it’s probably a dead end.

I do, nevertheless, have an idea for a program that I think combines the best features of both text and graphic adventures, and would be happy to discuss that with you, Matt, or any other interested party privately. I’m here: gerry.rzeppa@pobox.com

]]> Comment on What Happened to Text Adventures? by Sam Washburn http://matttuttle.com/2012/04/what-happened-to-text-adventures/#comment-132 Sam Washburn Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:57:01 +0000 http://matttuttle.com/?p=692#comment-132 Firstly, it's great to hear you took the time to play a classic! When I played Zork the first time many years ago, I had a lot of the same thoughts you describe here. I couldn't finish the game even though clocking a large number of hours in it. I have a theory that games were different back then because gamers were different. Switch the computer on and it displays READY with a flashing cursor. That alone gets your mind to thinking something like "I need to be precise and type the correct things". Also, IF games have a legacy of being brutally secretive about game information. Although "verb guessing" is frustrating at times, it adds an player-game connection akin to mastering a new control pad. There are a lot of experiences, like these, that many classic IF player just don't like to give up. However, these sort of nostalgia-or-bust attitudes could just be short-sightedness, and an IF revolution may be just around the corner. Also, have you tried the early graphical adventure game, Shadow Gate? I believe it holds some of these same properties of being secretive and brutal, but doesn't have the parser. Firstly, it’s great to hear you took the time to play a classic! When I played Zork the first time many years ago, I had a lot of the same thoughts you describe here. I couldn’t finish the game even though clocking a large number of hours in it.

I have a theory that games were different back then because gamers were different. Switch the computer on and it displays READY with a flashing cursor. That alone gets your mind to thinking something like “I need to be precise and type the correct things”. Also, IF games have a legacy of being brutally secretive about game information. Although “verb guessing” is frustrating at times, it adds an player-game connection akin to mastering a new control pad. There are a lot of experiences, like these, that many classic IF player just don’t like to give up. However, these sort of nostalgia-or-bust attitudes could just be short-sightedness, and an IF revolution may be just around the corner.

Also, have you tried the early graphical adventure game, Shadow Gate? I believe it holds some of these same properties of being secretive and brutal, but doesn’t have the parser.

]]> Comment on Current by Matt Tuttle http://matttuttle.com/games/current/#comment-131 Matt Tuttle Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:51:15 +0000 http://matttuttle.com/?page_id=586#comment-131 You need to back track to the dark rooms to get a powerup. Then you will have enough to move the gem where you are stuck. You need to back track to the dark rooms to get a powerup. Then you will have enough to move the gem where you are stuck.

]]> Comment on Current by P http://matttuttle.com/games/current/#comment-130 P Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:52:04 +0000 http://matttuttle.com/?page_id=586#comment-130 I'm not sure I understand how grabbing gems/rocks is supposed to work. It uses up bubbles, and there doesn't seem to be enough to take the gem to the bring-gem-here looking stone. What am I missing? I’m not sure I understand how grabbing gems/rocks is supposed to work. It uses up bubbles, and there doesn’t seem to be enough to take the gem to the bring-gem-here looking stone. What am I missing?

]]> Comment on Updates to HaxePunk by tametick http://matttuttle.com/2012/03/updates-to-haxepunk/#comment-121 tametick Thu, 22 Mar 2012 06:52:35 +0000 http://matttuttle.com/?p=680#comment-121 Awesome! Good work :) I'm glad to see this project alive and kicking, it's really cool that now we have good ports of both flixel and haxepunk for haxe :) Awesome! Good work :)

I’m glad to see this project alive and kicking, it’s really cool that now we have good ports of both flixel and haxepunk for haxe :)

]]> Comment on Programming Games with ActionScript 3.0 by yorx http://matttuttle.com/2011/02/develop-games-with-actionscript-3/#comment-109 yorx Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:43:38 +0000 http://matttuttle.com/?p=25#comment-109 gracias gracias

]]> Comment on Current by Brenton http://matttuttle.com/games/current/#comment-105 Brenton Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:27:52 +0000 http://matttuttle.com/?page_id=586#comment-105 I'm actually quite proud of the graphics. This game was for a speed game competition and I had to do both level design and the artwork. Much of it was rushed so there are some rough edges I just didn't have the time to smooth out. I’m actually quite proud of the graphics. This game was for a speed game competition and I had to do both level design and the artwork. Much of it was rushed so there are some rough edges I just didn’t have the time to smooth out.

]]>