RAVE'S PROFILE

I'm going to buy VX Ace and that raises interesting legal question for me.

I've used unofficial Polish translation of VXA trial version and by translator maker I've been told that it'll just work as well on the full version of VXA.

It is more convenient to use Polish version for me, but I don't know if, when I'll get VXA license I'd be legally able to use it on translated maker (mind you, this is pure translation, just like unofficial English one, made before VXA got into international release - no cracks/pirating involved). Any help on that one?

Scalytank, is it for download anywhere? I'd like to play it.

Well, in my games (mostly unfinished ones, though I am working hard on changing that) I keep following format:

Character's/NPC's Name
(empty line)
line 1
line 2

It does not only look robust and nice, but it is also easy to read (even thought the only thing I use line breaks is when it doesn't fit message box's width, ie. text is cut at right side of message box).

In case of commentary text boxes/boxes of "You got X" type, I usually try to use whole message box space.

I think you should merge objects with characters. Reasons?
1. Sometimes you need to move/turn things like boulder, etc. and don't want to be limited by frames of animation, so movement of boulder will be fluid.
2. Some of characters, especially big ones, like dragons can really use more than four animation frames.

For storing spritesheet I'm thinking about following layout:

up
down
left
right
idleup
idledown
idleleft
idleright*

*plus maybe also diagonal ones

Every direction will be stored in separate row and will have unlimited amount of columns (a.k.a frames). Framesize would be calculated from image's dimensions. Idle* directions are made so character/object can play looped idle animation when he/she/it isn't moving.

To every png file with spritesheet there will be also additional file with same name, but .txt extension.

It'll have info about amount of frames in each direction, in same layout as png file, so following text file:

will inform that character/object has:
- 4 frames of normal movement in each direction (mind you, those numbers may differ).
- 6 frames of idle animation.

Of course space outbounds of character frames (like in above example with 2 additional, unused frames for normal movement (at far right)) will be ignored by engine and can be used e.g. to store artist's credits.

What do you think about it? Personally I love demoscene, there are just so many great demos and games (state of art and kkrieger being one of best).

I am also in the process of making my own demo with tool called ZGameEditor.

Discuss demoscene in this thread.