I've got a client who wants a flash game developed for SL2.
I'm trying to decide if we should just develop the game natively in SL, along with all the triggers and variables to go along with it, or create the game in flash and import. I know flash will give us a lot more opportunity for character animations and overall 'pop'. But I'm worried about how this will translate to HTML5 and mobile devices.
Does anybody have an experience importing flash games and then testing for mobile and HTML5? Any advice?
Flash will not work on mobile devices. While you can create some really cool stuff in SL2 natively, you will be limited by HTML5's limitation. Does your client need this to be mobile device friendly?
I am creating 2 games built in SL2 - Snake and Ladder and the other like Habbo. I think it is possible to create games in SL - just a matter of working around the variables and triggers.
Rais, that might be the coolest thing I've seen yet in SL! No offense to other developers. :) Are you able to tell us how you accomplished some of the things in this demo?
Thanks Rais for sharing here - and I'd echo Mike's thought - if you're able to share a copy of the .story files here so that folks could look under the hood it's always appreciated!
Thank you. Yes I'd be happy to share. But just a note though - its still not done yet. I'm still trying to improve and streamlining it for easier maintenance.
Here's the download link: raisavenue.com/show/games/snl/SnL.zip
Wow!!!!!! Rais, you are a genius! I can learn a lot from the story file you shared. How clever you manage layers, triggers and all the logical operation. Just want to say I really appreciate your sharing before I dive in it.
No worries Ashley - I'll share the complete version once done. There'll be popups and quizzes and a possibility of game levels. Will share the other habbo-like game once I get the mechanics right. Have a nice day!
Press Left, Right, Up, Down arrow keys to move the character.
The challenge in this one is how not to get the character walk over an object/obstruction like in this demo - the building and the characters he's supposed to interact with.
These are great, Rais! I wanted to note in case you were interested, you would also be welcome to share your examples over in our design-related building better courses forum, as well. Thanks for sharing! :)
I've looked at your project, trying how to figure out how you set this up, but it kind of blew my mind. Could you post a quick outline on how this game works?
Hey Mike, For SnL, it was previously done in flash. Was for one of our clients in the auto industry to introduce their new truck. Each square the user lands on, will pop a quiz. User gets points for right answers and a penalty for a wrong one. The quiz questions are randomised highlighting the new truck. At the end of the game, the truck is revealed.
I created this SL version for a potential client and also to prove that it is possible to do this in SL. What's key here is the layer management and I have optimised the graphics by setting them in the master slides. Game levels are set in the master layouts. Quiz-wise, I've selected the 'pick many' quiz slide and break the options into several layers. I have not tried this fully yet but I think it should work. The answers are submitted only at the end of the game. Basically everything happens on only 1 slide so again layer management is key.
As posted in the other discussion (https://community.articulate.com/discussions/building-better-courses/another-game-built-in-sl), I am planning to give this a modern twist and a modern environment. Ladders are 'good' colleagues who could motivate and help the character to move up the ladder, and, the 'bad' ones, are those who could actually let you 'slide down' your career path.
For the second habbo-inspired game, user explore the scene. This is for a current project. The target audience are late teens which makes this concept appealing. User explore the screen by moving the character around. There will be prompters to explore the information when the character is within proximity of an object, like in the example, a group of boys. Like any games, once the information is explored, user gets a badge (topic badge). Once the character have explored all available info areas, he'll get a level badge unlocking the next scene and moving to the next level.
For a more mature audience, I could see this applied to showing processes like in a production line, or even an induction program.
This is what I've learnt from this development: The need to think in sequence ie one at a time as how the triggers are activated - top to bottom, and, from slide master to master layouts to layout slides. This applies to triggering layers too. Objects and layers in master and feedback slides can only be triggered with variables.
Very awesome demo from Rais. The walking animation is exactly what I want to replicate, so that gave me a lot of ideas.
The client actually wants a version of Diner Dash! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-5fccghRPw So yeah, lots of triggers and variables to say the least. But, we've decided to go with Storyline for HTML5 reasons. Will be doing a LOT of mid-production testing on HTML5 to make sure all the animations translate and triggers work properly.
Could be a lot of fun though! I'll be sure to share a snippet of the finished product.
Thanks again to Rais for sharing. I'm totally stealing from you. :)
28 Replies
Flash will not work on mobile devices. While you can create some really cool stuff in SL2 natively, you will be limited by HTML5's limitation. Does your client need this to be mobile device friendly?
Hi, Dan -- Thanks for your question, and to follow up on the information Jerson has shared, have you had a chance to take a look at this information on Publishing a Course for Mobile Devices? You may also want to check out this chart for Comparing Flash, HTML5, and Articulate Mobile Player Output for Articulate Storyline 2, as well.
Hi Dan,
I am creating 2 games built in SL2 - Snake and Ladder and the other like Habbo. I think it is possible to create games in SL - just a matter of working around the variables and triggers.
Here's the work-in-progress for the Snake and Ladder:
swf version - http://raisavenue.com/show/games/snl/v02.13/story.html
html 5 version - http://raisavenue.com/show/games/snl/v02.13/story_html5.html
So far, the html 5 is doing fairly ok. It works on my iphone 5 and samsung tablet.
Rais, that might be the coolest thing I've seen yet in SL! No offense to other developers. :) Are you able to tell us how you accomplished some of the things in this demo?
Thanks Rais for sharing here - and I'd echo Mike's thought - if you're able to share a copy of the .story files here so that folks could look under the hood it's always appreciated!
Hi Mike, hi Ashley,
Thank you. Yes I'd be happy to share. But just a note though - its still not done yet. I'm still trying to improve and streamlining it for easier maintenance.
Here's the download link:
raisavenue.com/show/games/snl/SnL.zip
Hi Rais, this is the most cool demo I've seen in SL, thanks for sharing the story file.
Wow!!!!!! Rais, you are a genius! I can learn a lot from the story file you shared. How clever you manage layers, triggers and all the logical operation. Just want to say I really appreciate your sharing before I dive in it.
Hey Joanne - Thanks!!! Glad you liked it.
Thanks for sharing Rais, I'm looking forward to learning some new SL tricks by studying your file.
Great work.
Thanks David!
Thanks Rais for sharing - your demo seems to be a huge hit!
No worries Ashley - I'll share the complete version once done. There'll be popups and quizzes and a possibility of game levels. Will share the other habbo-like game once I get the mechanics right. Have a nice day!
Awesome Rais - can't wait to see it!
Wow Rais, this is amazing. Really complex.
Here's the other game.
Press Left, Right, Up, Down arrow keys to move the character.
The challenge in this one is how not to get the character walk over an object/obstruction like in this demo - the building and the characters he's supposed to interact with.
swf - http://raisavenue.com/show/games/campus/v01-2/story.html
html5 - http://raisavenue.com/show/games/campus/v01-2/story_html5.html
Pls pm me for source file.
These are great, Rais! I wanted to note in case you were interested, you would also be welcome to share your examples over in our design-related building better courses forum, as well. Thanks for sharing! :)
Hi Rais, I love it! Could I have the source file, please?
Thanks Christie. Will share at the forum.
Hey Joanne - have sent you the link.
Rais,
I've looked at your project, trying how to figure out how you set this up, but it kind of blew my mind. Could you post a quick outline on how this game works?
Thanks,
Mike
Hi Mike! I just wanted to pop in and let you know that you can also contact Rais directly by clicking the Contact Me in his ELH profile.
Rais: cool demos; very impressive
re: flash games
Dan: what type of game does your client want?
Hey Mike,
For SnL, it was previously done in flash. Was for one of our clients in the auto industry to introduce their new truck. Each square the user lands on, will pop a quiz. User gets points for right answers and a penalty for a wrong one. The quiz questions are randomised highlighting the new truck. At the end of the game, the truck is revealed.
I created this SL version for a potential client and also to prove that it is possible to do this in SL. What's key here is the layer management and I have optimised the graphics by setting them in the master slides. Game levels are set in the master layouts. Quiz-wise, I've selected the 'pick many' quiz slide and break the options into several layers. I have not tried this fully yet but I think it should work. The answers are submitted only at the end of the game. Basically everything happens on only 1 slide so again layer management is key.
As posted in the other discussion (https://community.articulate.com/discussions/building-better-courses/another-game-built-in-sl), I am planning to give this a modern twist and a modern environment. Ladders are 'good' colleagues who could motivate and help the character to move up the ladder, and, the 'bad' ones, are those who could actually let you 'slide down' your career path.
For the second habbo-inspired game, user explore the scene. This is for a current project. The target audience are late teens which makes this concept appealing. User explore the screen by moving the character around. There will be prompters to explore the information when the character is within proximity of an object, like in the example, a group of boys. Like any games, once the information is explored, user gets a badge (topic badge). Once the character have explored all available info areas, he'll get a level badge unlocking the next scene and moving to the next level.
For a more mature audience, I could see this applied to showing processes like in a production line, or even an induction program.
This is what I've learnt from this development:
The need to think in sequence ie one at a time as how the triggers are activated - top to bottom, and, from slide master to master layouts to layout slides. This applies to triggering layers too. Objects and layers in master and feedback slides can only be triggered with variables.
Hope this helps.
PS. I'll share how things are done in the other discussion.
https://community.articulate.com/discussions/building-better-courses/another-game-built-in-sl
Cheers!
Very awesome demo from Rais. The walking animation is exactly what I want to replicate, so that gave me a lot of ideas.
The client actually wants a version of Diner Dash! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-5fccghRPw So yeah, lots of triggers and variables to say the least. But, we've decided to go with Storyline for HTML5 reasons. Will be doing a LOT of mid-production testing on HTML5 to make sure all the animations translate and triggers work properly.
Could be a lot of fun though! I'll be sure to share a snippet of the finished product.
Thanks again to Rais for sharing. I'm totally stealing from you. :)
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