Games Section Launch

[Marked 197]

Hi guys,
 
As mentioned in the status updates, I've the Games Section open just in time for xmas :grin:
 
It's quite a beast of an app. I think my IDE counted it as over 6,000+ lines of code. Phew. I had a version ready to go live about 3 weeks ago but I decided to the pull the pin on that system and rewrite it from on-page editing to a back-end Administration system for the authors.
 
As will be obvious, there's a bunch of features not there, but I'll list down from memory what it's features currently are

• A back-end editor for admins to create their pages
• Game's can have multiple pages with a menu (default) or display all content on a single page
• 5 page types; home (essentially has the power of a topic anyway), screenshots, character profiles (optional), credits (optional), contact (optional)
• Full team member integration; add members on your team and give them admin permissions, or add them simply to display them on your team list on your Game Page
• 3 Download uploads (with a bunch of display options), dropbox external download support
• Sidebar modules (creator/team members, progress, details)
• A fully functional contact form for visitors to email your chosen email address directly
• 100% hosted media: all image uploads are locally stored using an ajax upload (eg character profiles, custom credit images, cover images, screenshots etc)
• Forum member's integration: For things like adding team members or credits, usenames will popup. In the case of credits, they will use their avatar and link to their forum profiles)
• Cover images: A bunch of cover image options, but more to come. You'll sort it out.
• Social media integration (but more advanced stuff to come)

Sample Games




Ok, now this section is definitely in its infancy. I have a feedback box in the dashboard for you guys to give feedback. But there's a ton of stuff I want to do with this, including essential things like adding more layout variations things like the screenies, credits, char profiles. Adding interactive features like comments, likes, etc. (read the list in the dashboard when you create a game :) ). And of course, team management for making the game creation process easier for online teams.

 

It has GDU branded all over it. The original plan was to make this a standalone website in itself at the other domain, but at the moment this is its home.

 

I really hope people like this and find a use for it. I'm leaving 'ol NZ tomorrow for 'bout 50 days so there's not a lot that will happen with this by then. But I just wanted to say, I'm getting old. This year I've made a lot of features for the site and written them completely myself: tuts, scripts, resources and now games. Things haven't been the same around here. The great downtime of '12 really stung us, particularly in the search rankings with our domain only being in fulltime use for a few months. If there's no future in the games section, I am definitely retiring :P The coming year may be our last in a 7 year stretch, but that's the natural course of things.

 

Make Games (click me)

 

 

I've made a few updates since making this post. The main ones being that new games (that you publish yourself) will be displayed on the board index. And also once you make a game, you'll get a new drop down menu (I'm working on getting the icons..)

[Bob423 52]

A few problems.

1. Some of the screenshots I added to The Hidden City of Arcatis are broken now and I can't delete them

2. There is no way to see games people have made unless you know the url

3. I cannot edit Arcatis II

4. The heading picture thing for the game editor is massive.

 

You're probably aware of a few of these though.

Also if I could have an option to disabled looping of the cover image and instead have it stretch, that would be awesome.

[Marked 197]

Oh shoot... the thing is that you're on a pro account and got the branding removed. Here's the link http://www.gdunlimited.net/gacp/1/dashboard That'll solve your can't-edit issue.

 

The image for the game editor will be proportional, so make sure you've uploaded a long image. I know the cover image system needs like 5 more options... including a logo image upload. For now, you'll have to live with making large cover images that contain both a logo and the background.

 

I'll take a look at your screenies.

 

I'm still deciding how I will display the games... maybe in the manager but no one here's probably ever been in there.....

 

EDIT: Ok I changed the code, thats for reporting. Deleting those missing images will work. If you do a multiple upload, the 3rd party JS uploader may cause a few to not upload...unfortunately. It needs updating but I don't have time for that.

 

As for your cover, you added a square. There's repeat option so obviously... don't do that. Use the recommended dimensions. I will add those extra options later.

[Bob423 52]

Don't worry too much about THCoA, Anything having to do with it is a pain and I honestly feel like I've broken it. Just more learning I guess.

 

Also spoilers don't seem to open. At least not in multi-page mode

Edited December 24, 2013 by Bob423

[Marked 197]

You feel like you've broken what? Don't give up :3

[Polraudio 122]

Looking good. :thumbsup:

 

When you go to create i get "Nice try, but only beta's are allowed to view this page" Not that i have info on my game yet. Just wanted to check it out.

[Marked 197]

Of course, why wouldn't you check it out? :P It certainly doesn't go live 'till you want it to.

 

 

When you go to create i get "Nice try, but only beta's are allowed to view this page"

Oops I forgot >.

[CrimsonInferno 35]

This is amazing! Such a good idea and I love how it was implemented! Is this essentially the "download" page or what does this mean for the game threads and their sub-forum? Also, does this include comment system/discussion or will it later include them?

 

Nice work Marked, it is brilliant. :)

 

p.s

 

where is the dashboard you spoke of?

Edited December 24, 2013 by CrimsonInferno

[Marked 197]

Great, glad you like it. Although I get the feeling you've tested it out yet.

Is this essentially the "download" page or what does this mean for the game threads and their sub-forum?

Because the discussion/interactive component is currently missing, the forums will remain. I have plans to do something a bit different with components. I'm thinking of dividing them up into something like feedback/critique/bugs, help/support, general discussion. Rather than 1 long list of posts. When that is implemented, the current project topics will just become an archive. The main different will be that members can no longer start topics in the forum, coz there's no point.

 

where is the dashboard you spoke of?

 

You will get directed then when you first create a game. Otherwise, you'll always be able to access your game from this menu

 

 

And from the front-end of your game page, hit the admin CP link

 

 

 

So it's much more than a downloads page... It's essentially an entire website. It's just within this one (but not if you've got a special account, like Bob's Arcartis II above). I would like people to use the back-end as a place to meet and work on their games; eg their own private internal forum system, chat system, and then task management to top it all of. I also want to make a feature where people can recruit people to join their teams. Eg you add what you're looking for in your back-end and it goes in a global directy for 2 weeks (at which time renewal is required) and people looking to join games can go there and see what's doing.

 

I hope people see the potential because if it doesn't used, I just don't have time to keep making these things.

[Foxkit 4]

This looks great! Looking forward to using it ^^. You deserve a huge thanks from the community for this.

[CrimsonInferno 35]

Yea, I haven't tested it out yet. I don't have RPG XP installed (waiting for support) so I'm waiting until then. :)

 

And okay, that makes sense. For some reason I thought there would be two places for discussion. :P

[madanchi 18]

Incredible!! Sooo good! I've just started to add my game and it's great, love it all :) Very nice work, you deserve a big pat on the back for this.

Edited December 25, 2013 by madanchi

[Bob423 52]

I probably should have said, although I didn't expect it, that people would be more excited when it actually comes out and saw it for themselves outside of screenshots.

I told you it was awesome marked :P

[Marked 197]

:) I'm releived to here that. Like anything it needs marketed. People are terried to hit create and don't see it properly.

 

I made a recruitment system Xmas eve but I won't be able to do stuff for a while

[Foxkit 4]

I'm loving it so far :3

Are you planning on supporting more genre's than what you have listed in the dropdown window? Also, is this GDU specific or does it cover both GDU and RMU?

[Metaclaw 21]

I tested it out, looking good ^^

will this be free to use? and how do you view other people's games?

[Marked 197]

Well you can use it now right? :)

 

The thing is that the original concept I developed turned out a bit unusable, so I spent a fair bit of time creating the back-end editor. So there's so much to do, and at some stage I have to make an analysis on whether it's going to be popular enough to continue developing. But anyway, I haven't had enough time to create a listing. But you can view it here:

 

 

Newly published games will also go into the latest posts module, as well as any time they're commented on (when I set that up).

 

As for a listing of all member's games, I will also get around to that at some stage. The idea here though is for members to use this to create websites for their games, and just like a website, its up to the creator to market/advertise it. Not so much this website, but that will definitely be apart of it at some stage. I think right now the focus is more on the functionality of the end result, but I know people mainly post their games coz they want to talk about it. That's why some members will prob want to make topics, but that doesn't make too much sense because it will be advertised as much or more than a topic and have all the same discussion features. People are so irrational sometimes.

 

Expect updates after jan 13 ish. Right now I'm holidaying in Asia and 45 days before I get back home (where I'll have even less time).

[madanchi 18]

How do I go and edit one of my games?

[Marked 197]

That question is answered above with an image in post #9. You can find your games in the main menu: my games. Havent found a better place for it yet

[madanchi 18]

That question is answered above with an image in post #9. You can find your games in the main menu: my games. Havent found a better place for it yet

Thank you, I couldn't see it befor because I thought the 'Admin CP' was physically on the front-end page :P I miss-see a lot of subtle things like that.

Edited January 1, 2014 by madanchi

[Marked 197]

I need to make it more obvious. Still figuring out how to integrate here, coz I made it so I can easily put it at its own domain if I ever wanted to. The trouble also is integrating into the layout because we have two softwares acting as a single site. I'll figure it out.

[Marked 197]

This better?

[ShinGamix 1]

Added my main project Battle Dungeons!! to the Games Section even though I still encounter a few bugs

 

http://www.gdunlimited.net/games/battle-dungeons-33-33

 

Edit- I really am impressed by the games Section!!!!

Edited February 26, 2014 by ShinGamix