I have opened a website to help new users of Quest. The site will contain scripts, tutorials, libraries and other resources to help new users make some basic games.

The website teaches people how to use ASL, and QDK.

To make the final finishes, I need a couple of vollunteers experienced in ASL and QDK to help add some basic scripts and tutorials, as well as provide support for anybody seeking help with the software.

I know we have a forum here, but the website will come in very handy.

http://www.quest.chronicalgames.com

Added the first chapter to my RPG Game Tutorial. Since I'm re-learning quest, there may be better ways to do what I'm doing, but I'll re-write some of it when I learn better methods.

However, here's the first chapter.

http://www.quest.chronicalgames.com/asl ... _Setup.htm

Wouldn't it be more sensible to create a starting room etc to get the reader to the point where he can actually run the game?
And I'd have thought room creation would be next - allowing the payer to wander around before creating objects/characters.

Perhaps a downloadable file too?
How about helpful code comments? (which should also encourage good commenting by the reader in their own projects)
And also going through line-by-line - if it hasn't come up before.

Ie, (image code block above.. This is assuming the reader knows about variables - which should* be explained before any code.)
set string <blah; BOO!> ' String to be used as a taunt later on
This line will create a variable named 'blah'. blah will contain the text "BOO!".

You also say "numeric variables below show" while the variables are above that sentance.
From this, variables 'joke' and 'plead' are also created which have a sentance assigned to each.
This second part, in bold, is important.. It is a comment so that when you come back to this part of your code, you remember what this part is for. A comment is made by putting ' on a new line by itself - or after a part of code..

And althought there is a way to do the loads of if's better - I think it should start out that way because you can always re-visit that part later on and introduce the coder to loops &/ arrays.

[edit]
Also, the fact you're introducing string/numeric variables without saying what the differences are, the fact startscript should be in an if () or else it will be reset on every game-load.. And I thought it would leave the player a bit lost as to where these bits of code would go..
Just some suggestions for you.

This is assuming the user has read (Lets say 'looked over' for now...) the document which comes with Quest

I probably should recommend doing this first.

However, the RPG tutorial is mainly there to show some content on the site. There will be some basic tutorials (And I mean stupidly basic tutorials) on how to create rooms and what not.

Once the section builds up, it will be a nice little archive with pretty much EVERYTHING you need to know on setting up a simple quest game.

There will be a new original sample game available to download once I get around (Or if somebody else can) to making one, which will be packed with commets explaining each section and part of every code.

The best way to create a resource site is to explain it as if you were trying to explain it to a 6 year old. That way, almost every detail is outlined so that even the blondest (sue me..) person can understand it.

The Quest Documentation pretty much outlines everything you need to know to get started, but there are a lot of people who don't like reading documents, me especially, I prefer to learn things by doing it, rather than reading tons and tons of text. Quest Centre allows the user to learn through this method, which is a good alternative to the documentation.

A lot of stuff from the documentation will be explained through practical exercises via the Quest Centre website.

I also thing you would be of great value to this project, Tr0n. I'm not greatly experienced in ASL, which means this project is also a learning project for myself.

Somebody with your experience can also guide me, and provide some good advice and perhaps some useful tutorials.

Hmmm, I tried about 10 times and finally got my above post correct!
My wireless keyboard at home is quite shit.

There will be some basic tutorials

I don't see why you aren't starting off with the absolute basics for the smallest game file possible, and then building up from there - which is the way most sensible programming tutorials do things - set a base so you've achieved something, and then builds on that to get you learning and creating.

There will be a new original sample game available to download once I get around

I don't mean one full file with everything in it.. I started doing something like this and it quickly turned into a nightmare-ish, code-gobbling tsunami.
I mean bit by bit, and only the code which you put up there.. Many PHP/HTML/C++/VB websites do it this way:

[Full code]
[explaination of code by lines/sections - but fully explaining everything]
[possible additions/changes]
[file download containing basically the full code above]

as if you were trying to explain it to a 6 year old

Yet to a 6 year old, I wouldn't expect them to know where to put all this code that's being put down straight off.

The Quest Documentation pretty much outlines everything you need to know to get started

I needed to read it a fair few times, AND look at Al's library, to understand libraries correctly.
I haven't looked at much more than the ASL syntax reference myself.

I also thing you would be of great value to this project, Tr0n.

I'll try and add a few bits here and there.. Don't forget my demo storage at: http://www.compwhizz.freeserve.co.uk/asldemos/
You may use any of them as long as you leave my name in there.

Agreed with pretty much all of your comments. I'll take down the RPG tutorial for now, and put up some "Get Started with ASL and QDK" tutorials, which should be quite fun

Perhaps a short bug list with any long-standing QDK bugs, and some decent work-arounds. I know the 'nested if' issue still sneaks around in some form or another, for example.

I could probably throw a few basic scripts or libraries in there, such as random movement (up/down, in/out, north, south, east, west, etc.)

it's an open project, which means if what you submit actually works the way you say it does, i'll upload it and put it on the script/tutorial page.

I've added a basic guide for starting QDK.

click my sig and goto the tutorials page, and click on QDK tutorials.

That is moist. I will check it out for myself.

The first of many tutorials.

http://www.quest.chronicalgames.com/Get ... th_QDK.htm

hey remember when zel ripped off the axeuk website line for line, aiming to make some sort of site similar to this. ahh good times, that was hilarious.

Happy days.

Of course, with Quest now moving on to a new version, any tutorials written for the current version will soon be redundant.

Sure whatever... Anyway, during the week I'll be upgrading the website more, and adding new scripts and tutorials. It is hard work doing it alone first but hopefully over time more and more people will add bits and bobs to it also.

The forum provided is just for any feedback, comments, or help adding the scripts. It's purpose is for any Quest Centre related things, mainly, and not for any support or discussion on the Quest software itself, since that's what this forum is for.

I'm sure the majority of you can appreciate and understand what i'm actually trying to do here.

davidw wrote:Of course, with Quest now moving on to a new version, any tutorials written for the current version will soon be redundant.

I would have thought, as with all previous versions of Quest, that any games are backwards compatible. I remember Alex sending me a copy of the very first version of Quest and QDK that was unreleased to the public. The short game I made with that worked fine with the 3.x versions.

I haven't read much on the Quest 4.0 forums, so I'm not sure if Alex is changing things drastically. However, Quest Centre will try and keep up with the time, and any out-of-date tutorials which arn't compatible with 4.0 (Which I don't think would be a problem anyway), then the tutorials will be re-written, and a 4.0 version will be posted along side of the old one so that users have both to use should they wish to stay with 3.x (which I would think would be unlikely anyway).

By the sound of things, Quest 4 is going to be a lot different than the current version. Not just minor changes here and there, but a complete overhaul of the way games are written. So I'm not sure that tutorials for the current version will still work for the new version.

It will still be backwards compatible, but if you write the tutorials now you may be teaching outdated features. It may be best to either get a few updates from Alex now and pre-write them, or to simply wait before doing anything more complex than the absolute basics. I think what we really need is a few creativity and continuity tutorials. I've noticed that 90% of the games I've seen for any system lack this, and would be greatly improved if the level of detail and object/world interaction (and synonyms etc.) were improved.

I might make a short half-hour game that proves this.

Well, as I said, anything is welcome. If you have any scripts or tutorials you wish to put onto the website, then feel free to send me them.

I'll do more updates over the week since I've been busy with work this weekend.

Changing the way it's written entirely?
I didn't get this impression on Q4..

A few more things built-in, but nothing which would change the way you write the game.

The only thing which will be "obsoleted" will be the interface stuff - HTML and in-line images - along with built-in containers..

Teaching the basics of ASL, and various ways to go about things will be good.

The GUI side of things, which Zelimos seems to be focusing on, and the main reason people use Quest, looks to be getting a major overhaul. So any tutorial that works now won't necessarily work with the new version.

Of course, none of us really know what the new version is like yet so it's hard to say for sure.

I'll make this easy for everybody...

http://www.axeuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=10201#10201

If you'd noticed I answered that question in this very thread a few posts earlier.

Oh, I got the wrong idea.

Yes, QDK will be quite different - and in that respect will need to be totally updated which the new version get's released.

It's not a problem at all. Quest Centre can easily be updated to support the current version of the software.

you should add a "Bug Center" that lists all problems with QDK, so if a gamer is developing a, er, game using a tutorial, they won't pull their hair out when something goes haywire.

Thanks,

-Witch Wyzwurd

Will be added when Quest Centre starts getting a few interested people.

I think before anyone really spends any time on Quest Centre, there'd need to be a genuinely decent Quest game to show what the system is capable of.

davidw wrote:I think before anyone really spends any time on Quest Centre, there'd need to be a genuinely decent Quest game to show what the system is capable of.

That is true, and has been suggested many times for the official Quest website itself. Unfortunately no such "Amazing" game has been created, but there are some nicely done games on the Quest website that can be looked at.

I took the top 10 rated games on the official Quest site and listed them on Quest Centre, so people should get a good idea of what quest can do.

Edit:

Added the first script page.

http://www.quest.chronicalgames.com/get ... th_asl.htm

Zelimos wrote:
I took the top 10 rated games on the official Quest site and listed them on Quest Centre, so people should get a good idea of what quest can do.

That list makes for grim reading. There are a couple of games on there that are okay, a couple that are below average but don't totally stink, but nothing that could be said to show Quest in a favourable light. Pick any ten games at randopm written with any other system and it's a fair bet they'd be better than the best of Quest.

I admire the Quest platform. It has awoken a childhood dream. During the early years of Zork (I,II) I attempted writing my own TAG with BASIC language; I was 12 yrs. old. I bought some books from local store, but never really got far. Without the resources, I couldn't get pass creating descriptions and allowing movements. Just last year I discovered Quest and it has allowed me to fulfill my childhood goal. Although I keep reading negative posts about Quest in Axe forums, I still don't understand why.

I'm currently developing a game with many levels, rooms, objects, pictures, and sounds. It's a learning experience as I progress, but I enjoy it, and I enjoy Quest. I can only hope that my game will be deemed worthy enough to be used as a tutorial in Quest Centre. Please consider my proposal.

To finish my game, though, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO ALTER THE BACKGROUND COLOR OF THE HELP MENU WHEN THE HELP MENU IS CREATED BY PROGRAMMER.

Although I'm sure Quest Centre will include complex coding in the tutorials, simple examples would really help the newbie.


-Witch

The help window background colour will be the same as the main window background colour.

I've decided to leave Quest Centre until Quest 4.0. When it's released i'll have a play about with the software, and then start collecting some tutorials and stuff together to put on the website. It'll give me some room to work on other projects in the mean time.

But fear not, this is and never will be a dead project, I just think it would make more sense to start concentrating on Quest 4.0, since it's probably going to be released soon enough.

@ Alex: Will there be any upgrades on the QuestNet server to support the new additions in Quest 4.0?

QuestNet Server 4.0 will support the same ASL as used in Quest 4.0, so you'll get the increased-capacity numeric variables etc. There will also be various bug fixes from version 3.53. At this stage I'm not planning any massive new features for it though.