The next tutorial is out!!! This one covers layout transitions, sound, music, light, and general techniques to polish your game.

<img src="http://i25.tinypic.com/23w9y8g.jpg">

<img src="http://i29.tinypic.com/15rk2le.jpg">

Downlink link (I created the .cap with Construct .99.5):

http://www.box.net/shared/mdxgb80310

Based on the low feedback, I've decided to stop creating the tutorials. If you would like to see more tutorials please comment AND mention what you would like to see in the game. If there is enough interest and consensus on topics you would like to see added to the game then I'll consider creating more. Hope you find this helpful!!

I'm trying to figure out how to make use of external Python libraries. Anyone with experience??

I first implemented a simple "hello world" program to see if python works. It does: http://www.box.net/shared/uurz5hf5b8

Then I tried a simple example using a math import. That worked as well.

Then I tried to get a simple AI chat python program working (which works fine if I run it externally in Python 2.5 or Python 2.6. I don't get anything to return and its nearly impossible to troubleshoot.

Here is the .cap that isn't working: http://www.box.net/shared/pt45f74qze

I'm using the PyAIML module: http://www.box.net/shared/ts3nco3146

The Python code is very simple:

import aiml

k = aiml.Kernel()

print k

Of course, I am not using print k, but am instead printing via a text box. This should print out an AIML kernel object handle. This works fine with my normal Python install.

Any ideas on how to get this to work? Is this a path problem? Does Construct support importing external libraries?

I have no idea what you mean by this...sounds like we are just making games for you. Can you provide more details on how the compo would actually work?

I agree on the key placement, it did not seem natural to me at all.

However, the game on the whole rocks!! This is really sweet and looks like it could be a commercial game demo almost. You've put some nice effort into this.

What you are doing sounds right, so it might help if you posted a simple .cap showing the problem. It sounds like somehow you are picking the group instead of the individual object. Maybe someone better than I can solve this without the .cap

The python documentation is a complete reference to the python API, and has code examples.

I agree, we don't need a Python API. I was thinking more of a Python Construct API. Maybe they are one and the same. If so are you saying then that I can use ANY Python code in Construct? Any Python API can be imported and used? If that is the case it is not clear from the scripting interface. Like I said before I have programmed many Python programs and have plenty of Python code examples. What I would like to know is if there is any limitation to what Python code can be used with Construct and if so generally what is it.

I would be more than happy to help show Python scripting examples with Construct, but it would be nice to have one reference on how it would be helpful is all I'm saying...

I didn't know how to post pics either, so don't feel bad. You can post them to a free site like tinypic and then just reference the image using the Img tags.

Nice example (and well commented) of checking the hash on the INI file. I'm sure this will help lots of Construct users.

Hm, debugger in Windows is intended for debugging devices and drivers (if I'm not mistaken). Certainly, such dumps are useless for Construct.

Actually, the Windows debugger (Windbg) debugs user mode applications (like Construct) just as easy as devices and drivers. I use it all the time for this. It will do everything that Ultraexplorer does and more. You can use it as a just-in-time debugger (not just to deal with crash dumps).

However, I don't see the point in adding any of this functionality to Construct (whether it be Windbg or Ultraexplorer). Users don't need to debug crashes and they don't need to see call stacks, dissasembly, and registers, etc.... What they need is a simple "source code"/event debug capability where they can single step events and step into Functions, etc.. A very small subset of what a normal debugger can do.

Can you post a .cap? From what I can tell the Value at Current.X will always return 1. This doesn't access the elemet with the 2 that you are looking for.

I think you want Value at Array.CurrentX, Array,CurrentY Equal to 0, 1, or 2. You need to check X and Y.

Because Pixelrebirth made me feel guilty I had to test this out.

The game was decent work for a first game. Keep it up! I liked the way you set it up and that you had a menu and end screen where you could start a new game. I was frustrated by the delay in firing bullets and how much bounce occurred off of the tanks and walls.

Implementing Pixelrebirth's suggestions would make this a great game!

Yaraslau I posted the .cap (but not the sound) on box.net.

http://www.box.net/shared/4ef0av5tbb

I'm getting in a bad habit of responding to my own posts. I decided to just dynamically add the editbox to any layouts that needed user input. That solved the problem.

I guess the inheritance layer is best used for background objects on the layout. I'll experiment some more with it.