Redoing the player in Flash

[henke37]

I got the player updated a little while ago. Now it shows the feature I mentioned.

[ThePaSch]

I got the player updated a little while ago. Now it shows the feature I mentioned.

Loads forever. I had it load for 30 minutes and it still said "Loading".
I'll make a hard guess here and suppose that this is not the mentioned feature?

Edit: Nevermind, reloaded a few times and it worked. I just don't see the point in including videos from YouTube? What if the video gets deleted?
Edit 2: What about other languages? Does the game read the texts and graphics (like Press or Present) from a folder or are they hardcoded? Also, I don't think the buttons should have an hover effect, i would make them light up when they're pressed only.
With Flash, we also have the potential of animations. How about some animations when switching from the CE-Interface to the proceed-button? Of course, I don't know if you already have this planned.
Also, I think that the current use of presenting evidence using the court record is a bit... strange. I think you should first press the Present-button and then choose the evidence you would like to present, not the other way around.
Otherwise, good work so far.

[henke37]

The buttons will be replaceable. If someone can find me replacements, I can simply make them loaded on demand. I am already doing this for the advance button.

As for the animation idea, I am stumped on what to do there. A shape tween would be ugly and I cant think of anything else.

You do have a point about the selection system being strange. I am not exactly sure how to do it.

As for the buttons lightning up on just hover, that is a style decision of mine. The original games can't do it due to the platform, but I think that it should be done.

Including yuotube videos is a nice thing, it allows people to do some nice intros and what not. As for the issue of them getting deleted, it is the same as for any other asset. Don't let it get deleted.

[Meph]

Are you using Flixel? I've heard it's very good for bitmaps.

[henke37]

Fixel is not needed here. It is more for platforming games than interactive novels. I am just using regular flash.

[Unas]

Including yuotube videos is a nice thing, it allows people to do some nice intros and what not. As for the issue of them getting deleted, it is the same as for any other asset. Don't let it get deleted.

I agree with you on this. In fact, lukegb had coded a video player for AAO with support for presenting on videos etc., but never gave me precise specs on how to load videos - and whether it was possible to load directly from youtube or not - so in the end I never took the time to try to figure that out and include it.

[Meph]

It's a good thing that you didn't implement that. Now you can use the Video element instead with WebM. Just get someone to link to their video.

[henke37]

I still think that Flash is better. No need to mess around with manual rendering. And support in all browsers (except lynx).

[henke37]

I need some help here, I need some specific sprites that I can not find. It is the penalty exclamation marks, the penalty bar explosion animation and the "unlock successful" text.

The 3d models and textures wouldn't hurt either, but I doubt that anyone is capable of ripping those.

[Meph]

The exclamation marks are in the court records.net forums. However, "unlock successful" will need to be ripped by one of us.

[Broocevelt]

It IS ripped at Court-Records o_o

[Meph]

Yes, but it doesn't have the "whoooooooooosh" effect.

[Broocevelt]

That can be done easily with a GIF editor ^^

[henke37]

Lets focus on something I do need right now, the explosion.

[henke37]

Please give me some comments on the xml structure that I am using. Right now, I am a bit stumped about how to do classical locations.

Spoiler : huge code block :

Code: Select all

<trial>

	<block id="boot">
		<visibility>
			<courtrecord visible="false" />
			<healthbar visible="false" />
		</visibility>
		<load>
			<module src="system/phoenix buttons.swf" />
			<module src="locations/court.swf" />
			<module src="locations/scrolling.swf" />
			<module src="chars/phoenix.swf" />
			<module src="chars/edgeworth.swf" />
			<module src="chars/gumshoe.swf" />
			<module src="chars/maya.swf" />
			<picture src="evidence/badge.png" name="badgeIcon" />
			<picture src="evidence/envelope.png" name="envelope" />
			<module src="system/sounds.swf" />
			<module src="system/english.swf" />
			<sound src="music/prologue.mp3" name="prologue"/>
			<ytplayer src="http://www.youtube.com/apiplayer?version=3" name="youtubePlayer" />
		</load>
		<loadEvidence />
		<buttonStyle style="phoenix" />
		<jump targetId="intro" />
	</block>
	
	<evidence id="badge" icon="badgeIcon">
		<name>Attorney badge</name>
		<description>Good old badge. Never leave home without it.</description>
	</evidence>
	
	<evidence id="report" icon="envelope">
		<name>Report about the new player</name>
		<description>The trial player was written in just a few days of nonstop coding.</description>
	</evidence>
	
	<profile id="phoenix" icon="phoenixIcon">
		<name>Phoenix Wrigth</name>
		<description>Good old me. I have been choosen to present the new player.</description>
	</profile>
	
	<profile id="edgeworth" icon="edgeworthIcon">
		<name>Miles Edgeworth</name>
		<description>An excelent procecutor. I heard he got his own game.</description>
	</profile>
	
	<profile id="maya" icon="mayaIcon">
		<name>Maya Fey</name>
		<description>My trusty psychic sidekick</description>
	</profile>
	
	<profile id="gumshoe" icon="gumshoeIcon">
		<name>Dick Gumshoe</name>
		<description>A detective with some skills. But he needs more skills.</description>
	</profile>
	
	<block id="intro">
	
		<playMusic trackId="prologue" volume="0"/>
	
		<autoFrame wait="500" advance="hidden">
		<location locationId="blackLocation" />
		It was just another day.
		</autoFrame>
		
		<autoFrame wait="300" advance="hidden">
		I had kept telling myself that it was just another day.
		</autoFrame>
		
		<autoFrame wait="200" advance="hidden" >
		But that simply wasn't the case. As much as I would've wished it, today is special.
		</autoFrame>
		
		<autoFrame wait="300" advance="hidden">
		Today is in fact the day when I announce that the Flash player has been written!
		</autoFrame>
		
		<stopMusic />
		
		<visibility><courtrecord visible="true" /></visibility>
		
		<jump targetId="welcome" />
	
	</block>
	
	<block id="welcome">
		<visibility><healthbar visible="true" /></visibility>
		<frame>
			<character charId="phoenix" pose="normal" />
			<location locationId="defenceBench" />
			<speaker>Phoenix</speaker>
			<voice type="male" />
Hello and welcome to the trial player. This is just a simple example of how it will work.
There is a lot of small things to fix. For example, the advance button doesn't have any arrow yet.<!-- '
Pointless comments like this one is due to flash having an idiot highlighter for xml, just ignore them.-->

		</frame>
		
		<hpflash hp="20" />
		
		<playSound trackId="edgeworthObjection" pan="0.2"/>
		<autoFrame>
			<overlay overlayId="objectionBubble" />
		</autoFrame>
		
		<screenShake amplitude="4" time="1050" layer="overlay"/>
		
		<frame>
			<overlay overlayId="none" />
			<location locationId="prosecutionBench" />
			<character charId="edgeworth" pose="normal" />
			<speaker>Edgeworth</speaker>
			<voice type="male" />
But what about existing trials?
		</frame>
		
		<frame>
			<character charId="phoenix" pose="paper" />
			<location locationId="defenceBench" />
			<speaker>Phoenix</speaker>
			<voice type="male" />
I am sure that it will be quite simple to write a converter. It sure wouldn't be the first one.<!-- ' -->
		</frame>
		
		<hpflash hp="0" />
		
		<jump targetId="ceTest" />
		
		
	</block>

	<crossexam id="ceTest" failId="ceFail">
		<statement pressId="press1">
			<location locationId="wittnessStand" />
			<character charId="gumshoe" pose="normal" />
			<contradiction evidenceId="report" targetId="ceWin" />
			<speaker>Gumshoe</speaker>
			<voice type="male" />
			It can't have taken any time to create this.<!-- ' -->
		</statement>
		
		<statement pressId="press2">
			<location locationId="wittnessStand" />
			<character charId="gumshoe" pose="normal" />
			<speaker>Gumshoe</speaker>
			<voice type="male" />
			I mean, look at my mouth! I can't speak this fast! I would hurt my face.<!-- ' -->
		</statement>
		
		<frame>
			<location locationId="assistantBench" />
			<character charId="maya" pose="sideNormal" />
			<speaker>Maya</speaker>
			<voice type="female" />
			<textColor color="FF00FF" />
			I know that this is just a test, but come on. It is not that hard!
		</frame>
		<jump targetId="ceTest" />
	</crossexam>
	
	<block id="ceFail">
		<frame>
			You suck! This was an easy crossexamination!
		</frame>
		<jump targetId="ceTest" />
	</block>
	
	<block id="press1">
	
		<playSound trackId="phoenixHoldit" />
	
		<autoFrame>
			<overlay overlayId="holditBubble" />
		</autoFrame>
		
		<screenShake amplitude="4" time="1050" layer="overlay"/>
		
		<frame>
			<overlay overlayId="none" />
			<character charId="phoenix" pose="normal" />
			<location locationId="defenceBench" />
			<speaker>Phoenix</speaker>
			<voice type="male" />
			And why do you think that?
		</frame>
		
		<frame>
			<character charId="gumshoe" pose="normal" />
			<location locationId="wittnessStand" />
			<speaker>Gumshoe</speaker>
			<voice type="male" />
			It's just slaping some pictures together. I could have done that on a lunch break.<!-- ' -->
		</frame>
		
		<frame>
			<character charId="edgeworth" pose="normal" />
			<location locationId="prosecutionBench" />
			<speaker>Edgeworth</speaker>
			<voice type="male" />
			That is funny, I don't remember giving you any breaks.<!-- ' -->
		</frame>
		
		<playSound trackId="whoops" />
		
		<autoFrame wait="1200">
			<character charId="gumshoe" pose="unhappy" />
			<location locationId="wittnessStand" />
		</autoFrame>
		<jump targetId="ceTest" step="1" />
	</block>
	
	<block id="press2">
		<playSound trackId="phoenixHoldit" />
	
		<autoFrame>
			<overlay overlayId="holditBubble" />
		</autoFrame>
		
		<screenShake amplitude="4" time="1050" layer="overlay"/>
		
		<frame>
			<overlay overlayId="none" />
			<character charId="phoenix" pose="normal" />
			<location locationId="defenceBench" />
			<speaker>Phoenix</speaker>
			Yeah, you are right about that. But that will be fixed before release.
		</frame>
		<jump targetId="ceTest" step="2" />
	</block>
	
	<block id="ceWin">
	
		<playSound trackId="phoenixObjection" />
	
		<autoFrame>
			<overlay overlayId="objectionBubble" />
		</autoFrame>
		
		<screenShake amplitude="4" time="1050" layer="overlay"/>
		
		<pip act="in" side="right" picture="envelope" sync="noWait"/>
		
		<frame>
			<overlay overlayId="none" />
			<character charId="phoenix" pose="paper" />
			<location locationId="defenceBench" />
			<speaker>Phoenix</speaker>
			<voice type="male" />
			Detective Gumshoe, did you even read the report about the player?
		</frame>
		
		<autoFrame>
			<character charId="gumshoe" pose="normal" />
			<location locationId="wittnessStand" />
		</autoFrame>
		
		<flash />
		
		<frame>
			<character charId="gumshoe" pose="normal" />
			<location locationId="wittnessStand" />
			<speaker>Gumshoe</speaker>
			<voice type="male" />
			What report? I haven't heard of any report.<!-- ' -->
		</frame>
		
		<autoFrame>
			<character charId="phoenix" pose="paper" />
			<location locationId="defenceBench" />
			<speaker>Phoenix</speaker>
			Naturally I mean the report
		</autoFrame>
		
		<frame clear="false">
			<character charId="phoenix" pose="closeup" />
			<location locationId="scrollingLeft" />
			<speaker>Phoenix</speaker>
			that was written by the player author himself!
		</frame>
		
		<pip act="out" side="right" sync="noWait"/>
	
		<frame>
			As a reward for that incredibly difficult crossexamination, let us watch the game trailer for AAI on Youtube.
		</frame>
	
		<youtube id="UTbz_LFnLr8" seekTime="5.3"/>
		
		<frame>
		Wasn't that fun?<!-- ' -->
		</frame>
		
		<visibility><courtrecord visible="false" /></visibility>
		
		<end mode="win" />
	</block>
</trial>