Inform 7 Indexing

Inform 7 has an already installed indexing system. The indexing system is very useful for larger games as it can help the person find what they are looking for very quickly.

The indexing system can be used relatively quickly and can be very effective. But believe it or not, mostr people don't know about this indexing system. Thus the people that don't know about spend most of thier time trying to find the part they wawnt. Which can take up valued time. So that is why I will be telling you, how to access this easy and quick to use index.

First off you have to know that you must include in every chapter, valume or section and specify that it is a sort of part within your game. This makes it easier for the maker of the game to find what they are lokking for and realy quickly.

In every part you creat, (mostly every room, that's what I do). You must say it is a section within your game. Or inform 7 won't pick up that it is actually there. With this quick and easy tutorial you will be able to quickly and effectivly, solve the problem you face within your game.

When you have finished and completed the sectioning and chapter editing, you must go to the content tab at the top of your source coding. Click that and you can see the chapters and sections you have made. With the slider down the bottom of the contense tab put it on recognise all, and it will show you ever little thing about you game.

When clicking on one of these you can quickly find the text your looking for. It will appear in front of you.

So I hope this helped you.

Thanks,
danielfrogs

How to Get Your Inform 7 Game Out There

I recently got this question through to me.

"I have now just completed my game. Now how do I get people to play it?"

Well, I say very good question. Lot's of people have been asking this for about a couple of weeks now, and it got me thinking. And I came up with some amazing tips for you to get your game out there.

You may think this is simple but honestly, and truly speaking it can get difficult. I am being honest, it can. So please take your time with this and soon, if your lucky your game could be featured around the globe.

So first things first, have I completed my game.

Before ever launching the game publicly (publishing) Check to see if there is any type errors, or if anything can be improved upon.

'Believe it or not, this is the most important step. If your game has errors in it or something is not working correctly. The chances are the people playing these games will more likely leave.'

Use sites to advertise it. To do this I recommend going to a friend's site. (Or if they have not got any) Become a guest poster on another site. All it needs is a single word and a few shares and it can get around fast.

It is sort of like a tree, going off in different directions, the branches of the internet. People share it once. Their friends may share it and so on.

Publishing your completed game is the easy step but to get people to even know the game, never mind SEO (Search Engine Opt) is quite a tricky task. But the key is, to keep it slow and steady and don't rush.

After you have done the above, I would set up a Twitter, Facebook or Google + account. This means you can like it yourself, this is the first step of the tree we mentioned earlier.

Now for the final and most important step of all the others. Get your friends to write a review and post it on various sites. (Preferably gaming ones). This will give your game a very good incite, before they have even played it. You can also write one yourself.



Now you know all of that, time to talk about SEO.

SEO stands for search engine opt. This just means, that search engines like Google and Bing will pick up that your game actually exists. Like for instance, my blog '   Inform 7 Guide   ' is picked up first on Google, but only second or third on Bing. To see this just type on Google   '   inform 7 guide blog   ' and it will appear.

To get your game to the top or at least on the first search page. I would recommend doing the above more than once or twice, even three times. The more hits you have on your game, it will gradually climb to the top. Thus giving you even more views and gamers playing it.

So that's all from me and please give it a go.

Thanks,
danielfrogs

Lets Bring Light Upon the Question

As I believe I have explained about darkness and lightness before in my blog but this is just a post to recall all of the fundamentals of darkness and lightness.

As you already might know to code your game to make the room dark you do this.

The attic is a dark room.

Then to make a torch or light source to enlighten that room and display the basics of it you do the following.

The flame torch is lit.

If the torch is carried by the player when he/she is in the dark room. The room will automatically be light.

But if the player is not carrying a touch which is lit. The Rommel will remain dark. But the player can still move around. He can't just go and pick something up.

Any other question you need help with to do with dark and light just leave a comment or any question you would like to pose to me.

I assure it will be answered.

Want to know even more on dark and light rooms, well click here


Thanks,
Danielfrogs

Sorry for the Wait

Sorry for the wait, I have not posted in a while as my laptop has been restored to factory settings. So until I have got back up to date with inform 7 and my previous game, I will be posting about new things. They might not be on the subject of inform 7 as it will take me more than a few days to get back with it.

So please keep tuning in and watching the latest news on my blog, join the chat and post some comments.

Thanks,
danielfrogs

Sharpen Up Those Skills

As I have not got my laptop as I am having it rebooted back to factory setting I thought I would post something for you to Cary upon. A tip we should say. You may be thinking on ways which you could improve upon the language the computer uses to code and program games. It's sort of like learning a new language, like Spanish, German or Russian. But instead of formal language it's computer programmers one.

So here is a quick easy and fun way to sharpen your skills on inform 7.

Step 1
Read all of the posts my blog even IMF you have read them before. Read all, every single word. This will make sure you get used to reading all of the passage. This is a very basic skill you NEED to know, in inform 7.

Step 2
Using a new inform 7 game, call it sharp up. Using the techniques I have said in previous posts, make a game including all. Even add a map of your game. This is also in my log. But you won't miss it as you will read it all.

Step 3
Play your game many times. Read all of the text n your game you have made. To ensure no mistakes are made. Remember this game is just for practise so don't publish it. If there is any minor spelling mistakes. Correct them.

Step 4
Ask a friend to play it and see what they think. If its boring not many people will enjoy it. But if its packed with objects rooms, and interesting things people will want to play your game.

Step 5
Experiment, new things. I don't knows. Just do what you mind tells you to do. See if it works and play away.

Step 6
The last step, get some sleep. If you start to get tired. Just save your work and carry on the next day. Do this whenever you start to get tired. You might muck up your writing and will have to write it again. If you ask me, this is important.

Do this again every month or week. It's up to you.

This will help you sharpen your skills, using inform 7.

Thanks,
Danielfrogs

Inform 7 Blog'n Chat

You may be wondering what the strange box to the right of my blog is. Well it is a public chat room. You can either sign in with twitter, facebook or chatroll. Or join in as a guest.

The chat room is to be used for questions, public chat and just anything. I will be online most of the time, to answer most of your quetsions A.S.A.P.

To chat, you will find the box to the right of my blog located at the top. I am sure you won't get lost. Please leave messages and join in.

So please introduce yourself to the world, say hi as a guest or as a signed in member. So thankyou for the support. Please leave a message, and start the live chat 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Thanks,
danielfrogs

How to Make a Door

To make a door you must understand the basics of how to make one and the difference between rooms and doors. To make a door you must first have a room already made and finished.

Before you make the next room connection you must make your door. You must act upon a door the way you would to another room, here is my example.

The Wooden Gate is east of Farm.
The Wooden Gate is west of Market.
The Wooden Gate is a door.
The Wooden Gate is closed.
If The Wooden Gate is closed the player is unable to enter Farm.

That is the example so lets brake it down.

The first two lines tells inform 7 where it is, you must specify both ways if it is the gateway between two places.

The third line is pretty easy. Just say the name of your door and say it is a door.

Like a container, you must say if it is closed/open/locked.

If your door is locked you must give it a key. Here is an example.

The Bronze Key unlocks the Wooden Gate.

SIMPLE....

Now on to the last line.

The last line is sort of a property, just giving a rule. The player cannot enter the place if it is closed of locked. IF the player tries, it will either open on its own, if closed. Or if locked it will say, it is locked. The last line is a mid rule. But we will talk about these in the future.

To learn how to make doors, click right here

Learn about containers here


Thanks,
danielfrogs

Top 5 Ways to Make Your Inform 7 Game Good

In this post I will tell you how to make your interactive fiction games good, and better than every before.

1 . Make lots of objects, and give them all a description.

Look back in my blog to see how you do this.

2 . Make lots of rooms, and when released offer a free shared document of a map of the game.

Make a document of a map of your game using Google docs, just give the link in your game. To make rooms, look back at my blog.

3 . Add computer controlled players.

I will add how to do this in the coming days.

4. When you have make your game, make a follow up to it.

When your first game is released, start to make another one which follows on to the first one.

5 . Have health and combat included.

I have explained health in a previous post, to do combat I will explain later in my website.

I hope this helped you.

Thanks,
danielfrogs

Aaron A. Reed

Hello, I am back from my lovely holiday in Bosworth, England. To start back with inform 7 I thought I will talk about my favorite interactive fiction authors, Aaron A. Reed.

Aaron A. Reed is a writer, programmer, student, and teacher of interactive narrative. His work has been featured in the Electronic Literature Collection, the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and at indie game venues from Slamdance, IndieCade, and IGF (Independent Games Festival). Aaron has an MFA in Digital Arts & New Media and is currently pursuing a PhD in computer science with the Expressive Intelligence Studio at UC Santa Cruz.

(This Paragraph Was Taken From aaronareed.net)

His popular game  Blue Lacuna  has a different twist to interactive fictions. He also uses inform 7, to create his great games we play daily.

He is known for making games in a fictional style, things like the game fable. Also he makes science fiction games. He always strides to make his games enjoyable and the best they can possibly be.

Notes and Request

If you have played or finished any of Aaron A. Reed's games, please could you list the game and tell me about it in a comment below.

If Aaron is reading this could he please leave a comment. I love your games. That would be great,

Thanks,
danielfrogs