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Geek Culture / What an idea!!!

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Uncle Sam
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Location: West Coast, USA
Posted: 8th Dec 2006 05:34
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I had the most superb idea in the world!

It got it from a program I created a while ago. Someone asked me to make a radio for them, that would run independantly, download a playlist form a server, and play songs while downloading them, all with a nice interface that keeps the user from knowing what's happening in the background. Why, I also made it update itself automatically when I post a new version on the server.

So my question is this: how would you TGC members like your games distributed IN a program? Have you ever heard of href=http://www.gametap.com]Game Tap?[/href] Game Tap is an application that you get and pay $9.95 or so for a month to download and play hundreds of games. It works with a nice interface, and users don't have to go throguh the tedious process of going on the web and downloading, then installing, the demos or full versions they want to try.

So how would my program be different from Game Tap? It would be a source to TGC games ONLY, which I add based on how good they are, and provide a rating as well. Plus, it would be free.

What do you think? Would you want your game to be browsed and downloaded by anyone using this program? (note: the games would still be your property, I would just distribute it for you to all TGC members). Imagine it, we could completely change the way games are distributed on TGC, and could filter out noob games too. You open the program, you search for a title (e.g. Claymore Island), and it brings it up with a screenshot (yes, a screenshot, what we all want!!!!), a rating, a description, minimum system requirements, control instructions, the author, a link to their site or the purchase page of their site if they are selling it, etc., and then one simply clicks the download button, and they continues to browse. You should get the trial of Game Tap to see what I mean.

Is this hard to do? Yes, you bet. But I already know how to do this kind of thing, so that is not my worry. My worry is whether or not you think this is a good idea.

I look forward to both your positive and negative comments.

Uncle Sam
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Jeku
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 05:39
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Like Steam?

http://www.codercafe.com - My blog
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Agent Dink
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 05:57
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That is the general idea I think. I think its a pretty cool idea. It would actually be useful if TGC had one of these for their products, perhaps.

Sometimes the only way over a wall is to pile up enough bodies to climb over - Dave W.
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Uncle Sam
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 06:33
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Never heard of Steam, but yea, it would be useful, although I don't think it could actually be sold, it would just be an alternative method to play TGC games, all the top ones i.e.

I'm not even sure I'd have time to do this, I just want to know what you think.

Uncle Sam
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Lukas W
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 08:27 Edited at: 8th Dec 2006 08:29
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I have created an application like this, it's called "Game Manager".
it too is DarkBASIC/FPSC created games only.

it started with an attempt to create an application similar to Steam,
where i could put all my games for easy access to download and installation from in the application, just like steam does.

some features of Game Manager:
* automatic updates (if you so choose in settings)
* download, install and play games with one click from inside the application
* add your own games to the server list

some features that it doesn't have:
* Search
* Sort

check out my sig. for more information.

edit:
i am currently working on a v2 of the application, which will feature an sql based server. but I still haven't found a dll for DBPro which lets me access a SQL Database.

Game Manager
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Darth Vader
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Location: Adelaide SA, I am the only DB user here!
Posted: 8th Dec 2006 09:29
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Lukas just said what I was going to credit him for! I was actually planning on mentioning this a while back, but then Lukas came out with game manager, which I have tested in uploading a game!

It works great but unfournatley the MODS or anyone with the power never stickied it! I wonder why?


http://ideal-entertainment.galekus.com
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Darth Vader
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 09:30
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My post is exactly 1 hour since Lukas editited his post!


http://ideal-entertainment.galekus.com
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SpyDaniel
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 14:06
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Quote: "Never heard of Steam"


You have never heard of Steam? so you havent played Half Life 2?

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Zappo
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 14:23 Edited at: 8th Dec 2006 14:28
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I don't wish to put a damper on it, but couldn't this all be done with a simple Web site? You browse/search through available games with screenshots, then download the ones you want while you continue to browse.
Or am I missing something (which wouldn't be the first time)?
Edit: A nice Web site would have the added bonus of not requiring additional software downloaded, installed and ran first.
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CattleRustler
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 14:29
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Quote: "but I still haven't found a dll for DBPro which lets me access a SQL Database."


try my [href]dbp page[/href]



Its 9/11 - but its FAKE 9/11 Ts=SQRT(Df/16)
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Lukas W
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 14:42 Edited at: 8th Dec 2006 14:43
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CattleRustler,
I downloaded your DBP_TPC_MySQL plugin but it tells me:


edit:
I have U6.3 of DBP, is that the problem?

Game Manager

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Uncle Sam
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 19:55
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Quote: "I have created an application like this, it's called "Game Manager".
it too is DarkBASIC/FPSC created games only.

it started with an attempt to create an application similar to Steam,
where i could put all my games for easy access to download and installation from in the application, just like steam does.

some features of Game Manager:
* automatic updates (if you so choose in settings)
* download, install and play games with one click from inside the application
* add your own games to the server list

some features that it doesn't have:
* Search
* Sort

check out my sig. for more information.

edit:
i am currently working on a v2 of the application, which will feature an sql based server. but I still haven't found a dll for DBPro which lets me access a SQL Database."



Ah, you got there first. The difference with mine though would be that it would have access to games made by ANY TGC member, providing that they are of quality high enough to be added in. But yeah, it would be very similar to yours, so if one is already made, I might not go to all the trouble.

Quote: "You have never heard of Steam? so you havent played Half Life 2?"


Nope.

Quote: "I don't wish to put a damper on it, but couldn't this all be done with a simple Web site? You browse/search through available games with screenshots, then download the ones you want while you continue to browse.
Or am I missing something (which wouldn't be the first time)?
Edit: A nice Web site would have the added bonus of not requiring additional software downloaded, installed and ran first."


It's almost simliar to a web page, your right. The difference would mainly be the interface and convienience. Yes, the programm will need to be downloaded, but once that's done, all you have to do is click the shortcut on your desktop, and you will have access to all the game with screens provided (!), a download button that will let you get the game without having to search for a link, plus all the information about the game. And it would be pretested and have a rating, so no more downloading games that don't run or have %0 gameplay. Sure, I could make a web site with a page for each game, but I would much prefer to do it so that people can access the game in a user friendly environment. Why, think of Game Tap. It has a nice 3D spinning "thing" that you select games from. It's much more fancy than clicking a link (plus I'd have a lot more fun creating it ).

Either way, I'm not even sure I'll do it, what with Lukas getting there first.

Uncle Sam
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Uncle Sam
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 19:58
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I looked at your site Lukas, and GM looks pretty neat. I'm not trying to bash it or anything, but what I had in mind would be a completely different-looking application. Instead of a text list, it's a list of icon, maybe on 3d plains, that you cycle through, or some sort of effect. I didn't mean I'd make mine like a windows application.

Uncle Sam
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CattleRustler
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Posted: 8th Dec 2006 20:08 Edited at: 8th Dec 2006 20:14
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if init takes an arg, use (), if init needs no arg remove the () - or was that "has a return". I forget. Havent used dbp in forever.
6.3 shouldnt matter
Ill look at the dll...>



EDIT: Yeah, remove the parenthesis (), theres no return and no arguments so in dbp you dont use (). Fairly certain the dbp tpc () rule follows if theres a return value or not
Hope that helps



Its 9/11 - but its FAKE 9/11 Ts=SQRT(Df/16)
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Dave J
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Posted: 9th Dec 2006 01:38
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Correct, only use parenthesis if you're returning a value. Example:

Answer = Add(1, 2)

Or, if there's no returned value:

Add 1, 2




"Computers are useless, they can only give you answers."
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Lukas W
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Posted: 9th Dec 2006 20:58 Edited at: 9th Dec 2006 20:58
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oh i get it, yea that makes sense.

however now when i run this code:


it tells me this:

maybe i misunderstood the use of that command (MySQL_SetConnection) though..

Game Manager

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Darth Vader
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Posted: 11th Dec 2006 02:49
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@Zappo:
Also Zappo when you think of making an extra web page it does take a while to create! You could make the program so it has a template that makes uploading a new game faster then creating a whole new webpage.

@Uncle Sam:
I like the fact that Lukas hasn't made GM flashy! If you think about it it would run slower on slower computers, this way it will run on alot of machines making it a more desirable choice!


http://ideal-entertainment.galekus.com
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