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Re: Problems with tutorials?
[Re: jcl]
#208743
05/29/08 09:04
05/29/08 09:04
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 9,859
FBL
Senior Expert
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Senior Expert
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 9,859
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My guess: People downloaded from http://www.conitec.net/english/gstudio/download.phpinstead of http://www.conitec.net/english/gstudio/litec.phpThe first link has some more stuff besides the Lite-C workshop, which maybe cotnains C-Script? (haven't downloaded and tried). C-Script instead of Lite-C... maybe the requests were not formulated correctly and the real problem is the Lite-C-Script mixed manual, which imho indeed IS a problem. I've been using this engine since 1997, and I've been through A3 WDL, A4 WDL, A5/6 WDL and now Lite-C. I'm used to changes, I know which commands are old, which ones are new and what belogns to what. Still, sometimes the manual confuses me and then I find out that the example is C-Script and not Lite-C. I can only image how a newbie feels in this case. I remember I had a hard time getting used to A3 WDL which was a LOT less complex...
Last edited by Firoball; 05/29/08 09:10.
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Re: Problems with tutorials?
[Re: jcl]
#208745
05/29/08 09:11
05/29/08 09:11
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 9,859
FBL
Senior Expert
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Senior Expert
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 9,859
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Hm, my intention was, that they probably download those too: Game Design Tutorial 1 English German (WED & MED Editors - ~9 MB - May 2007) Game Design Tutorial 2 English German (WDL Game Templates - ~24 MB - May 2007) At least the second one sounds like C-Script... AU is not hidden at all.... it's linked right at the same place Acknex Unlimited (Tutorials by Users Archive - monthly updated) (edited my first post above)
Last edited by Firoball; 05/29/08 09:16.
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Re: Problems with tutorials?
[Re: jcl]
#208748
05/29/08 09:21
05/29/08 09:21
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,013 The Netherlands
Excessus
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,013
The Netherlands
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I personally don't have problems finding anything, but I've been with gamestudio for a long time.
A possible solution would be to package the tutorials with the trial download, and give an option (on by default) to launch them when setup is finished.
Something like: [ ] Launch Lite-C workshop (for programmers) [x] Launch game design workshop (for artists/designers)
The website looks professional nowadays, but there is a lot to be improved regarding usability. You should keep in mind that there will be many users who are very excited about the idea of creating games, but don't want to read entire pages from top to bottom. I think it would be a good idea to have a "getting started" page that directs to usefull resources.
I know that the info on such a page is already available on the website, but the point is that it must be behind a big shiny button. How should a new user know that to get started with lite-c he shouldn't go to "AU resources" or something? People don't read the entire page and chose the best option, they take the first option that looks like it might be what they need, and lose interest after checking several pages that turn out to not be what they need.
The button "Gamestudio Download" doesn't immediately convey that tutorials can be found there. An impatient user might conclude that that's only where he downloads gamestudio, and not bother to even look at the page to find the tutorials.
I could go on, but maybe it's best that you find some information on usability engineering or find someone to do it for you. Who knows how many users don't know how to find the feedback form? Or how many users are swamped with info they don't need and click away the page without buying gamestudio?
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Re: Problems with tutorials?
[Re: jcl]
#208749
05/29/08 09:26
05/29/08 09:26
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 9,859
FBL
Senior Expert
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Senior Expert
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 9,859
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However I'm also open for hints in which way a confusion could arise for beginners from the lite-C and C-Script sections in the manual.
Imagine you want to learn Italian and buy a 2-in-1 book which includes lessons for Spanish as well. Both languages are very similar, yet not the same. But as both languages are new to you, you have to find out first. Maybe you'll end up with sth. like Spanlian and next time prefer to buy a book which focuses on just one language
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Re: Problems with tutorials?
[Re: FBL]
#208817
05/29/08 18:28
05/29/08 18:28
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,904
HeelX
Senior Expert
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Senior Expert
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,904
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I got also some interesting responses on my (german, though) RUDI workshop. Most people complained about that the source is "kinda different" from the things used in Gamestudio. I realized that most people just read the tutorials and never figured out that Lite-C has something to do with C.
I think, when introducing Lite-C to the reader, the first thing should be really a differentiation between Lite-C as programming language and the engine being "hinged" in. All engine instructions and stuff are just engine stuff, not "really" integral part of Lite-C.
It is a very.. hmm.. complicated thing. On the one hand a new user wants to "do stuff" with the engine and with Gamestudio. On the other hand he doesn't learn Lite-C (or better: C) programming if he just uses the engine commands and gets no insight in the power of the with the pointer concept, structs and some basic datastructures, etc. Though, when going to much or too fast into this direction and the user loses interest because its "non-game-related" programming.
If I would asked to do something, I would start taking one of those excellent open books (if the license allows this), adapting to Lite-C (because C and Lite-C are a bit different), while adding examples showing something nicely with the engine instruction. I would not start to reinvent the wheel!
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Re: Problems with tutorials?
[Re: meatsock]
#209254
06/02/08 07:52
06/02/08 07:52
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,086 Queensland - Australia
Nidhogg
Serious User
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Serious User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,086
Queensland - Australia
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Mayby have something like for Begineers, for Moderate to Experiance, for Experiance reference beside the tutorials downloads?..
Or something along those lines..
Windows XP SP3 Intel Dual Core CPU: E5200 @ 2.5GHz 4.00GB DDR3 Ram ASUS P5G41T-M LX PCIE x16 GeForce GTS 450 1Gb SB Audigy 4 Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus
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