Solve One Problem and Another Appears

Well, I solved that problem. I needed to have a separate tile for each of the letters in all of the words.

New problem-some of the color words have double letters. I can't set it so that the double letters can go into either place in the word-they just bounce back to their starting point. If I tell it one letter to one place then the child could spell the word right but then it would tell them they spelled it wrong.

Here's a link to the current problem:
Double Letter Problems Game

Since I made the little fairy for the game my mind has been thinking up all kinds of ways to embellish the game to coordinate with Dixie's story better. I just need to learn to draw.....

Missing Jewels Problems

I got the great idea to include a drag and drop page for each of the color words so the children could practice spelling the words. I started another file and got the eight colors set up then copy and pasted into the game. What I didn't do was put the letters on them.

I went through all eight words. Put letters on the tile when I did a test movie the box moved but the letter stayed. Next I tried to double click on the box and put the letter in there. That didn't work-all of the first ones changed on all eight pages. I suspect that I have to add a lot more of the dragging tiles-can't reuse them it appears.

I also got a picture of a little fairy-colored her grey because of the story and put her in in place of the arrows. She is pointing. I will probably have the person signing for the game to tell them that the fairies are helping them and click on them.

Missing Jewels Storyline

The game is pretty well finished except for the video. I have someone who is going to do the signing for me and I hope it works out okay. Unfortunately, I can't get it done until after Labor Day.

While I was waiting I thought it would be cute to put a storybook online that went along with the game. So since I'm not the most creative person I thought that I would start one of those stories, on a message board I belong to, where everyone adds to it.

So yesterday I started the story and my dear friend Dixie added to it and got a little carried away and hijacked(her word)it. She began writing the most wonderful story-no one even wants to touch it-we just keep posting what happens next questions. This story has gone way beyond what I can put online in a storybook. I will probably summarize it for the game when it is finished. Unless we all miss our guess, Dixie's story will be published.

Another dear friend has been considering whether or not to let me use her graphics for my next game. She asks questions and I answer them and she asks more. Yesterday I got to thinking about how secure a flash (swf) game really is. I know there has been software created that allows people to download them even though they are set to not download but I began to wonder if the graphics were accessible. From what I have begun to read they may very well be. I just started looking at this question last night and haven't found any software that makes them accessible yet. So far I haven't found anything that can access the graphics but I have just begun looking. Since I am using CS3 the software may be lagging behind still but I have to think about the future. My friend's graphics are wonderful and I would not want her income to be hurt because I used them in the game. Soooo more research is needed.

I also heard about the job I desperately wanted. They have decided on a hiring freeze so will be filling the position with someone who already works for them. Oh well, my friend said they may post it next year but I doubt it. I can't imagine the person they hire not wanting to continue doing it and after a year they will know what they are doing.

Lost Jewels Game

The lost jewels game is almost finished. I just need to add the credits and the videos. I sent a request out on a mail list I am on to see if I could get a volunteer to do the signing for me. Now I just have to wait and see if anyone volunteers.

Finally

I finally solved the problem. Somehow the frame I was using the button to go to, had directions to go back to the page I was starting on so everytime I hit the button I stayed where I was. Now it's working fine. I can't imagine making any really complicated games. I run into enough problems just with the simple things that I do.

Game Making Can Be Frustrating

I spent more than two hours working on the directions/information part of the Missing Jewels game. I created the information pages and buttons and figured out the navigation. I then decided it was time to test it. Every single button works perfectly except one. I have deleted the button, renamed the button changed the name of the frame I want it to go to.... So far this has been going on for about 30 minutes and it still won't work. I wonder if I sent it to a frame number instead of a frame label if that would work. I'll go try that real fast although I don't want to do it that way just to see what happens. Then I'm quitting for tonight. Maybe if I start fresh with it tomorrow I will see what I am doing wrong.

On a positive side, I spent quite a bit of time trying to make the jewels that the children will gain along the way to earning the missing jewel. I didn't like how they came out so I posted them to the Message Board at Daisie Company where I have many friends asking for input. Audrey Jeanne Roberts one of the artist's there was wonderful and created some great jewels for me.