Introduction p. 1
Writing Games with Lingo
Creating Games with Director and Lingo p. 11
Games and Macromedia Director p. 12
Director's Strengths p. 12
Director's Weaknesses p. 13
Game Lingo p. 13
Programming Step by Step p. 14
One-Frame Movies p. 15
Object-Oriented Thinking p. 15
Using Behaviors p. 16
Lists p. 17
Making Games p. 18
Game Screens p. 18
Planning and Preparation p. 22
Where to Start p. 22
Finishing the Game p. 23
Troubleshooting and Debugging p. 23
User Testing p. 24
Distribution p. 25
An Introduction to Games p. 27
From Senet to Space War p. 28
The Evolution of Board Games p. 28
War and Role-Playing Games p. 29
From Space War to Pong p. 30
From Pong to Pac-Man p. 30
The Video Game Comes Home p. 32
Games Invade Computers p. 33
Games and Macromedia Director p. 33
Further Reading p. 34
Puzzle Games p. 37
Matching Game p. 39
Game Overview p. 40
Close Enough for a Match p. 40
Correct Matches p. 41
Locking Sprites into Place p. 42
Game Over p. 43
Special Effects p. 43
Making the Game p. 44
Putting It All Together p. 51
Game Variations p. 51
Making a Longer Game p. 51
Keeping Score p. 51
Timing the Player p. 52
Creative Screen Layout p. 53
Randomness p. 53
Memory Game p. 55
Game Overview p. 56
Shuffling the Deck p. 57
Time for Pause p. 57
The Hidden Picture p. 57
The Cards p. 58
Game Over p. 58
Special Effects p. 59
Making the Game p. 59
Putting It All Together p. 65
Game Variations p. 66
Keeping Score p. 66
Adding a Timer p. 67
Two-Player Game p. 69
Jigsaw Puzzle p. 71
Game Overview p. 72
Dragging p. 72
Creating Puzzle Pieces p. 73
Random Placement p. 74
Payoff p. 74
Special Effects p. 74
Making the Game p. 75
The Frame Behavior p. 75
The Sprite Behavior p. 77
Putting It All Together p. 84
Game Variations p. 84
Looking at the Box p. 85
Different Puzzle Shapes p. 86
Sliding Puzzle p. 87
Game Overview p. 88
Puzzle Pieces p. 88
The Sliding Motion p. 89
Detecting Game Over p. 89
Special Effects p. 89
Making the Game p. 90
Frame Behavior p. 90
The Sprite Behavior p. 95
Putting It All Together p. 96
Game Variations p. 97
Rectangular Pieces p. 97
Sliding Number Puzzles p. 97
Falling Blocks Puzzle p. 99
Game Overview p. 100
Blocks and Pieces p. 100
Timing the Fall p. 101
Keyboard Input p. 101
Special Effects p. 101
Making the Game p. 102
Putting It All Together p. 111
Game Variations p. 111
Changing the Shapes p. 111
Adding Color p. 112
Keeping Score p. 112
Speeding It Up p. 112
Adding a Background p. 112
Arcade Games p. 113
Falling Objects p. 115
Game Overview p. 116
Many Behaviors or One? p. 117
Timing Drops p. 117
Defining a Catch p. 117
Game Over Options p. 118
Penalty for Bad Catches p. 118
Increasing Difficulty p. 118
Distinguishing Good Objects from Bad p. 118
Special Effects p. 119
Making the Game p. 119
Putting It All Together p. 128
Game Variations p. 129
Educational Variants p. 129
Changing Perspective p. 130
Adding Animation p. 130
Increasing Difficulty p. 130
Catching a Bomb p. 130
Shooting Gallery p. 131
Game Overview p. 132
Types of Animation p. 133
Random Appearances p. 133
Limited Ammunition p. 134
Screen Elements p. 134
Point Values p. 134
Special Effects p. 134
Making the Game p. 135
Target Behavior p. 135
Frame Behavior p. 141
Blast Sprite Behavior p. 145
Blocking Sprite Behavior p. 145
Putting It All Together p. 146
Game Variations p. 147
A Richer Environment p. 147
A Friendlier Environment p. 148
More Animation p. 148
Sprite Invaders p. 149
Game Overview p. 150
Ship Movement p. 150
Invader Movement p. 151
A Lot of Bullets p. 151
Levels p. 152
Lives p. 152
Special Effects p. 152
Making the Game p. 152
Ship Behavior p. 152
Invader Behavior p. 155
Frame Behavior p. 158
Bullet Behavior p. 162
Invader Bullet Behavior p. 164
Putting It All Together p. 165
Game Variations p. 166
Different Orientation p. 166
Product Placement p. 166
More Game Features p. 166
Space Rocks p. 167
Game Overview p. 168
Ship Movement p. 168
Rock Movement p. 168
Breaking Rocks p. 169
Screen Wrap p. 169
Limited Ammunition p. 169
Levels p. 170
Special Effects p. 170
Making the Game p. 170
Frame Behavior p. 170
Ship Sprite Behavior p. 177
Rock Sprite Behavior p. 180
Bullet Sprite Behavior p. 182
Putting It All Together p. 183
Game Variations p. 184
Shields p. 184
Flying Saucers p. 184
Thruster Graphics p. 184
More Rock Variations p. 184
Using Vector Shapes p. 184
Paddle Bricks p. 185
Game Overview p. 186
Moving the Paddle p. 186
The Ball p. 186
Bricks p. 187
Levels p. 187
Special Effects p. 187
Making the Game p. 187
Frame Behavior p. 188
Ball Behavior p. 190
Brick Behavior p. 195
Paddle Behavior p. 196
Putting It All Together p. 196
Game Variations p. 197
Decreasing Paddle Size p. 197
Colorful Arrangements p. 197
Turn It on Its Side p. 198
Multiple Balls p. 198
Word Games p. 199
Trivia Game p. 201
Game Overview p. 202
The Question Database p. 202
Screen Layout p. 203
Buzzing In p. 203
Time Running Out p. 203
Penalties p. 203
Disappearing Answers p. 204
Special Effects p. 204
Making the Game p. 204
Frame Behavior p. 204
Button Behavior p. 208
Putting It All Together p. 210
Game Variations p. 211
Number of Answers p. 212
Levels of Play p. 212
Randomizing the Questions p. 212
The Clock Is Ticking p. 212
Cryptogram p. 213
Game Overview p. 214
Encoding the Phrase p. 214
Displaying the Solution p. 215
The Text Cursor p. 215
Phrase Storage p. 215
Capital Letters p. 216
Special Effects p. 216
Making the Game p. 216
Putting It All Together p. 224
Game Variations p. 225
Phrase Ideas p. 225
Adding a Timer p. 226
Levels of Difficulty p. 226
Allowing Spaces p. 226
Hints p. 226
Give Up p. 226
Hangman p. 227
Game Overview p. 228
The Workspace p. 228
Guessing Letters p. 228
The Hangman p. 229
The Message Area p. 229
Next Phrase Button p. 229
Phrases p. 230
Special Effects p. 230
Making the Game p. 230
The Frame Behavior p. 230
The Letters Behavior p. 237
The New Phrase Button Behavior p. 237
Putting It All Together p. 238
Game Variations p. 239
Accepting Keyboard Input p. 239
Phrase Themes p. 239
Hangman Without the Hangman p. 240
Word Search p. 241
Game Overview p. 242
The Matrix p. 243
The Word List p. 243
Selecting a Word p. 243
Marking Words p. 243
Populating the Matrix p. 243
Making the Game p. 244
Putting It All Together p. 255
Game Variations p. 256
Word Themes p. 256
Matrix Size p. 257
Word Direction p. 257
Selection Methods p. 257
Crossword Puzzle p. 259
Game Overview p. 260
The Grid p. 260
The Clue List p. 261
Building the Puzzle p. 261
Character Entry p. 261
Special Effects p. 261
Making the Game p. 262
Frame Behavior p. 262
Grid Square Behavior p. 274
Clue List behavior p. 275
Putting It All Together p. 275
Game Variations p. 276
Crossword Themes p. 276
Stretching the Definition of a Word p. 276
Storing Multiple Puzzles in One Game p. 277
Skipping the Puzzle-Building Step p. 277
Card Games p. 279
Video Poker p. 281
Game Overview p. 282
The Deck of Cards p. 283
Three Screens p. 283
Poker Hand Values p. 284
Giving Values to Hands p. 286
The Draw p. 286
Special Effects p. 287
Making the Game p. 287
Frame Behavior p. 287
Hold Button Behavior p. 294
Other Button Behaviors p. 296
Putting It All Together p. 296
Game Variations p. 298
Colorful Background p. 298
Better Cards p. 298
No Card Backs p. 298
Win Sounds p. 299
Progressive Scoring p. 299
Blackjack p. 301
Game Overview p. 302
The Shoe p. 302
The Cards As Sprites p. 303
Displaying Hands p. 304
Hand Values p. 304
Insurance p. 304
Double p. 305
Splits p. 305
Multiple Screens p. 305
Special Effects p. 306
Making the Game p. 306
Putting It All Together p. 321
Game Variations p. 324
Dealer Hits on Soft 17 p. 324
Limiting Splits and Doubles p. 324
Cards and Background p. 324
Bets and the Wallet p. 324
Chips p. 325
Solitaire p. 327
Game Overview p. 328
Deck of Cards p. 329
Naming Conventions p. 330
Sprite Arrangement p. 330
Card Movement p. 330
Special Effects p. 331
Making the Game p. 331
Frame Behavior p. 331
Card Drag Behavior p. 342
Other Behaviors p. 345
Putting It All Together p. 345
Game Variations p. 346
Las Vegas Rules p. 347
Animated Cards p. 347
Other Solitaire Games p. 347
Adventure and Strategy Games p. 349
Adventure Game p. 351
Game Overview p. 352
Rooms p. 352
Movement p. 353
Walls p. 353
Objects p. 353
Doors p. 354
Monsters p. 354
Signs p. 355
Containers p. 355
Points p. 355
The Puzzle p. 355
Special Effects p. 356
Making the Game p. 356
Character Behavior p. 356
Wall Behavior p. 362
Object Behavior p. 363
Door Behavior p. 364
Monster Behavior p. 365
Sign Behavior p. 368
Container Behavior p. 368
Points Behavior p. 369
Message Behavior p. 370
Putting It All Together p. 371
The Game Diagram p. 371
Creating the Rooms p. 372
Attaching the Behaviors p. 374
Game Variations p. 375
Scenarios p. 375
Multiple Monsters p. 375
Keys That Open Containers That Have Keys p. 375
Secret Doors p. 376
More Behaviors p. 376
The Aftermath p. 376
Game Over p. 376
Maze Game p. 377
Game Overview p. 378
Generating a Random Maze p. 378
Moving Around in the Maze p. 379
Graphics p. 379
A Goal p. 380
Special Effects p. 380
Making the Game p. 380
Maze Movie Script p. 380
Maze Frame Behavior p. 384
Putting It All Together p. 386
Game Variations p. 387
Better Walls p. 387
Different Size Maze p. 388
Different Maze Shape p. 388
Objects in the Maze p. 388
An Enemy in the Maze p. 388
Strategy Game p. 389
Game Overview p. 390
Countries and Connections p. 390
Start of Play p. 391
Start of a Turn p. 391
Attacking p. 391
Victory p. 391
Artificial Intelligence p. 392
The Map p. 392
Special Effects p. 392
Making the Game p. 393
The Movie Script p. 393
Initialization Behavior p. 397
Country Behaviors p. 397
Initial Place Behavior p. 398
Player Place Behavior p. 400
Player Attack Behavior p. 401
Computer Place Behavior p. 404
Computer Attack Behavior p. 408
Putting It All Together p. 411
Game Variations p. 413
Better AI p. 413
Different Maps p. 414
Victory Determinants p. 414
Fortifications p. 414
Extra Armies p. 414
More Players p. 414
Multiplayer Games p. 415
High Score Boards p. 417
Basic Method p. 418
HTML Forms p. 418
CGI Scripts p. 419
Implementations p. 419
HTML High Score Board p. 419
Built-In High Score Board p. 420
Score Rotation p. 420
Making the High Score Board p. 420
Submitting a High Score p. 421
Recording a High Score p. 422
Getting the High Score Board p. 425
Displaying the High Score Board p. 427
Using the High Score Board p. 428
Setup p. 428
Other Uses for High Score Boards p. 429
Contests p. 429
Surveys p. 429
Replacing HTML Forms p. 429
High Scores from a Projector p. 429
Multiplayer Game p. 431
Game Overview p. 432
What You Will Need p. 432
Running the Multiuser Server p. 433
Making a Game Lobby p. 433
Game Play p. 434
Making the Game p. 434
Movie Script p. 434
User List Behavior p. 444
Tic-Tac-Toe Behavior p. 444
Game Sprite Behavior p. 447
Putting It All Together p. 448
Game Variations p. 449
Input Validation p. 449
Cancellation p. 449
Multiple Challenges p. 449
Better User Identification p. 449
Appendixes p. 451
Useful Lingo Index p. 453
Useful Internet Resources p. 457
Director and Lingo p. 458
Shockwave Game Sites p. 459
Game Design p. 459
Game Programming p. 461
Artificial Intelligence p. 462
Classic Video Games p. 463
General Game Information p. 464
Index p. 467