dMZX Forums: A brief suggestion to all those releasing games:: - dMZX Forums

Jump to content

Message from the Management

When you finish a new game, demo, engine, or utility, the first thing to do is submit it to the archive for approval. (Log in first, then Upload a New Game from the sidebar.) Then feel free to post about it in this forum; in fact, please continue to do this. This is so people will actually know about your game and play it. As nice as it is to have archive uploads automated, it's not going to help much if no one knows you have a new game to play.

When uploading your games to the archive, please zip up your game using the .ZIP format, even if it is just a .MZX file. As for less popular formats (such as RAR and 7Z), games uploaded in these formats will be rejected. This is because as wonderful as those compression algorithms might be, ZIP is a near universal compression standard, and the only one that will work with the in-game archive browser planned for MZX.

You can also attach your game to a new thread in this forum. In this case, you can use whatever compression format you find suitable. NOTE: Games posted this way won't be put into the archive unless submitted to the archive proper, or unless the author states he/she wants the game in.

Lastly, we suggest you post a suitable screenshot of your submission (in PNG format) along with the game.
  • (2 Pages)
  • +
  • 1
  • 2
  • You cannot start a new topic
  • You cannot reply to this topic

A brief suggestion to all those releasing games:: (You may get on with life afterwards)

#1 User is offline   hob nado 

  • Ancient Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 4,718
  • Joined: 23-September 00
  • Gender:Male

Posted 25 September 2003 - 12:46 AM

First of all: Congratulations. You're releasing something.

Now, down to business - when you put together a game, PLEASE prefix your filenames with the acronym of your game, for easy reference and organization, and to keep them all together. Even if it's something you didn't make, like a MOD or a SAM (the content of the files will reveal that, or you can cite it in a text file) - it really helps, for organizational purposes, both yours and the player of your game.
0

#2 User is offline   Terryn 

  • ******
  • Group: DigiStaff
  • Posts: 2,961
  • Joined: 12-October 00
  • Gender:Male

Posted 25 September 2003 - 02:20 AM

Also, might I add....

Including a text file is a near-MUST, whether it simply has the author name/nick and game name or if it's more comprehensive (I'll give Luke big credit for that; he wrote good accompanying text files). It helps to put your name/nick somewhere in the game too. Trust me, I've been wrangling with sorting MZX files lately and having to dig around for gamename/authorname is a royal pain.
angelic stream - shed sanguine - ill-adapt - avis - para/lyser - renaissance - dead tangent - phosphene blur - birth breeds death - ________ - painted glass - lagniappe

<Exophase> HES STEALING MAH AIRSHIP!!!!!!11111111
0

#3 User is offline   Exophase 

  • Laughing on the inside.
  • Group: DigiStaff
  • Posts: 7,155
  • Joined: 23-October 00
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Cleveland, OH

Posted 25 September 2003 - 04:22 AM

I thought this deserved pinning. I don't have much to add at the moment, but I will later.

- Exo
~ ex0 has a kickass battle engine, without it you sux0rz! without it you sux0rz! ~

"The fact that I say I've one of the best, is called honesty." -Akwende
"Megazeux is not ment to be just ASCII, it is ANSI!" - T-bone6
"I hate it when you get all exo on me." - emalkay

Exophase can what Rubi-cant.
exoware is ware ur ware is exoware
ps. not loking 4 new membrs kthx
0

#4 User is offline   Pyro1588 

  • wojtek
  • PipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 145
  • Joined: 20-October 02
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Minnesota

Posted 25 September 2003 - 08:08 PM

one other thing: make sure that the zip is structured properly. my computer has a lot of trouble creating a stable zip file, so be sure and test-extract it.
<Tox> bah. I may as well give in and shop australia. D:
<pyro1588> "welcome to australia, can i help you find what you're looking for?"
<Tox> pyro1588, I'm giving you the most reproachful of glares right now.
--------
Go show those nutty Koreans what us crazy Europeans are made of pirate.gif pirate.gif pirate.gif - Saike
<exophase> The old Commodore strategy of, "Go friggin' bankrupt!"
<wervyn> Go away! I'm writing the same engine I always do!
0

#5 User is offline   weasel 

  • bleh
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 7,915
  • Joined: 23-December 00
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Hillsboro, Oregon

Posted 25 September 2003 - 08:34 PM

I oughta make a text file template for MZX authors, like the ones they provide for Doom and Quake modders.
Blaugh!
Serious damage to important body parts pretty much ruins any plans you had for living. Bummer.
0

#6 User is offline   Micah 

  • Ancient Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 5,330
  • Joined: 25-January 03
  • Gender:Male

Posted 25 September 2003 - 09:04 PM

If you can fit the name of your game into 8 chars, do you just name the .mzx file after the game?
♫ ▄ █ ▄ █ ▄ █ ▄
0

#7 User is offline   Pyro1588 

  • wojtek
  • PipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 145
  • Joined: 20-October 02
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Minnesota

Posted 25 September 2003 - 11:42 PM

that's the best way to go.
<Tox> bah. I may as well give in and shop australia. D:
<pyro1588> "welcome to australia, can i help you find what you're looking for?"
<Tox> pyro1588, I'm giving you the most reproachful of glares right now.
--------
Go show those nutty Koreans what us crazy Europeans are made of pirate.gif pirate.gif pirate.gif - Saike
<exophase> The old Commodore strategy of, "Go friggin' bankrupt!"
<wervyn> Go away! I'm writing the same engine I always do!
0

#8 User is offline   Padz 

  • Advanced Member
  • PipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 393
  • Joined: 02-October 02
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:England IOW

Posted 26 September 2003 - 01:46 PM

Remember to put all of the damn files in(unlike what i did!)

there is nothing more anoying than getting a game that your really looking forward to and then BAM! palette missing here charset gone there.

many a time ive gone through my entire game to find all the file to zip up and theres allways one you miss.

once i put every file in checked, double checked and then after zipping realised i forgot the damn world file!?!
He who has not faced death can never understand life
0

#9 User is offline   ShloobeR 

  • theire are with too much aaaaaaaaaargh
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 3,984
  • Joined: 07-February 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:El Chair

Posted 26 September 2003 - 03:41 PM

LeDgEnD, on Sep 26 2003, 03:46 PM, said:

Remember to put all of the damn files in(unlike what i did!)

there is nothing more anoying than getting a game that your really looking forward to and then BAM! palette missing here charset gone there.

many a time ive gone through my entire game to find all the file to zip up and theres allways one you miss.

once i put every file in checked, double checked and then after zipping realised i forgot the damn world file!?!

Yeh Nogozone Demo had that problem horribly
0

#10 User is offline   Koji 

  • End
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 6,644
  • Joined: 15-November 01
  • Gender:Not Telling
  • Location:US, NC

Posted 26 September 2003 - 05:01 PM

Thats a big proble... I mean that's like sending someone a program without the EXS's (BAD example as MZX files aren't executables...)
0

#11 User is offline   Pyro1588 

  • wojtek
  • PipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 145
  • Joined: 20-October 02
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Minnesota

Posted 27 September 2003 - 01:10 AM

heh heh
that is really funny
<Tox> bah. I may as well give in and shop australia. D:
<pyro1588> "welcome to australia, can i help you find what you're looking for?"
<Tox> pyro1588, I'm giving you the most reproachful of glares right now.
--------
Go show those nutty Koreans what us crazy Europeans are made of pirate.gif pirate.gif pirate.gif - Saike
<exophase> The old Commodore strategy of, "Go friggin' bankrupt!"
<wervyn> Go away! I'm writing the same engine I always do!
0

#12 User is offline   Dr Lancer-X 

  • 電波、届いた?
  • Group: DigiStaff
  • Posts: 8,938
  • Joined: 20-March 02
  • Location:ur mom nmiaow

Posted 27 September 2003 - 04:50 AM

To solve all the problems Tix and Terr pointed out, include the game path when archiving the file... that way, they can't get mixed up.

~ Lancer-X
Posted Image
<Malwyn> Yes, yes. Don't worry I'd rather masturbate with broken glass than ask you for help again. :(
0

#13 User is offline   Mr. Apol 

  • medica mechanica
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 3,206
  • Joined: 12-September 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:alefgard

Posted 04 October 2003 - 06:10 PM

Terryn, on Sep 24 2003, 08:20 PM, said:

I'll give Luke big credit for that; he wrote good accompanying text files.

Yeah, he did. I've been doing my text files for my games like that. At least he set ONE good example. :P
0

#14 User is offline   axii 

  • feel my mighty KUNG FU POWERS !!
  • PipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 211
  • Joined: 19-December 03
  • Location:Sacremento California!

Posted 23 December 2003 - 08:12 PM

one thing to remember is making the readme file named something other than "readme.txt" how many readme.txt's can you have in a directory? oh yeah one..
another thing is if your game has more than a few files, (and if it does I hope you already do this...) try to zip the directory not just the files, for easier sorting.
<Es> "What are you listening to?" "Oh, you know. I'm pretty heavy into caverntronica."
<Fungahhh> for now on i'm going to list caverntronica as a music genre i listen to.
<Fungahhh> it can be the new underground thing!
<Es> We will get it into the vocabulary of hipsters!
<Es> And then we will CALL THEM ON IT WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS
<Fungahhh> i'm submitting that to urbandictionary <3
<Es> <3
<axii> they will hunt you down
<axii> and eat your legs
0

#15 User is offline   Pyro1588 

  • wojtek
  • PipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 145
  • Joined: 20-October 02
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Minnesota

Posted 24 December 2003 - 12:57 AM

*cough*topic revival*cough*
<Tox> bah. I may as well give in and shop australia. D:
<pyro1588> "welcome to australia, can i help you find what you're looking for?"
<Tox> pyro1588, I'm giving you the most reproachful of glares right now.
--------
Go show those nutty Koreans what us crazy Europeans are made of pirate.gif pirate.gif pirate.gif - Saike
<exophase> The old Commodore strategy of, "Go friggin' bankrupt!"
<wervyn> Go away! I'm writing the same engine I always do!
0

#16 User is offline   Risu2112 

  • I can't get the top off this bottle
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 1,864
  • Joined: 12-August 01
  • Gender:Male

Posted 24 December 2003 - 01:04 AM

Pyro1588, on Dec 23 2003, 05:57 PM, said:

*cough*topic revival*cough*

... it's pinned, as long as it is, it can't die. =P
Respond! Vibrate! Feed back! Resonate!
<Cybersilver> "All my sugestions are for FUTER VERSIONS. Say it with me Fu-ter futer. Yep..."
9-21-2009, SFMZX game play video: HERE
Risu2112
0

#17 User is offline   Nanobot 

  • It's in your blood
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 1,623
  • Joined: 11-October 00
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Chico, CA (USA)

Posted 28 December 2003 - 02:15 AM

I suggest naming the text file the same as the ZIP. And unless there are different releases of the same game/whatever or if the game spans multiple MZX files, I suggest naming the ZIP file the same as the MZX game file.
The Nanobox, where wings take dreams...
0

#18 User is offline   RoSS 

  • RIP Fred Friedberg 2004
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 3,283
  • Joined: 22-October 00
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Right in front of behind you.

Post icon  Posted 28 December 2003 - 08:40 AM

Dunno about you guys, but I extract every zip into its own folder, even if it's just a world file. Things are a lot more organized like that. Plus, files with the same name (i.e. readme's, save files, etc) don't get mixed up.
-RoSS
<img src="http://ross.box43.net/sig.php/sig.png" border="0" class="linked-sig-image" />
0

#19 User is offline   Exophase 

  • Laughing on the inside.
  • Group: DigiStaff
  • Posts: 7,155
  • Joined: 23-October 00
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Cleveland, OH

Posted 28 December 2003 - 10:01 AM

The only problem with that is I end up with like 30 copies of certain mods and sams :\

- Exo
~ ex0 has a kickass battle engine, without it you sux0rz! without it you sux0rz! ~

"The fact that I say I've one of the best, is called honesty." -Akwende
"Megazeux is not ment to be just ASCII, it is ANSI!" - T-bone6
"I hate it when you get all exo on me." - emalkay

Exophase can what Rubi-cant.
exoware is ware ur ware is exoware
ps. not loking 4 new membrs kthx
0

#20 User is offline   weasel 

  • bleh
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 7,915
  • Joined: 23-December 00
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Hillsboro, Oregon

Posted 28 December 2003 - 07:20 PM

Exophase, on Dec 28 2003, 03:01 AM, said:

The only problem with that is I end up with like 30 copies of certain mods and sams :\

- Exo

That's not a heck of a lot of space. The average game usually contains a little under a meg worth of MOD's and sound files, and the only way that'll add up to much is if you have over 100 games in your directory...and with a good hard drive (at least 10 gigs), that's barely a scratch.
Blaugh!
Serious damage to important body parts pretty much ruins any plans you had for living. Bummer.
0

#21 User is offline   Dr Lancer-X 

  • 電波、届いた?
  • Group: DigiStaff
  • Posts: 8,938
  • Joined: 20-March 02
  • Location:ur mom nmiaow

Posted 29 December 2003 - 03:50 AM

Exo: You probably wouldn't want to play games that rip frequently used music, anyway.. after all, if it gives any indication of the quality of the game..
Posted Image
<Malwyn> Yes, yes. Don't worry I'd rather masturbate with broken glass than ask you for help again. :(
0

#22 User is offline   Elig 

  • Advanced Member
  • PipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 382
  • Joined: 21-March 02
  • Gender:Not Telling

Posted 29 December 2003 - 05:15 AM

Having a few copies of certain mods and sams is better than overwritting a mod or sam with a different one with the same generic name (Aka; Bang.sam, etc.) Atleast its better IMO anyway
<Lancy-Rexxy> Hey, Elig. Any GUI progress ?
<Mooseka> YES LANCER <b>TALK DIRTY TO ME</b>
<GMCBay> When creating a game, the first thing I do is design the box cover for the special edition collectors DVD. The second thing I do is begin thinking about what will be in the sequel.
<Koji> SOYLENT MILK IS COWS!! D:
<Jotz> you guys have such a mindless disdain for a delicious mint julep! that you're making it not work by thinking that it won't.
<Jotz> Sorry, but I don't think this project is going to succeed like a delicious mint julep! did.
<xicloid> Isn't there anything like "return null"in C?
0

#23 User is offline   Xeirxes 

  • guitars still work
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 1,649
  • Joined: 05-November 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Gardnerville, Nevada

Posted 29 December 2003 - 05:43 AM

Bang.sam is usually a bang sound, so I don't even bother with it. I mean, let's say you name your sound "flush". Does it matter what noise it is, as long as it's of a toilet flushing?
Well, it doesn't, at least in my opinion.
Xeirxes

<Exophase> Way to be drunk on NOTHING Xeirxes
0

#24 User is offline   Koji 

  • End
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 6,644
  • Joined: 15-November 01
  • Gender:Not Telling
  • Location:US, NC

Posted 29 December 2003 - 10:42 AM

But the quality of the flush may change.

And that my friend, makes ALL the difference!
0

#25 User is offline   weasel 

  • bleh
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 7,915
  • Joined: 23-December 00
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Hillsboro, Oregon

Posted 29 December 2003 - 05:58 PM

Koji, on Dec 29 2003, 03:42 AM, said:

But the quality of the flush may change.

And that my friend, makes ALL the difference!

And that is why I am here! I provide only the BEST flushing sounds!
Blaugh!
Serious damage to important body parts pretty much ruins any plans you had for living. Bummer.
0

#26 User is offline   Xeirxes 

  • guitars still work
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 1,649
  • Joined: 05-November 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Gardnerville, Nevada

Posted 29 December 2003 - 06:40 PM

That's true. I guess it would be good practice to, when extracting a zip, make sure that the files you overwrite are smaller than the ones in the zip.
Xeirxes

<Exophase> Way to be drunk on NOTHING Xeirxes
0

#27 User is offline   KKairos 

  • not an actual chipmunk
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 2,245
  • Joined: 05-August 00
  • Gender:Male

Posted 30 December 2003 - 06:08 PM

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet, but you might want to beta-test your games BEFORE you release them. Lack of beta-testing has led to many a subpar DoZ for me.
darganflayer.net kaikairos.dev itch.io
0

#28 User is offline   Dr Lancer-X 

  • 電波、届いた?
  • Group: DigiStaff
  • Posts: 8,938
  • Joined: 20-March 02
  • Location:ur mom nmiaow

Posted 31 December 2003 - 03:11 AM

Xerxes; from now on I'm appending like a minute of silence to all the .SAMs I release. =p
Posted Image
<Malwyn> Yes, yes. Don't worry I'd rather masturbate with broken glass than ask you for help again. :(
0

#29 User is offline   ZzCrook 

  • Veteran Member
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 1,897
  • Joined: 31-October 00
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Vancouver, BC

Posted 24 August 2004 - 02:47 AM

I have a habit of pressing Alt+T to test after every little thing I do. Most of the time it prevents any bugs... but the occasional one sneaks through.
- ZzCrook
0

#30 User is offline   Pyro1588 

  • wojtek
  • PipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 145
  • Joined: 20-October 02
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Minnesota

Posted 24 August 2004 - 09:54 PM

rayne: come on. one topic i can understand. two? i mean, are we just going around reviving pinned threads for the heck of it?
edit:
Posted Image
i couldn't find a decent "oh no not again" pic, so this is the best i can do.

This post has been edited by Pyro1588: 24 August 2004 - 10:07 PM

<Tox> bah. I may as well give in and shop australia. D:
<pyro1588> "welcome to australia, can i help you find what you're looking for?"
<Tox> pyro1588, I'm giving you the most reproachful of glares right now.
--------
Go show those nutty Koreans what us crazy Europeans are made of pirate.gif pirate.gif pirate.gif - Saike
<exophase> The old Commodore strategy of, "Go friggin' bankrupt!"
<wervyn> Go away! I'm writing the same engine I always do!
0

Share this topic:


  • (2 Pages)
  • +
  • 1
  • 2
  • You cannot start a new topic
  • You cannot reply to this topic

1 User(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users