Dear PokeCommunity and friends,
Hello everyone! How's everyone doing?
Apologies if this is the wrong section to post this. The information here might not be relevant but I just wanted you guys to know a little of the background to the question.
My name is Andrey Meadows and I'm a Programming teacher (Trainee) (I specialize in Games programming) in London., UK. I teach at a local University.
This year I've received over 150 students who which to start learning a programming language in the new pre-academic year (we already started). This 4 year Programming course is very extensive and requires a lot of patience and dedication and most important of all, CREATIVITY! I can only choose 110 out of 150 before the course starts in late October.
My students don't have programming experience at all; a few of them know a little bit but far from a professional level. Since the course is more game programming orientated, I always start by asking them to make a game using already made tools. I asked everyone which game they wanted to undertake and nearly 80% of the class said POKEMON (When I asked why, they said because they grew up with it and have played all the games).
I know it might be really easy to some of you guys but this is just a fun exercise for my students. To see their creative points and also to get to know them better.
So after I consulted the head programming professor I was given the go ahead. This project is just so they know a little bit how modifying and making a game is like, in a much smaller scale of course.
So they will be graded based on their creativity by me, my job is not to make the game but to test it out and see their creativity and imagination flourish. The deadline is mid October 2010...But they have to make a complete game from start to finish and have a portfolio on what they did when they faced a problem.
Which leads me here, we've started creating the game using advance map and all the software available at wackahack.com...And it's been very fruitful and fun to be honest. Now everyone, keep in mind that I don't know anything about POKEMON what so ever, so I had to research from scratch so I could be on the same level as my students. You must understand that this was hard for me to undertake and oversee this project. This took a lot of time and dedication as pokemon is not really from my generation. So now I know a little bit about pokemon and the concept.
There are a lot of nice tutorials here, and some are very detailed, but slightly confusing according to a few of my students. (A few of my students never played pokemon or as any interest in it)
Everyone has done their map using pokemon series emerald. We modified LITTLEROOT TOWN 0.9... Which included altering the size of the town, putting grass and a lake and creating new houses....also putting the movement permissions and some events.
The problem that everyone has and is stuck on is that WE CANNOT ENTER THE HOUSES WE BUILD WHEN TESTING THE GAME OUT ON VISUALBOYADVANCE, THE WARPS ONLY ALLOW US TO MOVE FROM A PLACE TO ANOTHER BUT NOT INSIDE THE ACTUAL HOUSE WE BUILT.
(The picture attached to this post is the town one of my students created, just a quick sketch)
I'm sure there's a simple explanation to solve this problem but I can't seem to crack what it is, all the tutorials and threads in this site and others don't mention that sector so I'm kind of desperate as my students have turned to me for help. (And I have other teaching matters to do so time is really lacking for me to look into it in detail)
We can't go back in the project as we have a deadline and I really don't want to change projects at this point. Remember this project is to exploit their creativity and imagination and will count for their overall grade based on their creativity.
Were also having problems with person events? I kind of understand it but as I said we have a deadline so time is really tight.... I know the deadline is in October but I have to mark all their work (150 students) and grade it.
So if there's someone here that would kindly explain this to me so I can pass it on to my students I would be forever grateful...I will post in here all of my students designs for your viewing pleasure as a thank you to all...and a list of their name saying thank you when they complete the task.
Also, the tutorials here are wonderful but lacking pictures and examples on a few key threads, so if there's anyone that can put together a FULL ADVANCE MAP DETAILED TUTORIAL FROM A TO Z( some of my students don't know anything about pokemon and the game so that's why I'm asking because we're on a tight deadline and I have no time to do massive research, which is my fault) ,I would be so grateful, then I could print it and pass on to my 150+ students from 6 different classes. (With your permission of course).
So please friends, any comment would be really appreciated and used to help my students...any questions you guys might have I will promptly reply back.
From a Desperate Teacher
Prof Andrey Meadows.