The MPAGD Beginners Guide

In this Guide we will learn to build an entire game in MPAGD. The guide assumes you have little to no programming knowledge so is ideal for absolute beginners who want to start creating retro computer games.

Should be fun!...

Let's create an MPAGD game: Part 29: Adding a timer/countdown to your game

Bruce

7 min

Let's create an MPAGD game: Part 29: Adding a timer/countdown to your game

Suppose in your game you want to give the player a set amount of time to complete each screen. And then, perhaps, give them a bonus...

Let's create an MPAGD game: Part 28: Deep Dive into JUMPing

Bruce

3 min

Let's create an MPAGD game: Part 28: Deep Dive into JUMPing

If you're designing a 2D side-on game, like a platformer, chances are your player will need to JUMP. Which is easily added by binding a...

Let's create an MPAGD game: Part 27: Making your controls redefinable

Bruce

4 min

Let's create an MPAGD game: Part 27: Making your controls redefinable

How to make your game control keys redefinable

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 26: Improving the KILL PLAYER routine and TYPE switching

Bruce

7 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 26: Improving the KILL PLAYER routine and TYPE switching

Using TYPE SWITCHING to change the player type and sprite to create a nice death animation before KILLing the player

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 25: PLOT an air purity meter

Bruce

4 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 25: PLOT an air purity meter

Using PLOT to create a meter / bar

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 24: We're going to need a bigger window

Bruce

3 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 24: We're going to need a bigger window

Changing the size of the play area window.

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 23: Adding basic sounds with BEEP and CRASH

Bruce

7 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 23: Adding basic sounds with BEEP and CRASH

Introduces BEEP, CRASH, DELAY, AIRBORNE , timers and temporary variables

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 22: Working with text, MESSAGEs, CHaRacters and PRINTMODE

Bruce

6 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 22: Working with text, MESSAGEs, CHaRacters and PRINTMODE

So far, we've learnt how to get information onto the screen using commands such as PRINT "" and DISPLAY plus some special ones like...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 21: Changing fonts, COLOUR, PAPER, INK and CLUT

Bruce

5 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 21: Changing fonts, COLOUR, PAPER, INK and CLUT

In our last lesson, we looked at working with the player SCORE, BONUS and DISPLAYing it on the screen, also using AT and PRINT to also...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 20: SCOREs, LIVES and DISPLAYing stuff.

Bruce

7 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 20: SCOREs, LIVES and DISPLAYing stuff.

Our game is starting to take shape, now is probably a good time to sort out the mess that is currently the score bar at the top of the...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 19: The other blocks: DEADLY, CUSTOM and WATER

Bruce

7 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 19: The other blocks: DEADLY, CUSTOM and WATER

Adding DEADLYBLOCKS and creating sliding ice blocks with CUSTOMBLOCKS

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 18: DIG these FODDERBLOCKs

Bruce

3 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 18: DIG these FODDERBLOCKs

A look at FODDERBLOCKS and the DIG command

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 17: Introducing OBJECTs

Bruce

5 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 17: Introducing OBJECTs

Adding OBJECTs to your game that the player can collect and interact with

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 16: SPAWNing a super power for Stinky Dog

Bruce

13 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 16: SPAWNing a super power for Stinky Dog

Covers commands including SPAWN, REPEAT, OTHER, working with COLLISION, DIRECTION as well as using timings...oh and farts, lots of farts.

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 15: Game objectives and introducing DATA and READ

Bruce

4 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 15: Game objectives and introducing DATA and READ

In which we will give the game an objective and learn about DATA, READ & REPEAT

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 14: Editing the Player Script

Bruce

5 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 14: Editing the Player Script

Now that we've added a ladder to our game, created a sprite for our character when he goes up and down the ladder, and set the keys for...

Let's create an MPAGD game: Part 13; Editing the MAP

Bruce

1 min

Let's create an MPAGD game: Part 13; Editing the MAP

The Map Editor is where we connect our screens together. When you first open it there will be just one screen, Screen 0: This is our...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 12 - Adding Ladders

Bruce

2 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 12 - Adding Ladders

So far, in our game, its pretty much a standard platform affair, with controls for left, right and jump. But what if we wanted to add...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 11 - Collectibles and our first code

Bruce

3 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 11 - Collectibles and our first code

I'm going to create a Bone, and Stinky Dog will try to collect them, each time he does, he'll score some points. To create the bone,...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 10 - A first enemy and animation

Bruce

2 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 10 - A first enemy and animation

We are going to need an enemy sprite...so head back to the sprite editor. Here's Stinky Dogs nemesis....Sideways Clive (no relation to...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 9 - Setting the play window

Bruce

2 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 9 - Setting the play window

We've just seen how MPAGD defaults to a square play area with game scores an other info down the right hand side. But this doesn't suit...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 8 - Our first build and play test.

Bruce

1 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 8 - Our first build and play test.

From the File Menu we selected Build... OK, we're ready to test our progress, if everything's gone OK...this should happen. Note that...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 7 - Generating the Players Script

Bruce

2 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 7 - Generating the Players Script

The Script Generator looks a little daunting at first, but it soon makes sense. Basically, in MPAGD the code behind the Player and your...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 6 - Keyboard Controls

Bruce

1 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 6 - Keyboard Controls

This shouldn't take long... Click the buttons that you want to use in the game and once highlighted, hit the key that you want to use to...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 5 - The Sprite Positions Editor

Bruce

1 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 5 - The Sprite Positions Editor

It's important that for every screen of your game you have a starting position for your player sprite (as well as any enemies or other...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 4 - The Screen Editor

Bruce

1 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 4 - The Screen Editor

The Screen Editor lets you create and update the screens that will form the levels and map of your game. When we first create a game with...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 3 - The Block Editor

Bruce

2 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 3 - The Block Editor

The Block editor is where you will create the 8px by 8px blocks that we will use to design the screens of our game

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 2 - The Sprite Editor

Bruce

2 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 2 - The Sprite Editor

From the Editor menu, select Sprites OK, so all sprites in MPAGD are 16 x 16 squares. In the top right of the editor are two colour...

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 1 - Getting Started

Bruce

2 min

Let's create an MPAGD game - Part 1 - Getting Started

I thought it might be useful to create an entire MPAGD game from scratch and blog about it. I doubt we'll end up with anything...

The MPAGD Beginners Guide

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