Minilop Retroware

MPAGD Beginners · Part 9 of 29

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

22 November 2020

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 our game so let's change it. The Window Size editor lets us increase and decrease the play area and move or remove any of the optional information like the scores. Here's how it looks with our current game setup:

Screenshot from the tutorial

The big grey square is our current play area, the top right grey rectangle is where the score is displayed, benath it the lives, and beneath that the High Score.

On the right hand side the buttons represent the available information that MPAGD can display (you can add your own later) If you click the Score button you'll notice that the score is removed:

Screenshot from the tutorial

Click the Score button again and it reappears, now click the scores rectangle - it will turn red to show us that we have selected it:

Screenshot from the tutorial

Now click one of the squares in the top row and the score will be positioned there:

Let's move the score to theme top left corner of the screen.

Screenshot from the tutorial

I've left enough space to the left so that I can add the word 'SCORE' later

Next, follow the same routine for moving the Lives and the High Score to the top row...when you are done, it should look like this:

Screenshot from the tutorial

Next we'll increase the size of the play area to fill the rest of the screen. To do this, first click the big grey play area square, it should turn red:

Screenshot from the tutorial

To increase the play area size we can click the top left square where we want it to start:

Screenshot from the tutorial

..and then click the bottom right square where you want the area to end..

Screenshot from the tutorial

Once you confirm, your screen size and information positions will be saved:

Screenshot from the tutorial

This has now altered our screen size, but it wont automatically update the screens of your games, go back to the screen editor - you will now see there is a lot more empty space for us to take advantage of:

Screenshot from the tutorial

So let's edit our screen to use the additional space:

Screenshot from the tutorial

Build your game again and check everything's where you expect it to be:

Screenshot from the tutorial

If everything looks good...I think it's time to give the Dog an enemy to contend with.

NEXT: Part 10 - Our first Enemy and Animation

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