Piggles
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Posts posted by Piggles
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These are all nice. I've never been one who minded pressing up to jump, but these are a nice alternative.
The problem I had with the first demo was the inability to shoot while running.
I think the 2nd demo is my favorite.
While I like the idea of being able to sprint while running, it seems that when I go to jump a hole when running at normal pace, I may mess up because of the sprint which I'm forced to do. Precise jumping is difficult because of this. I do like the added ability to roll.
I like the engine very much. With careful level design, I think the timing of jumps won't be so frustrating. And I like how you fit 3 floors. You can put a lot of gameplay into 3 floors per screen.
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Here is a version with the following changes:
1) Shoot while Running: Fire + Joystick left or Joystick right.
2) Hi-Speed Sprint: Joystick up-left or Joystick up-righ.t
So the idea here is that the up diagonals give you a boost of speed while your running towards your jump-goal. The thing I like about it is that it marks an obvious on-screen change between shooting and jumping modes, and that this change actually helps achieve the players goal (jumping over an enemy or across a gap) by giving his jump more horizontal momentum.
That's my favorite. I can kick some alien butt with those controls.
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I recall we had some conversations before about using the fire button to shoot versus using it to jump. The problem is that some game designs call for a lot of shooting and jumping. I agree with the general consensus that using "fire button to shoot/ press the joystick up to jump" is just counter intuitive and feels unnatural, so I started working on a way to use the fire button for both actions.
In this little demo, the controls are as follows:
Run: Joystick left, Joystick right, Joystick up-left or Joystick up-right.
Duck: Joystick down.
Shoot: Fire + no Joystick, Joystick down, Joystick left or Joystick right
Jump: Fire + Joystick up, up-left or up-right
So basically the idea is that whenever the up-switch is detected on the joystick, you are in "jumping mode," and when it's not detected you are in "shooting mode." So, you can also shoot in mid-air as long as you aren't pressing one of the "up" directions (up, up-left or up-right).
I think that the demo I threw together could potentially be Pitfall-esque gameplay... except of course that you can blast stuff!
If any of you guys get a chance to play around with it, I'd like some feedback on how comfortable this control setup is. It would be especially great if someone with an Atari joystick (either USB or real hardware) can let me know if it feels natural.
Thanks,
J
I find it to be comfortable. But take that with a grain of salt, as I don't mind pressing up to jump so long as it doesn't screw up my access to ladders or doors that require me to press Up. I used the keyboard. The physics of jumping and coming down are of professional quality as well.
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Edit:Nevermind. I probably should start learning programming on easier platforms. I don't want to waste anyone's time on a question I'm not going to use. Thanks though.
I urge you to stick with it. Bb is a great platform for arcade type games. You've got a pre-made kernel and hardware sprite collision. All you really need is an idea that excites you and game logic to make it go!
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Thanks. Just wanted to let you guys know I haven't abandoned this game. I'll finish it even if it makes my brain bleed. And thanks for checking daily, but you don't have to do that. When I post a new version, I won't silently sneak it in the first post. I'll make a new post saying there is an updated version in the first post.
I'm psyched! It's the best single screen shooter in some time.
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Here's a thread with a lot of good examples in it:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/109288-code-snippets-samples-for-bb-beginners/
I echo that. Get used to typing in code and having Visual BB give you error messages because you made syntax errors or forgot to indent a line of code. I haven't finished a single Batari project in four years. Not one. It's all come down to practice, for me.
I suppose to make a game, you need to want to make a particular kind of game. I find that if I can't scratch the itch to play a kind of game by playing something that already exists, then there is the impulse to make it. In other words, if playing Phaser Patrol or Star Raiders doesn't scratch your itch for an atari First Person Space Shooter, then there's your impulse to make one that will scratch that itch.
And if I may suggest, print out the command guide and use a Notebook to write your code. I find that being away from the editor and compiler makes me more productive. I of course need the editor to run the program and debug, but I write the vast majority of my code (Bb or otherwise) in a notebook.
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What is a blockread? Or was that just a sample function name with parameters passed to it?
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The normal playfield pixels with default resolution seemed to be the perfect shape for this game. Unless there is a bunch of seaweed clumped up in a big vertical strip, I don't even bother to shoot up or down. I mostly shoot left or right and see how many bits of seaweed I can shoot with the same missile for more points.
And lining up a shot is pretty easy once you get used to moving a little, then coming back so you're in the right spot. If shooting seaweed was easy, they would send down a monkey with a snorkel and a waterproof BB gun.
A monkey with a snorkel would make an amusing Easter Egg. I do like the push-your-luck element of choosing to wait for a row of seaweed or just blasting single pieces to keep the way clear.
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It might just be me, but the ship accelerates too fast. When I push up or down on the joystick to move to a different level so I can shoot a block, the ship flies past it. I find myself going up and down several times until I can properly line up the ship to shoot the block.
I also found it frustrating. However, I believe that's part of the charm and the theme of the game. Your underwater ships are so fast, that the need for blasting seaweed is all the more urgent.
I've played it quite a bit now. I find lining up vertical shots to be far more a problem than horizontal, as the pixels are twice as tall as wide. I kill 99% of the seaweed with horizontal shots. My question is, is it a problem? Or is it a feature? Perhaps I am the problem, and the game is perfect.
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I would like more frequent tentacle attacks! I think they're creepy and exciting, but happen too seldom. It could be because I'm doing lots of horizontal movement and that keeps them away. Even if they were to miss, I think it would add additional drama to the already desperate situation as the sea-weed begins to pile up.
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It might just be me, but the ship accelerates too fast. When I push up or down on the joystick to move to a different level so I can shoot a block, the ship flies past it. I find myself going up and down several times until I can properly line up the ship to shoot the block.
I also found it frustrating. However, I believe that's part of the charm and the theme of the game. Your underwater ships are so fast, that the need for blasting seaweed is all the more urgent.
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I like the animation of the ship and the sound effects. Especially the tentacle music. That was a nice touch. On my first play, I got snagged by the tentacle and then Wrothed while it had me! What a way to die!
Nicely done sir!
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Okay here's a revision of the last type of movement. Now, tapping the joystick in a direction only does a defensive roll if you have the button held down (strafe mode).
Actually I think this is probably the best movement setup of all three, and I think I'm probably going to stick with it. With this version, you can change your aiming direction quickly without going into a roll if you don't hold down the button, making it easier to lock in a new direction.
Obviously, the best control setup would be to have two buttons on the stick (one for strafing and one for firing, maybe), but that would require a Genesis joystick.
Cheers,
J
The controls are sexy and the game plays really well with Cannibal Corpse in the background. You have the knack for getting maximum visual quality and gameplay from the standard kernel and it's fantastic.
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This is a lot of fun. As with all your games, your animations are fantastic. I like how each crew member looks different. You have a good eye for graphic detail. I suggest the laser beams contrast more with the background. I can hardly see my laser beams, making shots difficult to aim.
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I thought my Nethack habit was bad enough. Soon there will be this.
I love your use of pfscroll to build the rooms. I dub thee "The ROM Saver."
What do you have planned next? Will there be enemies to battle?
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I just played this a bit, nice little game. Keep the "poo log" in it's funny!
I think it would be better if the aardvark only stuck out his tongue when you press fire and keep the button pressed.
Chris this is one of your better games! I love the poop!
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More please! I love it.
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Legend! You get around sir! I liked Damit Dungeon.
Yeah I do get around. Musician/board game designer/ artist/beer drinker and hellraiser. lol. Hopefully I can add 2600 game programmer.
You played my original game? cool. Glad you like it. Did you play both the 2 player version and the solo version? You try Mortuum or Shrine? I think I posted links in the same thread on BGG. I gotta re upload them though. Maybe give them their own page on the geek.
ANyways, I'm still working on learning the programming. Hopefully have something playable in a month or so. I hope the game translates well over to the 2600.
I'm also working on another pnp game. There is a thread on the geek. It' called Dark Valhalla.
Just the solo version. I haven't tried the others yet. Good luck with the translation sir!
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Legend! You get around sir! I liked Damit Dungeon.
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For my next project, I thought I'd do a game that isn't on the 2600: Video Poker. Despite my earlier efforts, I think i'll get farther in this game than i have on previous attempts to make a video poker game for the 2600. There are a few bugs, though.
#1 - the scanline is constant at 263, and
#2 - see the picture below.
You can select all five new cards by holding the reset button for a second or two.
It's a good start. The batari kernel may not be good for showing multiple hands of cards. But if your opponent's hand is hidden, then perhaps you'd hit Difficult switch a to b to see the opposing hand. Or if it's a texas holdem poker, the common cards could be viewed by sliding the switch, and then switching back to your and with the switch. You could use the multisprite kernel for a 3 player hold-em game, you vs two comps. Switch back and forth between displaying the two-card hands and the 5 common cards.
Make it a supercharger game and use the extra ram for computer betting and folding A.I. I bet there's a way to use a pointer to a set of graphics without having to code manually all the cards for each sprite. There's 52 cards in a standard deck, so each card held could have a value of 1 to 52. A little if-then can prevent duplicates, and then you can call the appropriate subroutine to set the graphics for your sprite. I do believe there was a question posted here a few months back to that effect. I'll see if I can find it.
I used a blue outline just so i knew not to get outside the 8 pixel width limit. Perhaps something like that would be good for your game.
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What is your preference? Do you want to see all of the ugly, unfinished, unplayable versions of a game or would you rather wait and see a more finished version? I can see the good in both choices, so I don't know which is better. What do you think?
I love seeing anything you have to show us.
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Thank you Jrok for explaining the inventory.
As for gameplay, will the blaster have limited shots? Will you perhaps have to find ammo clips or power cells for it?
Since the story occurs on a space station, perhaps a level might have the lights sabotaged by the aliens, so you don't see them until they're almost on top of you. Either you need to reconnect the lights or get an Infrared goggles so you can see them. If you want to set the mood, you could have a few rooms with flickering lights and others just plain dark.
Setting the mood seems to be your strong point. I got sucked into your early demo with the side view and the teleporters. Your color choices for the playfield and the attention to paid to alien graphics and how they move captures the imagination and immerses the player in the world of the game.
If you want the player to find objects, how do you think you'll display them? Will they appear after the enemies are dead (like Cave-in)? Or perhaps an enemy might lurk in one side of a screen, but the item is in the other, and you can display one or the other depending on were the player is on the screen.
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I notice here and also with the evil magician game you folks implemented a Raiders Of the Lost Ark type of inventory. Is that a custom kernel mod? I browsed the Batari programming manual and found the lives kernel, but I thought that was just one icon repeated. Am I wrong about this?
I'm excited to play more of your game. This reminds me slightly of Secret Quest, except that your game is fun.
This game has changed completely since I first started working on it, so I've ammended my first post accordingly."Armageddon Complex" is a sci-fi action-adventure set on a massive space station that has been taken over by a marauding band of alien terrorists. The aliens are trying to gain access to the station's "Inifinity Collider" - a doomsday device deployed by the Earth's governments as the ultimate peacekeeper. You are humanity's last hope... etc.
So this is obviously still a demo, but there are enough core mechanics in it that I thought it might be worth getting some fresh feedback on it.
HUD:
At the bottom of the screen, the score area displays your current inventory and shield strength. You can hold up to three items in your inventory at a time, and can have a maximum of up to three shields.
CONTROLS:
Left Joystick - Move hero in 8 directions
RightJoystick - Tap and release left or right to change your active Inventory item.
Left Fire Button - Aim or use the active item in your inventory, as follows:
- Laser Sword - While holding the button down, tap the Left Joystick left or right to slash in that direction.
- Gun - Move the Left Joystick in one of 8 directions to aim the gun that way. Release the Fire Button to shoot.
- Crystal Thingee - Well, it doesn't do anything. Yet.
ENEMIES (only two at the moment):
Killer Robot: Garden variety evil robot. They turn up randomly in rooms that you enter, and can be dispatched with a single shot or a swing of your sword.
Mutant X: This is a persistent character that will serve much of the function that the Dragons did in Adventure, relentlessly pursuing you around the complex. You can mangle him with a sword strike or a bullet, but after a few seconds he will re-constitute himself and continue hunting you down.
YOU CAN NOT DIE: Not in this build, anyway.
The control schema is a little wonky right now, so any ideas would be welcome. One of the main things I'm grappling with is whether to allow the player to slash his (completely non-copyright-infringing) Laser Sword in multiple directions, or to have tapping up and down do something else when you have your sword drawn, like block or parry. I just think that might make for some nice swashbuckling duels if you run across an enemy who also has a sword.
Cheers,
Jarod.
- Laser Sword - While holding the button down, tap the Left Joystick left or right to slash in that direction.
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I just played your adventure game and I enjoyed it. I nearly jumped out of my seat when the boss romped across the screen at me.
I didn't expect a quad sized creature.
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Shoot and Jump
in batari Basic
Posted · Edited by Piggles
What might fit with the limitations of the Bb engine is a game with hidden enemies. Your line of sight restricted to the floor of the building that you're on. Combined with a theme of stealth, perhaps the bland lack of graphical data on the other floors wouldn't be a problem. Your enemy and terrain data could be handled via software until it's time to fall through a hole or climb down a ladder to the next floor. Using "pfcolors background" perhaps you could just blackout the levels of the screen you're not currently on, bringing focus to the current floor with whatever colors are appropriate for the situation.
And all this is easy for me to say because it's not my project.