Star Castle Arcade - Beta Release

[Zoyx]

I wouldn't fret too much about fixing something that only happens with turbo fire. If someone can do that while button mashing, then maybe get concerned.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I just installed Mame Plus! because it supports auto fire. There the cheat works too. Not as reliable as in your video, though. But that's mainly because the game getting much more aggressive fast and the mines or the gun kill you.

 

I could add some rapid fire blocking, but that would also harm people with fast thumbs. And for detecting the difference between auto fire and a fast human thumb the game would need some non-trivial logic.

[iesposta]

Thanks for the video, that helps a lot. What emulator is that?

 

So what should we do to prevent this? And have you tried turbo fire on the Arcade version?

 

BTW: In castle 15 the mines don't kill you because you shot them with your turbo fire. You can hear that.

Emulator is 2600.emu from: www.explusalpha.com

I think you have done enough to prevent how easy it was in 133. Maybe delay hits to the rings a bit longer?

How can you shoot the mines when they are coming to your ship at 45 degrees from the side? Can they target more to the back of the ship?

[iesposta]

I...

 

I could add some rapid fire blocking, but that would also harm people with fast thumbs.

No, please don't block rapid fire. I can get quite quick on the Starplex controller !

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Emulator is 2600.emu from: www.explusalpha.com

Thanks. I will check how good my cheap Android phone can handle it.

 

I think you have done enough to prevent how easy it was in 133. Maybe delay hits to the rings a bit longer?

I am currently working on some "overheat" algorithm. This should make the use of auto fire at least more difficult.

 

How can you shoot the mines when they are coming to your ship at 45 degrees from the side? Can they target more to the back of the ship?

The mines do not know where the ship is pointing to, so the always target at the center. You can shot them, because the shots start at the center of the ship. I have to check if I can fix the latter easy enough.

 

No, please don't block rapid fire. I can get quite quick on the Starplex controller !

Don't worry, I will only try to block auto fire. E.g. I will allow a constant fire button rate of 10Hz (or so), but if that fire rate is exceeded for some time, I will block/delay shots for a while.

 

A lot of new feedback lately.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

@ieposta: Try the attached version, please. Does it help against your auto fire cheat? And (most important!) does it still allow fast enough manual button smashing?

 

Used algorithm:

You can shot at an average frequency of ~15Hz. Short bursts (~6 shots) can be done faster. If you exceed the limit, your are only allowed ~7.5Hz until you reduce your button smashing rate.

star_fix4.bin

[LS_Dracon]

How about when the bullet hit the ring, keep the ring shield by 2 or 3 frames, with a counter and remove the piece if counter reach 0. Every time other bullet hit the ring, the counter is reset.

So with turbo fire the shield piece never destroy in less than 3 frames.

[iesposta]

@ieposta: Try the attached version, please. Does it help against your auto fire cheat? And (most important!) does it still allow fast enough manual button smashing?

 

.

Ok, I'll try.

I need a .cu for Harmony, or is this V.136? I can compile myself...

Edit 136

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Yes.

[iesposta]

Errr. I upgraded to Mountain Lion OSX 10.8.4 and it says I don't have svn

On 2600.emu this is the best build yet. You can not be still at all and expect to get the Castle!

Great job!

 

Edit:

Didn't need it. Just used your bin above and pad and cat and Bob's your Uncle.

Edited August 25, 2013 by iesposta

[+SpiceWare]

Errr. I upgraded to Mountain Lion OSX 10.8.4 and it says I don't have svn

 

http://superuser.com/questions/455214/where-is-svn-on-os-x-mountain-lion

[iesposta]

Thanks, SpiceWare!

 

Playing on real hardware with Starplex button controller, I have to say it starts out too hard.

I could only, with serious gameplay, get to level 4.

If you are going for exact Arcade type difficulty, this is it.

If you plan to ramp up the difficulty, this starts way too difficult.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Too hard now? I suppose you are maybe too much used to cheating.

 

Anyway. The game is already much easier than the arcade version. The ramp up is slower and the maximum difficulty is reduced significantly. Maximum difficulty is reached at ~17000 points. The game is still not easy, that's for sure. So maybe you could try again after some more training?

 

Else I need some more details. What is too difficulty exactly? And how much?

 

BTW: Have you checked your difficulty switches. Maybe you are playing on left difficulty = A?

Edited August 26, 2013 by Thomas Jentzsch

[Thomas Jentzsch]

How about when the bullet hit the ring, keep the ring shield by 2 or 3 frames, with a counter and remove the piece if counter reach 0. Every time other bullet hit the ring, the counter is reset.

So with turbo fire the shield piece never destroy in less than 3 frames.

That would be an option too, but I think it would also hinder people with fast thumbs.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

On 2600.emu this is the best build yet. You can not be still at all and expect to get the Castle!

Great job!

Thanks. And I have already developed a simple fix for the mines getting killed when approaching from the side or even behind:

 

The bullets still start at the ship's center, but for the first two frames (= before the bullets exit the ship graphics), the bullet/mine collision detection is disabled.

[VectorGamer]

I gave this a few plays...

 

What I don't like about this version is that the sparks are not supposed to wrap the screen on the early levels. Only when you get up to around 15,000 should the sparks wrap the screen.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

They are wrapping the screen very early in the arcade too. You just have to tease them.

 

It is more likely in this version because the mines are changing direction slower than in the arcade. If I speed that up alone, they will just become more dangerous.

 

But I could make them initially move a bit slower and let them change direction a bit faster. Then it will become less likely that they wrap around in the early levels. Good idea?

 

EDIT: I think you found a bug. Horizontally the mines do not try to turn when they are close. Must be some calculation problem.

Edited August 26, 2013 by Thomas Jentzsch

[CrazyChris]

I have never played the original so I cannot compare the control of the ship.

How about a difficulty switch to increase the "drift" of the ship.

[iesposta]

Too hard now?

 

I need some more details. What is too difficulty exactly? And how much?

 

BTW: Have you checked your difficulty switches. Maybe you are playing on left difficulty = A?

Difficulty B, but I did try A when it was crazy fast, that was fun!

I am suggesting it starts out extremely easy, like mines that move extremely slow, and maybe the castle doesn't fire on the first level or fires off target. Sort of like Yars Revenge where the chaser is slow, and the Yar spiral shots usually start way off target?

Or not, I'm a die-hard Arcade, Vectrex Star Castle fan, and those you learn quickly or you are game over!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

The mines are dead slow at the start and the gun is turning also very slow.

 

Are you sure it is the initial difficulty which is too hard? Or is the ramp up too fast maybe?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I just added another "Final Beta" (140), which fixes the bugs reported by ieposta and rmaerz.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I have never played the original so I cannot compare the control of the ship.

How about a difficulty switch to increase the "drift" of the ship.

The difficulty switches are both used, but may I can combine this.

 

Not sure what you mean with increasing the "drift". Do you want the ship to slow down slower (= less friction)?

[CrazyChris]

The difficulty switches are both used, but may I can combine this.

 

Not sure what you mean with increasing the "drift". Do you want the ship to slow down slower (= less friction)?

 

Yes. One of the difficulty switch options would be less friction.

[+save2600]

Whoa, a lot has changed since rc1!

 

Personally, I *really* like the way the ship was drawn in the older release candidate. Much easier to line up your shots and tell which way you're facing.

 

Also, the background sound seems too loud in the latest release. Borders on "annoying" to these ears and in relation to the sound effects. Rest of it seems fine. Like the fact it seems a little easier starting out.

 

Just played it using a Starplex controller and tried both release candidates in "Astroblast" (rapid fire) mode. Not sure how the Stella emulator handles it, but in rc1, rapid fire definitely gives you the ability to cut through the shields faster. A welcome "cheat" in my estimation, for those using real hardware. Now, in release 140, much harder to concentrate your fire and get anywhere that way. Not worth the time as a sitting duck, trying to penetrate the shields. If you let off on the firing for a sec though and depress again, you can still get the desired rapid fire effect we all know and love.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Chris, Nathan and I have discussed the ship size multiple times and also posted in this thread. The smaller ship plays better, even though it looks less nice. I don't have a problem with the facing, because I am watching at the shots anyway. Can you see the shots clearly?

 

You mean the "siren" effect? I could tune that down a bit easily. But so far you are the only one who complained. If you stay alone, I won't change it.

Edited August 27, 2013 by Thomas Jentzsch