Discussion: Rygar AGA Edition

[Nightshft]

More enemies, more enemies, ja ja ja ... If you ask me, we need fewer enemies! Damn! Lol

Jokes aside...
I really didn't know the game before this contest and thought it was too hard and therefore checked it out on Mame. Oh. Ok, its supposed to be this way

I feel that collision detection on the arcade maybe is a little more forgiving (a little delay in there?) - perceivable especially when you touch flying creatures while jumping. Just a suggestion.

Awesome work on the game and also the updates Graeme!!

[Tigerskunk]

I am super impressed by the dragon rider and those pyramid building dudes.
The game feels so alive now...

[mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by Nightshft

I feel that collision detection on the arcade maybe is a little more forgiving (a little delay in there?) - perceivable especially when you touch flying creatures while jumping. Just a suggestion.

You're totally right here, I haven't tweaked any of the bounds box collision detection yet. I'll build a wire frame for it in the next couple of days to sort it out.

Originally Posted by Steril707

I am super impressed by the dragon rider and those pyramid building dudes.
The game feels so alive now...

Yeah, I'm pleased with the way the Dragon Riders came out too... I've increased their jump speed a little.

The whole speed of enemies, how many are on screen all need tuning, I'm just building the routines to display them for now. I am very tempted to invest the time in building a sprite formation editor, I seem to be re-using the same code over and over now in macros which may make it worth while.

[mcgeezer]

As if there wasn't enough enemies in the game...

[ Show youtube player ]

I had to adjust the blitter/sprite routine slightly to cater for 48x48 sprites in the demon and it looks like I haven't quite got it right yet. I'll fix it tomorrow.

Geezer

[mcgeezer]

I'm hoping the thread contributors could help me out with a bit of an idea I have for Rygar.

I'm tinkering with the idea of adding a set of passwords so that the player can access further rounds in the game.

For example, A password could be unlocked where the player would start at rounds 5, 9, 13, 17 or 21... these are in line with being after the Sunset scene.

I think it will add to the game but I'd like to get some opinions, the arcade would allow you to keep feeding it 10 coins up to round 20... the remaining 7 rounds had to be done with the remaining 3 lives.

What do you's think?

I could perhaps tinker with creating a random key that is written to the disk, this is so that each game adf/install would have different passwords. (although I have no doubt it will be trained anyway).

[DamienD]

My personal opinion for what it's worth.

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

I'm tinkering with the idea of adding a set of passwords so that the player can access further rounds in the game.

For example, A password could be unlocked where the player would start at rounds 5, 9, 13, 17 or 21... these are in line with being after the Sunset scene.

Good idea

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

I think it will add to the game but I'd like to get some opinions, the arcade would allow you to keep feeding it 10 coins up to round 20... the remaining 7 rounds had to be done with the remaining 3 lives.

What do you's think?

I don't think this restriction is necessary, makes the game too difficult to complete.

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

I could perhaps tinker with creating a random key that is written to the disk, this is so that each game adf/install would have different passwords. (although I have no doubt it will be trained anyway).

No why bother, just keep the passwords universal in the game and not random.

[mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by DamienD

My personal opinion for what it's worth.


Good idea


I don't think this restriction is necessary, makes the game too difficult to complete.


No why bother, just keep the passwords universal in the game and not random.

Thanks for the reply buddy,

On the last point... it will just mean someone will post the passwords (probably in the EAB)... and there'll be no learning curve for the player.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

On the last point... it will just mean someone will post the passwords (probably in the EAB)... and there'll be no learning curve for the player.

...but you could say the same thing for all games that have passwords to access levels.

I'd image most people would play from the start and use the password only when they reach that level. That's what I always do

[mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by DamienD

...but you could say the same thing for all games that have passwords to access levels.

I'd image most people would play from the start and use the password only when they reach that level. That's what I always do

Exactly! I think we are saying the same thing.

[malko]

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

[...] I'm tinkering with the idea of adding a set of passwords so that the player can access further rounds in the game.

For example, A password could be unlocked where the player would start at rounds 5, 9, 13, 17 or 21... these are in line with being after the Sunset scene. [...]

Could be a good idea in order to restart a game another day. But will your password keep the weapons, armor, score, etc. ?
I would also allow the user to continue as long as he wants (restart at the beginning of round where the player died).

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

I think it will add to the game but I'd like to get some opinions, the arcade would allow you to keep feeding it 10 coins up to round 20... the remaining 7 rounds had to be done with the remaining 3 lives. [...]

To keep the spirit, I would allow only 1 continue per round from this point (so your current lives + 3 for each rounds). It adds difficulty and the game would not be impossible for less good players.

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

I could perhaps tinker with creating a random key that is written to the disk, this is so that each game adf/install would have different passwords. (although I have no doubt it will be trained anyway).

Not sure it's a good idea. People like to share theirs successes.

[mcgeezer]

Quick update on just more enemies...

Here I've added the Giant Worm that slithers along the lava and comes to the surface...

[ Show youtube player ]

[jotd]

Gods generates random passwords so they're unique to each copy

[invent]

I like the idea of the playing other rounds, it gives the game extra playability, without necessarily having trainers/cheats.

For my ProXima3 shootemup, you can play any level (great to practice and see new levels) but you only ever see the ending sequence if you play them all. Don't want people to miss out on levels they can't get to.

If there were some way of tracking time played and giving access to new rounds if stuck would be nice, but sounds far to complicated to implement.

[Nightshft]

Im 100% with Damien on this.

Levelcodes good idea!
And creating a unique key and thus unique passwords on a machine might be tempting (fun for the coder), but I'd also stick with global passwords. As already said people like to share and these password lists would also be a nice promotion for the game.
Too bad you dont need computer magazines or BBS for this anymore (I loved to read the german ASM magazine) and I remember people and magazines sharing levelcodes f.e. for lemmings.

IMHO the game isn't too easy (especially when you begin with it) and it's important to give players enough "continue" possibilities. If starting with a levelcode means you get 3 lives there, one approach could be to set a number of max. "continues" that allow the average player to just reach the next levelcode. I dont think I'd like unlimited continues because thats just like unlimited lives, but I'd not make it too hard for beginning players either. Just my 2 cents.

Originally Posted by mcgeezer

Here I've added the Giant Worm that slithers along the lava and comes to the surface...

Your worm is more lethal. IIRC it only kills when it's surfaced completely?

[Hewitson]

I'm sorry, but I think it's a terrible idea. So far, the main ambition of this project has been to make a game as close as possible to the arcade. I vote for keeping it that way.

[Interceptor]

depends how much luck/chaos is involved. i'm not familiar with Rygar.

a lot of arcade games I used to play actually turned out to be quite bad games when I played them on MAME as you essentially became dependant on adding more credit, and the gameplay was specifically designed to demand this by throwing impossible odds at you.

the way to tell the good from the bad was often how this was implemented. if a game paused while it waited for you to add money, like final fight or the teenage mutant tortoise games, then it was typically a bad game made to hard to take as much money as you could put in. even the flyers promote this. they were designed to make money over and over. if it forced you back to the start of a level, then I guess it did expect you to crack it with enough practice, quite sure r-type worked this way.

double dragon felt like a good exception to this in that you could get good and go through it in one credit.

[mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by Hewitson

I'm sorry, but I think it's a terrible idea. So far, the main ambition of this project has been to make a game as close as possible to the arcade. I vote for keeping it that way.

You wouldn't be forced to use the passwords.

[Foul]

Originally Posted by hewitson

i'm sorry, but i think it's a terrible idea. So far, the main ambition of this project has been to make a game as close as possible to the arcade. I vote for keeping it that way.

+1

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Nightshft

Your worm is more lethal. IIRC it only kills when it's surfaced completely?

Yup

Also, I think the Dragon Rider's jump is too high / slow.

[mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by DamienD

Yup

Also, I think the Dragon Rider's jump is too high / slow.

Fixed the Giant Worm... makes it a bit easier.

[ Show youtube player ]