New Game: [insert title here]

spud · 20 August 2012, 01:31

Hello,

Just thought you might be interested in a new game I'm programming for the Amiga at the moment. I can guarantee it won't be anything fancy as it is the first thing I've ever programmed for the Amiga (with the exception of a fruit machine simulator I coded in Amiga Basic on my A500 in about 1991 ! It was crap, and that was the last time I thought about writing something on the Amiga again. Until now, that is.)

You may have heard of Stamp Quest, Endless Forms Most Beautiful or The Lost Tapes of Albion on the Spectrum, recent games from the past year or so. Well I programmed a SAM Coupé version a couple of months ago, titled the Lost Disks of SAM and the thought struck me it'd be a good project to learn assembler on the Amiga with.

The game is currently untitled, and in the very early stages of development, I hope to get a playable demo up at some point, but for now take a look at:

[ Show youtube player ]

Any comments or thoughts welcome. If you've played any of the original Speccy games, or the SAM one, or even the superb EFMB PC remake, and have any ideas about how they could be improved or new features that might be worth trying out, I'd be welcome to hear them. I can't promise anything mind you :-)

All the best.

Predseda · 20 August 2012, 09:05

Okay. First - what is the goal of the game? I only see platforms, a hero and some foes, but I cant find a purpose of running over the level. I pressume it will be the classic "pick up all the fruits"?

EDIT: I now watched your SAM version video and it is clear then.

spud · 20 August 2012, 12:21

Yep, spot on. Collect the items on the level to progress to the next. Then repeat over and over until you pull your hair out. There will be a variety of different enemy types, level layouts and power ups to keep things interesting.

Predseda · 20 August 2012, 12:53

I would also add animations or pictures between levels - not just the same thing over and over again. Some variety that would keep me playing it until the end. And I would also keep the total ammount of levels about 12, nothing like 50 or 100 or so.

Graham Humphrey · 20 August 2012, 19:26

I haven't got round to properly playing the Speccy games yet even though I downloaded them. It will be cool to see an Amiga version though and it might give me an incentive to check them out

spud · 22 August 2012, 17:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Predseda

I would also add animations or pictures between levels - not just the same thing over and over again. Some variety that would keep me playing it until the end. And I would also keep the total ammount of levels about 12, nothing like 50 or 100 or so.

Yep, the plan will be to have some decent presentation inter-level sequences, etc. As for the number of levels, I think the SAM one had 12 levels per difficulty level, so the likelihood will be to replicate that sort of format with this one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

I haven't got round to properly playing the Speccy games yet even though I downloaded them. It will be cool to see an Amiga version though and it might give me an incentive to check them out

Do have a go of the Speccy originals, they're excellent fun. Very quirky graphics and game-play. I found them irresistibly addictive, still do actually.

By the way your Downfall game is responsible in part for inspiring my attempts to crack the Amiga in terms of game development.

Predseda · 22 August 2012, 20:28

Graham, I think the time for another invention has come ;-)

kriz · 22 August 2012, 20:51

Cool project !!

Graham Humphrey · 22 August 2012, 20:58

@spud: I will definitely do so! Good luck and do keep us informed with your progress. Glad to hear Downfall was an inspiration... that was the idea so I'm glad somebody has found it useful

@Pred: Yes, when the weather cools down. Platform arcade/adventure thingy, here we come

But that's for another thread, not this one.

Predseda · 22 August 2012, 21:32

Spud would be also valuable team member.

Cammy · 23 August 2012, 01:35

I picked up Retro Gamer yesterday and was just looking through the issue this morning. I saw this cool looking Sam Coupe game and a photo of the programmer, and I thought "Wouldn't it be cool if this guy wanted to make Amiga games too" then I saw the A4000 behind the Sam in the photo, and read further down that he was interested in developing for the Amiga. Two minutes later I came on EAB and saw your thread!

Great work so far, I'm definitely looking forward to any of your upcoming Amiga releases.

spud · 24 August 2012, 00:49

Thanks for the encouraging messages

That photo in the magazine is embrassing though

I was trying to get the A4000 in shot purposely

Just out of shot was an A500 I upgraded with a mini-itx board, and to the left of the 4000 is an A1200, again out of shot.

mike4466 · 24 August 2012, 09:11

Quality looking game there spud.

Like the way one of the characters suddenly starts running and then slows down keeping you on your toes.

Most games of the set paced type and are too predictable and end up being boring.

spud · 04 September 2012, 02:12

Thoguht I'd update a little with some progress.

Been doing some behind the scenes improvement as I go along, progress isn't terribly fast but I'm learning the architecure as I go.

Some work on background tiles, platform graphics sets (all of which ported straight from SAM version for quick testing), player two is in there and wondering around under random mouse control. Some inertia applied to the movement of the main chars, more enemy types (one that seeks you out up and down as well as left / right for example).

Long way to go yet, but here is a linky to a vid of current status

[ Show youtube player ]

Djay · 04 September 2012, 03:34

if it is a 'pick up all the fruit' game, can it be called 'Fruity Loot'

kriz · 04 September 2012, 04:17

Cool name

Amiga1992 · 04 September 2012, 12:08

I quite like the graphics! And the possibility of2 plaermode.
If you need a hand with gfx or music, let me know

freehand · 04 September 2012, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by spud

Thoguht I'd update a little with some progress.

Been doing some behind the scenes improvement as I go along, progress isn't terribly fast but I'm learning the architecure as I go.

Some work on background tiles, platform graphics sets (all of which ported straight from SAM version for quick testing), player two is in there and wondering around under random mouse control. Some inertia applied to the movement of the main chars, more enemy types (one that seeks you out up and down as well as left / right for example).

Long way to go yet, but here is a linky to a vid of current status

[ Show youtube player ]

spud are you developing on winuae ?

Thanks jay.

spud · 04 September 2012, 22:02

Hi primarily yep it is developed on UAE, well not so much developed, just assembled in UAE. I'm using an editor on the PC for the actual programming. When I want to test it I boot up UAE which loads in the source file and more or less assembles it in devpac automatically for me. It is also regularly tested on my A4000, I've set it up to copy over the binary from the pc automatically and run it. The graphics are worked on in a combination of Grafx2 on PC and PPaint/Dpaint on the A4000/UAE, as well as a windows app I wrote to help my SAM Coupé graphics work (updated to provide suitable masks for example for use by the blitter).

Developing on the Amiga alone would be a pain in the arse, especially as the Amiga takes longer to boot after I've crashed it. UAE takes about 3 seconds

Mrs Beanbag · 05 September 2012, 19:24

Cute.

My first thought for a name was, for some reason, "Salad Dodger".

20 August 2012, 01:31	#1
spud Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: London, UK Posts: 268	New Game: [insert title here] Hello, Just thought you might be interested in a new game I'm programming for the Amiga at the moment. I can guarantee it won't be anything fancy as it is the first thing I've ever programmed for the Amiga (with the exception of a fruit machine simulator I coded in Amiga Basic on my A500 in about 1991 ! It was crap, and that was the last time I thought about writing something on the Amiga again. Until now, that is.) You may have heard of Stamp Quest, Endless Forms Most Beautiful or The Lost Tapes of Albion on the Spectrum, recent games from the past year or so. Well I programmed a SAM Coupé version a couple of months ago, titled the Lost Disks of SAM and the thought struck me it'd be a good project to learn assembler on the Amiga with. The game is currently untitled, and in the very early stages of development, I hope to get a playable demo up at some point, but for now take a look at: [ Show youtube player ] Any comments or thoughts welcome. If you've played any of the original Speccy games, or the SAM one, or even the superb EFMB PC remake, and have any ideas about how they could be improved or new features that might be worth trying out, I'd be welcome to hear them. I can't promise anything mind you :-) All the best.

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20 August 2012, 09:05	#2
Predseda Puttymoon inhabitant Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tromaville Age: 46 Posts: 7,539	Okay. First - what is the goal of the game? I only see platforms, a hero and some foes, but I cant find a purpose of running over the level. I pressume it will be the classic "pick up all the fruits"? EDIT: I now watched your SAM version video and it is clear then.

20 August 2012, 12:21	#3
spud Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: London, UK Posts: 268	Yep, spot on. Collect the items on the level to progress to the next. Then repeat over and over until you pull your hair out. There will be a variety of different enemy types, level layouts and power ups to keep things interesting.

20 August 2012, 12:53	#4
Predseda Puttymoon inhabitant Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tromaville Age: 46 Posts: 7,539	I would also add animations or pictures between levels - not just the same thing over and over again. Some variety that would keep me playing it until the end. And I would also keep the total ammount of levels about 12, nothing like 50 or 100 or so.

20 August 2012, 19:26	#5
Graham Humphrey Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Age: 37 Posts: 11,167	I haven't got round to properly playing the Speccy games yet even though I downloaded them. It will be cool to see an Amiga version though and it might give me an incentive to check them out

22 August 2012, 20:28	#7
Predseda Puttymoon inhabitant Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tromaville Age: 46 Posts: 7,539	Graham, I think the time for another invention has come ;-)

22 August 2012, 20:51	#8
kriz Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: No(R)Way Age: 41 Posts: 3,185	Cool project !!

22 August 2012, 20:58	#9
Graham Humphrey Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Age: 37 Posts: 11,167	@spud: I will definitely do so! Good luck and do keep us informed with your progress. Glad to hear Downfall was an inspiration... that was the idea so I'm glad somebody has found it useful @Pred: Yes, when the weather cools down. Platform arcade/adventure thingy, here we come But that's for another thread, not this one.

22 August 2012, 21:32	#10
Predseda Puttymoon inhabitant Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tromaville Age: 46 Posts: 7,539	Spud would be also valuable team member.

23 August 2012, 01:35	#11
Cammy Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Tasmania, Australia Age: 39 Posts: 1,189	I picked up Retro Gamer yesterday and was just looking through the issue this morning. I saw this cool looking Sam Coupe game and a photo of the programmer, and I thought "Wouldn't it be cool if this guy wanted to make Amiga games too" then I saw the A4000 behind the Sam in the photo, and read further down that he was interested in developing for the Amiga. Two minutes later I came on EAB and saw your thread! Great work so far, I'm definitely looking forward to any of your upcoming Amiga releases.

24 August 2012, 00:49	#12
spud Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: London, UK Posts: 268	Thanks for the encouraging messages That photo in the magazine is embrassing though I was trying to get the A4000 in shot purposely Just out of shot was an A500 I upgraded with a mini-itx board, and to the left of the 4000 is an A1200, again out of shot.

24 August 2012, 09:11	#13
mike4466 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: grimsby Posts: 291	Quality looking game there spud. Like the way one of the characters suddenly starts running and then slows down keeping you on your toes. Most games of the set paced type and are too predictable and end up being boring.

04 September 2012, 02:12	#14
spud Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: London, UK Posts: 268	Thoguht I'd update a little with some progress. Been doing some behind the scenes improvement as I go along, progress isn't terribly fast but I'm learning the architecure as I go. Some work on background tiles, platform graphics sets (all of which ported straight from SAM version for quick testing), player two is in there and wondering around under random mouse control. Some inertia applied to the movement of the main chars, more enemy types (one that seeks you out up and down as well as left / right for example). Long way to go yet, but here is a linky to a vid of current status [ Show youtube player ]

04 September 2012, 03:34	#15
Djay 95th User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Brighton/UK Age: 48 Posts: 3,120	if it is a 'pick up all the fruit' game, can it be called 'Fruity Loot'

04 September 2012, 04:17	#16
kriz Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: No(R)Way Age: 41 Posts: 3,185	Cool name

04 September 2012, 12:08	#17
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,645	I quite like the graphics! And the possibility of2 plaermode. If you need a hand with gfx or music, let me know

04 September 2012, 22:02	#19
spud Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: London, UK Posts: 268	Hi primarily yep it is developed on UAE, well not so much developed, just assembled in UAE. I'm using an editor on the PC for the actual programming. When I want to test it I boot up UAE which loads in the source file and more or less assembles it in devpac automatically for me. It is also regularly tested on my A4000, I've set it up to copy over the binary from the pc automatically and run it. The graphics are worked on in a combination of Grafx2 on PC and PPaint/Dpaint on the A4000/UAE, as well as a windows app I wrote to help my SAM Coupé graphics work (updated to provide suitable masks for example for use by the blitter). Developing on the Amiga alone would be a pain in the arse, especially as the Amiga takes longer to boot after I've crashed it. UAE takes about 3 seconds

05 September 2012, 19:24	#20
Mrs Beanbag Glastonbridge Software Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Edinburgh/Scotland Posts: 2,243	Cute. My first thought for a name was, for some reason, "Salad Dodger".

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