Downfall - diary of a game...

[s2325]

Yes, sure http://amiga.lychesis.net/colors/16/index.html

[BippyM]

I think the scoring could change. Say for example each platform that is passed without actually landing on it could give a x2, x3 bonus etc

Just my tuppence

[wilshy]

Originally Posted by Predseda

Aga version is planned, I think it could have landscapes easily. This one is 16 cols only, it would be probably ugly.

Not to mention a static background with your player falling and the screen scrolling down, would just look odd in my opinion.

[Predseda]

Originally Posted by s2325

Yes, sure http://amiga.lychesis.net/colors/16/index.html

Of course - if the sprites would have independent pallette, it would be doable well.

But Wilshy is probably right. It needs slowly scrolling repeating background instead of static picture, like the original atari DF.

[DJCruicky]

Originally Posted by Predseda

I have a problem, maybe it is only my feeling: the copperlist is in overscan, but the main game area is only 320 pixels wide. So if the platworm is next to left or right area border, player is not able to jump to the side, although copper creates an illusion that there is still enough space.

The overscan copper effect is nice and I like it, but I am not sure if it doesnt confuse player much. Maybe 1px wide black vertical lines where I drawn those red ones would solve it? Or it is not necessary? What do you think?

Graham just needs to set the copper background to one of the 16 colours that is not 0.
Does mean you predseda will have to retouch some of your art work, because of swopping this colour . Sorry if that does not make sense.

[Graham Humphrey]

Originally Posted by Ze Emulatron

I don't know if you want to load your levels from text files and allow users to modify them but this is my example of AmigaBASIC code for reading in text from file, I use a slight variation on this for reading in highscores in my next game. You might be able to modify it to use in Blitz Basic if you want to load your levels from text files and allow users to modify them.

Thanks for that - thing is it's a lot of data to read in. I think it's quicker and easier for the game to read the data as it goes along rather than having to open a separate file to read in all the data into an array. If anybody wants to have a go at making a level, use the existing source code or contact me and I'll do the work of actually putting it in the game.

Originally Posted by Predseda

I have a problem, maybe it is only my feeling: the copperlist is in overscan, but the main game area is only 320 pixels wide. So if the platworm is next to left or right area border, player is not able to jump to the side, although copper creates an illusion that there is still enough space.

The overscan copper effect is nice and I like it, but I am not sure if it doesnt confuse player much. Maybe 1px wide black vertical lines where I drawn those red ones would solve it? Or it is not necessary? What do you think?

It's not an overscan effect at all - a DJCrucicky says, it's because colour zero gets modified and that happens to extend to the borders. I'm not sure it's physically possible to do what you suggest but personally I don't think it's much of an issue anyway.

Originally Posted by frikilokooo

This will have landscapes in the background?It would be nice if it had static landscapes like Pang maybe landscapes of our cities,scanned and retouched with Dpaint

I agree with Wilshy's comment:

Originally Posted by wilshy

Not to mention a static background with your player falling and the screen scrolling down, would just look odd in my opinion.

IF we do an AGA version then I'd definitely want a parallax-scrolling background. A static backdrop would be a bit rubbish. But on AGA, a 16-colour main display plus a separate 16-colour background could be a nice effect.

Originally Posted by bippym

I think the scoring could change. Say for example each platform that is passed without actually landing on it could give a x2, x3 bonus etc

Just my tuppence

Perhaps! I'm still looking at tweaking the scoring system. Watch, as they say, this space.

[mihcael]

Time for a new WIP!!!

[Predseda]

Tommorow as usual, I hope

[Graham Humphrey]

Another week, another WIP...

I've not done as much as I hoped this week but there's still a few new things in here.

Predseda's been busy with the graphics and come up with a Game Over logo and a nice new score panel as well as some extra objects and platforms. All of these are now in the game although obviously you won't see all the platform graphics still.

You score points at a higher rate if you are towards the top or bottom of the screen than you do if you're in the middle (slightly more at the bottom than the top but not by much).

I've implemented the changes suggested by DJCruicky and dazzleman so thanks for that guys!

Finally, I've constructed a new full (60 rows) level. It's not very good and a bit too easy but it's a start. I did initially intend to do a second full level to make sure the levels 'link' correctly but I ran out of time this week, fingers crossed it'll get in next week (if anyone wants to design their own levels feel free). I might start work on the two-player mode too if you all behave yourselves

A few of the old niggles still remain but the actual game is making good progress I think.

[Predseda]

Simply great! All the known bugs now seem to be fixed, player is not buried to platform anymore. Only with one exception - if he falls down through the bottom and is caught by just appearing platform, he gets buried up to the belly But the sprites dont flicker anymore and I am overall happy with this update.

Damn, there is one pick-up. It should be a candle, but it looks weird. We will have to replace it, it is really ugly.

EDIT: it happened me once I landed on a fruit and it acted as a platform.

EDIT2: I found somtg disturbing. If I click mouse during playing and then after game is over i press the joy button to quit to WB, it causes some random crashes of the system.

[Graham Humphrey]

Yes, I'm aware of that one, that's been there a while. It's a bit irritating but not game-breaking thankfully.

There's still a couple of little bugs in there - the fruit still has a problem with appearing in platforms but that's been reduced, at least - but I'm hoping I can fix them soon and in any case, because they're quite minor it doesn't stop me focusing on adding new features to the game.

[Predseda]

I read your code now. If I understand correctly, only the data for Level 1 are now used? Not Level 0?

[Graham Humphrey]

Yeah level 0 was my test level and I commented it out so it doesn't get compiled.

[s2325]

Thank you again. [ Show youtube player ]

[Predseda]

You are fast

Now, if I could suggest a major improvement: the main game engine seems to be working, but in my opinion there should by much more fruits, that would keep player moving and force him to risk. I just love fruity games (like Parasol Stars or Super Methane Bros) and I think in the current state player just can keep himself in the middle of the playfield for 20 mins without any challenge, even if the scrolling will constantly accelerate. Fruits could reduce the scrolling speed for few seconds.

Just my suggestion.

[Graham Humphrey]

Cheers s2325, I appreciate the promotion

Not sure about reducing the scrolling speed with extra fruit - problem is I'm not sure we could actually reduce the speed. Currently it moves at one pixel per frame and I'm not certain you can scroll by fractions of pixels on non-AGA systems. And if you scrolled every other frame it would look jerky.

Anyway, the Jaguar version works like this. I don't want to make it too reliant on pickups. Speaking of which I need to add some additional score bonuses (or otherwise) at some point.

[Predseda]

Of course I though slowing the game after it is already accelerated, not in level 1. I am looking forward to 2 players game then.

[s2325]

My version of title screen [ Show youtube player ]

[Predseda]

nice

[mihcael]

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

... I don't want to make it too reliant on pickups. Speaking of which I need to add some additional score bonuses (or otherwise) at some point.

I think the game is desperate for some power-ups, i think they should be stackable and last about 10 seconds each

• Sneakers - Speed
• Wings - you fall at half the rate
• Freeze Gun - you can freeze opponent in 2player

And i also got caught out by the copper background bigger then the playing area thing, thats annoying.