I dig this Game (tentative title) development thread

[Previous]

1=you move hopping (or is that something I am missing?)
2=the tools aren't used even if I press the action button a hundred of times. They appear only to function if you press the action button and move button together which is annoying.

Can you tell me what kind of Win you're using? This sounds quite weird, as if keystates were not translatec correctly. It works fine here, pressing the right/left arrow keys makes the character walk in said direction. Most tools (pickaxe, column, ladder, rope..) require the player to face either left or right (he can also face up/down after climbing) so the game knows where you want to use said tool (you can make the player face a direction by tapping the arrow key short enough not to make him walk). But it sounds like it thinks the up arrow key is constantly being pushed on your system.

Could you check whether you can make the player blotch look like here

while no key is pressed? (note how he stands closer to the dirt on the left)


PS: Just fixed a bug concerning column placing - placing one at the position of a recently removed column which wasn't fully gone (two-second-rule) wouldn't work and give you infinite columns instead.

[Gors]

I am using Windows XP, and I think it's worthy rto note that my keyboard can't read up and left arrow keys at the same time (it makes those timed beeps, which is really weird, because I can make any other arrow key combination aside from this one.)

[Kitsu]

Sounds like configurable controls need to be your next feature, Previous.

[Gors]

I have tested this in another computer (a Windows 7 without timed beep problems) and it played quite well. I wasn't hopping anymore and the controls worked as planned.

I only still have this gripe which is this small momentum the player was when walking. The movements need to be very precise, as every step is important to complete the puzzle. I found myself having to adjust my position way too much to place a single column due to the way the character walks a little, even after I stopped pressing the button.

as for the bridges/ropes, I didn't test them yet. But, if you want an example of how ladders should work, check Hyper Lode Runner (Game Boy).

[Previous]

Sounds like configurable controls need to be your next feature, Previous.

Nnnnope, it won't
Base structures for configurable controls are in since the very first minute of controls (as I just copied over the input system of my other game thingy). There just is no way to configure them yet - though it has been on the list just as long, I just didn't deem important enough at this point.

I am using Windows XP, and I think it's worthy rto note that my keyboard can't read up and left arrow keys at the same time (it makes those timed beeps, which is really weird, because I can make any other arrow key combination aside from this one.)

That definitely sounds weird... But, well if it's an issue with the arrow keys, it'll be resolved with the user configs (as Sploder said). However, I don't think I can solve the actual issue of those keys not working, as that is most likely caused by the keyboard and/or its drivers (I know the beeping thing from years ago when I used to use Win ME).

I have tested this in another computer (a Windows 7 without timed beep problems) and it played quite well. I wasn't hopping anymore and the controls worked as planned.

I only still have this gripe which is this small momentum the player was when walking. The movements need to be very precise, as every step is important to complete the puzzle. I found myself having to adjust my position way too much to place a single column due to the way the character walks a little, even after I stopped pressing the button.

as for the bridges/ropes, I didn't test them yet. But, if you want an example of how ladders should work, check Hyper Lode Runner (Game Boy).

Well, everything exists within the grid - including the player. Just as in most oldschool RPGs (or Pokémon), the character moves from one field to the next. Once he started moving, he won't stop until he's aligned with the grid again. I thought that made sence, since on the other side, placed objects need to be aligned with the grid anyways (especially columns, as they support other blocks).

[Gors]

I understand about the grid thing, but I think that the player movement could be 'free' from the grid while the item placements would align with the grid. That would make the player's movements pixel-precise and the objects placed easily. Just my two cents though.

[Previous]

I might eventually change the player movement, but that is at the far end of the list
The plan is to rewrite the whole player class to make it less cluttered and confusing, but it really has no priority. I'll adjust it to pixel-precise movement when I do that (though it might end up with 2-Pixel-precision or else the player will walk slooowly).


Please ignore my shabby placeholder graphics.

The checkerboard pattern and rock-joining are done automatically be the puzzle editor app.


Rocks are rotated by the engine. Sprite-based animation would also be possible, but this was kinda fun (I had the player rolling around at one point).

[Gors]

why cant i double thank anymore

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one thing that was bugging me a lot, though, was that when I tested the column engine, I noticed that the gaps between the columns without making the whole structure collapse were too long. I think that there should be some limitation to this.

I mean, you can dig five blocks after placing the first column!! that doesn't sound fair; I know that the dirt is being supported on both ways, but I am thinking on a way to nerf the column a bit. I planned having to use it each two steps or so, not 5 by 5.

if it is not possible, I'll have to consider a bigger playboard.

[Previous]

I mean, you can dig five blocks after placing the first column!! that doesn't sound fair; I know that the dirt is being supported on both ways, but I am thinking on a way to nerf the column a bit. I planned having to use it each two steps or so, not 5 by 5.

if it is not possible, I'll have to consider a bigger playboard.

Everything is possible when your man smells like old spice and not a lady.

I can easily tweak it so there's a maximum of two free blocks between two columns. A maximal gap of only one block would require a little bit more work.

One question though, this came to my mind when thinking about those one block gaps:

Code:

Digits represent common blocks like Dirt with their respective stability level. Blocks wioth 0 would fall.

  10
321
32
3

But how about this:

Code:

Same as above.

  101
321 123
32   23
3     3

That's basically the reason one block gaps between columns are not possible right now. If you want that block to be supported, I could try to find a way.

[Previous]

Oh hey guys I almost completely forgot...
Have some screenshots of the beta I recently sent to Gors!


Most of the graphics are obviously placeholders... especially that gorrible opening screen.
But as you can see, keys [] can now be set by the user - gamepad buttons <> as well! Then I made a nice new HUD with little icons and a custom pixel font and everything. Gems now come in different variations that can have different values which is kind of stupid since that does not matter! Maybe for a different game mode where you don't need to get all gems.
Note that rooms can be larger than one screen. Scrolling works nicely.


By the way, I have fixed the bridges, Gors - they were kind of broken in the beta I sent you and could be put across larger gaps. I've now modified them to require blocks on both sides.


These are the current graphics. It's up to Gors to change whatever he wants.

[Vic]

keys can now be set by the user - gamepad buttons as well!

THANK GOD no Y X C Bullshit on a QWERTZ keyboard.

I'm also getting an extreme Boulder Dash vibe from this

[Hoeloe]

Does the screen support scrolling, or do you just have incredibly limited levels in which to work?

[Previous]

But of course, Vic - I live in the QWERTZ world, too.

Does the screen support scrolling, or do you just have incredibly limited levels in which to work?

Note that rooms can be larger than one screen. Scrolling works nicely.

There is a 256x256 Blocks limitation (which could easily be removed, but I doubt we'll need bigger puzzles).

Well, here's a screenshot of the puzzle editor.

Puzzle sizing options are on the right directly below puzzle renaming and above tool counts.

[Hoeloe]

Ah, okay. 256x256 is fine. I was worried because all the screenshots were 10x9.

[Previous]

That's because I used 160x144 Gamebox resolution. Another thing that can be changed with ease.
I made all test puzzles that size since smaller stuff would look weird and larger puzzles require more work :P