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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 03 2008 : 11:54:22 AM
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Monday update - PAUSE feature added! We all have to pause now and then don't we? Now you can pause in this game too. I was also able to get the 2 bombers that move across the top of the screen to drop 2 bombs each randomly as they go across the screen. You can shoot the bombers themselves so they'll quit dropping bombs on you AND you can shoot the bombs too. The bombs can also destroy you if they hit you and they can issue damage on the base shields. The frame rate really took a nose dive when I added all this, so I'll either have to find a way around it or remove something to help speed it up...maybe just going with one bomber. I don't know yet. I don't want the game to be insane on the first level. Still not bad for a couple hours of work.
Oh I may add in joystick support...
I still need to add icon graphics for the two bombers going across the screen, add random icon selction so you're not looking at the same icons each time, redo the way the icons move across the screen (and down), put in place the ability for the icons and bombers to destroy your base shields, fix a sound effect glitch when the icons shoot at you, and that should wrap up level one....assuming I can keep the framerate at 60fps where it needs to be. |
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Edited by - FragEmAndSmile on Nov 03 2008 12:32:42 PM |
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Advanced Gamer
USA
4711 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2008 : 7:47:08 PM
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| Sounds like your making some real progress. I think you should just stick with one bomber for level one, but you should probably test it with two to see how the framerate will hold up. |
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Advanced Gamer
United Kingdom
1245 Posts |
Posted - Nov 04 2008 : 12:31:36 AM
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I'm well looking forward to this......do we get a badge for playing it?  |
   10th Prestige Rank 55..................................................................10th Prestige Rank 65
Twitter|TrueAchievements|COD: WaW Stats
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HouseMDfan
 52,404
Zone: Recreation
Total games played:
Current Streak: 0
Longest Streak: 185
Advanced Gamer
USA
4700 Posts |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 04 2008 : 06:20:32 AM
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housemdfan - yes it's just for the pc. I have xna and a hefty book to read but I haven't gotten to it yet. Maybe one day I'll get around to it.
DrMuffinStuffer - you'd have to ask Change Agent
zZ Dr K Zz - I may go back to one bomber but I have an idea that may let me keep both in it without framerate issues.
Tuesday's plan: I hope to work on getting the random icon selection coded. I have over 300 icons already downloaded. Maybe I'll do a "DLC" later to where I add more...Also, if time permits, I may try a couple of ideas to keep the framerate up and keep both bombers in the game. I have a short road trip today so my time today is somewhat limited. We'll see what I can get done. I'll post an update when I can.
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ZANDEN
41,207
Zone: Pro
Total games played:
Current Streak: 0
Longest Streak: 55
Junior Gamer
Canada
58 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2008 : 05:33:15 AM
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| Nice Blast those games. |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2008 : 05:39:22 AM
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| Tuesday got thrown out the window for any work to get done on the game. I had server go down which resulted in a day road trip. I have another server issue today to deal with so I'm out of the office just about all day. Maybe Thursday I can put some time on this. |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2008 : 06:59:52 AM
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| Wednesday Update - while waiting for a part to come in before making my road trip, I downloaded 100 new icons for the game. I now have over 400 different game icons to shoot at. Not much progress, but I didn't want to get started on some new code knowing I'd have to stop mid-stream when the part I was waiting on came in. |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2008 : 10:59:16 AM
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Friday update: After 2 days of not being able to work on this I finally got back on it!
I've added the code to where the icons you shoot at are totally random. At present, the computer will randomly pick between 433 different icons to shoot from. I've also added textures to the bombers going across the screen using the same random code.
Now I have to rename the icon graphic files (all 433 of them) so they'll all be in place.
I still need to do the base shield explosions when they take too many hits. I also need to work on some speed tweaks to keep the frame rate up as well as fix the way the icons go right/left/down so they move more traditionally. I guess I need to do some sort of front end menu as well and some graphical representation of how many lives you have left, what level you're on, etc. That's easy enough to add. Right now I'm more concerned with the game play. Once I get these last few things done, I'll release a 1 level demo for everyone to try. I already had a thoughts for some of the other levels and the final "boss" level. I'm going to keep it fairly short at around 10 or so levels. I can always go back and add more if I come up with something else due to the way the "story" is. |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 08:37:56 AM
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| Monday update - I took the weekend off and got some 360 gaming in. Today I have an afternoon road trip for work but I had an idea for one of the levels for this game that would include the badges from this site. So I downloaded all 110 of them this morning. May get some code time in this afternoon in which I intend to get the base shields to explode once they take too many hits. |
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squidpunch
68,077
Zone: Recreation
Total games played:
Current Streak: 0
Longest Streak: 109
360voice Staff
USA
1509 Posts |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 12:19:44 PM
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Thanks squid. I'll be putting up some new screenshots tomorrow.
Update - I've finished coding the explosion animations for the base shields. Once they take too many hits, they're gone. I've also added a slight pause before the icons start shooting at you so they aren't firing as soon as the game loads.
I've got a cool idea for a menu screen that I'll work on once I'm done with this first level.
I may cap the game at 30fps so regardless how fast your machine is, the game won't "jump" in speed after you blast a few baddies. Although it's a cool "effect" when all of the sudden the game jumps from 30-40 fps to 55-60 fps and everything starts zipping. I'll let you guys decide how I should handle that part.
That's all for today. I'll post up some new screenies tomorrow so you can see the bombers, their bombs, etc. |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 05:43:35 AM
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NEW SCREENSHOTS
http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=level103qt0.jpg
Description - This image shows both base shields being destroyed.
http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=level102xj5.jpg
Description - This image shows both bombers dropping bombs.
http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=level101mc6.jpg
Description - This image shows one bomber dropping bombs.
The text at the top left corner is just for information purposes at this point and will not be there permanently. I'll have nice little graphics for the level#, lives left, etc that will be on the bottom corners of the screen and out of the view of gameplay.
Update - Yesterday I tried removing one of the bombers to speed up the frame rate but it made no difference at all so I left both bombers in at this point. 30FPS isn't too bad though. I guess I shouldn't go insane on level 1...
If I haven't mentioned it before, everything has sound effects (laser firing, something exploding, etc. I've taken out the sound effect for the icons firing as it didn't sound right when there were only a few icons left on the screen. I'll have to work on that. |
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Advanced Gamer
3749 Posts |
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squidpunch
68,077
Zone: Recreation
Total games played:
Current Streak: 0
Longest Streak: 109
360voice Staff
USA
1509 Posts |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 12:19:14 PM
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Bill - It's the screenshots. The game isn't that dark looking.
Squid - It's Dark Basic (classic not Pro). The game is actually in 3d, but the only thing that isn't "flat" are the round bombs that are dropped and the lasers. |
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Advanced Gamer
USA
4711 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 1:32:40 PM
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| Looks like its still coming along nicely. You should post up a video using Fraps or something on youtube so we can see it in action. |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 11:07:12 AM
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NEW SCREENSHOT/Project progress
http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ivmenuwk1.jpg
This is a screenshot of the main menu that I coded today. Comes complete with scrolling background stars, sound effects when you move the "cursor" up and down, and music. The 360v logos on both sides of the screen go up and down opposite of each other. The screen looked a little plain so I wanted to add something.
I also added some background music to level 1. It's only a midi file like the main menu music, but it does add to the game I think. I am not a music composer so I have to use what I can find.
If you looked at the screenshot you'll notice there's an option to "continue". You'll be able to pick up at the level you last finished courtesy of an autosave system that I'll code in at a later date once all the levels are done. With the way I am making the game's story and "levels", it will be super easy to go back and add more levels at any time. Consider it DLC. I'd love to have 360 different levels... |
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Edited by - FragEmAndSmile on Nov 12 2008 11:56:57 AM |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2008 : 1:03:28 PM
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As promised in my blog, here's something new.
NEW LEVEL
I thought of this earlier and coded it real quick. I need to change the background and change the music to something different. I may change the starting location of the bombers to be random instead of the way I have it as well. This level is basically a bunch of bombers going across the screen and dropping 2 bombs each. Kind of a short level but it can be aggravating. Screen shot can be viewed here:
http://img514.imageshack.us/my.php?image=level02ar3.jpg
I started with 6 bombers and already destroyed one. There aren't any base shields here either. |
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Badge Team
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - Nov 19 2008 : 12:42:14 PM
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UPDATE: Sorry for the lack of updates the past few days. I just haven't had a chance to work on this project until today. Here's what I've done:
I was trying to speed up the framerate on the first level by removing both the bombers and the base shields but it made no difference. I'm just going to have to go with the 30FPS on that level.
I've revised "level 2" some. I've changed the background to something different, added different music than the first level, and changed the bombs to lasers. Dropping round balls just didn't fit in this level to me. I also plan on adding at least 2 more bombers that will drop a total of 4 additional lasers down on you. I'll proabably go back and make the starting locations of the bombers random so nobody can come up with a pattern.
NEW SCREENSHOT:
http://img87.imageshack.us/my.php?image=level02xa7.jpg
This is a new shot of the second level I did with the new background and changing from bombs to lasers. |
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360 Voice themed game
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