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Four-Play To-Do List

Posted by , 10 March 2006 · 72 views



My Four-In-A-Row board game has been playable for some time now, so now I'm just polishing things up. Of course, this list is subject to change.

1) Stabilize scanlines per frame during thinking state.
Thanks to Fred and John for their help.

2) Title screen graphics
Big thanks to Nathan for the title artwork. You are looking at an actual screenshot above. I've managed to animate the colors in the text, a first for a 52 pixel image. There is still a little bit of work left to do, but it's nearly finished.

3) Improve thinking time when there is an immediate threat
This will be easy. Just search the 7 columns for an immediate threat, and block the first one found. If there is more than one threat, it doesn't matter which one is blocked, because the opponent has already won.

4) Fix "draw" bug
The game freezes if the AI determines that the game will end in a draw within a few moves.
I anticipated that I would have to carefully comb through my search logic, but the problem just turned out to be a misplaced label. :)

5) Show wins in all directions.
You usually win in just one direction at a time, but 2 or more is possible.

6) Heighten game board
I've added 2 lines to each marble, giving them a more spherical appearance. New display still needs to be tested on hardware

7) Sound effects for a win

8 ) Implement different levels
I'm planning on four skills levels plus a 2 player mode.

9) Menu for title screen
For selecting levels, and player's color.

10) Title music
vdub_bobby has expressed interest in writing the music. We are making arrangements in PM's.

11) If time permits, bonus games
One minigame, Knight Jumper, is finished. I also plan to do Marble Jumper 2, and if time permits finish Breakthrough. Breakthrough also depends on getting permission from the game's inventor.

12) Alpha and Beta testing

12) Release
:D Planned for August

Attached Thumbnails

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batari
Mar 11 2006 12:54 AM
Re: Syncing while thinking... I decided to implement some of your original ideas in Maze Craze 2.

I was originally going to just blank the screen, but I realized that the generation algorithm ran in a fairly tight loop, so I did T1024T=147, and check INTIM periodically and break out when INTIM=128. Once in VSYNC, I set VBLANK, render a playfield then wait for INTIM=127, then send VSYNC, clear VBLANK and continue calculating. That last 1024 cycles provides more than enough of a margin so I never miss.

Is the problem here that you can't check INTIM at least every few hundred cycles or so?
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Zach
Mar 11 2006 1:07 AM

batari, on Sat Mar 11, 2006 1:54 AM, said:

Re: Syncing while thinking... I decided to implement some of your original ideas in Maze Craze 2.

I was originally going to just blank the screen, but I realized that the generation algorithm ran in a fairly tight loop, so I did T1024T=147, and check INTIM periodically and break out when INTIM=128.  Once in VSYNC, I set VBLANK, render a playfield then wait for INTIM=127, then send VSYNC, clear VBLANK and continue calculating.  That last 1024 cycles provides more than enough of a margin so I never miss.

Is the problem here that you can't check INTIM at least every few hundred cycles or so?
Answered in the Sync'ing while thinking thread. BTW, Maze Craze 2 is looking good.
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vdub_bobby
Mar 11 2006 2:21 AM

Quote

I'm willing to outsource for this. I'd like to hear a melody where groups of four notes play a prominent role. If you're interested in helping, please reply in this thread. I'll hook you up with a cartridge if your music ends up in the game.
Hmmm. :cool:

I'm willing to contribute some stuff; for sure you can take a look at my music driver; use it if you want. Depending on your time frame, I could try writing a tune if you want.
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Zach
Mar 11 2006 4:48 PM

vdub_bobby, on Sat Mar 11, 2006 3:21 AM, said:

Hmmm.  :cool:

I'm willing to contribute some stuff; for sure you can take a look at my music driver; use it if you want.  Depending on your time frame, I could try writing a tune if you want.
You've been PM'ed.
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Nathan Strum
Mar 11 2006 5:57 PM

Quote

2) Title screen graphics

You should have a revision tonight or tomorrow. :cool:
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Zach
Mar 11 2006 7:15 PM

Nathan Strum, on Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:57 PM, said:

You should have a revision tonight or tomorrow. :cool:
Cool. No need to rush, of course.
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Zach
Mar 16 2006 7:36 AM
I've attached the title screen graphics to the top of the original post. Thanks, Nathan. :thumbsup:
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cd-w
Mar 16 2006 7:41 AM

Zach, on Thu Mar 16, 2006 1:36 PM, said:

I've attached the title screen graphics to the top of the original post. Thanks, Nathan. :thumbsup:

That is a nice looking logo - I wonder if you will be the first to release a homebrew in 2006?

Chris
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vdub_bobby
Mar 16 2006 9:59 AM
Well...LedHead saw a *very* limited release at NWCGE a few weeks ago. I think that makes it first out the door this year.
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Zach
Mar 17 2006 6:09 AM

vdub_bobby, on Thu Mar 16, 2006 10:59 AM, said:

Well...LedHead saw a *very* limited release at NWCGE a few weeks ago. I think that makes it first out the door this year.
This is the first I've heard of it. After a quick search of the forums, I found out what LedHead was, but didn't see any sign that it was ported to the VCS. Anything else you can tell us about it, Bob?
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vdub_bobby
Mar 17 2006 10:05 AM
Um, sure. David Galloway (djmips) ported it to the VCS, I wrote the kernel and music driver for it, and my brother converted Fanfare For The Common Man (!) for the title tune. As David said at NWCGE, "most pretentious video game music ever." 8)

I mentioned it in my bloggy recap of NWCGE. I *think* that David wants it to be a super-exclusive, local-only homebrew, so I think that the 10 he made at the show are it. :thumbsup:

I think he plans to release the ROM sometime, though.
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Nathan Strum
Mar 17 2006 3:36 PM

vdub_bobby, on Fri Mar 17, 2006 8:05 AM, said:

Um, sure. David Galloway (djmips) ported it to the VCS, I wrote the kernel and music driver for it, and my brother converted Fanfare For The Common Man (!) for the title tune. As David said at NWCGE, "most pretentious video game music ever." 8)
I wondered if that was the "football game" that was mentioned as being debuted there. Cool!

vdub_bobby, on Fri Mar 17, 2006 8:05 AM, said:

I mentioned it in my bloggy recap of NWCGE. I *think* that David wants it to be a super-exclusive, local-only homebrew, so I think that the 10 he made at the show are it. :thumbsup:
Awww... but I'm from Seattle! I went to the U-Dub, regularly ate at Dick's (Hollman Road representin', yo), watched "Almost Live" every week, and mocked people who live in Ballard! I miss living there so bad I bought Gran Turismo 4 just so I could drive around the Seattle track. I go miles out of my way just to find decent fish and chips (not an easy task in SoCal). I think some consideration should be made for displaced Seattlites who would've been there if we could. :D

vdub_bobby, on Fri Mar 17, 2006 8:05 AM, said:

I think he plans to release the ROM sometime, though.
I hope so - that's too cool to keep a lid on. 8) I'd really like to see the Mattel Auto Race game ported to the 2600 someday. That just doesn't get the respect the football game did.
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Nathan Strum
Mar 17 2006 3:55 PM

Zach, on Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:36 AM, said:

I've attached the title screen graphics to the top of the original post. Thanks, Nathan. :thumbsup:

You're welcome! Thanks for the 52 pixels. 8)
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Zach
Mar 17 2006 8:07 PM

Nathan Strum, on Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:36 PM, said:

"Almost Live"
Dang, I miss that show. It went national for a while. I still have an episode of "The Inneffectual Middle Management Suck-Ups on videotape.
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Zach
Mar 17 2006 8:33 PM

vdub_bobby, on Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:05 AM, said:

I mentioned it in my bloggy recap of NWCGE.
I've been keeping up with your blog, but I missed your mention of it. Looking back, I see it's called "David's Football game".
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Nathan Strum
Mar 17 2006 8:57 PM

Zach, on Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:07 PM, said:

Dang, I miss that show. It went national for a while. I still have an episode of "The Inneffectual Middle Management Suck-Ups on videotape.

I still have a bunch of tapes somewhere my friend mailed to me when I first moved down here. I should dig them out and watch them. They did a reunion special last year that was pretty good, too.

"Almost Live" seems like a natural for DVD release. At least as a "best of" compilation.
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Zach
Mar 18 2006 7:47 PM

Nathan Strum, on Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:55 PM, said:

Zach, on Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:36 AM, said:

I've attached the title screen graphics to the top of the original post. Thanks, Nathan. :thumbsup:

You're welcome! Thanks for the 52 pixels. 8)
Glad you like the 52 pixels. Keep in mind that a 52 pixel image consumes a lot of ROM, so programmers may not always want to use it, especialy in a 4K game. The current version of the title graphics is about 3.33K.

Almost Live not available on DVD: Lame!

EDIT: There are a bunch of Almost Live clips at youtube.com.
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Zach
May 30 2006 3:46 AM
This is a good time for an update. On Wenesday I sent Albert the demo for the Midwest Gaming Classic. It includes several improvements over the last release:
  • Title screen
  • Board and marbles made taller
  • All winning combinations highlighted when a player wins in more than one direction.
  • Entire board blinks when game ends in a draw.
  • Barndoor effect and a stable scanline count during the thinking process.
  • Game responds to immediate threats and wins instantaneously.
The most difficult programming is over. Now it's just a matter of finishing up some final details. I will release the demo binary after those lucky enough to be attend the Midwest Gaming Classic get a chance to see it.

In addition, I recently finished the first bonus game, which has also been submitted to the Minigame Compo. I will probably write a blog entry about Knight Jumper after voting is over.
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