118 replies to this topic

[vdub_bobby]

Cybergoth, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:38 AM, said:

vdub_bobby, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:06 PM, said:

Well, I found the display bug, that's an easy fix. The multiple-bonus-items-in-a-row bug is more perplexing. Can you give some details? How often did it happen? Was it immediately after a death? When did it happen? After you passed the 15th level and start the random-enemy level(s)?

I could just replicate it for a dozen times in my game. It was not really related to death, I more got the impression that it happened when it wanted to do the bonus anyway. It started from the second randomized building onwards.

Aha! If it happens in the randomized buildings; that's an easy fix - hopefully. I'm probably just not bounding the random new objects correctly or some other logic flaw when creating random new enemies.

[Albert]

vdub_bobby, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:06 PM, said:

Nathan Strum, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:21 AM, said:

vdub_bobby, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:16 AM, said:

Arrrgh! Is that using the latest binary?

Yep.

Well, I found the display bug, that's an easy fix. The multiple-bonus-items-in-a-row bug is more perplexing. Can you give some details? How often did it happen? Was it immediately after a death? When did it happen? After you passed the 15th level and start the random-enemy level(s)?

Thanks.

I've seen this also, should be pretty easy to reproduce. In fact, nearly every time a bonus item appears, there's almost always another on the next level up, and sometimes another after that. It's always proceeded by a few notes, which I presume means a bonus item is available?

..Al

[Albert]

I just played this for about 15 minutes straight. I really love what you've done in reproducing this 8-bit game! I haven't played the original, but I really like the gameplay mechanics. You can get a good rhythm going while playing, and the graphics and audio really help add to the entire experience. It's a great looking and sounding 2600 game and once you die then I'll be able to see how far I can get when I know perpetual resurrection is no longer available.

Besides fixing bugs and deducting lives when you die, what else remains to be done? It looks quite polished already.

..Al

[vdub_bobby]

Albert, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:35 PM, said:

Besides fixing bugs and deducting lives when you die, what else remains to be done? It looks quite polished already.

Well, the list is pretty short at this point:
-Finish dying routine - not only take away a life when you die, but there is also a short pause after you scroll off the screen before you restart
-Have it start at the "title screen" which, if you haven't played the A8 version, is even simpler than you think.
-Allow selecting of initial level
-Game over routine
-Pause
-Give 200 pts for "jumping" over a monster

Hmmm. That might be it.

[Albert]

vdub_bobby, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:07 PM, said:

Albert, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:35 PM, said:

Besides fixing bugs and deducting lives when you die, what else remains to be done? It looks quite polished already.

Well, the list is pretty short at this point:
-Finish dying routine - not only take away a life when you die, but there is also a short pause after you scroll off the screen before you restart
-Have it start at the "title screen" which, if you haven't played the A8 version, is even simpler than you think.
-Allow selecting of initial level
-Game over routine
-Pause
-Give 200 pts for "jumping" over a monster

Hmmm. That might be it.

Doesn't sound too bad. How will you pause? Is there a level indicator? I don't remember seeing one when I was playing earlier. Now I'm curious about the title screen. How much room do you have left?

..Al

[vdub_bobby]

Albert, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:20 PM, said:

Doesn't sound too bad. How will you pause? Is there a level indicator? I don't remember seeing one when I was playing earlier. Now I'm curious about the title screen. How much room do you have left?

Plan is to pause with B-W/COLOR switch.

Level indicator only shows when you are selecting a level before playing.

And the "title screen"...

Here's how it works on the A8:
On startup, it goes to a screen that looks just like the initial screen on my version, except you can't move the guy.
You press START to start a game.
If you press START at any time, it restarts a game.
If you press SELECT at any time it stops the game immediately and shows the startup screen, but in place of the score it shows the level number which was increased by one since you pressed SELECT.
If you press any key it pauses the game - which stops everything *except* the enemy animation. They don't move L/R but they continue to move their cute little legs. Press any key again to unpause.

Replace START with RESET and "any key" with "B-W/COLOR" and you've got the plan for this version.

And, finally: 62 bytes.

Edited by vdub_bobby, Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:33 PM.

[Albert]

Thanks for the details.

62 bytes, eh? How optimized is the game?

..Al

[vdub_bobby]

Albert, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:48 PM, said:

Thanks for the details.

62 bytes, eh? How optimized is the game?

..Al

Not optimized enough. I'm up to 77 bytes now. I think probably a page is all I'll need to finish - just need to free up ~180 more bytes!

EDIT: 93 bytes now.

Edited by vdub_bobby, Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:20 PM.

[vdub_bobby]

Latest:

You now lose lives when you die and when you're lives are done - game over.
Game now starts at "title screen," start a game by pressing the trigger or RESET. Can restart game with RESET. Can stop game and switch initial level with SELECT. I think I think I think I think I fixed all bugs related to enemy/item generation. You shouldn't ever see consecutive bonus items, consecutive suitcases, no suitcase at the top of a building, or anything like that!

Only things left to add, in order of priority:
-Still need to give 200 points for jumping over a monster (EDIT: and 300 points for squishing a monster while moving...sort of.)
-Pause

Of course, there is plenty of tweaking I'd like to do.

EDIT: Any new opinions about striping the brick?

Attached Files

•  SquishEm20071211.zip   23.03K   52 downloads

Edited by vdub_bobby, Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:22 AM.

[cosmosiss]

I like it!

[vdub_bobby]

cosmosiss, on Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:38 AM, said:

I like it!

Thanks!

[Omegamatrix]

I never played the original so I have no bias here. I do feel it's unfair the brick doesn't wipe out any enemies. It'd be good if it did. Maybe not give you any points for it, but take them out none the less. Actually it might make the game a lot easier and not so much fun. Anyhow fun game.

[PressureCooker2600]

I've played the Colecovision version and the 800 version and I have to say that this version is MARVELOUS!!!!!

Almost identical graphics.....everything is perfect here. Hard to believe this could fit onto a VCS cart. Gameplay is spot on.

GREAT JOB!!!!

[Cybergoth]

Uihjah, now it's a real game with losing lifes and such. Be careful what you squish for...

cosmosiss, on Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:38 PM, said:

I like it!

Beat ya!

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[rheffera]

Well done! I love it. WOuld be nice to see a PAL version as the colors are all screwy on my pal console.

Edited by rheffera, Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:36 AM.

[Cybergoth]

rheffera, on Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:36 AM, said:

Well done! I love it. WOuld be nice to see a PAL version as the colors are all screwy on my pal console.

Did you try one of the later packages? They contain both NTSC and PAL binaries, it plays like a dream on my PAL TV

[rheffera]

Cybergoth, on Thu Dec 13, 2007 6:15 PM, said:

rheffera, on Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:36 AM, said:

Well done! I love it. WOuld be nice to see a PAL version as the colors are all screwy on my pal console.

Did you try one of the later packages? They contain both NTSC and PAL binaries, it plays like a dream on my PAL TV

yes i did.

Colours are still odd on my pal tv. i used the pal package

[Cybergoth]

Hm... I didn't try yesterdays version on the TV, but all previous ones. Does going back a version help it?
What do you think is wrong with the colors in particular, i.e. could you specify "odd" some more?

[cosmosiss]

Cybergoth, on Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:51 PM, said:

cosmosiss, on Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:38 PM, said:

I like it!

Beat ya!

BAH! I'm just warming up

[Cybergoth]

Just you wait until I get home!

[vdub_bobby]

Release candidate!

Changes:
Scoring is now complete! 100 points for squishing a monster, 200 points for jumping over a monster, 300 for both at the same time (sort of).
Decided that I didn't want to add the ability to pause.
Discovered that striping the bricks was impossible without a big kernel rewrite. So, no striping.
Made numerous tweaks to try to bring it into line with the A8 version.

EDIT: Sorry, I posted a zip with no binaries! Hope you enjoyed the manual, anyway...

Here's a zip with binaries, source, and manual text.

Attached Files

•  squishem20071212.zip   25.04K   41 downloads

Edited by vdub_bobby, Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:36 PM.

[Cybergoth]

So does the manual detail which bytes we have to patch to get this new version?

[Albert]

Cybergoth, on Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:13 PM, said:

So does the manual detail which bytes we have to patch to get this new version?

Huh?

I can't wait to try out this new version--I didn't get a chance to play the first version that took away immortality, so I'm curious to see how far I can get.

..Al

[vdub_bobby]

Albert, on Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:18 AM, said:

Cybergoth, on Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:13 PM, said:

So does the manual detail which bytes we have to patch to get this new version?

Huh?

I can't wait to try out this new version--I didn't get a chance to play the first version that took away immortality, so I'm curious to see how far I can get.

..Al

Patch bytes $F000 through $FFFF and you should be fine.

And, for all you high-score getters: my best that I've noted was in the 30,000s, somewhere around the 1st or 2nd random building.

[Cybergoth]

vdub_bobby, on Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:24 PM, said:

Albert, on Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:18 AM, said:

Cybergoth, on Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:13 PM, said:

So does the manual detail which bytes we have to patch to get this new version?

Huh?

I can't wait to try out this new version--I didn't get a chance to play the first version that took away immortality, so I'm curious to see how far I can get.

Patch bytes $F000 through $FFFF and you should be fine.

Oh... and here I was hoping you'd update the ZIP to contain binaries