244 replies to this topic

[abaudrand]

Hi RT, as I got the same dilemma, I'll tell you what I'm doing for my own game: Finishing it and if the next version of bB just need little adjustements, release a "Enhanced" version

[Random Terrain]

Thanks for the vote abaudrand. I don't know about your game, but I'm pretty sure my mangled, tangled mess would need a lot of work to get the enhanced version working.

[Brian O]

Honestly, I think the game is great as it is. I still play it from time to time. I agree w/ abaudrand, though -- finish it using the current version of bB, and then create an enhanced version or, better yet, a sequel, once youre able to get acclimated to the new bB.

At least get the current one finalized before the planned alien invasion of 2012

-B

[abaudrand]

to complete my point of view: I've started making movies on VHS by editing tape to tape in the early 90. The quality is dreadful compare to current standards, but the point is that the support isn't important at all. If the game is fun to play (and the last time I play Seaweed Assault it was) then its perfect. making the ultimate game is a good goal but it could be endless, I d rather catch pieces of dreams and make them real even they are not quite what I'm dreamed of. you could see a work in progress about my game here: Drakhan's Night

[Random Terrain]

Brian O, on Thu Mar 24, 2011 9:47 AM, said:

Honestly, I think the game is great as it is.

Thanks. I hope it will be more fun after some of the other stuff mentioned in this thread has been added.

Brian O, on Thu Mar 24, 2011 9:47 AM, said:

I agree w/ abaudrand, though -- finish it using the current version of bB, and then create an enhanced version or, better yet, a sequel, once you're able to get acclimated to the new bB.

Yeah, a sequel might be easier to do, but my first DPC+ bB program will probably be an adventure game. Can't wait to get working on that.

Brian O, on Thu Mar 24, 2011 9:47 AM, said:

At least get the current one finalized before the planned alien invasion of 2012

[Christophero Sly]

[RevEng]

Random Terrain, on Wed Dec 22, 2010 8:29 PM, said:

For anyone slightly interested in this program, it's pretty clear that I won't have it finished before 2010 is over. I hope to finish it in early 2011 so I can get to work on finishing the other games I started years ago. After that, I can work on the adventure game that has been bubbling in the back of my brain for over 25 years.

2011 or bust!

I think you've done something quite good here, RT. When I see you working on other code I ask myself "why isn't he working on Seaweed Assault?!?"

You should follow your muse, for sure, but it would be a shame to not finish this stellar job!

[Brian O]

RevEng, on Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:41 AM, said:

Random Terrain, on Wed Dec 22, 2010 8:29 PM, said:

For anyone slightly interested in this program, it's pretty clear that I won't have it finished before 2010 is over. I hope to finish it in early 2011 so I can get to work on finishing the other games I started years ago. After that, I can work on the adventure game that has been bubbling in the back of my brain for over 25 years.

2011 or bust!

I think you've done something quite good here, RT. When I see you working on other code I ask myself "why isn't he working on Seaweed Assault?!?"

You should follow your muse, for sure, but it would be a shame to not finish this stellar job!

I couldn't agree more. Seaweed Assault is a very fun game!

-B

[Random Terrain]

RevEng, on Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:41 AM, said:

2011 or bust!

I think you've done something quite good here, RT. When I see you working on other code I ask myself "why isn't he working on Seaweed Assault?!?"

You should follow your muse, for sure, but it would be a shame to not finish this stellar job!

Brian O, on Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:08 AM, said:

I couldn't agree more. Seaweed Assault is a very fun game!

Thanks. The good news is that the random example programs and test programs I've been working on have given me more experience and bits of code that I can use in Seaweed Assault to make it better.

If you guys want me to finish this game before finishing Bloober and the Gnarl, I can do that.

I got kind of discouraged by a test I did with the pfscore bars in Seaweed Assault to make them two different colors. It looked like crap. I'll forget about the different colors and just focus on making the game better. Maybe the questions I had about Bloober and the Gnarl will bubble in the back of my brain while finishing Seaweed Assault and I'll get some answers. It feels like everything I need to make Bloober and the Gnarl a fun, complete game that I would like to play is on the tip of my brain, but I can't quite get to it.

Oh well, back to Seaweed Assault.

[Brian O]

Random Terrain, on Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:12 AM, said:

Oh well, back to Seaweed Assault.

-B

[RevEng]

Excellent news!

Random Terrain, on Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:12 AM, said:

I got kind of discouraged by a test I did with the pfscore bars in Seaweed Assault to make them two different colors. It looked like crap. I'll forget about the different colors and just focus on making the game better.

Yeah, don't sweat over the colors... while it's a nice touch, I don't think anyone will miss it.

[disjaukifa]

Brian O, on Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:08 AM, said:

RevEng, on Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:41 AM, said:

Random Terrain, on Wed Dec 22, 2010 8:29 PM, said:

For anyone slightly interested in this program, it's pretty clear that I won't have it finished before 2010 is over. I hope to finish it in early 2011 so I can get to work on finishing the other games I started years ago. After that, I can work on the adventure game that has been bubbling in the back of my brain for over 25 years.

2011 or bust!

I think you've done something quite good here, RT. When I see you working on other code I ask myself "why isn't he working on Seaweed Assault?!?"

You should follow your muse, for sure, but it would be a shame to not finish this stellar job!

I couldn't agree more. Seaweed Assault is a very fun game!

-B

I remember trying this game out and having alot of fun with it! Seriously Rnadom you should finish, maybe not release on a cartridge, wait and do that after your Adventure games, but seriously get this game done, It was alot of fun and I would love to see it completed! Do you have a more recent binary of the game? (PS I just haven't looked yet, I still only have the one from the first post I think).

-Disjaukifa

[Random Terrain]

disjaukifa, on Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:52 AM, said:

Do you have a more recent binary of the game? (PS I just haven't looked yet, I still only have the one from the first post I think).

Not that I can show to anyone yet, but I should have one pretty soon.


Thanks.

[disjaukifa]

Random Terrain, on Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:20 AM, said:

disjaukifa, on Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:52 AM, said:

Do you have a more recent binary of the game? (PS I just haven't looked yet, I still only have the one from the first post I think).

Not that I can show to anyone yet, but I should have one pretty soon.


Thanks.

Hey Random,

Played the game for about an hour last night . . . addicting little game you have here, I still haven't quite figured out how to get my Manatee into the correct position to hit the seaweeds. Please finish up this game, its fantastic!

-Disjaukifa

[Random Terrain]

disjaukifa, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:51 AM, said:

Played the game for about an hour last night . . . addicting little game you have here, I still haven't quite figured out how to get my Manatee into the correct position to hit the seaweeds. Please finish up this game, its fantastic!

Thanks. I'm working on it right now.

[Random Terrain]

Check out this game over thingy and let me know if you think it looks finished:

http://www.atariage....86#entry2365286


Thanks.

[Brian O]

I think that looks really good.

-B

[Random Terrain]

Brian O, on Mon Sep 5, 2011 6:52 AM, said:

I think that looks really good.

That's good to know. I thought people might think it sucked. I think almost everything I do sucks, so it's hard to judge.


Thanks.

[disjaukifa]

Random Terrain, on Mon Sep 5, 2011 6:55 AM, said:

Brian O, on Mon Sep 5, 2011 6:52 AM, said:

I think that looks really good.

That's good to know. I thought people might think it sucked. I think almost everything I do sucks, so it's hard to judge.


Thanks.

Random I like it, its different, most stuff on the 2600 is static and the color just shifts, look at my stuff I do that all the time because I'm not all that great of a 2600 developer, but I'm working on improving that. It was a nice effect! How much space did that take up?

[Byte Knight]

Very cool "underwater effect"! I really like the game as a whole - it's got elements of Centipede and Yar's Revenge...

[Random Terrain]

disjaukifa, on Mon Sep 5, 2011 7:50 AM, said:

How much space did that take up?

I'm not sure. Both sprites use 6 animation frames. So that's a total of 12 frames and each one is 24 pixels tall.

[Random Terrain]

Byte Knight, on Mon Sep 5, 2011 7:52 AM, said:

Very cool "underwater effect"! I really like the game as a whole - it's got elements of Centipede and Yars' Revenge...

Thanks. The game might get a little more fun once I add the object/creature that will pop up from under a random piece of seaweed that you shoot.

[RevEng]

Random Terrain, on Mon Sep 5, 2011 7:59 AM, said:

disjaukifa, on Mon Sep 5, 2011 7:50 AM, said:

How much space did that take up?

I'm not sure. Both sprites use 6 animation frames. So that's a total of 12 frames and each one is 24 pixels tall.

288 bytes, plus a little for code and a bit more for page alignments.

It's a nice effect, and seeing as it's a 32k game I'd say that it's bytes well spent!

[Random Terrain]

RevEng, on Mon Sep 5, 2011 10:18 AM, said:

288 bytes, plus a little for code and a bit more for page alignments.

It's a nice effect, and seeing as it's a 32k game I'd say that it's bytes well spent!

Thanks.

[Schizophretard]

I've been playing this game today and I'm impressed. I should have played it sooner. I like the way the wrothopods, health canisters, and tentacles force me to play. The wrothopods force me to work on the bottom half of the screen so I have room to dodge them, the health canisters force me to work on the top half of the screen so I have room to catch them as soon as possible, and the tentacles force me to keep moving but if I'm stuck they can help me out. It is a perfect balance. Adding any other moving thing would ruin that balance. Only add other creatures like crabs to pop up like the seaweed to shoot for bonus points. Don't have them shoot or move around on the screen. Just have them as more eye candy and bonus points. I also like how you get more points for how much seaweed you kill with one missile(torpedo?). It rewards with bonus points but punishes you because it will be harder to dodge the wrothopods and harder to catch the health canisters with seaweed everywhere. Another perfect balance.

What I would love to see is combining new creatures with the bonus points of killing more seaweed with one missile. It will work like this: You shoot the first seaweed in a row, and then when the missile hits the next seaweed a crab pops out, when the missile hits the seaweed after that a sea horse pops out, when the missile hits the seaweed after that... When the combo is over you get the points you normally would and the creatures sink back underwater. They won't be something else you shoot but creatures you see for doing a combo as a reward. The more seaweed you kill with one shot the more creatures you get to see to tell you how big your combo was.

Also, if the above works then make the combos also keys to unlock those creatures to randomly pop up just like the seaweed but with the same points as when they are in a combo. So, the bigger your combos the more creatures randomly pop up with bigger bonus points.

These two suggestions would add more than just points to the combos. They would add eye candy to confirm the combos and unlock the creatures to randomly take the place of seaweed.

I like how the sub glides like it is in water but that makes it hard to get your aim right. The gliding plus the size of the sub makes it hard to do combos too. Sometimes I squeeze my sub at the end of a row of seaweed and when I turn towards it to shoot I ram into it. I would like the gliding to stay but I would like the aiming and setting up combos a little less frustrating. Maybe if the sub was smaller and the missiles somewhat moved with the sub to steer them it would be less frustrating.

I wish the health canisters would fill up just as much health as I need for a fill up and the rest would go into a reserve health canister. Next to my health it can have a reserve canister with a number of how many parts of health I have in it and the canister will empty before my health meter does because it is constantly filling up my health meter. That would be better than gaining extra lives because the canisters would work the same and I'll just gain parts of health with only one life.

I like the game. It is awesome!