209 replies to this topic

[pmartin252]

Thomas, this is fantastic! I know that there were posts a few days ago about the java(?) version of this game, but just out of interest, how long did it take you create this masterpiece? Was it based on some code you had already created or was it done from scratch?

I've been ploughing my way (very) slowly through the tutorials in the Newbies Homebrew section, but these now seem to have stopped, hopefully someone will contniue with more info about precise sprite positioning etc At the moment I can only dream about creating anything close to this.

Once again - Well done!

[CrAlt]

1.02 works on my Mac now...COOL GAME!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

pmartin252 said:

...but just out of interest, how long did it take you create this masterpiece?

Hm, let me see:
I had started with it the last but one weekend, but then on Thursday my CRT broke and I almost didn't program anything last weekend (I only had a very blurry small 14" as replacement. I bought a new TFT last monday, and spend some minutes every day, and then some hours on Friday and today. So it should be about five or six (working) days in total.

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Was it based on some code you had already created or was it done from scratch?

It was done almost from scratch. Of course a few standard routines could be reused (though adapted), but about 95% of the code is new.

BTW: I am currently adjusting the maximum difficulty (therefore playing with a lot of parameters) so that the game doesn't get impossible. A lot depends on the agility of the helicopter.

So should I either make the game less difficult (wider minimum wall spacing and lower walls) or should I make the helicopter a bit faster, but also more difficult to control?

How much to the left should I position the helicopter? And how about some limited horizonal movement (which would allow mastering narrower spaced walls)?

[Gregory DG]

I've got a similar game on my cell-phone, but this one is miles better. I like the color and the graphics of the 'copter, they're great!

The cell-phone game is a little different in that you also have to avoid the walls of the cave occasionally. Is there a way to vary the depth of the stalg-tites/mites?

I also like the idea of having different levels. Maybe a simple password a la Secret Quest could also be included?

BTW, 940 was my first score.

[Mindfield]

Heh... I have several variants of this on my Palm. This version looks a lot cooler, though -- but maybe that's just my bias talking. :-)

No ... no, it looks cooler.

[SS]

Really cool as always Thomas!


(PS - Beat this one, Albert!)

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[pmartin252]

I don't think you should make the game too much harder at the start as that can get frustrating, and if you introduced forward/backward movement it would spoil the basic 'fun' of the simplicity of the game (IMO)

Levels, possibly with a password would be great too, but I suppose that if you wanted to keep it limited to it's current size this would not possible.

Whatever happens, I'm looking forward to the developments!

Regards

Martin

[Albert]

pmartin252 said:

I don't think you should make the game too much harder at the start as that can get frustrating, and if you introduced forward/backward movement it would spoil the basic 'fun' of the simplicity of the game (IMO)

I agree that it shouldn't get any more difficult, as the difficulty ramps up pretty fast and a single game doesn't take that long to play. Thomas has struck a fine balance where the game is hard, but you keep finding yourself coming back for additional punishment. As I am about to do now.

..Al

[Albert]

SS said:

(PS - Beat this one, Albert!)

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[kisrael]

So, it's the same game every time?

Being a big fan of "one button gaming", I'd say moving left and right detracts from the whole experience.

[Albert]

kisrael said:

So, it's the same game every time?

No, it appears to be more or less random to me.

..Al

[Godzilla]

yea, appears random to me, too. very fun, got a high of 800 on my first few sessions. very addictive, and good zoning. The slow beginning kills me the most though :-) can the barriers have a gradient too?

My only complaint is that the helicopter feels just a little too heavy in play, but then when stuff is going really fast, you need the copter to fall fast... right about 800 you have to start being psychic on whats coming next, becuase your arc has to be planned ahead of time, without you even knowing where the barrier is... that's problematic.

Exceptionally nice looking for a 1k game, I must say :-) Gotta love that 2600 color pallete. Great stuff, TJ

[liquid_sky]

thomas, the game is perfect right now. If you add foward and reverse movement (which i am against) it will add too much to the game.. i feel the simple controls create a zenlike game. If you do decide to add extra movement, please assign it to a difficulty switch so the player can decide what kind of gameplay they want

ps. I cant beat 864..

[wildman]

1051 my high score

this is a pretty good game, hats off to ya man.

if i were to change it i would cut out the first 200 - 250 points of play time
and make the difficulty gradient just slightly less steep....
that would make the game more replayable to me
little more difficult in beginning and a little longer game time.

[Lost Monkey]

@Thomas: You may already be aware of this, but the barriers seem to be growing as they are onscreen, and it is possible to run your helicopter into the end of a barrier which has suddenly appeared in front of the copter.

I've demonstrated below:

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[Lost Monkey]

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[Lost Monkey]

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[Kuddy]

Pretty nifty. My highest score is only about 934 points so far.

[sku_u]

This is a good adaptation of this game. I just scored 1927

[SS]

sku_u said:

This is a good adaptation of this game.  I just scored 1927

Screenshot please, Mr. Braggidy-Pants!

[Gateway]

Godzilla said:

... right about 800 you have to start being psychic on whats coming next, becuase your arc has to be planned ahead of time, without you even knowing where the barrier is... that's problematic...

Use the Force, Godzilla!

@Thomas: Will you still be allowed to enter the 1K contest next year with this game, even if it is released on carts? I believe you can win the competition with this one!

For the name of the game: You've got stalagtites and stalagmites in real caves, so how 'bout calling it: STALAGFLIGHT ( or STALAG-FLIGHT )

Weston

[SS]

Gateway said:

@Thomas: Will you still be allowed to enter the 1K contest next year with this game, even if it is released on carts?

Well, Oystron was entered in this year's contest so I would think that there'd be no problem with Thomas putting the to-be-renamed Cave1K up next time around.

[killersquirel]

My high score is 1347, although I don't have a screenshot because I played it on the cuttlecart 2 (works great!).

I think you should bump this game to 4k and have the option through variations as to how fast or close the cave can get. Have some variations where there might be some items to pick up and drop off. Maybe have a variation where you have to fly really deep into the cave and then shoot an atomic bomb and then fly out of the cave before having to do it all again.

I would love to see this game released with a label and instructions as if it were an original release and have all the variations listed as games, such as 27 game variations. This is a great game and it makes me want to learn how to program. Thanks Thomas for an excellent game.

-mike

P.S. Everyone should get a CC2 when there released.

[ATARI TROLL]

Thomas I have to say this is awesome minigame! I managed to get 917 pts so far. Not as good as some of the others...Its quite addicting though. Too bad it didn't get to enter. The game has great graphics, sounds, and gameplay!

Cheers

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Gregory DG said:

I've got a similar game on my cell-phone, but this one is miles better. I like the color and the graphics of the 'copter, they're great!

Yup, me too.
Since this game was planned for a contest I tried to make use of the big 2600 palette as impressive as possible.

pmartin252 said:

I don't think you should make the game too much harder at the start as that can get frustrating, and if you introduced forward/backward movement it would spoil the basic 'fun' of the simplicity of the game (IMO)

This would only be an option for a larger version. I would add this like the real physics of a helicopter would work, so by going forward you are diving a bit faster and by going backword you can climb a bit faster. This would allow some really tricky manouevres.

Albert said:

I agree that it shouldn't get any more difficult, as the difficulty ramps up pretty fast and a single game doesn't take that long to play.

How about reducing the difficulty increasement by 50% (and maybe starting at a slighlty faster speed)?

Godzilla said:

The slow beginning kills me the most though :-) can the barriers have a gradient too?

I might increase the starting speed a little bit (+25%?) and then reduce the difficulty ramping by 50%.

Lost Monkey said:

You may already be aware of this, but the barriers seem to be growing as they are onscreen, and it is possible to run your helicopter into the end of a barrier which has suddenly appeared in front of the copter.

I know, this happens because I have only one single height value for both all walls and whenever a new wall is created that value is increased. I thought nobody would notice.

I'll probably change this and use two variables instead.

killersquirel said:

I think you should bump this game to 4k and have the option through variations as to how fast or close the cave can get.  Have some variations where there might be some items to pick up and drop off.  Maybe have a variation where you have to fly really deep into the cave and then shoot an atomic bomb and then fly out of the cave before having to do it all again.

Yes, those are good options for a 4k game. If I go to 4k, I'll have plenty of space to add other options (though the display kernel is quite limited now).

But there will always be a "zone mode", which plays like the current version.

BTW: No comments about calling it "Push-It!"?