Lead (1k)

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Very clever twist which adds some strategy to the game.

 

I have two more rather simple ideas which maybe might work (if there's space):

- additional to/instead of only widening the playfield, the height could be reduced. E.g. by moving the players ship one row up.

- I don't know the parameters your are using, but could the sound generation be influenced by the player somehow (movement, score, hits)? That might make it even more interesting.

[seemo]

Ok,

I tried to use the player's horizontal position and score to influence the music.

 

Now the notes depend on the player horizontal position: when the game is over you can 'change' the music by moving left and right.

 

The score softened the lead sound, and also interested the 'hi-hat' sound, now I think it's ok during the second stage, too.

 

Simone

lead_1k_20070210b.bin

[+Nathan Strum]

I tried to use the player's horizontal position and score to influence the music.

 

Now the notes depend on the player horizontal position: when the game is over you can 'change' the music by moving left and right.

 

The score softened the lead sound, and also interested the 'hi-hat' sound, now I think it's ok during the second stage, too.

I think I like the previous music a little better, but the hi-hat sounds better now. For what it's worth, I always thought the notes had to do with the horizontal position of the aliens as they were shot. Shows you what I know.

 

I like the smart bomb idea - but could it be changed so you don't have to stop firing to use it? Or does that make the game too easy? Just wondering, since I never can react quickly enough to let go of the fire button and pull back.

Edited February 10, 2007 by Nathan Strum

[lost child]

I agree about the music being better in the former version.

 

Would it be possible to make the entire screen flash when a smart bomb is being used?

[seemo]

Well,

this version restores the previous music (the hi-hat is ok too, I think).

 

Smart bombs can be used by just pressing down (you can keep the fire button pressed).

 

When you use a smart bomb, the screen 'flashes'.

 

Thanks for your feedback !

 

Simone

lead_1k_20070210c.bin

Edited February 10, 2007 by seemo

[+Nathan Strum]

I really like how the music now will only play as you move. That's a cool addition.

 

When I first played it that way though (without reading the above posts ), I thought the lead music was playing when you were firing. Would that work? Either way, it's a cool addition.

 

I would like to hear the bass line play continuously before and after games though, rather than just be stuck in a short loop. I miss hearing that.

 

Thanks for changing the smart bomb - that helps! A suggestion - have the screen flash light blue or light red instead of yellow (to match the color scheme in the rest of the game).

 

Other smart bomb notes: If you activate the smart bomb before or after a game, the screen just stays yellow (instead of flashing). Related to this, if you just hold smart bomb on during a game, it will basically "pause" the game for you until you let go. I think the smart bomb trigger should always be a momentary thing.

 

Great game! I'm impressed how much you've been able to put into such a small space.

Edited February 11, 2007 by Nathan Strum

[vdub_bobby]

Smart bomb is a great idea.

 

Only played the new version a little, but I liked it better when the music was based on enemy position rather than player position.

[seemo]

Hi,

this should be the final version of Lead

 

The smart bomb now lasts for just a frame, and the screen turns light blue.

 

To avoid improper activation of a smart bomb, joystick directions are not read when the game is over.

 

This makes the player position based music completely useless, since during game over it would be always stuck in the same position.

 

So, I restored the previous continuous music handling.

 

The data I use for music generation is also used to determine the new enemies horizontal position, so I think it's ok to say that now music is enemy position based.

 

I checked the error Batari mentioned, and fixed it: now if you get to 999 points, the stage doesn't keep on clearing/changing.

 

Let me know if everything is ok !

Thanks

Simone

lead_1k_20070213.bin

[vdub_bobby]

Looks good!

Unless it gets harder past this point I still think it is too easily mastered; pretty fun nonetheless.

[seemo]

Hi,

this version is harder

 

You start with the wider playfield, and low enemy generation frequency.

 

At 200 points, enemies are generated more frequently.

 

At 400 points, the playfield gets even wider.

 

Now it is very hard to survive once you get to 400 points (use smart bombs !), anyway I managed to survive for 140 points more.

 

I hope this makes the game harder to 'master'

 

Thanks

Simone

lead_1k_20070214.bin

[+thegoldenband]

Hey, this is great! Thanks for putting the "hi-hat" sound in.

 

One last suggestion: what if, when you reached 400 points, every other hi-hat was replaced with a snare drum-like sound? That would turn it into a full-fledged beat pattern, and really reinforce the idea that once you've passed 400 points, you've reached the ultimate level.

[+Nathan Strum]

One more gameplay suggestion...

 

As it is, the enemies kill you if they get to the row immediately above your ship. But that means you can't kill them when they're in that row.

 

How about if they only kill you when they reach the bottom row? (Admittedly, a minor difference, but an important one, I think.)

[Thomas Jentzsch]

BTW: If you send the game to the competition, don't make the game too tough (but not too easy also). The testers usally don't have enough time to train a game a lot and might give you lower scores when they think the game is too hard or maybe even unplayable. This happened e.g. to Deimos Lander last year. Read the reviews, it helps a lot.

 

You could send an easier, official competition version and include the original version as a bonus.

[seemo]

Hi,

this version follows the latest suggestions.

 

Once you get to 400 points, the hi-hat sound changes its 'pattern' a little (it's not a snare sound, but it's better than nothing )

 

When an enemy reaches the bottom-most row, you can still hit it, until it moves further down: at that point it will be game over.

 

I changed the missile/enemy collision handling, and tuned the enemy colors as a consequence.

 

The playfield has returned to the 'small/medium' sizes.

 

As about the overall difficulty, I think that 0..199 points are pretty easy to achieve, so nobody should feel frustrated.

 

200..399 points range is a little more challenging, since the enemy generation frequency is higher.

 

Obviously once you get to 400 points the playfield gets wider, and the game becomes more difficult, but you still have the smart bombs.

 

Well, thanks once again for your feedback !

Simone

lead_1k_20070218.bin

[Rom Hunter]

Great game, Simone.

 

Plays like a dream.

 

[alex_79]

Great game, very addictive!

 

Just one suggestion:

How about switching between last/top score in a continuous loop at the end of the game? Maybe in 2 different colors if there's space?

[+Nathan Strum]

When an enemy reaches the bottom-most row, you can still hit it, until it moves further down: at that point it will be game over.

Thanks!

[seemo]

How about switching between last/top score in a continuous loop at the end of the game? Maybe in 2 different colors if there's space?

 

Here you are

 

This version will go to the minigame compo, I think

 

Simone

lead_1k_20070224.bin

[alex_79]

How about switching between last/top score in a continuous loop at the end of the game? Maybe in 2 different colors if there's space?

 

Here you are

Very nice! Thanks!

 

This version will go to the minigame compo, I think

In bocca al lupo!

[ScottHuggins]

Simone,

 

You are probably getting sick of me asking...but this is so much fun...would be nice to see it extended to a full 4k. Maybe more game play stuff....power ups... etc.

 

That would make it a super cool cartridge (although it would stand just fine as is).

Edited February 24, 2007 by ScottHuggins

[lost child]

Sometimes while I'm rapidly moving the joystick back and forth, I will accidentally pull too far down causing a smart bomb to go off unintentionally. I'm not sure if anyone else has had this problem, but I was thinking an alternative control scheme might be to only allow a smart bomb to detonate if the fire button is released while pushing down.

 

Simone,

 

You are probably getting sick of me asking...but this is so much fun...would be nice to see it extended to a full 4k. Maybe more game play stuff....power ups... etc.

 

That would make it a super cool cartridge (although it would stand just fine as is).

 

Ditto that!

[r_type2600]

I wonder if you could add some simple accoustic effect to the smart bomb? Would help integrate it better into the game, IMO.

 

Other than that, a superbly compact and entertaining package. Amazing that it all fit into 1k!

 

Here's too hoping for an extended version fully exploiting the potential of this great game concept :!:

[Omegamatrix]

I'm so impressed by this game. The music is outstanding and I love the graphics. Great job!!

[kirin jensen]

Finally got new monitor after a few months without and started loading homebrews to try.

 

Awesome game. I hope you'll consider expanding/improving it for a cart version. A few more levels of different enemies, perhaps.

 

The damn thing's the heroin of games, I swear. I keep thinking I'm done, then play "just one more game".