K.O. Cruiser - my first homebrew

[espire8]

I can determine the ball's reverse motion based on this formula:

 

X_Reverse = Width_previous - Width_current + X_normal

 

Unfortunately, I don't have the clock-cycles available to compute this.

According to your formula -I'm guessing that selectively flipping individual faces can't be done (it's either all or none so-to-speak). Your statement seems to involve the ball of all 3 heads per boxer. Is this why you still trying to flip the ball? To keep the "normal" and "attack" faces from getting distorted? This still means flipping both the sprite and ball for all the heads with not enough cycles.

 

Question: Is it possible to flip only the head sprites and not the balls?

 

If the case be yes, then why not solve the clock-cycles issue by just keeping the ball gfx for all 3 heads centered and fixed symmetrically as with the hit face? --that way none of the ball gfx need to be flipped for any of the heads. Flipping only the head sprites would use less clock-cycles as I would think.

The idea is to "fit" the head sprites to the symmetrically fixed ball; in other words, let the faces work with the ball. Don't try to make the ball work with the faces.

From there it's just a matter of moving a few colors and pixels to the rest of the face sprites as was done the hit face --which I'll be more than happy to assist.

 

Of course, you know the constraints better than I -but would this idea work better for you?

[Devin]

I like your designs and wanted to see how I can build from them, hope that's okay with you.

I provided pics of all the changes so you can view every detail in deciding what you can and can't use.

Looks great!

 

Some last-minute feedback after much playing:

-I found I was having problems differentiating the player's blocking frame from the normal stand when blocking toe to toe. This is especially true on a small screen.

It reads a lot better when I have the player's feet planted farther apart and can then clearly tell when the block is broken by the opponent.

This is an important visual cue you need to keep.

I also made a few minor changes to the normal standing frame by slightly lowering one arm to avoid symmetry and thus improve the walk animation.

Great points. I'll incorporate both in the next binary - which I shall call "RC 3 feature creep 1". :-)

 

Same deal with the player's hit frame. The visual cue is hard to see being within the frame of the other boxer.

It reads better after I made a slightly larger head and sweat flying farther out so I can really tell now when I'm hit!

I can also change the color of the player to red or something like that.

 

In the punch frame I retracted his right arm back a notch and right foot a little more up so he looks to step into his swing.In the victory frame I dropped his head a notch into his shoulders so his gloves are better defined in the air.

Looks great!

I added socks to all the frames too.

I might not keep the socks. I'm trying to keep the visual noise to a minimal - so we can't be too artistic with the player graphic. Admittedly, it looks great.

 

I for one am willing to wait for a final product with the added content using 32k at practicaly the same cost.

But whatever you do decide at this point is jake with me!

I'll keep it 16k for this release. The only way to get more boxers is to create redundant copies of the kernal screen. The graphics are just too integrated to chop the screen into different parts.

[Devin]

I can determine the ball's reverse motion based on this formula:

X_Reverse = Width_previous - Width_current - X_normal

Question: Is it possible to flip only the head sprites and not the balls?

 

If the case be yes, then why not solve the clock-cycles issue by just keeping the ball gfx for all 3 heads centered and fixed symmetrically as with the hit face? --that way none of the ball gfx need to be flipped for any of the heads. Flipping only the head sprites would use less clock-cycles as I would think.

 

Actually, I gave a ton of thought to this.... and the answer came to me in my dreams - brought to me ny the terrifying sprites from No Escape. j/k.

 

I looked the images and I am sure I can added flippable faces. The trade-off is that the ball will be fixed at 4 pixels. Fortunately, with only a few exceptions, all the faces can be drawn using the fixed width ball. This includes the ones in this release and the characters are drew for sequels already.

 

The formula I showed above relies on knowing the width of the ball in the prior position.

 

X_Reverse = Width_previous - Width_current - X_normal

 

If the ball is kept at the same width, the formula simplifies to:

 

X_Reverse = -X_normal

 

Which is now possible.

[Devin]

I should have something new Friday or Saturday.

Edited March 6, 2009 by Devin

[Devin]

Btw-- I discovered a special finishing move in the first match when I counter-punched the nerd's special while he was one hit away from a knock down and my left hook sent him flying to the ropes like a sling-shot before he hit the mat!

 

That was exhilarating!

 

But this same finisher never happens to any of the other boxers.

 

Is there a different manner to perform a finisher to the others or was it only for the first character?

 

You ought to make possible that same finisher to be performed on all the characters, it's dynamite!

 

I'm glad you enjoyed that. Hee hee. I only have that hooked into Tomato Ken. Each of the boxer's can have up to 8 "stances" which control which macros are executed - simply a group of event handlers! Anyway, when Tomato Ken does his super, he changes stance to one that has the "Fly Knockdown" linked from the "knockdown" event. It actually works anytime after he throws the punch and before he resets after the delay expires.

[rockfistus]

Best thing I've ever seen on the 2600 see my previous post My thoughts over at RR

[espire8]

Question: Is it possible to flip only the head sprites and not the balls?

I looked the images and I am sure I can added flippable faces. The trade-off is that the ball will be fixed at 4 pixels. Fortunately, with only a few exceptions, all the faces can be drawn using the fixed width ball. This includes the ones in this release and the characters are drew for sequels already.

 

If the ball is kept at the same width, the formula simplifies to:

 

X_Reverse = -X_normal

 

Which is now possible.

This all sounds very good.

 

I re-did the hit faces following the new constraints you described.

 

I'm not sure if "all" the faces mean: --the same ball width for the normal and attacking faces as well.

Anyway, I just worked on the hit faces for now.

 

The trade-off was not too severe.

In fact, most has very few noticeable difference with the last boxer remaining identical.

Only Russ loss his sideburns but I think the image still works.

Hope they all work out for you.

 

The pics on the left are the Before and on the right are After:

 

 

Thanks for all your complements on the player sprites

 

The color change idea to signal being hit I think might be too distracting especially if taking multiple hits in quick succession.

 

However, I can understand if the 'hit' sprite's head look too swollen.

I did that purposely to exaggerate the action and emphasize the impact.

I like how the player look "thrown back" a bit and wanted to get your impression.

Perhaps just letting the sweat alone fly farther out while keeping a normal sized head is more suitable for you?

 

The socks was just because.

 

That finisher move for tomato ken was a nice surprise for me. Glad you added that little extra.

I'm really looking forward now to your face-flipping build!

[Devin]

This all sounds very good.

 

I re-did the hit faces following the new constraints you described.

I'll be able to move the ball quite well with the next update. It won't have to be centered. I worked on some pictures of my own for the characters normal and angry faces.

 

The ball is always 4 pixels, but can move left, right with ease. I will use a XOR trick using a lookup table for movement commands.

Edited March 9, 2009 by Devin

[+Nathan Strum]

I'll be able to move the ball quite well with the next update. It won't have to be centered. I worked on some pictures of my own and came up pictures in the attachment. The ball is always 4 pixels, but can move left, right with ease. I will use a XOR trick using a lookup table for movement commands.

Those look excellent! Very expressive and funny.

[Devin]

I'll be able to move the ball quite well with the next update. It won't have to be centered. I worked on some pictures of my own and came up pictures in the attachment. The ball is always 4 pixels, but can move left, right with ease. I will use a XOR trick using a lookup table for movement commands.

Those look excellent! Very expressive and funny.

Thank you, but they are practically all Espire's work!

Edited March 9, 2009 by Devin

[Devin]

I just noticed that Tomato Ken is not compliant. I've attached a compliant version.

Edited March 9, 2009 by Devin

[+Nathan Strum]

What's happening with his mustache? It looks like it disappears.

[espire8]

The ball is always 4 pixels, but can move left, right with ease. I will use a XOR trick using a lookup table for movement commands.

The constraint is is not as limited as I thought then. That's very good!

 

You got Russ's sideburns back too! cool!

 

Just to note - I wondered why the new head shots got their ear cut off on one side.

 

Wally B also loss a lot of his forehead compared to your earlier design.

I believe it's still possible to preserve the look of all your original normal and angry faces.

Here's what I'd do with Wally's angry head using the new moveable 4-pixel wide ball for example:

Whatever the reason anyhow, I'm just so thrilled now that the face-flipping is going to be reality!

Thanks Devin, for all your thoughts and effort with implementing the flipping heads!

[Devin]

What's happening with his mustache? It looks like it disappears.

 

Do you mean General Concussion's hit face?

[Devin]

Just to note - I wondered why the new head shots got their ear cut off on one side.

 

I was attempting to turn each of the computer's heads to the side a bit. The idea is that these can flip too.

[+Nathan Strum]

What's happening with his mustache? It looks like it disappears.

Do you mean General Concussion's hit face?

I meant Tomato Ken, sorry for the vagueness.

 

I always assumed the brown line over his teeth in his normal pose was a mustache.

[Devin]

I meant Tomato Ken, sorry for the vagueness.

 

I always assumed the brown line over his teeth in his normal pose was a mustache.

 

Nah.

 

That's supposed to be his mouth with some buck-teeth handing down. Maybe it will work better with a pink mouth.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Devin

[+Nathan Strum]

That's supposed to be his mouth with some buck-teeth handing down. Maybe it will work better with a pink mouth.

So, it's his lip then?

 

Maybe a lighter pink...

 

[espire8]

Just to note - I wondered why the new head shots got their ear cut off on one side.

 

I was attempting to turn each of the computer's heads to the side a bit. The idea is that these can flip too.

Ooo... we get to punch the normal and angry faces too!

j/k.. now I get it.

 

Btw- I'm sorry Devin - but your pink mouth on tomato ken look like he's wearing lipstick.

I'd keep his mouth color consistent and stick with black. It always looked like a mouth to me since day one.

Should be quite easy to figure out because most already know mustaches don't disappear.

[Devin]

The face code is going very well - and actually quite easier than I had initially thought.

 

Anyway, I can't decide on the final look of Tomato Ken. I have three possible designs below:

 

Choose Thy Tomato

[+Nathan Strum]

B. The glasses look more nerdy. The only thing missing is the piece of tape holding them together.

[Frotz]

I'd go for the pink mouth to avoid the mustache mistake.

[Impaler_26]

The face code is going very well - and actually quite easier than I had initially thought.

 

Anyway, I can't decide on the final look of Tomato Ken. I have three possible designs below:

 

Choose Thy Tomato

B looks best.

[Corby]

B!

[NML32]

B looks best.