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Passthrough 2600


Cliff Friedel

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PASSTHROUGH 2600

 

You thought it would be just another mission. Climbing into your ship, you descend into the cavern, looking for magma vents that can show you how this volcano has been made. But something is different about this volcano. Gems are everywhere and there is a temple that has a ominous air to it. Being curious, you walk inside. Looking around, you see what looks to be a giant diamond in the wall, just asking you to be plucked. Summoning your courage, you touch the stone to see if it can be removed. Big mistake. The floor begins to rumble and rocks begin to fall from the ceiling. You notice it is getting hotter. That is when you see the first flows in the distance. Scrambling, you make it back to the ship and fire up the engines. Now let's hope we can make it out before we become yet another interesting artifact to the next explorers...

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

The main goal of the game is to get through 10 levels before your timer runs down to zero. To climb through the levels, you need to hit the fire button when the ship is in the black space. If the ship hits the playfield, you will be sent down a few lines and 25000 points will be taken from the timer. If you get to the top of the level, you will receive 200000 points and ascend to the next level. Make it through all 10 levels and you escape, getting a score that you can brag to your friends about. Screw up, and you get zero... and cooked!

 

GEMS

 

In the world of passthrough, you will see various gems. Gems will only stay for a while before moving to a new position, so if you are close to one, you may want to steer towards it. Green gems give you bonus time or beneficial effects like invincibility, a free boost up a few lines, or will cause the timer to stop for a while. Red gems, on the other hand, are cursed. Grabbing a red gem will cause your timer to decrease by a set amount, cause the playfield to disappear for a short time, cause your ship to change color so it blends into the playfield, and cause it to descend a few lines back into the level.

 

BINARY (UPDATED 9/4/2010 10:13PM EST)

 

Passthrough2600v1.02.bin

 

SCREENSHOTS

 

post-25619-128322730888_thumb.pngpost-25619-128322732068_thumb.png

 

Let me know what you think. I am looking for ideas for cart labels and other packaging/manual ideas. Please post any ideas in here if you have them. Thanks.

 

Cliff

 

PS - I just wanted to make sure I mention and thank all the support and help that the people of this topic have given me, especially reveng. Without his custom kernel and the help from all the reviewers, this game would probably have not ever left the ground. Big thanks to TooSlowGamer too for all his help with the cart label and the input. Thanks everyone!

Edited by Cliff Friedel
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It reminds me of when I played

or
on the Commodore 64 and you had to press the fire button at the right time to roll the ball or hit the ball at the right speed and direction. The challenge of hitting the fire button at the right time was kind of fun for a while, but I always lost interest.
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There's some addiction to this game. I do think getting reset back to the first line is too harsh. Maybe one or two lines back depending on difficulty..

 

I could do it based on the difficulty switch. Maybe have it go back a few lines on easy and all the way back on difficult. It would definitely help get past that 4th level =)

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Not bad. It's almost like Stacker (http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/140937-stacker/page__st__50) but reversed. Fun that it has different levels where as Stacker is only one level. Game got fast way to quick. It's like clear level 1, clear level 2, boom fast speed.

 

It seemed too slow for me and I was getting through the levels too quickly, so I upped the speed at level 3. Someone made the suggestion of not making the arrow fall as much if you picked the easier difficulty, which would help a lot with combatting the speed. If I don't do that, I am going to have to do something like draw two movements every 3 frames or something like that to slow it down a little.

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I love this game. Good job!

 

A lower difficulty setting would help the game out a lot, in my eyes. Also, it got really fast all of a sudden, i thought that was kinda weird. But it could be because that particular level was just a straightaway? Is that why you did it?

 

Take a close look at level 3 and you will see why I have a big straightaway in the middle. =) As for the speed, I thought it should pick up after a few levels because it seemed slow to me.

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Yes, but it sped up too quick. It was like an old people's retirement center and then BAM! Great Adventure roller coaster. Needs to be a little more subtle in getting faster. Not just bam in your face.

 

I love this game. Good job!

 

A lower difficulty setting would help the game out a lot, in my eyes. Also, it got really fast all of a sudden, i thought that was kinda weird. But it could be because that particular level was just a straightaway? Is that why you did it?

 

Take a close look at level 3 and you will see why I have a big straightaway in the middle. =) As for the speed, I thought it should pick up after a few levels because it seemed slow to me.

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Yes, but it sped up too quick. It was like an old people's retirement center and then BAM! Great Adventure roller coaster. Needs to be a little more subtle in getting faster. Not just bam in your face.

 

It's in the wishlist. I am hoping I will get a little time tonight to take a look at it. I am thinking I am going to have to do something like make it move 3 every 2 frames or something like that. I am a little afraid to do it though because I am thinking it will throw off the timing of the game (since you may expect it to move in a frame where it doesn't). I will have to try it out. Besides that though, do you like the improvements?

 

Cliff

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Ok, I have posted a new revision with a better speed progression (I hope). Level 1 goes at 1 pixel/frame. Level 2 goes at 1 pixel for one frame, then 2 the second frame, the third goes 2 2 1, the fourth goes 2 2 2 1, etc. This should allow for a lot smoother progression and gentler speed increase. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

 

Cliff

 

BINARY

 

Passthrough2600.v099a.bin

 

PS - I will post the new revision at the top also

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Ok, I have posted a new revision with a better speed progression (I hope). Level 1 goes at 1 pixel/frame. Level 2 goes at 1 pixel for one frame, then 2 the second frame, the third goes 2 2 1, the fourth goes 2 2 2 1, etc. This should allow for a lot smoother progression and gentler speed increase. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

 

Cliff

 

BINARY

 

Passthrough2600.v099a.bin

 

PS - I will post the new revision at the top also

 

It's great. I also like the addition of difficulty.

 

One thing, on the Atari logo level, I think it's too easy, at least when compared to the previous level, because it's just a simple straightaway.

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Ok, I have posted a new revision with a better speed progression (I hope). Level 1 goes at 1 pixel/frame. Level 2 goes at 1 pixel for one frame, then 2 the second frame, the third goes 2 2 1, the fourth goes 2 2 2 1, etc. This should allow for a lot smoother progression and gentler speed increase. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

 

Cliff

 

BINARY

 

Passthrough2600.v099a.bin

 

PS - I will post the new revision at the top also

 

It's great. I also like the addition of difficulty.

 

One thing, on the Atari logo level, I think it's too easy, at least when compared to the previous level, because it's just a simple straightaway.

 

Well, it depends on how you look at it. If you just go up the straightaway, it is easy, but it takes a long time and you lose points. If you go up the slopes also, then it is harder because it takes better timing, but is faster, meaning you get more points. Also, on some boards, I put in big spaces because of the design or because it is a little break from always trying to hit the little 3 space openings.

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Cliff, I think you've created something interesting here. :thumbsup:

 

That said, I totally suck at that purple level with the parabolic curve, and haven't managed to get past it.

 

My 2 cents is that if you added some bonus items - time bonus, super jump, slow-mo - it would add some more depth to the game.

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Oh, I get it now.

 

How many levels does it actually go to? Does it loop back? If it does loop back, is there an increase in speed?

 

It goes 10 levels right now, but I plan to add more. I don't plan to loop it, instead having an end screen for winning the game. I have about 1K left and I would like to put some music and maybe some other stuff in there, so I am thinking there will be 16 levels.

 

Cliff

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Cliff, I think you've created something interesting here. :thumbsup:

 

That said, I totally suck at that purple level with the parabolic curve, and haven't managed to get past it.

 

My 2 cents is that if you added some bonus items - time bonus, super jump, slow-mo - it would add some more depth to the game.

 

Well, without changing the kernel, I have the ball and the missiles left. I could probably make powerups with them. Either that, or I would have to take the passthrough label off of the side (since that is using player1). I will probably try to keep the sprite if possible though as I think it makes the game look better. I could maybe have the label go away when the powerup comes up or something. I will have to think about how to implement it, but I definitely think it's a good idea.

 

Cliff

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Cliff, I think you've created something interesting here. :thumbsup:

 

That said, I totally suck at that purple level with the parabolic curve, and haven't managed to get past it.

 

My 2 cents is that if you added some bonus items - time bonus, super jump, slow-mo - it would add some more depth to the game.

 

Well, without changing the kernel, I have the ball and the missiles left. I could probably make powerups with them. Either that, or I would have to take the passthrough label off of the side (since that is using player1). I will probably try to keep the sprite if possible though as I think it makes the game look better. I could maybe have the label go away when the powerup comes up or something. I will have to think about how to implement it, but I definitely think it's a good idea.

 

Cliff

 

I say don't take away the Passthrough label, I think it makes the game look a lot better. I would say use the ball but isn't that the same color as the playfield? Wouldn't it be too hard to see?

 

Also, I don't think you really need more than one powerup. Just, if you add one it will add another layer of depth to the game.

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Cliff, I think you've created something interesting here. :thumbsup:

 

That said, I totally suck at that purple level with the parabolic curve, and haven't managed to get past it.

 

My 2 cents is that if you added some bonus items - time bonus, super jump, slow-mo - it would add some more depth to the game.

 

Well, without changing the kernel, I have the ball and the missiles left. I could probably make powerups with them. Either that, or I would have to take the passthrough label off of the side (since that is using player1). I will probably try to keep the sprite if possible though as I think it makes the game look better. I could maybe have the label go away when the powerup comes up or something. I will have to think about how to implement it, but I definitely think it's a good idea.

 

Cliff

 

I say don't take away the Passthrough label, I think it makes the game look a lot better. I would say use the ball but isn't that the same color as the playfield? Wouldn't it be too hard to see?

 

Also, I don't think you really need more than one powerup. Just, if you add one it will add another layer of depth to the game.

 

Thinking about this more, there are a few things I could do. If I use the multisprite kernel, then I would only be able to use symmetric playfields and I don't want that. If I use the ball, then you run into the fact that it is the same color as the playfield as TooSlowGamer has said. I could use the missiles by making them 8 long and then putting them side by side. That would effectively make it look like a wall or something. Finally, I could have player1 temporarily make the label disappear, put up the powerup, and once it is hit, go back to being the label. Even if I do the missile technique, I may have the passthrough label change to tell you which powerup you got, then go back to the label. Finally, I oculd have some of the playfield disappear and the ball showup inside of it, making it look like a block with a dot in the middle. Once someone got it, then the playfield would come back.

 

In the end, I think the missile technique or the playfield/ball technique will be the one I use. I will make it random with a random effect each time you hit it. Sometimes it will be good, sometimes it will be bad. You won't know. What do you guys think? I will probably not code it until tomorrow night, so any input you have would be appreciated.

 

Cliff

 

BTW, here are some of the ideas I have for powerups:

 

+/- time

+/- rows

+/- level (thinking this would be diff A only)

Turn the playfield invisible for a short time.

Turn the ship the same color as the playfield (so you would only see it when it passed into the black space)

Make the ship invincible for a short time.

Stop or slowdown the timer for a short time.

Speedup the timer for a short time.

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I always avoid random +/- bonuses in games. Instead of random-effect bonuses, how about bonuses that alternate fairly quickly between a good and bad color?

 

I like the idea of the label changing to let you know what the bonus is!

 

But if you do decide you want to free up that player, I could always whip up a 48-pixel wide banner minikernel, which would display the title horizontally above the score. The code's pretty much already there in my titlescreen kernel.

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I really like the latest build. I got to some level shaped like a treasure chest or something.. it's the level after the one with a 7.

 

I think on that 7 level you should put one row of blocks on the right over the 7.. this will force you to use that top left space.

 

I think the only thing that bothers me is the way your ship moves.. it's not smooth.. it jumps from position to position, but maybe that's your intention and maybe it's harder that way.

 

Bonuses would be nice and "force" you to take certain smaller paths.

 

I like that there's a difficulty setting.

 

As for the word Passthrough / logo. If you could pull this off, I think it would look really nice: Fade in the color slowly.. from black to white.. then make it fade back out. After it fades out make it do the same thing on the right side of the screen.. repeat process. This happens while the game is going on.

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