Jess Ragan Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 So, how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 Yeah, I can use shorthand. I have a bunch of stages planned I'm just worried about fitting it all into 32kb as I ran out of room last time as I expect to again this time. So parts of the screen will be standard so say the little hill on this initial screen would be a block piece to put in, The maybe another platforms could come pre assembled in say 4 charcters wide by 4 down. and I can throw the screen together with just a few bytes of memory from some predfined platforms. so a screen would instead of being 256x192 or even 32x24 could be defined as 8x6 array or 48 bytes. If the platform patterns are 16 variations or less I could even split a byte in half and make the whole array for 1 screen using 24 bytes. or less since the top 1/4 screen is the status screen anyways. so 20 bytes But even then if you had like 5 screens per pearl quest x 20 bytes = 500 bytes store in ram. It only has 1024kb ram I guess it could store the cave pattern only til you exit then it would be like 100 bytes of ram which could be reused. Coleco just wanted to make the competition (Atari, etc.) sweat a little by generating empty hype. Considering many Coleco fans still talk about those vaporware titles today, I'd say it was a good idea from a purely marketing standpoint. They may have intended to actually make those games, but priorities changed along the way, and projects were dropped in favor of others. That's basically how Berzerk and Frenzy generate their random but repeatable mazes. Another technique that I'm using for a game that requires more planning but less byte work space is to predefine a bunch of screen templates with attributes for exits. In the case of the screen above, you'd have two exit sets on the left, and how ever many tiles are on the right. When generating the level of say 10 screens wide, you would randomly pick templates based on compatible exits, then randomize things inside like the shell. An actual 10 screen level would only be an array of template numbers. I'm using this technique to do something that allows being underwater, going down two screens, left one into an underwater cave, then retrace back up. It supports the screen to the left of Mr Turtle being a cave, but you could walk along the grass over top. You could also think different than Smurf by designing later levels as 10 wide by 3 or 4 high where to get to something you see on the first screen requires going right, down, down, right, right, up, right , up, left,left,left, right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 119 exactly everytime So, how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 Another update with some more features added/improved. Now you can leave the first screen. addional improvements- sprites animations for walking left & right- a swimming up animation- you can now swim (only straight up) to get more air but you are totally vulnerable-Hide in shell mode but only while on bottom and you may still run out of air-Shark now pursues you-new landscapes to explore-Boulder obstacle-Different Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjvypQfEs2I 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPR Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 (edited) Holy crap! That is seriously amazing! Again, I just have to say that I am in complete awe that games I looked through in catalogs or magazines when I was a kid 30-something years ago are actually being made! Never would I have thought any of this would exist. EVER! On another note - with all the contacts people in this group have, is there anyone that might know the person who was originally supposed to design or program this game that might have been able to give some insight as to how it was supposed to play? Edited March 23, 2015 by TPR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPR Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 On a somewhat off-topic note, I used to have a "turtle-cam" for the two tortoises that sat on my desk at WayForward. They were both named "Mr. Turtle" after this game! http://www.themeparkreview.com/turtlecam/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 Cool turtle cam. being from a part of canada with no turtles it was always great to visit the states and see some of the lizards and turtles & snakes, and gators. Must admit I sleep easy at night knowing there are none around up here virtually anyways. As far as game play goes there is no info basically other than the 1 screen shot and a blurb. I've got 5 stages planned and there is a lot of fine tuning to be done. I just want to contribute 1 vaporware game that probably might not have been made otherwise. If it turns out well I may consider other vaporware but 1 at a time. Holy crap! That is seriously amazing! Again, I just have to say that I am in complete awe that games I looked through in catalogs or magazines when I was a kid 30-something years ago are actually being made! Never would I have thought any of this would exist. EVER! On another note - with all the contacts people in this group have, is there anyone that might know the person who was originally supposed to design or program this game that might have been able to give some insight as to how it was supposed to play? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPR Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 As far as game play goes there is no info basically other than the 1 screen shot and a blurb. I've got 5 stages planned and there is a lot of fine tuning to be done. I just want to contribute 1 vaporware game that probably might not have been made otherwise. If it turns out well I may consider other vaporware but 1 at a time. That's awesome! I really like where you're going with the game. If I had seen your video in 1983 I would have been 100% convinced this is what the game was originally supposed to be from day one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoDan Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 vapor ware always sells well because everybody has been staring at that damn flyer for 30 yrs saying maybe they will make it next year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted March 24, 2015 Author Share Posted March 24, 2015 Oh, I can put this off til next year, cool! Here is another feature/enemy I'm adding vapor ware always sells well because everybody has been staring at that damn flyer for 30 yrs saying maybe they will make it next year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiLic0ne t0aD Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 This game is shaping up quite nicely, great work so far digress! Can't wait to play this game whenever it's released.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted March 24, 2015 Author Share Posted March 24, 2015 Thanks, There will be a when and it will be this year. Got a bunch of work to do yet though. Still haven't made any box art yet either. I'll get to it I just wanted to get fairly far along in the game development so it doesn't become vaporware again. Oh, I can put this off til next year, cool! Here is another feature/enemy I'm adding This game is shaping up quite nicely, great work so far digress! Can't wait to play this game whenever it's released.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 -You can now fight a monkey and kill or be killed-and hit the shark and drive it away I'll make the shark beatable but with several hits.-Second Pearl will be from monkey-There will be more generic screens between these but I'm working on the major screens first and it's just easier if they are all next door to each other https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeS3DCAuzWA 2 additional mockups for added areas if I can fit them. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Oh yeah! Mr Turtle does a Screw Attack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slab0meat Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Great progress, thanks for all the hard work you're doing to make this happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Does it look good or bad? I'm going to need more enemies to fight too.There'll be more than one screen with monkey but only one of them will have a pearl. Perhaps electic eels , or octopuss etc. I have a plan too. That when the boulder opens the bottom of any screen you can go down into a cave to hell and fight devils with pitchforks. and you can't leave the screen til they are defeated. Perhaps they can even drag your corpse back with them if you fail. Here is a mockup Oh yeah! Mr Turtle does a Screw Attack! Oh yeah! Mr Turtle does a Screw Attack! Great progress, thanks for all the hard work you're doing to make this happen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youki Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 (edited) It looks fantastic , i'm looking foward to try it. May be you could do a screen inspired from the Octopus game & watch. Edited March 31, 2015 by youki 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 1 more mockup that I will be adding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
65Gamerguy Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I really like what you have done so far! This is a game I am looking forward to buying when it is released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Thanks guys. The octopus idea looks great. I'm going to finish programming the 2 mockup screens and we'll see if I have any room left in the 32kb. Would need a lot of tiles for the octopus. It looks fantastic , i'm looking foward to try it. May be you could do a screen inspired from the Octopus game & watch. I really like what you have done so far! This is a game I am looking forward to buying when it is released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 The Octopus idea is great! Kind of like a big boss battle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 So I've added more screens. still not fully functional but they are -Hell & Devils (not finished yet) -Cliffs with vultures & Billygoats (still buggy) improved several other things Yes I noticed some reversed sprites that need fixing. -Add cliffs & birds & billy goats. The goats will come alive in the next update-Sped things up. The video actually plays slower than the actual game by 10-15% https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35hE3q0jLVc 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rey Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Looking good sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Thanks. I'm not sure if I'm wasting my time or not but It's fun to work on. Looking good sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPR Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 ^ Not at all! Some of my favorite home brews have been the "cancelled games brought back to life!" This one is high on my interest list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.