cNp Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 Some details I noticed : The position screen says "Positon"(unless my screen is buggy XD) And about that screen, the game appears misaligned on my Vectrex. However, not too much on the vertical position, but a lot on the horizontal position. I read that it's a common issue with Vectrex, so maybe the option to change the screen position in both vertical and horizontal positions would be useful or feasible? Also, I'm not much of a hi-score guy, but maybe a time count in-game would prompt peopel to do so speed-run/scoring on your game? Just throwing that idea, I don't know if that's a possible thing? Score being counted on the time you took to beat a level and the oxygen you lost to the ennemies? Spoiler! Thanks for the feedback. I can't believe I never spotted the typo in POSITION!! Several other people never spotted it either but I pride myself on my proof reading... ah well! Regarding calibration/positioning there's only so much I could manage and horizontal positioning broke a bunch of stuff and I was at a point where I really couldn't go back and work it all out! I learnt a lot whilst writing Big Blue which can help me with the next game... lots of things to avoid! Good ideas regarding scoring... I was never too happy with the scoring ... many times I was going to have no score and just treasures found... as with many things they didn't make the final game as I'd been writing the game and learning at the same time and expanding and it got to the point where it wasn't too easy to add anything more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Heh, no problems. I don't know a lot about programming, and the Vectrex being vector based I have even less ideas on how to program the display. I need to recap and recalibrate my Vectrex anyway. I guess you'll be able to improve next time. Your game is already very good, and what I like is that it could have been a game concept BITD. The only difference are the use of 1 and 2 buttons, but I assume it is to make your game easier to play for people owning worn-out gamepads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayhem Posted October 23, 2016 Share Posted October 23, 2016 I can't believe I never spotted the typo in POSITION!! Several other people never spotted it either but I pride myself on my proof reading... ah well! I'm pretty certain I pointed it out very early on and... then never commented on it again when it hadn't been fixed! *doh* And as a playtester, I know what's being hidden under the hand heh, it's tough to get down to depth 9... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted October 23, 2016 Share Posted October 23, 2016 It's a secret to everybody? I diidn't found the game excessively hard. In fact I find it rather easy to play if you keep calm. The only death I got that was "unfair" is that once, the shark was at the top of the screen in front of me when I went down the screen, I couldn't react fast enough. All other death I got were me being too impatient and running into the shark or the eels to go faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cNp Posted October 23, 2016 Author Share Posted October 23, 2016 I'm pretty certain I pointed it out very early on and... then never commented on it again when it hadn't been fixed! *doh* And as a playtester, I know what's being hidden under the hand heh, it's tough to get down to depth 9... You may have... I can't remember seeing it though! I wanted the game to be playable for kids but present a bit of a challenge later on... I know a few people got all 8 treasures quite easily but quite a few get to 5 or 6 then find it harder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Innit Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Received my copy today. What a great package it is, the box, overlay, manual and cart are all great quality and the box protector is a nice bonus. The game is great too. I will wait til the weekend before I give it a proper go but what I have played so far has been very enjoyable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 For those that are curious to see what comes in the box with the purchase of this game: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bretthorror Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 That box protector meant a lot to me, I wish all CIB homebrews would include that for sure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cNp Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 I diidn't found the game excessively hard. In fact I find it rather easy to play if you keep calm. The only death I got that was "unfair" is that once, the shark was at the top of the screen in front of me when I went down the screen, I couldn't react fast enough. All other death I got were me being too impatient and running into the shark or the eels to go faster. Yeah, with patience it's not too hard... the hard bit is remaining patient! If I die it's always running into the eels! The shark should never be positioned for an insta-death when you enter the screen but... I'm not saying it didn't happen... it wouldn't surprise me if some strange combination of events could lead to an aberration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 I will say that once I reach level 5 and the additional shark screen get tossed in, that bastard has a tendency to be really close to the top of the screen. Close enough that if you enter and are near him, he will charge at you. Luckily his position changes unlike the eels so if you can react fast enough to flip back up the screen (grab some air if needed...), then head back down, he will likely be in a different and hopefully much lower part of the screen to more easily get around him. My largest issue is just being too fast as well and I didn't know about the key getting lost when you died while holding it. Took me forever to figure out the key is found on the same dive site you lost your diver at while holding the key. Doesn't appear to be in the manual just in case you didn't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cNp Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 The shark gets more "alert" as the depth increases... so it will come after you within a greater radius. The key/treasure dropping to the seabed at current location is mentioned in the "Collecting Treasure" section... the key can even be in the same location as the chest if that's where you dropped it... but it will never start in the same location (although it did during testing to speed things up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 And my game play and video review for Big Blue! I've had lots of fun with this game and really impressed with this first official release from Chris and Vectorrepublic! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 The shark should never be positioned for an insta-death when you enter the screen but... I'm not saying it didn't happen... it wouldn't surprise me if some strange combination of events could lead to an aberration Bugs always happens! Only once I saw it being placed so close of the upper edge of the screen so I guessed it was a bug in the placement. It's okay, that wasn't the game over so I kept playing, and it didn't happened after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Rumor has it that are only about 15 copies of this game left?! I suggest if you are on the fence about it, then hop off the fence and run for a copy. I still can't get past the 5th treasure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEFF31 Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 Got my copy today. Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cNp Posted November 9, 2016 Author Share Posted November 9, 2016 Only 2 copies left now in case you were holding off I won't be getting more overlays printed so these are the last full boxed with overlay copies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Innit Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 I'm really enjoying the game. I have just one tiny tiny quibble that is more to do with my Vectrex than the game itself. I can't see the score because it is behind the score logo on the overlay. My vectrex is most likely at fault as I know the image is a little stretched vertically and probably off center vertically too. I can't be bothered to mess around adjusting pots or whatever as most games I have don't seem to be affected by this. The good thing is that the score really is irrelevant to the enjoyment of the game. Looking forward to the next one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cNp Posted December 10, 2016 Author Share Posted December 10, 2016 I'm really enjoying the game. I have just one tiny tiny quibble that is more to do with my Vectrex than the game itself. I can't see the score because it is behind the score logo on the overlay. My vectrex is most likely at fault as I know the image is a little stretched vertically and probably off center vertically too. I can't be bothered to mess around adjusting pots or whatever as most games I have don't seem to be affected by this. The good thing is that the score really is irrelevant to the enjoyment of the game. Looking forward to the next one. Hey, glad you're enjoying the game, it's long since sold out all copies and I've had really positive feedback for the game as well as the physical packaging. Sorry about the score positioning, it does vary machine to machine but still... I did have it move in the calibration too but I'd done some silly, convoluted stuff early in the code and it had knock on effects to other elements of the game... I've certainly learned a lot from programming my first game to bear in mind on my 2nd game! I'm actually running a charity auction for copy #200 which comes in a translucent teal cart shell with 2 Big Blue t-shirts... www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302161046448 All proceeds will go to local charities in my home town who help people with various needs, especially over the Christmas period. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Innit Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 (edited) Wow! Auction finished at £720, that is brilliant for the recipient charities. Well done! Plus, kudos for adding neat extras during the auction. I'm actually running a charity auction for copy #200 which comes in a translucent teal cart shell with 2 Big Blue t-shirts...www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302161046448All proceeds will go to local charities in my home town who help people with various needs, especially over the Christmas period. Edited December 16, 2016 by Lord Innit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tombstone Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 Just picked this up from eBay and holy crap, what a great game! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cNp Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 Orders open for a new PCB version. A few boxes left too so 2 buying options. I love the new painted PCBs myself http://www.vectorrepublic.co.uk/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cNp Posted September 17, 2017 Author Share Posted September 17, 2017 Fewer than 10 original instruction manuals left now which I have been shipping with the PCB only copies so far... after these are gone I will include a home printed manual on A4 paper. http://www.vectorrepublic.co.uk/ Now summer is done I will be getting back to coding my next game... ... ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tron Unit Posted October 11, 2017 Share Posted October 11, 2017 No more boxed copies with overlay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cNp Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 No more boxed copies with overlay? Funny you should ask that... after being asked many times about US/GCE style artwork we have decided to produce box, manual, cart label to match the GCE ones of old. Need to decide if another run of overlays is also viable but not certain. Likely a flat packed upgrade kit will be available as well as a fully boxed copy with Cart, etc. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cNp Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 Hi all,You may have seen if you're over on the Facebook group that after many requests I've decided to do a new run of fully boxed Big Blues but this time with US/GCE artwork... so that's new cart label, manual, and box design. The cart holder/insert tray is now one of the repros that have recently become available and overlays will be the same as before. I'm not updating the website (www.vectorrepublic.co.uk) to sell these until everything is done and I don't normally like to take pre-order money but having the game completed (obviously!) and knowing I can get all the remaining printing done with known suppliers I thought I would offer the chance to the community here to get an order in early. The main reason for this is that I have already paid for the boxes, labels, manuals, and insert trays but I have yet to pay for overlays, PCBs and box protectors as well as packing boxes, etc. Costs of everything have gone up but before these go on general sale I'm going to offer the preorders at the old price of £35 plus postage (£8 £10 or £12 for UK, EU, US & Rest of World). Aiming to have everything ready by mid March. So, if you do want to pre-order, please email me at enquiries at vectorrepublic co uk and I'll set you up with a link to buy Cheers,Chris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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