More games to come...

[snicklin]

I think that when I see flickering sprites, I am less bothered by them if my main character isn't flickering too much, letting the others flicker more.

[peteym5]

There might be other options I could try. One is draw the items that the zoo keeper needs to get with screen graphics. Like the net, and other items that are collected. So those won't be needed to be tasked with the player/missile multiplexer. I am already trying having some animals are zoned to either the top or bottom of them screen and it seemed to reduce the flickering.

[_The Doctor__]

yes draw the items needed that don't move and that might be the best way to kill the worst of the plexing flicker. more so than zoning ...

[peteym5]

I am going to keep the Player/Missile Multicolored sprites as this allows more onscreen colors at one time. Using soft sprites or drawing objects in bitmap mode limits to only 3 colors and takes up much more CPU cycles to complete and the VBI cycle will not be able to be completed. Processes would need to be divided across different VBI processes and slowing down the game frame rate.

 

I also made some additional graphics changes to the overall look of the game screens to differentiate from Zoo Keeper so the game can go on sale. I am working internally with Video 61 on making this game my own and so it will have copyright. Already gave the keeper more of a safari type outfit.

 

I made some progress and hope to have the next WIP video on YouTube soon. Able to collect points and die when an animal gets you. Working on the end of level animation and sound effects. It will be an unique game.

[+Nezgar]

I think the problem may be more pronounced in the youtube video, as you may only be seeing half the frames (30fps vs 60), hence some may appear to show less often than reality. Just a guess, but seen this often with 2600 videos on youtube with PMG multiplexing...

[peteym5]

https://youtu.be/dfcjdf5odw0

 

Here is the latest work in progress video for the Untitled Zoo Keeper Clone. Much more work done to make it into a complete game. A few major changes. Instead of the bars, I gave it a dark color background behind the bricks. I feel this looks much better on the Atari 8-bit screen. The shape of the characters head was changed to give him more of a safari look. Each level will have a different array of animals and cycle between several different color palettes. Can hear more different sound effects and music.

 

The lower levels will start off as being easy, as some people would be better at these games than others. However, things start getting very intense in the upper levels.

[Goochman]

Pete - not sure how far along you are with gameplay elements and such but a few thoughts:

 

1. Looks good and play mechanics all seem in place

2. It appears things run a bit slow though - the players movement around the ring and the animals ability to crunch the walls (in later levels)

3. I dont quite understand the outside bonuses - you seem to be able to capture the animals outside no matter what vs dying

4. Will you have the level climb stage as well like ZooKeeper?

[_The Doctor__]

That and in the real zookeeper you could never endlessly run in one direction around the wall and win.... you really had to move about to keep them in!

Edited September 16, 2018 by _The Doctor__

[Farb]

It looks like a good start. I agree with Goochman that it is running too slow -- both the player (especially vertically) and the animals. In the original, the animals would attack multiple sections of wall at a pretty good clip so you were forced to go back and forth to keep them contained.

Keep in mind that the "real" goal of Zookeeper was not to keep the animals contained -- it was to set things up so that you could create clusters of animals outside the enclosure that you could jump over. Jumping over one animal gave you 100 points, 2 at once is 500, 11 animals at once is 1000000, etc. The animals would always move away from the player as they left the enclosure so you could "force" them all to move in the same direction. Different animal types also moved at slightly different rates so you could time the jumps when they were clustered together as much as possible. I would think the large variation of the animal sizes in your video would make this goal much more difficult.

Also, the player's sprite was animated in such a way that it was easy to see his feet and the collision detection was set up so that touching an animal with the front of his foot didn't kill him. It made it easier to coordinate and time the more ambitious jumps.

Ideally, the strategy after the first couple of levels was to let all the animals out, do as many high point jumps as possible and then use the "net" to get them back into the enclosure in the last few seconds before the timer ran out. Most levels timed the appearance of the net near the very end so it became a mad scramble to capture as many animals as possible.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that being able to change directions in mid-air was an important capability as well. I don't believe animals ever changed direction.

 

EDIT EDIT: It also seems like your player doesn't jump high enough to clear the animals. It seems like he's jumping on them rather than over them.

Edited September 16, 2018 by Farb

[peteym5]

Pete - not sure how far along you are with gameplay elements and such but a few thoughts:

 

1. Looks good and play mechanics all seem in place

2. It appears things run a bit slow though - the players movement around the ring and the animals ability to crunch the walls (in later levels)

3. I dont quite understand the outside bonuses - you seem to be able to capture the animals outside no matter what vs dying

4. Will you have the level climb stage as well like ZooKeeper?

Outside bonus that look like fruit are just points. The other that looks like a small checkerboard is "power net" mode that just knocks the animals back to the center by contact. Otherwise you need to jump on top of them. We have to do a few things unique from the real Zoo Keeper and some things are still undecided.

 

That and in the real zookeeper you could never endlessly run in one direction around the wall and win.... you really had to move about to keep them in!

 

This game is still a work-in-progress and I am working on upping the challenge allowing the animals break through faster. Upper levels become more challenging. Have to keep the lower levels easy for novice and young players.

 

Keep in mind, by the time you see these work-in-progress videos, a half dozen modifications probably were probably made.

[peteym5]

It looks like a good start. I agree with Goochman that it is running too slow -- both the player (especially vertically) and the animals. In the original, the animals would attack multiple sections of wall at a pretty good clip so you were forced to go back and forth to keep them contained.

 

Keep in mind that the "real" goal of Zookeeper was not to keep the animals contained -- it was to set things up so that you could create clusters of animals outside the enclosure that you could jump over. Jumping over one animal gave you 100 points, 2 at once is 500, 11 animals at once is 1000000, etc. The animals would always move away from the player as they left the enclosure so you could "force" them all to move in the same direction. Different animal types also moved at slightly different rates so you could time the jumps when they were clustered together as much as possible. I would think the large variation of the animal sizes in your video would make this goal much more difficult.

 

Also, the player's sprite was animated in such a way that it was easy to see his feet and the collision detection was set up so that touching an animal with the front of his foot didn't kill him. It made it easier to coordinate and time the more ambitious jumps.

 

Ideally, the strategy after the first couple of levels was to let all the animals out, do as many high point jumps as possible and then use the "net" to get them back into the enclosure in the last few seconds before the timer ran out. Most levels timed the appearance of the net near the very end so it became a mad scramble to capture as many animals as possible.

 

EDIT: I forgot to mention that being able to change directions in mid-air was an important capability as well. I don't believe animals ever changed direction.

 

EDIT EDIT: It also seems like your player doesn't jump high enough to clear the animals. It seems like he's jumping on them rather than over them.

 

I up the speed right before I my last update and added a flag where animals will instantly break bricks all the way through at the start of each level. So it will not take as long before they break through. I can play around with how fast stuff moves, but that is a matter of opinion. Some people may find the game to be too fast for them. The slowest animals now are penguins, and fastest will be jaguars.

 

With the jumping, I already have everything almost to the edge of the screen, and increasing how high you can jump, starts pushing part of the keeper character off the screen. Especially for those that use 4:5 ratio or CRT displays. I already moved the outer wall in one font character space (4 pixels), might do one more because one of Video 61's beta testers use CRT or old TVs with an real Atari.

[_The Doctor__]

moderation? It's okay if they break through in multiple strikes, just have it happen faster, or do twice as much damage to start then be normal.... this instant idea isn't in keeping with the game and seems a bit over reaction to a small critique

[Farb]

I believe that in the original, each animal type did a different amount of wall damage so certain types broke out quicker than others.

[peteym5]

Don't want someone to get the wrong impression. As you see in the videos, most of the time, the animals need to hit the bricks twice before it disappears, and the animal stops and bounces off. First hit, brick appears cracked. What this fast break flag does, is the first few hits in some levels, the brick vanishes right away. So, some bricks get knocked out, so they can break through and get to the outer edge sooner. If effects the compare to random register, increases the chance of the brick to instantly vanish.

[peteym5]

https://youtu.be/9Hk0kugQPRE

 

Here is the final work-in-progress video for the Zoo Keeper like game. It will be release in cartridge soon. I am no longer going to call it a clone because the game had to be different enough from the original game. I speed up some the animal movement slightly, and allowing the animals to break through the walls quicker. The game is much more challenging now. Extra Lives have been set to every 20,000 points.

Edited September 20, 2018 by peteym5

[jefffulton]

https://youtu.be/9Hk0kugQPRE

 

Here is the final work-in-progress video for the Zoo Keeper like game. It will be release in cartridge soon. I am no longer going to call it a clone because the game had to be different enough from the original game. I speed up some the animal movement slightly, and allowing the animals to break through the walls quicker. The game is much more challenging now. Extra Lives have been set to every 20,000 points.

I'll buy that cart!

[peteym5]

I am currently busy making a few changing to help keep the game challenging and avoid any legal issues. I feel I did a really good job at putting this game together. Maybe game my beta testers not much to do, or provide anything for nitpickers to point out the slightest flow. No date has been set on the cartridge yet. Depends on what is found during testing.

[Goochman]

I am currently busy making a few changing to help keep the game challenging and avoid any legal issues. I feel I did a really good job at putting this game together. Maybe game my beta testers not much to do, or provide anything for nitpickers to point out the slightest flow. No date has been set on the cartridge yet. Depends on what is found during testing.

 

Pete - is there only 1 screen as shown, or is there also a bonus screen?

[peteym5]

 

Pete - is there only 1 screen as shown, or is there also a bonus screen?

Right now there is only one screen as shown. I am undecided about a bonus screen / bonus level so my new version has some differences from the original Zoo Keeper. One reason is concerns about companies and organizations investigating copyright infringement. I mentioned the example of Nintendo popping up on scene over the 2600 Princess Rescue. I understand a few other 2600 games could not be sold for profit due to copyright violation, like "Zippy the Porcupine." It just has people like Video 61 concerned. Many companies had folded, went bankrupt, and been acquired by others. It is like walking through a mind find, and people making the 2600 games are finding out the hard way. I do not want to see that start happening over here on the 8-bit or 7800 community, where these system have better graphics.

 

Zoo Keeper is not the only concept we are doing this to. Klax. Mouse Trap, and Solar Fox concepts for a similar game are on our future list as well. We will be doing this practice going forward as well as doing more original works.

 

I am working on to make up for anything lacking in other ways, like including some additional animations and sound effects. Change the colors and graphics between each level also.

Edited September 23, 2018 by peteym5

[+davidcalgary29]

Nice work! How about calling it “Animal Crackers” instead?

[peteym5]

Thought of that or "The (some made up name) Zoo" But right now "Animal Keeper" is the working title. I will be starting a separate thread for the game when all the beta testing, manuals, cartridge shell and packaging labels are all completed. It will have an updated video showing the final design of the game.

[+CharlieChaplin]

Name your game "At the Zoo" and playback a Pokey cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "At the Zoo"...

(from their 1967 album "Bookends")

[Goochman]

Right now there is only one screen as shown. I am undecided about a bonus screen / bonus level so my new version has some differences from the original Zoo Keeper. One reason is concerns about companies and organizations investigating copyright infringement. I mentioned the example of Nintendo popping up on scene over the 2600 Princess Rescue. I understand a few other 2600 games could not be sold for profit due to copyright violation, like "Zippy the Porcupine." It just has people like Video 61 concerned. Many companies had folded, went bankrupt, and been acquired by others. It is like walking through a mind find, and people making the 2600 games are finding out the hard way. I do not want to see that start happening over here on the 8-bit or 7800 community, where these system have better graphics.

 

Zoo Keeper is not the only concept we are doing this to. Klax. Mouse Trap, and Solar Fox concepts for a similar game are on our future list as well. We will be doing this practice going forward as well as doing more original works.

 

I am working on to make up for anything lacking in other ways, like including some additional animations and sound effects. Change the colors and graphics between each level also.

 

Pete - Im pretty most would agree that this game needs something beyond the brick screen. You can easily design a bonus screen which is not the same but has the same effect. You are there to save your girl from the animals.

[peteym5]

Thankyou for your suggestions, I will take it under consideration and look into it. I will need to discuss it with Video 61 and other associates. We do have some time because Video 61 is busy working on the 5200 versions of these games. The other factor is if enough room is remaining in the 16K cartridge ROM area to make this happen. I would have to keep it simple, easy to add, and something different. I cannot say adding a different type of play or bonus screen will happen at this time. Would take some re-configuring and seeing what else can be compressed.

Edited September 25, 2018 by peteym5

[carlsson]

If you would be developing it as a Commode game, it would be obvious trying to seek licensing from An Vrombaut. Now I don't know if "800 Zoo Lane" would work as a title.