T.r.a.s.h. WIP

[Jinroh]

Hmm...I can think of original VCS games, the Vanguard Boss is quite large.

 

My game, Carrot Kingdom has the Bread Cat who is also quite large. Not quite building sized, but pretty big. ^^ The final boss of Carrot Kingdom will be reminiscent of Contra though as well. ^^

 

 

YESSS, do you know of any that have them? I'd like to see how it looks on vcs.

Edited June 28, 2017 by Jinroh

[WizardBone]

im 99% sure I've seen your game before?? is there a post or video about it? that looks awesome as well! In that case, it will look cool,, cuz yours does lol. Is there a bin I can try sometime?
also hell yeahhh do a contra type boss, your game would suit it well!

Edited June 28, 2017 by WizardBone

[neotokeo2001]

Shared from the FaceBook group Atari 2600 Homebrew:

 

 

Fehér János Zoltán I really like the graphics, I have never seen detailed sprites like these in an Atari game. I think you can refine it to stop flickering. What I would recommend is
-You should just start at the first screen after death, don't like waiting for the title screen.
-Many enemies are just too fast, they touch you after you started the screen.
-The blob sucks your points, but if it goes under 0, it starts with 999990.
-The movement is just a bit awkward (you can only walk vertically if you are already walking horizontally), I mean it takes time to get used to it.

The theme and the atmosphere is very unique for the VCS.

 

[WizardBone]

Oh sick Neotokeo, that's cool you shared what someone was saying in the group.
It's great feedback that I appreciate. Each one of those points are valid and need to be further looked into when I start again.

Needing to restart on first screen and not title screen is a must, I couldn't agree more. Hopefully it kills some flicker. It's a battle lol.

I am aware of the Blob flipping to the 999990, he sucks so many points he breaks himself:P I played with it a couple times, no idea why he keeps doing it. Great you saw it, so I know it'snot just me it happens too lol

Thank you for testing it out Fehér

Edited June 28, 2017 by WizardBone

[+Karl G]

Clearly one person's trash is another person's treasure. Very nice visuals - I think this game has great potential. It wasn't immediately obvious to me that one could move up and down via diagonals, but it was fine once I caught onto that.

[WizardBone]

Hey kdgarris thanks for checking it out! The controls not being obvious seem to be a common theme among comments here. Going to have to seriously look into it! thanks for letting me know your experience!

[StanJr]

yeah, I think the main question is "how important is it that the character duck to pick up the trash?" Would walking over it accomplish the same effect and simplify the controls? If not, that's fine, it only takes a second to adjust to the different control scheme. As long as Q*bert can walk around out there with it's nutty control scheme, I doubt "diagonal to walk up and down" is going to be a deal breaker.

[Jinroh]

Hmm...that's a tough one.

 

I rather like the ducking to pickup, it gives kind of a feeling of tactile accomplishment, whereas for some players it might be easier. I do like being able to press 'Up' to open the garbage cans as well. Gives a subtle exploratory element.

[WizardBone]

"how important is it that the character duck to pick up the trash?" Would walking over it accomplish the same effect and simplify the controls

Hhmm this is my problem. The first build of the game was walking left to right and the crouch was for ducking to shoot and avoid bullets. I sometimes feel like the real question is, do you need to walk up and down on the road, but it's main intention was so you have more area to run around in. I personally have no issue but I am also used it. I think what i'd like to know is how it feels with the joystick. MY atari is currently in another part of the country haha

There are times I play the game and imagine it without pressing down to crouch and the animations give me that "missing of something" feel. OH my haha Glad I'm giving myself time to let it soup in my brains. Gonna have to make a final decision by the time I get back into it.

[WizardBone]

 

I rather like the ducking to pickup, it gives kind of a feeling of tactile accomplishment, whereas for some players it might be easier. I do like being able to press 'Up' to open the garbage cans as well. Gives a subtle exploratory element.

The pressing up HAS to stay as far as i'm concerned. Opening up the lids to the garbage is super cute hehe I'm a sucker for lil things like that.

Edited June 30, 2017 by WizardBone

[Jinroh]

The pressing up HAS to stay as far as i'm concerned. Opening up the lids to the garbage is super cute hehe I'm a sucker for lil things like that.

Good, cuz I really like that aspect as well.

[+splendidnut]

Quite a nifty little game. Looking forward to seeing this progress.

[WizardBone]

Thank you for the words and time playing Splendednut! Feel free to leave any thoughts on things missing or needed fixing. Might be stuff I'm unaware of.

[StanJr]

Is it possible to make it so that if you press the button + UP or button + DOWN to open can or crouch. That way regular joystick action would move the character around the screen and holding the button and moving the stick would initiate an action.

 

Is that possible?

[MrBeefy]

Is it possible to make it so that if you press the button + UP or button + DOWN to open can or crouch. That way regular joystick action would move the character around the screen and holding the button and moving the stick would initiate an action.

 

Is that possible?

This is what I was wondering. Only walking up or down diagonally is not ideal. Not sure how that would affect shooting though.

 

Other than that I'm liking it so far.

[StanJr]

I think you can tap the button to shoot and hold to activate an action. Seems like that's a thing in existing games. Hopefully someone smarter than me is watching and can speak to this.

[WizardBone]

Hey guys just seen the convo lol You could do it, just bring a timer into it so it counts if you are holding the fire button down or not. But that might get weird as well. It would fire off missiles while you hold it down waiting for the second action. I think.

Edit: Maybe not so weird, depends if you can separate the tap, like said above. Hmmmm dunno now.

For me, I feel like all the problems disappear when you stop walking up and down. Davy wasn't designed to do that haha first It was only walking left and right, aim up at things above you and crouch for things below your bullet line. Walking up and down the road might be what fools everything up.

Edited July 1, 2017 by WizardBone

[+Karl G]

I think removing the up/down movement would be a good solution, and much more intuitive for both movement and the other two actions.

[StanJr]

Yeah, but I like the idea of going down to the curb to collect the trash cans and going up to enter the buildings!

 

making it straight linear might limit some game play aspects.

 

If Activision can pull off Double Dragon, I have full faith that WizardBone can work this out!

[MrBeefy]

Yeah I think if it can't be figured out removed. Moving diagonally is a chore. Otherwise I think this is looking good.

[WizardBone]

Yeah, but I like the idea of going down to the curb to collect the trash cans and going up to enter the buildings!

 

making it straight linear might limit some game play aspects.

This is the reason I added going up and down. It feels VERY limited when only going linear. Mostly because the sprites are doubled, they take up more space on the screen. Kinda feels like half the size of a normal game. :/ But the comments on this topic are confirming I dunno what I will end up doing. haha I have the same thoughts as everyone all in one lollll I was thinking exploration would be the next step. But now I'm thinking that figuring out a new control system might come first now lol Seems to be the biggest issue. I think every way I will do it will have some type of issue, because he has so many functions.

 

Edit: here thinking. it IS possible to have best of both worlds. While on the street he cannot crouch or aim upward. Use it for walking, and the button for firing.

And when you go inside a building you will not be able to walk up and down, because the interiors are linear left to right. So there u use crouch and aim.

Maybe that would be super weird, not sure. Just a thought.

 

You would have to shoot that garbage cans open on the street, instead of opening them with the up direction. (It was done like this first actually)

Edited July 2, 2017 by WizardBone

[WizardBone]

I know I said I wouldn't do any update until later. But since I started this topic the "walking" topic is driving me crazy haha. so I opened up the game and had a look inside.to see what could be done just now. I made a couple changes to the controller, and those changes have a butterfly effect, it breaks other things, so ignore those lol. For now look at the walking without crouch and aim. Does that feel more natural?
I find it interesting you can still collect garbage if you go DOWN over the bags. And open up a garbagecan if you go UPWARd, then downward again to collect the bag inside. This all would have to be redone, but interesting how it still kinda works out Let me know if this is any better.

NewControl.bas.bin

[MrBeefy]

I know I said I wouldn't do any update until later. But since I started this topic the "walking" topic is driving me crazy haha. so I opened up the game and had a look inside.to see what could be done just now. I made a couple changes to the controller, and those changes have a butterfly effect, it breaks other things, so ignore those lol. For now look at the walking without crouch and aim. Does that feel more natural?

I find it interesting you can still collect garbage if you go DOWN over the bags. And open up a garbagecan if you go UPWARd, then downward again to collect the bag inside. This all would have to be redone, but interesting how it still kinda works out Let me know if this is any better.

I like it better personally. It is much easier to explore and battle being able to move up and down. I don't feel like it takes away from the game by removing the squating.

[WizardBone]

I like it better personally. It is much easier to explore and battle being able to move up and down. I don't feel like it takes away from the game by removing the squating.

Sweet! I assume it's what people were talking about they would like to see. Not sure how else I would do it. Is it similar to what you were thinking for controls? (minus the new bugs lol)

I found it better for battle, actually I found it to make the battle more of a challenge for some reason, even though you got more movement. So that's fine with me. It feels nicer, but I miss the animations lol Gonna have to suck it up and find another purpose for them somehow or use the free'd rom space for something else. Glad you like it better though.

[+Karl G]

What if you have the fire button perform those actions (and trigger the animations) instead of shooting only when you happen to be standing a trash can or an item that could be picked up, and have the button shoot the rest of the time? Best of both worlds?