E.X.O. [Done]

[+Muddyfunster]

One of those days today.

 

Started off by doing a bit of a review of "what's fun, what works, what needed improving and polishing, what needs fixing" and generally prioritising stuff to work on for the next few days. Especially now the new collision system is in and working.

 

I started thinking the probe logic needs to be better than them just coming on the screen in a straight line. Won't take long to improve that piece of code right ?

 

Wrong

 

I ended up rewriting the whole section but now I have a dynamic pattern based movement system for the shootable enemies. Doesn't make them harder really, but it does make that whole interaction more varied and more fun.

[+DrVenkman]

On 3/3/2021 at 7:19 PM, Muddyfunster said:

The EXO team have taken a little time off from saving the universe to record a cover of @Synthpopalooza 's fantastic EXO World 1 theme.

I just tried this on my Dragonfly Cart - fantastic theme!

 

(And as a left-handed guitar player, I'm delighted to see one in your band ) 

[+Muddyfunster]

5 minutes ago, DrVenkman said:

I just tried this on my Dragonfly Cart - fantastic theme!

 

(And as a left-handed guitar player, I'm delighted to see one in your band ) 

Thanks

 

 

[+Muddyfunster]

Little Milestone : World 2 is complete. Woohoo!. ?

 

I also found that I had under budgeted and was able to add another couple of screens that I'd originally cut. Just finalising all of the greebles and details and balancing things a little.

 

One of the screens had a Gandalf moment and was like "you shall not pass" - swiftly fixed. If anything I think World 2 is easier than World 1 but then again, World 1,2 and 3 can be completed in any order and World 1 was originally way too hard (plus the new collision system means things aren't as brutal).

 

Now for the dreaded RAM reorganisation.

 

New demo soon.

[SlidellMan]

Just focus on finishing one world at a time.

[+sramirez2008]

On 3/13/2021 at 4:25 PM, Muddyfunster said:

Little Milestone : World 2 is complete. Woohoo!. ?

 

New demo soon.

Will you be able to provide an updated map?  Look forward to the new demo.

 

[+Muddyfunster]

2 hours ago, sramirez2008 said:

Will you be able to provide an updated map?  Look forward to the new demo.

Maybe in the future, but I don't want to spoil the fun for the folks that like to explore from the get go.

 

[edit] maybe I can add it as a "spoiler". What do folks think? Do you prefer a map for games like this or do you prefer to figure it out.

 

 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I never used the original map so I'm find with being in the dark honestly.

[+sramirez2008]

I prefer a map, but I may be in the minority.

[Trebor]

11 hours ago, Muddyfunster said:

Do you prefer a map for games like this or do you prefer to figure it out.

I'm kind of both.  I prefer to figure it out on my own, but if I get stuck, ultimately like to have a map to reference.

 

Additionally, I think a map ups the reply value to reach places or items you may have missed the first play (through) around.

 

Long term I can see it being very useful; especially for instance, as a pack-in with the box release.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Well I honestly didn't think the first level was so large as to require one? Then again, it doesn't really have many dead ends or anything as all paths lead to a goal object on the first demo level we've seen so far.

 

[+sramirez2008]

33 minutes ago, Trebor said:

Long term I can see it being very useful; especially for instance, as a pack-in with the box release.

This.? 

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

ZeroPage Homebrew is playing an Exclusive WIP Update to E.X.O. on tomorrow's (Fri Mar 19, 2021) stream LIVE on Twitch at 6PM PT | 9PM ET | 2AM GMT! Hope everyone can watch!

 

ZPH Twitch Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/zeropagehomebrew/

 

Games:

• Dragonfly Cart Special - Cart Developed by @rj1307
• E.X.O. (2021 Exclusive WIP Update | 7800) by Lewis Hill @Muddyfunster

 

(SET VIDEO TO 1080P60 FOR FULL QUALITY)

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by ZeroPage Homebrew

[+Muddyfunster]

 

20 hours ago, Trebor said:

Long term I can see it being very useful; especially for instance, as a pack-in with the box release.

I really like this idea. We already have some things planned for the physical release and this would work nicely.

 

I'll also put the new demo up for download on Saturday.

 

 

[SlidellMan]

Lewis, do you have any plans for end-of-level cut-scenes?

[+Muddyfunster]

12 minutes ago, SlidellMan said:

Lewis, do you have any plans for end-of-level cut-scenes?

Absolutely

 

Each level progresses the story so at the end you will get a little cinematic cut scene explaining what happened. 

 

Likewise for the game ending, there will be a cinematic for that and for game over. (actually there are 2 endings planned, depending on whether you unlock all of the artefacts and do World 5 or not).

 

Boss fights also have a little cinematic and there is a "cinematic viewer" on the barracks screen (currently in the demo but not activated) so you can go back and watch any clips that you have already unlocked.

 

[+sramirez2008]

29 minutes ago, Muddyfunster said:

Absolutely

 

Each level progresses the story so at the end you will get a little cinematic cut scene explaining what happened. 

 

Likewise for the game ending, there will be a cinematic for that and for game over. (actually there are 2 endings planned, depending on whether you unlock all of the artefacts and do World 5 or not).

 

Boss fights also have a little cinematic and there is a "cinematic viewer" on the barracks screen (currently in the demo but not activated) so you can go back and watch any clips that you have already unlocked.

 

Day 1 sale!

[+Muddyfunster]

On 3/18/2021 at 11:46 PM, ZeroPage Homebrew said:

ZeroPage Homebrew is playing an Exclusive WIP Update to E.X.O. on tomorrow's (Fri Mar 19, 2021) stream LIVE on Twitch at 6PM PT | 9PM ET | 2AM GMT! Hope everyone can watch!

 

ZPH Twitch Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/zeropagehomebrew/

 

Games:

• Dragonfly Cart Special - Cart Developed by @rj1307
• E.X.O. (2021 Exclusive WIP Update | 7800) by Lewis Hill @Muddyfunster

James,

 

Thanks for featuring the new build of E.X.O. on the show last night (this morning for me !). It was a great show and I'm glad you and Tanya had fun playing and I really appreciated all of the kind words and feedback about E.X.O. I took a lot of notes and I saw a couple of things for me to pick up on, mostly around palettes and colours but a couple of balance fixes also. Thanks!

 

FYI, here are the old "space chickens" that have been replaced with "TanJam's"

 

 

Thanks

 

 

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

4 hours ago, Muddyfunster said:

Thanks for featuring the new build of E.X.O. on the show last night (this morning for me !). It was a great show and I'm glad you and Tanya had fun playing and I really appreciated all of the kind words and feedback about E.X.O. I took a lot of notes and I saw a couple of things for me to pick up on, mostly around palettes and colours but a couple of balance fixes also. Thanks!

You're so welcome @Muddyfunster! It's a gorgeous game, now with equally amazing music to match!

 

I can't wait to play levels 3-5 when they're done and fight all the bosses!!

 

- James

[+Muddyfunster]

Here is the Alpha 35 demo.

 

Works under emulation, tested on A7800, BupSystem and JS7800 but your mileage on the POKEY sound will vary on all three. Best played via Dragonfly on real hardware!

 

Please check the first post for a summary of the changes and updates and how to play.

 

Please post any feedback, suggestions, bugs etc. It all helps
 

@raz0red & @bhall408 please feel free to add Alpha 35 to JS7800 and Argon respectively.

 

 

EXO_Alpha35.a78

[+sramirez2008]

Been playing through the recent Demo (EXO_Alpha 35) and it plays well, but I do have issue with the "Stamp" (not sure what you call it but a screenshot is below).  The Wasp is able to move up and into the Stamps space, getting stuck and when the stamp moves down it kills the wasp.  

 

I also had one occasion where the enemies below, just popped-up (one by one) on the bottom of the screen. After a few of them popped-up, they then began to scroll up the screen in normal fashion.

 

Thanks for the ROM.  Love the updated gamaplay, music and skeletons for the new Worlds.  I also like the animated World intro scenes. The flying bats on the HISH-NECROPOLIS intro is a nice touch.? 

[Trebor]

54 minutes ago, sramirez2008 said:

Been playing through the recent Demo (EXO_Alpha 35) and it plays well, but I do have issue with the "Stamp" (not sure what you call it but a screenshot is below).  The Wasp is able to move up and into the Stamps space, getting stuck and when the stamp moves down it kills the wasp.  

 

Indeed, ran into that too.  Hoping the next day or so I will have a chance to play more extensively.

[+bhall408]

On 3/20/2021 at 5:06 PM, Muddyfunster said:

@raz0red & @bhall408 please feel free to add Alpha 35 to JS7800 and Argon respectively.

Will do... Alpha 35 should show up in Argon later today or tomorrow..

 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

On 3/21/2021 at 11:13 AM, sramirez2008 said:

Been playing through the recent Demo (EXO_Alpha 35) and it plays well, but I do have issue with the "Stamp" (not sure what you call it but a screenshot is below).  The Wasp is able to move up and into the Stamps space, getting stuck and when the stamp moves down it kills the wasp.  

 

I also had one occasion where the enemies below, just popped-up (one by one) on the bottom of the screen. After a few of them popped-up, they then began to scroll up the screen in normal fashion.

 

Thanks for the ROM.  Love the updated gamaplay, music and skeletons for the new Worlds.  I also like the animated World intro scenes. The flying bats on the HISH-NECROPOLIS intro is a nice touch.? 

On the Stamper issue... if you just stay along the bottom, that isn't a problem as there isn't any danger to just move straight across under it. I believe it was always possible to get up inside the area where the machine presses are. James even did this very thing on the last Twitch stream Friday when testing it and it was found that they are only deadly when moving in the down direction.

 

On the enemies, I believe this is intended behavior now. They no longer just wander across and Lewis has made them pause randomly in an effort to trip us up I believe? This was also first noticed during the twitch stream and Lewis stated he had changed the enemy patterns.

 

[+sramirez2008]

7 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

On the Stamper issue... if you just stay along the bottom, that isn't a problem as there isn't any danger to just move straight across under it. I believe it was always possible to get up inside the area where the machine presses are. James even did this very thing on the last Twitch stream Friday when testing it and it was found that they are only deadly when moving in the down direction.

It still seems like a bug (your being able to move within that area, almost like your sprite is in front of the Stamper, but then you get stuck and killed, once the Stamper drops on top of you.)

 

7 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

On the enemies, I believe this is intended behavior now. They no longer just wander across and Lewis has made them pause randomly in an effort to trip us up I believe? 

I wish I would have been able to record what occurred. Its not like the enemies started coming towards me, stopped and started again.  The sprites popped up one by one on the very bottom of the screen, then they started moving.  It looked odd, but I only had it happen once.