Robots Rumble [DONE]

[+Pat Brady]

11 hours ago, mksmith said:

• Update the controller for the One Joystick option - button 1 will temporarily switch magnets (whilst held down) and button 2 will now alternatively switch (latch) to the other magnet (thanks @Pat Brady)

 

Latching with the right button works beautifully. Thank you.

If I could make one more request: when the right magnet is selected, have the left button momentarily switch to the left magnet. (Currently the left button momentarily switches to the right magnet, which is a bit awkward when the right magnet is already selected.)

Thanks again. The game is really well done, and once again Bobby's music is excellent.

[+mksmith]

6 hours ago, Pat Brady said:

 

Latching with the right button works beautifully. Thank you.

If I could make one more request: when the right magnet is selected, have the left button momentarily switch to the left magnet. (Currently the left button momentarily switches to the right magnet, which is a bit awkward when the right magnet is already selected.)

Thanks again. The game is really well done, and once again Bobby's music is excellent.

Hi Pat! Thanks for checking that out for me!  What I will do is add your other suggestion to use the 2 buttons to do the switching and keep the current one as is.  I still need to ensure 1 button users are supported and TBH I'm not sure if I could do your suggestion due to how I need to pre-validate some things now.

[+mksmith]

11 hours ago, Cousin Vinnie said:

Dude- whaddya talking about- ALWAYS release these things on cart. I'm still waiting on MILLY AND MOLLY on cart bro

We'll see my friend! 

 

Millie & Molly is definitely coming soon! I spoke to Al just last week and a new cart PCB design is needed to be finalised before M&M can be added to the store but it shouldn't be too long now.

[Albert]

Yes, Millie & Molly is a great game, can't wait to make it available in the AtariAge Store!

 

  ..Al

[+mksmith]

Hi all,

 

Another update is available on the first page with the following changes:

• Added additional One joystick option (thanks @Pat Brady)
• Replaced scrolling message
• Reworked instructions with enhanced controller information and other changes
• Update colorcycling/emitteranimations to not rely on the framecounter
• Updated fonts with character changes
• Minor cleanups

[+Pat Brady]

1 hour ago, mksmith said:

Hi all,

 

Another update is available on the first page with the following changes:

• Added additional One joystick option (thanks @Pat Brady)
• Replaced scrolling message
• Reworked instructions with enhanced controller information and other changes
• Update colorcycling/emitteranimations to not rely on the framecounter
• Updated fonts with character changes
• Minor cleanups

Thank you sir!

[+sramirez2008]

Loving the recent changes.  My favorite controller option is still twin-stick, but the recent changes have made the single JS options grow on me.  Btw, the game continues to play very smoothly and the tunes are great.

[+mksmith]

Hi all!

 

Just looking for some feedback in relation to the speedrun mode.  Rather than just one life would you prefer to see it essentially unlimited lives and restart from the top of the level? That way you will be able to complete the 4 levels and actually get a time - it's rather brutal otherwise until you learn the levels.  I'll put a poll up for your votes!

 

I have just been watching back @ZeroPage Homebrew with James & Darcy playing the game and James was mentioning that the controller was not always responding straight away (which was clearly visible - especially in beginner mode). I have a thought as to why and will be making a change in the next release (the DL is really pushed on the some of the levels due to the amount of color changes so we are not always getting enough system time).  I've also added a pause message if the game in paused in-game.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I will give this a try soon. I do have a request but not just from you but something I wish most of the authors would do with their WIP game releases.

 

Please try and remember to put a game title and revision or date or something in the headers. It makes it easier for those of us with a Dragon Fly cartridge since it shows us the title info in the header of the games. I usually end up editing the headers myself but I've seen one or two instances where it was already done and then on the next build it isn't...

 

 

[+mksmith]

6 hours ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

I will give this a try soon. I do have a request but not just from you but something I wish most of the authors would do with their WIP game releases.

 

Please try and remember to put a game title and revision or date or something in the headers. It makes it easier for those of us with a Dragon Fly cartridge since it shows us the title info in the header of the games. I usually end up editing the headers myself but I've seen one or two instances where it was already done and then on the next build it isn't...

So with the DragonFly it grabs the name from the header itself not the filename?? 

 

Currently with 7800basic we don't get access to the header without manually using the tool.  I might see about adding the ability to set this from within Atari Dev Studio as part of the compile process if that's the case. 

[+Muddyfunster]

9 minutes ago, mksmith said:

... I might see about adding the ability to set this from within Atari Dev Studio as part of the compile process if that's the case. 

This would be great Matt.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

57 minutes ago, mksmith said:

So with the DragonFly it grabs the name from the header itself not the filename?? 

 

Currently with 7800basic we don't get access to the header without manually using the tool.  I might see about adding the ability to set this from within Atari Dev Studio as part of the compile process if that's the case. 

That is correct. The Dragonfly is limited to the old 8.3 naming format on what it will show in the LCD from the filename. As a result, @rj1307 made it so that when you select a file, it will then show you the title of the game as it is set in the A78 header. From there you press the enter button a second time to actually initiate the load of the game.

 

I too have been manually opening all the A78 files with a hex editor and simply adding in the Titles myself. So I truncate the filename to fit within the 8.3 scheme for the file names, and then put the actual title and a date of the current WIP that was released into the header. As there is a full two rows to work with, it has so far been enough space for most games.

 

[+sramirez2008]

14 hours ago, mksmith said:

Rather than just one life would you prefer to see it essentially unlimited lives and restart from the top of the level?

Yes please.

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

15 hours ago, mksmith said:

I have just been watching back @ZeroPage Homebrew with James & Darcy playing the game and James was mentioning that the controller was not always responding straight away (which was clearly visible - especially in beginner mode). I have a thought as to why and will be making a change in the next release (the DL is really pushed on the some of the levels due to the amount of color changes so we are not always getting enough system time).  I've also added a pause message if the game in paused in-game.

What I experienced was the joystick was not moving the magnet or it moving the magnet two spots when I just wanted one. I'd like to test this issue again with different joysticks to eliminate the possibility that it was just the controller I was using before stating that it was an issue with the game, especially if nobody else has experienced this.

 

- James

[+Pat Brady]

1 minute ago, ZeroPage Homebrew said:

What I experienced was the joystick was not moving the magnet or it moving the magnet two spots when I just wanted one. I'd like to test this issue again with different joysticks to eliminate the possibility that it was just the controller I was using before stating that it was an issue with the game, especially if nobody else has experienced this.

Me too. I assumed it was either operator error or hardware error. But maybe it's not.

[+mksmith]

30 minutes ago, ZeroPage Homebrew said:

What I experienced was the joystick was not moving the magnet or it moving the magnet two spots when I just wanted one. I'd like to test this issue again with different joysticks to eliminate the possibility that it was just the controller I was using before stating that it was an issue with the game, especially if nobody else has experienced this.

 

- James

 

26 minutes ago, Pat Brady said:

Me too. I assumed it was either operator error or hardware error. But maybe it's not.

I'm pretty sure the issue is related to me using the framecounter flag to validate frames.

 

To save having additional variable counters and if checks I tend to use say (framecounter&3)=0 to check for every 4th frame to allow movement of the joystick or every X frame for checking alternative activities (spreading the game load of multiple frames), sprite animations, color cycling etc 

 

With some/most of the levels I'm flying close to the DL limits due to the amount of color changes in the characters and then overlaying more sprites. So I'm certain the framecounter is sometimes skipping/delaying updating and thus making these checks occasionally inconsistent. I actually really noticed it the other day retesting the last planet where the transporter animation was not cycling correctly.

 

Anyway that will be in the next update so we'll see how the change works ?

 

[+mksmith]

Hi all,

 

Another update is available on the first page with the following changes:

• As voted in the poll changed the speed mode to provide unlimited lives allowing all planets to be completed and a time registered. You will restart on the level you die. 
• Updated framecounter checks to hopefully provide a more consistent updated check for the controls and other game features
• Added a paused notification

[Cousin Vinnie]

I cant get past level one, so option 2 please

 

[+mksmith]

Hi all,

 

Just an update on Robots Rumble - Bobby has given me some further music but has one further tune left and the game is complete. I'll release a build once that has been included.

[Synthpopalooza]

Soon, I promise ... work and home life are kicking my butt right now.  ?

[+mksmith]

15 hours ago, Synthpopalooza said:

Soon, I promise ... work and home life are kicking my butt right now.  ?

All good mate - hope life slows down a little very soon ?

[+mksmith]

Hi all,

 

Robots Rumble has now been completed and the final build ? is available in the first post.

 

Thank you to all those who have assisted with the development and testing of this game.  Also special thanks goes to @Synthpopalooza for giving up his time once again to compose the in-game tune music.

[+Muddyfunster]

Fantastic Matt! Congratulations on completing it and thanks for sharing it. ?️?

 

 

[+Pat Brady]

1 hour ago, mksmith said:

Hi all,

 

Robots Rumble is now been completed and the final build ? is available in the first post.

 

Thank you to all those who have assisted with the development and testing of this game.  Also special thanks goes to @Synthpopalooza for giving up his time once again to compose the in-game tune music.

Congratulations!

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

ZeroPage Homebrew is playing Robots Rumble on tomorrow's stream LIVE on Twitch, hope you can join us!

 

Tue Mar 22 @ 6PM PT | 9PM ET | 1AM GMT+1Day

WATCH: https://www.twitch.tv/zeropagehomebrew/

Games:

• Dragon's Havoc (2022 Exclusive WIP Update | 7800) by Todd Furmanski @Revontuli
• Adventures of Olli Troll (2021 Final Binary | 7800) by Walter Lauer @gambler172 & frankodragon @frankodragon
• Robots Rumble (2022 Final Updated Binary | 7800) by ChunkyPixel Games / Matt Smith @mksmith, Bobby Clark @Synthpopalooza (Sound), Mike Saarna  @RevEng (Graphics & Sound)

 (WATCH AT 1080P60 FOR BEST QUALITY)