Simon Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Hello everybody, I hope that you had a good start into 2007 and wish you all the best. I used a few hours of my spare time around christmas to start working on a new game for the VCS. Please find attached an early version of this game development. You guide a helicopter through a canyon and have to avoid obstacles. Up and down moves the heli up/down the screen. Left increases and right decreases the flying height of the helicopter. You have to fly above or below the cross braces (depending on their height) and try to fly through the holes in the round row of columns. Thanks, Simon http://www.quernhorst.de/atari/ 02_igame_sq.bin Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
gambler172 Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Hallo Simon schaut ganz nett aus.Bin gespannt auf mehr. Gruss Walter Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1210381 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaGtGruff Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 I used a few hours of my spare time around christmas to start working on a new game for the VCS. Please find attached an early version of this game development. You guide a helicopter through a canyon and have to avoid obstacles. Up and down moves the heli up/down the screen. Left increases and right decreases the flying height of the helicopter. You have to fly above or below the cross braces (depending on their height) and try to fly through the holes in the round row of columns. I haven't tried the .BIN yet, but the screenshot looks great! Michael Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1210409 Share on other sites More sharing options...
djmips Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Note: If you are running this in Stella, you need to set it to PAL mode and reload the ROM. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1210468 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stephena Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Note: If you are running this in Stella, you need to set it to PAL mode and reload the ROM. Just an FYI, not in the forthcoming release you won't I plan to do a 2.3.5 release of Stella in a week or so, and it includes NTSC/PAL autodetection, as well as improved bankswitch autodetection. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1210510 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Now there is a perspective I haven't seen done before on the VCS. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1210936 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted January 6, 2007 Author Share Posted January 6, 2007 Hi and thanks for the feedback so far! Please find attached the updated version of this new game deveopment (the work in progress name is "I-Projekt")... I improved the display routine and we now have four individual enemy objects on screen: - The cross braces which have to be avoided by going above or below them. - The fence which is only dangerous to your heli when flying at the lowest height. - The rows of round columns which have to be sidestepped through their holes as you can't fly above/below them. - The homing missile which is always aiming at you and will follow your movements immediately. They can all move individually without flicker and I plan to have them moving faster and closer to increase the game's difficulty level. There is no chance of escaping the homing missile at the moment. I envision avoiding their hits by deactivating them with your joystick button somehow (disarming, shooting, hacking, or sth. like that). Later, Simon 03_igame_sq.bin Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1211858 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fire!fire! Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I really like the colors. I need to get an adaptor to be able to play stuff like this, but I like to check out the new and creative things people are doing. Hope to see a completed version! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1211877 Share on other sites More sharing options...
haroldoop Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Nice work so far. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1212154 Share on other sites More sharing options...
diggs130 Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Nice work so far and the colors are great! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1212368 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Hunter Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Excellent, Simon. As always. Keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1212443 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 Hi, I had some thoughts about eliminating the homing missile which is aiming at you. I didn't prefer the simple "shooting it down" option... The attached version contains a small frequency scanner bar now. Every time you press the fire button now, the white scanner position is reset to the left of the bar. If you press fire while the white scanner touches the aim at the right side of the bar, then the missile is destroyed. Storywise it would be told like this: "Use the frequency scanner to disarm the missile. You have to press the fire button when your scanner reaches the correct frequency!". What do you think? Later, Simon 04_igame_sq.bin Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1212530 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fire!fire! Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 I like the change - all of a sudden there is a lot going on at once. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1212535 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rheffera Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Great Potential I see in this! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1215859 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheHoboInYourRoom Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Oh my God, this game is crazy. It's like Dolphin in three dimensions and on crack! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1216122 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Climber Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Hello everybody, I hope that you had a good start into 2007 and wish you all the best. I used a few hours of my spare time around christmas to start working on a new game for the VCS. Please find attached an early version of this game development. You guide a helicopter through a canyon and have to avoid obstacles. Up and down moves the heli up/down the screen. Left increases and right decreases the flying height of the helicopter. You have to fly above or below the cross braces (depending on their height) and try to fly through the holes in the round row of columns. Thanks, Simon http://www.quernhorst.de/atari/ This game looks great Simon I'm excited to hear/see more Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1216154 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted January 15, 2007 Author Share Posted January 15, 2007 Hi everybody, please find attached the current version of "I-Projekt". The game logic (counting distance, levels, lives) is mainly included now... I hope that you'll like it so far and am looking forward to your feedback. Thanks, Simon 06p_igame_sq.bin Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1218050 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Hunter Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 It looks great, Simon. But I'm having hand-eye coordination problems while playing this game. You have to look at the radar and the playing screen at the same time. What about slowing the missile down by at least 3 times its current speed? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1218094 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rheffera Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 What about slowing the missile down by at least 3 times its current speed? i concur it is a bit much to keep track of Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1218095 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted January 15, 2007 Author Share Posted January 15, 2007 Thanks for your feedback! But I'm having hand-eye coordination problems while playing this game. You have to look at the radar and the playing screen at the same time. What about slowing the missile down by at least 3 times its current speed? The current version is just a "proof of concept" that all objects can move individually on screen, that all collision and height detections work, that the display is fine, that the counters work, etc. I did not design the levels and the difficulty curve so far. This means that the difficulty is not final yet. I imagine the current level of difficulty being at about 4 of 5 (with 1 being the easiest adnd 5 being the hardest). The current level is playable if you take some time for practise. The missile thing is not that hard if you find yourself the rhythm when to look where... Thanks, Simon Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1218098 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted January 23, 2007 Author Share Posted January 23, 2007 Hi, attached is the new version (Collision scanline bug removed; GameOver screen added) of this game project. Three levels are playable now (1. two bars; 2. missile only; 3. all objects). The next level is reached when the distance counter reaches 00. Later, Simon 07p_igame.bin Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1223624 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Hunter Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 (edited) Simon, I find level three still impossible to master. The rocket is constantly popping up and IMO flying too fast. I know you programmed it and are used to the game mechanics, but trust me: it's still too tough to play. My advice: Skip the radar. Shoot the homing missile with a rocket by pressing the fire button. Your rocket follows your left/right movement (perhaps even your up/down movement by making it bigger/smaller). Keep the fire button pressed and release it when your rocket is in the missile to destroy the missile. Simple as pie. It keeps the focus on the playfield, which I think is very important. BTW: Please change the colour of the homing missile. It's hardly visible when flying over the green background. Edited January 23, 2007 by Rom Hunter Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1223655 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted January 23, 2007 Author Share Posted January 23, 2007 Thanks for your feedback, I find level three still impossible to master. The rocket is constantly popping up and IMO flying too fast. I know you programmed it and are used to the game mechanics, but trust me: it's still too tough to play. Yes. As written before this level is hard (about difficulty 4 of 5). It will be one of the last levels (maybe level 14 of 16 or something like that), but as it's not impossible I'll keep it as it is... The learning curve of every game should bring you to a point which is "tough to play". Skip the radar. Shoot the homing missile with a rocket by pressing the fire button. Your rocket follows your left/right movement (perhaps even your up/down movement by making it bigger/smaller). Keep the fire button pressed and release it when your rocket is in the missile to destroy the missile. Simple as pie. The possible solutions are not that simple, because: - Your "timed shooting" isn't possible, because there is no object left which could be used as a rocket to shoot down the missile. All objects are used already on one scanline. - as the missile is always on your height, "normal shooting (without timing)" would be too easy as you could simply use rapid fire. That would be far too easy and completely useless. I'll have to think about this topic again. BTW: Please change the colour of the homing missile. It's hardly visible when flying over the green background. Colors are not final in this version. BTW: the homing missile is technically limited to the same colors as the helicopter. Later, Simon Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1223685 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted January 23, 2007 Author Share Posted January 23, 2007 Hi, @Rom Hunter - what do you think of this solution: additional to the radar bar on top of the screen, the game creates a frequency tone. According to the bar on top, the tone will change when it is in the "disable range". This means that you could just concentrate eyewise on the playfield while you listen to the frequecy earwise. And to learn about the frequency you can always have a fast look at the radar bar above. I'll try that out soon. Have a nice day, Simon Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1223697 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Hunter Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 (edited) Excellent idea, Simon. BTW: Thanks for pointing out the technical limitations. I only looked at it from a gamer's point of view. Keep up the good work! Edited January 24, 2007 by Rom Hunter Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/99838-new-2600-game-development/#findComment-1224471 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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