New Sga Project

paul_nicholls · Post by **paul_nicholls** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 1:02 pm

Thanks for sharing, I will give it a go as soon as I can

cheers,
Paul

subotai · Post by **subotai** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 3:10 pm

Thanks Paul for the feed forward

Well, if something is missing, just let me know. Don't spend any time to import C64 games for the moment. I've just created a new version of my levelset files that stores color informations of the original games. Raw movements are already supported, so it will be possible (for me it already IS possible

) to play the levelsets with original graphics and colors. I think that I will also support the dirt mod for bd1 and bd2 games. The magic wall breakscan will not be supported any more. Everything will be optional (I like options

). I will also include two different scrolling speeds. The actual scrolling is adjusted the the game "Rockford". I will support a slowed down speed for C64 games. Long story short, importing or creating games is not recommended for the moment, because the file format will be outdated soon.

Besides, are you still working on "the probe"?

Best regards
subotai

paul_nicholls · Post by **paul_nicholls** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 5:15 am

Hi subotai,
yes I am planning on doing more work with The Probe, like seeing if I can port it over to Android, but that project has taken bit of a hiatus due to me looking for work (was made redundant 14th September) & online study; learning Java for Oracle certification.

cheers,
Paul

subotai · Post by **subotai** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 6:51 am

Sad to read that. I wish you good look! But nice to read that you have plans to continue the development of your game.

Richard

paul_nicholls · Post by **paul_nicholls** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 9:09 am

subotai wrote: Sad to read that. I wish you good look! But nice to read that you have plans to continue the development of your game.

Richard

Thanks Richard

subotai · Post by **subotai** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:58 am

Here are the changes for the current version:

Code: Select all

- two scrolling speeds (normal and fast)
- Fixed wrong graphics pointer for magic wall
- Replaced hidden exit graphics with dirt mod graphics
- 20 signs for cave description
- 16 bits for saving cave time, diamonds needed, etc.
- support for C64 colors
- support for dirt mod
- selectable amoeba and slime graphics pointer

Cave that takes advantage of the dirt mod:

O.k. here are the details:
The scrolling speed remains constant. Variable scrolling speeds would be also possible, but I like it constant

. You can choose between a normal scrolling speed for C64 games and a fast scrolling speed especially for the game Rockford for DOS.

I fixed the graphics pointer of a dormant magic wall to the brick wall. I never remarked this minor bug before. The graphics for the hidden exit are replaced by the dirt mod graphics and I set the graphics pointer for the hidden exit to the steel wall graphics pointer. Now, you have 20 signs for the cave description instead of 16 signs. This doesn't seem to be much, but I often had trouble only using 16 signs. 20 signs seems to be o.k.

16 bit for storing the cave time, the number of required diamonds, the diamonds value and the bonus value means in fact that you can set these values up to 65535. In the editor, these values are limited to 999 for cave time, diamonds needed and to 5000 for the score. This is especially a support for the game Rockford in which these high values are used in some caves.

Well, last but not least, the most significant change is that now the game supports C64 custom colors for for the caves. Using the original cave colors is optional. There is the switch "use custom colors" in the options menu that turns this setting on/off. I support the four colors for background and color 1..3. The color palette will be stored in a file, so it will be exchangable. The dirt mod is supported as a local effect. I thought about using the dirt mod as a global effect, but I think that a local effect has more advantages. The dirt mod uses an extra graphics pointer (as in the C64 games, no the colors are not just swapped). And as most C64 games use one of two different available types of amoebas graphics (one that is used in bd1 and the other that is used in bd2) I added two more switches as a global setting for choosing these graphics: "use default graphics for amoeba/slime".

The dirt mod is supported for bd1 (I only know one game with this feature), bd2 and plck games.

When importing a memory dump, you don't have to care about these thinks. The colors are imported, the dirt mod is set or not and the graphics pointer for amoeba and slime is also set automatically.

I checked many games and it seems to work good. However, as always, don't expect that all games can be imported flawless.

Best regard

subotai · Post by **subotai** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 1:01 pm

Hi folks,

here is a new update. The editor is still under construction and not (yet) available. Sorry for that. A more detailed description will follow in the next release.

Code: Select all

- new levelset file version
- C64 color informations are stored in levelsets
- support for custom sfx
- better support for C64 sfx
- variable scroll speed

@Arno: I hope that it's o.k. for you that I included your nice x-mas game in my game package.

Code: Select all

Options - video settings - use custom colors (yes/no)
=> Set to "yes" to use c64 colors if supported by the tileset

Options - use custom settings (yes/no)
=> set to "yes" to use the custom settings.

Options - videosettings - classic walking (yes/no)
=> If this is set to "yes", the player looks to the left or to the right when moving up or down.

Options - videosettings - scroll speed:
=>
slow (c64)
fast (dos)
adjusted (adjusted to player speed/cave delay)

screenshot:

Download:
newsga241112.zip 865 KB

Best regards

paul_nicholls · Post by **paul_nicholls** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 10:44 pm

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way....lol

nice

YouTube · Post by **Arno** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:51 am

subotai wrote:@Arno: I hope that it's o.k. for you that I included your nice x-mas game in my game package.

Sure, that's just great! I'm getting in a xmas mood now....

subotai · Post by **subotai** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:32 am

PAL aspect ratio:

NTSC aspect ratio:

As I don't use borders, the number of visible elements is different.

Code: Select all

- Addes new aspect ratios: Arcade, PAL, NTSC
- Most animations independent from game speed
- Timer independent from game speed
- Adjusted Amoeba Timer to different game engines
- Score for left time depends on level (5 points per second for level 5)
- Recording/Playback of demos is locked for levelset with Breakscan setting
- Diagonal Walking stored as global effect (but not supported!)
- Bd1 Breakscan supported
- Digging effect (digging converts dirt to element)

Bugfixes:
- Fixed bug in falling boulder/diamond routine
- Amoeba Sound stops, when amoeba was destroyed
- Reset cave selection screen after recording a demo
- Fixed graphical glitch in Diego Dirt Looks like effect.
- some other minor bugfixes

Known Problems:
- Some glitches in breakscan routine
- Some sound effects are not paused
- No support for different aspect ratios in intermissions

Game patch:
- Fixed inbox hatching delay for "Dustin's RockFort"

The sound support for C64 is much better now. This already works good in the latest release. I took the sounds from Gdash. I think it was CWS who created the sfx, but not sure about that. Just replace the subfolder "addon". The sfx will be loaded automatically (check the ini-file of the levelset for more informations).

There will also be support for importing CrLi-engine games. The breakscan for Bd1 games works good, but there are still some issues. In "smooth movements mode", it causes graphical glitches and the behaviour of the elements is not 100% accurate. I try to fix these problems. If I can't make it, I don't think that I will support this feature. Besides, I think that most people don't care about it.

Magic wall breakscan:

A demo levelset that shows the usage of the breakscan is included.

I disabled the preset aspect ratio in "Arno Dash 01", so you can test the different aspect ratios in this game. In most other levelsets, the aspect ratio is preset to PAL and can't be changed in game (check the ini-files of the levelsets)

latest release:
newsga200113.zip (890 KB)

C64 and Rockford sfx
newsga_sfx.zip (594 KB)

Have fun!

paul_nicholls · Post by **paul_nicholls** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:39 pm

Looking good mate!

Downloaded...will play later, am off to bed to catch some ZZZ

subotai · Post by **subotai** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 10:25 pm

Hi folks,

I've released the latest version on my website one week ago. Check the first post of this thread to get the link.

The editor for importing memory dumps and creating own games is included in the download. Recording replays is not supported in the current release due to a timing problem. I will try to fix this as soon as possible.

paul_nicholls · Post by **paul_nicholls** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:47 am

subotai wrote:Hi folks,

I've released the latest version on my website one week ago. Check the first post of this thread to get the link.

The editor for importing memory dumps and creating own games is included in the download. Recording replays is not supported in the current release due to a timing problem. I will try to fix this as soon as possible.

Thanks for the update mate

I don't know when I can test it, maybe tomorrow...

cheers,
Paul

paul_nicholls · Post by **paul_nicholls** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 1:48 pm

I just tried it, and it works well on my Asus laptop - I7 quad core 8GB memory

subotai · Post by **subotai** » Wed Dec 25, 2013 1:24 pm

Thanks for testing

It's an official beta release. I hope that there are only a few minor bugs left. As far as I can judge, it runs very stable.

I'm just working an a tileset with my own C64 style graphics that is almost finished. I will be included in the next release.