Author Topic: Geometry Wars Update  (Read 17670 times)

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Offline thepenguin77

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Geometry Wars Update
« on: June 12, 2010, 09:41:50 pm »
I don't like the title, but with the creation of a Geometry Wars thread a few days ago (strange...) this will have to do.

The geometry wars that I released got so much attention that I decided that I am going to really make it better. At school it was like, oh that's cool, but it's too hard to play, so I got discouraged, but now I have all the old energy back.

Here are my goals:
- Try to eliminate lag
       So far I've cut I believe 20% of t-states in high traffic areas
- Add in the black holes
       Simple, just not done yet
- Add in achievements
       Also easy, I will use the standard xbox 360 acievements with score modifications
- 24 bit score
       Really really easy
- Better title screen
- Increase frame rate a little
       This is because the swirling guys are hard to hit, but this all depends on if I can kill the lag


Unrealistic goals:
- 83+ BE compatibility
       I don't think this is possible, (requires 250% increase in speed)
- Add in snakes
       I just see too much processing power
- Add in mayflies
       This just seems like ridiculous processing power


Here is the v1.0 that I released to ticalc.org.

Here are the standard achievements.

If you have any suggestions, I'm open to them. As well as cool ideas for achievements.

I also found a huge glitch with v1.0. The multiplier takes 25 for x2 then 50 for each after. It's supposed to be 25, 50, 75, 100, etc.
Nvm. My bad
« Last Edit: June 12, 2010, 10:03:38 pm by thepenguin77 »
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Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2010, 12:23:36 am »
I understand how you feel about negative comments on your hard work. In 2005, people started complaining about large file sizes and I pretty much discouraged of making calc RPGs or my Metroid game. I stopped coding for 8 months and it took almost a year until I make a massive game again. I almost got discouraged from Illusiat 13 due to something like that in 2009, too, altough later the game stopped being worked on anyway for another reason.

I am glad you are updating this nice game. I can't wait to see the result :)

Btw if you just use the crystal timers, not the clock, your game should work on TI-83+SE calcs (which are 15 MHz) too.   You might want to edit your files descriptions to mention they'll only work on Silver Edition and 84+ calcs (15 MHz) instead of just 84+, since there are a bunch of 83+SE users around.

Offline calcdude84se

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2010, 08:24:55 am »
I'm not sure how thepenguin's hardware checks work (how he checks if it's an 83+ vs an 84+(SE)), but it may also give the warning on an 83+SE, despite that it will work. I might browse the source code to see if it does that. (If I don't, someone w/a 83+SE can see for themselves whether this occurs)
Or thepenguin could answer himself... If it turns out that 83+SE users get the warning, you may want to either update the readme for your files or update the program to revise the hardware version check.
Edit: And yes, nice to see you working on this some more. Don't get discouraged! Good luck :) (However did I forget to say that earlier...)
« Last Edit: June 13, 2010, 08:25:48 am by calcdude84se »
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SirCmpwn

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2010, 09:19:22 am »
You should look into using usb8x to add gamepad support so we can fire in any direction.  That would be so epic I can't even imagine it.

Offline ztrumpet

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2010, 10:37:11 am »
I can't wait to try these updates!  ThePenguin, once this is done it'll be one of my favorite calc games out there.  Thanks for making such an awesome game! ;D

edit:
Here's a copy of a PM between The Penguin and I over the 83+se compatibility:
Quote
Hi, I was told last night on irc that your games work on an 83+se.  Do they?  I would try it, but atm I can't risk a RAM clear.
Quote
They should. I forgot about that when I added in the no 83+'s. The only difference is the USB I believe so every thing else should work. Just press graph to bypass the little warning.
I've yet to try it, but he says it should work. :)
« Last Edit: June 13, 2010, 10:42:28 am by ztrumpet »

Offline Galandros

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2010, 10:49:20 am »
Geometry Wars is a game that needs lot of polishing and very challenging to code it on a z80 calculator series because of memory and processing power limitations.
You are doing a great job and is worth the pain because it will give a impressive shooter game for calculator. I think it should be featured and be great candidate for POTY. Geometry Wars is one of the most epic shooters I have seen.

I know Geometry Wars in Nintendo DS so maybe it is different but will you implement simple helpers, bombs and minerals?
Hobbing in calculator projects.

Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2010, 01:20:35 pm »
Sounds good Ztrumpet. I do not use my 83+SE a lot but it would be much more accurate than my Nspire for sure if I want to play.

It's common to forget about the 83+SE and I understand, though, because it was marketted for such short period of time compared to all other TI models (Early 2001 through Mid 2004) so now that 83+SE calcs are more rare and harder to find, newer community members often are unaware of their existence or they think those calcs run at 6 MHz and have no crystal timers

Offline thepenguin77

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2010, 01:53:35 pm »
I totally forgot about the 83+ SE's. They will work fine. I checked the hardware as just 83 bad 84 good, so that is why they get the error.

The gamepad sounds like a good idea. Lately I have gotten pretty good at usb. The only two problems that I see are 1. I don't have a gamepad and 2. any direction is not really possible, I have to use look up tables so it would be more like 32 or 64 directions, but I guess that's good enough.

I already have bombs. But I don't even know what the simple helpers and minerals are, I might have to check that out.

Edit:
    83+ SE no longer displays the message.

Edit2:
    Turns out wabbitemu is an 83+ SE. (The new one doesn't work for me.)
« Last Edit: June 13, 2010, 02:03:27 pm by thepenguin77 »
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Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2010, 02:02:17 pm »
nice to hear ^^

Btw keep in mind if you had Gamepad-only support, then 83+SE owners would no longer be able to play the game due to lack of an USB port

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2010, 02:03:24 pm »
32/64 directions sounds fine.  Uncle Worm uses 32 and pulls it off just fine.  What is most important to me is to shoot in several directions.
« Last Edit: June 13, 2010, 02:03:39 pm by SirCmpwn »

Offline thepenguin77

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #10 on: June 13, 2010, 02:10:50 pm »
Hopefully eventually I can get that to work. But lately I've been trying to get the game to work like the real one. I've increased the rate of fire, changed the points a little, and made the little squares easier to kill. With the little squares, they were basically impossible because of their size. So I made them 3x3 now and when you kill the big square, they get thrown 8 pixels away from where they were shot. This now means you can pretty much shoot where you are going with no fear.
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You can build a statue out of either 1'x1' blocks or 12'x12' blocks. The 1'x1' blocks will take a lot longer, but the final product is worth it.
       -Runer112

Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #11 on: June 13, 2010, 02:13:09 pm »
Nice, keep up the good work :)

Do you get any slow downs when several bullets are shot in a short amount of time by the way?

Offline thepenguin77

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #12 on: June 13, 2010, 02:35:55 pm »
Ya, that is one thing I just noticed. I cut the reloads from 6 and 9 to 4 and 7  frames, so that's about 50% more bullets on screen.

But I just had an awesome idea. For those hardcore players, you can go out one more square on the keyboard for 32 directions. Best of all, somehow, this improvement wouldn't cause keyboard glitching. It would also make this one of the few games that uses the on button, (or the only?).
zStart v1.3.013 9-20-2013 
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You can build a statue out of either 1'x1' blocks or 12'x12' blocks. The 1'x1' blocks will take a lot longer, but the final product is worth it.
       -Runer112

Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #13 on: June 13, 2010, 02:40:38 pm »
Mhmm interesting, would both 32 directions and 16 still be supported, though? I personally might find it akward to move with that many buttons. X.x Also which button square would it use?

As for slowdowns I don't mind much because you need to remember on the NES/SNES' when there were more than 3 or 4 sprites at once on the screen, they started flashing alternatively and slow downs occured, so if with 50 bullets on the screen you barely get slow downs this is awesome considering it's just a calculator ^^
« Last Edit: June 13, 2010, 02:40:50 pm by DJ Omnimaga »

Offline thepenguin77

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Re: Geometry Wars Update
« Reply #14 on: June 13, 2010, 02:47:09 pm »
Of course, I would never use fewer buttons lol. With this update I will be using 41/50 buttons.

The bullets themselves don't lag it. It only lags when the game gets crazy. The 35 bullets * 90 enemies is what lags it.
zStart v1.3.013 9-20-2013 
All of my utilities
TI-Connect Help
You can build a statue out of either 1'x1' blocks or 12'x12' blocks. The 1'x1' blocks will take a lot longer, but the final product is worth it.
       -Runer112