10.03.2019 - Round 1 results of our "A Love Letter For FreeBASIC" game dev competition have been published. Please be sure to check the results thread: http://games.freebasic.net/forum/index.php?topic=629.0. Don't forget that the competition is continuing with a round 2, lasting till 29th of April, 300 USD first prize. Stay tuned!

Author Topic: FBGD Seasons of the Year Competition (Nov 2012 – March 2013), 350 $ 1st prize  (Read 148647 times)

ssjx

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Thanks for the feedback Lachie! Most of what you mention is on the list as well, i like the look of the brown plants in autumn but they do die off in winter! The trickiest part has been getting the water working properly!

It's a bit difficult thinking of what can change between the seasons, new items planned though are:

* Eggs > Swans (move the eggs in spring/ to get swans to ride in summer!?)
* Downward growing vines (plant above to cross lower spikes)
* Some enemies to avoid...

Eponasoft

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I'm using some royalty-free music from this site in my entry:

http://incompetech.com/

There's also always:

http://www.opengameart.org/

landeel

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@gothon:
Hey, great tool! I'm using that to generate my sound effects. Thank you!

Lachie Dazdarian

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3rd place award added. 50 $.

Any future donation might fatten the first prize up to 400 $. Anything more will go to the next compo budget. :D
"Things like Basic and Free Basic provide much-needed therapy and a return to sanity and a correct appreciation of people. The arrogant folk really hate a word like 'Basic' - fine, and good riddance." ~ pragmatist

ssjx

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Hi,
Another update (v0.2):

http://ssjx.co.uk/windows/fbgd.php

Main changes:

* Gameplay - Now start in Summer with nothing and have to re-arrange plants that are already present.
* Better presentation (basic titles / level intro)
* Text (font/colour)
* Inventory system
* Spikes / Health meter
* Downward vines
* Few more levels (these are mainly to test new elements so may be tweaked later)
* Probably many other changes...

Same disclaimers as before, all is subject to change!

Enjoy! :)
« Last Edit: December 30, 2012, 01:19:53 PM by ssjx »

Jonge

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Made some more progress to day, I'm finished with the collision code and it seems to work as expected. Added a new screenshot and a Dev Log update on my site. If someones interested goto: http://codeheim.net  8)

ssjx: Will have to test your demo to morrow, time for bed  :)
codeheim.NET - Homemade game madness!

Eponasoft

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ssjx, that's pretty impressive.

Lachie Dazdarian

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There are some bugs in the engine, ssjx. When I plant a seed in autumn, for example, I can't recollect it, and it disappears in other seasons. Predict all user actions! Also, you should really consider making transitions within the very seasons gradual. Like rain visibly filling the basins. Until the transition is incomplete (ice not formed or an entire row "filled" with water, the engine should treat the specific transition tile as "unfrozen" and water-free until the transition/animation is complete). Still, I think you can save this for the very end of development, if time is left for it. But, change between seasons need to come with some effects, at least fade in/fade out.

Allow me to repeat my suggestion of special machines/panels inside levels where you can change the seasons, and maybe only on special/challenging levels you can collect a remote "seasons-switching" device. This would allow you to control and predict player's actions in majority of levels more easily (prevent him to be able to froze himself in ice, for example).

I suggest adding a replay button and allowing the user to choose levels upon start up to the last completed level.

Glad to hear you are doing a shooter Jonge, because I think we will have 4 platform game entries at this point.
"Things like Basic and Free Basic provide much-needed therapy and a return to sanity and a correct appreciation of people. The arrogant folk really hate a word like 'Basic' - fine, and good riddance." ~ pragmatist

ssjx

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Hi,
Assuming that is not an actual bug (will double check), if you plant a seed in autumn it only exists in autumn , it would not exist in spring/summer and all plants are dead in winter. It is more lazy time jump than season change really (and yes, that does mean some fires will be going for months... :) )

The freezing yourself problem will be fixed. The plan is to block a jump to anywhere that would be dangerous (jumping into fire too...). This will be shown by greying out the option. Some levels may have later  jumps blocked.

I plan quick transitions, i think the gradual transitions would be much cooler but they would be much more difficult for me to do!

Level selection / resuming / creating is also on the todo list. I'm currently adding fire and a bit more colour. Landslides are the next addition after that.

Again, these are work in progress uploads and most things will be fixed in due time. The main reason i am uploading them so people can have a go and see the game develop.

Lachie Dazdarian

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Well, I'm pretty sure I was unable to recollect the seed planted (dropped) in Autumn. Not sure what you mean by more lazy time jump than season change.

Anyway, the gradual change is just a suggestion. I do think that fade in/out between seasons is a must. Anything more is eye candy. Also, I do think that being able to change seasons only on some locations (for the most levels) is a suggestion you should seriously consider, as it allows you to setup the level challenges more precisely and avoid player doing werid stuff you didn't predict (it would be easier for you to hide possible bugs, so to speak).
"Things like Basic and Free Basic provide much-needed therapy and a return to sanity and a correct appreciation of people. The arrogant folk really hate a word like 'Basic' - fine, and good riddance." ~ pragmatist

Jonge

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ssjx: Really cool game so far!  :)
I would polish the movement of the main character a bit. Maybe make him jump only once pr push on the up key. You have a game thats fun already, and thats impressive  :)

Made some progress today myself, improving the movement of the main character. He now sort of slides around corners(of objects he hits). Next thing will probably be to make the first enemy so we can get some action  ;D
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ssjx

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Thanks for the feedback, not sure whether in mine the player jumps forward 3 months (which would also effect any moving objects) or a forced season change (just environmental changes).

Jonge, thanks for the comments look forward to a demo of yours! I like that you are doing a log to go with your entry! I did think about doing a similar thing here but it would probably be pretty dull and full of me cursing 'Day 100 - Still can't find what's wrecking my map array! ;)  ' or a more recent actual one would be 'New text functions trash memory and break game because i forgot to include a '-1' '

Surprised there are so many platform entries, i expected mostly farming games...

Btw, Happy new year everyone!
« Last Edit: January 01, 2013, 03:25:12 AM by ssjx »

Pritchard

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I'm excited to see the number of entries already in progress.  I'm glad the theme caught some traction :)

Jonge

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I like that you are doing a log to go with your entry! I did think about doing a similar thing here but it would probably be pretty dull and full of me cursing 'Day 100 - Still can't find what's wrecking my map array! ;)  ' or a more recent actual one would be 'New text functions trash memory and break game because i forgot to include a '-1' '
I like to read about other peoples game development, so I decided to add a log to my site. I have a log for each project, this also makes it look like something is happening on my site :)

And yes bug hunting is boring.. And it usually turns out to be a stupid error by myself  ::)
codeheim.NET - Homemade game madness!

Lachie Dazdarian

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Another donation rolled in. 1st prize increased to 350 $. This is the final change.

All the remaining and future donations will go to next competitions.

Thanks to all donors!
"Things like Basic and Free Basic provide much-needed therapy and a return to sanity and a correct appreciation of people. The arrogant folk really hate a word like 'Basic' - fine, and good riddance." ~ pragmatist