"A Love Letter To FreeBASIC" Competition (Oct 2018 – Feb 2019), 1000 $ 1st prize

[ssjx]

Hi,
My entry is mostly done:

http://ssjx.co.uk/windows/ioet.shtml

Besides a bit more testing and minor tweaks, I do not expect the final entry to be much different.

A bit early given there are a few weeks to go but I did not want to leave it to the last minute!

Also, I did not plan on the intro being like a Mr Men story but it seems to work and just about explains what is going on. The first intro attempt was long and tedious...

Anyway, thanks for looking!

[Lachie Dazdarian]

This is one of your best efforts so far, ssxj. The best gameplay-wise, IMO. Thanks for delivering this.

At the start I thought the game difficulty was a bit unfair, but after few attempts I got the jist of it, and I appreciate how constructed it is, with health being received by fininshing levels. This allows you to rack up health with easiers levels, so you have more space for error with more difficult levels. Also, levels unlocking and bonus levels are a really nice touch.

What bothers me are few things, and I think you have time to adress few of them, if you consider it worthwile.

Music. I really think you should find some free music tracks online and incorporate them in the game. The game is really asking for them. And if you implement them, please allow the user to turn up/down volume of music and sfx separately. SFX in the game is somewhat agressive. I can turn it down now manually outside the game, but if the game will feature music, I might prefer to leave the music volume up.

The appearance of the controlled object in the devices. While I know that not all graphics inside the devices are faux textual, I kinda feel the appearance of the thing you contol being made of text characters would be more effective and consistent.

I think the game should come with preset high scores, so there is some real incentive in playing the levels again by trying to beat those scores.

Finally, I really to think the professor's house and backyear is quite dull graphically. Everything looks stiff and boring. I think you managed to deliver more interesting graphics in previous entries. Not sure if something more can be done there, but maybe at least few more objects, adding some minimal animation to tiles (like blinking on devices), and maybe some animation to ghosts. It would really help the game feel more alive. His house more looks like a stage than a real house. Add some book shelves, lamps, carpets, etc., ...

Anyway, those are my two cents.

Once more, thank you for your effort. Appreciated. And I really enjoyed playing it. Will get back to it once more for scoring.

[ssjx]

Thanks for playing and for the feedback!

Making the garden and house more animated and interesting is the main thing on the list, as well as improving the sound. The sound is too noisy on the levels where you have to continually shoot! Also some events could do with a fanfare or similar.

Music may be an issue as I would rather not include something created by someone else, I may take another look if there are any good simple music tools.

Initially I struggled to think of anything for this competition but it has been fun and I like what my entry turned out like. With hindsight, I would probably have made the 4 directional shooter a bigger element but that came together later and by accident (smash tv + space invaders?), hopefully people play through to get to the isometric game which is my first one of those.

Btw, the little ship has FBC on it but it is really tiny...

[Lachie Dazdarian]

Released stuff so far.

Landeel, FB Shooter Force 2019, a side scrolling shooter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcY3NG7bqkw
Pitto, Untitled platformer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwYc2ryKgig
Boromir, Basic Warfare, a RTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMVUlnkMW7M
ssjx, Internet of Evil Things, mixed genres: http://ssjx.co.uk/windows/ioet.shtml (a version close to final entry released)

Confired WIPs I'm confident will result with a competition entry are being developed by gothon, Zamaster.

For any other WIP, people are either very secretive or the stuff is still very much in "maybe" phase, but would love to be mistaken. Pls folks, share!

[Lachie Dazdarian]

Update:

Landeel, FB Shooter Force 2019, a side scrolling shooter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcY3NG7bqkw
Pitto, Impossible VictHorse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwYc2ryKgig
Boromir, Basic Warfare, a RTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMVUlnkMW7M
ssjx, Internet of Evil Things, mixed genres: http://ssjx.co.uk/windows/ioet.shtml (a version close to final entry released)
3622, FreeBASIC Carom Billiards, a FB carom themed game
badidea, Unknown Title, a grid-based puzzle game?
Nekrophidius, Terminal Pursuit, a platformer

[Lachie Dazdarian]

I'm really split about this competition, becuase I have like 3-4 persons I know that are working on something amazing and need more time.

We are now close to a week until the deadline.

I know I promised I won't extend it again, but the situation is quite specific, with the increased prize and several great entries on the verge of not making it. But, I wouldn't like to extend the deadline once more for no results.

So I'm polling the competition participants on several things.

Are those close to completion for the deadline or already releasing a finished entry ok with more extensions? I'm aware of ssjx, Landeel, Pitto and Boromir as those probably making it.

Those actively working on their entry who expect to fail or release something severely compromised due the deadline itself, how much of an extensions you need?

Finally, I have a compromise of an idea, but still don't prefer to have it if the current competition will end up being overall weak in number of competitive entries. I have another community member willing to offer another donation, and I'm thinking of using that donation to organize a short, about a month long, EXTRA TIME second chance type of compo specifically extending on this, where there will be only one prize (substantially smaller than current but still much more than symbolic), and where you need to waive of participating for the current deadline (you can submit, but need to officially state you don't want to run for the prizes), to prevent ppl, for example, collecting the third prize with a close to completed entry for the official deadline, and then participating again in the extension where they only polish up their game. What are everyone's thoughts on that?

[ssjx]

Hi,
I am fine with whatever you decide.

My current version (v0.5b) will be the final one unless I spot any glaring bugs and would want it to enter the main competition if you did do a split.

[Eponasoft]

I have no problem with an extension. I have been limited in my time to work on my entry anyway, so a few extra days wouldn't hurt. My entry has changed from what it was originally but I'm not gonna give out any details yet.

[Zamaster]

Strong desire for one more week. I got started later because life and I'd really like my last experience with FB to be something I'm proud of.

[Lachie Dazdarian]

Ok, it's decided! It's sort of a super compromise solution.

Since 3 separate persons said one week will help a lot, I will extend the first round deadline for ONE MORE week, ending on 11th of February.

We will also organize a second round for all late arrivals and those who had unplanned delays. It will last from 11th of February till 18 of March (5 weeks). First prize 300 USD, second prize 100 USD. All the same theme rules apply, and only one extra condition. You can't participate in both rounds. So be sure if you want to submit OFFICIALY you entry in the first round. If not, you can still share it before, but please be explicit in waiveing your participation in round one if you don't want to compete for round one prizes and remain eligible for round two. Also, round two is not restricted to people who already started for round one, but of course, those have a head start.

For the prizes in second round, I felt they had to be low enough to sort of "penalize" those who don't manage to participate in round one, or waive their participation and opt for round two, but still substantially high not to be merely symbolic.

[Zamaster]

To prove Mambazo and I are actually finishing something, here's a screenshot of our museum

[landeel]

Hey, here's a demo of my WIP.
Some things may change in the final version, most likely level design, difficulty and some graphics.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-2_Kx6_L4X2noh0ImaMsbc1g3PXlv0RY

[Lachie Dazdarian]

Great work on your entry, Landeel.

Got canned in Phytonia for the second time. Getting weapons I don't want is really bogging me down. I would prefer if I had one button/slot reserved for a default weapon. Just too many weapons I feel like I should avoid, like those that freeze or grab enemies. I want them dead!

[nkk_kan]

landeel,

I played your game and tried it with xbox controller; it worked great
But the game seemed to be running too fast for me. Is there any fps limiting done?

liked the game overall and the concept behind it!

[nkk_kan]

ssjx,

I played your game today; Pretty good concept and wonderful execution..
Love those ascii graphics!

Windows Defender is telling me the precompiled binary is affected by "Trojan:Win32/Detplock" (attached image here)
So, I recompiled your program and it ran fine afterwards; Maybe your computer is infected, please check :x

Collision detection at corners in tablet levels seems to be a bit problematic (pixel perfect? xD), I keep dying to corners
where I can see that it would clear without hitting the wall but doesn't (https://imgur.com/a/hhWlwM5)