Paul's Bits and Bytes

2010-09-15T15:44:00.000+10:00

Hi all, I have now added to The Probe a main menu with horizontally scrolling credits! :)

Here is a screenshot:

I haven't uploaded this version to The Probe website yet though...

cheers,
Paul

A bare-bones playable level at last!

2010-06-23T09:14:00.003+10:00

Ok, after some more additions last night, I now have a basically playable level...yay!! :)

Rocks can be pushed and will fall, and now stack to make piles just like in boulder-dash.

The crystals also fall and stack too :)

Rocks/crystals do collide with the player character (the probe), but don't destroy the probe as of yet.

Warps for objects like rocks and crystals work now too, and so do the teleporters for the probe :)

Switches don't work yet, but you can collect crystals to activate the TLS beam which you then have to unblock.

Here is a screenshot of a test level:

In the level above, most of the rocks are falling down into blue swirling vortices (warps) which warp them back up to the warps above to make a never-ending rain of rocks ;)

And a video below of me completing the same test level:
http://fpc4gp2x.eonclash.com/videos/TheProbe/TheProbe.html

If the above video is too slow for you online, you can download the video (525 Kb 7-zip file, AVI format) here:
http://fpc4gp2x.eonclash.com/videos/TheProbe/TheProbe.7z

cheers,
Paul

Moving, moving, so much moving!

2010-06-22T11:25:00.000+10:00

Well, after some extensive re-factoring of the base classes with regards to moving, I can now move the player character (the probe) around the level and not go through solid objects...yay!

To test pushing objects, I have now added code that allows rocks to be pushed around if there is a space on the otherside in the same direction :)

As they don't fall yet (no gravity), I have now created a Sokoban game! haha LOL

Now onto the other features, gravity to name one... ;)

cheers,
Paul

"The Probe" editor is now working

2010-06-21T11:53:00.000+10:00

I have now gotten a simple level editor working for "The Probe" working, including warp and teleporter links :)

Here is a screen-shot of a level in the editor:

Here is the same level in-game:

I can load up any level made in the editor into the game, and and "all I have to do now" (tm) is make all this stuff work in the game itself! LOL

cheers,
Paul

"The Probe" - Background Story

2010-05-25T10:49:00.000+10:00

Hi all,
I have come up with a slightly different background story for my Pyrogine game "The Probe".

You have been exploring an alien planet using a remote controlled robot probe, and while doing so, discovered some interesting looking underground caverns.

To access the caverns, you got the probe to teleport inside using its own teleportation system as there was no visible means of access. Unfortunately, while teleporting into the caverns, an undetected energy barrier inside the caverns created an energy surge in the probe as it passed through the barrier. This caused the probe’s teleport unit to explode into many pieces which become scattered around the caverns.

Can you successfully control the probe to collect the teleporter power crystals, power up the teleporter, disable the energy barrier and escape the caverns?

I believe this will create a more interesting game where you have sub-goals, as well as the major goal :)

cheers,
Paul

My first Pyrogine game - "The Probe"

2010-05-14T21:42:00.001+10:00

I am currently working on my first Pyrogine Engine (www.pyrogine.com) game called "The Probe". It is a Boulder Dash like game but with some twists.

Like most Boulder Dash games, you have to collect crystals to complete the level while avoiding traps, enemies, and other nasties.

In "The Probe", after you collect the required amount of crystals per level, you have another objective!

Once the crystals are collected, the Teleporter Laser System, or TLS is activated. The TLS will fire a laser beam in a straight line from an emitter in a wall. You have to unblock it's path, and guide the beam using deflectors so it can hit the TLS receiver, charging up the teleporter. When the teleporter is fully charged, the player will be teleported from the level, thus completing it.

It will be interesting how this goes, and if I can program it :)

cheers,

Paul

My new general blog

2010-04-19T13:41:00.000+10:00

Hi all,
I have decided to create this blog that isn't dedicated to any one thing like my previous one (www.day-of-destruction.blogspot.com) that was dedicated to "Day Of Destruction!".

This blog will be for anything I want to blog about, but will usually be about my programming projects :)

cheers,
Paul