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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:19 am
by irrdev
I think 10-12 levels would be great. It would take most users a long time just to complete all of them. I think that the robot should evolve as it(you) become(s) more experienced. Perhaps the robot learns to Fly, Jump, change shape and size, and cast Magic. Magic could perhaps reveal "hidden" doorways, break walls, delay time-bombs, and perhaps even battle an enemy! :)

Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:09 am
by nikki
To esuvs:
Hello! Thanks for playing the game. I know it is very hard, but thats because it's a demo and I wanted to show off all the features :) . The actual game's first 3 levels are much easier. And there will be 3 or 4 worlds, with 10 levels each, each with a different theme. The first one is 'metal plates' theme which you have already seen. There are colored plates too (red, green, blue, yellow), and some designs (artwork drawn on more than one tile).
I also found it frustrating when trying to move the blocks that the wall would hide my view of the ball.
Press and hold R or F until you get the desired view. You can also use Q and E.

To everyone:
I am thinking of about 30 levels. I will later release a version of the game that can play user-made levels. I will also release extra level-packs for the game. Users can make their own level-packs too. It will increase playing time tenfold! :)
The game is scheduled to be released on around February 10th 2007 AD (my birthday! :) ), if I find sound effects and music fast enough. Some of the music will be tracks that I made. Others may be free music found on the internet.

Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:21 pm
by nikki
What should the theme of the second world be?

Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:31 pm
by saluk
Hi I tried your game, it looks like it might be pretty good but the shadows kill my framerate. Could you put in an option to turn off shadowing?

I don't understand, I can play doom3, but not this, hmm. What kind of shadows are you using?

I have an ati 9800 by the way, I guess it is getting a bit old.

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:23 pm
by nikki
saluk wrote:Hi I tried your game, it looks like it might be pretty good but the shadows kill my framerate. Could you put in an option to turn off shadowing?

I don't understand, I can play doom3, but not this, hmm. What kind of shadows are you using?

I have an ati 9800 by the way, I guess it is getting a bit old.
That's funny. I have a GeForce FX 5600 (I think its older than your card), and it still works. Anyway, I will still add an option to disable shadows.

I still need ideas for the theme of world 2 (test (level) 11 to 20). Any ideas anyone? :)

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:27 pm
by SunSailor
How about material topics? Level 2 could be wood, level 3 plastic or such. Everything else would lead into heavy modelling, but if you want to do such, I'm shure, there are a lot of other possible themes.

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:04 pm
by PolyVox
I reckon an egyptian theme would be good (I like the egyptians!). The egyptians had loads of traps to prevent prople breaking into thier pyramids, plus pyramids were buult of blocks which makes sense in the context of you games. Maybe over 10 levels you work your way up to the treasure at the top?

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:02 pm
by nikki
esuvs wrote:I reckon an egyptian theme would be good (I like the egyptians!). The egyptians had loads of traps to prevent prople breaking into thier pyramids, plus pyramids were buult of blocks which makes sense in the context of you games. Maybe over 10 levels you work your way up to the treasure at the top?
Nice idea! I am thinking of a stone theme (gray stone, with moss and plants). I can use the Egyptian theme for world 3.

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:09 am
by pjcast
I'm not sure if it is just me, but using the mouse to control the ball is very diffilcult - it is very touchy. The keyboard is also hard to control, but that is more of the ball just being difficult to move around :) I did manage to get a little bit of control over it. Your game definitely has potential and looks pretty slick. I do think the controls need a little bit more polishing. And, perhaps a bit more color to your world, or maybe that is just me :)

Anyway, keep up the excellent work.

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:02 pm
by nikki
pjcast wrote:I'm not sure if it is just me, but using the mouse to control the ball is very diffilcult - it is very touchy.
Yeah, you're right. I should fix the mouse. Maybe it should be a bit slower?

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:23 pm
by pjcast
Yeah, I think the mouse should react a bit slower. Perhaps, a input config screen to give the user a slider to allow them to adjust the sensitivity (for now, you could simply use a config file to read the setting in from if you don't want to add a menu).

Anyway, keep up the good work :D

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:45 pm
by nikki
Thanks for the great feedback, pjcast. I will add two keys that can be used to adjust mouse speed.

I finished making the 'Egyptian' theme of tests 11 to 20, and added a HUD. Here's a screenshot of test 11 (note the HUD at the bottom):-
Image

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:45 am
by SunSailor
Ok, that's the stone theme i suggested ;-). Really, if you want an egyptian theme, you should add hyroglyphs and wall paintings, maybe adding some statues and such. And more impressive portals, including fake ones :-).

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 2:02 pm
by PolyVox
Hi Nikki, for Egyptian textures maybe you should look at this...

http://www.m3corp.com/a/download/3d_tex ... ypt_01.htm

They have several Egyptian texture with bump maps (press 'next' at the bottom of each page)

Not sure what the terms of use are though...

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 7:52 pm
by nikki
SunSailor wrote:Ok, that's the stone theme i suggested ;-). Really, if you want an egyptian theme, you should add hyroglyphs and wall paintings, maybe adding some statues and such. And more impressive portals, including fake ones :-).
There are already hieroglyphs in a few walls. Check out the two dark gray tiles on the wall GraLL is facing.

Thanks for the link, esuvs! But, the problem is that I cannot use those textures directly, as they will not suit the rest of the game stuff. But maybe I can modify them, or copy the hieroglyphs into my textures. Is that allowed by their license?

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 12:23 pm
by PolyVox
I what way will they not suit the rest of the game? You mean a technical problem, or they just won't match the 'theme' of the game?

Actually, seeing you screenshot with the cracked tiles on the floor gave me another idea - maybe cracked tiles collapse when you go over them or when you jump on them. Or maybe they collapse the second time you go over them - that could make an interesting puzzle?

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 3:31 pm
by JohnJ
Thanks for the link, esuvs! But, the problem is that I cannot use those textures directly, as they will not suit the rest of the game stuff. But maybe I can modify them, or copy the hieroglyphs into my textures. Is that allowed by their license?
This is the license:
These textures are copyrighted materials and are made available to you free of charge and royalty free for use in your own artwork and may not be redistributed, loaned, rented or sold by any means, electronic or otherwise.
It seems that if you used their textures, you wouldn't be allowed to distribute your game at all.

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:22 pm
by nikki
esuvs wrote:Actually, seeing you screenshot with the cracked tiles on the floor gave me another idea - maybe cracked tiles collapse when you go over them or when you jump on them. Or maybe they collapse the second time you go over them - that could make an interesting puzzle?
I got that idea too. It was in a 2D game I made long ago :) . I discovered that it needed a lot of time and hair-pulling to create, so I made 'Traps' (create a bomb over themselves a few seconds after getting run over). This was much easier to implement. :)

I forgot to tell you guys about many features. One new feature (old, actually: I added it 3 weeks back) is 'Green Bombs'. They are like normal Bombs, except that they explode when a Crate is pushed into them.

Another cool and important feature is the 'Test Selector', a menu in which you can take tests you've already completed. Allows you to go back to your favourite levels. :) A screenshot:-
Image
JohnJ wrote:It seems that if you used their textures, you wouldn't be allowed to distribute your game at all.
Too bad. I think we'll have to live with my idiotic programmer art ... For now. :)

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:15 pm
by nikki
Its been a long time since the last update, but finally, here's one. :)

I have finished making the save\load system. Each time you start a new level, your game is saved. When you press the 'Load Game' button in the Main Menu, your saved game is restored, and you are sent to the Test Selector.

Also, I've finished making 16 levels.

Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 1:30 pm
by nikki
Development is stopped until March 20th due to exams in school. Exams start March 9. :(

Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 11:09 pm
by free_FROZ
Best of luck to you on those exams...

Anyway, do you plan on making the game a little lighter? I can barely see the ball, and as far as I can tell, there is no reason to have it that dark.

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:31 pm
by nikki
Use T and G to adjust brightness.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:38 am
by nikki
Ok, managed to bash out a little new feature in my free time today and yesterday. :) The new feature is an opening animation that shows the GraLL logo on the starting of the game. It fades in, then fades out, and then you go to the Main Menu.

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:47 pm
by nikki
I converted the opening animation into a credits screen (like a slide show). It also shows the logo to, at the end. I also added a tooltips feature for the Main Menu buttons. All this was done in 15 minutes (gotta study for exams, break time now). :)

I am also thinking of releasing the source code under GPL around 6 or 7 months after the game's release. Only the game source, the code libraries used will not be included (like ODE, NGF etc.). You won't be able to compile it, but you can just see how it all works. Well, don't be too sure though. :)

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:39 am
by nikki
Yes! Exams are over! YES! :D :D :D
Sorry for the emoticons and caps, but hey, I am really happy! :)

Now, I am going to search for some good sound effects and continue working on the levels. If any of you have some sounds (in wav format) that may be good candidates for any events in the game, then please tell me! :)