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Main forum => Announcements => Topic started by: erico on 2013-Jul-18

Title: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
4.5 billion years have passed since this project creation...

This is a COCO II basic rescued project from my youth. Taking more time then it should ;)
I will blog around here, the outcomes.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Some good old production design.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Sketches came a good way, outlines and hard shades only.
It is a single-screen-action-adventure-casual-arcade game. Lots of work must go to have an ok single screen. :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Pictures of close texture and attempts to transform it into a good ol´ amiga day´s tree.
The enormous huge ancient tree that lies in front of my house (and owns the neighbourhood) helped a lot, there had to be a way I pictured her somehow. :nw:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Back on the 320x240 idea, so to also fit the Caanoo´s resolution, this was one of the first ´good´ outcomes...way too blue, but heck!
Too much ´using other people´s work on the leaves´ but it was just a layout.
The trunk itself here took a good 2 days 8hs.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Main hero´s sprites are way important! I dug a lot of references to catch an idea to improve them, specially as they were sketched way too small and such did come to interfere on the gameplay. This is an example comparing the old player´s sprites with a few externals I come to enjoy. there are waaaay many more screens like that so to come up with an ok one in concept.

edit: the BW ones are my first attempt to get to something haha, not quite it but I like them!  :-*
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: matchy on 2013-Jul-18
That's cool and I like the idea that is was designed for the Coco.  :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Tks Matchy, it is actually based on my very first original game on the COCO.
By the time, I was living in a place with a huge (really huge!) avocado tree and we used to play under it.

My coco game got lost forever on tapes and I never finished it, It was my very first attempt on get/put and I got pissed about not being able to handle memory.
...I think it is about time I revive it on concept, so hence this is going on. :)

edit: But this time it is more a pc/linux/android/mac attempt..I just can´t have that old idea go away.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Here is the very first action going...
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Those colorful bkgs had a hand from a few friends already :-[
It is hard to wear many hats.

Here are the new player´s concept based on new sizes for gameplay. They are to be the final ones.
PS: not quite final yet, but the very first set that was acceptable in shape :)
Yeah the super deformed style did come handy.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
While sprites get charisma boost and gameplay enhancements... It is hard not to think back about them.
They served a purpose, place holders till they were not good enough. Now they are gone.

There must be a cemetery or limbo where they once can be again.
It is horrible for an art guy to let any sort of art behind, I already have soo many :(
It kind of 'dosen´t feel right´.

Some of the once to be alive monkeys that will now, never be... :'(
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Marmor on 2013-Jul-18
Just wow !

The story from the idea to a real  is great !
Also the Art and the process behind .
Looks like fun ...
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Jul-18
It's always great to hear the stories about game development and the difficult journeys that some games have. This looks like it'll be a fantastic and fun game - let's hope it does finally arrive in this digital age.

Excellent work erico  :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Tks guys.

I hope it arrives in this digital age too hehe. :D
What was supposed to be a simple 3-6 months project, got dragged for about a couple years if not a bit more.
The bad part is that there is only me to blame :P.

But finally I see the light at the end of the tunnel, I just have to add another boss, music, frontend and endings. Core game is done.
I now feel confident to start posting about.

If I compute the hours on it, it is still under 3 month´s work.

Here is an enraged monkey!
Ended up having to hand draw them. I´m really horrible on computer drawing creatures...I almost resorted to render. :noggin:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Talking about "resort to 3d render"...

Unfortunantly, I could not handle pixel art for a few visual aspects of the game, so instead of hand drawing and pixeling, I had to 3d render and pixel it.
The very first one were the tree´s leaves. It would take a monstrous amount of time to hand draw them and it has to be done twice since they shake over the winds.
The animation would also be of the rotating style and with a very small angle, again, rotating small angles on pixel art of low res is an herculian labour.

The idea then, was to draw a couple pixel leaves kind of like the way the avocado one´s are, generate about 500 instances(clones) with a controlled random rotation and size. Then, on the next frame, slightly change its angle threshold.

It worked wonders and the amount of work after the render was quite minimum.
Here is the 3d project and the final output (after that final retouch).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-18
Another 3d rendered asset was the trycicle the monkey boss rides around.
While hand drawing it dosen´t pose much trouble, drawing it taking a turn is sure hard, even for ~4 frames.

So here is the 3d project and the final with a sketch of the Boss.
Again, 3d dosen´t quite render pixel art properly, there is always a bit of clean up and image processing to do.

BONUS for who can tell the reference I used to design this tricycle! :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Hark0 on 2013-Jul-19
BRAVO!

Very good sample about design games... :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Marmor on 2013-Jul-19
My best Gfx Art is a Dot in a space .
So can you provide the steps in 3d to anim
in a video ?
A how to make a 2d anim with 3d and the workflow
For ?
How much image i need for a cool looking animation
And much moore !

Thx
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-19
Quote from: Marmor on 2013-Jul-19
My best Gfx Art is a Dot in a space .

Drawing this stuff has a lot of technical paths that it is a matter of practice and time. Anyone can do it.

QuoteSo can you provide the steps in 3d to animin a video ?
A how to make a 2d anim with 3d and the workflow For ?
How much image i need for a cool looking animation

In a video is a bit hard right now as recording is work, but I hope if I journal enough info here I could do it in the future after the game is done.

Yep, the idea for this game is to use the minimal possible number of animated frames. Few examples:
.the players and creatures usually alternate 2 frames when performing.
.the objects usually have 1 frame explosion

Other things have a broader frame number, very few things a high one.
.the ´fx before a power up shows up´ has 5 frames.
.collecting stuff usually has 4 frames.

At the end it will look ´cartoony´ and take a shorter time to produce.
I also don´t want transparencies as I want the 16bit look. So alpha, only on or off (the pink color).

The cool looking animation can have from 2 to eternal frames. I like the very fluid animation you have on some parts of animes (Akira for ex.) and you also like the parts with very few caricatural frames. Sometimes I think I could do with more animation frames on this game on a few more situations,  but best not wonder much if you are wearing lots of hats.


Current workflow is more or less like this:

.references
.layout (with references, or pictures, or hand draw scan or tablet, or 3d, etc)
.final art

Usually done on the likes of PAINT, GIMP and PHOTOSHOP.
The animation can´t be really tested on those so I usually leave to check and fine tune animation in code.

Let me use the tricycle as an example:

1.The preferable reference is the tricycle from the race between worlds on MAGIK POCKETS (amiga). I love that one and the sound!
2.Using the source image as a layout, I modeled a 3d one using primitive shapes, nothing fancy. There are some modifications and interpretations but they are very similar.
3.I prefered here, to render the image with a more exact final size in game, about 48x40 pixels. 3d packages don´t quite like pixel art, so after setting off antialias, this is what came out.
4.Fix all anomalies on a paint package, you only actually need a pixel brush and zoom. PHOTOSHOP is really overkill. Position your frames for GLB to read and done!

You can check these advices from Derek Yu:
http://makegames.tumblr.com/post/42648699708/pixel-art-tutorial

For the majority of the art, instead of a 3d input, I used photographed hand draw or did on the tablet. If drawing is not your thing, you can do with basic shapes, like lines and circle to get to a good start. The 3d tricycle is pretty much a bunch of tubes with colors.




Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-20
Thanks Harko, It is all somehow based on what you do on your blog. I like it.
But I can´t open a blog just yet, and besides using other forums, which may reach more possible consumers, I thought best to publish it all on a thread around here and maybe later bring some stuff anywhere else as a cheap marketing.

The last cowardly 3d done piece is the background.
It was by that time that I figured 320x240 won´t go ok on mobiles.

So final res is set to 428x240, which will scale nicely to many devices.
Some art had to be fixed.
I still want this to run 320x240 for the caanoo, so code has to accommodate that too, and it works fine.
(you can see marks on the final backgrounds depicting crops that will happen on certain systems)

Here the background can do with some very small antialiase, similar to backgrounds on fighting games.
I also would like it to darken when a thunder storm is going by, so I did a few background transition images.

The rest were icons and some objects, that also got a bit scaled and changed shades.
I tried to keep the light coming from top-right, while on objects it is more to the top and background it is more from the right.

The background render is crude and carries only colors and shade. Texturing was done on photoshop using pictures I took.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: fuzzy70 on 2013-Jul-20
A simple piece of 3D there Erico, but very effective & fits in great =D.

It was a good idea of yours to texture it in Photoshop as all the extra work required to do it in the 3D package would have produced worse results due to the final image render size.

Keep up the good work mate as I'm following this with great interest  :good:

Lee
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: bigsofty on 2013-Jul-21
Lookin very nice Erico, keep it up!  :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-22
Quote from: fuzzy70 on 2013-Jul-20
...
It was a good idea of yours to texture it in Photoshop as all the extra work required to do it in the 3D package would have produced worse results due to the final image render size.
...

Exactly, Fuzzy.
It is horrible to 3d render to small pixel art. :(

But by doing that we can get to a good shape and light faster, and some shapes are really hard to hand draw.
Luckily, the monkey bike was a lot simpler. Just some garbage and wrong/missing lines.

I had spent the last 2 weeks figuring out the last boss...but alas there are always trouble creeping up.
As it is, it will need a huge amount of frames, and that tree´s texture was extremely hard to do for 1 frame only.

Last couple days I attempted to create the tree is 3d so to easy up frame quantities and maybe automate the texture somehow.
Of course it was time wasted, the amount of time required to animate the tree in 3d is just too much too.
And I could not even get one good looking tree. :rant:

Such is life. But yesterday I managed to compile this tree-monster (yeah, a lovecraftian tree enraged by pissed off gnomes as a boss, comes cool), into 2 separate parts.
Like head / body. It will dramatically reduce the amount of frames needed. I also found a way to work out the place were they attach to each other so you don´t get that feeling of only half of it animated.

Either way, it is still going to be ~30 frames. I can´t afford to finish up final art for the pieces now for time´s sake.
I will start drawing this monster as a black outline only and will code its behaviour this way.

I hope by the time I do a ´last-pass´ on the core game art I can then finish it properly.
I will post a few outline frames later today. 2d B/W shape-only animation is something at least quick to make. 
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Marmor on 2013-Jul-23
I have testet 3d to sprites with a simple programm
Written by me.
But dislike the result.
To get better looking sprites is much harder
As i expected.

I hope you show us the next steps .

Thx for showing your workflow !
I need it so much.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-23
Great to hear Marmor,
true, 3d is a beast when it comes to 2d.

It ends up we have to try to scope what best it can do for us.
But on my tree case I only wasted time :( (but again, I won´t fall for that again... hopefully).

There is a set of stuff I can do and others I can´t.
Point is to mix that up to productivity/Quality.
Easy said then done. :P

I got some base tree boss draw, but nothing really good at all to kick it up yet :(...(kick it up ~30 frames :sick:)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-25
Well, the tree boss has 29 frames now.
3 directional attacks, 2 located ground attacks, 1 gorfing plasma to slow players down.
It also scrambles players if they pass through the roots while the tree is moving about.
Should be hard enough with all the normal hell braking loose. :)

It is far from finished and the expressions and general animation quite don´t feel nice.
But I guess I can´t be bitten by the perfection bug...it is going to be a while to fine art it, and Im starting to think I should definently finish it before proceeding.

Here a test video of a few of its frames. Hammer time! :P
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Marmor on 2013-Jul-25
Hahaha ! Looks great . Id like to see the full game .
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-25
hehe tks Marmor.

I will probably get some in-game videos up soon after I finish this last boss.

I have babbled a lot about gfx, but what is really important is the gameplay.
First I thought to not talk about it as it is sure a spoiler for such a short game, but then, hey, who cares? :P

I will try to cover the game play these days.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-09
Some update...final 3rd boss coming out more or less fine...it just required way too much work. :(

Let´s see if I can get it alive these days.
Info on gameplay soon..
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Sep-09
Eyy !!! all this stuff it's new today I never see this post before..
The three it's fantastic, the animation too, the bicicle fantastic, very very good models and final product...

I like a lot the PS images , very very nice work... I hope you finish nearly , too much time the forum without new titles in the market!!! :rant: :rant:   
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-09
Thanks Mental!

That tree is the exact reason I didn´t get to the beach this weekend :P
But it seems it works fine at the end.

I´d really wish I could push red+cyan on the tree to make it more ´evil´.

There is still a few quibbles to finish... The trees´ arms on floor, the spit and the gorfing all around sprites.

I best concentrate on its AI now and get it moving and alive.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Hark0 on 2013-Sep-10
Quote from: erico on 2013-Sep-09
Some update...final 3rd boss coming out more or less fine...it just required way too much work. :(

Let´s see if I can get it alive these days.
Info on gameplay soon..

Wow!

Its a pleasure show your grahics progress design... ;)

Go go go!!!  :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-17
Tks Hark0! Now deploy your game or I will have to ask your uncle Vladimir to check on your outcomes!! :D edit: you know the spice must flow!

hehe, I did a joke about ´it came from the desert´ with you and the bug you had and guess what?
I was testing my game before sleep on the caanoo and I dreamed a bug happened on mine yesterday and it was impossible to trace, seriously, I woke up quite crazy about it. Took a while to even figure out my own home surroundings.
I guess that teaches me not to joke with my friend devs... :(

Anyway, here is a video of the last boss in ´half´ action.
There are some bugs on the gfx and things look weird on the connected parts.

That wip aside, it already has some bland AI and the scramble roots works fine and are tunned.
Ya, you can´t quite just pass by samba roots without a bit of buggie woogie! ;)

I did have major trouble with code and the caanoo. I never actually coded multi part objects and my current style makes it quite messy.
It all seems ok now. Oh, the video shows caanoo´s 320x240 size, other plats will use closer to the 428x240 res.


edit: music is the awesome BASEMENT INGAME from PUFFY64, I just borrowed it cause evil tree connects with hard rock :) It is not in game unfortunantly :(
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Sep-17
Yuhuuu!!! hey Erico the game have very very nice graphics, the kids you now I have another style, but the background are very very nice... The really cool is when arrives the Blitz, the tree begin to move, this it's a very nice point...

But I don't understando too much what happends when the tree touch the kid, only dealy de movement?¿....

I want buy now!!!  :booze: :booze: :D
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-17
Yep those are the final kids, a bit SD (superdeformed) but it matches age around 3/4 years old, when kids have big heads and tiny bodies. :good:

Fighting that last boss will always be at cloudy weather. Even with the ´cloud power´.
Otherwise, through out the game, during rain, sky can also get cloudy..in which case there will be thunder storm.

The samba dancing roots will scramble players if both are in touch with it. It does not decrease energy, but screw their movement.
That is one of the trees´ attacks. You can avoid it by dashing/jumping...just don´t tell anyone around here! :D

There is to be a lot more happening on that situation, but in this case, it is only a test on the boss going about.
Tree leaves are also supposed to be shaking...which I just did implement.

I want to buy it too! Buy a better coder to do this in my place!! :D :D

EDIT: maybe I should get Extremoduro to do tunes for my game?  :P :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Sep-17
too much metal, but that property im never liked the genre. howower its might work when the tree attach with the dark skys. When its light, the music should property been a more light music.

The game do looks pretty nice and cool :good:.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-17
Music is ´borrowed´ for the video. Game will feature different kind of music, but it should be fast. :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Sep-18
I think more rainbow Island or doing something with a Soundtracker will be more nice...

PS: I don't know if "Extremo Duro" continue playing, or they are dead  :D :D :D   , take to the door of the "Ramones"  :D :D :D
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Oct-07
Tree advanced some bits, but nothing that MUCH important to show.
The ground attacks won´t make it, renders this boss impossible to beat :O

It is not the first time I drop ´work done´ on this game (gfx, sound and code altogether). Makes me wonder about planning and visualizing things before working on it.
What is safer? Dropping work-done or adding stuff when something is not quite well balanced from the main plan?
On that subject, I have added non-planned stuff too...on the price of fast coding it and those are the ones that get more troubleshooting bugs all around.

Both happens, I tend to believe only experience on game design can minimize it.

I have to be a while away from the project as I have to move house, and to a temporary one :(

In the meanwhile...here is a good tutorial on how to draw pixel trees:
http://kiwinuptuo.deviantart.com/art/Pixel-Art-Tutorial-Tree-196679114
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Oct-07
Don't worry the game will be finish when have to be finish, better arrives a bit later and do a nice job, than get hurry and launch all the work to the trash..,

About the tutorial it's really nice look how made PixelArt, really this have 200 times more work than 3D, and complex it's a lot of too...

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Oct-07
Quote from: mentalthink on 2013-Oct-07
...
About the tutorial it's really nice look how made PixelArt, really this have 200 times more work than 3D, and complex it's a lot of too...

Specially animating that kind of stuff.

But I wonder, drawing pixels only require PAINT on windows...using a 3d package competently requires a few years of study and being able to manage millions of buttons, good notions of photography, lights, spatial modeling, materials, advanced file formats...and you still have to pack it up on the likes of PAINT or GIMP  ;)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Oct-07
I suppose this it's like all, take a lot of time practicing and you get a good level.. I think have to be some soft to convert images or render to nice pixel art, I find one a lot of time, but the guy don't reply to my question, but was really nice see 3D to pixel art, the soft make the job very very good.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Oct-07
Sorry, time's up. We wanna play! :P
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Oct-12
Oh no! I just inserted another coin! it resets time :O

Seriously, it is going to be 2 weeks before I´m able to continue.
I´m sure to release it before Santa though. :x

edit: It is just that, since spacefractal does not like metal songs, I´m going to take that time to manage another song style...probably something on the likes of macarena :P
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Oct-12
It's a good date or worst for sell, I'm not sure, so I think a lot of people sell them games in this Dates...
The good notice it's near the end... I suppose we feeling something similar, after all this time making a game, when we pick our last command... I think will be something like freedoom. and I'm not joking, really this it's fukin... (sorry Ian  :D) * love * work.

About the resets times I think  it's the better when the code begins to be weigth, better realx a bit and turn again to the work fresh.

About the songs I think the best for this kind of games it's 8 bits sounds, like mario and this games... About Macarena, better use "Las ketchup", 3 girls singing something in a tongue don't exist, and only with 1 song they mades millionari, but with private airplane included...  :D :D  (Sometime I think, what fiukin...(sorry Ian  :D :D) * love * ) thinks the people around the World for like this "music")
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Oct-12
Oh well, this is to be the first experience on me putting last command on a code/project completed.
I have done a lot of stuff before, but never published.

I *loving* love doing this, and it will get there (sorry Ian! :P)
more news soon,
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Oct-12
QuoteI suppose we feeling something similar, after all this time making a game, when we pick our last command... I think will be something like freedoom. and I'm not joking, really this it's fukin... (sorry Ian  :D) * love * work.
While this is indeed true, this is where the real hard work should come into effect, with testing, distributing and promoting and marketing.

For commercial apps promotion and marketing is the thing I hate the most. It takes an absolute age to do anything and even then it gets you very little. I'm a coder not a marketeer. I hate that side of things with a passion - it's one of the reasons I only released one app for iOS (B'lox!). I just couldn't be arsed with the donkey work. WebOS required very little  work as there really was only two places worth visiting to promote your game. It's also one of the reasons I haven't touched Android. I obviously want to get into OUYA as it's still a fairly empty market and easy to access, with little after-code work required to promote (I hope).

Anyway, despite the delays the end is hopefully now in sight. The light at the end of the tunnel is no longer a pin-prick hole, but something gaping. And we all look forward to seeing the end results :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Oct-12
im have never have been keen about metal music at all generally, but that is just taste of mind, that it (and thinking this was a kid game, a cool one). Howover its can been used when the tree begin to attack.....
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Oct-13
I was just teasing. That rock type quite don´t fit I agree.

Music, while tested just to get working, will probably be the last thing done. I´m still undecided on how to proceed on this front.
I could try to create them myself with a tracker or more simple music tools, but I see that is going to take time.
I could go for a 3rd party musician, but since this will be the very first published game, I have the urge to try do it all myself, so I´m comfortable with all stages of game making should I team up on next projects.

Finally, I believe I shall try SoundHelix here! :good:

What Ian said holds true to me to, specially since that part, the marketing/distribution, I have zero "game" experience.
I have done a bit of it for other medias before and I do have a plan of action already. You guys will know how I score on that front.

Testing should not be much of a problem, I have been self testing this game for ages and so far it is bug free, but testing on how people approach the game and its controls will be interesting.

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-06
Last boss took quite a lot of work.

I had to drop a couple of its attacks.
Your own 4 hearts energy is now 8 since I´m taking half heart in account.

So the game is now quite easier than before...where then only I could play it :(

Other changes included and extra-extra boss I could not hold myself into implementing.

Today morning I concluded about 100% of in game content. Just missing some sounds of the monkey, tree, ghost bosses.
I already have a final score table.

Now hopefully, everything else to do is apart from the main game code.
But I´m having doubts if I can finish till xmas. Don´t wanna hush it at this point.

Later today I shall babble about the gameplay.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Dec-06
of course you should Work in this game too and is looking nice too. This game would of course been promoted from "More games" from Karma Miwa. Something im could help (etc inapp implementation). Here im could help eventuelly back.

You game is nicely lowres done and should not have any trouble to run 60fps on ouya at all (which run 30fps in my game).

Which im like is this and my game share same controls (etc its got borrow from Karma Miwa, but im have no issues with that at all of course).

PS. You could add various Difficulty$, etc a hard and a Easy version (which im does in my games).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-06
The difficulty level here is a bit different.
The game is hard by nature, you can easy up the game by collecting the power ups, they can render the game quite easy and accessible.

Yep, same touch controls :-[. I tried the virtual joystick but it is really hard to play that way, mostly because of the way finger slides on the screen. Your control method is the best, most reliable and playable with this type of game!

I also added keyboard, joystick(analog), pad and g-sensor, but am not sure I will keep them all at the end.
The joystick is sure staying since the game can best be played on an analog control for extreme precision.
The g-sensor is a bit weird, the game requires way too fast decisions so changing screen angles really detracts the experience, even if just a little.

The keyboard control, I´m using just left, right and up arrows. That way you can play with one hand only.
Do you think this could work on Karma Miwa too?
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Dec-06
not sure im will uses up as jump, which was back in the amiga/c64 area, not on consoles generally. That why im using one or two button system. Later its property could remap any keys, and then you could just remap jump to up eventuelly. So im not sure im will do that.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Dec-06
Jeje new GFX the monkeys, nice too... the paper of the Right, really it's nice and good point foe now what you recollected...
Some video working yet?¿...

Waiting Release!!!!  :nw:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-06
Thanks!
I didn´t record before since things were to change. I think now it´s ok.
So,  I will record a game session after I describe its elements.

Might take a few days since I have to travel either today or tomorrow morning. :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Dec-06
A don't know about monkey boss, but he's looking like a bad-boon! :P

Still loving the look of that erico. Nearly there now  :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-06
Tks, truly it is times like this that I miss having a framework. It sure would speed these final moments of the project.

One big mistake I took here was to not fully design the game before, I did and added a lot of stuff while coding and this really makes it difficult to advance work when not inspired. Lesson learned.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Dec-06
Frameworks are merely the bones of previous programs, built up into a library over time through R&D, implementation and usage.

You can't start a game with a framework that doesn't exist. If you intend to create a framework first, then you'll never build a game with it. Always better to build games and use bits from them to eventually create a framework.

Every game is an individual and even a framework will have to be tailored to suit. There is no one size fits all. You can certainly borrow certain bits, like screen scaling and control input, but you'll find that a lot of other things will have to be created specially for the game itself anyway.

You did right - build the game.

I have never created a design document for a single game I've written - I just get on with the game. I've always got ideas flowing through my brain and decide whether to fit them into the game or not. A good programmer should know exactly how and where things can easily be made to fit/added without it affecting other areas of the game negatively.

A game made "on the go" can easily identify ideas and issues that are not working or are too difficult to implement - if you had them in a design document you might feel compelled to include them and get disheartened if it didn't work out.

I don't know if anyone else is like me, but I just can't stop thinking about developing - pretty much every free moment I'm trying to work out some bit in whatever game I'm working on. Most of my coding is done in my head long before it's entered into my laptop.

The hardest part of developing is keeping focus on one project at a time - it's all too easy to abandon something to move onto something else. We've all done it, but you learn something new with every game or app that can be used in the future to make your life easier.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: fuzzy70 on 2013-Dec-07
I agree with Ian, you did right in that you built the game.

Design documents are good but don't work for everybody or everything you create, perhaps you could try using one on your next project & see how well it works for you?. It's all to easy to look back & think "I should have thought of this xxxx feature at the start" but it's natural that extra ideas pop into your head while you are creating something, be it a game or art.

How many times have you modelled something in lightwave etc & then thought "Hmm, if I add this to it or tweak that it would be better?". Programming is no different in that there is nearly always something that you think you can add/remove or change, even weeks or months after the project is finished something pops in your head like "I should have added blah blah blah".

A lot of the time the hardest part is when to say "Enough is enough, I have all the things implemented that the project requires so time to tidy up & finish it"

I'm envious of you in a lot of ways in that at least you have got something to show & works, whereas I have got more code snippets & routines that do a specific job but no "Product" so to speak  :D. Truth be told I have completed a few things but none of them are games & were asked for so I had in easy in that people came to me with what they wanted & I done it, if anything was missing that was down to them as they were the client & I created what they asked for.

Keep up the good work Erico & look forward to the final result  :good:

Lee
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Slydog on 2013-Dec-09
I also agree with Ian, and Fuzzy.  I have never created a design document for any games I've made, and also most of my non-games programs at work.  I doodle and sketch out some code logic in a notepad occasionally (while AFK!), but no actual design doc.  My 'design' changes too frequently to even bother.  How do you plan something that wouldn't be obvious UNTIL you've prototyped something first?  Just keep your code very flexible, modular, and related code in separate files.

One thing I need to get better at (which I am at work) is keeping each code library completely independent from each other, as much as possible.  For example, my Input library will use my Rectangle (x, y, w, h) TYPE from another library, but then I can't change my Rectangle library without other libraries bugging out. (May be a bad example, but the point is valid).

The only exceptions to this is at work, when I programmed 2 huge applications.  My boss would design some basic logic (using simple pseudocode) which I would convert to Visual Basic 6 code.  But that's just the way he worked, and helped wrap his head around the project.  But in hind site, maybe I should have prepared better documentation for my other projects.  But I managed to get the apps to work when I had full project layout authority.  And they were complicated (both valued at over $1M in the market I'm in (steel manufacturing)).

I believe to each his own.  Its the final results that matter.  But in team environments (or where somebody needs a quick way to get up to speed on your project) a design doc may be recommended.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Wampus on 2013-Dec-09
Quote from: Slydog on 2013-Dec-09
One thing I need to get better at (which I am at work) is keeping each code library completely independent from each other, as much as possible.  For example, my Input library will use my Rectangle (x, y, w, h) TYPE from another library, but then I can't change my Rectangle library without other libraries bugging out. (May be a bad example, but the point is valid).

Yeah! That's a pain. Its so tempting sometimes, when pushed for time, to just code a bowl of noodles. Things work but are so tangled up it takes time to de-couple libraries if you want to re-use them.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-09
Well, I guess I agree with you guys considering that perspective. What I usually do is sketch most of the visuals on the glb notebook and main objects too. I just felt i should have done a bunch more. Thing is, I would like to work future projects in team, so some design documents might help keeping the core in focus even if just in a general way. My current way of coding dont even use multiple files. This game currently has 4k commands all in one listing. There is a loooooot to learn here for me...but good thing it works!:)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Dec-09
both my games also took longer time as excepted. Greedy Mouse even was originally plan to a little mini game for a another game, which im then later scrapped. Also im did also lost inpiration for one game once, which im get im did implement the game in the complete wrong order.

Im hope my game is finished somewhere in january, but would been fun your game could been finished same time.

Which platforms do you plan a release to?
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-10
Time is the reason I´m looking into some simple informal documenting, like the very first pictures of the GLB notebook I posted in this thread.
I have about 10 pages of that (the important part), and they are more of a visual layout than anything else. I´m a fast producer but a slow creator. If things are layouted I can finalize it really quick, if not, it may take a long time if ever.

My hopes here are that I finish it by the end of January now :x

I plan to release it free for Caanoo, Pandora. $2.99 for android, PC, Mac, Linux. (webos?)
Ouyeahh would be nice, but I´m sure it would be too much for me to implement the requirements, specially the inapp freemium stuff.

The project core sports a few games following this idea going about a few strange tropical fruit trees. But I´m not sure I will be able to handle the next 4.
Might depend on the financial results of this one, otherwise I might delve into different genders.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Dec-10
Im could also help with the inapp part eventuelly, if you want. You dont release this to iOS?
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-10
And finally some info on the gameplay, as writing is all I´m able this few days coming.
This is a single screen action game where you have to collect falling objects to score point and
beat bosses (think arkanoid+pong kind of stuff).

Storywise, the kids wanna make a tree house to play, but before that they kind of have to deal with
the tree´s inhabitants and hazards.

You control both kids left and right and you are able to perform a quick dash. Movement has
inertia, so, changing direction, starting a movement and stopping, takes a little time. Crucial time.
The dash is a fast movement that cancels inertia, but travels fixed distance and you come to
a full stop at the end. Here you have to time both. Normal movement is the best call for about all
the time. Dashing is better for escaping tough position, reaching out to grab that further
bonus/avocado, etc.

About the objects:

.Green Avocado.
That is what you have to collect to score. There is about 100 green avocados throughout the game.
They start falling slowly on frequency(1 or 2) and crowds up as game goes by(6 simultaneously).
The game´s timeline is dictated by the amount of green avocados that has already felt.

.Bark of tree.
This you have to avoid. They fall out same fashion frequency wise to the
green avocados, they can be confusing colorwise against the tree´s trunk.

.Branch of tree.
This you ultimately have to avoid too, it performs a 2x hit and stays on
ground for some time. Players movement is halved while going by it. But if you ´burger time´ it,
they dissolve and go away faster.

.Golden avocado.
This counts score wise as a single avocado but replenish 1 heart of energy.
Very few fall throughout the game.

.Monkey safado.
After a while, monkeys will gang up and reach out of the tree to grab one
green avocado mid-air while laughing. That can sure waste your time one.

.Fallen monkey.
They are not perfect, so once in a while one falls of the tree and you
take a hit if it falls over you. After that, he enragelly runs back to the trunk and climb up.
If it goes through you, you take multiple hits.

.Leaves.
These fall around kind of constantly from the tree. They don´t harm, but
can distract attention.

.Dark green avocado.
These cannot be collected, they will crack and bounce back into the air.
The cracked avocado cannot be collected either, they will hurt players. This is your ballistic weapon.
They will destroy all similar size objects(but the leaves) or simply get destroyed if it hits a larger object.
They bounce accordingly to the players movement. It takes a while to master.
It can be a double edge weapon since it can hurt you or destroy power ups and green/gold avocados.

Power ups:

These appear whenever you bounce back dark green avocados and hit something every 4 times.
The game can be divided into 2 parts. A "collect avocado" part and a "fight the bosses" part with
no green avocados. Powers will give you advantages on both parts.
If you have all 4 powers, then next few clashes will summon a gold avocado.

.Gold Power.
Will bring a lot of gold avocados into the game and between bosses. Will
give you much better chance to replenish your energy.

.Lunete Power.
Will make it easier to spot the green avocados during rain. Will make it
easier to spot the very last boss (ghost).

.Banana Power.
Will peace up the monkeys. They won´t hurt you if you clash with one running back to the tree, including the 2nd boss.
Monkeys won´t steal green avocados either.
Beware you still get hurt if one falls over your head.

.Cloud Power.
Will appease the hardest storms, thunder and winds throughout the whole game.

Environment:

While things are hard enough already, you get random environment moods to mix it up.

.Winds.
Can be of 3 speeds, will push all game objects and players towards its direction.
The harder the winds, the more leaves fall from the tree. Each object gets affected differently by it.

.Rain.
Will gradually soak up the floor and reduce player´s speed, the effect will gradually wear off if not raining.
All avocados will look like the dark one unless you have the lunete power.

.Shower.
Can happen during rain and will halt your movement if it hits you walking.

.Nite/thunder.
Some combination of rain and wind can cause a severe storm, the background will darken up and thunder will happen.
If a thunder strikes, and players are on the ground (neither hit or dashing), they will perform a little uncontrollable jump scare.
You can´t collect things while scared.

Bosses:

.Morcegão (bat).
First boss, an usual lovely beast of the avocado tree, it arrives in surprise, can perform 2 atacks, a side one and a dive one.
You have a limited amount of time to beat it. You can do so bouncing dark green avocados into it.

.Macacon Patrão.
A huge monkey riding a little bike traverses the front and background.
It jumps once in a while destroying everything it air.
Tough to hit, you beat it the same way as the bat.
You have a time limit to beat it too.

.Possessed Tree.
The tree gains evil spirit medium powers!
Its roots will jump scare players.
It spits 2xhit blobs and also vomit a huge amount of goo that will also jump scare you.
There are about 4 styles of vomiting. You have to hit its face. No time limit here, either win or loose.

.Ghost.
The one possessing the tree (Lo pan?), it dosen´t attack but it shows up briefly before going invisible.
Hit it once and you are done. You have a very short time limit to do so.

Ending/score:

Main score points come from collected green avocados. If the game ends and you have some energy left, each full heart is worth 5 point.
Each boss beaten is 5 points too. Each power up NOT collected is worth 5 points.
Depending on points and game achievements, you get presented with a little story on what kind of tree house the kids build and how they play with it.

In sum, that is about it. I wrote this really quick so excuse my poor english here. I might have forgotten a few things though but I hope you get the general engine idea behind it and that I have some written material to polish later into a game doc/article or whatnot. :good:

Will try recording a full gameplay later today.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-11
Thanks for the offer Space! :good:
I will try to get it first out on those platforms, then I will look into it.

I have some ideas for the IOS, but for that I will have to team up with some friends here, either for I don´t have the hardware neither the license neither the will to fork out for it without at least 5 good/avarege games under my leaves. I will probably try to pester Gernot for publishing it for me and we share the profits :-[ ;/ (don´t tell him :P) just in case people actually like this game and it dosen´t bring too much trouble.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-11
Oh my...miss my fast internet speed, here is horrible :'( Feels like my cel phone could do better :noggin:

Anyways, you get my standard gameplay. Understand I´m ace into this game (played it a few billion times), people will take a while to get into it.
Lots of things are on the way of balancing.

Here it goes, I didn´t manage the second boss unfortunantly.



edit: oh...music is just for fun, just things I like from extreme competent musicians, not in-game music.
edit2: for one reason, it is getting a bit hard to post youtube as the https won´t work, just http...and doing so it goes the lowest resolution and compression.

edit345: Oh...One very important thing on this game I planned from start, it is to be an about 5-minutes-game at the most...very casual. I did plan to have it 3 minutes, but ended up extending a bit, and that is if you reach the end, otherwise it takes less time to play :).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Dec-11
Looks, play and sound nice. I'm do like the music in this one.

You should do various difficulties for the game, so th causal and hardcore players will play it.

You should to dither graphics on android if look the same. Cooler banding here looks very intended.

Eventually im could publish it on ios and testing on that. Here is email talk.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: fuzzy70 on 2013-Dec-11
I cant say I have seen a casual "5 Minute" game with graphics that gorgeous. Think very hard about what music you are going to use with it as would be a shame to spoil them gfx with a crappy tune.

Keep up the good work Erico  :good: :good:

Lee
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Dec-11
Tune can been hard to choice. Before it's was heavy rock (which I'm diddent like, but hoeover it's would work when the tree attack the kids). But as least the current tune style does not interfere gameplay. Yes I'm known it's added for fun.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Wampus on 2013-Dec-12
That looks hard!

Its interesting how things are almost perpetually changing. Many games would milk that so you only got incremental changes per level.

What happens if the time limit runs out for defeating the bicycle monkey?
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-12
Yep, it was to be extremely hard... but I chickened out, to many friends complaining about it being impossible and only me able to play :D

There is a lot of randomness going on, never twice the same game.
Here is the very first timeline (based on the amount of green avocados that has already fallen).

So you have points where the amount of the same object increases and others that the possibility for it to fall is higher.
Even with all these random events, the game still average at ~3.5 minutes for the collecting part.
I had played turns that not even a single drop of water rained.

If time goes off for the bat and monkey, the next time they leave the screen they don´t come back and in a few seconds the final score table drops down.
There will probably be a noise, animal yell/laugh, when that happens. (boss sounds are still WIP)

This timeline has already changed million times, and I´m still to easy up the game a bit more here and there.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Dec-12
Look at pac sam for ios, its same kind of randomize game. Its have 4 kind of diffilculty, which the easy mode just have fewer items on screen. This would been much more fun for any player.

The current one could been hard mode, while easy mode could just drop more things to get and/or fewer things to avoid. Also bosses could take fewer hits to kill or avoid in that mode. Rest randomize should been the same.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Dec-12
Yuuhuu!!! very very good, I always thinked the game will be like a game and watch, but it's seems really fun, the FUC*** bat, really it's hard, and the monkey in cycle it's very very cool desing...

Graphically it's very nice too see, and pixel Art, 3D artisit doing pixel Art  :good: , the change of wheater it's very nice too!!!

I only see a entrange thing in an Sprite of rain, them are a group water, appears 6 whites lines, and the effect I don't like too much, but for all the rest chapó... Finally the game it's practically ended , ins`t?¿.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Dec-12
Looked on the video today, it's seen some time you got hit by first boss was impossible to avoid? That again I'm want to see 2-3 game modes to play. Property it's mightbeen only change required between easy and hard, that is as remove those stones in that mode or much fewer of them.

I'm do think the group of rain is intended :-).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2013-Dec-18
Hello Mental, the sprite rain is kind of like a shower that can fall during the heavier rain, it dosen´t flick and if it falls over you it stops your movement for the time of the splash. This one you can jump, to avoid it or get out of it. That is how I lost to the monkey boss on the video, it stopped me and I jumped only to land on the monkeys´s bike... :-[

It is not the best environment feature, but it adds greatly to the difficulty, so I think I will keep it.

About the difficult levels...I really wanted to do an impossible to beat game without a lot of practice and work...but I smoothed out and things are quite easier now.
I´m still not sure about having difficult levels (easy/medium/hard). My attempt was to make the power ups the level selector. You get less points by collecting them but the game becomes really a lot easier with them.

I´m not sure the younger generations would come to like it, but the game is supposed to appeal to 30-40 years old people that want to buy something more hard-to-beat oldschool for their kids...and I hope they do! ;)

Space, about the "impossible to escape the bat" situation, it just seems like that...probably couse I´m a bad player hehe.
All things are avoidable, but depending on how things are on screen and the environment, you have to really care on how you move around and how you position yourself. A slight mistake can cost a few hearts.

Now pretty much all sfx is done, saving for a couple of the ghost´s sounds.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Dec-18
Im was on mobile, so to avoid confuction, im rewrite this Again.

Im was just concern if some players can pull away without any difficulty (which could also add a lots of replay too). In Karma Miwa im did slow down a bit as well one live more and possible to practice the level. Here im do pretty sure power ups could help very much which could been as a option.

Also if im would do, then its could still been a easy/medium/hard version in your game, which some elements might not been happens in the easier version. That could been example the rain splash might not been happens, as well example the tree might not attack the player. There could also been fewer stone falling to been avoid. Its really just small adjustment that is really required and you would get a great replay value based on that.

Of course you should first show ending when completed all difficulty or "Levels". That one can really been done after first release.

Im did have the same issue in Greedy Mouse as well Karma Miwa.

of course you should get a simple bad ending on the easy version. Im also thinks that would also get more replay value of your game.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-May-16
uaaat! I get a 120 days warning for posting here! :O :D

hehe, project not dead.
Striving along.

What is updated:
-few bugs
-all bosses done
-changed some game elements, now each powerup appears only once, you only get 5 points for it if you let it crash or bounce hit with a rotten avocado, after the 4 powerups have appeared, each power invoque (ye bouncing a rotten avocado 4 into something but the bosses) will call a golden avocado that replenishes 1 heart of energy. There are now 8 extra golden avocados instead of 4. This change balances things quite nicely.

I´m still feeling weird about not giving score for picking up power ups, but the truth is that they are there to easy up the game, so you should be rewarded if you can complete the game without them.

What is todo:
-a few sounds left on the tree boss and the ghost.
-little tweak on the tree boss vomits and general sprite.
-touch regions for other android resolutions hardcoded
-music
-front end
-story endings

looks like a lot, but hopefully a lot gets done these next 15 days.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-May-17
hehe, but dont forget we got database lost recently.

If you want, im can deal with the AE/scaling after complete finished the game (only if you want). Im gonna want to play your game!!!

You should never hardcode resolutions for contain Android resolution, which would never works correctly. Its might works on your devices, but not on others. There exists around 117 resolutions (much worse than PC's) out here and many of them even uses sidebar or taskbar, which cant been removed.

keep that in mind and checks the user resolution using GETSCREENSIZE instead and scaling for that (either drawing directly without virtual, or do the virtual buffer method. The last method is slower throught).

For controllers things, make them user resizeable (like im did) if possible. In my game, im have see some issues with the controls to been too small or too big, but luckely that could been fixed by the user.....
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-May-17
The game happens on a virtual screen of 428x240 and with getscreensize, it can be nicely scaled to 6 different android resolutions, which by the time I checked was about 60% of the androids all around, it should be way more nowadays. I guess I will be fine with those.
PC/MAC/LINUX will be 1280x720, so 3x in a window, should be fine.

I did such a mess with the touch controllers I don´t think I will get back to it, so touch will be hardcoded to those 6 android resolutions too.
Depending on device physical size, it does make a difference if it is closer to the bottom or closer to the top, but testing that it too much perfectionism, I will leave them around the bottom should be fine, might have to push them a little into the center so not to call that stupid pull down menu from android and maybe try to avoid the on-screen buttons should a device have that. Are there many devices with on screen buttons nowadays?

The controls are pretty much just a reference, any part close(quite not so close) to their area responds to touch, so a player can get around any annoyance. ::)

Thanks for offering help, I really should get this out before june as I will have to move again. :'(

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-May-17
All today android Devices have a softbar, which it cant been removed and is not reported to the game. Most times its on the bottom, but im do have seen on the right too in the Landscape mode (Such on a Sony Z phone). That means you lost some resolution on your game when played on a newer Android phone.

On my device, which is a Samsung Tab2 (1024x600, but report around 1024x5xx to the game), you might see the issue. But its a simple fix. just scale the game to cover the center/middle of the screen, and then add borders to the side if required (like Snake Slider does). Alternative you could eventuelly crop few pixels, if its close to the original resolution, if its not breaks the gameplay.

For PC: 1280x720 is not a issue of course.

For the Onscreen buttons, just make sure they are resizeable and/or placeable by the user in the options, so they are definable. That mean you would cover just any screen physical size,, which differ very much  Im have seen some games with so big buttons, cause its unplayable (or the other way).

This is what im did for Karma Miwa, which you can uses that for your game too.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-May-21
Oh mine, are the on screen buttons of those phones working while in game? if so, the player is bound to hit them by mistake and screw things up.
I guess I will have to beta test that to figure out. Hopefully sometime next week.

Final sounds for the tree boss and ghost boss completed.
Killing the last boss is now worth 10 points, it is a starwars trench 1 hit without the lunete power and probably around 3 chances if you collected it. :noggin:
edit:just made it 20, so it balances with the draw back of collecting the pows and make the lunete pow a worth thing to collect.

EDIT: an extra bonus to the banana power, colliding with the lost macacon boss going back to the tree, you get 1 heart per bounce, now things are balanced...
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-May-21
Im would not care about where the taskbar is really, if you ask me. Im diddent care about that in my game at all, throught (except resizable ingame buttons).

Yes its a general issue with Android, and its can been avoid fully. This is how Android have been designed, which is more akward against iOS, which dosent have those taskbar buttons and hence you dont see that issue at all.

But howover you do can control what Back and Search buttons should do, which is possible with AE. Search button is disabled, but Back button can been checked and eventuelly invoke pause menu, disable it or quit the game, if you are in the menu. This is what im did in my game.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Jun-01
Im hope its ok to write it public here, Erico (like you did for Karma Miwa).

Erico have sent me a test version of his game to me, so im did finally have a change to play this game.

This game is allready awesome, well polished and very great choicen SFX (liked it even without music).

Im have still not completed the game, but im like this kind of game, which fell right on a mobile and you did the right choice to borrow my controls :good:.

Im did found very few issues, but was nothing with gameplay its self. Im take a screenshot later.

PS. of course im hold the test versions for my self, so no needs to pm for a version (remember Erico helped me with the graphics).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jun-01
Yep, all fine to share impressions here, it helps me tune stuff. :good:

I´m kind of proud of the SFX, half of it comes from the likes of sfxr, some from other sources like recorded and modified on Audacity.
Part of the sounds are to reference old games with sounds I like, for example, when you get hit, that sound is similar to Dragon Fire on Atari 2600 ´s death sound.

You can now finish the game in about 8 minutes, it is suppose to be a game to pick and play and not put too much time into it.

I gave thoughts about allowing the player to set how high the control sits on screen, like the horizontal line that divides that walk from jump actions.
But I decided to find a place that fits all after a bunch of tests, here is the break down:
-At first, it feels the controls should be placed higher on phones about the size of a caanoo (notice the caanoo has its controls on the upper part) like galaxy note 2.
-smaller phones, would feel better with controls at the bottom part.

Both reasons were because holding up the phone felt more comfortable that way while playing.
But truly, after messing with it in many different positions, having the buttons on top makes room for hands getting on the way of action, it just didn´t feel got at all.

Another thing, is that I want to have as little options as possible, just a ´touch to start´ and maybe a possibility to mute the music, nothing more.

The version you have is as development is of today. The game itself is complete, it is missing a proper start and end + music.
I´m trying to look into music these days...I wonder if I should look for a musician to easy up the time it is going to take to finish these last bits of the game.

Thanks for trying it out! Nice that you enjoyed, see if you can show it to people around, check what they think of it. :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Jun-02
on tab2, there was about 4 cm for the left/right part, which is a tad too much and its was hard to hit the jump buttom. This was also a issue on Karma Miwa, which im need to config the controller a tad smaller on this tab too. This is also why im just let the user define size of it.

For your game, user config height of the control is all you needs do is user definable the control height (example between -40 to +40, or high/normal/low). But again this is nothing that cant wait to v1.1 and can fine tune that after the internal release. Its not that important at all. Its still a fun game.

Its better to fine tune the missing thing on the game first (start, which could been some sort of a Flappy Bird "start" or something like that). Remember im did release Karma Miwa v1.0 before im got all graphics (so im diddent lost the title on iTunes Connect).

Im do like the gameover screen and that way kids crawl. Its look so cool. Im do could not restart it. Its would also been fun to see total time as well.

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Jun-02
I'm just thinking if you want two different controls system in your game. The other could been tilt for move, and touch side for jump in direction. Here you won't have the height issue for problem devices. It's alleays nice to have more than one control system (karma Miwa have two control systems too).

This would only work on corrected orientation trought. But a v1.1 idea
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jun-02
I did the g-sensor control, but it felt that turning the device to control got too much of the attention of the screen, made it hard to play precisely.
I also coded a few other ways of touch control, like directions on left and jump on right, and a drag kind of control too.

At the end, they didn´t work out. Your style of control design is the best there is for this kind of game. :good:

I think you may be right about the height of the control. I did raise it quite a bit from the older versions.
Here an image of the touch sensitive parts. I think I will get them lower as it was before.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Jun-02
As long you add them at option, not a replacement. It's not a issue. You can never have a single perfect height, so a user adjustment would been very best. It's due different physical ScreenSize (not resolution).

Howover it's a way to detect width of a db(from 0.5 to 2.0), etc dpi.

Again small thing :-). It's can wait.

PS. Im do really want to play this on my iPhone 4s (which is my main device). Here you could hardcode without a hitch (480x320, 960x640, 1136x640 are phones, 1024x768 and 2048x1536 is iPads).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: MrPlow on 2014-Jun-02
Wow! Looks fab!!!

Love the amiga colours and styling...Game is similar to a Nintendo Watch Game...love the rain and the nice animations!
Super job - I think offering 2 types of controls would help it and prevents nit-pickers from giving a bad review for controls ... look forward to its release!
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jun-02
Quote from: spacefractal on 2014-Jun-02
...
PS. Im do really want to play this on my iPhone 4s (which is my main device). Here you could hardcode without a hitch (480x320, 960x640, 1136x640 are phones, 1024x768 and 2048x1536 is iPads).

IOS I will definitely need help when it comes to it. One thing though, I probably won´t support 480x320, neither Android nor IOS. Would it be a problem on IOS? That is the oldest device right? Does it generates sales? I see no problem skipping that on android but I´m not sure how the iphone part goes about. The game does not fit that resolution in a nice way, it is the only troublesome resolution I found through all of them.

Quote from: MrPlow on 2014-Jun-02
...Game is similar to a Nintendo Watch Game...love the rain and the nice animations!
Super job - I think offering 2 types of controls would help it and prevents nit-pickers from giving a bad review for controls ... look forward to its release!

Hehe, got that ´game watch´ comment from a few friends too. :)
I went back to the other control schemes I did yesterday, but they really don´t work.
The game is really hard and requires very precise fast controls, the other schemes are going to render the game from hard to impossible.
In that case, I will get people complaining of an impossible boring game for sure.

The real good way to go is a joystick(it currently reads analog joy too), a joypad or keyboard. The later is pretty good as you can also play single handed.
On the touch control, even on the current model, I cannot match the score I get on joy/pad/key.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Jun-02
Its just because your games virtual screen is lower than 480x320... It's only that.

Greedy mouse supports it's, but not sure about karma Miwa. I'm do thinks 3GS is today olders supported device for Xcode today.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Slydog on 2014-Jun-02
I love the pixelated graphics!
When are you going to have a beta test version to try out? I'd like to see how the controls work and see if I have any suggestions.
I'm not even sure how this game plays, you move back and forth (and jump?) and catch apples (or something) in a basket?

For non-PC testing, are you using iOS / Android beta testing tools like TestFlight?:
http://help.testflightapp.com/customer/portal/articles/821656-what-is-testflight- (http://help.testflightapp.com/customer/portal/articles/821656-what-is-testflight-)
I've never tried it, but looks pretty cool, and easy way to push your builds to your testers.
May not be GLBasic compatible, never looked into it.

Looking great.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jun-02
I´m not using any beta test tool, doesn´t seem needed.

Yep, in an easy explanation, collect the greener avocados to score points till 100 falls down, beat the bosses.
Score highest as possible, if things are too difficult, collect the power ups.
There is a more in depth explanation of things a few posts before though some stuff have already changed in the name of balance.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Jun-18
today played this game again.

Im scored 46 points this time (and got the run power up) and got died, soon im got to the first boss (im had one half heart left).

One time im got hit 3 times in the row without possible to escape. Here its could been a little very short time after a hit. This is only what im thinks. Im thinks the balance is quite good.



Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jun-18
hehe yep you have to care where you stay because most enemy hits may combo.
Try getting the golden avocados as they replenish energy and the gold power makes a lot af gold avocados fall into the game too.

Nice you are enjoying it, I should finish moving by this weekend finally and I foresee next week I´m back in action :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Jun-18
im just got unlucky when that barsted boss hitted me on the direct hit with so low energy. That is what its happens.

The only real issue is the jump button is placed too high, which is direct reason to uses the auto scaling system with a user configuable placement. That would fix it 100%. But its a low priotity issue, which can wait to v1.1.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jul-19
Quick note...happy birthday for a project with a light at the end of the tunnel! :booze:

I have been giving thoughts about what you said Space, about the height level of controls, I must find an in-the-middle solution.
Worst against the control style is that anyone from 8 to 19 years old try to control it by draging, hahaha... people these days :P

Anyways, I´m to find a nice spot between tablets/big/small phones, wont be long into this. No user control I´m afraid, but I have to display a control tutorial SNK way.

Other news is that I´m into figuring the musics now...plenty of them.
Also, that the place I´m living has monkeys (chimps) playing just outside the window  :o, and that I´m close to the best wild pau brasil tree I have ever seen within civility.
Would it all come to inspiration? I´m adding a pic here...not of the monkeys yet as they are too snicky to catch. ;)

All around...development resumes, hope to have all music done in a while...heck I decided it to be dynamic. :noggin:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jul-20
Today I have got some superb-amazing-wonderful-out-of-this-world news! :o  :o

What?! The game is done?? Nooo, not quite yet, almost,  but hear this:
It seems I may have a musician on board of this project, what is better, it is a chap I´m super fan of his works, really top stuff here! :nw:

Heck, it feels like asking Arnold Schwarzenegger to play a part on your local play and suddenly he accepts...I´m really baffled here... I just could not be happier. :)
I will see to introduce him later, thing is just too new yet, but I really could not hold out to share my happiness with such!

On the other hand...am uploading now a full game run on good quality, while it is a spoiler, it shows everything the game has already.
I believe I can get to the story intro and outros now...amazing! :booze: :-*  :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jul-20
Ok, here a video of the full run, scoring a woop 123 points! Quite a high score, but bear in mind I´ve played this about a zillion times... ;)
Anyways, here you can experiment a full run on the game with all of its elements in action.

It took me a while to beat the monkey...proper conditions were not favourable and I took no powerup.
So even on the 8 minutes mark, the game is to be a 5-10 minutes experience at most.

Let me know what you think.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Wampus on 2014-Jul-20
Looking very much complete now. Once the music is there too it'll be great!

Don't know if you've already considered this further down the thread but it looks like it would work great as a HTML5 game, when the time comes.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jul-20
Yep, I´m considering html5 too.

The game is all coded with legacy commands from GLBasic, kind of kept it that way to have a good performance on a Caanoo.
I believe it has good chance to work flawlessly on html that way, last time I tried there was a memory error from the browser though.

Still, mac/pc/linux/android/gph/pandora are primary release plats, then ios/rpi? and everything else GLB allows me to boot. :good:
I still have to sort the order of release, but will do later, better finish the intro/outro part.

PS: Here I´d also like to do a few GLBasic mocking old system´s boot animation screens on the credits part...will be fun!
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Jul-20
im uses heavy uses of POLYVECTOR, which html5 seen not like in my games, so im do not have a changes in my games.

A idea that just came out of my head, is what about a "boss rush" mode?

The game seen complete, which was that im also felled to when im played your game, just with missing eventuelly short story. The game was great, even without music. But im would like to hear when he is completed the music (dont forget to credit him).

Alternative you could create a shorter game in easymode, which simply give the bosses fewer hits required as well a bit fewer apes (But then eventuelly just reuses the patterns). That would also howover give a shorter game. But you should not remove the harder mode of course.

Im do hope you use the function im created for you, so its easier for user for reconfig placements of the control (which is impossible with hardwired resolutions). That is just for v1.1. Its not that important.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jul-24
I kept the function you did and am sure going to try implementing that at a later stage. :good:

I just recieved a first sketch of a main song to check style, mood and melody and ooohhh my God... I just so wish I could play 1/100000th of that! :o
It is trully amazing work, I hope I can share some of it here as I finish the intro, title and how-to-play for now.

Best I present the musician now...

He is Tyran and he goes by the name DARKMAN007.
His works can be experimented here:
http://darkman007.untergrund.net/index.php

I HIGHLY recommend that you guys check the CHIPTUNE part, all wonderful stuff!

I also recommend that you check the music he did for a ZX spectrum compo over a Castlevania port:


Ain´t that just amazing?

Well, development proceeds... :)

EDIT: aaaand why not share another of his works? Real cool stuff.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2014-Jul-25
About the video of the game I think  I watched sometime ago, I take more atention to the GFX and I love the Storm and the Monkey when Jumps, the feeling it''s like an Arcade... I like a lot more now than some time ago...

Sbout the music, well the ZX 48k can do too much only uses a buffer and whit this it's really cool the things people do, but it's a very noisy song...

About the last song, I love it, something like in Amiga but whit Delay, very very nice the main sequence....

I hope in Cristhmas we have the Advocado runnning in our Mobiles....   :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jul-25
Thanks Mental, I hope before chirstmas too. :good: I guess it all depends on me ;/

What we are working is a mix between zx-spectrum and amiga type song...more bound to the latest and more like a hip hop main beat.
The bosses may have their own tune styles too, I can´t wait to share some of the work, truly great!

Oh, it is original stuff for the avocado game, those I posted are just work examples the author/musician did before. edit:oops I understood you wrongly, you got that in the first place...my bad :( I read it too fast to make a meaning of words.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jul-25
As a time-line for this game, general design, there are 2 parts.

First, a collect-avocados part, ~3 minutes the most.
Second, a boss rush, ~3 minutes too, but can extend if you are good enough to manage.

Those are some of the in game documentations I sent the musician.
Actually, I sent a highly detailed description wall of text... ;/
Things to get the mood going.
I had a music design I did, but I prefer he does his take on it instead.

One trouble I´m starting to forsee, is about mixing and game planning/design.
I set the music to be the last part since before I thought I´d have to do it myself.

While developing the game, I ended up doing an extended sfx set to cover ambient and actions(as you can hear on the latest video) mostly because I know my music would not be strong enough and so I targeted for an in-between solution....and now I think that was not the best of ideas on planning the production dominó.

Mainly because some mixing has to occur between sfx and now Tyran´s professional music, and I did soo many sfx that now I have the trouble to fit/mix music in.
Most likely some sfx will be dropped or sound fixed...crazy stuff.

In fact, I think the sound part should have started all together with the music in one go since music can cancel the need for some of the nitpick sfxs...lesson learned again.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Jul-25
Im hope i hear the music as well soon and a new update :-).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: MrPlow on 2014-Jul-25
Some suggestion for music...
For main game keep music lower volume (background) than SFX

Use fast paced loud music for boss fight...(with minimal sfx)

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jul-26
Quote from: spacefractal on 2014-Jul-20
...
A idea that just came out of my head, is what about a "boss rush" mode?
...
Alternative you could create a shorter game in easymode, which simply give the bosses fewer hits required as well a bit fewer apes (But then eventuelly just reuses the patterns). That would also howover give a shorter game. But you should not remove the harder mode of course.
...

The code can sport all bosses going at the same time as it is  :) but the second part of the game is already a rush.
I´m still not attached to easing up the game more then I did already, I know what you propose has 100% perfect sense and is the best route to take...
...but still, my arcade roots tell me to not do it, keep it hard for those who can savor it, even if it is just a few. I´m sure there will be sales losses and people complaining on this front. :(

I hope the power ups can be felt as ´easy ups´ on the game as I intended, an in-game difficulty selector, and the many ending stories can produce a will to replay and rock further. One can hope.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2014-Jul-26
I deliberately haven't watched the video, as I don;t want the game spoiled for me, but I'm ager to see the full and finished version. Hopefully soon...
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jul-29
hehe, I see, thanks!

Work on the intro is going on...
The tough part is that I don´t want to tell the story using words, I´d like it to be visual. It is a bit hard but it coming out fine.
Later I will post the sequence so I can check with you guys if it makes any sense that is at least close to what I hope...25% close will do  :P

Here is a picture of a test piece of the intro. (kinda makes you wish the game had this style :noggin:...but media will be accessible so people can mod it).
Also, I have done a pixelizing wipe which I find really cool, I hope I can push that to the snippets so others can use and implement.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2014-Jul-29
QuoteThe tough part is that I don´t want to tell the story using words

A la AquaVenture... ;)

Looks great BTW
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: nabz32 on 2014-Jul-30
Just saw this today.
What a nice Arcade game,
the Tree Boss is epically animated :good:

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Jul-31
Thanks nabz32, I hope to push this pandora way too. :good: Yep it is arcade...hopefully as tough as the 80´s arcade games used to be.

Exactly Ian, just as AquaVenture´s intro! (tried to look for the latest PC version but could no find a working link...:( )

Finished all illustrations for the intro now, I just need to draw a few player´s animation and the title, then code it all.
The light red/yellow/brown is a weird color to figure when thinking about android...at least on a samsung screen (I think red is over pushed), it gets really orange...(edit:most likely to have human skin looking perfectly glommy...afs tech nowadays...)so I think I better tone it down a bit so it dosen´t look like pumpkin all over  ;)

Here one of the final intro´s illustrations:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Hark0 on 2014-Jul-31
 :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Aug-03
Just received a more worked out main music theme...it really goes awesome with the game. :good:
Work still going on the intro, but hopefully it should be completed by the end of today.

Another of the intro´s 9 main image:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2014-Aug-03
Excellent artwork there erico =D
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: fuzzy70 on 2014-Aug-03
Looking awesome there Erico, keep it up :)

Lee
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Aug-03
im want a another test version :-D. The artwork look awesome and first have seen it now.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Aug-05
Pretty soon hopefully ;)

Heck...the "I just need to draw a few characters for the intro animation" suddenly got out of control and I ended up drawing more frames for the intro then the game itself  :whistle:

Oh well, the idea is that maybe I can use some for the endings too... Now I lined up the coding animation for the intro, but am stuck on drawing the title...I guess I will have to draw an extended set of tiles to use on it and also on the endings too. The color of the tree´s trunk is making it hard to show things, will be a while to solve this, I don´t wanto to mess with what is done. I guess the game has too much red+yellow. I will figure something out...
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Aug-06
back to the Amiga days, hehe. Intros for some of the game took the whole disc of the own, hehe.

Im do you you can hold under the 50mb apk limit, which is the maximum for Google Play, unless downloading them external.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Aug-07
Oh I really want this to be smaller, and the original 428x240 images at bmp rgb888 are taking some but not much space. Currently, it totals 9mb as a debug.apk.

Yep, there must be an amiga intro , hopefully faster then the amiga disk loading ones :D some just took too long loading/decrunshing.

I´m still having some trouble defining the art for the title and the endings, so far I have 10 different ending stories going...
After a while battling style for it, I´m starting to think it may be a good idea to render 3d them and get it to pixel similar to the leaves and the trycicle.

In 3d I will be able to recycle pieces like tiles as models and still retain an uniqueness to the output render form they produce.
I think that will easy up my work and also gain variety... tomorrow I will run a test for the title. The title and the final storie´s images share a similar art style construction. A pixel art complex tree house the kids construct according to the final score, with a play to boot, similar to the gameplay graphics, so it is harder to produce then the sepia sketches I did for the dreamy intro.

We will see if this works out (I´m confident it will), I will have the 3d results here later. :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Aug-07
Remember, most (if not all), uses rgb565 output, not rgb888. That why I'm dither some graphics in Karma Miwa. Hoeover your game uses retro kind graphics, so hence color banding is by design of course and should not try to hide it.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Aug-07
Yep, the only part that looks strange is the very background at the ocean line when in day, the yellows close to the horizon mix a bit. It makes hard to spot the far away mountains. Not much trouble I guess.

A while ago I quick tried getting it to rgb565, but I could not find a proper way to convert colors to 16bit 565 without dither.
Since the problem was quite small, I didn´t work this further.

The idea was also to reduce image size. A full 428x240 rgb888 image takes 300kb. My media folder as of today is 14.2mb.
I think with the endings and music, it may get to 30mb.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Aug-07
for still images, you can uses jpg images. Now this is a retro based pixel game, so im just threat colorbanding in this game as its was by design. Not as a issue.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Slydog on 2014-Aug-07
I'm not sure what issues you are having with 565 graphics.

But, TexturePacker (a great spritesheet organizing tool) converts between multiple graphics compressions:
https://www.codeandweb.com/texturepacker (https://www.codeandweb.com/texturepacker)

I'm not sure if your game is using spritesheets or not, but you could still use this tool on each individual sprite to convert.
You could go even lower than 565 with fairly good results (subjectively!).
See the heading 'Reduce memory consumption, not image quality' on their main page.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2014-Aug-07
he say its only one background, and generally im did not noticed the issue at all when im have played the game. Its only noticable on the sky anyway and its look like design, not a issue.

in Karma Miwa im did also only dither the backgrounds, still pictures, not on the sprites. The reason is the file size would been too much, which is quite much bigger in the 565 format than 888 format.

So for me personly, its could have done on that problem picture eventuelly alone, and leave rest as its are.

PS. the intro background images could have been sligtly compressed in jpg eventuelly to save filesize with low compression (which still save filesize).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2014-Aug-09
Thanks for pitching in, I will look into texture packer. But like Space stated, problem is really only with one picture, I will skip that for now.
Finished a test set for building up the pixel art tree houses with blocks from 3d.

Here is an example test, quite crude, but it is possible to use the technique. So I´m refining it now.

Still, colors may have to be worked out, maybe I will also try bamboos.
Will probably go around today and tomorrow taking pictures of wood constructions to try inspire a color that won´t mix with the tree too much.

EDIT: yes...the design will bring Metal Slug back into your mind... But the final ones will be more of my own.
EDIT2: ...altough I will keep some...gotta have that ultimate reference into it for sure! :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2015-Apr-01
A title...I´m now promising myself to always create the title gfx first thing when I start a game... ::)
Here it is hand drawn + vectors + 3d and then twist it a little so it looks like demo scene stuff.

It is not what I actually had in mind the first million attempts, but it will have to do. ;)

edit: ya...another 120 days warning...I must unlazy.:P
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2015-Apr-01
Super Cool!!! Remind me a lot to some titles of Demos Scene in Amiga...
You have to do a tutorial for learn us how done the pixel art from 3D...

I like a lot all graphics, I don't see before in a big image, a lot of detail...

:good: :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2015-Apr-01
 :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2015-Apr-01
I'm through this game was cancelled.

The game version I'm got was well made.

Would been nice to see this game on Ouya.

Here you can just uses the new code snippet and ae 2.10.2.

Did you ever used the paintimage() code for any resolution support I'm gave last year?
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2015-Apr-01
Quote from: spacefractal on 2015-Apr-01
I'm through this game was cancelled.
The game version I'm got was well made.

I´m not gonna drop the bone, heck, the game is like 99.999% complete.
Just had too much life troubles past months.

Quote from: spacefractal on 2015-Apr-01
Would been nice to see this game on Ouya.
Here you can just uses the new code snippet and ae 2.10.2.

Will check into that when the game is done.

Quote from: spacefractal on 2015-Apr-01
Did you ever used the paintimage() code for any resolution support I'm gave last year?

Not yet for this project, time was too short for me to add it up. Probably on an update.
I´d feel better confidence if I use your paint image code on a newer project, in which I have one designed here and partialy already drawn, just needs the coding.
If I can finish this avocado game this april, then I jump into this other game and so to proper use your function. :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2015-Apr-01
I'm are Eventuelly still happy to help you I'd you want. I'm will only Eventuelly add ouya, resolution and gamepad support, and do not touch rest at all (remember you helped me with graphics last time). It's only few new lines really for your game. I'm bet you already have using Windows controller. So you gsme is b1 is jump left and b2 is jump right. So it's pretty easy.

Some (all) ae fixes is even using the source code (and sent the  gernot).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2015-Apr-01
Thanks Space! Help will sure be needed at many points.
Current control supports touch, analog joy, pad and keyboard. It seems it would not be too hard to add android controllers and ouya as you stated.

I´m putting final touches on the intro and title+code. Then I go do the endings.
Here a final title. I´m actually getting happier with it.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2015-Apr-01
Nice title as well nice graphics :-).

The only drawback about the gamepad support is, the orientation need to been corrected too (SETORIENTATION -1 with AE, which also calls its automatic on startup).

Im pretty sure this game would been pretty much fun on my Ouya on a bigger tv screen, even its designed as a "short on time" game (there is such a catogory for Ouya, hehe).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2015-Apr-01
Yep, I guess I will have to look into AE at one point, specially on the android release.
It works fine currently but I have to get rid of that annoying top task bar, if pull it out by mistake it ruins the game.
As I see, only with AE it is possible to be rid of it, and also, if orientation is correct, the bar will come from top, so it won´t mess with the game.
Currently, the bar comes from the left side, so it is really bad. There is also the back button thing.

Anyways, I guess I will have to release it first on desktops and later look into android/iphone.

While it is a short time game, I´m putting a lot of re-playability into it. Hopefully people can play together and it dosen´t take long for next person´s turn.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2015-Apr-01
The taskbar placements varierer from device to device. Im do have seen its on the right side in the correct orientation, which is annoying (Sony Experia Z). On KitKat and up, all showable toolbars is gone (SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_IMMERSIVE_STICKY), which happens automatic. You do NOT need to uses any special AE commands at all for uses AE. You well get a greater stability with the main fixes.

Recently im fixed both Menu (KEY(82)) and Back button (KEY(1)), so they behaiver correctly. Make sure to uses ALLOWESCAPE FALSE throught.

Yes the replay value in this game do seens very high and can been played again and again, and im like the "short the time" term as well. Would been nice if you do added some sort of scoring, so we can beat the hiscore. hehe. But this is not a term on the first release me thinks.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2015-Sep-10
I will be getting into it since I´d like to use v14 and currently it outputs wrongly.
Also, I will have to add the routine for different screen sizes you did since it all increased these past year.

The game...now it has a front end, still needs a tweak or two and I´m working the more or less 17 different endings.

So, it is still alive.

Here a COCO II style in case Matchy is around...
There were days that choosing a color was not a thing. :D

EDIT: oh yeah. There is a score, based on that, you get a different ending, it just dosen´t save the score or upload it somewhere.
I shall keep the latest score in display. :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2015-Sep-10
Did you ever checkout the auto resize rutine? Then you would not have this issue anymore, include eventuelly new screen sizes.

Also v14 actuelly uses Android Extras by default (which also can been used in v12 as well).

PS. Coco2 colors is cool as well. Could been part as the game and included for fun.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: nabz32 on 2015-Sep-10
Nice to hear this game is still alive and kicking.
Didnt know you planned such a huge ammount
Of different endings.
Could also be a nice game to play on the pandora, should you decide to support it.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: MrPlow on 2015-Sep-11
Looking great Erico!!
When can we hope to see it on Mobile? :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2015-Sep-12
By Crom and all that is sacred, before the end of this year.
It is already fully playable...just music and the endings are missing. :good:
 
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2015-Sep-13
Mightbeen this is a another vaporware, hehe. Just kidding.

Im did played this game and fell its allready cool!!!

Im hopefully this game can been played with Android TV as well (require GameInput support of course).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2016-Jun-03
The game is still going!
Fixed many stuff and closed the game so it has all frontends and stuff into it working fine.

Added a bunch of visual effects here and there, added spacefractal´s scale routine, which works all fine.
Code is updated to latest GLB14 for android, so orientation os all fine too.
Many other little things.

I should have a copy for the music production in a few days, I just hope Darkman007 hasn´t forgotten me. ::)

Here a low res washed colors video of the intro and the auto demo. It is the android version so the demo also works as a how-to-play.
I went to a game testing day in my city and people do have some problems getting hold of the touch control, specially the non gaming people.
I didn´t want to add a how to play, so I think the current solution is all fine, what do you guys think?
If you want to check that alone, skip to the middle of the video.

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2016-Jun-03
Could also been cool for a Steam game :-). Looks fine and like the Demo.

I'm do thinks some people that is not old might confuse "insert coin", due it'd a mobile game...
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2016-Jun-03
Guaoo!! Super nice the begin of the game... the graphics are really cool.
Very nive at all, is very very old style Arcade, reminds me to Popeye's Game and Watch...

I think the gameplay is simple but have a lot quality the game...

Tell us when finished...  :booze:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2016-Jun-03
Thanks, yep the core game play is very simple. It is a "collect falling object" game, and sure very similar to Popeye now that you mentioned it.
I played a lot of Popeye when a kid on my coco II, it was called Sailor Man and it was a superbly done port, 64kb and all.

I´m still going to work on the players and the object graphics before the final release, but I plan to do that while music gets done.

Yep, younger people won´t get the "insert coin", some might even think it is some sort of DLC. :D
That sentence as well as the credits need some work done. I´d like to keep it that way, but if it is going to cause any missunderstanding, better change it to "DEMO" or something of the likes. Let´s just hope that by using "DEMO" people won´t think this is satanic game. :D :D :D

While the computer ai is very dumb when playing, almost to the point of 100% rnd, it shows some interesting stuff, for example, it plays the way it wants even if the characters at the time can´t perform the action requested. I hope this gives an idea of movement limitations. Not that people (other than me) will waste much time looking at the ai playing. Also, the demo has a 3 chance to boot on normal game, 2 for a bat boss fight and 1 for the monkey boss fight. The last 2 bosses don´t get displayed. I might keep only the bat here but I don´t know yet.

The intro has 6 tree house dream images, I´m using a random 3 each time the intro cycles. I still think the intro is taking a bit long.
That is it, hopefully by the time music is done or before, I can release a closed beta so you guys can check it out and help point the flaws. 
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2016-Jun-03
Just "Touch to start" is fine.

"Insert Coin" could been somewhere a hidden text, if you found a tiny arcade machine (falling as normal), which could cause this message after a Game Over. Could been fun to use t hat as a Eester Egg. Personligt im dont mind it.

Even im do like "Insert Coin", im even used that for a older windows game in BliztzMax, im just not sure in a mobile game, which might cause bit confuction, even its only a bit for fun.


Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2016-Jun-03
Yep, I might change it.
This is already a super hard game, able to cause "rage quit" which I have been trying to tone down while not milking it too much, multiple endings help this front.
I sure don´t want more confusion than the gameplay already has. Thanks for the note.

I also have to find a place to credit us all, probably on the menu, but if it gets long, I might have to drop the "LAST SCORE" thing.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: r0ber7 on 2016-Jun-03
I love how this is something from your youth which you made real.  =D
The graphics are really cute. I haven't seen a download link, maybe I missed it, or is this still in dev?
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2016-Jun-03
It is on the final stages of dev.
I sent a copy to a couple people for testing and pandora check but the final release should be anytime this year (please please heavens!).

I will probably also do some sort of post material and I believe I can recreate the very coco original graphics too.
Not really press material but an article on how this got made and its numbers.
Disguised publicity, one may say, but usually a healthy style of plug.

Also, I just checked on google maps where I used to live and the avocado tree is alive and kicking. :booze:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: MrPlow on 2016-Jun-03
Look forward to trying out final version - android version too??
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2016-Jun-03
Yep. That is what the video on the last page is about.
Take a look. Let me know if that system to show how to play seems ok.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: nabz32 on 2016-Jun-04
Count me in at the closed beta, O have been waiting so long to play this.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2016-Jun-04
Looking good erico. You're finally putting this to bed :D
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: UBERmonkeybot on 2016-Jun-04
I can do some beta testing  if you want.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2016-Jun-05
Im got a quite early on last year and even in that state, it's was fun.

I'm can still Eventuelly help with a Eventuelly ios port and Eventuelly for Apple TV.

The last platform do require GameInput support and detecting and support for the remote (require a one button scheme). Here I'm can Eventuelly do a little function for you how it's could work...

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2016-Jun-12
I have been showing the game to lots of people to iron out whatever on the final touches.
It seems people like the insert coin, and the youngsters don´t care at all.
I know that is just my city, but I think I will keep it.  :)

I do have to look at gameinput at some time, this game needs only 2 directionals and a jump button to be used in combination with them.
Thanks for offering help, I will push to common pc stores, indie handhelds and android first, then we take it from there. :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2016-Jun-12
if people dont mind, let it been keep in :-D.

You can also used Left/Right and two button (X, B), X to Jump Left and B to Jump Right. A button can also been used with the dpad as well (just like im did in Karma Miwa).

If releasing on Apple TV, then you might want to use the diagonals (Q-bert style) instead, which would suit the trackpad fine, when remote is being used (easy to detect it).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2016-Jul-10
Here the 3rd ending. An almost dog house...kids are scared.
edit: it is going to be a windy night here.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2016-Jul-14
a bad endning. Do you plans to do 13-14 endnings?
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2016-Jul-14
yep, the idea is 16 different houses to depict each end, but it is going to take a little while to finish it.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: dreamerman on 2016-Aug-13
I didn't follow this topic properly but: Your artworks looks great, it gives that polished look for game.
Is there any preview/demo app version to check, or I missed it?
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2016-Aug-13
Hi Dreamerman, thanks.
No preview/dome yet, a couple friends here at the boards have some WIP version.
I should do a beta test run with us here as I finish the endings and add the music. The fine tuning part.
I also have to rework the touch code as I noticed some bad behavior.
Thanks again, production at the final steps are going turtle wise, but it is advancing. :)

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2016-Sep-27
For the records...the ending houses each have a motto and they are first done in 3d, similar to the bike and castle.
Makes it a lot easier to build by recycling pieces and the ability to use different angles.

Here a bit of them floating around.

edit: the house there in the middle is an "frozen juice stick" stand (kind of like kids popsicles, don´t know a world name for it).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: bigsofty on 2016-Sep-28
Yup, very nice indeed, good work Erico!  :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2017-Mar-30
I know it is taking ages... :'(
But it is not dead! :)

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: r0ber7 on 2017-Mar-31
Nice  :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: bigsofty on 2017-Mar-31
Yup, it's look like a nice Amiga style of game. Keep going Erico, it still looks great.  :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2017-Mar-31
Really nice to see Quads in all the Geometry  =D, nice Work...
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2017-Apr-04
Yep, quads ftw! :)

Just finished all models for the endings, 10 endings will be.
Will process them tomorrow and add the 2d assets to it, they look cool.

If it keeps raining and no job pops up, I should be able to have them by the weekend. :)
No pics so to not spoil stuff (as if much people is going to play it or bother :D ).

edit: Dam endings that took forever...now I know why the older games had cheesy ones...
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: nabz32 on 2017-Apr-05
Nice work Erico, I want to play this game now, stop teasing me :D
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2017-Apr-06
Still, looking forward to this :D
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: MrPlow on 2017-Apr-06
Super stuff! Cant wait to see it :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2017-Apr-23
Aaaalmost there...finished the required gfx, now back to coding and music.
Unfortunately I didn´t manage to add all of us here to one of the endings as a "thank you", it would be even more visual work.
So Instead, I just used the general game characters and added just one of us...who could he be? :whistle:

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2017-Apr-24
LOL :D
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: mentalthink on 2017-Apr-24
JAJA whats does Kitty?¿,  =D =D
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2018-Jul-30
yes its over a year ago. actuelly one of the game im liked when im tried a demo off, past of the day, where Android and Ios was fun (which is not today). Just sad, you now cannot release it to Google Play (you have one day left). But do you have planes to release it to steam. Its such a game im want to see it on that platform.

So im hope you are gonna well. hehe :-)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2018-Jul-31
Yep, it is still going, just some little bits left. I will try to publish it after the burger game.
It should go to steam, but I actually thought to release this one first on android as it fits the bill.

I still have to catch up on all this android release stuff, isen´t this their usual attempt to try to bring people inside their tools(like apple)? They seem to try it every other few years. The game is to be released premium only, no Ads nor in-purchases, would I be affected?

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2018-Jul-31
Google Play is finally out. See the thread in the normal forum why.

Google now require a least api-26 to been used, but glbasic uses api-22.

Google have depreacted various very important thing, which means im cant update the android platform part of glbasic anymore, without a full move with all source code to Android Studio. Im have no plans doing that (since various SO SDL libs is also required to been have source code too as well).

But you do can still consider tryout Amazon as well Samsung stores throught (Amazon tables using Api-22).

Apple is worser: They depreacting.... Yes, OpenGl (but will still Works as least iOS12).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: MrPlow on 2018-Aug-02
Saw this on Twitter and thought of your game!

https://twitter.com/CarlForrest/status/1025032499871862785
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2018-Nov-25
hehe sure shot!

I´m putting final touches on it and should steam release it next week.
I tried contacting OTAKUMAKER as a possible distribution but no replies yet.

Here one of the last gameplay videos, still without music. Will do something about it today.
9 endings are done and implemented, needs just the last one.

Fixed controls to support keyboard, pad and analog joy, all at the same time.
Implemented Spacefractal´s scalling routine.
Made an option for windowed game.

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2018-Nov-25
im just using ALT-Enter implementation to possible to play windowred or fullscreen and then save its option (make sure to create a sub folder in the document folder when saving thing, not in the programfolder).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2018-Nov-25
which email, did you those? howover they dosent reply that often currectly (Stefan is property a bit busy), but im do have got paid all the time.

But anyway, im guess this game would been a "endning" hunting game on Steam.

Even its a short game, there is multiple endnings to been found, and that take time.

For keyboard, im do hope you adding redefine keys or multiply playable keys. Im thinking A+Left for left, D+Right for right and Up,Space,Z,Y,W for jump.

This should could cover most players, regaardless its left or right handed players and playing with one or two hands). Im diddent do that for PowerUp Elevation throught, due the nature of the game, its was not needed. Also some players might perfer Z key, but make sure to add Y as well, since Z and Y keys can been swapped on some keyboard, like the Gernam one.

PS. Im wish im could adds achrivements for this game, but its currectly not possible. but you could do a internal one, etc which endning people have found.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2018-Nov-25
Tried the contact direct on page.

I didn´t add redefine for the keys, it is just the arrows or joy + A.
Will probably look into that for future games, but saving config file is a bit away for my abilities. :D
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2018-Nov-26
im can eventuelly help. its also for saving hiscore and such as well. you can do still just react on multiply keys as im did in PowerUp Elevation. Saving config file is same as when saving hiscore. you dont need to use ini style eventuelly. Im diddent do that my self.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: MrPlow on 2018-Nov-26
Hadn't seen it before with the updated graphics - nice!
I like the cartoon style - bit like old-disney.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2018-Nov-26
and yes, its looks excellent. Etc a perfectly "TimeKillers" game, yes the game can been completed in 3-5 minuttes, but im do like there is many endings to been discovered, which cause a lots of replay featuere.

Let me know, if you want some help.

PS. You do NOT need to credits me, even you used a small code from me at all!
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2019-Jul-26
What? Is this still alive? Sure shot!
Finishing bits on the steam store and itchio now, should be available within the next week or two.
Here is the trailer:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Paul Smith on 2019-Jul-26
Looks Beautiful, and fun, Can't wait.
Wish I  had a project to do, Just can't get motivated. Not even got Steam Glbasic yet.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2019-Jul-27
Thanks! Choose a simple project just for the kicks!

Here is an itchio store:
https://ericomont.itch.io/tree-house-the-avocado-mayhem

Steam should be available this next week I guess.
I will assemble a making-of  from this post plus more stuff I have here into a doc so to try to use it as good propaganda. :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Paul Smith on 2019-Jul-28
itchio store:  is the PayPal bit working?
just tried to buy and got this

Seller can't accept PayPal at this time

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2019-Jul-28
Strange. Well, I had an expired card into my paypal which I just removed, maybe it was that.
I will try out during today.

Super Thanks for the hint Paul, this is the kind of thing I would not be able to known by my self alone. :nw:

edit: just got a notice from itchio stating currency-acceptance problem on the paypal part.
edit2: moved payments for the itchio internally to get rid of paypal, hope that resolves things.

Maybe steam for the review is better mr.plow? I´m fine with whichever.
Just pissed that brazilian gov issues paypal to auto convert foreign currency, which is not happening and at the same time renders paypal useless for brazilians. :(
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: MrPlow on 2019-Jul-28
Looks fab - retro, colourful and shouts fun! I will wait and get the steam version  =D (so I can review it)
But if you prefer buyers to buy on itchio I can do that...
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Paul Smith on 2019-Jul-29
Credit card option worked, Payment and download all working.did $2.99(game) +$2(donation) + $0.60 (vat)

First of all the Graphics are amazing,colours perfect. I love the animation of the kids when they get hit.
This has been well thought through, the way the wind blows or rain changes the physics. The nice title bounce, the screen fade effect.

I played a few of the WAVs one of then sounded like you record the sound from a Park with kids playing in the back ground. thing like this enhance the quality of the game.

Its a bit late here but I will fully put it through it paces tomorrow,my max score is 35 but i'm to busy watching the monkeys and there faces when the get hit.

Excellent work :good: :good:


Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2019-Jul-30
Gee, thanks a lot Paul, your help is greatly appreciated.
There is a lot if little things hidden in the game and I didn´t want to instruct people but let them discover by themselves on the their rhythm.
And I also keep all gfx and sound files there in case people want to change gfx or sound for fun.
The bad is that one can see all the endings hehe.

I had an idea to redraw the assets and recreate the music following some 8-bit computer´s style, like zx spectrum, coco, amstrad, c64. Like a skin. But that is quite a load of work and I thought best to use the time/effort into doing a new game. :)

Again, thanks a lot!
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Paul Smith on 2019-Jul-30
This Game is Hard but fun,(MrPlow hard) Me and my Son spent about 1 hour playing this and can't beat the Bat.
Not 100% sure what everything does.
I know you want to keep the Items a surprise but even when I get them I not sure what they do. I know what Yellow Avocado do, but not sure whats is the yellow circle that says power.
Is there instructions that I missed in Haste?

Is the Tune in your head after probably hearing it a million times , I can hear my brain mumming it when I'm thinking. :D

If you ever change the code it maybe worth added a few seconds of invincibility after you get hit. sometimes all you hearts gets zapped especially when the bat hits you near the edge of the screen and stays on you after the shock causing another shock. maybe I'm just not that good and need it easier. :)

Hopefully this will make you some money, I've seen some indie games with no polish and poor design that sell, so this should make a mint if advertised.
Once it on steam I get my lad tell his friends about it, if I can get him off fortnite.



Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2019-Jul-31
Yep, the difficult level worries me a bit but it is possible, the monkey boss I suspect is even harder than the last boss, but I get unhappy making easy games. :|
There is no instruction, but it is also possible to figure stuff from playing, the power ups are harder to understand though but they make the game very easy if collected.
The combo hit I find so much fun, but other people had the same feeling so is something to think about.

I will make a making of doc with everything in game detailed and release in a week time.

edit: If the music ever gets too FBI torture, you can turn on off with M on the title screen. :D but yes it is to be catchy, people in the house here is going nuts listening to it a million times.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2019-Aug-01
you could add a difficulty option to the menu eventuelly, so the game could been easier if people want it:´etc invincibility after got hit, 2 more lifes and such that. Then its up to people what they want to play :-).

Looks ace and good luck with the sale. Look like you dont need help with the Steam version.

offtype: Im have not checked glbasic recently as im did have focus on Spectrum Next currectly (Horace World Tour and now Tyvarain). The first game is a tetris game throught, where im did have fun to do 10 national songs and Brazil was one them.....
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2019-Aug-16
Steam released here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1127520/TREE_HOUSE__AVOCADO_MAYHEM/

Compiled a making of from this thread here:
https://sites.google.com/view/fuedhq/th_avocado

I will be looking into ANDROID soon with this and probably spend a couple days trying caanoo and pandora, ;)

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: Ian Price on 2019-Aug-16
Cool. It's great that you finished it. Hope it does well for you :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: SnooPI on 2019-Aug-22
Hey!! Really Nice !!
It reminds me of Game & Watch games and especially this one :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPrDFHMfdS8

In addition, your making-of is awesome, you have a really nice and special graphic style, you never thought to make a point-and-click adventure game ?
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2019-Aug-22
Not only based on that game watch but a few others as I played in my youth. :)
Strangely enough, I never owned those but I had OCTOPUS and plan to do something about it.

Yep, those definently were inspirations into it for sure.

Point and click AD I thought about, but truly, am into making a IF adventure, like those old ones on the trs-80 color computer. I´d like to drop the parser and use a menu driven thing.
I made a few attempts so far into Color computer basic and also would love to have a PC version similar to that made with glb.
It looks like this:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: SnooPI on 2019-Aug-23
Yes, give up the parsing system, the majority of modern players don't like that.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2019-Aug-23
looks nice. the paresr could have been something like the C64 game Labyrinth (that one based on the movie).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2019-Aug-23
The parser is a mixed feelings decision. For once, it is what taught me english but it is also very natural for old computers with rom basic, so using it takes VERY little of the few kbs available.
On the other hand, like stated by Snoopy, modern players won´t enjoy it.

Yep, that is pretty much what I first thought about Spacefractal, but I didn´t know of that c64 version, it is quite similar!
A pull down menu with the verbs I need and then display a bunch of options to go along that verb.

Here is an image of it, I already did the basic code proof of concept but it sucks as it takes almost 20kb :) ...it works nice though.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: SnooPI on 2019-Aug-28
Very interesting but unfortunately not at all appreciated today :(

About the idea of ​​point-and-click game, this idea came to me when I looked at your making-of and more precisely these images.

-display problem, see attachment-

Mix a pencil-style background with colorful characters controlled by the player who must find a puzzle every time.
The puzzles could be hidden in the background in pencil and therefore difficult to see.

Well, I don't know if I'm very clear (not easy in english) but I hope you understand me =D
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: bigsofty on 2019-Aug-29
+1 for a point and click. My daughter (who's 10) recently discovered point and click adventures on Steam, is obsessed with Thimbleweed Park. To us they may seem a bit old hat but to this generation they're new and fresh.

Congrats on the release Erico too!   :good:
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: SnooPI on 2019-Oct-13
Damn! How did I miss this? :|
Thanks (late) for this discovery Bigsofty, I didn't know at all.

Thank you Bigsofty's daughter :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: r0ber7 on 2019-Nov-01
I really like the drawings of this game.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2019-Nov-05
Thanks! I have to add some steam keys for you guys, here a few:
BKQQV-Q5Z0R-TI2EG
X2W6Q-I2GKA-H9NK7
8L5M2-PJ363-TZEZX

Let me know your scores!
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2022-Oct-30
Im today finally tested this game on my Steam Deck.

This game is NOT combatible yet, but its does run, but covered up by the Media Player.

The issue is the same as im have on all my games, when using the MUSIC commands.

You need to convert them to samples and uses samples to play the music. You could also load all music in memory at once (as they was a sample), as we have so much memory today to avoid eventuelly delays under loading as well file space.

Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2022-Oct-30
Yep, I need to do that to all my games currently using PLAYMUSIC.
Also update their page graphics e fixing some little bugs, most specially the support for 3 joysticks on BurgerLord.

That will require a bit of time, I don´t think I will be able to do it this year, also, about burger lord it is best I add a few more enemies and some extra 64 stages :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2022-Oct-30
im did only test this game. This should been a lesser issue me think. Its such a game that would been quite fun to play in a short session on a Steam Deck, like this one. You actuelly only need to get it work with a xbox controller. If your game dont support other controller, you can disable it, and let the deck remap it instead (when playing on a tv). Im do howover not tested this feature.

Im diddent seen any issues on the banners on this game at all? Im do really like the side banner on this one.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2022-Oct-31
It works with the xbox controller as that is the one I have for testing.
I will see to update the games on steam early next year if possible.

Thanks for testing Spacefractal!
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2022-Oct-31
this game should not uses extended thing. but im do can see you do it with the burger game.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2022-Oct-31
Ah yes, this game is pretty much very complete in its contents, just the music issue you raised needs attention.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: loftcat on 2022-Nov-01
Lovely game and beautiful graphics! Works on my i3 fine, but for some reason it won't run on my Macbook M1 (running Parallels). When trying to start from Steam or the exe file nothing starts up. Probably not a big issue as will only be a small minority of users playing on Macs but thought it might be useful feedback.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2022-Nov-01
Mac using Parallels is something that is not officially supported. No idea what my own games does. Can been a similar issue with the music, trying to launch a apps that does not exists and fails?

Can you test one of my own game, if this is the case? (im fixed all my games removing the music and using samples instead, so its works on Steam Deck).
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2022-Nov-01
Quote from: loftcat on 2022-Nov-01
Lovely game and beautiful graphics! Works on my i3 fine, but for some reason it won't run on my Macbook M1 (running Parallels). When trying to start from Steam or the exe file nothing starts up. Probably not a big issue as will only be a small minority of users playing on Macs but thought it might be useful feedback.

Thanks Loftcat. That feedback is important. A bunch of users do use parallels to run my games and as far as I knew things were going ok.
I hope it is something related to music but Gravedigger EX uses playmusic too and I had no complains. Could it be because of the fullscreen? The said game is windowed.

The more successful of my games sell something like 150 copies so every user counts a lot.
Hopefully one day I will break the 1000 barrier :)   
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: loftcat on 2022-Nov-02
Quote from: erico on 2022-Nov-01
Quote from: loftcat on 2022-Nov-01
Lovely game and beautiful graphics! Works on my i3 fine, but for some reason it won't run on my Macbook M1 (running Parallels). When trying to start from Steam or the exe file nothing starts up. Probably not a big issue as will only be a small minority of users playing on Macs but thought it might be useful feedback.

Thanks Loftcat. That feedback is important. A bunch of users do use parallels to run my games and as far as I knew things were going ok.
I hope it is something related to music but Gravedigger EX uses playmusic too and I had no complains. Could it be because of the fullscreen? The said game is windowed.

The more successful of my games sell something like 150 copies so every user counts a lot.
Hopefully one day I will break the 1000 barrier :)

I don't think it's because it's full screen. I use GLBASIC in Parallels every day without any major issues, and my games run okay.
Dreamerman's BR Logic Pack (https://www.glbasic.com/forum/index.php?topic=11193.0) is working well under Parallels too.
I tried running the exe as administrator from the steamapps folder too but to no avail.
Let me know if there's any else simple you'd like me to try.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2022-Nov-02
Quote from: loftcat on 2022-Nov-02
...
Let me know if there's any else simple you'd like me to try.

Sure! Thanks for your time.
Here are 2 of them on itchio:

https://ericomont.itch.io/ptvii
https://ericomont.itch.io/mrulv246-hadleys-hope

Just hit download, unzip and run.
They should work fine and they use PLAYMUSIC.

I will PM you keys to both my Steam games, they also use PLAYMUSIC.
Maybe this will bring more light into the issue of Parallels.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: spacefractal on 2022-Nov-03
Ahh, im remember fullscreen was a issue on the Mac, where im used a windowred mode back in the days.

Im do have no longer a Mac. So im have no possible to test it. So its can been some sort here.But its depend if the game actuelly has reach the first code or not or something internal happens. Im have no idea.

Also im completly forgot that little "tank" game. Actuelly like the graphics here.

A bit too much offtypic as its was meant for this game, hihi.
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: erico on 2022-Nov-03
Don´t worry about topics, we are all into GLB topic :)

Yes I too recall a problem with full screen and also loading assets during game and not before opening a screen.
Maybe within parallels the issues are the same? If so, we might want to keep that in mind and documented for compatibility :)
Title: Re: TH_AVOCADO MAYHEM
Post by: loftcat on 2022-Nov-03
Quote from: erico on 2022-Nov-03
Don´t worry about topics, we are all into GLB topic :)

Yes I too recall a problem with full screen and also loading assets during game and not before opening a screen.
Maybe within parallels the issues are the same? If so, we might want to keep that in mind and documented for compatibility :)

My projects are currently running in windows rather than full screen on the M1, but I've had them running full screen too without any issues. I've sent you a pm with a link to my project I'm working on using Parallels.. not sure if it will be much help but perhaps you might spot something different.