Messages

This looks great, I'm a big fan of vector graphics (I'm currently doing one myself). Black Widow although obscure, is a little gem of a game.

Thanks. I like it obscure though - that's the whole idea. 

What are you working on yourself?

What program did you use to create the vector graphics ?  Or was it just a list of coordinates on grid paper ?

I've already answered on Twitter, but for anyone else thinking the same: I've used my own homemade vector editor, which I originally developed for Rip Off, and has kept adding to ever since.

Ahh, okay. I looked (superficially) and think I noticed stuff that wasn't GLB related, so I posted it there.
But it has to be where it's supposed to be, so thanks for keeping me on a short leash. 

Hi guys,

I've decided to put a link to my latest remake here. It's in BlitzMax and not in GLBasic - I've still only done the one in GLB (Binary Land) - but as you're programmers and love games like me ...and may not check the same sites as I do, I think there might be a chance you'll appreciate it anyway.

The original arcade game was originally made by Atari in 1982 and since I love it I've remade it - like so many other vectorgraphics games - with glowing graphics.

Black Widow is an arena-shooter, where the object is to defeat the insects and get as far as you can. As a spider in the center of the web, you must defend it and yourself from invading bugs. These foes will try to run into you, blow you up if shoot them, or fire rockets at you if you do not kill the other enemies! It has been described as a cross between Robotron: 2084 due to one joystick being used for movement and another one for firing. Does not have as many objects on the screen as Robotron but gets quite intense anyway.

You can get the game from my site, here: http://tardis.dk/wordpress/?page_id=445 ...and like all my other games, it's absolutely free. 

Here's a couple of pictures of it;







...it will also do pure lines if you're not into glowing graphics

I find it exciting. Makes me wonder how difficult it would be to create a ZX spectrum emulator. I guess emulating the sound chip would be a problem if it was done in GLB. Would run 36 times faster than the DCPU-16 so challenging.

Spectrum is probably the most emulated computer ever. I've even seen a Spectrum emulator in BlitzPlus, and if BP can do it so can GLB.

If you're looking into making your own emulator there's this guy - he's made a Space Invaders arcade emulator in BlitzMax and it includes source code. The Space Invaders arcade game uses a 8080 processor which is very similar to the Z80 processor in the Spectrum, so examining how this works would be a good stepping stone for making an emulator yourself. If you wanted to you could even try to port it to GLBasic as that language is very similar to BlitzMax. There's of course several other Spectrum emulators that comes with source code, but they're all in C (afaik) which would make it harder to port them.

He uses Game Maker for his developments... I think its ideal platform for fast tests... but bad for "real" developments... 

Game Maker is actually quite capable in the right hands. You don't really have to use the GUI all that much if you know how the scripting works - and with that you can do anything.
...but unfortunately most people using it aren't very ambitious (imho).

[Retro Remakes]

Cool and funny, but ultimately worthless as something to play on.
But a fun build nevertheless.

Why not have a look at this fullsized cabinet made by one of the Retro Remakes members, for his own Star Wars remake?

http://urbaninteractive.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/in-from-the-cold/

I can't seem to find a picture of the completed cabinet, but I'm pretty sure he posted them at some point.

Because if the game got succes and plans to release to many platforms, then I would not been afford the traffic there would been incomming.

I'd use my own server traffic isnt gonna be a problem really. More traffic=More people bought your product

I agree with spicypixel. Remember that the amount of traffic you send back and forth from a phone/tablet device doesn't amount to much.
Besides, I'd think it would be better to be in control of as much as possible, and not be dependent on too many third-parties.

another water level (here in ipad Retina), not linked directly due the image size:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3236515/GreedyMouse/water_retina.PNG

The font is being clayed by now, and that and tips is the final important thing before we can release the game. Tips can even been disabled. So Soon font being made, there I might do a Android Beta (while iOS users must wait for the final game, due Apple not accept beta versions). Let see what happens, but the wait is soon over (and I have not been contacted for internal betas, which I still accept).

That really looks great, SF. 
...but I think the font is a bit small, though.

I have to agree with Rusty - it would be pretty good if the default IDE was improved or tweaked so third party IDE's could be used.
...oh, and an easier way to compile on OSX too - ie. without having to use Parallels or jump through hoops.

But overall there's no doubt that people thinks it's good. Any many Blitz users seem to have it too, which is cool. 

It find it easy to read garbled stuff like that, always have.
...the first one of these was easiest to read though.

Um, so how do I start it? I tried to just run it from IDE (the evaluation version) but I get a bunch of errors. (I'm new to GL Basic, as you can see )

You don't "run it from the IDE" - you just unpack the files to a folder and run the EXE file in the archive. That should do it. You don't need GLBasic to run it.

So think about the free version as a little easy version as the full game and I also want people to enjoy a free easy game as well. That why I dedicated to do 21 levels, all pretty easy.

I think fewer levels would be better - like 12, and it should contain both easy, medium and hard levels (like 4 of each). That way the player will get a better idea of how challenging it'll become later on.

Personally, if I download a game that is so easy I'm through the demo in no time, I'll automatically think "this is too easy and completely uninterresting" and just never buy the full version. Give people quality - no quantity.

I ended up ordering a Huawei MediaPad instead. At around £100 it was a bit more expensive than the other one, but it has a faster dualcore processor, more RAM, higher resolution (capacitive screen) - but still 7 inches, and a newer OS - Android 3.2 (upgradable to ICS 4.0 later this year).

I much better buy I think.

I haven't used it much yet, though. But enough to find out that it goes through the battery charge like there was no tomorrow. Even though I put it into "flightmode" when I stop using it. It's nowhere near as efficient as the iPad...but of course it doesn't cost anywhere that one. I like it though - nice size and pretty capable in the graphics department.

Like old Jack Burton always says in a time like this
"the check is in the mail!"

+1

...from when JC hadn't lost his way.