GP2X - GLBasic Competition 2007/2008 Entries Showroom

[Ian Price]

To be honest, I'd probably prefer not to have my game compiled for PC.

That's a shame, actually, as there are perhaps 1 or 2 () people out there who would miss out on your game just because they don't own a GP2X. Even F100 users can't see the games as the original coders intended (I presume most users used mouse as their primary control method - judging by all the entries I've played).

I know all games are playable with D-Pad and buttons, but there are very obvious problems in some games, where I presume touchpad/mouse controls took priority.

PC executables could also be used to promote GLBasic a bit further afield than just GP2X users.

[BasicMe]

That's a shame, actually, as there are perhaps 1 or 2 () people out there who would miss out on your game just because they don't own a GP2X.

I'm sorry, and maybe Gernot will see fit to provide PC versions.  But I'd still prefer he didn't for my game.

It's too bad if people miss out.  But let's face it: if it's compiled for PC, then Mac people will miss out...and Linux people, too.  It's no different then the way PS3 owners are left out if a game is exclusive for Xbox (e.g. Halo).

Not that I'm trying to compare my tiny game with Halo!    I just feel like this is a very small way I have of supporting the GP2X.

[Ian Price]

The choice is yours, but by supporting pc too doesn't mean that you are not supporting GP2X.

There is a very big difference between supporting pc (and promoting GLBasic further) and supporting PS3 and XBox. If you are worried about the lack of support for other systems, like Mac and Linux and PPC, then why aren't you supporting those too?

It's a strange point of view, but it's your game. I was only asking.

[Kitty Hello]

Well, the competition was sponsored by GP2X.de, too, partially. Thus, I'll have to see and ask if it's desired to have non gp2x users play the games. Usually one rule was to have the games working on an F100, too.

[Ian Price]

It's not a biggie, I just thought it would be nice if this community at the very least would be able to play the games.

Perhaps contributers could release pc .EXEs themselves, if they wish to?

[Kitty Hello]

Sure, why not.

[XaMMaX]

I prefer not have my game on pc, too

[Quasist]

I think if wanted a version for non-gp2x users then has released the sources to his/her game. Sources helps to dive deeper in the world of GlBasic I mean compile for PC by your own PC

[BasicMe]

The choice is yours, but by supporting pc too doesn't mean that you are not supporting GP2X.

There is a very big difference between supporting pc (and promoting GLBasic further) and supporting PS3 and XBox. If you are worried about the lack of support for other systems, like Mac and Linux and PPC, then why aren't you supporting those too?

It's a strange point of view, but it's your game. I was only asking.

You misunderstand me, I'm certainly not worried about lack of support for Mac & Linux!  That was an example which I had hoped would explain my perspective.  To me, this is a no-brainer point of view, not strange at all.

However, I understand where you're coming from too, iprice.  We've all been curious about the other entrants' games.

So...I wouldn't be against compiling a demo version for the PC.  That would let anyone try it who wished to do so, while keeping the full version (and therefore "extra value") for the GP2X only.  I would imagine GP2X.de wouldn't have a problem with that.  What do you think?

[Ian Price]

I'm fortunate in that I do have a GP2X (F100), but some of the games are difficult to play with it.

There are several games that show real promise, but playing them is hard due to control problems. LogoBall, unfortunately is one such game marred by the controls - this could be an excellent game, but is incredibly fiddly on GP2X without touchscreen. I would love to play this game with the mouse.

Another game that is fiddly is the excellent Chroma - the F100 control scheme does work, but not well enough for me to play it for more than a few minutes, as I just run out of time and die. I'm sure that this game would be incredible fun and very addictive with touchscreen or mouse, but sadly I'm not able to play it with either.

Some games also suffer from other problems on GP2X - slowdown, volume troubles, flickering etc. etc.

And Quasist, like me you did include the source, which is incredibly generous of you and it's a good game to boot - and it's not restricted by lack of touchscreen, either.

Of course I wasn't stating that people should include the source code, but that I would love to play the games in a similar fashion to that in which they were intended.

[BasicMe]

Ha! It's funny how we approached this contest so completely opposite.

In the instructions, #4 definitely spoke to me: "The game must be controllable with the cursor keys and the 10 buttons of the GP2X. However, it must feature touchscreen input as well to show how the pen can improve playabillity."

My assumption was that this rule existed, so that people would be encouraged to upgrade to the newest version of GP2X.  So I designed a game that, while playable with buttons, would hopefully have that improved playability with a touchscreen.

Anyhoo...my offer still stands of creating a demo version, if anyone wishes.

[Ian Price]

I read the rules as the game must be properly PLAYABLE on a F100, but you must ADD support for the touchscreen which improves the playability of the game in some way.

[AndyH]

It would be cool to be able to play all the games, but at the moment I haven't got a GP2X to do that yet.  I fully understand if you do not want to though and that's your right

I'm planning to release Ms Mouth Trap for as many platforms as I can compile to as soon as I add a few extra features.  I'm keeping the splash screen in of course which advertises both GLB and the GP2X so hopefully new people will get to know about these wonderful products.

I kind of understood that rule as both Ian and BasicMe have interpreted it, that it must be playable on the F100 (ie: nothing restricted) but that where mouse/pen input was available to use it to enhance the game in some way/ways.  This must surely add encouragement to existing F100's users a reason they might want to consider upgrading  Hopefully I've achieved that in my game - everything is accessible on the F100, even the level editor, it's just easier to point and click in the editor to design the levels than to 'tab' through the buttons.  You can even choose to play the game itself with just the pen/mouse, as well as the D-PAD / Keys / Digital/Analogue joysticks dependant upon what's available on each platform .

[BasicMe]

I read the rules as the game must be properly PLAYABLE on a F100, but you must ADD support for the touchscreen which improves the playability of the game in some way.

Fair enough.  I wasn't trying to suggest that your game doesn't fit that rule.  Rather, I simply felt the need to defend my own game (Logoball), since you were implying that better control via touchscreen was a negative, while I saw it as a positive!

As it so happens, at one point I was developing a first-person-perspective maze game for the contest, creating my own pseudo-3D engine (using only the excellent POLYVECTOR command, no 3D commands)!  However, I ultimately switched to Logoball for the contest, specifically because the 3D game worked perfectly fine with the button controls...touchscreen added nothing to the experience.

Did I make the wrong decision?  Possibly.  I guess I'll know shortly.  In any case, I'm getting the impression that you might be getting annoyed with me, so I'll respectfully leave it at this.  Whatever the judges decide, a lot of good solid games were created, which will only benefit both the GP2X and GLBasic communities!

[Ian Price]

you were implying that better control via touchscreen was a negative, while I saw it as a positive!

No, that's not what I was implying at all, quite the opposite!  I meant that as the keyboard controls are poorly implemented on the GP2X (sorry, but in my opinion they are), I would like to be able to play it with mouse OR touchscreen, but as I haven't got a touchscreen and I have got a mouse (for my pc), that was the only way I could play it as it was intended (if a pc version existed). So therefore I was also being positive about the touchscreen/mouse.

I can see what a good game is in there, struggling to get out on the F100. It is playable, but very fiddly. I'm sure that it's much better on F200.

As for my game, I designed it for mouse/touchscreen first and foremost too - however, I also implemented a control scheme that would actually make my game playable on F100 as well (in fact I gave an option to change the way it is played with the controls). I can only play my game with D-Pad and buttons, so I had to make it properly playable for me.

I personally would have rathered gone for just a touchscreen control system, but Gernot wanted to satisfy all GP2X users, not just those looking to upgrade or to buy an F200.

I'm not getting annoyed at all, far from it. I enjoy a good debate. You've just missed my message - that it's a crying shame that as many people can't play these games as possible, because they don't have access to GP2X, when they could so easily be played on pc (and other systems).

We've all put lots of work into these and only a small minority of people will ever get to play them. I didn't even request pc versions for my benefit - I can play the games, I own a GP2X, but millions don't.

BTW I would have liked to have seen your 3D maze game - is it still a possibility?