Recent posts in Game Programming on Kongregate

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

So I’ve played all games and were pretty impressed across the board, I’ll use my post to specifically address my two votes as to why I voted and where they could improve.

2) Level Quest – An enjoyable, semi-challenging, intuitive, funny game. I really enjoyed my time playing this, which is the reason for the vote. I feel weapon choices (faster speed, blast damage etc), greater damage to the player (or something to motivate the player to take more caution), a ‘hardcore’ mode, and maybe even aerial enemies to throw into the mix would result in a much more polished and enjoyable game. The punchline was great, though you could definitely add to this if you look at this from another angle: what’s synonymous with level and also required in a game? A stor(e)y. More levels resulting in similarly great punchlines, working towards one final ‘boss’ level, would be quite fun to play; quirky games always get my attention. This is a great, well-executed game, nice job TheKaveman.

And my 1 vote goes to…
1) Just Another Shadow – An incredibly creative concept resulting in some good-ole fashioned fun and platformer frustration – not at the mechanics, but being fooled by yourself, which is a pretty cool feat when you think about it. Obviously the unskippable text and eventual clunkiness are issues (and good to see some are already being addressed by DrYoshiyahu), but the great thing about the innovative concept is the potential it has to be built-upon. Hazardous obstacles or dangerous NPCs (other ‘shadows’), different base levels, a lengthened storyline, a highscore system (based on time completed), different physics, alternate characters… Just Another Shadow really does have so much potential, and rightly so. However the outcome in this competition, I think DrYoshiyahu should be quite happy with himself for creating such a fresh, original game, which is a lot to ask for today.

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Entries and Discussion

There are times when a priority bug 1 (those which cause the game to crash or lag horrible making it unplayable) are left and user is supposed to upload that and get bad comments. I think in those cases changing the game after deadline is justified. Some people have barely time to finish the game they have visualized in 10 days and usually bugs are left. Things like music and WASD controls should also be allowed after deadline because they practically don’t change anything in the game or take much time for that matter.

But drastic changes should not be accepted. If you really want to change the whole game then it would be better to submit the version you completed in 10 days posted on some site like megaswf or swfcabin etc. then one can change the kongregate version.

As I perceive this competition is all about making people get off their asses and get the work completed. Not letting people change the game after deadline kinda limits that encouragement or whatever.

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

Originally posted by Ace_Blue:
And since we’re supposed to be voting also on whether to allow designers to modify/update/upgrade their creation after the deadline, during the judging period, my vote is: against.

We are? Well in that case I think that during the judging period noone should be allowed to change their game at all.

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Entries and Discussion

I vote no. I think allowing updating after the deadline would encourage people to submit half-finished games. Especially for a contest named a Game in Ten Days, the whole point is to get judged on what you managed to do in those 10 days.

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

Big thanks to everyone who posted feedback. The game is much, Much faster up here than it was when running in FD. In retrospect, it makes sense that running the game and the debugger at the same time would generate a performance loss. Since I waited for the last minute to upload the game I had zero opportunity to playtest it so, yea, I deserve what I got in terms of comments about playability…

Here are my votes: (bolded so UG doesn’t miss them ;p )

1) Level Quest
2) The Floor is Lava

And since we’re supposed to be voting also on whether to allow designers to modify/update/upgrade their creation after the deadline, during the judging period, my vote is: against.

Topic: Game Programming / external non-SWF library, how to create? Or should I?

aha, did a small research about that and found it possible. The only thing that’s left is organize them into something valid, but that’s what the programmer should do. :) I have even found a JSON example of a GIF stored in it, so it won’t be too hard to compile it all in a desired format. And also, thinking about that, I have come with the third appproach, let all the levels carry passable/placeable matrix along with them, and background/foreground png/jpg/whatever assets. (PNG foreground, JPG background should be the best size-wise and visual-wise.) Thanks :)

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

My picks:

1) The Floor Is Lava (whoo I rode a bat)
2) Level Quest (straight up fun)

And I don’t want to use my vote post to talk about my own game too much but since it’s been asked: The graphics, sounds and music were done by me.

Topic: Game Programming / external non-SWF library, how to create? Or should I?

Base64 encode the PNGs then use a Base64 decoder to generate a ByteArray you pass to a Loader to get an image in the onComplete handler; or use vector stroke/fill/etc instructions of your own design. i suggest create a GraphicsPath that you can then pass to Graphics::drawGraphicsData

Topic: Game Programming / external non-SWF library, how to create? Or should I?

I am attempting to develop a TD, and have just started to design levels for it. I have stumbled into an interesting dilemma: whether I should hardcode everything and then rely on the precreated static set of things that can be placed on a level, or I should make a separate (source-wise) library of those objects, then load, parse and create all the pictures for them at runtime. I am inclining towards the latter, but I wonder how can one create a JSON/XML data file with blobs inside (say PNGs), which can then be parsed into valid Flash objects of type Bitmap or BitmapData. In case of hardcoding, I will have an array of Class references that will be embedded from static picture files via FD (I already have one, because it was pretty much bound to exist before all the work), while an external library would allow me to not recompile the code and not tamper with it at all, but instead alter or even extend the library to include whatever objects I might need.

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

1. The floor is Lava
2. Pinky’s Dungeon Escape

Topic: Game Programming / Write a game in flash[haxe] and compile that same code to windows, linux, mobile iOS, flash, and Android into native code

function a():void{b();}
function b():void{c();}
function c():void{trace("I could've done this in a()");}

Topic: Game Programming / AS3 or AS2

Originally posted by NineFiveThree:

I mentioned that having a certain mindset and writing a tutorial/teaching are totally independent things, so I cannot agree.

http://www.untoldentertainment.com/blog/flash-and-actionscript-911/
http://active.tutsplus.com/sessions/as3-101/

2 exampes of good tutorials, easy to understand, great for beginners.

Neither of those tutorials solve the problems I was talking about. Not sure if you didn’t read my post properly or if I didn’t explain well enough :P

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

1st – Fight Scene
2nd – Wizard’s Quest

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

Ah. I will check that again.

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

Pinky’s Dungeon Escape* – Seems good but I cant climb up or down the ladders.

You have to get the first powerup before being able to use ladders.

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

Bobikas - Organise a GiTD - Hmm. Finishes pretty quick without telling if user won or lost.
truefire - Wizard's Quest - Is it just me or the enemies don't die after the wizard has died? Too much text. Failed too many times. Gave up.
LIDgames - Looper - Nice graphics. Too hard though. Couldnt get past those guns.
TheKaveman - Level Quest - Nice concept. Made me laugh that dialogue in the end. I just felt the hit detection and then centering of character into the enemy a bit weird otherwise fun game.
Rafael_MJ - Pinky's Dungeon Escape - Seems good but I cant climb up or down the ladders.
DrYoshiahu - Just Another Shadow - I wish it was just another shadow and not a massacre of shadows all piled into the scene. But nice concept.
Abigayl - Invader Breaker - Nice concept. Gets too frantic though. But I think people like that stuff.
Krankdud - Millennium Pork in Castle Crisis - Upgrades needed. Very difficult to currently kill the enemies but nice platform.
byrono - Clown Death - Awesome song. A bit hard. But really good.
orandze - The Floor is Lava - Already commented.
Moshdef - Fight Scene - Already commented.
Ace_Blue - GITD24 Bob the Blob - Nice. Needs in game instructions though. I kept exploding thing something will happen. But once I got what was going on it was real cool figuring the best way possible.

Here are my votes:-
1) Ace_Blue - GITD24 Bob the Blob
2) TheKaveman - Level Quest and LIDgames - Looper (I hope I can vote for two entries. They both score the same on my scale. If I can't then let it be Level Quest.)

Topic: Game Programming / [AS3] Shooting isn't working correctly

Originally posted by Senekis93:

OP This won’t fix your problem, but don’t add enter frame handlers to the bullets. Make a single loop on the game class.

^ this

To find out why your code is not working as it is, trace the values of the important variables in the update method.

Topic: Game Programming / Just a little WTF moment haha funny

Perhaps his unconscious mind is trying to say something.

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

Originally posted by truefire:

Everyone is biased. Why would UG’s bias be any less acceptable than our own?

In case he is biased for reasons other than the quality of the game. As a general rule of thumb, the organisers of an event are usually either the only judge, or not one at all, but I don’t think it matters, not in this situation anyway.

Topic: Game Programming / Just a little WTF moment haha funny

uhh… lol that’s more convincing.

Topic: Game Programming / Just a little WTF moment haha funny

No I think it’s on purpose:

private function _handleXmlLoaderCumplete_init(e:Event):void 
		{
			var xml:XML;
			var slide_xml:XML;
			var xml_loader:URLLoader;
			
			xml_loader = URLLoader(e.currentTarget);

Topic: Game Programming / Just a little WTF moment haha funny

it’s short for cumulative load….. stop being immature.

Topic: Game Programming / Just a little WTF moment haha funny

I was fixing a project for one of my clients when:

		
		private function _Cumload():void
		{
			var loader:Loader;
			
			loader = new Loader();
			

This is something I must clean up

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

Everyone is biased. Why would UG’s bias be any less acceptable than our own?

Topic: Game Programming / GiTD [#24] Voting

UG, I think you can vote, please do like Rafael_MJ, that is, don’t give points or maybe place to your own game.