[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

OK, seeing that this is the fashionable thing to do when pursuing projects, I'll post completion info and synopses on all of my more SERIOUS MZX forays here for people

Current projects:

• Project Free - A conventional MZX adventure/shooter game using old-school overlay text stuff
  
• ZGUI - Another LOL TEH MZX OS. With rather crude windows.

See below for more preliminary information.

-----

Project Free

Genre: Shooter
Demo: Not yet
Full: Not yet
ETA: 2007
Screenshot: Comin' up

In Project Free (which is heavily based on/ripping off of games such as Chronos Stasis and Dark Ages) you play a greenhorn freedom fighter imprisoned simply for being in the wrong place in the wrong time. You are freed from execution by a member of your resistance group, but he dies, leaving you with the monumental task of not only escaping from the prison with no weapons or armour, but saving your nation from the evil Reich.

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ZGUI

Genre: MZX OS <groan>
Demo: Not yet
Full: Not yet
ETA: Whenever I get really bored
Screenshot: Comin' up

Self-explanatory really. Another experimental foray into the world of MZX OSes, this one should feature actual (sprite-based) windows and a sprite-based mouse engine for you techies to drool at.

This post has been edited by NihilistMatt: 07 November 2006 - 05:17 PM

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

Oh yeah. Before I forget, some screenshots of the current state of Project Free:

The rather minimalist title screen, with basic trig-powered effects.

NOTE: In the actual game, the little trails visible on the right actually move in (co)sine waves.

Prison B2 - the first board in the game

NOTE: Fernando is the default name of the player, used only if another name isn't entered at the input screen.

I think I'll get the prison area done then release a demo.

[Pyro1588]

looks spiffy! i'm looking forward to hearing more gameplay details.

[Goshi]

NihilistMatt, on Nov 8 2006, 03:05 AM, said:

ZGUI

Genre: MZX OS <groan>
Demo: Not yet
Full: Not yet
ETA: Whenever I get really bored
Screenshot: Comin' up

Self-explanatory really. Another experimental foray into the world of MZX OSes, this one should feature actual (sprite-based) windows and a sprite-based mouse engine for you techies to drool at.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

[ShloobeR]

you've nailed the oldschoolish style in your screenshot of project free.

nice :D

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

@Goshi: I don't know what I was on when I added that to my journal. I think I was trying to beef my roster up with some filler (aargh indeed), though I might just release the mouse engine I used in it separately (although sprite-based mouse engines are probably the norm these days)... Who knows, I might just slip it in as the UI for a game or something.

@Pyro1588: It plays like any other Zeux series-ish MZX game, except you don't start with any weapons. It will (if it gets completed) be in 3 acts (each with 3 or so missions such as "escape from the prison")

Gee, I really hope I can finish this project... I have a feeling I'll succumb to the old "rush out a demo" curse, and everything will go _horribly_ wrong... (right now on PF the guard AI is terrible (presently they run and hide between beds, and then run at you and shoot you point-blank), the entire thing is instant kill for quite a while (until you manage to avoid the extremely easy turrets in the first level, hit the necessary switches, go into the guards' quarters, run into a room full of moronic guards and steal the gun) and the plot smells a bit fishy (it was originally (in the design documents) a shameless rip-off of The Matrix, but I decided I had a bit too much shame, took the engine and poured acid over the rest of it)...

Anyway, even if PF doesn't come to fruition I might strip the engine(s) out of it and market it as an action-adventure engine (like the Bernard the Bard's 3d engine was separated and put inside Dark Corner)...

Also, (and I know I'm going on and on and on here) I don't have any beta testers <ominous clap of thunder and the sound of screaming>, so when/if I do release the demo, it'll basically be a sample of actual gameplay so I can get valuable criticism/firebombing/silence...

The entire goal of this project, whether it's a boom or a bomb, is to get a game to my name, because I feel like a lemon being in the DMZX community without one.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

Oops. I've just realized how risqué those prisoners look (darn normal MZX mode and its inability to allow prisoners to have both skin AND clothes). I think I might change them all to a shade of grey or white for the actual game.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

Anyway, before I go to bed, here's another screenshot, of the pause menu (or, technically, how the pause menu will look, because most of this isn't implemented yet and is mostly mocked-up with customblocks )

The pause menu concept/mock

When it's finished it will have a map function (which will display a small hand-drawn map of each board), a notepad and manual function (similar to the info menus on FF8 and the like), and a radio (which will allow the player, if s/he is masochistic, to listen to the terrible packed-in music). It will also feature quickload/quicksave for people that don't know how to use the function keys.

In order to use it, one would press ENTER whilst not in a cutscene or conversation.

F1 will probably jump to the manuals.

EDIT: apologies for the dark screenshots, the game looks a lot brighter in MZX

This post has been edited by NihilistMatt: 08 November 2006 - 12:50 AM

[djtiesto]

This is definitely a game I'd like to see released... the character models remind me of an oldskool Nathan Ridley game so a plus to that.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

woah... I'm honoured.

I'm afraid I think the graphics are as good as the game'll get... I suck royally at actually making games

anyway, it can't possibly be worse than Blue Buckaroo

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

Anyway, I've decided to pull ZGUI ('twas a cruel, cruel joke). I had a strange idea during Science class today about making a Monopoly clone for MZX, with properties named after MZX games, and this and that etc. I then realized I've already got a project going.

I might make a little side-release here and there just to show I actually do stuff, instead of just artfully arranging customblocks

EDIT: And for those who like mindless completion statistics:

Project Free Demo/Milestone for all you people who like overusing the word "milestone" 1
(A fully playable version of the Prison level)

Title Screen: pretty much done.
Name Input Screen: Engine works, could do with a bit of explanation as to what to do for those that don't associate "Enter your name, comrade" with the keyboard
Pause menu: Still a load of customblocks with the occasional robot :|
Act One Intro: a bit basic, but mostly complete.
Prison level: Floors B1 and B2 mostly done, execution chamber may need finishing, sewers still to do.

This post has been edited by NihilistMatt: 08 November 2006 - 04:52 PM

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

Today's screenshot:

With a little help from a firearm, you can turn any open space into a graveyard.

(Yes, I know the little Act indicator in the top right reads 3 instead of 1. I didn't notice the bug until after I took the shot. Get over it)

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

And I've finally decided on the plot: (as detailed/will be detailed in the intro)

The year is 2584.

90% of the planet Earth is now desolate, destroyed by a massive nuclear war. Along with it went the advanced knowledge hoarded by the superpowers, propelling the world into a second Dark Age. The surviving humans now reside in tiny island nations, each with its own culture, society and morality.

The long distances between the islands, coupled with the lack of information on pre-Apocalypse Earth, has led every island to believe itself to be the only society remaining on Earth. And so peace has lasted for many centuries.

That is, until the island of Isingura discovered the relatively tiny island of Doria, and, believing it to be a fragment of the old Earth, ruthlessly conquered it...

For the past few decades, unknown to most, Isingura has been ruthlessly crushing every nation its imperial navy discovers. Island upon island fall under its control, each completely unaware of the assimilation until it's over.

Isingura recently conquered the small island of Piratuno, and, with it, the most nationalist and xenophobic island folk yet.

You have lived in Piratuno all your life, and have never taken an active role in politics, but with Isingura came the REICH, an extreme version of the government found on Isingura. Every single move a person makes is recorded somewhere, and the death penalty is the only sentence passed by the courts.

To call yourself furious at the atrocities the REICH ritually commit towards your people would be an understatement, but to top it all off, your sister was recently executed for the trivial crime of failing to turn up for work one day.

Isn't it time you helped to free your nation?

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

I've recently become addicted to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, so I haven't been doing much on PF today. However, I've decided to give the subscreen at the top a little overhaul, with a little Wolf3D-style icon of the protagonist (that'll react to shots and stuff) replacing the little full body thingy that did nothing, and an ammo counter (because up until now the only notification you got about your ammo reserves was the little message you got when you picked up a pack of ammo). The main things that still need doing concern the last board of the Prison, the sewer, which'll contain the Prison Warden, the first boss of the game. When that, the pause menu and the introduction are completed, I'll release Demo 1 for criticism and enjoyment.

Today's screenshot (looks like this is becoming a ritual of mine)

This is the first thing you see when you start the game proper.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

Right, does anyone have any good name ideas for Project Free?

Project Free was the title intended for the game I was originally gonna release, which I deemed too Matrix-like and canned before I started it. Now I'm making a serious game, I really think I should rename it to a less amateur name.

My first idea for a title was "Recoup", but there's probably a million other snappy titles that could fit.

Anyway, I'll post today's screen sometime soon.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

Today's Screenshots

#1: A preview of the currently unfinished sewer board.
#2: This is you! (In full half-block-and-text 16 colour glory)

This post has been edited by NihilistMatt: 11 November 2006 - 01:11 AM

[KKairos]

Not too bad on the art side; gameplay/development shots look pretty good, too.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

Yeah, I'm spending WAY too much time on the art side and not enough on the meat and potatoes.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

I just finished writing the Notepad articles. (PF's pause menu will allow you to read manuals and memos from Resistance members). They are in MZM format, with one MZM per page.

The notepad is also the subject of *fanfare* TODAY'S SCREENSHOT!

The notepad feature (notice the improved graphics - the pause screen now has its own charset)

EDIT: I have no idea why these screens are so dark. It's probably just how MZX captures screenshots.

This post has been edited by NihilistMatt: 12 November 2006 - 03:11 AM

[Goshi]

Do you really need to post a screenshot every day? O_o

[Dr Lancer-X]

Don't listen to Goshi, we <3 the screenshots.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

Goshi, on Nov 12 2006, 04:00 AM, said:

Do you really need to post a screenshot every day? O_o

Well, I just got into the habit of doing it, cos it makes me believe that I'm actually doing something on the project

And I like people to know what I've done before I release a demo so I can get criticism and stuff.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

Inspired (!?!) by AsieKernal, I've decided to learn file access, and create my own scripting language.

I know, it's a stupid idea when MZX already does everything but the kitchen sink, but hell, it's a project! (and it might help n00bs create text games or something very easily)

This doesn't mean I'm going to be ditching PF, which is still my main project (the demo is slated for a Christmas release at the latest)

[asiekierka]

now ZGUI uses AsieKernal to boot/shutdown.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

yes, yes it does :S

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

I haven't been doing much work on PF today (sadly) because I've been working on other things *cough*AsieKernal*cough*. However, still expect the PF demo by Christmas.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

WTF!?! No screenshot?

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

I've started work on the first boss, the Prison Warden.

Bosses in PF will all be puzzle bosses. That is, you need to solve a puzzle in order to open their weakness. The Prison Warden's puzzle is easy - hit the two switches to deactivate the shield protecting him. Of course there are obstacles the Warden has set to make that job as hard as possible: guards, turrets and spit missiles (I kid you not) will make throwing the switches a worthy challenge for PF beginners.

(Plus I suck at AI so this is the best cop-out I could think of )

Today's Screenshots:

The slightly groovy first boss (yes, I know there's a robot visible in the top left. Get over it.)

The actual boss battle, note the two red switches, palooza of guards and shield.

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

PF A1D1 will most likely be released tonight for all you guys to test out and flame viciously over (I have no beta testers so right now the entire thing is based on my pretty low difficulty tolerance )

[Xx*SaturnineMatthias*xX]

OK, I'm going to use the time between now and December to brainstorm some new projects for when I finish PF Act One.

Current ideas:

• Caverns of Zeux SPECIAL EDITION > (since Caverns was made in MZX 1, it's missing out on a lot of neato features that have been implemented since then, like overlays, char set and palette swapping, and sprites etc.
  
• MzxPeople - a fusion of MZX, The Sims and Little Computer People
  
• A FF-style RPG (I'm obsessed with FF8)
  
• watch this space for more...