[Terryn]

Better yet: make the keys assignable.

[T-Bone]

A possible solution to the current argument I'm reading here about controls; you could allow an option for the player to configure the controls at the start of the game.

EDIT:

Pretty much what Terryn just said yesterday.

You could have a few options of keys or make use of the entire letter keyboard for the player to choice from. Or a range of keys.

This post has been edited by T-Bone: 17 June 2009 - 07:44 PM

[RyanThunder]

T-Bone, on Jun 17 2009, 02:42 PM, said:

A possible solution to the current argument I'm reading here about controls; you could allow an option for the player to configure the controls at the start of the game.

EDIT:

Pretty much what Terryn just said yesterday.

You could have a few options of keys or make use of the entire letter keyboard for the player to choice from. Or a range of keys.

Yea, that would fix any discrepancies that anyone would have with the controls. Thanks for the tip!

[nooodl]

RyanThunder, on Jun 16 2009, 06:43 PM, said:

Alright...dude...try positioning your hands on the N & M keys and on the Arrow keys. See? It's fine.

Honestly, if it's that big of a problem for people, I'll change them to Z & X. However you do have a point: Z & X are more mainstream.

[RyanThunder]

Oh, snap. I didn't take the AZERTY layout into account. With that said, I suppose I'll change it to Z & X.

[Goshi]

Whatever happened to?

Quote

Better yet: make the keys assignable.

[RyanThunder]

Roadblocks

With the recent delay that I announced, I thought it would be nice to clear things up as to why specifically there was a delay.

Life Roadblocks

1. College
During the last days of May and beginning days of June, everything was wrapping up for me at college, so the workload was pretty intense (among social issues, but we all have our own problems). Luckily, now that I've graduated, that's all over. Which brings me to...

2. Job Hunting
I read somewhere that there are more graduates in the Class of 2009 than there are open job positions. I sure picked a fine time to graduate, didn't I? In any case, job hunting kind of becomes a full-time job in itself, so this is what's going to be taking up most of my time.

Creative Roadblocks

For the most part, it's not a matter of doing these things below, but to just stop procrastinating and do them. Here are the things that are ruining my mood to work on the game...

1. The introduction sequence
I am very, very pleased with it so far, but I'm at a point in it now where I just simply have writer's block; I'm not sure what to do with it next. I bet if I sit in front of it long enough, I'll eventually get a great idea, so this roadblock will probably be the easiest to overcome.

2. Mappable keys
I'm eventually going to gather enough energy to teach myself how to do this. I wouldn't have so much of a problem with it if the game wasn't halfway done. I'm sure all there is to it is key recognition and saved strings.

3. Dialogue system overhaul
I recently applied a new dialogue system to the game where dialogue is progressed by pressing the 'M' key. Now, since I didn't take the AZERTY keyboard layout into consideration, this will be made slightly more complicated when I apply the mappable key system.

4. The original music
As it stands right now, the game only has about 3 or 4 originally composed OGG files, which includes Ryan Thunder's theme. The composer I had kind of "skipped town" on me as it were, so now it's up to me to compose an original soundtrack for the game. I have no quarrels with this, but the problem is if I even should do it. The MODs (and some OGGs) that I picked out for the game are great, but at the same time I feel that at the end of the day I'd really like to call the soundtrack my own (especially if I plan later to sell special edition copies of the game or something). Plus, I think it's a little weird to have 3 or 4 original tracks while the rest of the soundtrack is borrowed MODs and OGGs. The Soundtrack Selection option will still be present with the Sonic 2, MMX, and MM7 soundtracks, though.

5. Save file system
This system isn't meant to be too overly complicating. Basically, when the game does its auto-save function, I going to have it write a few things to a TXT file (i.e. the player's name, number of lives, score, and what stage they're on) that the game will read at the "Load Game" screen, so that each save file can be differentiated. This is really for cosmetic purposes, as I think it will look a lot more nicer and formal than the typical F4 load screen. Again, it's just a matter of reading the help file and teaching myself how to do it.


I'm gonna pull a Wervyn and close this journal post with a quote:

"Excuses, excuses."

This post has been edited by RyanThunder: 28 June 2009 - 08:49 PM

[Revvy]

For mappable keys, I think the following system should work:

Mapping keys:

:#map_dialogue_skip
*~FPress a key for skipping dialogue
goto #receive_key
if mapped_key = -1 #return
set dialogue_skip mapped_key
goto #return

:#receive_key
set mapped_key -1
:!
wait 1
set local key_pressed
if (('local' != (whatever escape's value is) a ('local' != 0)) = 0 !
if local = (whatever escape's value is) #return
set mapped_key local
set mapped_key
goto #return

Using mapped keys:

:*~FWoo dialogue
goto #wait
*~FWoo more dialogue
goto #wait
...
:#wait
:!
wait 1
if key&dialogue_skip& = 0 !
clear mesg
goto #return

Makes sense?

[RyanThunder]

Revvy, on Jun 28 2009, 09:08 PM, said:

For mappable keys, I think the following system should work:

Mapping keys:

:#map_dialogue_skip
*~FPress a key for skipping dialogue
goto #receive_key
if mapped_key = -1 #return
set dialogue_skip mapped_key
goto #return

:#receive_key
set mapped_key -1
:!
wait 1
set local key_pressed
if (('local' != (whatever escape's value is) a ('local' != 0)) = 0 !
if local = (whatever escape's value is) #return
set mapped_key local
set mapped_key
goto #return

Using mapped keys:

:*~FWoo dialogue
goto #wait
*~FWoo more dialogue
goto #wait
...
:#wait
:!
wait 1
if key&dialogue_skip& = 0 !
clear mesg
goto #return

Makes sense?

Yea, this does make sense. I noticed you have an ESC function in the first example in case the player decides to cancel (right?). However, I want to display the key that they pressed or have configured. Would that mean I would have to have a huge batch of IF statements to assign whatever letter CHAR to a string, depending on which key they pressed?

Also, I didn't even ask for your help and got it anyway, and it is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[Revvy]

Well, for the display, the value from key_pressed (or maybe key_code, I forget which one you actually want) should correspond to A-Z in the character set for the alphanumeric keys. Then you just need if statements for the special keys.

[RyanThunder]

Revvy, on Jun 28 2009, 11:04 PM, said:

Well, for the display, the value from key_pressed (or maybe key_code, I forget which one you actually want) should correspond to A-Z in the character set for the alphanumeric keys. Then you just need if statements for the special keys.

So, you're saying that if I do something like:

:loop
char "KEY_PRESSED"
wait 1
goto "loop"
end

...that the robot will, for example, turn its CHAR into the letter "A" if I press the A key?

P.S. Forgive me for not trying this out myself; I don't have access to MZX at the moment.

[Revvy]

That would probably work, now that I think about it. Like I said, it's either key_pressed or key_code, they give different values.

[asiekierka]

RyanThunder, on Jun 28 2009, 10:36 PM, said:

(especially if I plan later to sell special edition copies of the game or something).

Oh my god...

...You are joking, sir, right?

[RyanThunder]

asiekierka, on Jun 30 2009, 01:35 AM, said:

Oh my god...

...You are joking, sir, right?

No, not really. Each copy of the game would only sell for, like, $5 or something. That's assuming that I compose an original soundtrack for it. It would of course come with a few other benefits as well that wouldn't be available in the initial download version.

EDIT: If I'm somehow not allowed to do that (i.e. making profit off of a game made in a free program; not sure where the line is drawn on that issue), I can just simply sell a remastered version of the soundtrack on a CD.

This post has been edited by RyanThunder: 30 June 2009 - 06:31 PM

[A-Guymzx]

RyanThunder @ Jun 30 2009, on 08:00 PM, said:

I can just simply sell a remastered version of the soundtrack on a CD.

Good idea, selling a CD with it... but, did you even think of where to sell those things?! I mean, it would take a heck of a time to get them sold at a CD store or something...

This post has been edited by A-Guymzx: 01 July 2009 - 12:44 AM

[RyanThunder]

A-Guymzx, on Jun 30 2009, 07:31 PM, said:

Good idea, selling a CD with it... but, did you even think of where to sell those things?! I mean, it would take a heck of a time to get them sold at a CD store or something...

Good question. What I'll probably do is supply them with a ZIP of the MP3s, as well the album and CD artwork. That way, they can just put it on their favorite MP3 player (the soundtrack would be "iTunes ready"), or they can burn it to their own blank CD.

Besides that, I'm sure I can set up some kind of shop once I get a website for my creative stuff up and running.

[Koji]

Ryan, mzx games just don't get sold... a FEW people got away with that in the 90's but... yeah.

[Lachesis]

I'll buy your game for 5 monopoly dollars

[A-Guymzx]

Even if you MANAGE to sell those CDs... who will buy them? you can simply download these soundtracks for free... at least, i would do so.

[djtiesto]

Koji, on Jul 1 2009, 02:54 AM, said:

Ryan, mzx games just don't get sold... a FEW people got away with that in the 90's but... yeah.

I made like $70 off Engine 1

[Revvy]

A-Guymzx, on Jun 30 2009, 11:11 PM, said:

Even if you MANAGE to sell those CDs... who will buy them? you can simply download these soundtracks for free... at least, i would do so.

Well aren't you just a wonderful person?

[T-Bone]

RyanThunder, on Jun 28 2009, 04:36 PM, said:

(especially if I plan later to sell special edition copies of the game or something)

I'm not sure how well that would fly now-a-days. I could see like a full version of Booshkie's selling but other than that... i doubt you'd get a dollar, unless you were asking for donations. Selling MZX games is something i can't see happening, unless its targeted outside of the community and it looks incredible in screenshots.

[RyanThunder]

A-Guymzx, on Jun 30 2009, 11:11 PM, said:

Even if you MANAGE to sell those CDs... who will buy them? you can simply download these soundtracks for free... at least, i would do so.

This is assuming that I actually compose an original soundtrack for it. With the way the MOD/OGG soundtrack is turning out right now, I'm not so sure if I'd be able to top it.

But, to answer your snide remark: yes, you're right. If we're assuming that an OST was composed, some people will take it upon themselves and simply extract the OGG files from the game folder and burn their own CD. However, there are also some people who don't prefer to do that type of thing, and have it done for them, albeit in a much more formal manner. Since MZX games aren't known for being particularly large, the OGG files will indefinitely have a low bitrate, and an audio expert will know that something like 96/kbps bit rate per song just doesn't cut it. If they want a high bitrate, remastered version of the OST, with album and CD artwork, and having it be "iTunes ready" with proper track numbers, track name and artist info, then they can simply pay a small fee to have a download package for that sent right to them.

That's all hypothetical, of course. Nothing is concrete yet. I mean, I have to finish the damn game first.

[A-Guymzx]

Nevermind all this CD madness... I've played the demo of the game(platinum collection), and to be true, it's damn good! just finish the frekin' game and i'll download it right away.

This post has been edited by A-Guymzx: 01 July 2009 - 09:58 PM

[RyanThunder]

A-Guymzx, on Jul 1 2009, 04:57 PM, said:

Nevermind all this CD madness... I've played the demo of the game(platinum collection), and to be true, it's damn good! just finish the frekin' game and i'll download it right away.

Awesome! It's nice to know that I can count on someone to download the finished product! Quite a few things have changed since that demo, including that italic font (that just became too unreadable after a while), and I made a post about what's changed about two months ago.

This post has been edited by RyanThunder: 01 July 2009 - 10:45 PM

[T-Bone]

When I get home I'll give the game a whirl on my laptop and tell you what I think of it.

[RyanThunder]

T-Bone, on Jul 2 2009, 02:40 PM, said:

When I get home I'll give the game a whirl on my laptop and tell you what I think of it.

So, did you give the game a whirl? What'd you think?

[T-Bone]

Where's a link to it?

[RyanThunder]

T-Bone, on Jul 20 2009, 09:50 AM, said:

Where's a link to it?

I thought you had it already?

In any case, the demo is located within The Ryan Tyrrell Platinum Collection in the DigitalMZX archives.

[RyanThunder]

Still going

Well, luckily I have a decent full-time job now. The trouble is that it's on 2nd shift, so most of my free time is gone, though I do still have my weekends. However, with that said, this actually makes me want to work in MegaZeux even more for some reason.

Anyway, my point is that I'm going to fit as much creative time in as I can, perhaps in micro-sessions during the weekday nights.

As for a release date, I am hoping to release it by the end of 2009, but again I'm not going to make any promises. The main thing to keep in mind is to know that the game will be finished at some point.