[Otto Germain]

What started as a simple bugfix has become a much larger project... I'm working on a total overhaul for Bernard the Bard, fixing many lingering issues, improving playability, and adding many new features. Why do this at this point in time? I'm honestly not sure, but I know it needs to be done.

Here's a quick list of things I hope to fix:


*Replace font with more readable substitute (done)
*Harp glitch in the graveyard which prevents progression (done)
*Many, many overlay issues (done! Thanks to sprites!)
*No bonus point from juggling book (done)
Graveyard temple puzzle... complete rewrite.
Glitchy animations in ice cave.
Skippable dialogue with crystal ball in ice cave.
Complete graphics overhaul. Make the game overall less ugly. (in progress)
Enemies drop items! What a concept! (done)
Reduce number of dodging enemies.
Addition of melee attacks. Many items can be used in combat (in progress)
New ammo types for Bernard to juggle, like acorns and squirrel skulls. (done)
Different outfits for Bernard, which affect how people react to you. (done)
Rework the rpg battle, and use it a couple more times throughout the game.
New paths, new dungeons, reworking of old, stale dungeons... especially sewer.
Complete rework of all large bosses. Made obsolete by sprites.
Revamp the awful, awful sound... especially final boss.
Make followers (like Ned) less annoying and more useful.
Most of the minigame segments will need an overhaul as well, I fear.


For now, here's a test of the new animation system, head display, and even a melee attack:

http://www.depot13.c...reduxtest01.zip

This post has been edited by Otto Germain: 03 October 2012 - 08:12 PM

[Exophase]

Sounds really nice. Looking forward to it.

[Lachesis]

Unexpected! Definitely interested in seeing how this turns out, in the meantime I should finish playing the original.

[mzxgiant]

Bernard the Bard 2: The Marriage to Bernadette the Bard

[Risu2112]

#$!%!& ?

[Old-Sckool]

Are you up to date on all the latest megazeux features? Counter Interpolation? Expressions? MZMs? The RID# built-in counter that breaks the original BtB due to the fact that you can no longer have counter names like "Riddle"?

[Otto Germain]

I'm working on bringing it all up to speed... there's a lot of really outdated stuff in here.

...which robot used the Riddle counter?

also I'm having trouble remembering my syntax, how would I change all player bullets into neutral bullets?

[Dr Lancer-X]

Otto Germain, on 01 July 2012 - 07:37 AM, said:

also I'm having trouble remembering my syntax, how would I change all player bullets into neutral bullets?

change from c?? Bullet p00 to c?? Bullet p04
change from c?? Bullet p01 to c?? Bullet p05
change from c?? Bullet p02 to c?? Bullet p06
change from c?? Bullet p03 to c?? Bullet p07

p00 through to p03 are player bullets going NSEW (respectively) which p04 through to p07 are neutral bullets

[Otto Germain]

Thanks Lancer, that's very useful... I should be able to get this thing to do what I want now.

[Otto Germain]

Thanks for the help, guys...

Got it set up now so that you equip 2 different ammo types that you can switch between with Tab. It uses player and neutral bullets to allow both bullet types to be onscreen at once. Ammo counts are tracked seperately, and each type can have its own effect on enemies.

[smilymzx]

Great Scott... This is gonna be cool!

EDIT: the Original version of BTB contains a ZZT Parody, If you want to keep in with differences, Look at my Demo for demonstration, It may also help if Ned The Knight is getting remade from ZZT to MZX!

http://www.digitalmz...showtopic=15378

Also: Kuddy has the best ZZT2MZX converter around. so it may be good to try that,

Also, Look out for the upcoming (currently in-dev) fork of MZX by me, it's named after me (Need to create two or so seperate versions if so)!

[Risu2112]

smilymzx, on 02 July 2012 - 04:42 AM, said:

Also, Look out for the upcoming (currently in-dev) fork of MZX by me, it's named after me (Need to create two or so seperate versions if so)!

die

[Otto Germain]

Here's a test of several of the core mechanics regarding the player. HUD is working, and there's some enemies to fight. Experiment with the plunger and the different ammo types.

http://www.depot13.c...reduxtest04.mzx

This post has been edited by Otto Germain: 02 July 2012 - 02:39 PM

[smilymzx]

The fork is just an option, People do not have to use it... and no, I will not die right now!

[Otto Germain]

Got a message log in place now, for displaying various in-game messages in an organized way. Enemies now show health bars when damaged.

http://www.depot13.c...reduxtest06.mzx

[Baby Bonnie Hood]

Man, just when I thought BtB can't get any better...

[mzxgiant]

Pretty cool, works well!

The only thing I see is when using 'a', sometimes the the keypress registers multiple times for me (so it swaps it twice). May be just a glitch with my setup. This seemed to present more when I was also pressing the left or right arrow, but may be just my imagination.

[djtiesto]

Sounds awesome, hopefully it will be a bit easier! I've always had trouble with the original for some reason, especially the sewers area and running out of ammo! I actually kinda suck at traditionally-styled MZX games. That's why my traditional games are so easy

[Otto Germain]

It'll be much kinder with the ammunition. Not to the point where it's entirely pointless, but running out of ammo should be far less frequent and not game-ending.

djtiesto, on 07 July 2012 - 06:33 AM, said:

Sounds awesome, hopefully it will be a bit easier! I've always had trouble with the original for some reason, especially the sewers area and running out of ammo! I actually kinda suck at traditionally-styled MZX games. That's why my traditional games are so easy

[Zinfandel]

Is this still bein' worked on?

[Otto Germain]

It is... or rather, it will be. I'm moving into a new home so I've been pretty sidetracked with that.

I'll be getting back to it before the end of the month.

[mzxgiant]

Otto Germain, on 09 August 2012 - 02:52 PM, said:

I'll be getting back to it before the end of the month.

Famous last words.

[djtiesto]

Otto Germain, on 09 August 2012 - 07:52 PM, said:

It is... or rather, it will be. I'm moving into a new home so I've been pretty sidetracked with that.

I'll be getting back to it before the end of the month.

I know that feeling well! What kinda home did you buy?

[Otto Germain]

djtiesto, on 21 August 2012 - 03:19 AM, said:

I know that feeling well! What kinda home did you buy?

It's just an apartment... nice place, though. Friendly neighbors, reasonably priced.

Internet's back up now, so I don't feel quite so cut off from the outside world.


As for BtB, I've got a lot of the core engine done. I'm at the point where I just need to start redoing the maps, adding more items to the new inventory system, and revamping the enemies.

[Otto Germain]

I haven't posted anything about this in a while, so here's some in-progress screenshots of the new town map... the overall layout is roughly the same, but there's a lot that's been changed. The biggest difference is that the entire town is on one map rather than nine... should be much more streamlined.

[Old-Sckool]

Nice stuff. Keep it up

[Otto Germain]

Screenshot of the new sewers map:

[Otto Germain]

I've finished the inventory system and all the items. There's plenty of new additions, and the existing items have new uses. Almost everything can be used in combat now... for example, the pocket watch not only tells time, but can hypnotize enemies.

Enemies are in the process of being redone, with less bullet-dodging and more variation in their attacks, and lots of new enemy types to boot. Some enemies are shielded, resisting attacks unless their defenses are stripped through the clever use of an item. All enemies drop loot when defeated.

Also, I actually had a legitimate use for :gooptouched

[bitbot]

What a pleasant surprise! I'm a huge fan of your work. You heavily influenced LINK II.
A minimal update to Ned the Knight would be killer. It was a shame it got corrupted.

Edit: It would be pretty easy to replace the title screen and stitch the two files back together with KevEdit. Some minor enhancements would be nice too. Please consider reviving this classic!

This post has been edited by bitbot: 21 October 2012 - 06:46 PM

[Otto Germain]

bitbot, on 21 October 2012 - 06:31 PM, said:

What a pleasant surprise! I'm a huge fan of your work. You heavily influenced LINK II.
A minimal update to Ned the Knight would be killer. It was a shame it got corrupted.

Edit: It would be pretty easy to replace the title screen and stitch the two files back together with KevEdit. Some minor enhancements would be nice too. Please consider reviving this classic!

Link II looks pretty sweet... if ZZT wasn't so crashy on my mac I'd definitely play through it.

I think I'm gonna leave the Ned revival up to BBB, who has already started a MZX remake of the game... remaking BtB is a huge enough project for me right now.