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Long ago John and Recre John were released by Soharix but this time, taking the original John engine to its next level, with realistic gravity and collisions, the John engine morphs into the Marvin the Magician engine.

Obviously this game is still in the WIP stage at the moment, but above all my other projects I have high hopes for this one.

Some ingame screenshots follow:


1. Marvin just outside Calger forest


2. Marvin stood in the doorway of the general store in Calger


3. Marvin stood in the centre of Calger


4. Marvin stood at the enterance to Calger gorge, with Calger forest in the background


5. Marvin stood on a hill next to Breezy plateau (which is up to the right) with Calger in the background


6. Marvin stood in the general store in Calger, without the NPC


7. Marvin stood outside his fake brother's house (Marvin doesn't find out he's his fake brother until later on in the story.)


8. An up to date version of picture 5

As you can probably see from those pictures, some include GUIs and different values in the top left, that is simply because they were all taken throughout different times in the development. (Also, the last picture, the skysphere seems quite close and is cutting out the rest of the map - this has been changed and the skybox is of a sensible size now.)

Ingame:
Ingame you operate the moment of Marvin the Magician using by default WASD movement and the mouse for camera rotation. Marvin can shoot enemies, gain money from them which he can use to buy better staffs and necklaces (the necklaces currently don't do anything but will increase things like attack speed and movement speed.) Marvin can also buy special items such as keys but they cost quite a bit and you'd be just as well to go and find the secret area where the item is hidden. Marvin can walk around freely on the landscape, he can jump on anything low enough (he can jump straight onto small trees) and he can pick up health and mana bottles to restore the use of hitpoints in battle and mana when using secondry spells (the secondry spells haven't yet been made but will do more damage, at the cost of mana, than the normal primary spell does.)

Points for this WIP:
I've done:
- Movement including jumping
- Enemies and respawning
- Attacking
- Inventory system with buyables from the general store
- NPC-to-player (text) conversations
- Health and mana pickups
- Extra items such as keys for doors (currently only one at the moment though)
- Full camera movement

I'm working on:
- More enemies
- More of the first map
- Enemy AI
- Functionality for the necklaces

I should be/will be doing:
- More NPCs
- More enemies
- Other lands
- Secondry spells

Programs and techniques used:
Programming and 3D engine: Dark BASIC Professional
Maps and models: Deled LITE
Textures: Gimp, Paint and Microsoft Office Picture Manager

The game has toggleable shadow shading, on the main character and his staff, to allow for extra effect and to ease jumping.
The game also has cell shading, or cartoon shading on the main character, his staff, the NPCs and the enemies to give the game that cartoony edge and happy game-like feeling.
The controls should also be editable to users preference.

The only real reason I'm posting this WIP is because Soharix has only made 2 releases and isn't really known that well. So, this is what I've been working on since 24/11/2007 20:47:32 (English date)

Games Marvin the Magician is like:
Over the time I've been making games I have noticed trends in my styles. These may either by limitations or just preference.
Marvin the Magician seems to resemble to me:
Rayman 2 by Ubisoft.
Spooky Castle (Now known as Kid Mystic.) by Hamumu games.
Magicians Lair by Europress (That comes free with the Games Factory 32 bit.)
The Legend of Zelda by Nintendo.
And obviously John and Recre John.

Any comments?
Anyone want to help? (I could use it.)

EDIT:
1. Added section on programs and techniques used.
2. 2 more screenshots.
3. Added section on games Marvin the Magician is like.
4. Added another game, to the section on games Marvin the Magician is like, and more techniques to the section on programs and techniques used.

WIP Closed.

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This is looking pretty damn awesome! I especially like the screenie with the river. Great style indeed. I'll be following this

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Again, another nice game from Soharix, it appears. It as nearly as unfair as Dumbow and Cool's selling rates that you guys aren't know so well.

I totally dig that style, the looks and the sounds of the engine! This could be one awesome game .

Tell me what you need help with, maybe I can be of assistance in the 2D/graphical side. Maybe.

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@ Zotoaster

Thank you, in light of that comment about the river, I took a more recent screenshot (picture 8)

@ tha_rami

Thank you as well
It's always nice to know people like my work.

Tomorow I will post a list of things I could do with help on. There is plenty, from texturing to modeling. About the only thing I don't currently need help with is the coding, but if there are any problems, I'll probably post them here.

(Oh and the engine's nothing special, it's just a bit of Sparky's collision DLL with some FPS jumping and gravity code mixed together.)

More to come tomorow...

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Sssshhht. Remove that thing on the engine being nothing special!

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I like Marvin. Maybe you should see about putting him in TGC Heroes...(Just kidding rami!)

But really, looks nice! Can't wait to see more.

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Looks even awesomer, despite the few changes. I haven't played it, but just judging from the screenshots it looks like an explory-type game. That level just looks simply awesome

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I would like to play your video games, thank you

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I like the look of his ice cream. Can I have some?

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The following applies to other people interested but is directed at individuals:

@ tha_rami
I said I'd post a list of things I could get help on, I will create that list shortly then post it with hopefully a playable version

@ bmaczero
I wouldn't want to pester tha_rami for anything else, John is already in TGC heroes. And I wouldn't feel right if Marvin was in it and the game wasn't finished.

@ Zotoaster
Nobody but myself has played it yet, I would like to upload a playable version but there may be some confusion as half the menu functions don't work and some of the features in-game don't do anything yet. (E.G. You can get the key (seen next to Marvin in picture 8) for the door to Calger gorge, but there isn't anything in Calger gorge.)

@ NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
Yeh the first thing Soharix noticed was that he was carrying an ice cream. I would change it but I don't have a very good imagination when it comes to magic staffs. Maybe that could be the first help I get from someone:

If anyone can draw an interesting (but not too complicated) magic staff for me, I will remodel Marvin's staff.
It can't be too complicated because I'm modeling it in Deled LITE which is primarily a map editor, but I'm hoping to get Milkshape for Christmas.

Thanks again people for the positive input

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List of things people may help out with if they wish:

Designing required:
1. Different enemy ideas.
2. Secondry spell types.
3. New staff design.

Audio:
1. Some nice peaceful but unintrusive background music.
2. Some basic cartoony sounds such as a high pitched "boing" for the jumping or a weird magical sound for when Marvin casts a spell.

2D images required:
1. HUD images - inventory & stats.
2. NPC message box.
3. Item icons.

3D images required (textures):
1. Water texture for the river and sea eventually.
2. Foliage texture for trees. (Because we are currently using an old grass texture.)
3. Skybox texture. (Because we're currently using one from the internet, which isn't really ours in that case.)

3D models required:
Any model for the enemy designs. (So you could design 1 and if I aprove you could also make it.)

Playable version:

Download the ZIPed version from Soharix here:
http://www.soharix.homestead.com/Marvin_the_Magician.zip

Download the RARed version from Soharix here:
http://www.soharix.homestead.com/Marvin_the_Magician.rar

Controls:
WASD to move.
Control to jump.
Space to interact with NPCs and pick up pickups.
Shift to cast the primary spell.
F5 to save character
F9 to load character
Hold right mouse button and move the mouse to rotate and raise/lower the camera.
Press C to toggle the autocamera zooming. (When Marvin is inside a building or under a tree the camera will move closer to him to allow you to see him instead of seeing the backface of a wall or some leaves.)
When talking to NPCs use the number keys to select which option to choose.

Things that don't work yet:
The options menu
Calger gorge's contents
Port Calger
Secondary spells
Necklaces

Enemies:
Slimes - normal enemy speed, don't take off too many hitpoints
Mushrooms - slow enemy speed, take off quite a lot of hitpoints

Extra functionality and information:
Health and mana bottles - press space to use 1 that is lying on the floor and it will heal 25 hitpoints or 25 mana points (Max health and mana is 100.)
Keys - the key to Calger gorge can be found next to Breezy plateau or can be bought in the general store.
Marvin can't swim and loses health if he tries.

Please report any bugs you find to me either here or E-mail me:
(c0wb^x@h^tmail.c^m (replace ^s with os))

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Sweet. He looks like a young Magical Trevor. Will play in a bit. Having played the John games, I expect this to be good.

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I can create semi-realistic skyboxes, and I think I can turn them into cartoon ones. I can also help with a 2D HUD. Let me know ASAP, I expect to be plunged into utter chaos soon.

I played a little, was impressed by the consistent style, but the gameplay needs some more speed and effects. Besides that, you're moving towards the playable state.

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This is really impressive. This will get your name out to the community for sure. I hope you new a newsletter mention, at least in the from the forums bit.

I like most of what I see and hear, though your textures are a bit off, making things hard to see sometimes. The textures aren't bad, just off. I think you should have a forum artist go over them and sort of make them fit more. It's mostly too many darks and not nearly enough brights.

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@ Mr Tank
Thanks man. And yeh there are a lot of things Marvin could be associated to. - And your expectations should be proven correct, everyone else seems to think highly of it, and so do I.

@ tha_rami
Well I'd love to give you lots of work but I'd get worried that you weren't working on TGCH, or is it getting kinda slow for the moment and you need some work to do somewhere?

Well if you do wish to help then you can edit the skybox and the HUD images. (Just go into the images folder in the game directory and edit to your hearts content, then post them here and I'll take a look.) (Baring in mind that the bar spaces in Stats.bmp needs to be pure black (0,0,0) because it's got to be transparent, likewise with the black boxes in the inventory.) (Please keep all the boxes the same size and position otherwise it will require re-coding, which I'd rather not do.)

@ Bizar Guy
Thanks, I would like to be in the newsletter, it would feel good.
And yeh I know some of the textures clash a bit, especially on those steps leading up to breezy plateau. (But that was originally just so they were slightly hidden.)

I will go have a think about some of the textures for the next playable version and add/edit some other things.

Oh and as a final note, I could really do with that foliage texture for the trees, they look too much like the floor.

Thanks again everyone

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Played it. Seems to work pretty well. I went right until i reached cliffs, then followed the cliffs downward as far as possible, walked off the map, then walked to where the continuation of the sea would be (off the map), and the game exited without any error message.

Promising stuff. Wish Marvin would walk a bit faster though, or the distances to walk were shorter.

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Yeh the walking off the map and standing on water isn't advisable. (But you won't be able to walk off the map when its finished.)

The distances won't change, but the necklaces will work in the following way:
Stone necklace - This necklace will increase your attack speed.
Steel necklace - This necklace will increase your movement speed and attack speed.
Gold necklace - This necklace will half damage inflicted, increase your movement speed and attack speed.
Crystal necklace - This necklace will half mana usage, damage inflicted, increase your movement speed and attack speed.

So if you buy the last one, you get all the stat upgrades.

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New playable version:

Download the ZIPed version from Soharix here:
http://www.soharix.homestead.com/Marvin_the_Magician.zip

Download the RARed version from Soharix here:
http://www.soharix.homestead.com/Marvin_the_Magician.rar

See previous version post for controls and other information.

New ingame screenshot of Port Calger:


9. Marvin getting beaten up by a mushroom in Port Calger

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Hmm, well it exited on it's own after about a minute, so here's my critique so far:

Map the talk key to the mouse, and jump to space, and have the move constantly control the camera, and not be so sensative.

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This is looking good . I like the style, reminds me of Zelda a bit .

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@ Bizar Guy
I would love to map jump to space if it wasn't for the fact that on my keyboard you can't press W and A and jump at the same time it just won't do anything.
But I'll add the left mouse button to talk as well as space.

And howcome it exited on its own? Did your health run out for no reason - or was there an error of some kind?

@ Gil Galvanti
Thanks man, yeh Zelda is yet another game Marvin the Magician could be associated to.

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Looks awesome C0wbox! I would help but I am tied up with Breeder's Life and I don't know jack about DBP.

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Hey, this game seems to be really nice and it does have some really nice graphics. Haven´t tried it yet, but will soon. Keep up the good work!

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@ CGJ
Its ok, I understand. (But DBP can't be all that different to DBC.)

@ Mr Z
Thanks. I wouldn't have said the graphics were nice, they are just, refined. I've been developing the things that go into Marvin the Magician for a while - the textures and object structuring techniques.

New playable version:
As usual the ZIPed version can be downloaded from here:
http://www.soharix.homestead.com/Marvin_the_Magician.zip
But I have discontinued uploading RARs to Soharix because I was running out of room, and well, most people don't even know what RARs are but everyone* can open a ZIP.
*All Windows XP+ users.

(The new playable version allows you to use leftclick to use an object as well as space.)

New screenshots from the new playable version:


10. Marvin stood in Port Calger with the mushrooms.


11. New version of the new version of picture 5.

Bugs:
Please look for them people but consider first if it simply that I haven't made that part of the game yet. (Like falling off the map.)

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That HUD is too small to really work on it... I just tried this.

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@ tha_rami

Wow, thats amazing! - I love it.

What did you mean its too small to work on? You did fine

Will you be doing the inventory and message boxes too?

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Could do so, lol. Will have to find some time. I'll come back to you later.

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@ tha_rami
Okey dokey. And thanks

@ Anyone else
Does anyone get about 10 FPS lower when they are walking on Marvin the Magician because mine runs at around 55 FPS and when I walk it drops to about 45 even as low as 37 FPS. Does anyone know why this might be?

The code for walking is as follows:
+ Code Snippet

   UPMOVE=keystate(17)-keystate(31)
   RIGHTMOVE=keystate(32)-keystate(30)
   if UPMOVE or RIGHTMOVE
    ANGLE#=atanfull(RIGHTMOVE,UPMOVE)+CAY#
    ANGLE2#=curveangle(ANGLE#,ANGLE2#,4)
    yrotate object OBJ,ANGLE#
    move object OBJ,1
    X#=object position x (OBJ) : Y#=object position y (OBJ) : Z#=object position z (OBJ)
    COL=sc_sphereslide(0,OX#,OY#,OZ#,X#,Y#,Z#,7.5,OBJ)
    if COL>0
     position object OBJ,sc_getcollisionslidex(),sc_getcollisionslidey(),sc_getcollisionslidez()
    endif
    yrotate object OBJ,ANGLE2#
   endif
   X#=object position x (OBJ) : Y#=object position y (OBJ) : Z#=object position z (OBJ)
   AX#=object angle x (OBJ) : AY#=object angle y (OBJ) : AZ#=object angle z (OBJ)
   position object 3,X#,Y#-5,Z#
   rotate object 3,AX#+ATT,AY#,AZ#
   sc_updateobject OBJ

Extra info regarding the problem:
(Object 3 is the staff.)
(OBJ is the Marvin (object 1).)
(This code is in a normal loop, with a sync at the end.)
(Before this code is the gravity and jumping code but I don't think that part is the problem.)

Please help people, it worries me, because I don't want this project to die due to FPS problems, like my last WIP did. (Abnorm)

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I guess the bit that might cause slowdown is the collision part. Surely it would be more logical to do the "gravity" movement and the
"input" movement and do a single collision call regardless of whether the player is moving or not.

I'll see what my FPS is.

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The collision call comes after the movement, there is only one so I don't see how the FPS is getting slower during movement.

I'll run some tests and see if I can determine whether it's the movement or the gravity.

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I've found the problem after my testing.

The problem was in the gravity and jumping. Here is the code to refer to:
+ Code Snippet

   OX#=object position x (OBJ) : OY#=object position y (OBJ) : OZ#=object position z (OBJ)
   if keystate(29) or keystate(157)
    JUMP=1
   else
    JUMP=0
   endif
   HEIGHT=14
   JUMPFORCE=4
   G#=0.2
   if JUMP=1 and CANJUMP=0 and HEIGHT#<HEIGHT+7.5
   JUMP#=JUMPFORCE
   CANJUMP=1
   endif
   if JUMP=0 and HEIGHT#<HEIGHT+7.5 then CANJUMP=0
   HEIGHT#=sc_intersectobject (0,object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ),object position z(OBJ),object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ)-100000,object position z(OBJ))
   CIELING#=sc_intersectobject (0,object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ),object position z(OBJ),object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ)+100,object position z(OBJ))
   if HEIGHT#<HEIGHT+1
   GRAVITY#=0
   endif
   if CIELING#<7.5 and CIELING#>0
    JUMP#=0
   endif
   if JUMP#>0
    position object OBJ,object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ)+JUMP#,object position z(OBJ)
    JUMP#=JUMP#-G#
   endif
   if JUMP#<1
    position object OBJ,object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ)-GRAVITY#,object position z(OBJ)
    GRAVITY#=GRAVITY#+G#
   endif
   if HEIGHT#<HEIGHT then position object OBJ,object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ)+(HEIGHT-HEIGHT#),object position z(OBJ)
   CAX#=camera angle x () : CAY#=camera angle y ()

The problem is with this line:
+ Code Snippet

CIELING#=sc_intersectobject (0,object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ),object position z(OBJ),object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ)+100,object position z(OBJ))

Because with this line REMed, the game runs for me at >55 FPS, during movement, but with it active it runs at around <35 FPS, during movement.

But I can't take the line out otherwise Marvin can jump through cielings.

So what can I do?

I have a quick-fix solution that simply allows the sc_intersectobject command to only occur when JUMP#>0 so instead of it being laggy when you're walking around, it is only laggy when you jump. But I don't want this lag to occur at all.

Can anyone suggest a propper alternative or some way to overcome this problem?

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This is just awesome! Crap the good grapchis who need them!?
Especially when you have engine like this

Really good work C0wbox. Im sure this will turn out great engine someday.

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@ Roxas

Reading that actually made me smile, thank you.

I will tell you one addition I am making to the graphics though:
While I've been figuring out this FPS problem, I was playing around with cell shading (cartoon mapping) and I've managed to get some rather nice looking results with practicly no alteration to the FPS, so I kept them.

Now Marvin, the enemies and NPCs all look cartoony

@ Everyone else
I still need a possible fix for this FPS problem please

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Well, the graphics are "ugly" (not very realistic, and stuff like that), but very cute and cartoonish (like cartoonish graphics ), so I would definatly call it for nice.

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I get a constant 28 fps. Haven't used the collision dll. Suspect someone who has can help. I'll have a go...

+ Code Snippet

OX#=object position x (OBJ) : OY#=object position y (OBJ) : OZ#=object position z (OBJ)

   if keystate(29) or keystate(157):JUMP=1:else:JUMP=0:endif

   HEIGHT=14		`these can go outside main loop
   JUMPFORCE=4
   G#=0.2


if HEIGHT#<HEIGHT+7.5 `touching ground

   	if JUMP=1	`can remove the =1 if you want
		if CANJUMP=0 		`i'd suggest switch it so that canjump=1 indicates ability to jump.
   			upvel#=JUMPFORCE
   			CANJUMP=1
   		endif
	else
   		CANJUMP=0
	endif
endif

   HEIGHT#=sc_intersectobject (0,object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ),object position z(OBJ),object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ)-100000,object position z(OBJ))
   CIELING#=sc_intersectobject (0,object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ),object position z(OBJ),object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ)+100,object position z(OBJ))

   if HEIGHT#<HEIGHT+1    `this and below if could be combined with OR statement..
    upvel#=0
   endif
   if CIELING#<7.5 and CIELING#>0
    upvel#=0
   endif
   
    position object OBJ,object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ)+upvel#,object position z(OBJ)
    upvel#=upvel#-G#
   
   
   if HEIGHT#<HEIGHT then position object OBJ,object position x(OBJ),object position y(OBJ)+(HEIGHT-HEIGHT#),object position z(OBJ)
   CAX#=camera angle x () : CAY#=camera angle y ()

I think the above is (almost) equivalent to your code but neater/more efficient/concise. I say almost because if height is between 0 and 1, originally it moves TWO velocity steps (see the two if jump#... statements near the end of your version)- i noticed this glitch when playing. Could make the code a little neater but would become less obvious. Check if it works first.

I expect you can get the ground and ceiling collision to come out naturally from the sliding sphere collision. Then you just need to find out whether jumping is allowed. Either the intersect object thing (height#=...) should do, but perhaps the collision data is stored somewhere and you can use this to decide whether the sphere is on the ground or not.

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@ Mr Z
Well, thank you for being honest but remember this game is still WIP and I haven't uploaded the new version yet. (And also the idea isn't about graphics, its about being fun. - Thats what most games should go by.)

@ Mr Tank
Nope sorry man, that code did nothing when I tried to jump, indoors and outdoors.

And yeh, I thought the cieling collision and floor collision could be done using the collision sphere, but apparently not; I couldn't get it to work without sliding through either of them.

<Appeal for people who have used Sparky's collision DLL to help me on the jumping and gravity.>

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Ah i can see why it didn't work now... - it instantly puts upvel back to zero because it detects the collision with ground straight after jump. Sorry.

Probably could fix, but i assume someone who knows how to use the dll will help you rework it anyway. Best of luck.

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Have played it now, and it was nice. Just a few things. Some of them are, I think, just result of it being an WIP, and will be taken care of later. Like the controls, that does not really feel smooth. However, if you keep this up, you will have an good game in no time. It is after all just an WIP, and will develop to an better state the more it approach completion.


Note the quatation marks around "ugly". I meant it in an positive way (is is not Crysyis style, with high poly, extremly realistic textures, and other stuff like that, that would not fit very much in this game). The graphics is special.

But you are totally right in that the essence and feeling of an game is more important then how it looks. Hell, games like Star Craft and Age of Empires are still very fun, even though they are "ugly" with todays graphical standards.

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@ Mr Z
Glad you liked it. And I now understand about the "ugly"ness.

Although, I feel the controls are fine, there isn't anything more I can do to them. If you think those controls are horrible you should have played John 1.0 - The controls went something like this:
+ Code Snippet

if inkey$()="w" then rotate object 1,0,0,0 : move object 1,1
if inkey$()="s" then rotate object 1,0,180,0 : move object 1,1
if inkey$()="a" then rotate object 1,0,-90,0 : move object 1,1
if inkey$()="d" then rotate object 1,0,90,0 : move object 1,1

Which meant you couldn't move diagonals and nothing rotated smoothly.

If you have a suggestion as to how to make the controls better then please tell me, because I don't think there is a way.

New, nicer looking, playable version:

This version features the use of cartoon mapping to mimic cell shading and the use of shadow shading. (Which can be turned off in the new options menu.)

Download the ZIP from here:
http://www.soharix.homestead.com/Marvin_the_Magician.zip


12. Marvin outside Calger gorge with the new cell shading and shadow shading. (Except it shows up really badly on a JPEG of that size and a picture at that angle.)

I still need someone to help me with the gravity code.

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I just downloaded and tried this out (note your urls to the rar version are invalid), one thing that I kind of liked (although it could still use a bit of work) is the camera controls with the right mouse button.

I thought the graphical style was unique and you did a good job of keeping things the same style. It was 'cute' in it's own right. The music didn't seem too fitting though.

I don't know if this was intended or not, but it silently quit out when I entered the water (perhaps I died?). Good work