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Program Announcements / Check out my first game - Pong y2k.5 - Balls of Steel

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Cash Curtis II
19
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Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 16th Sep 2005 16:28 Edited at: 17th Sep 2005 19:31
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Okay, this is Pong y2k.5 - Balls of Steel, Beta 2.

I fixed the menu mouse thing, until I actually put mouse support in. The file has been reduced to 12.5 mb, but most importantly the ball physics are much better. I did a total math overhaul. Test it out and let me know what else is wrong.



It supports joystick and force feedback (I have to hit the analog button for it to work), sound effects, music, 5 levels of play. It started out as the old limp pong, but it got much bigger, longer, and harder... And it's got pong robo-babes.



http://secretbears.com/pong/Pongy2kBeta2.exe

Let me know if anything is funny, quirky, or buggy about it. Let me know things I can improve. I wrote it on a 2ghz laptop, so it should work pretty good.

You can shoot the opponent and the ball! The computer is not as good with the gun, so use it to your advantage.

Enjoy!
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spooky
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Joined: 30th Aug 2002
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 16th Sep 2005 17:26
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Not bad for a first game but a bit dissapointing in the gameplay department. For a start, the ball only ever bounces at 45 degree angles. Makes for a very boring and predictable game. Computer player is also unbeatable as far as I can tell.

On a technical issue, there is no need to have the file size so big. There IS wasted space, and lots of it. Having all those huge graphics as BMP format is not a good idea. Most of them have not compressed well. Try a good quality jpeg instead or a png file. You will save buckets of space but not be able to tell the difference.

Keep up the good work.

Boo!
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Cash Curtis II
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Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 16th Sep 2005 18:21
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Spooky - I'm going to add better physics in the multiplayer version. I don't like the 45 degree angles.

The computer is totally beatable, but you have to use the gun. When you shoot the opponent, it temporarily freezes them. When you shoot the ball, it knocks it off course. If you shoot the ball enough it charges the ball up and fires it off. Once it's accelerated and you shoot it, it explodes. The computer isn't nearly as good with the gun.

As for the bitmaps, I used them when DBP was acting funny with my PNGs. I fixed the problem, but I just haven't fixed the graphics. But, the packed size will be the same either way. Pre-compressed files don't really compress, especially not by WinRAR standards.
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blanky
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Joined: 3rd Aug 2004
Location: ./
Posted: 16th Sep 2005 23:06
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Quote: "Pre-compressed files don't really compress, especially not by WinRAR standards."


Yes, but think about it - What's better?
Compressing a 900K BMP file to 200K, or a 31KB JPEG file staying at 31KB?

Part of the 'Emergency Response Noob Shooting Team' :: Feel free to add me to MSN, but don't expect any big favours.
I AM _NOT_ A MOD, I AM ONLY HUMAN (although I fly in my spare time).
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Cash Curtis II
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Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 17th Sep 2005 04:17
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Okay, cool. I replaced the big bmps with jpgs. The file size was reduced, but it had nothing to do with anything that either of you said
Anyway, the game will not get much smaller. The final version will be optimized. But for now, just play it!
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The Cage Complex
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Joined: 26th Aug 2005
Location: Reims, France.
Posted: 17th Sep 2005 07:59
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I've downloaded it for the second time. The first one I was clicking on the menu like and nothing happened... so I deleted the files, sorry
But this time I tried my keyboard and I runs better.

You should hide mouse pointer to avoid this error.

Concerning your game, I did have fun with it ! But in a ball game, ball movement should be the most important, so like already said by someone (somewhere), 45° angle are to be improved.

Quote: "but it had nothing to do with anything that either of you said"


I think you should listen to Spooky & Blanky without a doubt

Another example : why the hell do you need a 512^2 blue.png map !? that's a tilled pattern, you could have 100% the same in a 256^2 file 4 times lighter.

Just a more-designed Pong, but a nice game for a first attempt anyway !

Keep on

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Cash Curtis II
19
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Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 17th Sep 2005 19:31
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Cage - okay, beta 2 is posted. I totally overhauled the physics math. IMHO, much better. But, that stands to be tested.

I hid the mouse on the menu screen. I'll put it back later, but it's just a problem right now.

And finally, the file size has been reduced to 12.5 mb. Everyone was right, I had tons of useless bitmaps. I'll get it down a little smaller later.

Great comments, I appreciate it.
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The Cage Complex
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Joined: 26th Aug 2005
Location: Reims, France.
Posted: 18th Sep 2005 01:07
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yeah much better! this time I was able to defeat the computer Ball reacts good! I may have another ask: the firegun is hard to manage because there is no simultaneous shots. At least, program should wait the 1st to be finished before starting another one.

Concerning the design, what about changing the plain wall for a cube object? It'd be like playing inside a room. And so we wouldn't see blank background (just set culling off to allow DBP rendering inside faces).

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Big Man
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Location: BEHIND YOU!!!! (but I live in England)
Posted: 18th Sep 2005 22:50 Edited at: 18th Sep 2005 22:52
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WOW I havn't played it yet but the screen shots look so much better than mine.

[edit] Ignor attachment my mistake its a picture [/edit]

Our aim is to keep the loo's clean, your aim can help.

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Cash Curtis II
19
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Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 20th Sep 2005 01:01
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Cage Complex - hey, thanks for the tips. I did another major overhaul. The shooting thing is fixed. A steady flow of simultaneous shots are allowed. I never liked the magically disappearing shot. It just seemed dumb.

Also, I changed the gameplay layout - I added the cube. I actually combined the wall with the cube for a rusted metal coffin effect that didn't change gameplay. Pretty cool. Thanks!

That will be in Beta 3. I have a few more changes to make to release it.

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