Release Barrage: User feedback

[porg]

Dear Clop, maintainer of Barrage!


First: Thanks a lot for porting this fun game to the Pandora! I already enjoyed it on Ubuntu! Happy that it also made its way to the Pandora!


Now some feedback:


NUB CONTROL is quite good.


Perfect from the assignment (right=reload, up=mortar, down=gun) This opposite placement up/down of mortar/gun avoids unintended weapon usage, which could haven if you'd use i.e. left/right.


The repeat rate for the gun could be a little lower. It is very hard to fire a single gun bullet.


TOUCH CONTROL


I have an idea for improving it, basically I have 3 approaches:


Shoot on touch, modifier keys change weapon


Touch = Fire with weapon 1 onto the touched position.


Touch+Key2 = Fire with weapon 2 onto the touched position.


(Touch)+Key3 = Reload.


Keys switch weapons, touch fires selected weapon


Touch = Fire with active weapon (1 or 2) onto the touched position.


Key2 = Switch between weapon 1 and 2.


Key3 = Reload.


Touch only repositions the crosshair, keys trigger fire


Key1 = Fire weapon 0 where the crosshair got positioned from touch.


Key2 = Fire weapon 1 where the crosshair got positioned from touch.


Key3 = Reload.


Common behavior for all these approaches:


Keys 1 + 2 + 3 can be freely assigned.


By default optimized for right handers: Suggesting numeral keys 1, 2 for firing 3 or left shoulder for reloading.


Regards, porg

 

[clop]

Hi,


I came back from vacations yesterday, just read this. I will take a look and come back to you in the next days


Unfortunately, I haven't got my Pandora anymore, so I may need someone to test te modifications.


Clop'

 

[porg]

Ok.


My offer: As soon as my Pandora is back from repair, I could test your updated version.

 

[Stainy]

Me too! downloaded this evening... like it alot

 

[clop]

Hi again,


Some feedback on your feedback


First, you give me too much credit, Barrage was a straight port (and one of my first), so good controls are to be credited to the original author (M.Speck) and adaptation to Pandora to pure luck.


Second, I lost the ported source code So I re-downloaded the latest code-source (apparently, only minor fixes from the repo version) and re-build a PND to check if it's still working. This PND is attached to the post, if someone could test it, that would be nice (that would include checking for documentation, icon, full screen by default, sound, etc...).


Thirdly, I looked into the input system, and your proposals seems doable. My only concern is that I don't want to break the original gameplay, which seems to focus on separating aim & fire. So your third proposal would seems to be the logical one.


As I said before, I don't have a way to test, so I would really prefer to minimize modifications. I will try to implement the three proposals and a configurable fire rate, but you'll get a very crude system, meaning a test configuration file with five entries:

• fire_rate (an integer)
  
• touch_control_mode (1, 2, 3)
  
• key1 (a SDL keycode)
  
• key2 (a SDL keycode)
  
• key3 (a SDL keycode)
  

Clop'

barrage.pnd

 

[porg]

I also prefer approach nr.3 "aim with touch control & trigger with key".


I will test your pnd+config-file when I'll get my Pandora back.

 

[porg]

Got my Pandora back from repair, now had an opportunity to test.


Your re-compilation seems to have been successful!

• Controls: OK.
  
• Full screen by default. OK.
  
• Sound: OK.
  
• Documentation:
  In-game instructions (from menu) work. OK
  
• XFCE > menu > Documentation > Barrage documentation > Launches plain text help in plain text web browser Links. OK.
  

[*]Icon: OK.


[*]Preview pic: OK.



Now I am looking forward to get a version with a config file, to implement that alternative controls.

 

[clop]

Thanks for your tests porg!


Sadly, IRL is a bit crowded right now, further modifications will have to wait a week or two. Don't hesitate to bug me if it takes too long!

 

[porg]

Thanks for your tests porg!


Sadly, IRL is a bit crowded right now, further modifications will have to wait a week or two. Don't hesitate to bug me if it takes too long!

Did you ever get to it? I am still curious in a Barrage with customizable controls.

Also ok to do that in a config file, as you proposed.

 

[TrashyMG]

Well it appears Clop hasn't logged into the forums since last November..