Homebrew competition!!

[bzar]

Why is it so quiet in here? Everyone developing?


I need some status updates from competing projects to keep the pace up B)

 

[foxblock]

Why is it so quiet in here? Everyone developing?


I need some status updates from competing projects to keep the pace up B)

I am basically still at the progress of my last video as I got loads of other stuff to do.


It will stay like that for a while, probably won't get back to it before mid of March (and then go into HYPERSPEED-mode).


I have done a bit of work on the collision detection and ran into some logic problems, which I have to figure out a solution for (and hopefully already have - but no time to implement yet).


But, don't feel too secure, I am watching and preparing myself for the last two weeks haha (got most of the design done on paper and some level layouts, too),


foxblock out

 

[darfgarf]

I need some status updates from competing projects to keep the pace up B)

status update: --------


real life >.<

 

[cobrajs]

So far, I have scrolling screen, collision detection, a little guy who jumps around, basic animation, some graphics of the protagonist, and a few ideas about theme. Last night I copied and tweaked my player class to make a "bad guy" who just walks around and waits to be killed.


It's coming along, but a lot of it feels clunky right now. I have a really cool idea for one of the joysticks though, so I hope my Pandora arrives in time so I can actually test it. I'm also really wishing my graphics design skills were much better

 

[bzar]

^ Yeah, my graphic skills are at their limits here too. I can do simple sprites, but animation and especially more chaotic stuff like explosions are not my cup of tea. I made an early design decision to first and foremost make a playable entire game, and only after achieving that start worrying about effects and looks. So far this has served me well and I've almost implemented the most important features, because I have not stopped to hone stuff forever like I usually do. I'm learning a lot here

 

[cobrajs]

^ Yeah, my graphic skills are at their limits here too. I can do simple sprites, but animation and especially more chaotic stuff like explosions are not my cup of tea. I made an early design decision to first and foremost make a playable entire game, and only after achieving that start worrying about effects and looks. So far this has served me well and I've almost implemented the most important features, because I have not stopped to hone stuff forever like I usually do. I'm learning a lot here

From your previews the graphics looked pretty good. Right now my "bad guy" is the exact same sprite as the protagonist, and my grass tile is a brown block with a layer of green on top. And I've already decided, nothing is going to be explodey in this game


I totally agree, though. A completed playable game is much more important, especially when working with a time limit. Although, I've never worried much about graphics in my previous game attempts. I just lost interest before completion...

 

[bzar]

From your previews the graphics looked pretty good. Right now my "bad guy" is the exact same sprite as the protagonist, and my grass tile is a brown block with a layer of green on top. And I've already decided, nothing is going to be explodey in this game

Thanks . Though if you look closely, you'll see my bad guys are only recolors of my protagonist

 

[cobrajs]

Thanks . Though if you look closely, you'll see my bad guys are only recolors of my protagonist

Heh heh, just like in the old days, right? I plan on doing the same thing too (for now).

 

[mjohansson]

Hey, I plan to enter competition also, I have started drawing graphics, Im drawing in 200x120 resolution for speed, my game will be inspired by Castlevania and Kid Icarus with a girld running into and through a castle shooting arrows at demonic enemys. Im trying to recreate the feeling of NES games.

 

[wardred]

Hey, I plan to enter competition also, I have started drawing graphics, Im drawing in 200x120 resolution for speed.

Development speed, I'm guessing? Luck with the game entry! I'm doing a similar thing, but 400x240.


Edit: And it looks like most of you are a ways ahead of me. I'd better get to coding! Well, after Dundracon at any rate...

 

[bzar]

mjohansson, welcome aboard! The more the merrier

 

[Rirmaleg]

Are there any license restrictions for the competition? Right now, the official rules thread doesn't say. I think the games should at least be freely distributable. Also, if you require the entrants to make the source code available under a DFSG-compatible license, I'll donate $25.

 

[richiz]

Are there any license restrictions for the competition? Right now, the official rules thread doesn't say. I think the games should at least be freely distributable. Also, if you require the entrants to make the source code available under a DFSG-compatible license, I'll donate $25.

I don't know what that license is and as people are already working on it I'm not going to change the rules.


Skeezix would go through the roof for one and chastise me for being an unorganised bastard

 

[mjohansson]

Thanks guys!


I have no idea about any lisence stuff, I consider this a open project that anyone can do what they want with.


I did an animation test for the main caracter, need to redraw a little, otherwise basic walking animation is done. Im halfway done with first halway in the game, its just a straight corridor and short, but it will be good to have something playable that looks like something, I should try recording to youtube after that.


Im using SDL and C(++), I havent yet looked into getting compiling done for Pandora, mine is currently away for repais so I havent bothered to look at it yet, but Im begging to wonder what to do about resolution, I realies when testing animation how small resolution I use and what a small window it became, since I dont know anything about scaling Im probably gonna brute force redraw every block later on with 4 pixels per 1 pixel resolution... that will be fun... Mayby I should take the oppurtunity then to not just fill out the pixels with a single color but actually increase ddetail and make it actual 800x480 res. it could be good cos its hard to make animation with high res and when thats already done like a mold it would be easier to fill in with details, yea I should definitly do that!

 

[richiz]

Nice one MJ, I'm currently using python and pygame and trying to utilise both nubs. One for moving forward and back and the right nub to aim your gun.


Will only have two other controls (L and R) for shooting and jumping but should be cool. I need to do a video soon and I look forward to yours

 

[myownlittlworld]

tl;dr: Software with licenses that meet the DFSG formally allow people to redistribute and remix the software. This is a good thing, and avoids copyright infringement issues, among others.


----

Are there any license restrictions for the competition? Right now, the official rules thread doesn't say. I think the games should at least be freely distributable. Also, if you require the entrants to make the source code available under a DFSG-compatible license, I'll donate $25.

I don't know what that license is and as people are already working on it I'm not going to change the rules.


Skeezix would go through the roof for one and chastise me for being an unorganised bastard

"DFSG-compatible licenses" are those that meet the Debian Free Software Guidelines, which basically means that people are formally (in the legal sense) allowed to:

1. Redistribute the program ("torrent").
   
2. Derive their own works from the program ("remix").
   
3. Not discriminate against people or groups (nothing like, "this program can't be used by Martians" or, "this program can't be used to run a nuclear submarine")
   

Of course, there are other points, but those are the big ones. Check the above link for more details.


There is also a list of acceptable licenses that meet these criteria.

 

[richiz]

I'll leave it up to the developers to decide what licenses they want to give. I'm using pygame so I'm not even sure if I can distribute mine under that license, for instance.


As long as the games that are submitted end up on Open Handhelds I'm not too fussed.

 

[foxblock]

Well, making all entries open-source could be a rule for future competitions and I think it could be beneficial as novice devs might want to check them out and try to learn or adapt stuff.


Though one should be aware that code written in a short time-frame can be very ugly, hacky or plain sloppy (and usually not very well commented) (though also some neat hacks can come out of time-constraints).


Personally I think devs should not be forced to make their code open-source, heck, I considered not making the code for my entry available for several reasons, but I am over that now and most likely will include the source (also not to be a dick to the other devs who opted to share their collision code ).


So, yeah, I like that richiz is letting us devs decide.


Also, for what it's worth, new Greyout video soon-ish...

 

[richiz]

Well the whole idea of this thing was to get people devving for the Panda so it'd be a shame and a bit douche-y if people didn't let people tamper with their code.


On the flip side I understand if people don't want their source code tampered with.


I really need to do a video of mine. I threw a lot of my code out and started from scratch and I now have a very minamalist game (sprite and level design is done in text and used to map out each block). It's quite funky and looks like those original atari games with like 3 colours. I'll hopefully improve the sprites when I've got bullets and grenades working (totally stolen from Bzar haha - I'm sure he'd be annoyed if my game wasn't 10 times more shit)


It's also in ONE (yes one, I need to OO my code a bit) .py file which I think is entertaining


Code is pretty messy but I'll post a video here tomorra when I have everything as I want it to be so will then start fleshing it out and adding different enemies and hopefully some guns

 

[richiz]

Bit annoyed. My game is practically finished (level, collision detect) I only need to add in pistol, shotgun and machine gun classes. Thinking of throwing grenades and a throwing axe in too.


Anyway I ran my .py file on my pandora the sprites don't show up


They're just not there...yet when I run on my ubuntu laptop they show up fine????


: (


Laptop python version

[code]snow@snow:~$ python

Python 2.6.6 (r266:84292, Sep 15 2010, 15:52:39) 

[GCC 4.4.5] on linux2

Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information

python 2.6.2 

GCC 4.3.3

On a slightly unrelated note I put in a frames per second function for developing and when I run on my pandora it only runs at 20 frames per second


UPDATE


I solved the issue by changing the hex colours to anything but true black (why isn't true black showing up?) But when I ran the game on my Pandora my FPS function was giving me 20 FPS and it's pretty sluggish to play. I'm thinking of jacking PyGame in as it's soooo fooking slow on the Pandora I may as well learn SDL and C++ to get something worth playing! Sigh, learning curves eh



Pandora python version