From the original SynthMaker forum (2004–2014), with its members’ names and dates.
billv ·
This is where i am with it.
Firstly:
Notice the layout is not same as original game. The wall system is a simple grid, with no variety.
This is because of the User Control set up. The enemy is not a problem, we can make em go anywhere, anytime.
If we want to have an layout with any sort of variety, we have to change the control system.
We need a genius for this-So with regret, I think forget it and stick with this simple grid set up.
It's a bummer though;It's just not the same without that Original layout.
Second Thing:
I had a bit of trouble coming up with a way to do the dots.
I'd like someone to have a close look at the logic for the "dots and see if there's a better way.
Points system should be no problem. Power pills, changing enemies chasing and killing em-all possible.
Need to find a way to animate the pacman as well-that's not going to be easy.
One thing I'd like to do, is leave all Audio/Midi/Sound ideas unspoken until we are finished with the game.
Music is the last thing we need to worry about, as were in SM.
So I don't know, what do you's all want to do- try for the original one or keep rolling with this cowboy version????
For those people who need a quick reminder of the original.
http://www.johnjohn.co.uk/html/pacman.html
trogluddite ·
Nice start - the ghost with eyes that follow you around is really cool!
I'll have a word with my mate at work - he wrote a pacman and asteroids that run on the little dsPIC processors that we use - maybe he'll be up for sharing some of his experience with the ghost intelligence etc.
philter5 ·
here is my suggestion for a new system. let me know what you think of the idea, it´s not 100% working,
there is a pixel/grid issue that i can´t get my head around ATM hehe...
the main idea is: load levels in form of bitmap files. then get the pixel/grid color of the four coordinates around pacman
and compare the colours. best way would be to keep the floor ALWAYS black (as in most levels). if you move pacman to any point and the colours say there is a RED wall left to him then it will block the "move left" trigger = pacman can´t move toe left. could be also used to detect enemys/items ...
here is the start
billv ·
philter5 wrote: there is a pixel/grid issue that i can´t get my head around ATM hehe
I see what what you mean. That's why I cheated and created my own layout, and now paying for it with a dodgy GUI.
But your on the right track. Ideas for triggering movement sounds good.
And you mention trigger blocking. That might be all my Osm needs.
I've already declared every grid square as a variable so I can control it. In theory all i have to do is to Block the user control from accessing the variable that the wall is on top off.
But I'm no good with trigger blockers yet, so I might have to come up with another way, that my brain can work with.
trogluddite wrote: I'll have a word with my mate at work - he wrote a pacman and asteroids that run on the little dsPIC processors that we use - maybe he'll be up for sharing some of his experience with the ghost intelligence etc.
Thanks man. Any constructive input is always a good thing.
I've done quite a few 2D games in a program called MMF2, and Philter5's Methods are very much like the proper
versions I saw being created by other people. But there was a lot of complex maths in it, too much for me.
Funny thing is that the use of "Layers" in building 2D games, is really effective.
In SM, a Layer is a module. There's a lot of power there. But I'm not 100% SM will handle it. For eg:
Before this Osm, I had another version,identical, but on a smaller scale grid, and I had 4 Enemies going around.
SM, or my(methods) couldn't handle it. And this only 5 "Active" layers deep. So that's another serious issue.
trogluddite ·
The worst aspect for this in SM will be the very high CPU usage of re-drawing many sprites.
You will find this little module useful for reducing the load, use it to replace any regular ReDraw primitives...
Feed the area input with the area occupied by your sprite - when you send it a trigger it will ReDraw the smallest possible area covering where the sprite is now and where it was last time.
Usually the sprite hasn't moved very far, so the area redrawn will only be a little bit bigger than the sprite, but it makes sure that the previous position gets 'rubbed-out' properly so that the sprite doesn't leave a trail behind it.
billv ·
trogluddite wrote: You will find this little module useful for reducing the load
Thanks mate. Will let you know how it runs when I start layering more enemies in. Later........
billv ·
A real struggle today. User control system is a real brain twister.
So I worked on some easier stuff.
Added:
One more monster
Score
Increase level speed with each new level.
My highest score so far is about 3000. It's starting to feel playable.
Note; I tried the Redraw Union, but the sprites wouldn't change properly.
Might have hooked it up wrong-will try again.
billv ·
philter5 wrote: pixel/grid issue that i can´t get my head around
What if we "built" the original layout in SM, instead of loading in the image.
And then implement your control system?
philter5 ·
billv wrote:
philter5 wrote: pixel/grid issue that i can´t get my head around
What if we "built" the original layout in SM, instead of loading in the image.
And then implement your control system?
i think you´re right billv, first i thought it would be nice if we can lkoad images as level files BUT it would make the whole
thing more and more complicated.... so i get back to your idea and try to build it in SM.
philter5 ·
perhaps this would be a nice start:
it´s a modified version of the great 4XYPAD Project (XY x 4 Pad Project), in fact i just changed the the xy floats to ints.
i think its a good starting point, there is a easy way to give the enemys a path , control their speed etc...
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