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Version: Beta 18
Suggestion: Notation of power-ups
Currently, the notation of the power-ups for Speed- and Bullet- is -S and -B.
Suggestion: The power-ups that “downgrade” have a special shape, already. I think the power-ups don’t need a “-“. Alternatively, the naming could be changed to “S-” and “B-“. This notation might be easier to read and would match the textual notation (“Speed -“, …).Symbol for power-ups
Currently, the the power-ups for Speed- and Bullet- use a triangle that points toward the bottom. The power-ups for Speed+ and Bullet+ use a circle.
Suggestion: I’m not sure whether this is better or not: For power-ups Speed+ and Bullet+ a triangle that points to the top might be used.Highscore: “MAL”
Currently, whenever a new highscore is achived, the default “MAL” is shown.
Suggestion: Instead of “MAL” the label should be empty.Status screen: Linewise scrolling
Currently, you can scroll the status page step by step using the joystick. This is a bit entiring.
Suggestion: Scrolling could be page wise. Alternatively, scrolling should be auto-scroll, i.e. while holding the joystick up/down it should scroll.Status screen: Scroll indicators
Currently, its not so obvious for the user that he/she can scroll in the status screen.
Suggestion: The scroll indicators should be positioned one at the top and one at the bottom. Instead of a graphic “Open triangle” a closed triangle should be used (similar to the arrows in the menu).Shop: Speed –
In the shop there is an entry “Speed-“. I’m not quite sure whether I will every buy this item (perhaps its needed/useful and specific levels but in lower levels it’s not useful.)
Suggestion: Perhaps get rid of “Speed-”Shop: Speed -: Position
Currently, the order of the items is from bottom to top: Speed+, Speed-, …
Suggestion: More intuitive order is “Speed-“, “Speed+”, ..“Ready Player One!” – Centered position
Currently, the text “Ready Player One!” isn’t centered properly. It’s positioned a bit too much on the right side.
Suggestion: Text “Ready Player One!” should be positioned a bit more towards the right.“Game Over!” – Exclamation mark
Currently, when a game is over it says “GAME OVER!”.
Suggestion: I think in most games it says “GAME OVER” without an exclamation mark.Speed- and Bullet- is -S and -B.
Gee… You know what I really loath… editing vectorlists over and over again.
While what you say makes sense – I’m not sure I will do this… when everything else is in place, and it still bothers you, nag me about it again… 🙂Thing is – all these “icons” – are more complicated than they look:
– it must be drawn
– it must be rotated
– the “symbol” is a different vectorlist than the icon
– the symbols start point must be matched with the icons start port
– and that for every rotation
– there are restrictions on vector strengths (for weird vectrex)
…
its not just the matter of going into the editor and change one position…Symbol for power-ups
I tried having different symbols for power up/down/money/rank. I think a triangle Up is quite similar to a triangle down. I think I keep it the way it is…
Highscore: “MAL”
Already on my todo list 🙂
Although what I’ll probably do is to use the initials of the score that is replaced by the new score. So one can confirm the current initials by just pressing 3 times button 3.Status screen: Linewise scrolling
If it is all the same to you – than I’ll do page wise :-).
The “autoscroll” is again “fiddlesticks” because if I do an autoscroll “every” round – it will moreor less zzzzaap right to the bottom – so I’d would have to insert a slow motion counter … etc etc etcStatus screen: Scroll indicators
Hm. You keep stucking you fingers into the wound… Yes I thought so too – but never came around doing it.
Sometimes I am just to lazy. I have to split up the vectorlist and print it twice. Hope the cycles keep up…Shop: Speed –
Hehe , I don’t know either if you ever will buy it :-).
Perhapsthis is more idiosyncrasy of mine. In the original Warblade, the speed of the fighter could (for my taste) be too fast – so I was always glad, that I could slow it down if need be. Perhaps I should allow higher player speeds, so this makes more sense 🙂
Shop: Speed -: Position
You are right, I changed it. Hope it works – the code is some of the worst and ugly code I have ever written. I really don’t like to touch it…
“Ready Player One!” – Centered position
Hey, you see everything – don’t you? I saw that too – but always thought “meee – nobody will notice that” – They will be done!
“Game Over!” – Exclamation mark
Removed.
Thanks for your reports!
As written before, playing Vector Blade is more and more fun to me. By firing salvos on the enemies you quickly clear the lower levels and can harvest the power-ups. That’s more and more relaxing and fun.
Achievements: Several achievements at a time.
Not sure whether this is a bug or a feature: I’ve reached to achievements at a time: Sniper 3 and sniper 2. The achievements where shown one after the other, so this worked fine. I’m not sure which achievement 2 or 3 was shown first. If possible, lower achievements should be shown first. But in real life it’s unlikely to happen, anyway, so this is not so important, I think.Several achievements – even of the same type – can be gotten.
I though some time it might be better to only be able to get the “one at a time” – but on the other hand – if you did it – you did it…
The achievements – like you said are displayed in the correct order when you get more than one at a time…
The achievements – like you said are displayed in the correct order when you get more than one at a time…
Perfect!
Before travelling to Holland I’ve tried out beta 27 a bit. I didn’t take the sheet with notes with me but below please find the issues I remember.
Year of copyright
Currently, when starting Vectorblade it says (c) 2018.
Suggestion: (c) 2019Shop sound <> shot sound
Currently, in the shop when selecting a different item, a short sound is played. The sound ressembles very much the sound when you shot (shop sound = shot sound).
Suggestion: During the game you hear the shot sound very often. It would be good if in the shop one heard a different sound.Inner animation when attacking
Currently, enemies have some inner animation when displayed at the top. When flying and attacking, the enemies have no inner animation.
Suggestion: Add a minor inner animation to attacking enemies. This will make enemies and game look even more lifely.Hi, the first to points I can will change, the last one is impossible.
The graphic of the ships is not rotated on the fly, but precalculated and stored in the bin file.
Adding even only one animation step would double the storage space for in game graphics -> not possible!
Cheers
Chris
the first to points I can will change…
Thanks for thinking about changing this. It’s minor issues, only.
the last one is impossible.
No problem. I sort of expected that technically this might not be possible. I guess VB drives the Vectrex to its limits, already.
With every issue that I find and post I’m back and forth whether I should post it in an individual posts or post then in this “personal” topic.
Beta 28
No Sniper > 100%
Currently, with double or triple shots you can get a hit rate > 100%. My impression is that once you die and you have a hit rate > 100 % you don’t get any sniper rewards.
Sugestions: Sniper rewards should be rewarded even with a percentage higher than 100%.Sniper achievements: One at a time?
Currently, if you have a hit rate of 90% or more you get all three sniper achievements at a time once the game ends. This way you can play one game with precise shots and your are done with all sniper achievements.
Suggestion: Sniper achievements could be rewarded one by one, i.e. in one game you can get one achievement (the lowest), only.Level 25 twice?!
Currently, there are two level 25: There is level 25 “Boss” ollowed by level 25 “normal”. This is a bit confusing.
Suggestion: From my point of viewer boss levels should mark the end of a larger unit. The first unit is levels 1-24 and level 25 should be the boss level. After that the levels 26 with new enemies should follow. (IIRC there had been some discussion about the levels before but I’m too slack to search this forum).Snper rewards.
Yes I was thinking yout those too. I might change them.
Reward is only given if you fire at least 1000 shots – so I thought it was some sort of difficutlty involved.
But I guess the difficulty in gettering Snpier 1. Level and e.g. Money 1 Level is much different.
I guess I should raise the bar.Achievements are always given, when due – if I change that here it would be inconsistent with other rewards. And personally I think – if I get 90% I should be rewarded for 90% not for 80% (even if its the first time).
I can’t remember right now – does the BOSS display Level 25 too? – It shouldn’t…
Thing is – if I use your (or Ollies) suggested counting – I have 3 levels to many – and I don’t want to throw them away.
And I would like to stay at level count 100…. I can’t have it all …Thank you for your replies and consideration, Christopher.
I can’t remember right now – does the BOSS display Level 25 too? – It shouldn’t…
In beta 28 it says: “LEVEL 25 BOSS”. Changing this to just “BOSS” or “BOSS LEVEL” would be a simple and effective solution.
Thing is – if I use your (or Ollies) suggested counting – I have 3 levels to many – and I don’t want to throw them away.
And I would like to stay at level count 100…. I can’t have it all …Right. Throwing away existing levels is really no option.
Every once in a while I power-up my Vectrex and playVectorblade a bit and try to get better. Until now, my best game was level 75 boss and that was about four weeks ago. So not much of a progress, atm. :-/
First boss: Shot gets stuck (very minor issue)
Currently, when destroying the boss one of the shots remains in the air. It looks as if this shot is frozen. If you keep on shooting you can do so but not in normal frequency.
Suggestion: Shots should dissappear and not freeze in the air.Shop: Size of symbols
In the shop, in the top left the symbol of the selected power-up is displayed.
Currently, the symbol is displayed in normal size, i.e. the size that is used within the game. The top left area looks pretty empty.
Suggestion: The symbol could be displayed a bit larger. This way, one can recognize the symbol more easily and the empty area is filled.First boss:
VTK mentioned that too. I thought it was fixed – this is defenitly a bug – will look at it again.
Shop symbol size:
I know what you mean – I wish I could “easily” make them bigger.
Actually they are displayed with the same function as they appear in game – and the defining vectorlist does not support scaling.
it would either be:
a) write a complete new display routine, which can scale these
b) do each vectorlist a second time – which is scalableI thought of it before and decided too keep it the “small” way.
When I have some time left (and possibly the ingame memory) I will look into it again – but I do not promise this.Malban
VTK mentioned that too. I thought it was fixed – this is defenitly a bug – will look at it again.
A bug but really not much disturbing and a minor issue.
I know what you mean – I wish I could “easily” make them bigger.
O.k., I didn’t know that your custom drawing doesn’t allow for scaling. But not too bad if the layout remains the way it is.
I’ve just played another game of Vectorblade. For some reason I don’t know it seems that I play better with AtariVox off. Sure enough this has nothing to do with the game itself, it’s probably something psychological on my side. 😉 Score was 400.000 points in level 50 – somehow I the second boss has become more challenging to me and I lost 3 or 4 lives against him. Double shot seems not to be the right weapon against this guy.
Blaster: Achievement achieved but not displayed as achieved (Bug)
In this game I’ve achieved the blaster and could buy the quadro shot. When looking in the list of achievements, the “Blaster” achievement isn’t hooked and the trophee graphic isn’t displayed.Secret 1: Typos
In this game I had lots of money so I decided to buy a secret for 3000 bucks. The secret was interesting (I knew about it, already), but there were two typos in the message: “UFO” –> “UFOS” and “THAN” –> “THEN”.
Perhaps it’s a good idea to post all texts of secrets somewhere (with a spoiler warning) for reviewing.Level 49: No attacks?!
In level 49 the enemies fly in slowly and the enemies that you don’t shoot fly into formation at the top and keep their formation and don’t attack at all. This way you can “care” for ufos and other stuff. Is this no-attack behaviour a bug or programmed on purpose? (Unfortunately all this money doesn’t help you for fighting the boss in level 50 because there is no shop right before the boss.)
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