[Malban]

Discussion about the candle sound “open” 🙂

 

[Malban]

Vectorblade_RC4.bin – 21th July 2020

and VecFever version:
Vectorblade_RC4.V4E – 21th July 2020

Latest changes.

done: music/spherical sounds
Now i know that time is counted (and the bytes too!), but about “the candle” after the last life:
can we envisage a short music during this sequence (or/and few words with the VecVox)?

done: add a little “jingle”, when EXTRA is collected in the correct order

done: Warning LAST ship, when in warp failure

done: Hardcore > wheel -> bombs secret > black screen!
double definition of a replace statement, JMP #0

done: Hardcore > wheel -> score > black screen!
wrong bank off add score reference

done: boss death
->shots spawn wildly=”again” (only: non autofire)

done: Blade achievment is rewarded after a saved game!

done: added/ changed some “titles” (Peer)

done: diamond super, no music??? flash
-> music was accidently removed with while adding VecFever compataibilty

done: danger last live – NOT in hardmode

not done: (no time left – big images – actually only boss 4, all others could have move “ongoing”!)
Boss anncouncements: Some stars?
Currently, the images announcing the bosses look a bit clean.
Suggestion: Some stars might be introduced.

not done:
Intro: Scrolling text with small dot
In the intro with the scrolling text, there is a small dot on the left side of the
“screen” that goes up and down. Looks like a small bug.
-> at one stage I had that with one of my vectrex too, and corrected it (a long time ago)
I can’t remember what I did, and I have no Vectrex to test it on – so I just don’t
know how to handle that :-(.

done:
Minestorm: No merchant
Title of level 5 is “Merchant follows”. I played level 5 and caught a minestorm bonus.
After the minestorm, there was no merchant.
It was not a feature – but it happens :-), anyway I changed the text because of hardcore mode –
there ARE not merchants in hardcore.

not done:
Game over screen: Vertical alignment of numbers
In the game over screen, the vertical alignment of the number doesn’t look
right to me. E.g. “Rank Multiplier: x 3” the 3 is a bit too much at the top.
Perhaps it’s just the font that is used and thus normal.
-> it very slightly looks so, yes
but both texts (header line and number) are positioned exactly on the same
y position code wise.
Therefor I hesitate to change it, since on other vectrex it might look different
and changes might look worse than…

done:
Merchant/Shop: Intensity
Intensity is the color of the Vectrex. Currently, within the shop it
seems that intensity isn’t used at all.
Suggestion: Use varying itensity (e.g. selected item, merchant, …).
-> first: the items shown are different intensities (you scroll)
second: change the intensity of the merchant image

done: please test if you “like” it – for I am dubious
Before your next RC3 i have just a little question/suggestion; i remember it
was technically complicated to display the number of ships playing the
game without side effects.
But what do you think about the possibility to give the information
of the last ship (for instance a message saying “Last Ship!”)
under the specific message you display before each level?
-> there is now a warning: “DANGER! LAST LIVE ACTIVE!”

done: Game over: Slower Score calculation
At the end of the game the score is calculated. The speed of the calculation has
been reduced, already, but it’s still very difficult to see what is calculated.
Suggestion: I think after half an hour of playing it’s o.k. to see one’s score
calculated for some seconds.
It’s like the farmer who brings in the harvest that he has sown in spring.
Make score calculation even slower.
Perhaps wait a short time inbetween various calculation factors (rate, secrets, …).
-> the “count down” is half the speed now

done: Bigest loss got with 3
-> two shot? – was a debug value thing of “inGameSecrets”

done: Screen wobbles in intro with $85 size
-> performance enhanced, up to $85 it is ok now

done?: Status in shop: Adding more money: when the level is high enough it
goes down to the bottom (and then goes up again).
-> to be watched

done: Hmm, from what I can see this bug isn’t fixed, yet.
After calibration the main menu is shown –
the Vectorblade logo with the fighter is still missing.
Could you please check, Chris!
-> shozld REALLY be fixed now 🙂

done: spelling mistakes in title texts and 3-4 new references (Peer)

done: From my point of view this looks better. Spaceship and the animated “flame”
of the spaceship could also vary in intensity,
a bright “flame” would look cool.
(We testers never run out of new ideas and requests… 😉 )
-> from 5f to 7f, acceleration particles only

done: shop man, bottom part

done: achievements that award “speed” are doubled in value (that is not shown in the achievement list)

 

At the moment, I am finished with all I wanted to do, and all things I remember you guys mentioned
(@Jerome, I don’t think I will add the last emailed things – sorry…).

Happy testing – and there REALLY is not much space left by now!

Bugs can of course still be fixed.

Cheers

Chris

[Malban]

FYI

Updated the
http://vide.malban.de/vectorblade/vectorblade-beta-test

page with latest “internals” (spoiler information). I have to keep this stuff somewhere lest I myself forget it!
(Password is still the same: “Malban123”)

[Malban]

Minestorm – Malus

Actually the Minestorm should never be considered a Malus (IMHO).
You can not lose anything, no life if you don’t get thru…

Sometimes the Minestorm is a shortcut over a difficult level (I have even passed “bosses” using a timingly taken mine storm – but that is seldom).

By now you can earn quite a few point (score) and money. It also the best place to collect diamonds, because the diamonds collected in the storm a worth 5 times as much as the diamonds from e.g. a diamond bomb.

Collecting 50 diamonds grants you the special “super” diamond “level” worth 100000 and 5000 money.

—-

I also use mine storms (so they come) to break a bad challenging stage. Of course I try to get the 256000 bonus “chains”, but sometimes one screws up, if you take a mine storm “pill” before the bonus scoring occurs, the challenge does not count as “missed” :-).

—

Today I played quite a lot (testing, and also finding a couple of hidden bugs).
I played thru:
– easy
– normal
– hard

And I really (by now) like the progression of difficulty. The difficulty levels actually FEEL different – thats great!

– the aliens have more HP
– they shoot more
– have different attack patterns (not intro patterns)
– the laser behaves different from normal onward (doesn’t go THRU all aliens, but stops at the one that is hit)
– the “scoopies” have collision detections with aliens from “normal” onward…
– from normal onward you have an additional “bonus drop” POWER, which is really nice
– in the shop you can buy locks
– you start getting immunity to “lower level” shots
– the bosses behave differently
– starting with hard (now), the aliens “launch” themselves at you while “introing”
– at manic there is no intro anymore

ETC.
It really adds to the game IMHO.

—

When I get the new “candle” music piece from VTK (and insert it into Vectorblade), I will upload an new RC.

Anyway…

Cheers

Chris

[Malban]

Diamond storm.

I played A LOT! I guess I have seen it less than 5 times in the “wild”.

The chance that a Mine storm is actually a Dimaond storm is about 1:50.

 

[Malban]

Another question, for evaluation…

I just ordered the last pieces I need for actually shipping Vectorblades. This got me thinking of costs again.
(They will be delivered soonest mid August…)

The Blog-post I did some time ago, where I sum up the costs is not totally correct anymore, it got more expensive again.
That coupled with (hopefully) a demand, that all 100 blades will be sold…

What about this…

a) some process, like you described above (random IF needed)
b) I reserve a couple of “fixed” sales (for people I would like to have a vectorblade, but not on random terms)
c) price will be 100€
d) I will do a DIY page

Point C
– I know that is expensive, but the pure material costs exceed 60€ by now!
– (not proud to admit… but I could actually need some pocket money)
– that will include shipping to anywhere in the world (this also saves me sorting out all different shipping costs!)
(and depending on the place one lives in, that nearly covers the full range between 60 and 100 euro)
– that “equalizes” all countries/places

Point D
– I will post a link to my PCB design to download,
– or for everyone to order directly (a couple of bugs from china).
– I will post a BOM (only 3 pieces!), and do a little video how to solder
– also box, manual, overlay art etc will be downloadable
– source code and binary will be downloadable

I would guess, one “workable” vectorblade cartridge (without box, overlay etc) … can be made for less than 10 €
(if you make 5, that is the least number of PCBs you can order).
So for everyone that finds (rightfully) 100€ to much – just has to invest a little time, and can build his own (even personalized) version.

—

And Before you get afraid of spending 100€:
– Peer
– VTK
– Helmut
– Jerome
– Nic
– George

You of course you will get 1 Vectorblade for free!

Thoughts?

Also for our German people:

Hat jemand von Euch Ahnung, ob das “legal” ist, wenn ich 100 Stück verkaufe?
Muss ich das versteuern? Gibt es rechtliche Randbedingungen?
(Ich habe tatsächlich so einen Verkauf vorher noch nie geamcht.)

Thx

 

Chris

 

[Malban]

I really like the “fast” gameplay of this RC version. I know sooner or later a player will arrive to something similar (thru achievments).

But I started implementing a “TIME TRIAL” (*cough* original Warblade had that too).

That would be a new game mode, that would last 3 minutes, have an own high score – and would start with “quite a few things” enabled.

I stopped implementing it, because it got complicated after a short while.
But If I sat down with intend and some time, I could probably do it.

What do you think should I try to implement that further – or just “keep” still and get on with the last cleanups (instead of implementing new bugs)?

[Malban]

@Jerome:
I think this is just due to the fact, that I manipulated the bullet speed manually for this version.

Lets watch this with the next RC.

[Malban]

@Jerome:
I got no picture yet…

[Malban]

Vectorblade_RC2.bin – 14th July 2020

and VecFever version:
Vectorblade_RC2.V4E – 14th July 2020

Latest changes.

This version is a “TEST” version – you start powered up, and can select any level directly.
(This also means  25 = boss, 26 = level 25, 51 = boss 2, 52 = 50 etc)

Following things I considdered :-):

done:
How many points / coins (if any) are scored when collecting the bottle?
-> NOW: 300 money (hidden, you get no notification!)

done:
3 times collect WHISKY
-> DRUNKARD booz immunity for the current game (does not count as secret, not many people will FIND that 🙂 )

done:
No full intro after calibration
-> this was a bug, it should show the title screen!

done:
Scroll text: Spacing

done:
Scroll text: LESS BULLET
-> I only have that money letters I can display per line, changed to “MINUS BULLET”

 

done:
Boss announcements: Intensity
-> 3f instead of 5f (BOSS 4 stayed the same!)

not done:
Boss anncouncements: Some stars? Currently, the images announcing the bosses look a bit clean.
-> (no time left – big images!)

not done:
“EXTRA”: Remove letters
Currently, you collect the EXTRA letters. Collecting a specific letter for a second time has no effect.
Suggestion: Picking up a letter for a second time might remove it from the EXTRA collection.
Please note that I’m not sure whether this would be an improvement to the game or not.
-> nice idea – but in later stages bonuses get more rare, so the effect would cancel itself out with that

done: hardcore, removed: “merchenat is coming”

done: hardcode, removed: money as wheel reward

done: hardcore, cash as achievement

 

Thats all for now
Chris

[Malban]

Nope there isn’t.

Perhpas I should – but what would be the reward? Start drunken :-)?

[Malban]

Thx for your thoughts.

@Helmut:
I’ll look at the things you mentioned.

Regards
Chris

[Malban]

Hi,

since at some point I would like to actually SELL 100 hundred Vectorblade cards – after all, I went to the trouble of getting all materials – I wondered how I actually should do the sale.

It seems the demand will probably be higher than the 100 I plan to make.

I am not wavering – I will not make more, getting the stuff together for 100 was nerve wrecking enough (and expensive) and there also is that thing, that I have to solder all cards. So 100 it is.

—

But I also want everyone to have a “fair chance” to get one.

Right now I am thinking about the following:

– I sell in two batches, each batch consisting of 50 cards
– each batch will be sold on a different day
– everyone can only get one card
– I announce the time for the order opening slot “in advance”
– the first fifty people in each slot – get their cards

Thoughts?

—

Than there also is:
How should I handle the sale?

Should I just let them email me, and date/time sorted the first fifty win?
I would get back to those potential winners and do a paypal invoice? And the ones not paying in 10 days lose their slot?

…

I have never done such a SALE before, any pointers or thoughts?

Cheers

Chris

[Malban]

Yeah, I know.
🙂

It won’t though… there are a couple of bonus items which don’t appear there, so it is in good company.

Also beta 58 on a flash card will crash upon saving a game. (already fixed though)

[Malban]

Vectorblade_B58.bin – 7th July 2020

and VecFever version:
Vectorblade_B58.V4E – 7th July 2020

Yesterday and today I took a little time and did program on Vectorblade. First time in nearly a month.

I am getting tired – and I think I will call it a day soon – very soon.
I know not everyone is at ease with the current version, espcially the game over sequence – or perhaps some additional “achievements”.

But frankly – after more than three years of development, I am ready to be over and done with it.
For the last two features I used quite a lot of the memory that I still had (text and music) – so overall, I do not have much memory left.
Although I at some time thought to include an additional game over explosion (like shown some posts above) – right now (without going into a reclusion and do some serious memory optimization) I don’t have the memory for it – since I did the showcase with a special (new) partical system – and I don’t have the space for it now.

I also thought about (and actually halfway implemented it), to reuse the StarWars scroll text (shown in some blog), to do special beta tester greetings (with the star wars theme playing in the background).
But I gathered there was not too much interest in that… so I dropped that as well.

Anyways.

The above version is more or less the release candidate. I still have to get my special vectrex back from Thomas, so I can do some more testing on my own. But if you have time, and are willing – you might test this version.

I haven’t kept track of all changes – but here a list of things I remember:
– added bonus drop “autofire” (this was necessary for “hardcore” modus, otherwise you would not have been able to
use the laser as intended)
– changed VecVox “back” to use more cycles (version one)
– on death, the player drops up to 5 bonus items, he will lose upon death
(but you are not able to grab them all, so CHOSE!) *evilLaughter*
– aliens do not “intro attack” on normal difficulty (they start with hard)
– each level has an “intro” text, sometimes its a “title”, sometimes a warning of what lies ahead,
but sometimes also some witty remark to other games/movies/books 🙂
– minestorm in hardcore does not reward money
– the “huge diamond” bonus is accompanied by a little “silly” tune

I especially like the intro text – I think it adds a nice “playful” ring to the game (also Warblade had level titles 🙂 ).

You may still voice your opinion about what you think is missing or what might need changing.
But my inclination to listen… wavers… You must be really convincing!

Bugs that are found, will of course be corrected – when and if I can find them.

Cheers

Chris

[Author]

Posts