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Calculator Community => Other Calc-Related Projects and Ideas => TI Z80 => Topic started by: Harrierfalcon on September 09, 2007, 02:07:00 pm

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on September 09, 2007, 02:07:00 pm

I've talked myself into it. But, don't expect this to be done within 2 weeks, or even 2 months. My coding time has decreased dramatically due to family issues.

After careful consideration, I've decided that Metroid Pi² will be much faster and much longer. As of now, and probably for the final as well, it will only use 2 ASM programs--both used for program manipulation. (I'll let you guess what one of them is :)

)

This program manipulation will increase it's dependency on subroutines, but will also mean that there will be minimal code for it to parse--hence, the faster. (And the subroutines will be dynamic--beam stacking, anyone?)

The manipulation also means that I ~~will be able to~~ can read maps from archive--hence, the longer.

This means it will be faster, longer, and probably have some more spiced-up graphics. Hence, the better.

The subroutines I'm using are a little slow, so going from map-to-map might be a smidge slower than Metroid Pi. But, it will also be extremely consistent, since loading each map differs in no way, except for code that might be executed for specific rooms.

So, here's some features I'm looking at right now:

Beam Stacking--!
Missiles
Save Stations, Recharge Rooms (actual rooms, not just powerups)
More varieties of enemies?
3 worlds--! (Maybe a fourth, but there's 9 programs for maps already)
Same dynamic character appearance :D
Hi-Jump, Space Jump
Interactive blocks :)
Energy Tanks! Everyone loves energy tanks!

Suggestions? Comments? Complaints?

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on September 09, 2007, 03:52:00 pm

wow awesome, I hope lot of maps wont slow down game too much tho, but i dont think it will if you put them in one or two programs. I'm glad you're starting this project :)

Metroid I was fun!

Sorry to hear about your family issues tho :(

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Speler on September 09, 2007, 03:56:00 pm

Awesome! I still haven't had the chance to try the first one though, *blushes*.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Xphoenix on September 09, 2007, 04:19:00 pm

:bounce:

*Xphoenix

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on September 09, 2007, 04:24:00 pm

for some reasons I was sure this last post was bfr's for a few secs

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Xphoenix on September 09, 2007, 04:27:00 pm

I hacked your computer's monitor. Then, when you blinked, I switched it back.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on September 11, 2007, 02:29:00 pm

Thanks guys! The first part of the level is coming along nicely, although I'm going to spend a day or so optimizing the physics engine.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on September 11, 2007, 06:16:00 pm

Cool! Do you think you will have a screenie of the first area soon? Btw are the tiles gonna be the same? I liked the dual layer ascii you used for some reasons

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on September 12, 2007, 12:37:00 pm

Tiles are probably going to be somewhat the same, I like the Finance N and O for some reason. But it'll change from world to world :)

.

The first area is being worked on--just the maps, not the powerups (yet). It's similar to Metroid II:Evolution :D

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: dinhotheone on September 12, 2007, 02:43:00 pm

whats dual layer ascii?? how can you have 2 layers on a game that uses the homescreen?

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Speler on September 12, 2007, 02:44:00 pm

You can't. It's on the graphscreen.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: kalan_vod on September 12, 2007, 04:30:00 pm

QuoteBegin-dinhotheone+12 Sep, 2007, 20:43-->

QUOTE (dinhotheone @ 12 Sep, 2007, 20:43)

whats dual layer ascii?? how can you

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Insanity on September 12, 2007, 05:03:00 pm

QUOTE

whats dual layer ascii?? how can you have 2 layers on a game that uses the homescreen?

I was going to [try to] write an ASM program that lets you store and recall the homescreen to appvars or something.

Haven't got around to that, but I've already a homescreen cursor that doesn't destroy anything.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on September 12, 2007, 05:54:00 pm

Insanity zapi actually does that, this is what allowed me to do all those animations in dark link quest with home screen maps

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on September 19, 2007, 12:53:00 pm

*bump*

After getting sidetracked once again, I've discovered a much faster, smaller, and more effective way of creating my dynamic subroutines.

Hats off to Insanity, for having prgmSTR2PROG in PyroEdit 4 (which, I must say, is much better than Artistic). :D

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on September 19, 2007, 12:55:00 pm

wow nice! I assume this will make game developpement much faster and allow routines to be used for other games easily, right?

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on October 15, 2007, 07:21:00 am

it has been almost a month without new progress O_O

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on October 15, 2007, 10:26:00 am

Yeah, I know. Progress has been really slow, mainly due to my math teacher telling us to Clear memory or not take the test. I had a backup elsewhere, but it was kind of old, so I'm rewriting it. Shouldn't take too long.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on October 15, 2007, 10:47:00 am

sorry to hear

I wish teacher didn't do this, I wonder if it's even legal <_<

. It's like if the teacher came at your home and asked you to delete the entirer content of your HDD

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: JonimusPrime on October 15, 2007, 11:46:00 am

Not quite there Now it the teacher had removed every thing including the os the it would have been the same thing. lol

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on October 15, 2007, 11:49:00 am

or installed flash crash (found on the very old Omnimaga forums in Iambian (Iambian_Zenith) sig, and I am talking about the old forums from back in early 2004). This is pretty harmful for the calc

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: dinhotheone on October 15, 2007, 02:27:00 pm

thats why you should always keep a fake mem clear handy :)

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Liazon on October 15, 2007, 02:43:00 pm

QuoteBegin-Harrierfalcon+15 Oct, 2007, 16:26-->

QUOTE (Harrierfalcon @ 15 Oct, 2007, 16:26)

too bad :(

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on October 30, 2007, 02:11:00 am

Currently deciding whether I should make saving SMC, or not. If it is, it would load faster, and autosave immediately when you get a powerup. If not, it would take longer to load, but allow more than one save file, and save more like the original Metroid games.

What do you guys think?

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on October 30, 2007, 05:45:00 am

I would make it like the other metroid games. In other words, either you make it save when you die and always restart with 30 energy points (altough you still keep your energy tanks), like in Metroid for NES, or you make it allow saving at certain spots in the game (save points like in other Metroid games).

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Liazon on October 30, 2007, 01:31:00 pm

QuoteBegin-Harrierfalcon+30 Oct, 2007, 7:11-->

QUOTE (Harrierfalcon @ 30 Oct, 2007, 7:11)

that can be done in basic w/ celtic?

how much faster load time?

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on October 30, 2007, 01:46:00 pm

The speed, I haven't tested. However, if I did save it like the save station metroid games, I would either use a list or a program to save files. Having done that, I would read each element and SMC the subroutines to fit. Considering what I'm packing in, then consider simply having those subroutines ready to go when it start.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on October 30, 2007, 02:35:00 pm

Or you could use the password system from Metroid I for the old NES 8 bits like Zeromus/CDI did with his xLIB version of Metroid Pure (which was the prequel of Metroid II: Evolution), but it would be too complicated for nothing

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on October 30, 2007, 04:10:00 pm

Agreed. I'll probably stick with the longer-loading time, because then you actually have to get to a save station after getting something to save. :)

EDIT: Metroid Pi just earned a 7/10 on ticalc.org. Apparently loading is slow and so is gameplay. Loading isn't IMO, but gameplay could be faster.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on October 30, 2007, 06:07:00 pm

Yeah I just saw, I was tempted to post a review but since someone did I will wait a week or so, but in summary it would have got 9 for graphics considering its pure basic, 8 for size since its small for a metroid, 9 for gameplay/control since its easy to use and fast, altough it lack a lot of features from Metroid, but storyline/lenght may be something like 3 because the game was extremly short (even more than Metroid Pure). Either than the story and small amount of features compared to Metroid II Evolution I still have the game grouped on my calc ready to play if I get bored of working on Metroid II Expansion

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: TIfanx1999 on November 01, 2007, 02:40:00 pm

QUOTE

I like the idea of faster loading, and I don't think you really need multiple save files, so I'd say go for the faster method.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: trevmeister66 on November 01, 2007, 04:28:00 pm

Yeah one save file is plenty. If you're gonna do auto save, then you should let the user turn it off or on.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Liazon on November 01, 2007, 04:31:00 pm

QuoteBegin-Harrierfalcon+30 Oct, 2007, 18:46-->

QUOTE (Harrierfalcon @ 30 Oct, 2007, 18:46)

keep w/ the save stations ;)

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on November 12, 2007, 03:29:00 pm

Lolz. Due to the recent release of Metroid II: Evolution's expansion pack, I have been focusing on this. I've decided to completely rewrite the map system, as it runs a little slow, and I'm throwing a couple more programmer-oriented niceties into the mix.

In short; I'm working on it.

EDIT: I forgot. I figured out the save system as well :)

. I'll copy all the subroutines to temporary programs when you start, SMC the temp programs when you get a powerup or something, and writeback to the original subroutines when you save. It's simpler than what I had anticipated, and works just like Metroid Pi :D

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on November 12, 2007, 05:12:00 pm

Ok I'm gonna release another expansion set when you finish Pi 2 so you make a 3rd one :D

^.^

j/k but nice you're still wotrking on this :)

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Liazon on November 13, 2007, 02:05:00 pm

i didn't know basic programmers used the acronym SMC too.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on November 29, 2007, 02:23:00 pm

I do, but it's not truly possible without ASM subroutine.

Still working on world one maps. Due to the amount, the completion percentage hasn't been going anywhere.

Be prepared; there will be a LOT of subprograms. Put it this way: 16 map databases for each world. 3 worlds. 16*3+[other subroutines].

I could compress each world into 3 programs, but that would mean slower loading times, plus me having to rewrite the entire map system (again).

But I need feedback. As for the loading type...post your choice! (The description, not the number):

Loading like Metroid Pi and Zoith. Slow, but hides discrepancies such as trick walls (making for better gameplay, IMO)
Draw Layer 1 completely, StorePic, draw layer 2 completely, RecallPic. Fast, but doesn't hide discrepancies.

And note if you want a line that "scans and renders" the new environment; it'd be slightly slower, but cooler-looking.

Screenies upon request. (I'm kind of homework-buried right now)

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Liazon on November 29, 2007, 02:30:00 pm

QuoteBegin-Harrierfalcon+29 Nov, 2007, 20:23-->

QUOTE (Harrierfalcon @ 29 Nov, 2007, 20:23)

I do, but it's not truly possible without ASM subroutine.

....

Screenies upon request. (I'm kind of homework-buried right now)

i see

ya, take your time. for some reason I find school work takes a huge jump before x-mas and midyear exams. not a surprise though.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on November 29, 2007, 02:31:00 pm

amount... are you implying there is looooad of maps? If so this will make the game even more complete and maybe rival Metroid II expansion lenght.

I don't mind high amount of sub programs really. If the game is gonna be long, good and complete at the same time it will generally have a lot, and generally when I see a game with many sub programs on ticalc I am more tempted to downlload it because in most cases it's a masterpiece

as for loading I would go with option 1, because it wasn't that slow anyway

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on November 29, 2007, 04:50:00 pm

Yeah my school workload has been rather heavy lately.

And DJ? Each world has 16*16 room limit. So yeah, it'll be fairly long.

I kind of like the loading line...it indicates where it is currently working, which is good in areas with lots of space (plus it kind of gives off that computer-ish feel). But what do you guys think?

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: trevmeister66 on November 29, 2007, 04:52:00 pm

Yeah I like the loading from Metroid Pi and zoith because it really isn't that slow, and adds the gameplay.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Liazon on December 01, 2007, 10:59:00 am

wizards spiral!!! ^^

ya sure, loading isn't a bad thing.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: TIfanx1999 on December 02, 2007, 05:25:00 am

@harrierfalcon; What do you mean by the second method doesn't hide discrepancies as well? If the second method is significantly faster than I'd say use it. Otherwise the first should be fine.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: trevmeister66 on December 02, 2007, 05:28:00 am

I think what he means is that there are certain walls that you can destroy to get to hidden passages, and if he uses the second way, you'll be able to tell where it is when the map is loading.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on December 02, 2007, 05:28:00 am

Well, if you've played Metroid Pi, then by "discrepancies" I mean irregularities in terrain, such as a fake wall.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: TIfanx1999 on December 02, 2007, 06:08:00 am

Definitley use the first method then, Sry, I missed that in original post.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: Harrierfalcon on December 02, 2007, 06:57:00 am

Nah, I wasn't very clear.

Updating my sig, now I'm working on the powerup system.

Title: Metroid Pi 2
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on December 02, 2007, 10:57:00 am

Nice, keep it up :)