Omnimaga
Calculator Community => Other Calc-Related Projects and Ideas => TI Z80 => Topic started by: Ashbad on January 26, 2011, 04:34:38 pm
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To organize the subforum of the project(s) a bit, I have created many new subtopics here; this one is intended for news on the projects, and also for feedback on the latest events. I will post here regularly, hopefully. Here is the organization of the topics thus so far:
Trio and Niko: Falling -- the general topic for TaNF
[SPINOFF]Trio and Niko: Dawn -- the general topic for my cage match entry
Trio and Niko RELEASES -- a locked topic for only trio and niko binaries, not specific to a title
Trio and Niko NEWS -- This one right here!
Everything else is less serious business, so feel free to post your own threads in the sub-forum, just as long as they are (mostly) relevant ;)
ALSO... If a moderator/admin could help me out and sticky all of the topics (except the polls one), it would really help me organize. Thanks in advance! ~ thanks squidget
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If a moderator/admin could help me out and sticky all of the topics (except the polls one), it would really help me organize. Thanks in advance!
No.
;)
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Thanks mr. opposite man :D you helped a lot, now I'm more organized :)
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TaNF
Announcement: Trio and Niko: Falling is scheduled to have a true ALPHA release Monday, Febuary 1st, 2011 showcasing many new aspects of the game:
- A fully working Magic system, with 7 different spells, each heralding their own special effects and graphical sequences
- A fully working experience system that will allow you to level up Trio in 3 areas: Strength, Max HP, and Max MP
- 3 new enemies
- A boss, specs not yet released to public
- An 8x8 screen Forest to explore and conquer, whilst you level up and discover the beginnings of TaNF's plot
- A most excellent title screen
- ...And More!
So stay tuned for the release, you don't wanna miss it!
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/me clicks "NOTIFY" for this topic.
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edit to the earlier post: sorry, but I have much more to finish on TaNF than I expected :P
So, I'll set the date to February the 8th and see how that works ;) I can probably get it done enough by then
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Haha, yeah things always come up. Today I realized that even after three patch releases to ash:Phoenix, I am still missing a core part of the xp engine. Anyway, I'll be looking forward to this! And don't be afraid of releasing it too early, there will always be bugs in all betas. With that said, I guess you still have to maintain some kind of QC.
Wow, I just contradicted myself twice. Anyway, uh, good luck and whatnot ;)
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thanks squidget :)
mostly what I need to finish is actual tiling and spriting and map making instead of just playing around with the code :P
once I can get all 255 tiles done (to make things look prettyful, I made 100 so far today, bringing my count up to around 160) I can start the map making :D
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Good luck Ashbad!
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Thanks! I've already got all 213 finalized tiles done (though I can add more later using my on-calc sprite editor and paste them into the appvar with ease)
Oh and in case you wanna see the sprite sheet as it is, colored so that calcGS accepts it, here it is:
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looks great :O but what would be the light and dark gray? Because I see a yellowish gray and another gray, both of which seem to be at the same contrast ???
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that's because the 255 color version of paint only has like 2-3 colors accpeted by calcGS to be Lightgray/Darkgray
And those were the first ones I picked :P
darkgray is lightgray and the yellow is darkgray ==> Paradox :P
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I see, weird X.x. Anyway here is a version with the right levels of gray :D
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Wow these tiles look nice O.o I need to get back to work on Ash:Phoenix...
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^ This ;D
Btw Ashbad you should maybe demonstrate some of these tiles in mockup screenshots so we can see how they look like in a map. :)
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TaN:F News For This Week:
Dear Omnimagians,
Whilst my abilities to sprite bosses and enemies is quite able, I know there are those out there who love to sprite and would love to work as a slave with all rights revoked spritist for your good friend Ashbad!
I'm looking for tons and tons of different enemy sprites! Here is the criteria:
- if you want to make a normal enemy sprite:
- 8x8 size required
- Up to 3 levels of gray (be warned that light gray is transparency and dark gray shows up as light gray)
- At least 8 different forms, 2 for each direction (since each will have 2 moving animations per direction), plus a a few more if you want the enemy to have special moves and such -- though keep it within reason! I'm not hardcoding a special move that creates an earthquake and summons the angel of pastries.
- if you want to sprite for bosses:
- 16x16 maximum size (even though the last boss is 32x32, but I'm making him)
- up to 3 levels of gray (see the warning on the first criteria list)
- AS MANY DIFFERENT FORMS AS YOU WANT, 16 as the limit ^-^ I won't force you to do facing directions for a boss, since it's already a lot of work, and they can just face forwards and such.
Just ask questions, get help, or post your sprites in this new thread! http://ourl.ca/9854.new#new
Thanks for all of your effort in advance! All participants WILL get credit in the credits! ;)
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I'll work on sprites if you want me to. Lots, too! ;D
(If I'm not supposed to post here, I can delete this.)
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no, I encourage people to post here ;D
sounds awesome! Thanks in advance, I'm sure your sprites will be cool!
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TaNF News for this week:
This week, I have completed some specs for the size of this game -- it will be an 8 page flash application -- which is 131072 bytes. Don't argue with me on this, I need this space to operate.
Also, the latest map design is attached, and it is 55% done so far. EDIT: it's attached in the thread linked to below. Look at the end of page 32.
more info at the latest postings here: http://ourl.ca/805678#new
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Wow nice, so it switches back to ASM? The space is fine since it's justified IMHO.
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Wow nice, so it switches back to ASM? The space is fine since it's justified IMHO.
:)
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Thank you all for bearing with me so long, with me holding you at absolute suspense for the most awesome RPG ever :)
Well, you still got a few months realistically until the suspense is over, but I think I'll throw some fun facts out there for all eager fans:
-tanf has been a game idea for 8 years
-I've tried making it it on 3 different platforms 3 times each
-I've written 10000 lines in all of my life for this game's internal programming, only 200 lines of which are still being used in this first actual serious attempt at making this game
-in all 34 pages of the main thread, I've already killed the project twice, proposed it for the casio prizm twice, claimed that I would never finish it 17 times, and got banned 3 times xD
-I've changed the core gameplay idea 3 times
-I've changed the base language from asm to axe to both to axe to asm again
-of the 224 tiles I posted before, 150 were made within 20 minutes, the other 74 took around 4 hours
-I committed murder by actually changing the original story at one point, though its back to normal again ;)
-I expect the final product to be at the very least 9 flash pages long, which is around 130K -- 6-7 of those pages are compressed data maps
-Ive only posted outdated source code files twice (I'm a open source supporter, but barely)
-I've gained at least 70 post ratings from my updates, 50 of which were lost due to my assaholic behavior xD
I could think of more fun facts, but I bet these already make a wall of text xD see you all next week for the next major update!
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Woah 8 years? O.O
This kinda reminds me my song Chaos inside Me or whatever it was called. By the way for which platforms did you try making it for prior calcs?
Anyway I really hope the current form of the game is what we will get. :D
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The new update from the cemetery of the forums; also known as a productive necropost
Many original supporters don't even remember what TaNF stands for as an acronym, proving that I've taken too long to update! Well no more: this summer, I am working on TaNF for at least 2 hours every day, with the exception of a few days and I'm gonna work on it for 5 hours a day on Sundays. With that being said, I plan to post a News update very week to give general info on the workings of the project and how it is going. For now, since I still have yet nothing to show with the new z80 assembly version:
- Engine -- 10% -- with the new engine, the size is planned to decrease for amount of needed executable code, leaving room open for more data. The engine will support the original sword and spells parts, but also 5 Zelda-like items as well. It also supports enemies with each type having specific state machined roles so that they aren't all the same type of thing just following you but with different sprites and different speeds.
- Graphics -- 65% -- I am using all old tiles from the original tile set, but I'm working towards 512 different tiles total. I have it so there is an indoor set and an outdoor set, which each contain 256 tiles. There is a single bit in the individual maps that determines which set will be mapped to the tile mapped values. I also plan to have a swarm of enemy types, which I also started spiriting for, along with a few types of NPCs.
Possible Alpha Release: July 4th
Codename: Project Independence
I will be keeping the project closed source for now (it is all written in z80 assembly, not C, so you can technically disassemble it and try to follow it, but good luck understanding anything and how things fit together) released only in small chunks here and on cemetech for assembly coding help with problems I might face. Release Independence will have a small testing group of 10 people mostly from, but not limited to the Omnimaga and Cemetech communities. By this point the project should be 30% into total development, which is why it will be kept closed, as I want the testing to be somewhat controlled. If you want to help test, Email me at: a s h b a d . a l v i n @ g m a i l . c o m. Without the spaces asking to be able to test.
Well, decent update, so time for a shower(++) and going back to work(--)!
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/me signs up for beta testing.....
this game looked epic back in axe form...now lets see how you do with asm gluck mate
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Awesome update, but my eyes burn... x.x (the red text). You should use easier to read text colors like this.
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<span style="background-color:#FF00FF;color:#00FF00;">Awesome update, but my eyes burn... x.x (the red text). You should use easier to read text colors like this.</span>
That's defintely easier to read. Why the red Ashbad? ;P
Nevertheless, nice updates there :)
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Good idea, DJ :)
Also, new update:
while I'm moving along, I don't think I'll meet the July 4th deadline. I think I'll have it working in an alpha form by July 15th though :)
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OH GOD MY EYES THEY BURN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and bummer but coding is not easy so gluck!
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I would probably try to focus a bit on Uncharted TI, to meet the contest deadline. Hopefully you can resume work on TanF soon afterward.
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Taking a quick break with no work on this for about ~1 week, I'm working on computer stuff until then for fun while. Have time this summer :P. Porfress resumes very very soon.
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Taking a quick break with no work on this for about ~1 week, I'm working on computer stuff until then for fun while. Have time this summer :P. Porfress resumes very very soon.
Have fun with computer programming :)
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The time when I came home from my camping trip and got straight on my computer and realized that I wasn't in the mood for coding so I decided to make tiles and I threw some old ones out and fixed/remade them and then took a dump and then came back to the computer and realized I had well over 400 tiles now and well over 600 sprites done and 2000ish lines of code done so I decided to screw productivity tonight and make a mockup of what I think the game is now gonna look like in its "new" form... also known as:
Time for update!
So, assuming you're normal and didn't read that useless stupid sentence above, I decided to post progress (this time on both omnimaga, cemetech, and a few other places -- many places haven't heard an update from me from a *long* time). I decided the code I wrote in z80 assembly for the 84+ concerning the source of TaN was rather.. stupid. I'm not a great z80 coder. I'm sure as hell not writing my dream game in a language I kinda sorta know. So, I decided for one final change -- This is being written in C, using SDL for Audio and Graphics (and key input too I guess, but that's rather obvious). I know, "ASHBAD YOU STUPID ASH FREKIN' JUST FINISH THIS GAEM" is what you all think. But this time I promise (I was just kidding the last 6 times when I promised) that this is the *final* attempt I'm making to develop this game. Either I make it this time, or it simply dies forever. I made myself promise.. myself this deal, so that I would finally feel continuously motivated to work on it. And, after switching to making this a computer project, this game has never been doing better!
Here's the deal: I decided to keep *all* the old graphics for the computer version (it's rather original for a computer game to be really old school with 4 level grayscale 8x8 sprites/tiles) and it's turning more and more into a zelda-esque game from a final-fantasy-esque game. The original version for the calculator was planned to be a FFV-like game, with no overworld fighting; the first Axe version was a mix of that and some overworld sword action; the assembly version (of which I made multiple screenshots that should be still present in this thread) was pretty much pure zelda, but with a weird FF feel still looming; now, I can't say it has *anything* that could possibly remind you of FF. The graphics are a mix between Zelda:LA's calming and smooth yet cartoony style and Zelda:ALTTP's detailed and *beautiful* graphics that always pushed me through a world of imagery that made me feel like Link. I may have used these two games for graphics inspiration, but everything I've made is 100% original, all of it made by me. I don't like the idea of using other people's graphics for an original game made by me. The feeling puts shudders through my spine.
Here's a recent mockup I made in paint ~20 minutes ago that shows what the general style of graphics look like now, with an experimental HUD and screensize (everything is scaled by 3x for PC, to make it easier to see yet still not *too* pixelly) -- I'm thinking of making the room size much larger to something like 14x20 tiles per room. Here is the mockup:
(http://img.removedfromgame.com/imgs/showoff_001.png)
On a side note the main map is growing a bit; it's being expanded now. The new map very much resembles the old, and is only like 30% finished, but here's a quick look at what it's starting to form:
(http://img.removedfromgame.com/imgs/showoff_002.png)
As you can see it's a WIP.
Coding wise, it's doing okay. About 2000 lines of code, but mostly meant for wrapping low-level SDL things into hi-level functions I can use much easier. So not much yet, give it a few months.
So, update complete!
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That looks pretty great. It reminds me a Gameboy game actually. You should enable a mode that lets you play witha yellow-ish background like the original GB from 1989. I hope you still do calc games in the future, though D:
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Yeah, the gameboy effect is intended :) I was actually really considering multiple color schemes, like where tiles are blue, and sprites are red (like in pokemon blue on a GBC) but I'll probably just do it with a changeable overall color -- easy enough to program, it would seem :)
Also, I'm not quitting calc games, just taking a long hiatus. When I go back to calc stuff I'll most likely be developing mostly for the prizm.
Edit: in the mockup, Trio has zero health and zero magic :P he'd be dead there and with no backup magic to save him. Woops, forgot the actual bars between the bar holders :P
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Aaaaw hellz yeah. More progress.
If you need chiptunes, I'm always available!
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Aaaaw hellz yeah. More progress.
If you need chiptunes, I'm always available!
Actually, keep your inbox open -- I'm only an *okay* composer, and I'm planning to only use a few of DJ's songs (I've asked a long time ago, I should ask again), so I may need quite the share of music. I suppose in due time I shall be ringing on your inbox's doorbell ;)
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Aaaaw hellz yeah. More progress.
If you need chiptunes, I'm always available!
Actually, keep your inbox open -- I'm only an *okay* composer, and I'm planning to only use a few of DJ's songs (I've asked a long time ago, I should ask again), so I may need quite the share of music. I suppose in due time I shall be ringing on your inbox's doorbell ;)
I've said it once and I'll say it again: hellz yeah./me boots up Famitracker and LMMS
Ready and waiting. :hyper:
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I see Ashbad.
Also I have another idea, although this would require resizing the maps D:, but it's not really necessary: NES style maps :D
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I see Ashbad.
Also I have another idea, although this would require resizing the maps D:, but it's not really necessary: NES style maps :D
Hmm, what's an NES styled map? O.o
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Oh it's like Game Boy, but 256x224 instead with 16 colors at once
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Oh it's like Game Boy, but 256x224 instead with 16 colors at once
Hmm, that would require a *lot* of changes O.o though I'll consider it, maybe play with how colors would work tonight :)
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I guess it could be for a sequel or something. Finish the current version first :D (although I think generally when a game serie spanned from NES to GB the sequel came on the GB and the prequel on the NES, but I guess it doesn't matter much :P)
Good luck regardless :D
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Yeah, good idea -- the graphics so far *might* work with simple coloring, but it would look sloppier, since they're really optimized for Grayscale. But, very interesting idea, maybe for a sequel (I can already imagine it -- Trio and Niko II: Niko's Quest :P one can dream) though, thinking of what a sequel will hold before the actual game is made is one of the ways you'll never actually work on development, as I learned from the tutorial "How not to fuck up your game development cycle" that I read a *long* time ago on TKZ ;D
Also thanks :D
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This is a computer project now O_o? Oh well, gl anyway haha. I need to get back to work on A:P....
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This is a computer project now O_o? Oh well, gl anyway haha. I need to get back to work on A:P....
FIrst it was ASM, then it was Axe, then it was ASM again, it was even C at a time. Now it's computer Java.
Ashbad, I've told you this several times, but I've seen you doing this many times already. When you have an idea for a project, carefully plan it, think about the pros and cons of each language and platform (computer, calculator, phone, etc).
And then make sure you can make most of it (you don't have to know how to make it, you will definitely learn a lot while making it).
I've seen you starting a lot of projects that you never finish and changing the way you make many of them (like Trio and Niko). I just wanna help you because I know you're a good programmer and you can do a lot more if you think more about things before you make a topic on it and start making it.
Ashbad, this is not a negative post, I'm not insulting you or anything, I just want to try to help you ;)
Nevertheless, I wish you good luck with the Java work :)
EDIT: You also have to think about how long you take to make it (more or less). You started a project for the Axe contest that you didn't manage to finish and now you started Prizmcity which seems like a very ambitious project (this is good) for so short time (not so good). I would like to see you finishing PrizmCity before the contest, I hope you can...
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1) ~Java, but C. Java--, (C)++. I would *never* do a serious project in Java :P
2) I normally *do* think about consequences and the sort of platforms and such. This project is different, every other one can be finished on the platform and be release generally-well polished; this one *must* be released on a viable platform in an immaculate condition or I'll feel unaccomplished.
3) No offense, but I don't want or need help like this :P but w/e I get it's not negative, but I can plan my own things rather well
4) I can't work on this because PrizmCity is being worked on ~4 hours a day.
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I think Ephan point is just that it can give people false hope when a project is cancelled for their platform and if you cannot make up your mind about the final platform, eventually people give up on supporting the project because they think it will continue switching platforms over and over for the next two-three years and will simply stop supporting the project altogether (until a fully playable demo comes out). He doesn't mean to offend or anything, he just wants you to make up your mind once and for all. :/
I personally would like to see this finished regardless of the platform it is made on. (along with your other projects)