Working hard

Yes, I'm still alive!!!
Haven't really posted recently as not much to say. I've been playing around with a few different ideas plus some old designs too. It's funny how when you take a break from something and then come back to it you get a new lease of life.

Anyway, still coding, still posting and desperate to get a big scale game out there next year. I'd like to talk about what I'm working on but whenever I seem to mention anything here, it almost gets the "kiss of death" and I get no further with it - I'm keeping quiet for now!

Want to kick some graphic ideas around with Phil also, but his life is extremely busy now with his first baby. How easy life was before we all grew up and became responsible adults :)

YOUR ideas

I'm looking at doing a sequel to Ten Ton Ninja as the game received a lot of praise and people do seem to be interested in another version.
The original game was written really quickly and was always intended to be free. I think it's rough around the edges but it served it's purpose.

I'm basically after ideas from other people regarding what you'd like to see in a sequel.

The ideas so far are: Larger and improved graphics, more stunts, more Ninja Skills, more enemy types, mini-games, boss battles, more levels, different online high score tables and choice of control method.

Some of these ideas I have already implemented in what could be a new version.

Anyway, if you've got any ideas on what you'd like to see or what would be cool to include then please post a comment.

Nice Comments

We're getting some nice comments about The One That Got Away so if you haven't played it yet get over to http://www.addictive247.co.uk/flashtheonethatgotaway.htm

The One That Got Away

We've just released our new Flash game The One That Got Away.

Play it at http://www.addictive247.co.uk/flashtheonethatgotaway.htm

All your fishy friends have been captured by Big Red and his evil Octos. It's up to you to rescue them from the sea chests in this fast paced, quick thinking arcade game.

Scores Done!

The problem with the High Scores is now sorted out and I've even managed to get some music into the game.

The music is soft and "not game like" at all but it then ramps up a lot during the bonus rounds. I like the difference between the two.

Just some little finishing touches to sort out. I can then build it and upload for all to play. Should be ready for this weekend :)

Online High Scores

Just doing the finishing touches on the online high scores for The One That Got Away.

A few minor bugs to iron out like it sending the scores to the server ok but not displaying them!
Should be something simple to fix though as it uses the same online score code as Donuts in Danger, which works fine.

20 Levels - Done!

All 20 levels are now in - hurray!

I've just had a few plays and I've failed to complete my own game! Keep getting stuck at Level 19.

All that's left to do now is to throw in a nice bit of music, do the How to Play and Game Over screens and then sort out the online High Scores - simple!
Should have it ready to upload at some point next week.

I'm pleased with my productivity on this small project. Although the game is nothing special, if I release it next week then it will have taken just less than a month to complete :)

Getting There

Well I've now completed 13 levels and I've changed how the game works ever so slightly.

Now when you collect all the Bonus Bubbles (to spell BONUS) aswell as massive points you now get an extra life. This seems to work out well for letting the player get further into the game.

The later levels are now becoming quite difficult so the extra lives are a nice addition :)

Finally! Screenshots!

A couple of screenies to show you the new game "The One That Got Away".

I've completed 9 levels so far. I'm not sure how many the final game will have yet, but I'm trying to do at least one every night.


In the screenshot you're the yellow fish.
You have to free your fishy friends from the chests to get to the next level. The 2 pink Octopus patrolling the top and bottom of the play area will shoot when they are lined up with you.
The red Octopus is Big Red. He appears if you take too long on a level and chases you all over the screen.

The game starts easy enough with just one Octopus. As it progresses though there will be up to 4 Octopus trying to take you out, plus the threat of Big Red!

Anyway, it's nothing mind blowing or new or radical but hopefully a small fun, free web game that you'll enjoy.

A couple of Screenshots - or not!

Well, I was just about to upload some screenies for you but Blogger is giving me Service Unavailable when it tries the upload - balls!!

Have to wait until tomorro now :(

The One That Got Away

A new small flash game that I've been working on. Featuring a fish and an evil Octopus - coming soon!

Productivity

You know what it's like - you turn on your PC to do some "work" and first of all you check your emails. Then you go to your regular forums and see what's going on there. Then you browse your favourite blogs, check your email again and then chat to a friend on Skype.

Before you know it 2 hours have passed by. You decide to go downstairs and make a cup of tea before you start coding. Back upstairs an email comes in that you decide to respond to straight away. You then go back and check Ebay and have a message on a forum that you need to reply to . . . and on it goes.

Eventually you've had enough of your PC and decide to go downstairs and do something more productive like watch the tv or cut the grass!

I've had (have) this problem too. The only way I've managed to combat it is to do some work first, no matter what.
I now turn on my PC, bring up my code and do at least one little thing that needs doing. Even if it's something that takes 2 minutes, I've been more productive than usual. I usually find that once I start coding I carry on for quite some time before I decide to check my Email.

So if you want to be more productive ignore the emails, forums, blogs etc and get a small bit of work done first, then sit back and play on the Interweb. You'll feel much better for it.

Fighting Talk

Well, Fighting code anyway.

Currently I've got a player controlled fighter who will move around the play area nicely doing jumps, kicks, punches and some specials taken from Street Fighter. All works very well.

I've also just finished coding the Player 2 stuff plus all the moves and if you've got enough fingers you can battle it out between them.

I think that's the easy bit done!

The hard bit will be doing the computer opponent AI.
I read somewhere (don't know where!) that the best way to do AI for this kind of fighting game is to make the hardest opponent first. Then you just strip back bits until you end up with the weakest, most stupid opponent. Sounds good to me!

A day away . . .

. . . from your code is always a big help.

I had a problem with the special moves for the fighters in our latest game. I spent hours looking for the problem and couldn't see it. I even went back to earlier builds of the game to try and track down the cause, but to no avail.

I didn't look at the code the next day but last night I looked at it with fresh eyes and there it was - an obvious mistake staring right at me! 10 minutes later and the special moves for player 1 are working fine again - hurray!

Onwards and upwards!

Crazy Man!

Sneak peak at the first draft of the "crazy man" for the new game.
This was sketched on a tablet by Phil and is a rough first draft. The look we're going for will be a kind of Manga style.

When Phil has some free-time he'll import it into 3DS Max and then animate it.
Phil's free-time is going to be scarce though as he's just become a dad - congrats Phil and Lianne :)