Lady Bug

[tricky]

I think that I forget ranges for data break points too, but will add them next time I'm in beebem code.

[lovebug]

I think that I forget ranges for data break points too, but will add them next time I'm in beebem code.

sounds like a great idea

[lovebug]

i have found a way to crash ladybug !

boot the disk, select the maze editor and save a maze as "[maps]" or "[conf]" which are the two main control files for the game containing the 3 maze map names and the game configuration

i dont think there is enough spare room in editor.bas to block these file names so just be aware not to use these two file names for your own mazes

thanks

[lovebug]

ive locked [Maps] and [Conf] and added unlock write to file and relock using *access which solves the problem

its on my github if you want it

[lovebug]

Build 003331 prevent users from saving a maze file name as [Maps] or [Conf] which corrupts the game
both files are now locked and only unlocked during updating after which they are locked again
 

ladybug-90x90.png (9.53 KiB) Viewed 4387 times

 

LadyBug.ssd

(50.5 KiB) Downloaded 42 times

 

source.zip

(702.53 KiB) Downloaded 34 times

[tricky]

I knew you wouldn't be able to resist

[lovebug]

I knew you wouldn't be able to resist

well you know how bugs bug me so

I feel bad for https://bbcmicro.co.uk/ having to keep updating my game on their site

I think theres nothing left to fix now, its probably the final version

well some of the comments need improvement, a lot of the functions have missing information about if the registers are preseved or destroyed and stuff like that but its a lot of work going through each one and then following all the other function calls to see what registers are used

i did start doing this but its very tiring

[tricky]

Have you had any more thoughts on future games?

[lovebug]

Have you had any more thoughts on future games?

i've been very tempted to turn this game on its side and make a vertical shooter for the beeb

i love how the 8 bit nintendo with its tile based graphics and hardware sprites can do games like this, its a shame the beeb didnt come with a ppu like this

[lovebug]

but before i do that i have a multiplayer turn based board game in mind where up to 3 players / ai's can play at the same time

something i can hopefully knock out quicky

[tricky]

Gradius was the main influence for Gil and my Game Jeltron. Before we had played R-Type. Then the following red blobs became an orbiting blob as a compromise.

[lovebug]

Gradius was the main influence for Gil and my Game Jeltron. Before we had played R-Type. Then the following red blobs became an orbiting blob as a compromise.

i think that orbiting blobs are a good idea, storing a list of moves for the following blobs is do-able but i think orbiting blobs is cooler anyway

[lovebug]

build 003332 omg another build ... i decided to alter the bonus item points colors to match the color they were when collected
 

img-points.png (403 Bytes) Viewed 4157 times

 

LadyBug.ssd

(50.5 KiB) Downloaded 33 times

 

source.zip

(702.75 KiB) Downloaded 35 times

[lovebug]

Build 003333 after making the red and yellow object points flash in the correct colors it was bugging me that the cyan points didnt flash so I added some code to .updateBonusColor to use the previously unused palette colors 8 and 9 for cyan/blue flashing and altered the images again
 

img-points.png (413 Bytes) Viewed 4085 times

 

LadyBug.ssd

(50.5 KiB) Downloaded 31 times

 

source.zip

(702.96 KiB) Downloaded 22 times

[lovebug]

Build 003335 added overflow protection to prevent shields and lives wrapping around if > 99 and both are now clamped at 99 max

getting over 99 shields or lives probably isnt posible unless youre some kind of super human or a tasbot but i added this just in case
 

LadyBug.ssd

(50.5 KiB) Downloaded 39 times

 

source.zip

(703.22 KiB) Downloaded 28 times

[lovebug]

Build 003336 sorry after recently adding the 99 limit to lives and shields i noticed something i really wasnt happy with

the function levelAdvance advances the level number, bonus fruit and such but it also handled reducing the shield by 1

so in the EXTRA and SPECIAL bonuses I was increasing the shield by one so that when the level advances after you get the bonus you will not lose a shield

well that was a bit hacky and i didnt like it at all so ive removed the shield decrement from levelAdvance and put it into checkLevelEnd where it should have been all along and doing so allowed me to remove the hacky add 1 to shield code from the two bonus functions, this also freed up around 20 bytes too

now im a happy bug
 

LadyBug.ssd

(50.5 KiB) Downloaded 38 times

 

source.zip

(702.95 KiB) Downloaded 22 times

[lovebug]

During the competition a few players had issues with the grid lock movement on lady bug

If anyone has any ideas of an alternative solution then please let me know and i'll try to implement it

Thanks

[fwibbler]

Personally I think its fine as it is.
It simply the way the control system works. It seems to be consistent and therefore fair...

[lovebug]

I have rewritten this lady bug movement so many times and its never right and the more I think about it the more its annoying me

it has to go

Thinking...

[lovebug]

ive tried a few ideas but they all are pretty bad

I really cant think of a solution to this

any ideas would be most welcome

[tricky]

I found it fine after a little play.
Maybe have a chat about it at the next ABUG DEV night, nearly three weeks though.
Does it follow the same logic as the arcade? - I haven't played it since the 80s!

[fwibbler]

I found it fine after a little play.

Me too. I don't see that it needs changing to be honest.

[lovebug]

Does it follow the same logic as the arcade? - I haven't played it since the 80s!

Tricky it doesnt

hmmm maybe I should play the arcade game for a bit and get a feeling for whats going on

[lovebug]

played a few games on the original arcade game, keep getting jammed on walls

[tricky]

I think that was why I only played a few games bitd but wasn't sure.

[lovebug]

i have an idea brewing ....

[lovebug]

oh this is funny, during testing i disabled enemySpawn so I could move around without bother and all was going well until I collected the bonus vegetable which just kept respawning

.avi video

[lovebug]

im going to give up trying to improve the lady bug movement , everything i try is either slightly worse or a total mess

[lovebug]

im going to give up trying to improve the lady bug movement , everything i try is either slightly worse or a total mess

heh I cant do that

so I decided to take another look but this time in a sensible way so to start with I have disabled the gridlock code completely just to see how it behaves without it

its not too bad but its easy to get stuck on walls as you have to be exactly pixel perfect to make a turn
you can get around this by pressing diagonally for the turn

this is a good clean base to start experimenting with, this is helping a lot and my mind is free from trying improve the current gridlock which was difficult

starting fresh is better

Experimental Build 100000 - no gridlock slide
 

Lady Bug.ssd

(50.5 KiB) Downloaded 23 times

 

source.zip

(703.12 KiB) Downloaded 17 times

[lovebug]

ok ive had enough, i cant fix it

its just been one glitchy mess after another