Bugs Released

WRAGGSTER · Post by **WRAGGSTER** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 11:07 am

Kamjin has released a great new Space Invadors type game for the Dreamcast called Bugs, Check it out at the bugs page --> http://www.dcemu.co.uk/bugs.shtml

Please leave comments

jessman · Post by **jessman** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 12:59 am

WHOA! It's kinda like a mix between Space Invaders and Galaga! COOL! This is awsome! nice work.

Orange_Ribbon · Post by **Orange_Ribbon** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 7:29 am

Ohhhh that looks nice. Man i have to burn somethings Pronto.

curt_grymala · Post by **curt_grymala** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 7:34 am

There is an SBI on Sbiffy!com.

Orange_Ribbon · Post by **Orange_Ribbon** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 7:40 am

Cool I have to make a HB collection of the newer stuff so I can give it all a try.

curt_grymala · Post by **curt_grymala** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 7:34 pm

Just tried this out kamjin - I'm very impressed. Once again, you've done some amazing work. I am very impressed with this release.

It's almost like a cross between Galaga and Space Invaders. It's sweet.

The only major gripe I had is one that has already been pointed out - it would be nice if you were invincible for a few seconds after being re-born. If your middle shield is gone, you don't stand a chance when you come back from the dead.

Kamjin · Post by **Kamjin** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 11:28 pm

Curt,
I know.. there's was a bug

in the code there, it would make you invicible for the rest of the game.. I just wanted to get this out to so I rem'd out quite a few bits of code in there..

Orange Ribbon, Jessman, Curt, and all
I need to get back some ideas of where to go with this.. anyone have any feedback please, on gameplay, graphics, sound, anything you guys think should be added or removed. let me know.. I'm kinda stuck

jjoepr · Post by **jjoepr** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 12:17 am

A bonus stage? possibly a boss or a stage similar to Yar's revenge? Dunno maybe I over stepped my bounds and asked for way too much.

curt_grymala · Post by **curt_grymala** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:05 pm

I'm going to play this again tonight, with a friend of mine. We'll probably play it for a while, so I'll give you further thoughts and suggestions tomorrow.

curt_grymala · Post by **curt_grymala** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:30 pm

A couple of comments -

1) On the first few levels, the enemies should move a lot slower than they do. Even in Galaga they didn't move that quickly. Also, maybe they shouldn't shoot quite so much.
2) I noticed another bug: somehow one of the enemies actually flew right through my shield and ran into my ship.
3) The power-ups that were mentioned earlier sound interesting. I've got a power-up that would be nice to add to that list: shield re-generator. It would be cool if there was some way to replenish your shields, even a little bit.
4) I also like the idea of your ship not being able to shoot quite as much, but it would be better if you lowered it to Galaga standards (I think Galaga allowed you to have two or three shots on the screen at once) as opposed to Space Invaders standards (which seemed to allow you to take one shot per second or something).
5) I like the different sprites, but it would be cool if each sprite had their own personality, like Galaga did.
6) The shields and the background could use a little work, and the game altogether could use a little more color.

Again, though, it's a very fun game, and it's one I can play with my wife, so I give you a big thumbs up for that, and really look forward to future releases.

Kamjin · Post by **Kamjin** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 4:15 pm

jjoepr,

A bonus stage? possibly a boss or a stage similar to Yar's revenge? Dunno maybe I over stepped my bounds and asked for way too much.

Not at all.. I had hit a point with this, that I was just going to ditch it, since I couldn't figure out where to go with it... but just mentioning Yar's gave me a couple good ideas. Now i've gone back a couple of steps, and started over, and I'm going through all the ideas, and putting them together.

Curt,
Thanks for the feedback!

curt_grymala wrote:A couple of comments -

1) On the first few levels, the enemies should move a lot slower than they do. Even in Galaga they didn't move that quickly. Also, maybe they shouldn't shoot quite so much.

Already done! I think that was one of the major points that I didn't like about it either, still working on the progression trying to make it a descent balance.

2) I noticed another bug: somehow one of the enemies actually flew right through my shield and ran into my ship.

gotta fix that.. I think I make them go to the top of the screen before the collision is supposed to happen..

3) The power-ups that were mentioned earlier sound interesting. I've got a power-up that would be nice to add to that list: shield re-generator. It would be cool if there was some way to replenish your shields, even a little bit.

I was thinking of getting rid of the shield, but I like that idea better..
I can use that idea well in the later levels..

4) I also like the idea of your ship not being able to shoot quite as much, but it would be better if you lowered it to Galaga standards (I think Galaga allowed you to have two or three shots on the screen at once) as opposed to Space Invaders standards (which seemed to allow you to take one shot per second or something).

This has also been a tough spot.. either there's too many shots.
or not enough.. In a couple weeks I think I'm going to make another "crippled" test release just for the difficulty, and shots, and AI
to get them better refined for the final.
Galaga sounds like a happy medium.. I think it was two shots on the screen at once..

5) I like the different sprites, but it would be cool if each sprite had their own personality, like Galaga did.
6) The shields and the background could use a little work, and the game altogether could use a little more color.

They're going to have their own personality, there's about 10 total, 6 are still not working like they should..

Again, though, it's a very fun game, and it's one I can play with my wife, so I give you a big thumbs up for that, and really look forward to future releases.

That just sparked another idea.. time to see if I can easily add another feature..
I've started tearing the code in to more modules, and starting the new storyboard for it. I think all the problems I though were there, are confirmed..and the feeback has helped spark ideas.

abydos1000 · Post by **abydos1000** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 11:22 am

Again, though, it's a very fun game, and it's one I can play with my wife, so I give you a big thumbs up for that, and really look forward to future releases.

How did you manage to get your wife to play? My wife just rolls her eyes at them (games). Of course, that is when I remind her that she stayed up for hours playing Zelda back in the Nintendo days.

int80h · Post by **int80h** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 12:07 pm

any chance of having the souce code released for this? I think looking at it would be a good learning experience.

jjoepr · Post by **jjoepr** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 4:39 pm

Kamjin wrote:jjoepr,
A bonus stage? possibly a boss or a stage similar to Yar's revenge? Dunno maybe I over stepped my bounds and asked for way too much.
Not at all.. I had hit a point with this, that I was just going to ditch it, since I couldn't figure out where to go with it... but just mentioning Yar's gave me a couple good ideas. Now i've gone back a couple of steps, and started over, and I'm going through all the ideas, and putting them together.

Curt,
Thanks for the feedback!
curt_grymala wrote:A couple of comments -

1) On the first few levels, the enemies should move a lot slower than they do. Even in Galaga they didn't move that quickly. Also, maybe they shouldn't shoot quite so much.
Already done! I think that was one of the major points that I didn't like about it either, still working on the progression trying to make it a descent balance.

2) I noticed another bug: somehow one of the enemies actually flew right through my shield and ran into my ship.
gotta fix that.. I think I make them go to the top of the screen before the collision is supposed to happen..

3) The power-ups that were mentioned earlier sound interesting. I've got a power-up that would be nice to add to that list: shield re-generator. It would be cool if there was some way to replenish your shields, even a little bit.
I was thinking of getting rid of the shield, but I like that idea better..
I can use that idea well in the later levels..

4) I also like the idea of your ship not being able to shoot quite as much, but it would be better if you lowered it to Galaga standards (I think Galaga allowed you to have two or three shots on the screen at once) as opposed to Space Invaders standards (which seemed to allow you to take one shot per second or something).
This has also been a tough spot.. either there's too many shots.
or not enough.. In a couple weeks I think I'm going to make another "crippled" test release just for the difficulty, and shots, and AI
to get them better refined for the final.
Galaga sounds like a happy medium.. I think it was two shots on the screen at once..

5) I like the different sprites, but it would be cool if each sprite had their own personality, like Galaga did.
6) The shields and the background could use a little work, and the game altogether could use a little more color.
They're going to have their own personality, there's about 10 total, 6 are still not working like they should..

Again, though, it's a very fun game, and it's one I can play with my wife, so I give you a big thumbs up for that, and really look forward to future releases.
That just sparked another idea.. time to see if I can easily add another feature..
I've started tearing the code in to more modules, and starting the new storyboard for it. I think all the problems I though were there, are confirmed..and the feeback has helped spark ideas.

what other bug type games are out there that I can think of? Centipide? maybe add the jumping spider or something like it? The falling fleas? A random insect flying in a random pattern through the screen that may hold a power up? some thoughts after playing the game.

Kamjin · Post by **Kamjin** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:29 pm

int80h wrote:any chance of having the souce code released for this? I think looking at it would be a good learning experience.

Why would I want to subject some poor human to such torture..
I'll do a little better than that, by the time I'm finished.. it'll probably be unreadable..
The main code is not machine specific.. So i'll put together a little tutorial on sprites, and statemachines, once this gets completed.