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Game Design / Vectorman Update
« on: April 23, 2017, 05:44:43 AM »
A while ago I posted a game based off of Vectorman and recently I started working on it again, and I've reached a point where I'd like to show all the changes I've made the past few days.
1. Rudimentary UI. Basically only displaying health. (Later will display countdown timer, weapon, lives, and points)
2. Forced 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio. Change to 4:3 by pressing Ctrl+L and 16:9 by pressing Ctrl+K.
This had to be done so the graphics would scale properly, 1:integer instead of 1:real (which it was always doing before)
2a. The aspect ratio will be saved to config so you only have to change it to what you want once.
3. New camera that I think is smoother and less jittery than before. Optimized for both 4:3 and 16:9 ratios. Tell me if it's still too fast/jittery.
4. Got a cool animated title on the main menu.
Currently the biggest problem is that the options menu is non-usable, as it hasn't been optimized for the aspect ratios yet.
Download: httpss://www.mediafire.com/?2czss1nlw374c07
A couple maths things I'd like to share that I learned while doing this is a couple properties with aspect ratios. For instance, 320 / 16 * 9 = 180, which is the proper height for that specified with. This is true for any number you plug into width.
x mod 16 = y
x - y = suitable width
Both of these rules can apply for 4:3 as well such as x mod 4 or 320 / 4 * 3 =240, proper height for a 4:3 ratio.
EDIT: A few updates.
httpss://www.mediafire.com/?2taniq1jdg79a9k
1. Camera has been zoomed out slightly, which also increased the base resolution slightly. It is now 480x270 for 16:9 and 480x360 for 4:3
2. All menus are now functional, usable, and will scroll through the options. I could theoretically add any number of options to any of these menus now and it will all still be viewable.
3. The aspect ratio option is now in the menu, but the hotkey can still be used at any time.
3a. There is now only one hotkey, Ctrl+L, to swap between the two ratios.
The camera has not yet been optimized for the new view size though is still functional enough.
Also, I should mention the default controls. I don't think the usual IWBTG controls are good, especially for this game (they are weird and tucked away in the corner and use shift??? You'd have to disable sticky key to use those controls properly and will also give people carpel tunnel, shesh)
For keyboard controls, the defaults are:
Up, Down, Left, Right for moving left or right or looking up or down.
D is jump.
A is shoot.
S is duck.
For controllers,
D-Pad Up, Down, Left, and Right for the same.
A/Cross is jump.
X/Square is shoot.
Y/Triangle is duck.
Restart has been moved to Left Bumper.
1. Rudimentary UI. Basically only displaying health. (Later will display countdown timer, weapon, lives, and points)
2. Forced 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio. Change to 4:3 by pressing Ctrl+L and 16:9 by pressing Ctrl+K.
This had to be done so the graphics would scale properly, 1:integer instead of 1:real (which it was always doing before)
2a. The aspect ratio will be saved to config so you only have to change it to what you want once.
3. New camera that I think is smoother and less jittery than before. Optimized for both 4:3 and 16:9 ratios. Tell me if it's still too fast/jittery.
4. Got a cool animated title on the main menu.
Currently the biggest problem is that the options menu is non-usable, as it hasn't been optimized for the aspect ratios yet.
Download: httpss://www.mediafire.com/?2czss1nlw374c07
A couple maths things I'd like to share that I learned while doing this is a couple properties with aspect ratios. For instance, 320 / 16 * 9 = 180, which is the proper height for that specified with. This is true for any number you plug into width.
x mod 16 = y
x - y = suitable width
Both of these rules can apply for 4:3 as well such as x mod 4 or 320 / 4 * 3 =240, proper height for a 4:3 ratio.
EDIT: A few updates.
httpss://www.mediafire.com/?2taniq1jdg79a9k
1. Camera has been zoomed out slightly, which also increased the base resolution slightly. It is now 480x270 for 16:9 and 480x360 for 4:3
2. All menus are now functional, usable, and will scroll through the options. I could theoretically add any number of options to any of these menus now and it will all still be viewable.
3. The aspect ratio option is now in the menu, but the hotkey can still be used at any time.
3a. There is now only one hotkey, Ctrl+L, to swap between the two ratios.
The camera has not yet been optimized for the new view size though is still functional enough.
Also, I should mention the default controls. I don't think the usual IWBTG controls are good, especially for this game (they are weird and tucked away in the corner and use shift??? You'd have to disable sticky key to use those controls properly and will also give people carpel tunnel, shesh)
For keyboard controls, the defaults are:
Up, Down, Left, Right for moving left or right or looking up or down.
D is jump.
A is shoot.
S is duck.
For controllers,
D-Pad Up, Down, Left, and Right for the same.
A/Cross is jump.
X/Square is shoot.
Y/Triangle is duck.
Restart has been moved to Left Bumper.