WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

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Jeff-20
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WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Jeff-20 »

I've been excited to follow the work-in-progress threads, so I decided to revisit my favorite project (I was never completely content with the version of Ten Ten most of us have on the Mega Cart). I worked on it all day and after crunching have lots of free memory. I'm interested in feedback and suggestions in game play (as well as other programming tips). I'm going for a quiet/minimal style. It's an unexpanded BASIC game and still in progress, so don't expect too much.

Download: Ten Ten rev3.prg

INSTRUCTIONS: Use the joystick to maneuver two dots simultaneously to distinct, asymmetrical goals.
START: Press the fire button to begin.
PAUSE: Press shift lock, the game will pause during the next break in play time.
EASY: Hold the F1 key while pressing start to access the easier "Practice mode" (slow timer and no progression in difficulty).
ADVANCE: Hold the F3 key while pressing start to begin on the 5th level.
FORFEIT: Holding the fire button during game play will speed up the timer (to forfeit or create a greater challenge).

Notes: I started with the original version of the games and attempted to simplify play for a "cleaner" style. Maintaining the visual signature is important to me. Below are the notable updates and numerous, annoying parenthetical thoughts.
- added a high score board (should it be more or less than five scores? should I have names associated with scores?)
- added a level counter with enlarged number (does it blend?)
- added difficulty levels (should there be more?)
- brought back the intro text (is it legible?) and looped the title screen with the high score board
- added a pause button (shift lock)
- removed the single maze level from the second revision (it didn't blend well with the concept)
- the player no longer sees the maze being "built" (good or bad?)
- spent a lot of time crunching the code, so there may be room for more features if we can think of any.
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Misfit
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Misfit »

damn, too addictive. Graphic style works great.
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Jeff-20
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Jeff-20 »

Here's an alternate version with the fire button as pause instead of the shift lock key. I like it better, but I feel like the shift lock key is more clear to the player. At the end of any level, hold the fire button, and pause should appear on screen just before the new level starts. Press fire again to continue. Maybe I'll add a sound effect to make it more clear. Which do you prefer?

Download: ten ten rev3.1
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Misfit
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Misfit »

New version : ?out of memory error.
Old version works.
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Jeff-20
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Jeff-20 »

Sorry. Fixed it. Thanks for the previous encouragement too!

Download: ten ten rev3.1

I'm not happy with the font for PAUSE. I had to squeeze it into an odd number of spaces. Should I just use the full size letters I used for the title screen?
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Misfit
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Misfit »

I can not activate pause-feature. Maybe I am too stupid (VICE + mac).

If you have free space, You could add few different walls (or colours)? You know : rookie, normal and expert levels. Something small for players?
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Jeff-20
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Jeff-20 »

I updated the original post with the current PRG and clearer instructions. The FIRE button is used to start the game and pause the game. Hold the fire button ONLY when a level ends (hold until the word pause will appear), the game will pause before the new level begins.
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by rhurst »

But, Jeff, you need to read the other posts. Your game requires an attract mode now. :P
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Vic 2000
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Vic 2000 »

rhurst wrote:But, Jeff, you need to read the other posts. Your game requires an attract mode now. :P
Instructions should be included in the attract mode. ;)

* A simple but amusing title screen
* Running a short demo of the first level
* Then the obligatory high score screen
* Then short "on screen" instructions (jeff minter used it)

And as a big bonus....

The "Winners don't use drugs" much used arcade screen. ;) :P

And as an even bigger bonus for a Vic-20 forum.

"Winners don't use Atari or C64" :P :D
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Boray »

But guys, he is out of memory already! :wink:
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by rhurst »

I can just feel that we're finally going to make Jeff use memory expansion and code in machine language! :lol:
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Vic 2000 »

I once read in a swedish computer mag early 80's that a real skilled programmer could squeeze more code in just 3.5k then a bad programmer manage to fit in 16k. Even on Playstation it was always a matter of to squeeze as much code as possible because of a quite limited memory. Tekken II managed to squeeze 3 times as much code in the memory as the first Tekken game did.

As Obi Wan Kenobi should have put it...

- The force is there...use it.

Even if the lightsaber is replaced by memory expansion. ;)
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Jeff-20
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WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Jeff-20 »

I actually took into consideration attract mode. Haha I figured what I have here was enough.
I'm very quirky about memory. It even bothers me that three program lines are crunched to run over the 88 character line limit. I want he code to be easily altered by users. Haha
I've decided the shift lock key probably makes for a better pause button. Can anyone support or challenge that opinion? Is it ok that you can only pause between levels? I could add a mid-play pause that covers the screen to prevent cheating but that would take extra memory.


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Misfit
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by Misfit »

Jeff-20 wrote:I've decided the shift lock key probably makes for a better pause button. Can anyone support or challenge that opinion? Is it ok that you can only pause between levels? I could add a mid-play pause that covers the screen to prevent cheating but that would take extra memory.

""mid-play" pause would be best. Or if you could add "next level, press fire" screen between levels?
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tokra
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Re: WIP: Ten Ten revision 3

Post by tokra »

Definitely Shift-Lock - which means you can actually pause the game and take a break. Holding the fire-button down isn't gonna help if you need a potty-break.
No need for in-game pause
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