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Fenrir-Lunaris
WUT
Joined: 03 Feb 2003
Posts: 1747
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 Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 7:01 pm Post subject: OHRadius upgrade development |
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OHRadius is going to receive an upgrade. It's official now. In addition to saving I'll be adding many new levels. Here's where YOU come in.
What level would YOU like to see? Mechanical deathtrap level? Aquatic Level? Temple of Fiends?
Would you like additional ships? Millenium Falcon? Arwing? Ragnarok?
I'll be collecting various responses and incorporating them into the game as it progresses, along with making some changes to the gameplay mechanics. Expect it completed in possibly 2-3 weeks. You know what you doing. |
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MultiColoredWizard
Come back, baby!
The Breastmaster
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Posts: 1232
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| Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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SPEED. Set it to like, 10 pixels, instead of like, 2. The main reason for the slowness is because of the high amount of NPCs on screen.
The map design was very poor. Enemies should work synonymously with the levels. Take the part in Castlevania 3 where the mermans slide along that Water path, hiding, and spitting water at you. The enemies in OHRadius just pace forward.
Possibly call NPCs on screen at special times?
And 2-3 weeks? Yeah right, OHRadius needs a complete re-design. I liked it, yes, but now that you're not constricted to only a few hours, you should be working on certain gameplay aspects.
Oh -- and more weapons. |
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TMC
On the Verge of Insanity
Joined: 05 Apr 2003
Posts: 3240
Location: Matakana
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| Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 1:00 am Post subject: |
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I disagree. OHR Gradius did not run slowly because of large numbers of visible npcs- only about 7 were ever on screen! You need at least 25 to start making a difference. It was some poorly coded pieces and a slow movement speed setting that slowed it down.
Pixel based movement!
I would like to see a boss that can actually harm you. Theres no point to possible if they're impossible to lose at. Maybe the boss could move towards you and kills you if it touchs you?
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"It is so great it is insanely great." |
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Bob the Hamster
OHRRPGCE Developer
Joined: 22 Feb 2003
Posts: 2526
Location: Hamster Republic (Southern California Enclave)
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| Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 12:19 pm Post subject: fast scripts |
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When manipulating NPCs in complex plotscripts, it is always best to use NPC references stored in variables. refering to NPCs by ID number is one of the slowest operations in plotscripting, so you should only do it when absolutely neccisary. Example:
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# this seems natural, but it is slow
set NPC direction(1,right)
put NPC (1,NPC pixel X(1)+3, NPC pixel Y(1))
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# this does the same thing, but is several times faster
# because it only has to look up the NPC ID once
variable(ref)
ref:=NPC reference(1)
set NPC direction(ref,right)
put NPC (ref,NPC pixel X(ref)+3, NPC pixel Y(ref))
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MultiColoredWizard
Come back, baby!
The Breastmaster
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Posts: 1232
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| Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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| I disagree. I had no coding done in DCD, just a bunch of NPCs on screen. In total there were probably about 80 on the map, but only about 6 per screen. |
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Fenrir-Lunaris
WUT
Joined: 03 Feb 2003
Posts: 1747
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| Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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I still believe that using the ship as a 'hero' instead of an NPC is simpler for my purposes. I can do all sorts of interesting tricks with it, harm tiles killing you instantly, for example, that I might not have been able to do as easily with an NPC. I've tried Pixel based movement out, thanks to Worthy tweeking the script, and I must say it works MUCH better.
My concern currently is whether THAT is what causes the slowdown.
I might not be able to have enemies shoot lazers, BUT I believe I CAN make a workable foes kill on touch script  |
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TMC
On the Verge of Insanity
Joined: 05 Apr 2003
Posts: 3240
Location: Matakana
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| Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 1:45 am Post subject: |
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FL, I gave you some hints as to why the game runs slow the original contest thread. Combined with James improvements, I think it would run quite nicely (I am making some changes to the scripts to see if I can get it to run faster- so far I've succeed in breaking the laser collision too.)
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"It is so great it is insanely great." |
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RedMaverickZero
Three pointed, red disaster!
Halloween 2006 Creativity Winner
Joined: 12 Jul 2003
Posts: 1459
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| Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 2:51 am Post subject: Re: OHRadius upgrade development |
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| Fenrir-Lunaris wrote: |
What level would YOU like to see? Mechanical deathtrap level? Aquatic Level? Temple of Fiends?
Would you like additional ships? Millenium Falcon? Arwing? Ragnarok?
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I vote for the falcon and more levels! And I do agree with Cacti, and I think a simple (not to program) solution would be maybe have a life bar. And say some ships could be faster but have less life. And the other way around in some instances. Balance it all out that way. But a life bar would definitely be a grand improvement and open a world of oppurtunities to OHRadius.
If I may make a suggestion, make a ship like the Swordfish from Cowboy Bebop. That would rock dude.
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Mr.Triangle's Maze: 70%
Takoyaki Surprise: 70% |
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Bob the Hamster
OHRRPGCE Developer
Joined: 22 Feb 2003
Posts: 2526
Location: Hamster Republic (Southern California Enclave)
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| Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Fenrir-Lunaris wrote: |
My concern currently is whether THAT is what causes the slowdown. |
Have no fear. pixel-based movement is not slower than tile-based movement, and should work much better for any non-tile-based game.
(unless of course you use pixel-based movement with NPC ID's instead of NPC references, which would, like all NPC ID related code, be slow)
Knowing how plotscripting works internaly, I can safely say that there are only two common practices that you must avoid because of speed-issues
1) NPC ID
2) paranoid superstitious "wait" commands because you think maybe a wait command is needed but you aren't really sure. |
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Fenrir-Lunaris
WUT
Joined: 03 Feb 2003
Posts: 1747
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| Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:05 pm Post subject: Re: OHRadius upgrade development |
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| RedMaverickZero wrote: | | If I may make a suggestion, make a ship like the Swordfish from Cowboy Bebop. That would rock dude. |
Your wish is my command
Also of note, I will be donating this game to CN's tutorials archive, provided I can contact Worthy about fixing the enemy collision. I've not seen him in a while... |
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RPGCreations
E Pluribus Unum
Joined: 18 May 2003
Posts: 345
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| Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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I have seen games easily get bogged down with as few as 5 NPCs on screen - you have to remember that the OHR does not truly cull (or in English, not draw/compute) NPC where-ever they are on the map. It still processes every single NPC on the map.
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Bob the Hamster
OHRRPGCE Developer
Joined: 22 Feb 2003
Posts: 2526
Location: Hamster Republic (Southern California Enclave)
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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| RPGCreations wrote: | | I have seen games easily get bogged down with as few as 5 NPCs on screen - you have to remember that the OHR does not truly cull (or in English, not draw/compute) NPC where-ever they are on the map. It still processes every single NPC on the map. |
Yes and no. For drawing-to-screen, it does cull, but for NPC movement and passability checking it does not cull. |
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RedMaverickZero
Three pointed, red disaster!
Halloween 2006 Creativity Winner
Joined: 12 Jul 2003
Posts: 1459
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2004 5:09 am Post subject: |
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Now all we need to see is the ole Millenium Falcon and you're all set Fenrir! Haha.
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---------------Projects----
Mr.Triangle's Maze: 70%
Takoyaki Surprise: 70% |
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