SyntaxBomb - Indie Coders

Quote from: iWasAdam on January 22, 2018, 08:05:42
Very nice. vans felt a bit icy - they floated around, I would have liked a bit more traction on the track. Very good music and sound

That's the point - you need to upgrade your tires 

I have just tested your game.

It works well on my computer/os (Windows 7 64 bits) (Blitz3d !!! )

Graphics : nice, consistant style
Sounds : cool effects, motivating music
Controls : easy enough to understand how to play
Gameplay : quite fun, i was surprised to manage to play a racing game with this kind of view, this is weird, but it is playable. However the competitors are too slow and they behave the same...
I have worked on a racing game in the past, and what i did was to store "ghosts positions" (of previous runs on the track made by others players) and choose a ghost randomly for each competitor, so that the behaviors of each competitor appears "human" and the race is never the same...

Quote from: RemiD on January 22, 2018, 22:13:24
I have just tested your game.

It works well on my computer/os (Windows 7 64 bits) (Blitz3d !!! )

Graphics : nice, consistant style
Sounds : cool effects, motivating music
Controls : easy enough to understand how to play
Gameplay : quite fun, i was surprised to manage to play a racing game with this kind of view, this is weird, but it is playable. However the competitors are too slow and they behave the same...
I have worked on a racing game in the past, and what i did was to store "ghosts positions" (of previous runs on the track made by others players) and choose a ghost randomly for each competitor, so that the behaviors of each competitor appears "human" and the race is never the same...

I would never use ghost positions - that's just hacky imo.  I prefer to pre-calculate the optimum race line and speeds and create alternative race lines from this.  I agree that the AI doesn't get decent fast enough in this competition build.  It's better on the hardest starting tracks.

I am addressing that for a post comp release.  The AI is more dynamic now, adjusting to the players ability.  Each AI car has it's own individual stats which automatically makes them take different race lines for different bends so looks more like they're trying to race.   

love this game, Stevie. very addictive, and not easy to control the car using the keyboard, more practice needed! superbly put together.

Reading this thread whilst half way through a 7 mile yomp around Lincoln - I'm a roadie for my sons band this evening. Looking forward to trying this out later once home

Quote from: ahuang on January 25, 2018, 14:23:17
love this game, Stevie. very addictive, and not easy to control the car using the keyboard, more practice needed! superbly put together.

Thanks man - I appreciate the positive feedback. 

I'm still tinkering with the AI - it's working much better now but needs some balancing.  The AI now race each other and humans pretty convincingly.

I'm also toying with the possibility of adding ramps.  I don't like the idea of you blowing up if you fail the jump, as I'd have to implement Helicopters, explosions and suchlike and I never liked that element of the game.  If I do it, it'll probably have a speed boost at the edge and some sort of steering correction when you reach the ramp tile so that you pretty much always make it. 

I think gates are out as the track tile design won't work too well with them and I'd need to restructure the current tile set to fit them in.  I'd also have a further (2^Gates) routes to calculate and handle for the AI.  We'll see though. 

I'll add more tracks before I release the post comp version but the editor is out as it's just too much work - maybe something for the future.

Quote from: 3DzForMe on January 25, 2018, 19:08:51
Reading this thread whilst half way through a 7 mile yomp around Lincoln - I'm a roadie for my sons band this evening. Looking forward to trying this out later once home

Cheers

Ramps 

Did you try stopping the ramp-end with the darker purple/blue color - so to make it have a bit more "contrast" to the bottom track area?


For now it has a bit less contrast which makes it look just "cut out"/"something is missing" while it should look "higher" than the bottom ground part.
Maybe put some kind of "poles" on the end of the barriers - like an "attention, jumping area ahead" signal. Hmm, maybe the red-marker (like in the corners) would do well already.




Did you measure shadows? I would think the ramp shadow needs to end 1-2 pixels below (checking tree on the left and yellowish-things right next to the rampshadow) - but I can be wrong there ...it just looks a bit "too less".


ideas:
- add duck flocks flying over the screen (and making it a bit harder to control :-)). If you add a fun level: make streets have icy areas (with less friction).
- PartyVan: changing the color like a rainbow (-> animated)
- if you crash too often against corners, you will start loosing oil (or just one time loosing oil), oil makes things slippery
- if you really extend the game: make a repair/gasoline-area (very small) - to fill your gasoline/repair car
- add wind (simple wind hose in the Hud showing wind - or strong storms), wind affects your velocity (make these winds short but growing rapidly into something strong - so it has some effect)


bye
Ron

Quote from: Derron on January 26, 2018, 19:38:53
Did you try stopping the ramp-end with the darker purple/blue color - so to make it have a bit more "contrast" to the bottom track area?


For now it has a bit less contrast which makes it look just "cut out"/"something is missing" while it should look "higher" than the bottom ground part.
Maybe put some kind of "poles" on the end of the barriers - like an "attention, jumping area ahead" signal. Hmm, maybe the red-marker (like in the corners) would do well already.




Did you measure shadows? I would think the ramp shadow needs to end 1-2 pixels below (checking tree on the left and yellowish-things right next to the rampshadow) - but I can be wrong there ...it just looks a bit "too less".


ideas:
- add duck flocks flying over the screen (and making it a bit harder to control :-)). If you add a fun level: make streets have icy areas (with less friction).
- PartyVan: changing the color like a rainbow (-> animated)
- if you crash too often against corners, you will start loosing oil (or just one time loosing oil), oil makes things slippery
- if you really extend the game: make a repair/gasoline-area (very small) - to fill your gasoline/repair car
- add wind (simple wind hose in the Hud showing wind - or strong storms), wind affects your velocity (make these winds short but growing rapidly into something strong - so it has some effect)


bye
Ron

Great feedback - thanks.

I did try a darker ramp-end but it was a bit too dark.  When you say red-markers I assumed the crossroads arrows - is this better?

I'm pretty sure the shadows are fine - the bend they land on is sloping up and to the left so it maybe looks slightly out. 

I had an idea of a new Hazzard.  Another Van driving in the opposite direction from everyone else.  A party Van would fit the bill - although I was thinking a black A-Team style van.  Might not happen though.

I think when you crash too often the penalty is losing as the AI is much better now.   
I could add some sort of weather effect - the original had a tornado although I don't want to spend much longer on it so we'll see.

Was not talking about the red arrow thing but about these markers:





Aren't they there to express "attention please" ?


Your current arrow variant might be better if the "right" arrow would look into the direction you are steering too - so in our case "to the right". In other words: both arrows should have their head on the same side.

@ shadow
Think you might be right. It is also not of importance, was just something which looked a bit odd when looking "close".

@ a-team
Yeah, that could do too - albeit black cars could be the "government" too - if you are on their "most VANted" list :-)


bye
Ron

Quote from: Derron on January 26, 2018, 21:23:19
Was not talking about the red arrow thing but about these markers:





Aren't they there to express "attention please" ?


Your current arrow variant might be better if the "right" arrow would look into the direction you are steering too - so in our case "to the right". In other words: both arrows should have their head on the same side.

@ shadow
Think you might be right. It is also not of importance, was just something which looked a bit odd when looking "close".

@ a-team
Yeah, that could do too - albeit black cars could be the "government" too - if you are on their "most VANted" list :-)


bye
Ron

They are just to indicate a corner.  I see what you mean now.  I don't think the arrows are necessary - how about this one?

Quote from: STEVIE G on January 26, 2018, 18:14:53
Ramps 

COOL! 

Ramps add a cool new element.  And yep, arrows aren't required here.

So what happens if player or AI doesn't make the jump?

Quote from: Steve Elliott on January 27, 2018, 00:00:11
Ramps add a cool new element.  And yep, arrows aren't required here.

So what happens if player or AI doesn't make the jump?

Good point.

The design should incorporate the drop off at a past point instead of a forward one.

That way, you would have a minor set back on a fail. (instead of a short cut)

If the direction was reversed then you would have that affect.