Lunar Gravitar beta 2

[Shockman]

Finally.

Press F1 to see info.

new to this version,

- each level, the objects on the landscapes are laid out differently.
- game loop complete.
- many improvements.
- stable, not bug free.

new testing cheats,

- I (invincibility) is now a toggle.
- HOME show landscape
- DELETE hide landscape. this works on any level. Does not effect the landers' landscape.

If it fails to run, I would be most interested in your RAM specs (CPU and GPU).

[Shockman]

I took it around testing.

It looks different on an LED monitor. The transparency seems exaggerated. I fixed that by changing the blending color back to white and defaulting to 0% transparency. The LED could be made to look the same but it took less alpha blending, which is actually just a fading black over a solid color.

The second lander level had a slew of problems. I sorted most of them on the first lander planet but never got around to integrating it to the second one.

Other than this we did not encounter any game killing problems.

I will work on another beta without rush. It will have complete gameplay, and all known bugs fixed, A 4th planet in system 3, extra ship awards, and my best attempt to dupe the arcade ship physics, and I will try some additional zooming and scrolling. Though the todo list is actually longer than that.

[kristian]

Well done... however I prefer original Gravitar's more responsive ship physics.

Looks like you have to destroy the reactor too... I completed the 4 first planets in the 1st universe and it didn't take me to the 2nd set of planets.

[Shockman]

You don't have to destroy the reactor then, but you do have to use the planet for the link. You will link by running into it. It seemed more realistic, though not authentic.

The version I'm working on has a snappy ship. I worked on it for hours.

I'm also working on a simplified star castle for the 4th planet in system 3.

You can also use the S key at any system map to go to the next one. Also home to show the invisible landscape and delete to hide the ones shown.

[kristian]

Cool. I'll play more as soon as I can. I'm impressed what you have done.

Is the terrain smooth scrolling gone for good? I mean, that was essential feature on Gravitar.

[Shockman]

I may be able to scroll the terrain, I have tried and failed so far though. Zooming in smoothly on the other hand would be easy, but is I'm afraid out because of the lag it would create.

As far as scrolling, zoomed in it does scroll. It just does not wrap and that would be the key to a continuous landscape in one direction. I'm quite sure that is doable. I just have to learn how. Zoomed out it does not only because of the above and the fact that it all shows. The application would apply to all. Essential, perhaps, from a purest point of view, which I try to adopt when I can, and don't truly feel something is better.

I know of one way a continuous landscape would work using knowledge I have, but I have never done it. You can think of the dev kit I use for this as using rooms. I usually avoid this simple way of doing it, but at time the ease over-rides other considerations. I could have two rooms side be side and shift back and forth at the borders, placing the moving objects accordingly.

Smooth zooming is used on each individual planet as the system appears. This could be used for the landscape and is worth a try but I have little confidence.

Thank you for your input.

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This is a prototype of the 4th planet in system 3. It will only show up on level 4, and only after the other three planets are beaten. It is home to the gravity cores. Everything I explain is in and working.

The housings of the cores rotate at a few RPM. You can not bump into them. Gravity pushes you away from them and is, relative to the rest of the game, strong. You must shoot inside the opening which is not easy but very doable. When you hit the core, hundreds of explosion bits fly inside, bouncing off the inside of the housing and spewing out the opening. These fade in a few seconds and the housing is empty. If any of the spewing bits hit your ship they will destroy it, so you can not just nose up to the slot and be done with it. Get all three and the game is over, in a good way.

[Shockman]

Next,

Skill levels

- Very Easy
No Invisible landscapes, Bouncing off landscapes
- Easy
Invisible landscapes, Bouncing off landscapes
- Normal
No invisible landscapes, crash on contact with landscapes
- Hard
Invisible landscapes, crash on contact with landscapes

Only levels 3 and 4 have invisible landscapes
Bouncing off landscapes costs 100 * speed so anywhere from 20 (.2) to 500 (5) units of fuel, unless and until I adjust minimum and maximum speed.