was8bit 2020-02-08 07:20 (Edited)
STEP 1: ... Use CHAR DESIGNER to create some graphics ... Use BG DESIGNER to create a bacgkground layout ... put your BG layout onto a screen BG
STEP 2: ... create graphic for player ... create SUB that moves player ... movement is currently open, ignores walls and such
NOTE: BG 1 stores gamemap stuff BG 0 stores player and enemies
STEP 3: ... add inside MOVEPLAYER SUB checks for map stuff ... add what to do when landing on things like dots ... add a SCORE to game (shown on BG 1)
STEP 4: ... write code for LIFE and REMAINING DOTS ... write code to activate BONUS ... update player check for contact with BONUS
STEP 5: ... create images for ghosts ... write MOVEGHOST SUB .... movement AI finished
STEP 6: ... ghosts get player ... life bonus adds player life ... @life=0 PAUSE restarts game
NOTE: player stays dead until moved, play dead until ghosts leave
STEP 7: ... added ghost mode ... player can eat pill then get ghosts ... ghosts auto recover in their home
NOTE: Ghosts and Player have their own "home/pathways" where they are safe
Step 8: ... All 5 gameboards made ... Load gameboards by level ... enable doorway access to next gameboard
NOTE: PAUSE now cheats levels 1-3 only
See finished game here: https://lowresnx.inutilis.com/topic.php?id=1048
Roger Davis 2020-02-08 09:44
Was8bit, well done - again! 😃👍
Timo 2020-02-08 10:21
Movement in a Pac Man game is actually quite complicated. Maybe for a simple example it should be just grid-free movement. But then there needs to be more space between the walls, to make collision checks less complicated.
was8bit 2020-02-08 10:27
I agree that my pacman movement is way overboard for this!
was8bit 2020-02-08 11:40
Simplest version is cell only no sprites... i already have a sprites only EZ game posted...
was8bit 2020-02-08 11:56
... simplest is best although not as sophisticated... so far everything works except the pills....
was8bit 2020-02-08 19:36
@ Roger, thanks :)
Tinycloud778 2020-02-10 18:39
Nice
was8bit 2020-02-10 19:11
Thanky :)
was8bit 2020-02-14 04:56
.... reworking ghost movement...
was8bit 2020-02-14 05:46 (Edited)
Ghost movement finished :)
I also has to fix player movement to watch out for ghosts.,. At first could move on top of a ghost, which would cause the ghost image to turn into a pacman image !
Ghosts do not track player as they do in real pacman, but they DO look for opportunities to take a turn now and then... and can also dig themselves out of a dead end path.
was8bit 2020-02-14 06:07
... if anyone has noticed, i am NOT using sprites, purely character images placed into cells ;) hence why movement "jumps" from cell to cell...
Roger Davis 2020-02-14 09:13 (Edited)
: D @was8bit, I'm learning!! : D
was8bit 2020-02-14 11:39
I figured anyone new to basic programming, and especially new to NX, would benefit how i break a game idea down into pieces, with a loose plan, and work on each piece and fit it all into a finished game (finished, eventually ;) )
was8bit 2020-02-14 12:07
You first have to decide if you want all sprites, all cells, or a mix of both... and or do you also want TEXT, which can be used by itself, or mixed in with the above options...
CELL, TEXT, NUMBER, all require to be placed in either BG1 or BG0 (if you don't specify then you use the same background be default)
SPRITE floats above all backgrounds, and are their own graphic system
Using sprites that require knowing what cells are where (to hit or pick up a cell item) is tricky... unless you just want to use the background for decoration purposes only, that is easy...
From there, remember SIMPLE IS BEST... you can always add more things later... determine what your BARE MINIMAL is, and work on that ;)
was8bit 2020-02-14 12:08 (Edited)
As you can see with my game, pacman eating dots in a maze IS the bare minimum... it can be played at that level ;) and that took me 3 steps and less than 5 hours to accomplish (i don't program constantly. I do other things in between ;) )...
Roger Davis 2020-02-14 14:17
@was8bit, I see! This is fantastic stuff!! 😃😃😃
was8bit 2020-02-18 03:29 (Edited)
Step 6 is finished :)
... unlike regular pacman, when you "die" but still have life, you actually "play dead" and ghosts ignore you... wait until they leave then begin moving again...
... also, ghosts can "get" you even as they brush past you... stay as FAR away from them as possible...
Roger Davis 2020-02-18 05:07
@was8bit, top drawer stuff! Really great idea with the "playing dead" mechanism! Loving it! 😃
was8bit 2020-02-18 06:22
Thanks :)
The "playing dead" idea came about by accident .. as i was testing it i got the idea for it and liked it :)
Roger Davis 2020-02-18 06:44
@was8bit, I like it too - a LOT! That was one happy accident! I also love the way you can collect the extra lives with the 'life bonus', and using PAUSE to restart the game was absolutely inspired! : )
was8bit 2020-02-18 07:35
I appreciate the feedback, it really helps... thanks :D
Roger Davis 2020-02-18 09:46
👍
was8bit 2020-02-19 06:24 (Edited)
As I was adding ghost modes, i rethought how to make things work... and remembering that I had already decided to deviate from normal pacman with player respawning, i decided to also deviate with the ghosts...
First, I added a 4th ghost...
Second, I created a ghost "home" and a player "home"... a home allows the owner safety from the enemy by blocking the enemy but allows the owner free passage in and out of their home... I redesigned the board to reflect this change ...
Finally, I will also deviate with the ghosts behaviors abit as well, when I get to their different modes...
was8bit 2020-02-19 06:32
The dynamics of the game are drastically different now... there are 4 ghosts that can quickly zap across the center of the board and quickly be anywhere else on the board...
The player can rest inside their home and try to snag some bonuses... but it is dangerous as unlike in real pacman it is possible to get "killed" and instantly respawned back to life as you move, and rekilled, respawned, rekilled, etc... with the bonuses so close to the center area which is now wide open to ghosts it is possible to lose multiple lives in a matter of a second and game over that quick if you are not careful...
Roger Davis 2020-02-20 09:03
It's progressing very nicely @was8bit! The way the ghosts go 'flattened out' when you get a power pill, and then go & get them, is very cute indeed! You're almost on the home stretch now! 😊👌
was8bit 2020-02-20 18:07
Thanky :)
was8bit 2020-03-02 07:41
You can make it to level 3 but as i have not made it, it is blank and you get stuck there... Levels 1 and 2 should play fine :)
was8bit 2020-03-02 08:57
Ok, all 5 levels made..
Pause cheats levels 1-3 but kills 4-5
When totally dead, pause still starts a new game...
