8-Bit Dimension Release!

The download for 8-Bit Dimension can be found here.

8-Bit Dimension is finally complete! This game took a lot longer than I originally expected it would take, especially with all the progress I made with the initial stages of building the game. Really, looking back at things, I can really only chalk it up to the increased demand on my schedule from school. When I made ManaClash, much of my progress was made when I only had to concern myself with work during the week. Making sure I had time for 8-Bit Dimension was probably the most challenging part of this project.

That's not to say it was the only challenge. With this project, I wanted to work on collision detection, and lightweight game physics, as well as the ability to load files for my levels. In addition tot he mechanics, I wanted to implement sound in this game as ManaClash was left relatively silent. I had a lot of trouble finding someone to do the sound for the game, and even once I thought I had, that individual was unable to commit the time to do it. In the end, I wound up doing all the sound myself, though not without help. The sound effects were all made with this handy online tool: http://www.superflashbros.net/as3sfxr/ and all of the music I made myself with the program FamiTracker. If you thought my art was bad, wait till you hear my sound design!

There were a few other features I wound up cutting just to move on from this project. For example, I wanted to do a little more as far as aesthetics goes by animating the various enemies, and having different backgrounds and enemies for different stages. In addition, I wanted there to be a "Final Boss" to this game, but all of these things would have taken far more time than I have available, especially since I'm in the middle of working on a commercial project with two others that has much more of my attention at the moment. Is that to say I won't return to 8-Bit Dimension? Of course not. Maybe one day in the future, much like ManaClash, I'll tinker around with the game, clean it up, and add some more features. For now, this is what I'm presenting to you.

As for what's changed between Beta and release? Here's the rundown!
- Added roaming enemies. These enemies can get in the way and cause unpredictable results when your spell collides with them, but you will be awarded points for the trouble.
- Added Sound to the game. Now you have sound effects for nearly everything imaginable, in addition to two nifty songs. "Level Start" and "Game Over"!
- Added three new levels, all of which are much more difficult than the original two. It wouldn't be a retro game if the difficulty weren't cranked up to 11, now would it?
- Fixed a bug that prevented the window from being closed after getting game over. This bug is apparently also present in ManaClash, and will be included in the list of fixes with it's first update.

That's game number two under my belt. Of course, I'm not the type of person to rest for long. I'm giving myself the weekend off to enjoy myself and relax for the first time in months, then I'm going to hit the grindstone once more. What will my next solo project be? Honestly, I'm not sure, but I will say this: I bought RPG Maker VXAce when it was on sale a few weeks ago and I've been dying to dive in and make something. I used to love RPG Maker for the Playstation, and made quite a few games I made my friends suffer through. RPG Maker VXAce seems to fix all of the issues I had with the original for Playstation, and I have a few RPG ideas I would love to prototype in RPG Maker. For example, I think I would like to remake The Ring of Fire in RPG Maker format. We'll see though.

Whether it's an RPG in RPG maker, or if I decide to tackle another game in Python, I'm unlikely to stop in my pursuit to improve my skills. With university right around the corner as well, I have a feeling that as difficult, stressful, and busy as the next few years are going to be... I'm going to see my skills as a programmer and a Game Designer improve manifold. I hope you enjoy the game, and let me know what you think! Until next time, enjoy the rest of your summer!

8-Bit Dimension Beta 2

The download for the new version can be found here.

Summer is here. I'm taking two classes, and working on two games, so although progress may be slow, it's coming! Today, contrary to what I thought would be an evening of sleeping after a very, very long 12 hour day I cranked out the last little bit of code to put 8-Bit Dimension into Beta 2.

There aren't many new features that will be added to the game outside of polish at this point, so test to your hearts content! All of the items have been fully implemented, tested, and debugged. In addition, I put in the beginnings of code to allow roaming enemies, but have kept the feature out of sight for this release as it doesn't add anything to the game in it's current state.

Here is the change log to  Beta 2:

- Added three new items to affect game play.
- The orange item will grant you power over the mighty forces of magic to blast away any obstacles in your path. By pressing the Right Control button, you will discharge a magical attack that will destroy any blocks it comes in contact with. Do note, that if you are also under the effects of the sticky item, firing the magic shot will immediately launch any spells you are holding.
- The black item will open up a portal to the next stage. By attempting to leave the stage through the now opened door on the right side of the stage, you will be warped to the next level, losing any power ups you currently have. Note that this item may be hard to see against the black background. Keep your eyes peeled!
- The purple item will grant the player one extra life. Please note that the player cannot have more than 6 lives at any point in time.
- Fixed a number of bugs regarding the yellow item.
- Minor game play adjustments.

Next up, final release! When's it due? I don't know, but I can safely say before summer ends.With the release, I hope to have the roaming enemy system completed, as well as perhaps the addition of sound and some more levels to extend game play. There's so much more I could add to this game to help polish and clean it up, but at this point my major concern is to release the game and focus my efforts on completing "Project Zombie" for a September release. As usual, please report any bugs you find with the game. I've tested it extensively to make sure I have a clean launch, but these things are rarely apparent. Have fun, and let me know what you think!

8-Bit Dimension Beta 1

The download for the new version can be found here.

In a completely unexpected turn of events, I somehow found the time to wrap up Beta 1 this week. Oh, the wonders of having free time that can be spent on stuff other than homework! Unfortunately, there are a few very minor bugs that I plan on fixing for Beta 2. All of the known bugs involve the "Sticky" item, and while I got all of the major bugs fixed (One of which would crash the game.) a few small minor bugs remain that don't impact game play too heavily. The known bugs will be detailed at the end of the post.

For those of you who play the game, the focus of this version is the inclusion of four different functioning items. Please let me know what you think of them, and their balance on game play which may be tweaked before release.

Here is the change log to  Beta 1. It's surprisingly small for an upgrade from Alpha to Beta:

- Added four new items to affect game play.
- The green item will split a single spell into three separate spells. Please note that this effect does not stack with itself, and if you have more than one spell active, you will only earn points for obtaining more of this item.
- The red item will increase the size of your shield by 50%. Changing levels or losing a life will reset this effect. Please note that the effects of this item are not cumulative. Obtaining more red items after your shield's size has been increased will have no effect and only grant points.
- The blue item will slow down the speed of all balls on screen by a fair amount. In order to keep the pace of the game moving, there is a minimum speed in place, thus, obtaining enough blue items will eventually have no effect if this minimum speed is reached.
- The yellow item will make your shield "sticky" and thus, catch any spells that make contact with it. Simply press the launch button again to fire your spells. This effect will fade upon changing levels or losing a life.

Known Bugs:

- Currently, while holding a spell under the effects of the "Sticky" item, if you move your paddle up against a wall, you may notice a small shift in the spells resting on the shield.
- The angle calculations when firing a spell while under the effects of the "Sticky" item are slightly off and may on rare occasion yield unexpected results.
- Speed is reset to it's starting value when ever a spell is fired while under the effects of the "Sticky" item.

Beta 2 will hit sometime over the summer as I know that nothing short of a miracle would allow me to finish it before the end of spring break. Especially when you factor in time to receive feedback and possibly fix any new issues that may be discovered. With Beta 2 I plan on fixing the bugs with the sticky item, and introducing three more, much rarer items. If time and testing permits, I will hopefully also have enemies added to the game, in at least some basic form. Please let me know what you think of the game! Any and all criticisms and comments are welcome as I move this game into its final phases.

8-Bit Dimension Alpha 2

The download for the new version can be found here.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Holiday season! After a holiday break and a nice trip that left me pretty sick, I've put the finishing touches on Alpha 2. I just got back home late last night, so I'm in the process of catching up with every thing that I've missed here in New Jersey since I left. After I take care of that and I do a little recovery I plan on starting work on the Beta version of 8-Bit Dimension.

Unfortunately, I can't give an accurate prediction as to when that might be available. School starts again in roughly 2 weeks, as will my work on another project. I've allotted time to complete at least 25% of the necessary work for Beta 1 before my classes start again. As usual, if I find I have more free time than expected, some of that will be put towards expediting the work on Beta 1. Also, as was the case with the last two school semesters, any development schedule will go out the window once school starts, and I'll be lucky to make ANY headway with the game. As a man of my word, I can guarantee that the full version will eventually be up, and it will be up at the soonest possible point.

Now, as for the change log for Alpha v2, I made the following improvements to the game:

- Added controller support. (See below for more information)
- Added a score mechanic.
- Added a set number of lives. A player starts with 2 and may obtain up to 6 extra lives as their score increases. If the player has no extra lives remaining and loses a ball, it will be Game Over.
- Added a level indicator.
- Added a pause feature.
- Added scaling difficulty. The ball will now increase in speed periodically when it collides with blocks. The silver blocks will affect the speed by a greater measure than the colored blocks. In addition, colliding with the upper wall will automatically set the speed of the ball to a new minimum if it hasn't reached that speed yet.
- Added items. (Note: Item effects have not been added to the Alpha version. Rather, it is currently an empty place holder in an effort to get feedback on item appearance rates.)

Controller support is extremely basic as befits an arcade game such as this. As with Mana Clash, it was designed utilizing a traditional NES controller to recapture the retro feel, and there is no way to re-map the buttons in game, so you will have to use your own button remapping software if you are using a different controller.

D-Pad: Controls movement.
Button 0: Fire the spell.
Button 3: Pauses the game.

Beta 1 will focus on item effects and rates. I plan to have several different effects that items will have on game play, and thus will need lots of time to properly implement and test each one. In addition to managing the items, I hope to implement roaming enemies and perhaps a new level, but that will depend solely upon the progress made in getting the items to work properly. As usual, please feel free to give me any constructive criticism you can so that I can continue to improve upon the game.

8 Bit Dimension Alpha 1

The download for 8 Bit Dimension Alpha 1 can be found here.

What is 8 Bit Dimension?

8 Bit Dimension is a Break-Out! style game, where you are a character that has journeyed into the 8 Bit Realm of video games to find the cause of missing and corrupt data. Trapped in the seemingly random assortment of blocks are objects and characters from retro video games that must be saved by destroying the blocks of code that imprison them. With your trusty shield, advance through the levels, gain power ups, and save the games!

Controls:

Left & Right Arrow Keys: Move the Shield back and forth to prevent your "debugging" spell from being destroyed.

Misc. Notes:

This is a bare bones playable version of the game with two repeating levels. Lives are toggled off in this version in order to allow the player to test bugs without constantly getting Game Over. Currently, there is no pause ability or controller support. Expect them for Alpha v2!

In order to run the game, download and unzip the .rar file. Then, in the destination you unzipped it to, look for the "8BitDimension v.0.3.6.exe" file and simply double click it to run. Feel free to rename the file in order to make it easier to find, but do not remove it from the folder with the rest of the files. The .exe needs all of those other files in order to run properly.

Future releases will see the addition of controller support, score keeping, power-ups, enemies, scaling difficulty, and sound and a few other surprises I'd rather not spoil yet.

Enjoy!

Progress Report

Greetings everyone!

I hope you enjoyed the teaser to 8-Bit Dimension I posted up earlier this month. I've been hard at work getting the game primed and ready so all of you can download the early builds and take the game for a spin. Admittedly, I haven't been able to put as much work into the project as I had originally intended. Summer is winding down and I've been trying to spend as much time hanging out with friends and going places as I can before I get sucked back into the grind that is school.

Despite this, I have managed to sneak in some time to work on my current project, and I am happy to tell all of you that as of today, it is in a playable form. Unfortunately, I won't be releasing Alpha 1 just yet. I'm not satisfied with the game-play and want to tweak it a little bit before releasing it as well as add in a few more features to give the game some substance. In addition, classes start next week, and then I am going on vacation the following weekend, so my development time is going to take a severe hit in the coming months while I focus on my school work. I will continue to post updates on on the progress of the game as well as other little tid bits periodically, starting with when I get back from vacation in early September. Look for it!

While I won't be giving you a playable version of the game today, what I can do is tell you what you can expect with 8-Bit Dimension.

8-Bit Dimension is going to be a block breaking pong type game, much in the same vein as Breakout and Arkanoid. You'll have your standard fare of block puzzles, power ups, and enemies, but in a twisted 8-bit realm of forgotten icons trapped in a glitch. Your mission is simple: To traverse the game by destroying the blocky monoliths of games that lost themselves in this dimension until you find what's causing the disturbance and neutralize it.

Also, I'd like to take the time to say that the release schedule will be a little bit different this time around from Mana Clash. There will still be two Alphas, followed by two Betas, and then a release, but the releases will be a bit more staggered. The main reasoning behind this is rather than implementing a few ideas, then releasing the build for critique, I decided that I want the different versions to feel much different. This is also partly why I want to wait on releasing the initial Alpha, as I want the release schedule to smoothly transition into launch while encompassing a greater number of mile stones for each version.

That's all for today, but rest assured I will return with more news, and the latest version soon! Until then, enjoy what ever games you are currently occupied with!

8-Bit Dimension

1983 was a bad year to start a Video Game Company, just ask Gencom.

In 1983, a group of college students decided that they were going to get in on the video game madness sweeping the nation and formed their own company, Gencom. The plan was simple: Release a Breakout clone for the Vectrex. Fate, however, had a different plan. With the video game crash of 1983 and the Vectrex pulled off the market mere months later, Gencom found itself treading water in an unstable industry.

After a year of uncertainty with mounting debts, Gencom was prepared to shutter it's doors when news of the Nintendo Entertainment System reached the collective. Borrowing money from their parents, friends, and any one else who would invest in their dream they pushed to stay afloat and survive until they could launch a game on this new platform. By the end of the year Gencom had come mere inches from their goal before a lack of outside investor support sealed the deal.

Oh, but our story doesn't end here. In fact, it is just beginning! You see, by October Gencom had completed their game and sought money only for marketing and distribution. Investors still wary of the video game industry weren't willing to risk their money on another failed venture. Ironically, the NES went on to become one of the most popular gaming consoles of all time and nearly single-handedly revived the entire industry. After selling all of their assets to repay some of the debt, all that remained of Gencom was a single prototype cartridge for their game "Brick Busters." A prototype recently rediscovered and sold on ebay to a video game archivist, left rest in the halls of brothers it never had.

Brick Busters had a secret. A terrible, dark secret. For shortly after Brick Busters was admitted into the archive, the games around it slowly stopped working. After twenty-five years of bitter jealousy and hatred something in Brick Busters had been locked in stasis, never to face the thrill of battling a human opponent. Trapping portions of the other games within it's own, it seeks to destroy the very industry that had condemned the game so many years ago.

This is where you come in! We're developing a program to allow you passage into this realm, and we need you to free the other video games from this disturbance before it's too late! Are you ready to travel into the 8-Bit Dimension?