I'm currently fixing up Browsercade to make it run a little bit better, and along the way since we're in Beta-times, I also took the time to send Apple a little bit of "This is functioning in an unexpected way" feedback about Safari, because I'm damned if I'm taking the blame for one particular quirk.
Poking the Apple
In Safari, and seemingly Safari alone, if you interact with the screen/game in the slightest, the fps glitches a very teensy tiny amount. It's not too noticeable, but it causes little stutters here and there.
I spent about half an hour trying to figure this bug out, and realised it's identical to the bug I was recently seeing in JSE. And that, no matter what I did, I couldn't find the reason for it.
So I tried it on Firefox, Opera, Arc and Edge (the 4 test browsers installed on my MacBook) and .. Nope .. Not there on any of them.
I wondered if it was MY issue, so Searched for a quick test online, and sure enough, it's there, too.
Watch the FPS counter, click or tap a key, and .. very very subtly.. the fps will be impacted.
It's either the event code at fault, or the requestAnimationFrame code.. Or maybe a joint break between the two of them.
But it's definitely a bug that isn't my fault! *phew*
I sent Apple a feedback report, suggesting it's an error, and .. Well, I guess we'll see if they come up with a fix for it.
Patching the Browsercade
So, I got the JSE drawing code implemented inside Browsercade, but before I could test any of the games, I needed a new menu system, because I've disabled the old one so as to force myself to rebuild.
And lazily, I made a "Home Screen"
It's not very interesting to look at, so I think I still need to jazz it up, but as far as basic functionality goes, it's now easier than ever to open a game up.
That was more than enough to get into the games. At this point, the "titlescreen" is identical to how it was before. I might rejig both that and the JSE GameHandler so there's a more similar style for the two, but .. again.. a task for another day.
For now, it's a quick run through of the game, see what's broken at first glance.
I opened Apple Notes for this, and have indented any games that appear to function without any issues.
Is that good or bad?
Well, considering it was HUGE change to the graphical engine, and not 100% of the games are broken, I'd say that's not too bad.
The fact that most of the breaks appear to be unrelated to the graphical changes that I HAVE made, is somewhat unnerving.
I think this deep-dive just got deeper.
Let's fix up the arcade. (oh yeah)
We can take our time. There is no rush.
Nobody comes 'round here, no more. (no more)
We'll make it as shiny as it was before.
(Oh yeah)
(Fix the arcade)
(oh yeah)
(Fixing the games)
[break]
[verse]
I'll start on the left, with the pac-man clone.
(The one that looks like pac-man only squarer)
I'll clean up all the buttons, and then calibrate the joystick.
And try to make the whole game kind of farer.
Then you can tackle the game that's got the hexagons.
(All the hexagons, bright and shiny.)
Fix up all the dodgy collisions, make it play the best,
So players find it working rather spritely.
[break]
[chorus]
Let's fix up the arcade. (oh yeah)
We can take our time. There is no rush.
Nobody comes 'round here, no more. (no more)
We'll make it as shiny as it was before.
(Oh yeah)
(Fix the arcade)
(oh yeah)
(Fixing the games)
[break]
[bridge]
As we go through all the games and fix them up to how they're meant to be.
I can't help wonder if the end result will feature quite delightfully.
The players standing in the arcade, dropping in the coins, for just one life.
Take their minds of all their work life, troubles, and their strife.
[chorus]
Let's fix up the arcade. (oh yeah)
We can take our time. There is no rush.
Nobody comes 'round here, no more. (no more)
We'll make it as shiny as it was before.
(Oh yeah)
(Fix the arcade)
(oh yeah)
(Fixing the games)
[outro]
Oh yeah. (oh yeah)
We're fixing up the old arcade. (fixing it up)
Oh yeah. (oh yeah)
We're fixing all the games.
[Scene One]
Int. Dave's Shop - Kitchen Area – Afternoon
[The kitchen area is even more chaotic than usual. Dave is meticulously arranging sprigs of mint on a plate of Lamb and Mint sausages, while Greenie looks on with thinly veiled skepticism.]
Dave: (Beaming) Right then! Presentation is key, Greenie. Absolutely crucial. We need to elevate the humble sausage!
Green: (Dryly) You're putting mint on sausages, Dave. It’s not exactly haute cuisine.
Dave: Nonsense! It's "fusion" cuisine, Greenie!
Green: You're going to fuse it with spongecake. It doesn't need to look presentable at this stage.
[Dave paces, tapping his chin.]
Dave: No, no! Sponge isn't good enough. We need something bolder. I was thinking... Chocolate Mint Spongecake!
Green: (Raises an eyebrow) You want to serve Chocolate Mint Spongecake with Lamb and Mint sausages? Are you serious?
Dave: We can't take the ScrunchCake too seriously, Greenie, or the whole genre of meat-based cake will fall apart.
Green: As long as there's chocolate sauce gravy, I'm sure they'll be find.
Dave: Absolutely! The chocolate will cut through the richness of the lamb, and the mint. Oooh, it’s already in the sausages! It's a natural pairing. I even got Brian to help me out with this one.
[Brian enters carrying a plate of rather lopsided Chocolate Mint Spongecake.]
Brian: It's not working, Dave. The sprigs of mint are causing a collapse in the sponge integrity.
[Brian offers the plate tentatively. The cake is an unsettling shade of green.]
Dave: (Eyes widening) Excellent! A vibrant hue! It really pops, doesn't it?
Green: Why are they green?
Dave: Getting jealous, Greenie?
Green: No, I just thought they'd be more.. Chocolate.
Dave: Don't be negative, Greenie! Brian, you did a fantastic job! Now, let’s plate this up.
Brian: But they're still lopsided.
Dave: That's ok, Brian. It gives them a distinctive charm, like the leaning tower of pizza.
Green: Pisa.
Dave: I know you want a piece of it. Let me organise them neatly into a leaning tower, and then you can have all the piece of it that you want.
[Dave begins assembling the plate with manic energy. Greenie shakes his head.]
Green: Maybe less vibrant, next time?
Dave: (Ignoring him) Right! Now, who wants to be the first taste tester?
[Dave holds up the plate expectantly. Brian looks terrified.]
[End credits roll]
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