Nothing magical, this week, more a game that was started but didn't really go anywhere. If I had enough time this week, I'd have scrapped it and started something else, but it's been a bit of a tight week, time wise.. So.. Well, here it is! <a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Traffic_Cones_20091208A.png"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Traffic_Cones_20091208A_thumb.png"></a> Race around the 12 beautifully detailed (in traffic cones) race tracks, without hit...

Something involving Traffic Cones. <a href="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/TrafficCones.png"><img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/TrafficCones_thumb.png"></a> I made a nice little traffic cone physics engine (.. gamey physics!) and it's quite a bit of fun to play with, but the tricky part will be to try and come up with a playable game that's based around it. Best Lap Times + Bonus Rounds seems to be a fairly fair way to go. Now, how to make levels.. hmm....

It seems my decision has now been made. I'm going to reacquaint myself with BlitzMax, and give things another try. But first I need to build up a nice new Jayenkai Framework. There's a fair number of things that I want to put into place before we begin, so let's get cracking on the list. 1. Multiplayer : Not online...! Authentic Kaizen suggested I add multiplayer co-op to NeonPlat, and I kind of agreed, but the way the old framework is set up just didn't support t...

Aw, what the heck, EARLY RELEASE!! Mostly because it's 2am, I can't stop playing it, and I probably won't wake up in time to post this if I don't do it now!!! A game that took AGES to get going, but definitely got going soon after! The approximate diary was.. Tuesday : A few lines on the screen. Wednesday : A silly frog character. Thursday : Frog switched for Platdude Friday : OOoooh, It's a good Game!!!! And, boy, is it a good game. Three (or four, or five) chee...

This week a suggestion from Authentic Kaizen, who suggests having a neon styled platform game, with bubble bobble style components. The game has taken a few turns during the week, changing from spike induced terror, a game with a frog like creature, and a whole lot more besides! It now appears to be settling down quite nicely into some kind of obscure chaos. Hurray for chaos!! Coming Tuesday : NeonPlat!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Socoder Newsletter -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-      "Bonus Round"           #031 - 27th November 2009                      <form method="get" action="https://groups.google.com/group/socoder-newsletter/boxsubscribe" target=_blank style="background-color: #ffc; width: 320px; padding: 2px 4px">...

I get to this point once every few months, and .. well.. here we are again! A few things are getting me here, this time around. Let's list the reasons, then think of some solutions..

*phew* Just about!!! <img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Munky_Blocks_DS_20091124A_thumb.png"> Munky Blocks DS, a complete remake of the original that can even make use of the level files from the PC edition, but also adds in a little mix of "Munky's Block" levels, too. In the end, it's turned out as a lovely little game, but BOY was that a rushed ending! Missing a day didn't help things, and the entire editor (top to bottom) had to be coded yesterday!! Surprised I even man...

This week, I've decided to try something a wee bit different. If you're a fan of previous AGameAWeek games, you'll notice that I'm more than a little crap at designing levels. It's a slight issue, but one that I've never bothered to care about. Usually, any games that NEED levels will include a built in level editor. And folk who like the games will spend minutes trying to make one, and that'll be half the fun. The trouble with this theory, of course, is that half the ti...

Last week was Bonfire Night in the UK, and as such RetroRemakes.com had a little challenge. (They've started to do a monthly challenge..) Create a game/story/etc with Fireworks in it. Here's my game. <a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Firework_Chaos_20091117A.png"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Firework_Chaos_20091117A_thumb.png"></a>

<a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/JNKx15.zip">Download JNKx15 Right Here</a> A nice neat 36Mb download, with 15 lovely little games included. Download, Unzip, Play away!

In a world where Ninjas roam, there are many things to be aware of. Ducks are deadly, be sure to have your sword!! (URL "https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Ninja__Duck__20091110B.png"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Ninja__Duck__20091110B_thumb.png"> Z to swish, Left and right to run, Up to jump and Down to duck/slide. You can (URL "https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Ninja__Duck__20091110.zip">Download Ninja, Duck! here), and get a super h...

So, after having attempted to create a racing game and a word game, I've finally settled on a game that appears to be coming together nicely. Ninja Duck (temporary name, but they usually tend to stick) is about a Ninja who has a sword, and an oncoming swarm of ducks, frogs and birds. Simple stuff, on a nice small arena. <a href="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/arghfrog.png"><img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/arghfrog_thumb.png"></a> Not really too much gameplay, but just enoug...

Sometimes you can start a game and it grows and grows and is wonderful. Other times, you get about 10% through, and realise it's just not working out. Game Idea 1 This week started with a word game. A decent enough idea, place the tiles in a scrabble-esque crossword style, and make words. Each tile would have two points, Point A, the letter, and Point B, the link. The link is either to the left or below the letter. Tiles could only link to each other, so rather than having a grid...

Blimey, Blockman got big! 5Mb!! FIVE!! That's not like me! But with over 350 great big (for me!) 64x64 pixel sprites, the game was bound to get a little bit bigger than usual. Oh, and a bitmap font, too! I've really gone all out, this week! <a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Blockman_Gets_More_20091103B.png"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Blockman_Gets_More_20091103B_thumb.png"></a> To be fair, it's taken about 2 weeks to get this all done, but I ...

Blimey, that got complex! <a href="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/blockmansGreatBigMenu.png"><img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/blockmansGreatBigMenu_thumb.png"></a> Starting with "World 1-1, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, 5-1" I built a set of sideways Arcade menu start points. Then I added the old "J/K" gameplay options in the style of World 10-1 and World 25-1.. Although from 6-1 and after, the theme isn't predetermined, and it's just picking random themes each time! Each world conta...

Or rather, he needs one, but doesn't quite have one. That's on tomorrow morning/tonight's list of things to do. Otherwise we've got sounds, graphics, music, levels, level progression, bonus level sets and more. Everything's nice and happy! Blockman is happy, too! <a href="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/Firestarter.png"><img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/Firestarter_thumb.png"></a> (Finally added scores to the bottom of the screen!!) One thing I'm sl...

Like I suggested yesterday, those one-way arrows could lead to some serious deadends, so rather than allowing the game to plonk them down willy-nilly, I've brought back Path Mode's AI. Path Mode will work the way it used to, a trail of dots leading to an eventual deadend.. But we'll also be using it to find paths for the arrows. Find a path, pick 4 or 5 points at random, add the arrows. Nice and simple. Of course, if you leave all the arrows in, it does get a little bit...

Sometimes you have really productive days. Occasionally, though, those really productive days seem to drag on and on, and not actually produce much at all! Here's what I've done today. 1. We're up to 5 skins, since I added a plain rock+lava one. Plenty of graphical variety, but only as much as it's still a bunch of squares making up a maze! 2. Added the nice filter down level drop effect back into the game. It's a nice enough effect. No need to jazz it up, nor remove it. It ...

<a href="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/KingPelLittsTomb.png"><img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/KingPelLittsTomb_thumb.png"></a> Poor Blockman, all alone in a gigantic maze. If only there were a way to zoom into the action..

A nice and simple game, this week, inspired by this week's Wednesday Workshop (#224) Board Game challenge. Rather than having plain Questions and Answers, I've taken all the results from Socoder's daily polls, and rounded them up into the game. Can you select the option that the most people at Socoder did?! <a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Guesstimates_20091027A.png"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Guesstimates_20091027A_thumb.png"></a> Pick the best to ...