Erik_
FINALLY worked a bit more on this game for 2022!
Sat Dec 17, 2022 1:37am

I went and created two more levels (level 22 and 23, just two more to go besides bonus levels).

I have to say, the level editor is actually really nice to use. In my mind, it was way more clunky than it actually is. There's no oddities that you have to remember to watch out for and there's a nice 'F5' to test the level feature which is super useful. It actually loads up the main SDRUSH.EXE with the single level command line flags and then returns right back after it finishes. What's cool is that it will even chain the bonus level if collected in testing the level before returning.

Anyway, there's two more levels to go. Level 24, I'm not sure what I'm going to do but I know level 25 should be a "deliver until time runs out". I also have to create a bunch more bonus levels and add the "?" item into random levels so players can access them along the way.

All in all, I'm really happy where this one is heading. There's some control bugs that are annoying but seem to pop up only rarely. I've had one instance where the walk direction got stuck which caused me to run off the edge 2 times in a row and another where jumping in to tight spaces wasn't possible until I blended or slowed to a walk. I don't think there's any fixing those before the release due to the super super nasty collision detection spaghetti code that I don't even want to waste time re-remembering how it all works.

Playing back all the levels, SDR might be a bit on the easy side, but I guess that's fine..


  • Happy Thanksgiving! New Christmas QB Challenge Idea - Erik_, Thu Nov 25 2021 2:34am
    Happy Thanksgiving I've been thinking about doing a new Christmas QB challenge again like 'Santa's Christmas Rescue'. Starting 12/1 until 12/25, make a Christmas themed QB game. Current idea for this year is a two level set up that switches back and forth similar to some Atari 2600 games back in... more
    • FINALLY worked a bit more on this game for 2022!- Erik_, Sat Dec 17 2022 1:37am
      • One of our old Christmas Eve traditions - Puckdropper, Mon Dec 19 2022 3:09am
        was to have pizza and open presents before we went over to Grandma & Grandpa's house on Christmas day. We'd also always go to church, but when your parents work there... So at any rate, does that give you any inspiration for the 24th level? I loved the "F5" to run your code that Qbasic did. It... more
        • I ended up doing a "combine all you learned" type level. - Erik_, Mon Dec 19 2022 9:34am
          for level 24. It's not an overly hard level but it does have two tricky parts to it that can take a bit to figure out/time right. One thing I realized when creating this last levels that I wish I did earlier was that the doors that you unlock with keys can also act as temporary blocks that disappear... more
    • Now that we're in May, I'm sort of undecided on what to do - Erik_, Mon May 09 2022 11:45am
      with the release of this game. Basically all that's left is a few more levels and coding the end screen. It just feels odd to release now that it's soon to be summer time. At this point should I wait and release it next Dec 1st or release it anyway even though it's not even winter anymore? I... more
      • Finish it and leave it in "Beta" status until December? - Puckdropper, Sat May 14 2022 3:57am
        Kinda like Google tried some years ago? Halloween, hm... The creepiest thing I've ever actually seen are chicken feet. Of course you should show off your collection of NEMB footer dead pumpkins!
        • That's a good idea. - Erik_, Wed May 18 2022 3:10am
          That would give me time to tweak stuff/slack off until its release. Hopefully the final product will be better going that route. I guess I should still try and set a deadline to get the main "TO-DO" done by mid summer. Then there's options to fix things until December. NEMB Pumpkins in the Halloween... more
          • NEMB Pumpkins - Puckdropper, Tue May 24 2022 4:33am
            Overhead maze with the occasional side-scroll "rooms"? Get the pumpkin from the front to the back, if you fail you get the rotten pumpkin from a random year? Does QB have a reasonable JPG display library available? Bonus level is pretty straightforward... Carve/decorate the pumpkin.
            • Ohhh.. I like that idea. - Erik_, Tue May 31 2022 1:10am
              Maybe side scroll view could be haunted house themed or something "spooky". QB has BSAVE/BLOAD which loads and saves raw data. There are ways to load in bitmaps easily in QB. They can only be 256 colors in screen 13 and are usually subject to some dithering. There was a game back in the day "Lunatix:... more
              • Pumpkin on the shelf. - Puckdropper, Sun Jun 05 2022 3:31am
                What if you inverted gravity? Maybe your character is a ghost and you have to avoid going up otherwise you'll float away? I'm just trying to think of halloweeny things that aren't the same old same old.
                • So, like if you float away that's like your ghost moving on? - Erik_, Mon Jun 13 2022 12:34pm
                  That's a neat idea. There was a game Haunting starring Polterguy for Sega Genesis where if you got too low on ectoplasm, you were sent to a hell like place where you had to refill it in order to come back to the house to continue haunting. Maybe something like that if you float away? Hmm. I... more
    • Needed to take a break from SDR... - Erik_, Mon Mar 14 2022 2:14am
      I was getting really burnt out from all the time spent on this game and needed a change of pace for a bit. I went a bit crazy diving back into DiscApp stuff. I started with a few tickets but then things started rolling "ooh.. this needs fixing.. ohh this needs fixing... etc etc". All in all,... more
      • Wow, three versions in a week. Nice job! - Puckdropper, Mon Mar 14 2022 5:32am
        Mobile friendly is kinda difficult... I had stuff that looked good on a computer on my blog (I gotta fix the database errors, especially since I'm updating one part manually because the code won't run) and the mobile browser just screws it up. I hate how hard it is to be consistent with something ... more
        • Thanks! Yeah, front end design is not my forte for sure. - Erik_, Tue Mar 15 2022 1:26am
          Almost all my knowledge is way out of date and from >10 years ago. I learned a bit about some "new" things for mobile rendering. From the mobile devices I've tried this site on (Android Firefox and Chrome and my wife's old Nook) it seems to be much better than it was. All pages should be pretty accessible... more
          • I have to learn how to do some of that! - Puckdropper, Wed Mar 16 2022 6:35am
            That's very cool. Especially since most tablets are in Portrait orientation and most computers Landscape, a menu on the side or bottom only would just waste space. I'll have to try the newer version on Android Firefox. It wasn't bad before but IIRC it was a bunch of zooming.
            • For simple stuff, it hasn't been too bad. - Erik_, Mon Mar 21 2022 3:17am
              Quick rundown: https://www.w3schools.com/css/css_rwd_viewport.asp https://www.w3schools.com/CSSref/css3_pr_mediaquery.asp I haven't fired up my 486 yet to see what it looks like in those old browsers but I'm assuming it will just ignore what it doesn't recognize. I haven't had any issues... more
    • Final level / end "boss" ideas? - Erik_, Tue Feb 08 2022 5:04pm
      I'm basically done with the main game levels, just some tweaking and testing to do. I'm a bit stumped on a final level idea though.. Santa doesn't have any offensive weapons so I can't really have a boss fight (not that I even know what that would possibly be lol) I'm thinking maybe have it like... more
      • The first idea to pop in to mind - Puckdropper, Thu Feb 10 2022 5:51pm
        was what happens if the Reindeer scatter? You've got to touch them (like you touch the tree) to send them back to the sleigh? At least it doesn't get you too far away from the core of the game. I kinda like the unlimited presents until the timer runs out. No power ups (Xmas Spirit boost still applies),... more
        • That is a fantastic idea!! - Erik_, Mon Feb 14 2022 5:35pm
          I made the "reindeer scatter" a type of bonus level that gets triggered after a level is completed if Santa picks up a "?" item in the level. The "?" item value dictates which type of bonus level that will load (reindeer scatter or unlimited presents). Bonus level loaded of each type will be chosen... more
    • I for some reason forgot SCREEN 13 had 256 colors... - Erik_, Mon Jan 31 2022 4:59pm
      In Santa's Delivery Rush, I'm only using 16 of them which I guess makes the game technically EGA compatible. I built the sprite tool in SCREEN 0 which only has 16 colors. I wish I would have made that also in SCREEN 13 like the other tools and had a larger selection of colors to choose from. (I guess... more
      • Wow, did Santa get some spiked cookies? - Puckdropper, Sun Feb 06 2022 3:24am
        That's um colorful. When you start the level does the first snooper's background change from Rainbow Brite to black?
        • Yeah, the masking sprite is solid black so when they move... - Erik_, Sun Feb 06 2022 11:20pm
          That black box appears. If I did some pixel by pixel masking it would work fine but I don't want to burn the extra cycles. I messed around with different background colors and setting the mask sprite to mask to background color seemed to work really well. If I decide to update the sprites to 256... more
          • Well... The FAA has at least 3 definitions of night - Puckdropper, Thu Feb 10 2022 5:47pm
            There's civil night, loggable as "night" flight, and actual "night flight". (Please don't hold me to that, my knowledge test was some time ago.) What that means is the sky will be somewhat light, then really dark, then somewhat light again. It's probably too small of detail to spend much time on,... more
    • How about snooping kids? - Puckdropper, Sat Nov 27 2021 5:29am
      You have to navigate from the Chimney to the Christmas tree, but snooping kids and parents (and other obstacles?) add to your exhaustion meter. If a kid sees you, your "exhaustion" meter goes up (opposite a hit point meter, max is bad and you lose a guy or Christmas is RUINED.) and you have to offer... more
      • Those are all really great ideas!! - Erik_, Tue Nov 30 2021 11:55am
        The idea for the failure screen had me actually "lol". I wonder how close I can get to "Hey Santa" with the QB "PLAY" command? Originally, I was thinking a side view multi-leveled house where you have to go down stairs, chimneys and such to get to the next floor (tree on the first floor). Just single... more
        • It's Christmas Night, of course it's dark - Puckdropper, Fri Dec 03 2021 2:35am
          So that limits line of sight. Santa will be generally in the halls, except wherethe tree is.As a snooper gets closer, they get curious. When close enough, they spot Santa. This could be "steps" based. Bedrooms could display a light on the door before a snooper spawns. Let's keep it simple, candy/water... more
          • More good ideas. So are you seeing the game as... - Erik_, Tue Dec 07 2021 3:01am
            a top view tile engine style game? Sort of like the Java Millennium Crisis with cats was? That was I can "attempt" dynamically light tiles as the game goes on.
            • I was thinking more of a one-screen game sorta like Donkey - Puckdropper, Wed Dec 08 2021 5:31am
              Kong Jr. But maybe things won't fit that format nicely. Off subject: Can the Lawnmower game be adapted to Android? It might be fun and get you some root beer money if you make like a demo level and a cheap paid version.
              • Ah, so you were also thinking a side view game... - Erik_, Sat Dec 11 2021 2:59am
                That's the route I've been going so far. Only thing that sucks about side view games is the "jump" logic. Top view games make that a bit easier as it's not even an option in most cases. The lawn mower came is sort of in development hell. For some reason I'm not able (or not willing to spend enough... more
                • You mentioned that point earlier, so I thought it might be a - Puckdropper, Sat Dec 11 2021 5:20am
                  good way to go. Overhead kinda like Zelda might not be as good for a quick and dirty QB game. I do remember Santa's Adventure having some issues with jump, it wasn't easy to get the timing right. Can you do most levels without jump? Oh, what if Santa has the ability to "blend" in for a few seconds,... more
                  • Speaking of "reusing code" on this project... - Erik_, Wed Dec 15 2021 2:33am
                    So, I've so far created the sprite editor, the sprite file name to sprite id editor and I am currently working on the level editor. I got a very weird error on my sprite id editor after saving it. When I use the file name "SID_EDIT.BAS" I get the error: "Tried to load module with duplicate procedure... more
                    • That was a strange one... - Puckdropper, Sun Dec 19 2021 4:50am
                      I might have renamed the file and left it that way, or might have gone looking along the include chain... Will Santa be able to do multiple things at once, like blend and jump? That might be interesting for a small platform with a snooper where you have to blend then jump and not waste any time before... more
                      • The blend sprite is currently nightmare inducing... - Erik_, Thu Dec 23 2021 4:59am
                        I wanted to go for a "dotted line Santa outline" but it looks like a horrid speckled tin man. haha Maybe later I'll have time to fix it. To answer the question though, yes! Santa can blend and jump at the same time though he moves at half speed while blending. He can also toggle running which also... more
                        • "Horrid speckled tin man" am waiting for the Christmas Demo - Puckdropper, Thu Dec 23 2021 2:25pm
                          now! I'm going to have to find a version of QB to run this on with the new machine. It does sound like a good game.
                          • I use QB4.5 and DOSBox on my modern computer. - Erik_, Sat Dec 25 2021 2:58am
                            I think QB64 should probably work as well as they're big on backwards compatibility but I haven't really messed around with that as much. The debugger was worse than just running the OG QB45 and DOSbox so I haven't spent much time on it. QB4.5: http://nukementerprises.puckdroppersplace.us/files/... more
                            • *Qb64 fails, can't get it to compile - Puckdropper, Mon Dec 27 2021 3:00pm
                              It starts with an error about expected call sub-name () on line 417. The line is "CALL ClearKbBuffer" I wonder if it's either an include that is missing or if qb64 doesn't like declared but not defined subs? If I comment that line, the next error is the same line later on. Then it gets into... more
                              • Hmm. I'm guessing I'm doing some weird string to int - Erik_, Tue Dec 28 2021 12:43pm
                                conversion somewhere. I try to suffix my variables with the appropriate marker and also set "DEFINT A-Z". Most things should be INTs.. I might have a string to int thing going on somewhere that QB is okay with but QB64 isn't. The ClearKbBuffer might also be a problem. I don't know if QB64 allows... more
                                • QB64 probably is trying to run BASIC as a language - Puckdropper, Thu Dec 30 2021 8:44am
                                  where the PEEK and POKEs are directly accessing the machine. Dosbox works because it emulates the whole machine. I also noticed QB64 doesn't have a definition for ClearKBBuffer (I guess that's in helpers.bas [I don't remember the name]) but QB45 did.
                                  • I managed to get it to some-what run in QB64. - Erik_, Thu Jan 13 2022 3:03pm
                                    I had to copy in the contents of HELPERS.BAS into XMAS2021.BAS. I also had to add a "CHDIR" to the current directory at the start of the code. It loaded up and the sound actually works. The problem is, it doesn't read any of the sprite data that was saved as binary using BSAVE and loaded with BLOAD.... more
                                    • It almost seems like COBOL did better than QB64 - Puckdropper, Sat Jan 15 2022 6:07pm
                                      QB64 just seems so hard to mess with. I get nostalgia, but there's nothing wrong with making things better. I just tried to open the .mak file and got a "file not found" error and when I went back to try again I would have had to renavigate back to the folder with the files. It is amazing, though,... more
                                      • I think that's only because mine is... - Erik_, Mon Jan 17 2022 1:16am
                                        actually an QB interpretter where QB64 compiles the QB code into a binary and runs it. Also, CBI doesn't care about any errors interpretting once it does it's basic sanity pass before starting the program. Basically, anything that's not explicitly programmed for is "undefined" behavior.. whether it's... more
                                  • Yeah ClearKbBuffer is in helpers.bas - Erik_, Thu Dec 30 2021 2:53pm
                                    Might just be that QB64 doesn't read the .MAK file for includes.. or doesn't support it. Is there an option in the file menu to load a file like in QB? Maybe it just needs to be manually done?
                            • I tried "QBasic" in the Windows Store - Puckdropper, Mon Dec 27 2021 11:39am
                              It didn't work. The program should never have been there in the first place, it doesn't work. DOSBox ran great, but took a bit to get it set up. I don't understand the Linux "configure this manually first" rather than the Windows Configuration Wizard. Now, when I got to level 3, with 5 sprites... more
                              • I actually posted about that on Pete's QB Site - Erik_, Mon Jan 03 2022 2:17am
                                a while ago. I don't have a Windows computer (besides 3.11) that I could test it out on though. The people that replied said it was terrible. It was basically a tech demo passed off as a final product. I also heard it was only text based if you could get it running. Sounds like it was about as finished... more
                                • I couldn't get anything really working at all. - Puckdropper, Mon Jan 17 2022 9:22am
                                  It's kinda like someone started copying by taking the look of QB, then didn't do any of the hard bits... like making things actually compile. I couldn't find a way to actually run a program.
"Forces act when not restrained" - Puckdropper