I havent read all the posts, so forgive me if you've already fixed this stuff:
I read that you wont be implementing a timing system to calibrate for lag... I really recommend you do it. I understand you've already written the entire engine, but its not hard at all to implement. All you do is set yourself a goal frame rate (in this case you say its 60 FPS), get the current framerate (not with the SCREEN FPS() command but with your own timer function, because the screen fps command has certain drawbacks), and divide the goal framerate by the current framerate. This gives you a buffer value, and you multiply all your movement values by this buffer value. So if the goal is 60, the current is 30, and your normal movement speed is 1, the buffer will be 2 (60 / 30 = 2), and then the movement speed will be 2 (1 * 2 = 2), making you move at double the speed at half the framerate.
Other things I noticed in the demo:
- The gun is still pointed below the cross hair
- I found that the camera's x angle determined the speed the user moved forward at. If Im right, this means what you're doing is moving the camera forward in the direction the camera is facing, and then placing them back down onto the ground. Thats fine if you want the user to walk slower as they look up or down, but in most cases, you'll want to be able to move at the same speed no matter what angle you're looking up / down at. (Example: You're shooting enemies above you while running forward, however the way you have it now, if you try to shoot the enemies above you, you'll slow down, and will be at a disadvantage, where as in real life you'd be able to run full speed even as you look up).
- The static noise in the beginning credits is really well done, however it lasts too long IMO. I think it should cut out right around when the loading screen for the main menu comes up, and switch to a background sound, something quiet and a little eerie, like being in the basement of a factory. But thats just down to personal taste, just saying it got a bit annoying.
- In the area where the FOV changes and you slow down, rightbefore that guy comes out of the wall, I noticed none of your sounds slow down. Id recommend switching all your sounds during that time period to another version of the same sound, slowed down to sound like its under water (switching to under water sounds is a common trick in the industry to simulate what you're trying to do).
- You can only reload when your entire clip is used up. Most gamers prefer to be able to reload whenever they want, to prepare for the next wave of baddies.
- The static screen effect you've got going works pretty well, except if you made it fluctuate it'd be a lot more effective. Having it fade in and out periodically, and using a random static texture from maybe 10 different possible static textures.
Thats everything I could find from the demo, I understand its just a demo and you probably had plans to change all of this stuff anyways in the future, but just wanted to point it out incase you didnt.
Other than that it was great, oh and the intro credits it should be "presents" with an s and a small p, not "Present".
- RUC'
