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Work in Progress / [AGK-Community Project] ADG Arcade!

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BatVink
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Posted: 17th Oct 2011 13:35 Edited at: 17th Oct 2011 13:35
Making progress in between life.

Found a bug in AppGameKit that is a killer, it held me back for a few hours. If you find your program doing weird stuff, try moving your code around (without changing the logic), it works wonders! In my example the offending code never got executed. I just moved it into a function and everything worked again.



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Hodgey
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Posted: 18th Oct 2011 08:49
Looking good BatVink!

Quote: "Found a bug in AppGameKit that is a killer, it held me back for a few hours. If you find your program doing weird stuff, try moving your code around (without changing the logic), it works wonders! In my example the offending code never got executed. I just moved it into a function and everything worked again."

That's interesting. Sounds like a difficult bug to find. Is it possible that it is related to the line limitation bug from before? Well I guess anything's possible but you know what I mean.

baxslash
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Posted: 18th Oct 2011 09:16
Quote: "Found a bug in AppGameKit that is a killer, it held me back for a few hours. If you find your program doing weird stuff, try moving your code around (without changing the logic), it works wonders! In my example the offending code never got executed. I just moved it into a function and everything worked again."

Had a similar problem with UDTs, they would be fine defined in an included file for a while (in a sub-routine) then all of a sudden they'd stop working...

All our UDTs for this project now need to be defined in the main file... I'll organise the code when the time comes!

Hodgey
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Posted: 18th Oct 2011 09:21
Quote: "Had a similar problem with UDTs, they would be fine defined in an included file for a while (in a sub-routine) then all of a sudden they'd stop working..."

I have seen people define UDTs within a subroutine so I tried it in DBP once and it did not work. I made the subroutine after I tried to use the types but called the routine before using the types and got an error by the compiler saying it did understand it. So I just define them in the main file now, they're one of the first things to be processed by the compiler.

Quote: "All our UDTs for this project now need to be defined in the main file... I'll organise the code when the time comes!"

Mine should be a simple cut/paste job but the order is important. Some won't be made without the others being made first.

BatVink
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Posted: 18th Oct 2011 09:22
I have confirmation of the problem. AppGameKit differs from DBP in that it does not initialise local variables, so they can contain anything at all until you populate them.

The behaviour will be modified in the next release. Until then, be careful out there!

Hodgey
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Posted: 18th Oct 2011 09:26
Quote: "AGK differs from DBP in that it does not initialise local variables, so they can contain anything at all until you populate them."

So instead of:

a as integer

write

a as integer = 0?

BatVink
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Posted: 18th Oct 2011 12:13
I don't even declare them, I just use them in the function code...




You cannot say whether or not doEvenMore() will get executed here, because there is no guarantee that a = 0. In DBP it would be 0.

baxslash
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Posted: 18th Oct 2011 12:32
That's really vital information, I didn't know that!

I often use something like this in a function:


...so "done" might already be > 0? That's very important to know... and fundamentally different to DBP.

Hodgey
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Posted: 18th Oct 2011 14:12
I actually feel like somethings wrong if I don't declare a variable, I guess it was the way I learnt how to program. If I remember correclty, C++ does this as well.

Anyway, thanks for the heads up BatVink as that is, like baxslash said, vital information.

baxslash
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Posted: 19th Oct 2011 01:10
Keep thinking I've fixed the 'reset' bug I keep having on Oblitinator and then it happens again. I have a feeling its some kind of memory issue, it's like AppGameKit suddenly decides to delete all the rocks / physics sprites for no apparent reason... very annoying.

I've gone through my code about 8 million times (slight exaggeration)!

Anyway I have at least got back to trying to finish it so I can post a version of the "Arcade" with at least one game finally in it

BatVink
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Posted: 19th Oct 2011 15:42
Quote: "Keep thinking I've fixed the 'reset' bug I keep having on Oblitinator and then it happens again"


Have you initialised all your local variables

baxslash
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Posted: 19th Oct 2011 17:09 Edited at: 20th Oct 2011 00:37
Quote: "Have you initialised all your local variables"

Checked, and yes I think so... my fly is done up too

EDIT: Here's a new video showing the "Multi-Shot" weapon (WIP)


baxslash
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2011 01:39
Here's another new weapon. The Rail-Gun!


Hodgey
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Posted: 25th Oct 2011 12:20
Been a while since I posted here.

That rail gun looks deadly baxslash but ahh...is no match for a Hodgey nuke. hehehe.

In all seriousness it looks excellent baxslash!

baxslash
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Posted: 25th Oct 2011 12:26
Quote: "That rail gun looks deadly baxslash but ahh...is no match for a Hodgey nuke. hehehe.

In all seriousness it looks excellent baxslash! "

Thanks Hodgey! I'm quite pleased with it. Added some new sound effects last night too.

I really need to track down two existing bugs though before I can finish it off. They are both driving me mad but I'm getting close to at least one of them...

Sometimes after I use the Hodgey Nuke or the Black Hole the framerate drops to below 10 inconsistently. I don't think it happens if I wait till it's completely finished it's destruction before firing another weapon but I'm not 100% certain. They both work differently which makes it even more confusing. It may still be an undeclared variable issue...

Anyway when I get time I'll track the blighter down.

The other issue is the one where the physics sprites all vanish sometimes like they've been purged for some reason. No idea how to track that one down at the moment

Hodgey
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Posted: 25th Oct 2011 12:37
Quote: " Added some new sound effects last night too."

Nice!

Quote: "I really need to track down two existing bugs though before I can finish it off."

You'll get 'em.

Quote: "It may still be an undeclared variable issue..."

I remember talk about users having the option whether or not to have the compiler force them to declare variables otherwise it would throw up an error. I don't think it got implemented however. Might have to add it to the feature request board/site/google code thingy.

Ha! Just realised something. We want to finish this project on the same day that the code comp ends. Looks like we'll all have some coding to do up to the new year.

Hodgey
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Posted: 7th Nov 2011 08:09
Status Report!

I'll be able to give app development a lot of attention after this Thursday (my life frees up a lot) so will hopefully have something to show next week. How's everyone else going?

baxslash
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Posted: 7th Nov 2011 09:30
Great Hodgey! Glad to have you available

I'm still fixing bugs in Oblitinator and adding more weapons every now and then.

I'm also working on a couple of major projects but I'll be working on this as I get more input from others.

baxslash
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Posted: 30th Nov 2011 00:02
Status report:
Debugging "Oblitinator" on Windows & iOS using AppGameKit Player - 75% complete
Debugging "Froggit" on Windows & iOS using AppGameKit Player - 50% complete

This is going to be as much a test for AppGameKit as it is for me

Hodgey
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Posted: 30th Nov 2011 11:35
I had a go at compiling the AppGameKit player for iOS in Xcode and ran into a couple of errors. I've heard that I need to copy the folders from the latest PC verion over to my mac. How did you do it? Or is your ipod/ipad jb?

baxslash
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Posted: 30th Nov 2011 11:50
I managed to get someone to build me a Player just gave them my device ID. It's a temporary measure anyway as this version only lasts 10 months...

Still it's great fun to try some stuff out on iOS finally! The menu works just like I imagined.

When I get a good build finished of everything I currently have I'll post a video of it in action on the PC and the iPod touch.

Hodgey
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Posted: 30th Nov 2011 11:59
Quote: "I managed to get someone to build me a Player just gave them my device ID."

Luck has certainly come your way baxslash!

Quote: "It's a temporary measure anyway as this version only lasts 10 months"

Well, atleast you'll be able to test ADG Arcade in that time.

Quote: "
Still it's great fun to try some stuff out on iOS finally! The menu works just like I imagined."

Hopefully I'll be able to join that club soon. Glad the menu is working as intended.

Quote: "When I get a good build finished of everything I currently have I'll post a video of it in action on the PC and the iPod touch.
"

I can't wait to see that!

It's come to my attention that Josh Mooney has become a moderator recently. I don't know if you still watch this thread Josh but congratulations!

baxslash
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Posted: 30th Nov 2011 14:58
Hey congrats Josh!

Hodgey
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Posted: 14th Dec 2011 12:14
I will get around to this eventually, I promise. ADG work has just picked up recently.

Baxslash, as you know I've learnt a thing or two about the percentage system since starting this project so would it be ok if I used that as my resolution system (should atleast make it more portable) and set it back to the default virtual resolution upon returning to the main menu?

baxslash
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Posted: 14th Dec 2011 12:33
Not a problem Hodgey, use whatever system you like I'll work something out...

Hodgey
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Posted: 15th Dec 2011 10:05
Thanks baxslash. Are we still shooting for a new year's release?

baxslash
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Posted: 15th Dec 2011 10:20
I doubt we'll make it unless I get a lot of time over Christmas...

Let's push it back till the competitions are out of the way, say March 1st? I think that's more realistic.

There were a lot of people offering to help with this project, is anyone other than myself, Hodgey, Batvink and DVader still working on anything for this?

Hodgey
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Posted: 15th Dec 2011 10:49
Agreed. Nice new avatar btw.

baxslash
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Posted: 15th Dec 2011 10:59
Quote: "Nice new avatar btw"

Thanks

I decided to have something generic and stop flipping changing it all the time...

It's probably the first key I ever used to make a backslash

Hodgey
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Posted: 15th Dec 2011 11:19
Quote: "It's probably the first key I ever used to make a backslash "

Haha, I must admit though, I don't recognise it. It's probably because I've only experienced technology created within the last decade. I didn't get the chance to play around with the earlier models like the commodore 64 and I kind of wish I did. From the looks of it some of the keys carried keywords? You don't get that nowadays.

Another question for you baxslash. How did DVader structure his code for easy integration into the main project? I'm already working on a solution but I'm curious.

baxslash
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Posted: 15th Dec 2011 11:40 Edited at: 15th Dec 2011 12:15
Quote: "I don't recognise it. It's probably because I've only experienced technology created within the last decade. I didn't get the chance to play around with the earlier models like the commodore 64 and I kind of wish I did."

It's from a ZX Spectrum. My Dad was a programmer and tried to get me into programming over 30 years ago by getting one of these... actually now I think about it we had a ZX81 first! Damn, better see if I can find another image!!

Anyway I can't honestly remember much about programming on the spectrum as I spent more time playing games like Manic Miner and Chucky Egg!

Wish I'd listened to him and not left programming till about 7 or 8 years ago might have been rich by now... still I might not have met all of you guys, or my wife! [/tangent]

EDIT: How did DVader make his game easy to integrate? He named his functions with a prefix, also any global variables etc. I must get back to making it work in the project soon...

EDIT 2: What do you know, the ZX81 didn't have a backslash key as far as I can tell

BatVink
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Posted: 15th Dec 2011 22:45 Edited at: 15th Dec 2011 22:47
Quote: "What do you know, the ZX81 didn't have a backslash key as far as I can tell"


<Puts on Geek hat>
The backslash is a computer-only symbol, it has no function in real language. IBM introduced it in the 1950s so they could represent AND \/ and OR /\ in one of their GL languages.

Just guessing now, but as the ZX80 / ZX81 had keys for AND and OR, printed as full words, it didn't need a backslash.

What's really weird is that you could type >= and <= as single keystrokes

[EDIT] just checked a photo of the Dragon 32 (my first computer with Microsoft Basic 1.0 built in!), and it had no backslash either.

baxslash
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Posted: 15th Dec 2011 23:19
You saying I have no real place in programming languages?

I'll try not to take it personally...

Hodgey
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Posted: 15th Dec 2011 23:20 Edited at: 15th Dec 2011 23:23
Quote: "It's from a ZX Spectrum. "

I like the look of it surprisingly. Must have been a neat piece of equipment for its day.

Quote: "Wish I'd listened to him and not left programming till about 7 or 8 years ago"

Well, atleast it runs though your veins.

Quote: "He named his functions with a prefix, also any global variables etc. "

Oh ok, I'm working on a function/subroutine that will initialize everything so all you'll have to do is call it.

Quote: "The backslash is a computer-only symbol, it has no function in real language. IBM introduced it in the 1950s so they could represent AND \/ and OR /\ in one of their GL languages."

Interesting, I didn't know that. We're most of the keyboard layouts a qwerty variation?

Actually, this brings up another question. If you didnt have a backslash, what did you use for division?

The Slayer
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 01:17
Quote: "If you didnt have a backslash, what did you use for division?"

On the Commodore 64, it was a /, but it wasn't called a 'backslash', but just a 'slash'. The bax was removed.
Sorry, baxslash.

Quote: "is anyone other than myself, Hodgey, Batvink and DVader still working on anything for this?"

Well, I'm not working on a game for this, but if anyone needs graphics, sounds or music, I could be of help.

I'd like to do a game, though. If only I had an idea of which game to make. What games are already been made?

baxslash
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 10:01
Quote: "I like the look of it surprisingly. Must have been a neat piece of equipment for its day."

I liked it but then I was only about 7 years old...

Quote: "Actually, this brings up another question. If you didnt have a backslash, what did you use for division?"

Don't you use a forward slash (slash) for division?

Quote: "I'd like to do a game, though. If only I had an idea of which game to make. What games are already been made?"

Quote: "CURRENT CONTRIBUTORS - Tell me if I missed you out or if you want to join in!
baxslash & Deathead - Menu and Missile command clone - "Oblitinator!"
TheSlayer - Menu Graphics
Hodgey & TheSlayer - Space Invaders type - "Radar Invaders"
Bursar - Asteroids clone - "Rocks from Space"
Impetus73 - ?
Ashingda 27 - Tower defence game
Josh Mooney - Snake / Pong
DVader - Frogger clone - "Froggit"
Deathead - Graphics (ask here and he may be able to help with your game!)
Rich Dersheimer - Break out clone - "Ball Bricker"
Martin Donat - Pacman clone
Batvink - Lunar Lander clone
you?"


If there's one you'd really like to do post here and if nobody says "I'm doing that one!" just make it anyway. There has been very little input from anyone other than myself, DVader, Hodgey, Rich D and Batvink so far.

Hodgey
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 10:30
Quote: "Don't you use a forward slash (slash) for division?"

You do to! I must be tired.

@ The Slayer: I remember playing an online game called "fishy". Basically you're a fish and can only eat fish smaller than you but as you keep eating, you get bigger and, after a while, can eat bigger fish. You could try something like that.

baxslash
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 10:39
@The Slayer, another suggestion: Tron

BatVink
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 11:28
On older machines/languages, divide was just divide. You couldn't do float or integer divides by using different slashes.

(Waits for the...You can integer divide with a backslash?!?!?!)

Quote: "@The Slayer, another suggestion: Tron"


Tron lightcycles was my first ever game on my Dragon 32, MS Basic 1.0 and no backslashes

Hodgey
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 12:16
Don't worry baxslash, you'll always have a place in file paths.

baxslash
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 12:22
Quote: "Don't worry baxslash, you'll always have a place in file paths."

Sorry, I've been sent to the naughty step there too... using backslashes in filepaths (in AGK) causes problems on some devices I believe (iOS I think it was)

What exactly is my purpose?

Hodgey
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 12:24
Quote: "What exactly is my purpose?"

It still makes for a killer spaceship name: The Baxslasher!

baxslash
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 12:28
Thanks for reminding me... it is a cool name

I was considering making my avatar these three dots> ...

...since I seem to use them so much

BatVink
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 18:27
...I think ... would be better than an image that says DIM...

baxslash
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Posted: 16th Dec 2011 19:05
Quote: "...I think ... would be better than an image that says DIM..."

Well... At least DIM is accurate

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