Blog for Tom Feni at GarageGames.com

Toby Updates for August

Tom Feni — 2008-08-16T04:30:56+00:00

Well been busy trying to add some challenge to the game.. I tried AI but gave up after a few failed attempts. Guess my coding skills arent up to speed yet, but i did add aiTurrets :)
Easier since they dont move.. :)

I added some videos to vimeo and started a group.
my video link Toby Videos

and my groupToby Turtle Group

some samples

So until next time..
happy game deving

TomFeni

Instant Action Contest Entry

Tom Feni — 2008-07-27T20:35:00+00:00

Well back when the contest was going on I decided I wasnt ready to submit The Adventures of Toby Turtle, but I did decide to try submitting a deathmatch version. It was hastily thrown together and some functions didnt work. Ie the chat system wasnt in yet and some graphics werent done yet. But I threw my hat in the ring anyways. I didnt make the finals but it was fun trying to get it put together in a few days. Showed me how much I pulled out when I was making it singleplayer and how much more I needed to finish.

I plan to include this in the final game of toby as a add on, along with a team based "capture the egg" gametype. I will propbably code in level selection by gametype and add or remove things depending on which gametype it is so I can recycle things and levels without bloating the total game.

Some Pictures

and the link to the game

Toby DeathMatch

Leave comments if you wish :)

TomFeni

The Adventures of Toby Turtle Updates

Tom Feni — 2008-07-19T05:17:56+00:00

Well here we are again with more screenshots and no demo yet, other then the old one I posted awhile back. Well I guess some pictures will have to do for now. :)

I am close to a final product, just 10-12 more levels and then I will do more fine tuning and then run a limited beta with a few pre-selected friends :)

I am still debating on releasing it for shareware or just giving it out as freeware..

not sure yet :)

Well til next time, happy dev'ing

TomFeni

The Adventures of Toby Turtle Demo

Tom Feni — 2008-01-26T20:25:03+00:00

Ok I decided to do a preliminary release of the build so far..

The levels are pretty well fleshed out as far as layout but still need some extra goodness to fill them up..
There is only 15 levels so when you get thru the tunnels thats about it..

I included the editor button so if you wantt o play them in random order you can, its up to you.. the final version will have it removed.. :) I just found it easier to edit when I could just jump in any map.. :)

I lost the gui stuff I had done recently so I had to rebuild it from scratch so some of it is kind of off..
The key binds are wasd for moving and Q for opening doors. There are a few dangerous areas where you could lose your life but i havent gotten all of them in yet.. Like steam form pipes and some hot lava steam form the floors.. :)

anyways here is the linkage.. Toby Demo

Its around 74 mbs so if your not into this kind of game I wouldnt advise downloading it..
If you do I would love to hear any comments you may have on what I have so far..

I am sure some of the levels may look a bit darker on some moniters.. mine has some brightness to it and so I couldnt judge the best lighting, I will use my desktop for final lighting..

Some glitches remain and some areas you can get out of the main play area.. If you get out you probably wont be able to get back in.. so you will have to exit the mission to restart. There is no CTRL-K sorry..

I removed the console but not the logger (yet) so if you run into a bug or what not, you can post here if you want.. There may be a few missiong textures and files but shouldnt affect the gameplay at all

Well have fun and enjoy.. :)

TomFeni

The Adventures of TomFeni.. continued..

Tom Feni — 2008-01-17T02:25:41+00:00

So back to what I was talking about. :) Coding.. I started by picking up Ed Maurina's book about game programming. I started by using some of the various examples and changing them to suiit my needs and made new assets.
I added some danger by adding the cannon and flame trap, which worked ok but had some minor issues due to the player being so low to the ground.. I spent a few weeks on figuring out how to get the fire point to hit the player fairly consistently but still needs work(on my todo list :) For now I am using the simple kill trigger and using those at key areas of danger, ie steam from a pipe, and lava so on and so on..
I also added the door resource by Ramen Sama and changed the door models to gates and wooden doors and such. Worked good and all but the challenge was non existent. I needed locking doors.. Then I noticed the locking doors with keys that someone was kind to post in the door resource update I posted. I added that and added quite a few more key types.
I also added exploding boxes, ifl shapes, some animated shapes, and various items. Then I began work on the lives code, I needed to start with a set amount and on entering a kill trigger I wanted the player to lose a life. I scoured the site but didnt find a whole lot for tge but alot of things for TGB so I used the code from Ed's book for the lives. I then tied it into the guis and decided I wanted to have extra life pickups, but Ed didnt do that, his gets extra life on level finish. So I took the health pack code and changed it to suit my needs.

Extra Life code

datablock ItemData(lifeUp)
{
   // Mission editor category, this datablock will show up in the
   // specified category under the "shapes" root category.
   category = "Health";

   // Basic Item properties
   shapeFile = "~/data/shapes/lifeUp/lifeUp.dts";
   mass = 1;
   friction = 1;
   elasticity = 0.3;
   emap = true;

   // Dynamic properties defined by the scripts

   maxInventory = 1; // need this to activate the pickupName
   pickUpName = "an extra life";

   lightType = "constantLight";
   lightColor = "0.4 0.8 0.3 1.0";
   lightTime = "1000";
   lightRadius = "3";

};

function lifeUp::onPickup(%this, %obj, %user, %amount)
{

   // The parent Item method performs the actual pickup.

     if (Parent::onPickup(%this, %obj, %user, %amount)) {
         $Player::lives++;  // give the player one life
         serverPlay3D(LifeUpSound,%obj.getTransform());

         livescounter.setCounterValue($Player::lives);
          
}

Worked great but didnt have alot of flair so I added a particle effect to the pickup.

datablock ParticleData(lifePickup)
{
   textureName          = "~/data/shapes/particles/hearts";
   dragCoefficient     = 0.0;
   gravityCoefficient   = -0.2;   // rises slowly
   inheritedVelFactor   = 0.00;
   lifetimeMS           = 500;
   lifetimeVarianceMS   = 50;
   useInvAlpha = false;
   spinRandomMin = -60.0;
   spinRandomMax = 60.0;

   colors[0]     = "0.0 0.0 0.8 0.1";
   colors[1]     = "0.6 0.0 0.0 0.1";
   colors[2]     = "0.0 0.8 0.0 0.1";

   sizes[0]      = 0.1;
   sizes[1]      = 0.1;
   sizes[2]      = 0.1;

   times[0]      = 2.0;
   times[1]      = 2.5;
   times[2]      = 2.0;
};

datablock ParticleEmitterData(lifePickupEmitter)
{
   ejectionPeriodMS = 35;
   periodVarianceMS = 0;

   ejectionVelocity = 8.0;
   ejectionOffset   = 0.45;
   velocityVariance = 0.5;

   thetaMin         = 45.0;
   thetaMax         = 90.0;

   particles = lifePickup;
};

datablock ParticleEmitterNodeData(lifePickupEmitterNode)
{
   timeMultiple = 1.5;
};

function lifeUp::onPickup(%this, %obj, %user, %amount)
{

   ....
       %effect = new ParticleEmitterNode() {
             position  = vectorSub(%Obj.getWorldBoxCenter(), "0 0 1");
             rotation  = "1 0 0 0";
             scale     = "1 1 1";
             dataBlock = "lifePickupEmitterNode";
             emitter   = lifePickupEmitter;
             velocity  = "1";
             };

           %obj.myEffect = %effect;
           %obj.delete();

       if(isObject(%effect))
	       %effect.schedule(1500, "delete");

     }
}

Much neater just adding a particle texture. I then took that particle idea and added it to the egg pickup and to the key pickup. So now all the pickups for the most part have spiffy particles shoot up and then disappear after 1.5 seconds.
Then i took that idea and tried adding it to the exploding box so I could show players which box is destroyable. Which didnt work how I planned.
When I destroyed the box the particles stayed put and didnt leave..

function box1::onAdd(%this,%obj)
{
   box::onAdd();

   %effect = new ParticleEmitterNode() {
         position  = vectorSub(%obj.getWorldBoxCenter(), "0 0 -1");
         rotation  = "1 0 0 0";
         scale     = "1 1 1";
         dataBlock = "destroyNode";
         emitter   = destroyParticleEmitter;
         velocity  = "1";
      };

      %obj.myEffect = %effect;

}

So I tried

function box1::onRemove( %this, %Obj )
{
   // 1
   if( isObject( %Obj.myEffect ) )
      %Obj.myEffect.delete();
}

In onDestroyed. Didnt work so I went to onRemove and wham.. worked like a charm.. :)

So then i moved on to a simple save system :)
But I will talk about that next time : )

TomFeni

The Adventures of TomFeni

Tom Feni — 2008-01-02T03:43:30+00:00

My adventures with Toby Turtle :)

I have been working on a game idea for over a year now and learning all the way thru. I have to say I have a much better understanding of the whole game development from gui's to level design.

I started with a free player model that had no dsq's and basically was a animated turtle. I took it and compiled all the dsq's I thought I would need and then proceeded to add him to the starter.fps. He turned out to be as bigger then Kork! hehehe so I went in and resized him. which in turn caused issues on re-importing him back into torque. arms floating in weird spots and legs twisting up.

I then figured out how to resize him and import when I found out he was backwards.. Argghhh! what the heck. So I went back to milkshape and figured out how to turn him around and fix all the animations. So now I had a turtle that could walk.. Yay!

So I ran around for a while and then ran into the water, ughh what no swimming? so I went over to the forums and got the crouch prone swim animation code and compiled that in.. cool.. but the swim animation was wrong.. hmm.. So I went into the model again and I saw the swim animation.. added it and away I went, swimming all over..

Then I noticed when he was just sitting in one spot he was still swimming full bore.. Back to the drawing board.. slowed the swim animation down and made it more of a treading water animation..

so I made some test levels and added the coins from my old toons game. Then it hit me.. Turtle needs to pick up eggs not coins.. So I made a basic egg shape and gave it a green shell, and then decided to do a yellow one so I could have seperate eggs with different values..

I used the guis from the gpgt book for the scores and lives. which I didnt have code for. That was for later..

So now I had a player and an idea but not much else.. I had a hand full of textures that I took from the starter.fps and compiled it into a wad..
But it was what i was looking for.. So I pulled up my PSP 6.0 and started making my own by messing with the settings..
I made some box textures and made some levels out of box shapes. looked OK but wasnt what i was looking for. So I made some indoor maps with the same textures.. Still not right.. so I started from scratch again and designed levels using all the textures I had.. Looked ok but the textures I made looked off, so i pulled those and was back to the ones I got from the starter example.

So I started with creating 7 levels with different themes, I had the island main map. which had entrances to the castle, tunnel, and the mystery forest. I spent several months working on those and getting them looking fairly decent. Then I stopped and decided to work on the code side..

To be continued......

Toby Turtle coming soon!

Tom Feni — 2007-12-16T22:02:50+00:00

Well finally its time to get excited (for me at least) :) I have 15 levels in the final stages of development, and 5 bonus levels that are almost finished.

So far I have it so you start at level 1 and run thru to level 15, with a secret area to the 5 bonus levels set up. The score works and the lives are working. I need to add more to the levels and will then release a 15 level demo.

Then I will work on the last 2 areas with the last 15 or so levels.
the 15 I have may change a little form the original plan but so far its pretty well roughed out.

More to come soon with a playable demo.. :)

TomFeni

Back to work: new outlook

Tom Feni — 2007-10-14T16:50:50+00:00

Well after my unintentional hiatus (well it was a fun summer so I took some me time) I am back.

I have a new focus and a new plan of how I want to do the level designs. I will reuse my levels I have now and add more but I am removing the first level and starting out in a smaller first level. The idea of a huge first level with three optional paths to start in were a bit much. Took much longer then I thought to travel around and after a bit got quite tedious.

Now each level will be more compact and focused. Hopefully it will also allow me to finish sooner.. :)

Comcast is also coming thru with some much anticipated news.. My ftp will be bumped up in size from 25 mbs to a full GB which means the full game will be released instead of a smaller cut up demo.
I can also throw up the source files so people can see how my warped mind works.. :) My code is probably eclectic and strange and how it works I still dont know.. :)

There are still code ideas I need to finish up but the core is finished. I plan to add some trigger "behaviors" which will be a set of triggers that do various tasks but be more flexible. Ie a switch that opens a random door. I have a few but would like to create a library of triggers.

Other then that now that the weather is cold and I am more inclined to stay inside I will be focused on completing my game. As long as I dont get hooked again on Joint Ops Typhoon Rising. :) COOP rocks..
If you play you may see me in there as ReconBerk. if not then nevermind..

well here is a small picture of a new level.. :)

Til next time

TomFeni

Toby Turtle News

Tom Feni — 2007-06-20T02:33:39+00:00

Well I have decided after 8 months of continous developement on this hobby of mine I have decided I need a break, so I decided to take june off.. Well since I am not getting paid anyways what can it hurt :) I dont have a task master breathing down my neck (other then myself) so it doesnt matter :)

I have taken a bunch of screenshots of all the levels done so far and here they are.. :)

Bunch of Pictures follow

each picture represents a seperate level.. so so far I have 11 levels out of 32 done..
each level so far is taking roughly 3 weeks to finish but should get faster as I build on the asset list of statics..
So if I can get the level process cut down to a week per level then i should be done by the first of the year..

So far I have to "tools" not exactly weapons... that you can use to blow up specific boxs. There are also life-up pickups and eggs to collect, along with numerous treasure items that will give you bonus points..
the object will be to collect all items and eggs to get the highest score.

Well back to my fun vacation break.. see you in July.. :)

TomFeni

The Adventures of Toby Turtle Official Demo

Tom Feni — 2007-05-22T22:53:13+00:00

Well the time has come for the demo, so I have packaged 4 of the tunnel levels to show the main game play. You will find eggs thru-out the levels that will be needed to go on to the next level.

The final game will contain 32+ levels (maybe more) of adventure. There are traps, special items and plenty of hidden areas to explore.

Windows only for the moment, sorry..
oh and made with torque..

---Known issues----
- elevator collision needs to be activated for it to move, so if it doesnt start jump on it.
- if you dont jump fully in some areas you will hang on the lip and may fall.
- there is no High Score Table yet.
- at the end of level 4 you will go back to level 1.

-- Controls --

W - forward
A - left
S - back
D - right
Q - open doors
E - zoom in
CTL-O - in game options
SPACE - jump
ESC - exit the game
Z - freelook

Gui Layout

Items

Trap

NPC Gui

And lastly the Demo The Adventures of Toby Turtle Demo

Until next time...

TomFeni