AMOS-L

> Well, I'm bustin my hump trying to get all done that I can, but, I'm
> sorry, it will HAVE to be good enough. You can't do the game without
> my level (and without the Taxman), and I say you'll have to wait a
> bit longer (Garfield was behind a bit too, wasn't he?) :P

Well, I'm putting some time in, but I wouldn't say I'm bustin' my hump
trying to get it done. Just steadily chopping away...

Now, for a quick update on the sideshooter stage's progress:

The Final Boss battle is now up n' running and the SnapshotGrabber
is implemented (in fact I've already sent Mush four snapshots)...

Now, it's on to the important clean-up and fine-tuning bits. The thing
is with this being the absolute LAST version of our stages I have to
keep working on it until everything is fully implemented, cleaned-up
and fine-tuned, otherwise I'd send a new demo now and work all this
stuff into the next one...

Anyway, here is the remaining items on my worklist:

1. Complete Final Boss Battle by adding SS_FBDESTROYED
module.

2. Modify keyboard-code to use player's key-prefs (variables) rather
than the current hard-coded key-values.

3. Decrease the stage length to the minimize needed for the stage
and convert the long-word size map-data to byte-size map-data.
I already have created the utility to do this, so just need to
determine the final map-size then run through the convertor.

4. Replace the current "SpriteBob Col()"-based collision detection
with my custom rectangular-based collision-detection routines.
I converted to SpriteBob in the last demo as I thought it might be
faster on the low-end machines like stock A500s and such, but
the SpriteBob are no faster (and are slower on faster machines)
and also error-prone. The scrolling screws them up.

5. Add support for music playing. One thing I've always found with
Amiga programming is it's so limiting having just four voices, and
sound effects add so much to a game that I never even bother
with music as I tend to need all four voices just give good audio
feedback.
Giark, I need some way to determine if music is being played.
Rather than using the variables you listed, I'd rather make a
more dedicated design for handling music to maximize the
audio-feedback.

6. Tweak the asteroid phase, it should be faster.

7. Tweak the MidBoss phase, it needs to move off-screen further
when destroyed and then, of course, all bobs need to be freed.

8. Add a slightly more interesting "beginning" to the stage.

9. Design a simple "death-sequence" and implement that as just
fading out the disply and saying Bubba has been obliterated is
pretty "cheap".

10. Design a simple "victory sequence" and implement that as just
saying Congratulations, Bubba has cleared the SideShooter is
also pretty "cheap".

Finally, I'm really not happy with the speed (or lack of it actually),
so I'd like to boost the speed on lower-spec systems. Probably not
possible as just the gfx-updates seem to be pushing AMOS to the
limit. :(

I'm not giving a date for completion as there's no sense in it. As
soon as I have everything done and all working satisfactorily, I will
send Giark the source and executable.


Take care,
GARFIELD
_________________________
Current projects...
SideShooter(AMOS): 92% Complete
Website(http://www.sosbbs.com/~gbenjam): 20% Complete