Posts by OldLongDragon

Is there any way to use that random pixel "shading" in the MMFD2 graphics editor? This was used in some NES games as well as Apogee titles like BioMenace for example. I tried using the airbrush, but this creates transparent layers.

I have a problem with scrolling "smear". I tried to use that continuous loop scrolling feature seen in the Last Pursuit tutorial, but instead of getting a smooth repeating background, you get a smear as if somebody turned the background to finger paint. What could be causing this? I know you set the virtual height and width to "-1" and all that. When you try to make the scroll relative to a side-scrolling character or you try and use the automatic scrolling on a background while including other layers is usually what causes this. Is there some way in MMFD2 to tell the background to move without it being relative to an active object, so that you don't try and center the window relative to two contradictory things at once?

I have a problem with layers in MMFD2. It won't let me edit the X and Y coefficients of the layers seperately, but will only select all the layers at once. I have a newer machine which runs Windows 7, and I did not have this problem with Windows XP. I tried reinstalling the software, I tried checking options and preferences, but nothing seems to change. You can make several layers, but you cannot edit the X and Y coefficients separately or assign different names to them, but you can rearrange the layers and can move them back or front. Normally, only one layer on the toolbar should be "blue" or active, but you can only select all of them at once like that. They are all blue.

That's how I'd do it -- I'd basically use global values which can be set to on or off depending on the level being completed. It doesn't have to be complicated. Still, 30 levels like that seems like a lot -- usually a game like Megaman would allow 10 at most.

Back on topic, realize that feasible versus not feasible are states of mind only. If your ability can do it, then it is feasible. But I think the whole thing would feel more feasible, if it were me, if it was an original idea -- the extra effort would be well spent.

Using the MMF2 graphics editor, how do you get that pixelated fuzzy effect seen in some Apogee games from way back when, such as in clouds for example? I tried using the airbrush, but all I got was softened edges. I was able to download the palette used in that era such as with Biomenace or Crystal Caves for example.

Quote from rubes

Kondias, right on the money. The only way a parody can work, is if the original was successful, otherwise, people wouldn't understand the parody. This is not a mockery nor travesty, and should be treated as the sincerest form of flattery.

Keep telling yourself that. But does the deeper picture see it that way? Or do they see it as the pathetic lack of an original idea. And to put the shoe on the other foot, would you want somebody making a mockery of you? Probably not if you made all that sincere effort, and poured the every essence of what you can create into it. To me, people were made to create things, but also to have enlightened, original ideas. There's no law that says this, but it just feels right, don't you think?

Quote from Aasland

Probably, but the warranty expired over 20 years ago.

Duly noted, but it's the principle of the thing. I never understood the appeal of just copying things. For me, this game stuff is a fine art indeed, and I would be devoid of my vision if I merely tried to regurgitate what was done before. Sure, those were the "good old days" but just because MegaMan 4 was a reasonable game on the NES in 1991, I figure that Rockman 4- me-whatsit just strikes me as desperately milking the idea when you had nothing to do with the original. Oh, and I found the actual NES palette didn't have enough yellow, brown or grey to work with.

Quote from Outcast

Never mind, i figured it out Maybe anyone will find this useful or can improve upon it. ¨

I actually think it cannot possibly be that complicated. All you have to do is draw something and limit yourself to X number of colors. Human creativity, not hardware expectations are the key here.

But isn't there a warning in the instructions of any of that stuff that stipulates that use of any unlicensed or unauthorized attachment or product would void the warranty?

But isn't the Xbox 360 controller still copyrighted? And I find it isn't the answer to everything -- sometimes a game is just a game.

I would doubt Xbox 360 as a technology. The cooling unit is inadequate for the amount of heat the high refresh rate the graphics demand, and when it does oveheat, Microsoft chooses to simply distance themselves from the whole thing and people are left with a $600 or so piece of junk. The failure rate due to this critical hardware inadequacy is like one in four, and besides, I'd find the only reason why anybody would want to write for a console like that is to go where the money is anyway. I thought the license to legally produce stuff like that was like $10,000 a project, and I doubt that people like Nintendo or Microsoft would want the market flooded with stuff they didn't approve of. And isn't there something which states that if you use a product which is not approved and it causes damage to your console, it would void your warranty and the manufacturer is not responsible?

Quote from MuddyMole

Parody and plagiarizing are not the same thing.
eg.

This is the original (Saturday Night Fever)
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This is a parody, and is perfectly okay (Airplane)
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This is blatant plagiarizing of the above, and is NOT okay (Ted)
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The only thing you are making fun of with these parodies is yourself -- it just shows a lack of original ideas. And if somebody is parodying you, they are making a mockery or travesty of the effort you put into it. I don't understand why you would say that this is a blatant plagiarizing of the above and is not okay when a lot of people do [plagiarize] and get away with it.

What does "collision with X" have to do with it? It would be more I was thinking like that Long Beam thing seen in Metroid or something.

Is there any means to delete an action during the course of a program? Like for example in Metroid where you would start out with a limit as to how far the beam can range, but then after acquiring the long beam, is there a way to turn off the condition limiting the range of the beam in the first place. It would just be that one line of code.

Can somebody explain what sort of image or vision you are going for here? It becomes easy to say "I want falling sand" but what does it do exactly in terms of the image? Is it a quicksand fall like seen in some desert or pyramid scenes? Or is it the dust falling from a broken block. Can the player interact with it, does it impede the player, or is it just backdrop?

A little intuition should resolve this. For example, action points being wrong is far too subjective and that there is no black or white regulation here. I am sure that somebody out there wants something to shoot from the foot or the shoulder instead of the obvious, and it might be strategically useful for them. Also, I find that the libraries are very uninspired and seem to serve people who want to regurgitate things, much like Windows clipart that comes pre-packaged; you see one, you've seen them all. So to me, libraries would be buggy anyway, because I couldn't find the exact monster or floor tile I was looking for.

I think you're borrowing trouble. I think it's important for the game file to not include so much dead weight or superficial wow, which I will admit can add up. I always thought that the more extension-a-magiggers you use, the more things can likely malfunction and the more likely the end user's computer will be unable to interface with it. So are you saying we should only produce games compatible with the upper 0.1% of the population? This seems rather elitist...

I've never tried it. But I assume there is some fairly obvious means to maintain flag values over frames.

Quote from RhysD

I think you missed the joke

What joke was that? I wasn't laughing and I did not even know it was supposed to be funny. Sometimes, I do take things literally, though.