Herbie & Jamal

[Robin]

Gave Herbie ability to roll by pressing the action button when no other action is available.
Bad idea? Should each player have a second button?

Yes, I think a second button is in order. Mainly because it might get annoying if you press the action button, but you're not positioned right and Herbie rolls instead of doing nothing.

EDIT: and bartbes raises a good point as well.

[SimonLarsen]

- I didn't found a way to return from mission after open the safe. We land at the middle of room. No exit door? No matrix-phone back?
- Instead of phone would seem more logic/intuitive use the big door to go to mission. And it will be a shame if you don't use the shower as some secret passage to something.
- Opposition is null. Be detected don't appear to be a big issue. Robots continue with same route so we continue well our mission without any increased trouble to the duo. Could activate a timer to police arrive and arrest us.
- Instead of have dual control for each char why don't have an option to a switch key char?
- I think it's great finally they got a better room.
- About the doors it's a bit better (but still far of be totally easy).
- Roll action could be useful if I didn't mind get detected.
- What does M button?
- Camera don't scroll well to the playing char if the other member is in opposite side of screen. I need to move the other char a bit till the camera focus the playing char.
- In the demo mission seems there isn't really no need to go press the floor button unless you put a motive to both get there. An exit? Tried to activate both when near tv but didn't returned home as I expected.

Thanks for the detailed criticism. Please note that the test level is not supposed to be a real level, only a way to test stuff.
Being caught will obviously have repercussions later on. To answer some of your other points:

• The phone is supposed to bring up a mission selection screen. But I supposed it wouldn't hurt if the door did the same thing.
• I agree the doors are still a problem. I'll probably increase the gradient around doors and perhabs do something about the hitboxes.
• Regarding the camera scrolling, please remember the game is supposed to be played by two players, and thus both players must be visible at all time.
  It is possible to play the game alone by using the TAB button for switching character though.
• The M button prints a random old swear word. It was added solely to test the message log.
• Again, the test mission is not supposed to be a real level. The pressure plate is only there to test that it works.

[coffee]

Thanks for the detailed criticism.

Wouldn't be very useful only kiss your feet about the excellent work in graphics and animation, right?

Please note that the test level is not supposed to be a real level, only a way to test stuff.

Sorry I thought the short test level was fully operational and complete.

• The phone is supposed to bring up a mission selection screen. But I supposed it wouldn't hurt if the door did the same thing.

By the animation I thought that was photo slide machine function. Would fit well too to "study" floor blueprints and gig details. Why don't use a "ringing" phone for get opportunity gigs, get promotions/rewards, get news?

[*] I agree the doors are still a problem. I'll probably increase the gradient around doors and perhabs do something about the hitboxes.

If you don't intend do inter-room chases/activity maybe you can forget a bit that and focus in other stuff.

[*] Regarding the camera scrolling, please remember the game is supposed to be played by two players, and thus both players must be visible at all time.It is possible to play the game alone by using the TAB button for switching character though.

I thought 1p/2p gameplay was hybrid and only a question of menu choice. Thank you, I remember that you didn't post any key info in first post (would help testers).

About the proposed second action key IMHO I think would complicate commands just be used in very occasional actions. Also if this game is intended for shared keyboard key space minimized would be a good thing. If maps well designed enough the necessity of dual options in same place won't overlap or have need to roll facing a door/interactive object.

You were doing a superb work and this would turn one the best LOVE games. BTW One of my favorite LOVE games already was your simple good-looking train game.

[lukaserritsoe]

By the animation I thought that was photo slide machine function. Would fit well too to "study" floor blueprints and gig details. Why don't use a "ringing" phone for get opportunity gigs, get promotions/rewards, get news?

This was actually the intention when we first planned the flat-level menu thingy, that the projector would be level select, and that the phone would ring when certain requirements were met, giving you the oppotunity to play some sort of bonus level.

Is it just for a touch of extra character, or will it play a role in various parts of the game itself? Just curious. :-)

The roll? if so yeah it's for gameplay purposes, we want herbie to be the character designed to "deal" with robots. The idea was to give him something with which herbie could cover short distances fast, in situations where your "window" to get through is limited.

(this is the other guy working on this game)

[coffee]

(this is the other guy working on this game)

welcome to the forum Lukas! You both are doing a good job.

This was actually the intention when we first planned the flat-level menu thingy, that the projector would be level select, and that the phone would ring when certain requirements were met, giving you the oppotunity to play some sort of bonus level.

I think that first draft would be the most logical way. Projector could be level selector but also give the level detailed info.

Don't know about your intentions but are the suits just decorative? Would be nice that the unlocked costume would help the duo to enter or mingle in certain ambients. Ex Heavy M. suit to enter a concert backstage. Business suites in offices, etc..

[headchant]

Oh boy this looks and feels nice. Great work you two!

[lukaserritsoe]

Don't know about your intentions but are the suits just decorative? Would be nice that the unlocked costume would help the duo to enter or mingle in certain ambients. Ex Heavy M. suit to enter a concert backstage. Business suites in offices, etc..

The skins are intended purely for cosmetic purposes, like small suprises you unlock along the way, some of them hidden in in closets in different levels, some will appear hidden in the appartment at certain points in the game. and some will have special requirements. as of now we have 15 skins done.

[SimonLarsen]

Development has been a bit slow lately but here's what has happened since last update:

Changes 22/01/12

• Added a simple menu system.
  The menu currently only allows you to load another level and change your resolution.
  It currently lists the largest couple of resolutions returned by love.graphics.getModes() that are at least 800x600. The menu obviously needs to be expanded to allow custom resolutions and such, as well as a way to rebind controls, set volume and etc. It currently looks like this:
  
• Fixed annoying bug where standing in certain places would produce artifacts on walls.
  - Nevermind. It's still a problem. Here is what it looks like:
  

Changes 24/01/12

• Cleaned up some entity code to avoid a lot of unnecessary garbage collection
• Added wall lasers and timed wall lasers.
  
• Added switches which can be hooked up to doors, lasers and etc. like pressure plates

Changes 25-26/01/12

• Minor changes to drawing code to avoid drawing stuff off-screen
• Added windows, glass doors, some more floor types (grass and stone slabs) and signs to put messages in levels
  
• We've added a much better test level called "los" (don't ask).
  Getting seen still has no consequences but this level is a pretty good images of what kind of gameplay were aiming at.
  Also beware that the level is pretty hard, especially if you try to do it alone.
  - Screenshot from the level
  - 4x enlarged version of los.png which, along with los.lua defines the map

To try out the test level, open the in-game menu (press Escape), select "Load level" then "Load 'los'".

Uploaded updated .love to OP.

[Jasoco]

Really cool. I like it a lot.

I like how you use the same method Notch did in Prelude of the Chambered to store maps in image files. Guess it makes it easier to draw the maps, but harder to figure out which color does what unless you have a chart in PhotoShop or something.

Also the lighting. How did you do it? How do you invert it so the solid pixels become transparent and the transparent ones are solid on screen? I noticed your lighting images were inverted.

[baconhawka7x]

Sweet man!