Tower Quest 0.10 [WIP]

[Lafolie]

I think the half-block movement is fine and smooths it out a little. All you need to do is have a short timer that has to expire before the blocks start to get pushed around.

[Roland_Yonaba]

Good. Very good.
Loved the way you bring the title screen.

Actually, I think it's a little bit odd that the player cannot collide with the treasure box to open a gate to the next floor.
I would suggest making it "zelda-like". To take the key, the player should be facing the box to take the key. And shouldn't be able to cross over this box, but should collide with it.

Also, could you increase a bit the player speed, for moves ? I found it sometimes too slow.
But that's up to you, maybe you should leave it like that. Or make it an option to be set ?
And, shouldn't these moves be gridlocked ?

Last thing, just an idea. A level editor ?

[jorgea]

This game is looking good so far

[josefnpat]

Fancy and clean!

Consider changing the "level x room x" to be faster. Considering how many times you restart and change levels, it's a little long.

Also, descriptive text might be really nice as a skipable dialog in game, as opposed to white on black.

[jonyzz]

Consider changing the "level x room x" to be faster. Considering how many times you restart and change levels, it's a little long.
Also, descriptive text might be really nice as a skipable dialog in game, as opposed to white on black.

I agree, both will be in the next version.

To take the key, the player should be facing the box to take the key. And shouldn't be able to cross over this box, but should collide with it.

I like the idea, it will be i the next version too.

Also, could you increase a bit the player speed, for moves ? I found it sometimes too slow.
But that's up to you, maybe you should leave it like that. Or make it an option to be set ?
And, shouldn't these moves be gridlocked ?

I'll give it a try, but I'm afraid it may cause problems in levels like 02-04 where precise movement timing is necessary.

Last thing, just an idea. A level editor ?

The level format is so simple that I wonder if an editor is really necessary (or maybe I'm just too lazy to implement it ). The whole level is just a lua script with one table containing array of strings (level data) and additional information.

Code: Select all

room.data = {
    "####+####",
    "#       #",
    "# $ @ g #",
    "#       #",
    "#########"
}

However, I'm considering allowing users to put their own levels to the game directory. These levels will be then available through game menu.

Thanks for ideas

[Roland_Yonaba]

The level format is so simple that I wonder if an editor is really necessary (or maybe I'm just too lazy to implement it ). The whole level is just a lua script with one table containing array of strings (level data) and additional information.

Code: Select all

room.data = {
    "####+####",
    "#       #",
    "# $ @ g #",
    "#       #",
    "#########"
}

However, I'm considering allowing users to put their own levels to the game directory. These levels will be then available through game menu.

Thanks for ideas

That would be wonderful.
Have you considered setting up a Git Repository ? So that folks can monitor your progresses and give some feedbacks.
Then you should create a wiki page explaining how to create new levels.
But, in the meantime, I think (IMHO, though) that you should simplify a little bit the way levels are created. Those who are not familiar with Lua should mess with table data structure, skipping commas (,) or quotes ("") on each line. Maybe levels should be written in a simple text file, this way.

####+####
# #
# $ @ g #
# #
#########

Everyone should be able to cope with that.
Now, to create your room.data table, you will have to write level parser. Basically, it should look like:

Code: Select all

function levelParser(levelFile)
  local room = {}
  levelFilePath = 'levels/'..levelFile
  if love.filesystem.isFile(levelFilePath) then
    for line in love.filesystem.lines(levelFilePath) then
      room[#room+1] = line
    end
    --Some logic to check the level validity
    return room
  end
end

[jonyzz]

Have you considered setting up a Git Repository ?

Thanks for reminding, I forgot to post the link https://bitbucket.org/jpikl/tower-quest.

But, in the meantime, I think (IMHO, though) that you should simplify a little bit the way levels are created. Those who are not familiar with Lua should mess with table data structure, skipping commas (,) or quotes ("") on each line.

I'll probaly use XML.

[dreadkillz]

I notice in your conf.lua that you are using arg to accept custom command line options. I'm looking through your code, and I cannot find this arg being declared anywhere. Is this documented somewhere in the wiki?

EDIT: Looked through source, and found arg in boot.lua, which holds the options passed to love. It's the same arg passed to love.load.

[jonyzz]

I've made some progress and here is the new version tower-quest-0.05.love. The major changes are based on your comments, so there aren't any new levels.

The game has a new configuration menu with following options:

• Fullscren mode, window scale, audio volume
• Push delay - enables delay (0.2 s) before player starts pushing object
• Turbo mode - speeds everything 1.5x up (for hardcore gamers who still think the game is slow )

The duration of screen transition was changed to 1 second.

If anyone is interested in level contribution, here is a tutorial. User-made levels are available via game menu.

Complete changelog

Code: Select all

Version 0.05
- Added README file.
- Added level creation tutorial.
- Added game configuration via menu "options".
- Added "custom levels" menu to run user-made levels.
- Transition duration lowered to 1 second.
- Level title screen can be skipped.
- Level description is displayed as in-game dialog.
- Enabled collision between player and treasure chest.
- Fixed joystick input bug on Windows.
- Fixed player animation.
- Fided rendering of game menus.
- Small changes in some levels.
- Changed level data format.
- Several small bugfixes.

Enjoy!

[Inny]

The number one difficulty I had was figuring out the solution, and then having to replay levels over and over until I was able to get through without accidentally nudging a crate half-way as I was walking past it, blocking my future movement. I gave up in frustration on the last room of the first floor because of this.

Nice game otherwise.