AGameAWeek : Year 3

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jayenkai
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AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

I've been in two minds whether to post these or not. I know I post a lot of games, but I've never really enjoyed the "Every Week!" element of my rapid-fire coding.
See, although it's nice to have them, and it's fun to make them, and it's fantastic to say "Woot! 200!!", if I started posting everything here, you'd have to open a whole Jayenkai subforum, for all my stuff! It'd get stupid, and we don't want that..

So, I've made this little topic, and each week (assuming I remember to do it!) I'll pop the week's game here.

If it seems like it's a popular game, I'll probably create it's own little freeware topic over in the main forum, or if not, it'll be left to rust in this little topic.

I did one of these over at TIGsource, last year, but by game #4 everyone gave up reading it. I'm well aware that this'll probably happen here, too, but.. .. hey ho! (In fact, saying that.. I might still do all this over there, again, for old time's sake!)

So, let's begin.

Year Three
A fresh new year's worth of AGameAWeek.
I've decided not to worry about the whole "Every Week" rule, because last year got a wee bit crazy towards the end, with the constant game making taking it's toll in rather odd ways.
So, although I'll AIM for AGameAWeek, if I don't quite hit the target, I won't be worried about it.

The Games
1. Ted Bob's Pet Hammer
2. Space Clusters
3. GeeBee Hop
4. Jay's Retro Sprite Tool
5. Super Happy Speedy Gerbil
6. No Game
Last edited by jayenkai on Tue Nov 23, 2010 14:32, edited 2 times in total.
jayenkai
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

Week One
Ted Bob's Pet Hammer
Without any ideas what I'll be making, I jumped headfirst into the new year, and came up with a strange memory/hammer based game.
Image
A simple puzzle game involving a variety of objects inside crates. Smash the crates containing pets (to rescue them!!) and ship out the boxes containing TNT.
Plays much better in the harder modes!

Week Two
Space Clusters
A remake of sorts, based on an old Amstrad CPC game, Space Hawks.
Image
Destroy the baddies as you would a regular shooter, but should the enemy be stationary when hit, it drops a little pod which'll kill you.
This gives it a nice controllable difficulty level, whereby if you don't shoot like a crazy person, then you won't be bombarded by falling pods..
... whereas if you go mental, the game will similarly be much more difficult.
It's nice and fast, and again it's better on the harder modes!
Can be downloaded from CWF now: http://www.curlysworldoffreeware.com/games/view/937

Week Three
GeeBee Hop
I took the time to make a nice simple gameboy styled platform game.
Image
Simple rules. Z to run, X to hop.
Grab the gems to open the door, and then exit.
The lives are quirky, in that they don't kill you once you've lost them all! Instead, you're penalised for every extra life that you lose.
A bit odd, but it seems to work nicely.
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by Chroelle »

Great idea. I will follow your posts for sure. Wont give up either. :)
Currently testing Life version 2.9 (With added second child)
(Beta testing in progress)

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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by Pater Alf »

jayenkai wrote:...Smash the crates containing pets (to rescue them!!)...
It's good that you bracket that last sentence. Otherwise the animal rights activist would've gone wild... ;)

I think this one thread for all your weekly games is a good idea even if it makes it a little harder to link to your games and the discussion thread from our freeware index. But I think we can link to the specific posts and to be honest there hasn't been that much activity in the forum during the lasts weeks, so a discussion in one thread shouldn't be that problematic as well.

"Space Clusters" looks great. I really like that kind of retro game. I'm really looking forward to see what you will present us in year 3 of your AGameAWeek-marathon. It's always a pleasure to see and play your new games (of course it's also a pleasure to play your old games).
[quote="eMTe"]I dont think trying to pass the screen in computer game once per 500 tries makes you a geek. Rather a dangerous psychopath.[/quote]
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by Pater Alf »

jayenkai wrote:Week One
Ted Bob's Pet Hammer
Without any ideas what I'll be making, I jumped headfirst into the new year, and came up with a strange memory/hammer based game.
Image
A simple puzzle game involving a variety of objects inside crates. Smash the crates containing pets (to rescue them!!) and ship out the boxes containing TNT.
Plays much better in the harder modes!
Nice idea, but not really a great game. In easy mode it's almost unplayable, because it's much to easy and it's impossible to die. In hard mode it's to hard and it's nearly impossible to see all the boxes and keep them in mind and in medium mode it's something in between, but still no fun.

Not really interesting and I'm sure you can do much better. 51 weeks left to prove that... ;)
[quote="eMTe"]I dont think trying to pass the screen in computer game once per 500 tries makes you a geek. Rather a dangerous psychopath.[/quote]
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

Sometimes I'm really glad that I don't spend so long on these games. Pet Hammer was a random thought in my head, followed by a "Well, why wouldn't THAT work!?", swiftly followed by a "Oh, that's why!"
Kinda went downhill rather fast.
But with AGameAWeek I can move on, and hey, at least I tried it, right?!
What's the worst that could've happened.
Could've been that it DID turn out nicely, then it could've been really interesting!
But it didn't.
And I'm ok with that.

...Next!!
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by Pater Alf »

jayenkai wrote: Week Two
Space Clusters
A remake of sorts, based on an old Amstrad CPC game, Space Hawks.
Image
Destroy the baddies as you would a regular shooter, but should the enemy be stationary when hit, it drops a little pod which'll kill you.
This gives it a nice controllable difficulty level, whereby if you don't shoot like a crazy person, then you won't be bombarded by falling pods..
... whereas if you go mental, the game will similarly be much more difficult.
It's nice and fast, and again it's better on the harder modes!
And you did much better in week 2... :)

Bang,bang, bang, bang......

Classical, timeless retro action fun. No special twist at all, but who would care if you get such a fun game? And I prefer the fire like a crazy mental lunatic strategy. Makes the game much more interesting.

Nice, the first highlight in year three!
[quote="eMTe"]I dont think trying to pass the screen in computer game once per 500 tries makes you a geek. Rather a dangerous psychopath.[/quote]
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

Week Four
Jay's Retro Sprite Tool
Sorry, not a game!

But I did take some time to make a crazy Sprite creation tool.
It's not the best thing in the world, and it's all a wee bit random, but as a starting point it's something fun!
You can play if you want, but it's not a game!!!
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

Week Five
Super Happy Speedy Gerbil
People who call themselves "Sonic fans", but hadn't noticed the ridiculously stupid physics in Sonic 4, must be completely blind to the fact that you CAN actually let go of the Right button..

Image

This game's for them, but it's probably not for you!
It's REALLY, REALLY, psychotically, badly, mentally, insanely hard!!
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by Pater Alf »

jayenkai wrote:Week Five
Super Happy Speedy Gerbil
People who call themselves "Sonic fans", but hadn't noticed the ridiculously stupid physics in Sonic 4, must be completely blind to the fact that you CAN actually let go of the Right button..

Image

This game's for them, but it's probably not for you!
It's REALLY, REALLY, psychotically, badly, mentally, insanely hard!!
Definitely not for me... ;)

There isn't much gameplay and so this game unfortunately isn't interesting for more than a few minutes.
[quote="eMTe"]I dont think trying to pass the screen in computer game once per 500 tries makes you a geek. Rather a dangerous psychopath.[/quote]
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

Yup, it's definitely a "One trick pony" gag game, but I love doing these from time to time.
If it were possible to add a "Record player's face, as they tap the right button and instantly kill themselves upon the first set of spikes" mode, that would've been totally fantastic!
.. alas, not doable, especially when I've no webcam ;)
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

Week Six
:( Sad face :(

If you remember Box's Adventure, you may/may not be interested to know that I'm currently working on a semi-sequel to the game, entitled Box's Romp.
Unfortunately, the game span crazily out of control over the weekend, and trying to squeeze everything into it is going to take a little while longer than I expected.

No game, this week..

:( More sad face :(
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by Pater Alf »

Ok, I will not be sad that there is no game this week as long as there is the sequel to "Box's Adventure" next week. I think that was one of your best games last year and I had lots of fun with it and still play it from time to time.
[quote="eMTe"]I dont think trying to pass the screen in computer game once per 500 tries makes you a geek. Rather a dangerous psychopath.[/quote]
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

ugh.... This one is REALLY dragging on!
Not only do I not normally take 2 weeks to do a game (which feels like AGES!!!) but I also have a blind hatred for all things RPG.
And since this is "supposed" to be a Mini RPG, making this game is really not a pleasant experience!!
..

sux!!!

Game Tuesday, hopefully.
Meanwhile...
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by Pater Alf »

Go,go,go!!! I'm sure you can do the RPG stuff and I'm looking forward to play the game.

Btw: Nice interview...
[quote="eMTe"]I dont think trying to pass the screen in computer game once per 500 tries makes you a geek. Rather a dangerous psychopath.[/quote]
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

Done, but not done...

Week Seven
Box's Romp
Image
After two weeks building this, I got so sick of it that I kinda half assed it.
More info/download here!
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

So, yeah, Box's Romp didn't turn out very well.
I'm taking my mind of that horrible nasty piece of work, and doing something a little festive, instead.

AGameAWeek will be taking a break, and for the next few weeks will be sneakily morphing into AGameADay, whilst I run my little gamey Advent calendar.
Should be fun!

This'll be the download for all 24-ish days
With each passing day, I'll add an extra game to the proggy, so by day 24-ish we'll have 24-ish games wrapped in a nice menu system.
All simple little bog-standard generic retro (read rubbishly drawn) games with simple rules, and all with those lovely little highscore graph things that people seem to really like!



In 24-ish days (or 25 if I add one on Xmas day, or 26 if I make it Boxing day, or further if I'm really bored) we'll all have played pong a lot!
woot!

Games Download them all here
Ball Wall
Snake Ate
Splodge Dodge
Same Game* (This isn't the same as "Same Game", this is about hitting the Same thing!)
Spike Dislike
Hop Atop
Line Time (This game's quite a lot of fun, it's like a puzzler-Tron thing! Might be worth a remake, later.)

Merry Xmas everybody! And if you're not Christian, Happy Retro Gaming, everybody!
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by Pater Alf »

It's a pity that I don't have the time to play the games at the moment. But looking at the video, I'm sure that I will enjoy them very much once I have time again. Seems to be great little retro gems.
[quote="eMTe"]I dont think trying to pass the screen in computer game once per 500 tries makes you a geek. Rather a dangerous psychopath.[/quote]
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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by Chroelle »

I am looking forward to playing some of them when I go on x-mas vacation hopefully. :)
Currently testing Life version 2.9 (With added second child)
(Beta testing in progress)

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Re: AGameAWeek : Year 3

Post by jayenkai »

Should have plenty more by then!
We're currently (what with it being the 14th!) up to 14 games!
I'm knackered!!!
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