Gary's Little Thinks

Ludum Dare #LD48 April 2013

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:26:38 -0400

I’m currently having a think about the upcoming Ludum Dare game competition. I’m trying to decide which programming environment to use - Scratch, MSX Basic or Processing? Ideally I’d like to go for Processing, but I’ve not created a full game using it yet, so it might be a bit of a tall order. MSX Basic might be okay if I can produce something that doesn’t have too many moving objects and too much game logic and I can find a web player for MSX to present it on. Scratch is the one I’m most used to at the moment and it’s quick to pull everything together, but maybe it’s time for a change? I’ve still got a bit of time to decide, anyway.But one thing I was thinking after walking past the local pond over the last few spring days is that I feel like I want to feature it in some way in the game. I don’t know how, but it just seems like it deserves a nod… :-)

from Gary’s Play Time - Blog http://bit.ly/ZLZG4g

Originally posted on http://bit.ly/qL5vgd

March #1GAM - Back to MSX Basics

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:56:37 -0400

My aim for March was to write a game in BASIC for the MSX. I’ve started programming the MSX again recently (I still own a Toshiba HX-10, but am using an emulator) and I was just curious to see what I could do within the speed and graphical limits of it - its processor speed is 3.58Mhz; has a maximum display of 256 x 192 pixels; 16 colours; 32KB user memory. I also decided to do the MSX Basic game in March, because Retrospectiva were running a BASIC game programming contest (deadline mid April), so it seemed like a good opportunity to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. :-)

The game “Splink” ended up being an against-the-clock-puzzler: you have to guide 4 different blue symbols to their matching static 4 green symbols as quickly as possible, whilst avoiding red skull enemies. The twist is that you control all 4 symbols at the same time and they all move in 4 different directions on the press of the same key. For example, you press “1” and symbol 1 moves up, symbol 2 moves down, symbol 3 moves left and symbol 4 moves right.

I enjoyed putting the game together, and it was a useful learning exercise and I enjoy the challenge of playing the game - it was my first complete program on the MSX for over 25 years and I picked up some tips on MSX Basic that were new to me. I had to work out how much thinking and activity the program could undertake before it was too slow to play. I messed up with the graphics. It has a number of graphics modes and methods of creating images and I went down the wrong route at first thinking I could easily create user defined graphics in a multicolor mode in basic - I couldn’t - got myself into a tangle and had to backtrack. With the power of hindsight I’d have created animated sprites for the symbols instead.

I don’t expect to win the Retrospectiva challenge, but I’m looking forward to creating more games in Basic on the MSX in the future… and in a years time it would be nice to present something that looks good and people find fun to play too.

from Gary’s Play Time - Blog http://bit.ly/12CSpca

Originally posted on http://bit.ly/qL5vgd

The Three Stooges (2012)

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:58:23 -0400

The Three Stooges (2012):

I rated this 8/10.

best-likes: Immaterials by Onformative imagines the form of...

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:00:20 -0400

best-likes:

Immaterials by Onformative imagines the form of metadata

Onformative on their project:

Immateriality as material is currently being discovered, opening up a new poetic field in which to narrate with space and information. Location-based metadata waft through the space, and are thereby redefining contexts and places. A new field opens up to designers.

Read more…

Moving faerie house?

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:57:50 -0400

Moving faerie house?

Bombs and Bottles - Pop and Roll (2010)

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:52:11 -0400

Bombs and Bottles - Pop and Roll (2010)

rodluff: I was lucky enough to sneak this piece into Spectrum...

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:36:35 -0400

rodluff:

I was lucky enough to sneak this piece into Spectrum this year, look out for it this November and be sure to pick up a copy. It’s a privilege and an honour to be included with many of my favourite artists. It was my first entry and this is a big thank you to those special people who encouraged me to enter when I probably wouldn’t have.

You can see the other artists by following the link.
Thanks yall!

February #1GAM - Talisman Crash

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:09:22 -0400

My February One Game A Month - Talisman Crash - was again created using Scratch. It used the same neon graphic style as my previous game. This time I wanted to make it abstract, fast paced and include the idea of having 2 interacting player characters on the screen at the same time. The final gameplay involved the 2 player characters (talisman) being drawn together by the mouse cursor, whilst avoiding other talisman. One of my favourite games of recent years is “Obey the Game” - I liked the idea of fast and short stages - and I tried to make use of this short stage idea. Each time your player talisman connect you complete the stage and gain power. If you touch an enemy talisman you lose power. Once you reach 100% power you win.

As well as producing a game I was happy with this month I also learnt some new techniques in Scratch - I made more use of multiple scripts for each sprite. In the past I’d focused on using a single looping script for each sprite and basically I’d been making things complicated for myself.

I’ll be trying something different for my March game - a game in MSX Basic. Lots of contraints there, including processor speed (3.5Mhz I think), screen colours and size. I’m just interested in seeing what I can do and there’s a Basic game competition (Retrospectiva) I want to put .

from Gary’s Play Time - Blog http://bit.ly/XmP0yp

Originally posted on http://bit.ly/qL5vgd

Firefly (2002 TV Series)

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 11:12:52 -0400

Firefly (2002 TV Series):

I rated this 9/10.

Video

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:21:06 -0400

"If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more..."

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:17:37 -0400

“If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be open to all — except the censor. We must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms. Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors. For the Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our liberty.”

- John F. Kennedy

Saturday Review [29 October 1960] pg 44

Vanbot - Maybe

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:26:10 -0400

Really like this one.
http://bit.ly/14h3UrY

Fever Ray - When I Grow Up

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:26:09 -0400

Really like this one.
http://bit.ly/u2mqM4

Gazelle Twin - Nest

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:12:47 -0400

Really like this one.
http://bit.ly/ON7HqM

Little Boots - New in Town

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:12:47 -0400

Really like this one.
http://bit.ly/UA6Ea4

Planningtorock - Jam

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:12:46 -0400

Really like this one.
http://bit.ly/tqymij

The Golden Filter - Nerida's Gone

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 13:57:07 -0400

Really like this one.
http://bit.ly/YxYJQv

Goldfrapp - Ooh La La

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 13:57:03 -0400

Really like this one.
http://bit.ly/yo4Y8Q

Fan Death - Reunited

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 12:56:57 -0400

Really like this one.
http://bit.ly/15HPwFr

Parallels - Find the Fire

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 12:56:56 -0400

Really like this one.
http://bit.ly/158Zrp8