The Dawn of Kernel (Development)

[reidrac]

I've started another project: The Dawn of Kernel

I had that idea of making a shooter for the CPC, so I started looking at hardware scroll and few tricks and I didn't get too far. Oh, well; far enough to conclude that it is a bit fiddly (it doesn't quite work in all emulators).

Then I thought: do I really need scroll for this? My new engine may be alright, with few tweaks because a shooter and a platformer have different requirements.

So I started this game, that shouldn't take me too long to finish; in theory.

The usual bits:

• Targeting the 464 (64K), single load
• Mode 0
• Custom code based on my "mini-buffers" tile/sprite engine, with some help of CPCRSLIB for the controls and few annoying bits
• Updating at 25 FPS (I usually go for ~16.6)
• I plan to use Arkos 2 for audio

Two differences compared to my previous games: 25 FPS (is going to be challenging for sure), and Arkos 2 (I've briefly looked at the code and it should be OK to integrate in my codebase but I'm still not sure re: effects).

The gameplay will be inspired a bit by Cybernoid, Starquake, Jet Paco, and few other ideas that I hope will play well together. I mean, it looks quite Cybernoid already, but it'll be more than that (more exploration and less frantic shooter).

Some updates I've been sharing on twitter (@reidrac ; you know where you can find me):

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/947772612532494336

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/947958119912554497

I may be spreading myself too thin, but we'll see.

Kitsune's Curse is still going, but it kind of requires more inspiration because the story and all. I have another project in background, but I'm still not sure it makes any sense; and also a collaboration with @Carnivius that I pushed a bit to the end of the queue because I'd like to get the Arkos 2 thing under control.

Busy year ahead. I didn't release any CPC games on 2017, but I did a lot of engine work that should pay off in 2018 and beyond!

Watch this space.

[mr_lou]

Looks awesome!

Note: Videos can't be played here on the forum. You need to click the text to go to Twitter first. Then it plays.

[ervin]

@reidrac - that's a lot of great stuff in that post!
I'm particularly interested in the collab with Carnivius.

[||C|-|E||]

Aaaah... reminds me Cybernoid! 

[Skunkfish]

Aaaah... reminds me Cybernoid! 

I hope I'll be better at this than Cybernoid, never got very far in that game!

[Targhan]

Great stuff, as always.
As for AT2 support, don't hesitate to ask me for more information, be aware the "generic" player hasn't been released yet. However, the Lightweight player has all you need, including sound effect support, and since your target is 64k, it is indeed a good choice.

[reidrac]

Great stuff, as always.
As for AT2 support, don't hesitate to ask me for more information, be aware the "generic" player hasn't been released yet. However, the Lightweight player has all you need, including sound effect support, and since your target is 64k, it is indeed a good choice.

Thanks! I only had time to skim over it, but it looks like everything is there.

It's just matter of learning how to make the effects and see if I can include it all in my CLI pipeline to build the project; but is not a big deal if I have to prepare some bits by hand using the GUI.

[reidrac]

Aaaah... reminds me Cybernoid! 

Yes, I mention that in the first post!

I hope I'll be better at this than Cybernoid, never got very far in that game!

My experience with Cybernoid was on the speccy, when I tried it on the CPC a couple of years ago I found that the slow down when there's a lot of stuff going on kind of kills the fun for me.

Anyway, I hope it'll be better; I can see what works and what doesn't, so I'll try to not repeat the same mistakes.

[seanb]

Looks very good.


Like Cybernoid    which was a game I enjoyed even if I couldn't get very far in it.


Hope you are able to complete development.

[||C|-|E||]

Yes, I mention that in the first post!

Heh, I was reading the forum during my lunch break and it seems that I missed that part! 

Regarding Cybernoid, I love both parts a lot, and I played them like crazy back in the days. Sadly, I must confess that I had to use cheats to finish them, they were just too difficult for me.  I always suspected that both parts use exactly the same engine with slightly different sprites. Has anybody checked this? 

[GUNHED]

Hi! If I click at "loading tweet" the link disappears, but nothing happens. Any link there that works?

[reidrac]

Hi! If I click at "loading tweet" the link disappears, but nothing happens. Any link there that works?

You may have to click to watch it on Twitter.

I may upload videos to YT, but I prefer waiting until the game is a bit more advanced.

[GUNHED]

You may have to click to watch it on Twitter.

I may upload videos to YT, but I prefer waiting until the game is a bit more advanced.

Tried that couple time, seems not to work with Chrome, but I'm looking forward for your Vids. 

[reidrac]

Tried that couple time, seems not to work with Chrome, but I'm looking forward for your Vids. 

If you click on the time of the tweet, you go to the actual content on Tweeter and then it should play. I believe the problem is with cross-domain cookies or something like that.

[reidrac]

Quick update!

Turrets and enemy bullets; I have few more sprites for the turrets that don't show in this GIF, when I have time to think about it I'd like to make them "smart" and track the player, but for now... they fire!

At the moment this is quite WIP, the enemy bullets are slower but have the same range as the player bullets, and that might a bit too much.

(click on the attachment to play the GIF; I can't insert it in the post)

[mr_lou]

I assume the GIF framerate is lower than the actual game framerate? It doesn't look like 25 fps.

[reidrac]

I assume the GIF framerate is lower than the actual game framerate? It doesn't look like 25 fps.

Of course not. The emulator emulates 50Hz on my display at 60Hz, and that's what I capture and convert into a GIF. If it used 25 frames, with GIF compression, it would be huge I think.

I tried a GIF because some people can't watch Twitter videos.

Out of curiosity, do you think that I would say I'm updating at 25 FPS and then do the frame rate you can see on that GIF? 

[mr_lou]

Well, it could be that you hadn't optimized something yet, or something. What do I know.

Experiment. See what a 25 fps GIF will take up of space.

[reidrac]

Well, it could be that you hadn't optimized something yet, or something. What do I know.

Experiment. See what a 25 fps GIF will take up of space.

Sorry, I don't even know if is possible to get a GIF with accurate frame rate. Is not a video container, and the way I capture the emulator output is not very accurate anyway.

I thought it was clear that the GIF was only a preview.

I'll make it clear in the future to avoid confusion.

[mr_lou]

25 fps shouldn't be a problem for GIF.

I'm merely suggesting that you try it before rejecting it, because it will give a better impression of the game.

[reidrac]

25 fps shouldn't be a problem for GIF.

I'm merely suggesting that you try it before rejecting it, because it will give a better impression of the game.

Development previews are provided "as-is", I can assure you things will change before release anyway.

When the game is released, if someone decides to not give it a go based on a crappy GIF... What a shame

I may look at it, but I still think that whatever I do, the result may not be representative of the final product anyway.

But this is useful feedback, I'll include a disclaimer with each update to avoid misunderstandings!

[Skunkfish]

It's looking pretty tricky already... Or were you getting hit on purpose? 

[GUNHED]

Looks really cool! This will be a great game :-)))

[reidrac]

It's looking pretty tricky already... Or were you getting hit on purpose? 

The first one is hard to deal with using the primary weapon (plasma cannon); take into account that I'm testing enemies in a location that is probably not best, but yes... the game will have parts that aren't easy.

[Gryzor]

Been following this, it looks ace!! Thanks for sharing

Note: Videos can't be played here on the forum. You need to click the text to go to Twitter first. Then it plays.

Twitter videos work fine for me every time...

I hope I'll be better at this than Cybernoid, never got very far in that game!

I loved Cybernoid. Both, actually, but I mainly played part I. Yes it was tough, but it was one of those titles, like Rick Dangerous, where repetition and concentration got you there...