MONSTRUMO !

[nva225]

Well, I'm afraid I don't have any solution to you combat dilemna (it's pretty good as it is now though), but I thought I'd give a little update on how the game is working for me.

Ok, on my older computer, the game used to run horribly slow, almost unplayable. I've just downloaded the new update however, and it seems like I'm getting around a 400-600% increase in speed.  Quite significant. Not only that but the graphics look better too! I also noticed you fixed the some clicking problems with the main menu and options (it used to be very hard for me to change the resolution), as well as made the cursor highlight when clickable. Very nice.  Anyway, it's now running at around 20-30 fps, and would be very playable except for two things.

One, it seems like the game stutters for at least a solid half second every 5-10 seconds. Two, after playing for approximately a minute, my screen gets those evil, short, verticle green lines that appear at the top during a fatal crash. Comp freezes up. *push power button*

This probably isn't entirely your fault, and the game may very well run perfect on 90% of the computers out there. This computer only has 192 mb of ram, and is running Win98. But it can competantly run Descent 3 at reasonable settings, so it's not incapable (though now that I think about it, it might have a similar "stuttering" issue, just less frequently). I realize, however, that you aren't a well-funded development team, and haven't had months to optimize for efficiency, but I thought I'd speak on behalf of those who aren't using the newest, fastest computers.

Edit: Just tried the app in Fullscreen mode and I felt I needed to comment on that. It appears as though the game doesn't crash in fullscreen mode (maybe just coincidence? I've done windowed twice, fullscreen once), and the stuttering seems to go away after about a minute of play, only recurring when I start running to some unvisited area. Framerate great the whole time. But you are right, the pirates seems a bit easy to kill with the block-hit method. And quite oppositely, I can't figure out how the kill the zombies at all save throwing explosive barrels at them. I can only block about half their hits, and my sword is always blocked by them. Or am I doing something wrong?

Edit2: Forgot to mention one other problem that occured while in fullscreen mode. About 10 minutes in, my mouse stopped working. Just stopped. I minimized the application, mouse still won't work. This has happened before, and the only solution seems to be to turn the computer off and on (restart won't work, has to be cold boot). Thing is, last time it happened, it was with Rimscape? I honestly don't know what's going on here.

[hvor2]

I've just downloaded the new update however, and it seems like I'm getting around a 400-600% increase in speed. 

Thank you for such a big comment on my game. On my comp performance increase was about 100 - 120 %, so that are very good news!

...it seems like the game stutters for at least a solid half second every 5-10 seconds.

I have a feeling that it is connected with 192 MB of RAM you have. The game needs 244 MB of memory, so every 5-10 s comp is probably doing something with your virtual memory. And then it stutters. Hmmm. About that crashes... Maybe lwjgl have some issues with Win98? I'll have to check it out.

I realize, however, that you aren't a well-funded development team, and haven't had months to optimize for efficiency

, that would be nice, but no, I am alone and this is my hobby I have for fun and glory!

I can't figure out how the kill the zombies at all save throwing explosive barrels at them. I can only block about half their hits, and my sword is always blocked by them. Or am I doing something wrong?

Uh, sorry, it is a bug, you are doing everything OK. I have put that blocking factor to 100% for testing purposes, and forgot about it  . Will be updated as soon as possible...
EDIT: it is included in latest version...

Edit2: Forgot to mention one other problem that occured while in fullscreen mode. About 10 minutes in, my mouse stopped working. Just stopped. I minimized the application, mouse still won't work. This has happened before, and the only solution seems to be to turn the computer off and on (restart won't work, has to be cold boot). Thing is, last time it happened, it was with Rimscape? I honestly don't know what's going on here.

Maybe there IS some issues with Win98 and LWJGL? Is anyone aware of them? Those kind of problems were never reported before and I am pretty positive that you are the first one running it on Win98...


EDIT: I didn't mention that cause of your problems could be in drivers, too. Do you have latest drivers for your graphics card? Which one is it?

[nva225]

I definately have the latest drivers for my graphics card. I went through *every single* possible driver for my card on the NVidia site until I found the most recent functioning one. Wasted many hours with that. :\

I didn't think the Mouse and Graphics Drivers were connected though.

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[hvor2]

Today is my birthday and I want to hear only good things about my game!

[Mr EEK]

Happy Birthday!

I will try your game when I get some time, and will say some good things about it 

[hvor2]

Happy Birthday!
I will try your game when I get some time, and will say some good things about it 

Just for you  I uploaded a new version.

1) Some buggy collision with trees is repaired now.
2) All enemies will drop dead (when dead,of course) and gradually  become invisible.
3) Collision system is now defined on grid. That way every particle can test if it collide with someone within it's cell, not with just anyone in the field. Another performance boost! 
4) Hit F10 for little stats...

Since JGF is dead for now, you can play it <a href="http://hvor.madpage.com/webstart/monstrumo.jnlp"> here </a>  - Version 0.6.5

EDIT: JGF is up ---> <a href="http://javagamesfactory.org/jnlp/Monstrumo/alpha.jnlp">play at JGF </a>  - Version 0.6.5

[Usul]

I am thinking how to implement more dynamic fight with swords. Something that will move gameplay a little beyont hit - block - hit - block - hit style.... I could add an extra pirate attack so he will have 2 of them. Also, player will have two block types (egg from the left and right). So fight will be more chalenging: player needs to observe which attack is pirate performing and react accordingly (with one block or another) in order to stop it. Moreover, he will have to time his block properly.
Only thing I am not shure about is if that type of fight is too complex for FPS  (maybe I should leave it for RPG?)
 Any suggestions?

Like you said, I wouldnt make it too complex for an FPS.  Compare "Die by the sword" to "Jedi knight" or "Rune" and most people (including me) will say that the last two are more fun.   

Since I'm a big fan of cooperative LAN games:   would that be an idea for your game? 

[hvor2]

Since I'm a big fan of cooperative LAN games:   would that be an idea for your game? 

After I polish everything, round up story and connect several different levels, that is deffinitely something I will try to implement. Tnx for suggestion 

[PeterB]

Quite impressed you got around 40% better FPS in fullscreen mode. (writes on post it note, sticks to monitor "Must try FS mode!")

Could do with your advice on drawing the player's weapon.
My drawing order is:

 - loadIdentity
 - glu LookAt (camera info)
 - drawSkybox
 - drawTerrain
 - drawObjects + other 3D
 - drawWeapon
 - All 2D stuff

However, in order to get the weapon to draw right I'm having to pushMatrix after  loadidentity and before gluLookat, which has the effect of 'freezing' my frustum.

Any ideas?

[hvor2]

Peter, my main rendering process would look like this:

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9

- glLoadIdentity() - gluLookAt() - calculateFrustumPlanes() - renderSkyDome() - drawMap() - moveParticles() (and draw them, trees, grass, enemies ...) - checkCollisions() - drawWeaponOnScreen() - drawHUD()

Amazingly similar to your rendering.
In drawWeaponOnScreen() method I do:

1   2   3   4

glPushMatrix();         glLoadIdentity(); ---> to reset matrix and draw no mater what was drawn before         player.getCurrentWeapon().draw(textures, frameTimeDelta, camera);         glPopMatrix();

What do you mean by freezing frustum? Maybe you have to glLoadIdentity() after glPushMatrix() in drawing weapon on screen?
hope it helps...


EDIT: Oh, yes, Peter, what was speed of Monstrumo at your machine (if I recall, you have Radeon 9550?). I should be ~80FPS? (I hope )

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[PeterB]

I like how you've got some kind of shadow on the weapon and hand. I'm getting between 30 and 60fps on my machine.
Nice to see some 'shaky' foliage too!

Although our rendering loops are similar, my calculateFrustumPlanes() call is way out! I think that's the problem.

Cheers

[hvor2]

I like how you've got some kind of shadow on the weapon and hand.

Yes, I enabled lightning before rendering weapon.

Although our rendering loops are similar, my calculateFrustumPlanes() call is way out! I think that's the problem.

I'm hoping so. What about glLoadIdentity() before draw a weapon, do you call it?

[PeterB]

What about glLoadIdentity() before draw a weapon, do you call it?

Aarg! (slaps head) of course! That's fixed it! Thanks - my weapon works again!

Pete

[hvor2]

 

[PeterB]

Any way you can get the pirates to give more of a chase instead of letting up if you run more than about 3 metres away? I disturbed one of the zombies in the swamp but didn't see him because of the reeds, so I bolted back up the hill several metres and he just stood in the swamp staring at me.

[hvor2]

You are right. There are many aspects such as that one which are waiting for me to tweak them. All pirates' and zombies' inteligence is still basic one from the beggining of coding. Now I should tune all those parameters to gain better gameplay, I am aware of that. If only I have more time these days... To connect several levels and to give more intelligence to pirates! But terrain LOD will be first at my to-do list, I think. And path - finding for enemies, hmm...

[PeterB]

Ha ha - I know exactly how you feel. Post-it notes surrounding the monitor and not as much time to do them as we'd like!
No worries,
Pete

[hvor2]

Good news for Monstrumo and Java game development in general.  I got this mail yesterday...

I'm an editor of a freeware section in a czech paper magazine about computer games, Level. Level is the best-selling gaming mag in the Czech republic, you can find more info about it at www.Level.cz. I'd like to ask you, if you'd agree with publishing your game Monstrumo on our cover CD and/or DVD in the Christmas issue of Level.

Gee, what a stress - I must polish it real fast 

[Mr EEK]

Congrats hvor! 

[rolz]

Congrats !

[hvor2]

Thanks! If there weren't you guys ...

[Vorax]

That's great hvor

[PeterB]

well done hvor, that's really cool! some fab publicity for you!

[noblemaster]

Cool game, I just gave it a try. One question though, this one guy kinda looks like you in the picture?
You put yourself into the game? What about the other people?

We are not actually playing against an AI but you?


Sorry, I guess it's little bit off-topic 

[hvor2]

Cool game, I just gave it a try. One question though, this one guy kinda looks like you in the picture?
You put yourself into the game? What about the other people?
We are not actually playing against an AI but you?

Every similarity with real persons is accidental. Ha, i had a face texture of myself on some pirate in the past (to get rid of some unresolved problems and conflicts with myself I suppose), but it is not in current version. And what guy? I was always thinking that I am prettier then blood thirsty smelly half dead pirate?

[g666]

I went to the edge of the heightmap and got a load of arrayindexoutofboundsexceptions. Cool game tho

[hvor2]

I went to the edge of the heightmap and got a load of arrayindexoutofboundsexceptions.

You went? Now, why would one want to do that ? My fault, I didnt expect that could happened (I constrained movement so that you can not climb on very steep hills and you should't be able to enter the sea for now, but obviously game have leaks. Thanks for trying it and to point me on my bugs!

[PeterB]

Yeah I noticed that - just after you meet the first pirate, run up the hill to the left and you can escape to the sea...

[g666]

With a little strafing you can climb up any hill, and then u can attack the pirates from above with exloding barrels.

[hvor2]

Sound like fun bug! I think I will do some coding today, maybe soon will have better version.