Anyone have time to test...

[swpalmer]

On the off chance that anyone trys this on windows and has a game pad with rumblers.. I've just added the support from JInput

Kev

Just tried with my Macally iShock .. It's a Mac controller but it appears to be supported on Windows (Windows knew how to use it without me needing to go find drivers).

The Web Start version chrashed the VM when I went to select the controller... I'm guessing the JInput plugin wasn't quite right with the Web Start install.

The Zip version worked fine (ran update first and noticed it grabbed new files - only seconds after I got the Zip.  Were you in the process of updating things maybe?
Teh controller worked fine to play the game - Setup of the buttons was a bit strange, I seemed to need to click the mouse on the button GUI twice for it to take my button press from the controller.

No rumbler activity at all.  Do you know where I can get a Windows program that definately works with rumblers?  It may just be that this controllers rumblers are not supported on windows.  Do you typically need custom drivers for rumbler support?  It appeared that Windows jsut recognised this thing as a HID and new what to do.  Perhpas it is using generic drivers that don't do force feedback?

[kevglass]

The Web Start version chrashed the VM when I went to select the controller... I'm guessing the JInput plugin wasn't quite right with the Web Start install.

Erg, all I can say is it works happily for me. When you say crashed, was it a Java crash or a Windows crash. I've had it crashing windows now and again but just running webstart again seems to clear it up.

The Zip version worked fine (ran update first and noticed it grabbed new files - only seconds after I got the Zip.  Were you in the process of updating things maybe?

Fraid not, its a limitation of my updating system. Since it kinda morphs the webstart install into the zip install the native libraries get a bit screwed up and end up getting replaced straight away. I'll fix it some day

Teh controller worked fine to play the game - Setup of the buttons was a bit strange, I seemed to need to click the mouse on the button GUI twice for it to take my button press from the controller.

Coo, thats a new one.. when you clicked once did the label appear at the top of the table saying press the button.. ? I'll have a look at this tonight. I'm glad it worked in game

No rumbler activity at all.  Do you know where I can get a Windows program that definately works with rumblers?  It may just be that this controllers rumblers are not supported on windows.  Do you typically need custom drivers for rumbler support?  It appeared that Windows jsut recognised this thing as a HID and new what to do.  Perhpas it is using generic drivers that don't do force feedback?

The rumbler should be very soft when you push blocks around. However, it could be a driver thing. I *thought* that directx drivers support rumblers by default but maybe not. I'll add some debug tonight to dump out what rumblers JInput thinks it found.

Kev

EDIT: Coo, 1000 posts

[swpalmer]

Erg, all I can say is it works happily for me. When you say crashed, was it a Java crash or a Windows crash. I've had it crashing windows now and again but just running webstart again seems to clear it up.

I tried it only once, it was a Windows crash.

Coo, thats a new one.. when you clicked once did the label appear at the top of the table saying press the button.. ? I'll have a look at this tonight. I'm glad it worked in game

Yes the label appeared but it seemed to go away before I pressed the controller button, then the second mouse click brought the "press button" label back and when I pressed the controller button it worked.

The rumbler should be very soft when you push blocks around. However, it could be a driver thing. I *thought* that directx drivers support rumblers by default but maybe not. I'll add some debug tonight to dump out what rumblers JInput thinks it found.

Ok, the plastic the houses the controller is translucent, so I can see that there was no motion on the rumblers.. it's not just me not feeling it.  I kept bumping into the chicken, I figured it throws the player a bit so that might 'rumble'.  I will pay special attention when pushing blocks.

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[Orangy Tang]

Seems to be a tad tricky to force the second movable block into place, the aliens forehead stop you pushing it the last milimeter without lots of trial and error

But thats just a gameplay bug, like me moonwalking into thin air at the end of the level Other than that works nice and smooth.

[kevglass]

Do you know, I was really worried about that bug cropping up.. but then it didn't!

And now it does, git!

I'll probably update the level design rather than the code. Current plans are to create a full level and "map screen" relatively soon.. which reminds me.. I was going to start another thread..

Kev

[swpalmer]

Seems to be a tad tricky to force the second movable block into place, the aliens forehead stop you pushing it the last milimeter without lots of trial and error

But thats just a gameplay bug, like me moonwalking into thin air at the end of the level Other than that works nice and smooth.

I've never had a problem with the block, it worked every time (only 3 times I tried though )

I agree, the game in general is pretty smooth.  There was some glitching in the earlier versions that seems to have mostly gone away.
'
This looks like it will be a great, fun game. I can't wait to see how it evolves.

[kevglass]

Well, thanks for the positive feedback! As to evolution, I haven't got a fixed direction to go with the game at the moment.. but I have got pages of ideas.

Kev

[endolf]

I kept bumping into the chicken, I figured it throws the player a bit so that might 'rumble'.  I will pay special attention when pushing blocks.

Last time I checked pushing blocks was the only thing that triggered the rumblers, and then gently, which feels good, if you report back more on it not working I'll update the webstart demo of jinput so we can do some testing that is just jinput.

Cheers

Endolf

[swpalmer]

I can confirm that there was no detectable movement in the rumblers at all when pushing blocks or anything else.  It could be that  the iShock FFB simply doesn't work on windows, since I have no specific drivers and it is sold as a Mac controller.

If you know of some other code I can use to test that theory let me know.

[endolf]

Hi
 I suspect that, unlike the rest of a HID controller, force feedback protocols differ from vendor to vendor in which case you will need the right drivers, I know that my gamepad only works undler linux with the logitech drivers installed (ok, it doesn't even work then yet, but it should do). If you want while I was learning the ff stuff I wrote a little app that went through every game controller searching for ff axes that I can mail/post, but it's a windows .exe. I'll update the jinput webstart test tonight and you can try that, although if MM doesn't work odds are jinput isn't finding any rumblers.

Cheers

Endolf

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[swpalmer]

Email the windows exe  to scott dot palmer at 2connected dot org.  I'll see if windows has any clue about the FF stuff...  I doubt there is a driver for windows, unless this is a generic controller that Macally just stuck their brand on, who knows...

[kevglass]

Looks like every Kev and his dog plays this game.  

I found two "bugs":  
1) If you jump up, you can jump through a wall. In my opinion this only makes sense if you are "pushed" through a wall by an elevator or something similar. The difference is, that in the latter case you have no option and must decide to either let the alien die or push it through the wall. In the first case you can simply block the jump.
2) If you jump at the end of the level you stay in the air which looks funny.

Sorry Jens, seemed to miss a couple of posts there.

In response:

1) Where can you jump up through a wall. There a couple of places you're _meant_ to be able to, mostly over where the second switch is on the right hand side of the level.

2) Yep.. floating off into nothing in down to me not getting off my arse to finish the damn level.

Works good at about 25fps.  Smooth and no artifacts here.

WinXp
P4 2GHz
Intel 84845G graphics (i.e. crap!)
512MB memory

Does it really work on "onboard" graphics! Neat, we're about to get machines like that for work so finally I'll be able to run Xith at work

Kev

[Kevdog]

Does it really work on "onboard" graphics! Neat, we're about to get machines like that for work so finally I'll be able to run Xith at work  

I ran it again and tried moving blocks around and such to tax it a bit more.  It's running smoothly and varying between 25fps and 36fps or so.  Never saw it drop below 25fps, even with the funky chicken

The newer onboard graphics seem to be about equal or maybe a bit faster than a TNT2 card.....

This is on a Dell Optiplex SX260 at work

If I can figure out what I want to do, I may start developing something during my lunch hour on this Dell

[kevglass]

Just uploaded a few new bits. Not sure if my machine getting tired or whether I've introduced a bit of slow down..

EDIT: You need to use <space> or the configured activate key to use the doors.

Kev

[swpalmer]

It appears be the version of JOGL that you have bundled causes the display to flicker like mad  (I see some images drawn every other frame, but not consistently)...   I just renamed the JOGL i had in my extensions directory and launched the latest (as of 5 mins ago) version.  Using your bundled version of OS X JOGL the FPS indicator shows a frame rate that is at least double (> 200 fps) but it flickers  A LOT.  I went back to the JOGL I got from GZ's web page and the frame rate dropped by 100fps, but the animation was nice and smooth (80-140fps) and there was no flickering.

[kevglass]

Good to know, where exactly is GZ's webpage? I'll go grab the version you have.

Incidently, MM is moving in a different direction so the simple platformer may be pushed aside for a more blasty blasty game..

Kev

[swpalmer]

http://homepage.mac.com/gziemski/projects/