Meteorites

[Jpancik]

Hello,

so I just want to showcase my game I created with Java and Processing. Game is for android (I have windows prototype version also, If anybody would like to play it on computer, feel free to post here, I will upload it for you), it supports all different kinds of screens, Android from 2.2+.

Mostly bug free, levels optimized. But, you can't move to SD card and on big screens (about 1280x1024) you will see a little performance drop because of resizing pictures, I'm currently thinking of solution of adding preResized pictures, but I didn't have time to fix it.

I was thinking about releasing source code under creative commons license, but the code is not very nicely written, just starting java developers could get confused or get bad thoughts from it.

If you are interested in this game, and want to know what will continue, I'm not sure. I was thinking about adding new types of planets and more levels along them. Not sure

Few pics + video after the link, art is made by my friend from school.
Link to the market (or google play now ): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pancik.android.meteorites

I have google analytics implemented in the code, you don't have to have internet to play it, however, when you connect and play the game, some data will be sent to me. (Actually just how well did you finish level or which screens have you visited)

Pics:




Youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47_mNqwIHCQ

Thank you for viewing! 

[davidllanos22]

Your game is running ok on my galaxy ace Now you need some music and sound fx! Hey! It's pretty addictive!


EDIT: I think I've just found a bug! When the screen gets locked and then unlocked the game returns to the title scrren! Is that correct?

[Jpancik]

Well, Hi, thanks for checking out the game.

About the sound, I just don't know from where to get sound and I thought this is a casual game, so it is maybe not so important (But I'm open to that, and If I find good audio source, I will add it).

About the bug, well, what happens is that Activity is ended on screen lock and then restarted on resume, everything is however saved after end, so I think it's not such a big deal. But, problem with it is that when you turn off screen multiple times, program will end because of not enough memory - because on Activity destroy, memory is not freed until application is ended. So thank you for bug report, I will definetly look into it

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[sproingie]

I really like the art style.

[davidllanos22]

Well, Hi, thanks for checking out the game.

About the sound, I just don't know from where to get sound and I thought this is a casual game, so it is maybe not so important (But I'm open to that, and If I find good audio source, I will add it).

About the bug, well, what happens is that Activity is ended on screen lock and then restarted on resume, everything is however saved after end, so I think it's not such a big deal. But, problem with it is that when you turn off screen multiple times, program will end because of not enough memory - because on Activity destroy, memory is not freed until application is ended. So thank you for bug report, I will definetly look into it

Check this out for the sound!: http://www.bfxr.net/ Good luck!

[mike_bike_kite]

It looks quite neat from the video but unfortunately I don't have an android phone - is there an applet?

[Jpancik]

Here, I compiled the prototype for you, just run the "MeteoritesRemake.jar", this realease is under
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)... just because this is prototype release.


(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/)

It will probably work only on windows (haven't tested on linux/mac)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22928727/Meteroids/MeteoritesPrototype.rar

Resolution is 800x480 which is default for the application, enjoy!

[feelingtheblanks]

Woww, looks great ! Congrats. It works properly under Kubuntu 11.10, btw.

[mike_bike_kite]

It would still be better as an applet - I personally hate downloading rar files. The game itself is pretty addictive and the graphics are compelling. Here's some random ideas in no particular order:

• As mentioned elsewhere it definitely needs sound.
• Not sure if it's possible but could there be a computer opponent that could move and that you have to hit.
• Could the space ship be also moved using the same mechanism as the meteors? This may make the game too difficult though.
• A build your own levels might be interesting and you could have a way of making them public.
• Perhaps a sun graphic that sets fire to meteors (either destroys them or you get extra points for a flaming meteor).
• Another of the wall idea might be worm holes where you go in one end and come out the other?
• Also how about a little cross to say where you last fired?
• Could some of the pencil drawings actually move and affect the game in some way?

Anyway a fun looking game that would sit well on a mobile/ipad etc.
Mike

[Jpancik]

Hi, I will answer some of your thoughts

It would still be better as an applet - I personally hate downloading rar files.

Well, there is no applet because I actually don't know how to make an applet from processing code in netbeans. The game is for Android and therefore I haven't messed with applets yet (I'm new to Java, I grew on C++, so I don't know all the concepts of Java)

As mentioned elsewhere it definitely needs sound.

Yes, I understand now, I will work on it next week when I'll get back from trip.

Not sure if it's possible but could there be a computer opponent that could move and that you have to hit.

I was thinking about it, and I may add it when I'll have spare time

Could the space ship be also moved using the same mechanism as the meteors? This may make the game too difficult though.

I'm sorry, I don't quite understand this one, nevermind

A build your own levels might be interesting and you could have a way of making them public.

And this is another thing that crossed my mind, but the problem is, how you assure that the levels created by people will be playable? (Or they won't be copies of other levels?) Maybe the best way would be to make online editor where you can submit your levels after you can complete them, and when I want to make an update, I'll go through few levels submited and pick the best ones.

Perhaps a sun graphic that sets fire to meteors (either destroys them or you get extra points for a flaming meteor).

Well, meteorites could get more interaction maybe, something like in angry birds, when you would click on meteorite, it would break into three pieces or something similiar.

Another of the wall idea might be worm holes where you go in one end and come out the other?

I'm not sure how is copyrighted blue/orange portal from portal 1/2 (I mean, the graphics). But I could ask my friend to draw me these portals in 2D, maybe animated, and they would do this kind of teleporting. The problem however is, that screen on mobile is small and if I want to put the whole level on it, it would be difficult to find a interesting use of portals there.

Also how about a little cross to say where you last fired?

I should have added this feature on release, but it's different using your fingers than mouse (with mouse, you are precise, with fingers you are not, so even if you saw where you clicked last time, it would probably be not so helpful)

Could some of the pencil drawings actually move and affect the game in some way?

Teoretically, they could, maybe som kind of a monster flying around and eating meteorites? Yes, that would work, but the problem is again with the screen size.

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[mike_bike_kite]

User levels: Building a screen looks quite easy for your game - you just have a list of things (space ship, planets, earth, black hole, meteor field) and their x,y coord (and perhaps gravity if that's different to normal). A user could build their own screen and submit it. Users could provide simple feedback on whether they liked a screen or not. Popular screens would stay and the author would get a higher ranking for generating popular new screens. I'd also keep a high score list for each screen.

pencil drawings actually move: They don't need to do anything very complicated but just a simple animation would be fine - it would just make the playing area look less static.

worm holes: They'd only have to be small lense shaped disks on screen. If you fire a meteor in one then it comes out the other at the same speed and angle after a small delay.

EDIT: and I'd also watch the cpu usage when it's doing nothing. Nothing is moving on screen and it's just waiting for me to press the mouse but it's using 90% of the cpu. Perhaps android phones are different but I suspect that's got to eat into battery life. Can't it just sleep while waiting for input?

EDIT2: Not sure if this is important but when running the jar on my PC (XP) I get lots of warnings like the following:
[size=8pt]The file "meteoritesStats/hard1.txt.stat" is missing or inaccessible, make sure
the URL is valid or that the file has been added to your sketch and is readable.

The file "meteoritesStats/hard2.txt.stat" is missing or inaccessible, make sure
the URL is valid or that the file has been added to your sketch and is readable.
[/size]

EDIT3: The anti grav fields shouldn't be rectangular. I guess if such a thing existed then they'd be circular but I think a squidgy/blob like pattern would look more appealing. I'd also say the same of the asteroid fields - less rectangular.