I’ve decided that since I have absolutely no experience whatsoever playing RPGs, that I am not a good candidate of programming one, so instead, I’m going to work on a fighting game (while I also have no experience playing a fighting game, I’d figure it’d be a lot easier programming one than an RPG.) So here’s my latest brainchild: Insect Combat. Right now, it’s just a warning screen and a title screen. The only two characters I’ve thought of so far are Gi-Ant and Behe-Moth. Any other punny names you guys can think of would also be appreciated.

Attachments:

1. ic.vb

The version I posted last night did not work on real hardware. I tested this and was up until about 1 in the morning working on it. This one does. You can find the link to it here:
http://www.atari2600land.com/banana/ic.html
-chris

I got bored so I designed Superfly. He’s now in the game. Stuff I need to do is figure out what is in the background of a dining room (Superfly’s arena) and put that in there, which wouldn’t be very hard once I figure out what can go there and get the colors correct (Anyone have any suggestions?). Also, Superfly needs theme music, which I’ll compose when I get around to it. So here’s the newest one. You’ll notice the colors of the fighters and some of the arenas are different. I messed around with different colors. Gi-Ant is now dark red instead of black, etc. This is because I’m trying to get all the fighters (at least mostly) visible in each arena.

Attachments:

1. insecticideaugust302013v2.zip

I added some stuff to Superfly’s arena’s background. I decided it’s a kitchen, so there is a sink and a stove and oven, and a little window above the sink. I hope it doesn’t look TOO cluttered. What do you think? I added an attachment picture.

Attachments:

1. 

   142.png
   

Took a little break from my Virtual Fall entry to focus on Insecticide. After a few hours, I was (finally!) able to add Killipede to the roster. Two more to go! Killipede is silent because I haven’t composed a theme for him yet.

Attachments:

1. insecticide2013sep29.zip

Virtual Chris,

Would you have any interest in me helping you design graphics for this game?

Wynd

Let me see your version of a Virtual Boy millipede. This was by far the toughest insect to make so far. I’m also toying with the idea of making 16 fighters instead of 8, but that’s an idea I have in my head.

I’m having trouble again. It seems like the Killipede’s fighting music is off, but I don’t see how or why. Each song has two different ones, exactly the same but with different tempos because I guess when I play the song on the fighting screen, more stuff is going on so I have to increase the tempo? Anyway, I copied and pasted Killipede’s music and changed the tempo they’re both the same (treble music and bass music) and yet the treble music is playing like it’s either missing a note or the tempo is higher on it, because after a playthrough, it loops and begins to get off track. I don’t know what could be causing this, since it doesn’t do this in the fighter select screen. I’ve attached this as well as the file the music is in. I’m using that sound engine from the Russia game.

Attachments:

1. insect01oct2013.zip

I think I fixed it. The problem was with this code:
VIP_REGS[XPCTRL] = VIP_REGS[XPSTTS] | XPEN; // sets the XPEN bit to refresh the screen
while (!(VIP_REGS[XPSTTS] & XPBSY1)); // makes sure to freeze screen on framebuffer 0
VIP_REGS[XPCTRL] = VIP_REGS[XPSTTS] & ~XPEN; // turn screen refreshing off again

Apparently I don’t need it now, so I was able to reduce the number of songs to half. Why would I need this before and not now? How odd.

Attachments:

1. insecticide01oct2013.zip

I made Gi-Ant and Behe-Moth smaller and made Gi-Ant black again.

Attachments:

1. 

   149.png
   

I made Panzer Dragonfly in the game. I have yet to add the music and the arena, so he’s right now using Killipede’s stuff. I worked on making this for a few hours. Next up is Slaying Mantis. I perhaps also will add a ninth character, Ter-Might.

Attachments:

1. insecticide18oct2013.zip

Arena for Panzer Dragonfly added. Still no music for him, though, I’ve yet to compose any. Go to the right for a little surprise in Panzer Dragonfly’s arena.

Attachments:

1. insecticide2013oct22.zip

So I added some music for Panzer Dragonfly. I tested it on real hardware only to find the frog was missing. I carefully looked at the code.

vbSetWorld(15, WRLD_ON, frogxsight, -1, frogy, frogxcut, 0, 481, 40, 32);

Seems OK, doesn’t it? No. Change the 15 to 18 and the frog shows up on real hardware. Otherwise it only shows up on Mednafen. Why? Does a real VB only show worlds when they’re in reverse order and doesn’t show them when you skip one and leave it blank? If so, why would Mednafen show it? Anyway, I’m glad that’s over with. Next up: Slaying Mantis! Every time I hear the word “mantis” I think of Zorak. I’ll try not to make Slaying Mantis look like Zorak.

Attachments:

1. 

   zorak.jpg
   

1. insecticide2013oct23.zip

Added Slaying Mantis in the game. I have yet to add the arena and special music for him, though. It only took me 13 tries to make this one, but there is a sort of glitch that happens, though, but it’s not really all that important. It’s just when he punches when facing right, both arms punch, but when he’s facing left, just one does. I bet it has something to do with flipping the sprite.

Attachments:

1. insecticide2013nov11.zip

Apparently this was a problem for not just Slaying Mantis but for all insects! I just hadn’t noticed since their legs are so small. But I fixed it. You can find the revision here:
http://www.atari2600land.com/banana/ic.html

Slaying Mantis had 8 legs instead of 6. I guess I didn’t count those upper legs (the ones he uses to punch) as legs, but arms. Upon closer inspection on mantis pictures, they only have four legs (or 6). So I erased two legs and now he’s no longer a deformed mantis.

Added the background for Slaying Mantis. I also modified RumbleBee and Gi-Ant’s arenas and moved the players’ y positions higher.

Made a new font that is a lot like the older one (I can’t find the older one). I also composed and added music for Slaying Mantis. I tested it on a real Virtual Boy and it works OK. Now since all 8 characters are in there, now comes the hard part: The actual fighting programming. I don’t know how to go about doing that! I guess using pseudo-random numbers to make the computer-controlled opponent move? Any input on doing this would be greatly appreciated. I guess I’ll buy a few Game Boy fighting games and see how they work. Anyone have Street Fighter or KI for Game Boy?

Attachments:

1. insecticide2013nov12v2.zip

OK, Gi-Ant can now pick up his foe and throw him down. Press B when you’re near an enemy to pick him up and press B to throw him. This only works for Gi-Ant. I’m beginning to program special moves now, which means more pixel art. I tested it, it’s a lot slower on real hardware. I don’t know why.

Attachments:

1. insecticide2013dec6.zip

Basically what I did is make Behemoth’s Wing Flap of Death is where he picks up the character with his wings and throw him down. So it’s like Gi-ant picking you up and throwing you down. But Rumblebee will be different. Rumblebee will sting his opponent. But I haven’t worked on that yet. I did program Behemoth’s Wing Flap of Death, though.

Attachments:

1. insecticide20131230.zip

I have a question. Can I just fade in and out one level instead of everything on the screen? I have this idea for the intro and it would involve fading the screen with the bugs in while the text would have been at its brightest since the beginning.