Blimey!!
Step 1. (3/4 hours)
After about 3 or 4 hours spent prodding Ubuntu to actually get it to install properly, I finally managed to get it up and running by downloading a different Ubuntu, and installing it onto a thumbstick instead..
Step 2. (10 seconds)

For something that just looks like this..
<a href="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/bmaxtesting_game.png"><img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/bmaxtesting_game_thumb.png"></a>
.. I have actually but a heck of a lot of work into the framework, so far!
Take a peek inside to find out some nice nuggets of info, and take a look at the future of AGameAWeek!!

As well as all the 12 Games of Xmas (starting Friday) I've finally got around to opening up BlitzMax, and getting that whole new system going.
Plenty to do, and it'll probably kill the whole point of my Xmas Week Off, but no matter.. Lots to do, let's hop to it.
First up, I want everyone who can be bothered to try this out.
It's a couple of little programs that stress tests your system, and tries to draw as many things onscreen at once as it possibly can. Or, at least, as fast as BlitzMa...

Nothing magical, this week, more a game that was started but didn't really go anywhere.
If I had enough time this week, I'd have scrapped it and started something else, but it's been a bit of a tight week, time wise.. So.. Well, here it is!
<a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Traffic_Cones_20091208A.png"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Traffic_Cones_20091208A_thumb.png"></a>
Race around the 12 beautifully detailed (in traffic cones) race tracks...

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Ok, let's try that Munky thing again, shall we!?
I've scrapped the "Portal" style stuff, and am instead focusing on a Munky Blocks styled affair.
Munky's Block seems an apt title, so we'll stick with that.
Currently I have only 1 setpiece, and 1 silly simple test level.

I was struggling to come up with an interesting game, this week, when my Mum decided to show me her latest highscore on Yahtzee.
..
Pling!
New idea!

I've just spent the past 2 hours playing a batch of my old (latest!) games, grabbing screenies, and re-uploading them to a new Archive system.
FINALLY!
Geeze..
It's not exactly very pretty yet, and you can't vote, or search, or.. .. um, anything!

The AGameAWeek 2008-2009 Retrospective

(URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-one/">Part One), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-two/">Part Two), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-three/">Part Three), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-four/">Part Four), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-five/">Part Five)

The Home Str...

The AGameAWeek 2008-2009 Retrospective

(URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-one/">Part One), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-two/">Part Two), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-three/">Part Three), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-four/">Part Four), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-five/">Part Five)

10 weeks, 3 ...

The AGameAWeek 2008-2009 Retrospective

(URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-one/">Part One), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-two/">Part Two), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-three/">Part Three), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-four/">Part Four), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-five/">Part Five)

Back to work...

The AGameAWeek 2008-2009 Retrospective

(URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-one/">Part One), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-two/">Part Two), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-three/">Part Three), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-four/">Part Four), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-five/">Part Five)

Alien...

The AGameAWeek 2008-2009 Retrospective

(URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-one/">Part One), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-two/">Part Two), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-three/">Part Three), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-four/">Part Four), (URL "https://www.agameaweek.com/2009/08/agameaweek-2008-2009-part-five/">Part Five)

AGame...

I made a start on this game a few days ago, and things seem to be progressing at a decent enough rate.
The basic gameplay engine is in there, now. The test level (200x50 blocks) loads, platdude can run around, grab onto bars, jump around and use ladders. He can also work plungers and have the blocks open and shut accordingly.
So, that's all nice!

Like Electronic Arts, my game titles are becoming ever more complex, with themes and years being added on, in an ever expanding way.
No matter, it's still only 12 characters long, so that's ok
Yesterday I made a decision that might break up AGameAWeek for a few weeks.
I don't seem to have nearly enough time, recently, so I'll pad things out a bit, and work on a lengthy project.
(Although, if it helps, I worked on a bunch of M...

Occasionally, I like to jot down my current doings. It helps keep track of projects, and ideas, and sometimes getting a bit of feedback helps.
So feel free to do that!
1. Java/MidletPascal
Since I got my latest phone (an LGCookie) I decided to get back into Java coding... Except, without that horrible Java bit.

Is that title subtle enough for Google, d'you think?
This week, I've been getting to grips with MidletPascal, and dodging it's annoying mid-compile crashes, in a vague attempt to get some games onto my phone.
Sorry folks, this week's AGameAWeek is entirely Java based.
Boooo!!

Stupid spambots are taking the smeg, so I've added a fake captcha thing to see if it does anything.
Like it says, just ignore the thing, and it'll ignore, too.
Sorted!

Sorry!!
With all the time spent playing around with Java and MidletPascal, this week, along with the time spent on H~S~R, we seem to have hit a bit of a low point.
Still, no matter, here's a "fun" game!
Dusty.

I've added bloom, and a few more tweaks here and there.
The complete list of changes can be seen inside.
Otherwise, the usual two things.

1st attempted Java App.
It's a nice quicky program.
Pick a time, click start, when time's up it plays a tune.
..

Yesterday was spent getting Sokoban to work in BlitzBasic for Windows. It ended up reasonably well, but there's a few things that should be tweaked, including one persons complaint that bundling all 600+ levels into a single pack kinda kills the fun of it.. A dull trek through a long list of simple levels before you even touch on the slightly more difficult levels, does not a fun game make.
So, I'll split them back up into their seperate packs, and give folk a nice selectable menu system.

I say "Project", but of course, being me, I mean projectS..
#1
PRC:2 - 0%
I'm restarting Platdude's Retro Collection from scratch, and building it up a bit bigger than last time, with nicer per-game spritesheets and things like that. Bigger = Better, usually.. .. I'll make sure that's true, don't worry!
So far the selection's getting too big for it's boots, and at current rate it'll take about 3 years to finish the project, so.. going to have to whittle it down, and remember the "K...

My mum likes crosswords!!!
And, heck. I like crosswords, too!
Except, the trouble is, there's not really a decent crossword game on the DS.
Don't get me wrong, there's a fair few games, and The Times (released this week) in particular, has a cracking selection of clues/answers, and some really nice layouts.