This week, I've decided to try something a wee bit different. If you're a fan of previous AGameAWeek games, you'll notice that I'm more than a little crap at designing levels. It's a slight issue, but one that I've never bothered to care about. Usually, any games that NEED levels will include a built in level editor. And folk who like the games will spend minutes trying to make one, and that'll be half the fun. The trouble with this theory, of course, is that half the ti...

Last week was Bonfire Night in the UK, and as such RetroRemakes.com had a little challenge. (They've started to do a monthly challenge..) Create a game/story/etc with Fireworks in it. Here's my game. <a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Firework_Chaos_20091117A.png"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Firework_Chaos_20091117A_thumb.png"></a>

<a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/JNKx15.zip">Download JNKx15 Right Here</a> A nice neat 36Mb download, with 15 lovely little games included. Download, Unzip, Play away!

In a world where Ninjas roam, there are many things to be aware of. Ducks are deadly, be sure to have your sword!! (URL "https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Ninja__Duck__20091110B.png"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Ninja__Duck__20091110B_thumb.png"> Z to swish, Left and right to run, Up to jump and Down to duck/slide. You can (URL "https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Ninja__Duck__20091110.zip">Download Ninja, Duck! here), and get a super h...

So, after having attempted to create a racing game and a word game, I've finally settled on a game that appears to be coming together nicely. Ninja Duck (temporary name, but they usually tend to stick) is about a Ninja who has a sword, and an oncoming swarm of ducks, frogs and birds. Simple stuff, on a nice small arena. <a href="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/arghfrog.png"><img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/arghfrog_thumb.png"></a> Not really too much gameplay, but just enoug...

Sometimes you can start a game and it grows and grows and is wonderful. Other times, you get about 10% through, and realise it's just not working out. Game Idea 1 This week started with a word game. A decent enough idea, place the tiles in a scrabble-esque crossword style, and make words. Each tile would have two points, Point A, the letter, and Point B, the link. The link is either to the left or below the letter. Tiles could only link to each other, so rather than having a grid...

Blimey, Blockman got big! 5Mb!! FIVE!! That's not like me! But with over 350 great big (for me!) 64x64 pixel sprites, the game was bound to get a little bit bigger than usual. Oh, and a bitmap font, too! I've really gone all out, this week! <a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Blockman_Gets_More_20091103B.png"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Blockman_Gets_More_20091103B_thumb.png"></a> To be fair, it's taken about 2 weeks to get this all done, but I ...

Blimey, that got complex! <a href="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/blockmansGreatBigMenu.png"><img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/blockmansGreatBigMenu_thumb.png"></a> Starting with "World 1-1, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, 5-1" I built a set of sideways Arcade menu start points. Then I added the old "J/K" gameplay options in the style of World 10-1 and World 25-1.. Although from 6-1 and after, the theme isn't predetermined, and it's just picking random themes each time! Each world conta...

Or rather, he needs one, but doesn't quite have one. That's on tomorrow morning/tonight's list of things to do. Otherwise we've got sounds, graphics, music, levels, level progression, bonus level sets and more. Everything's nice and happy! Blockman is happy, too! <a href="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/Firestarter.png"><img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/Firestarter_thumb.png"></a> (Finally added scores to the bottom of the screen!!) One thing I'm sl...

Like I suggested yesterday, those one-way arrows could lead to some serious deadends, so rather than allowing the game to plonk them down willy-nilly, I've brought back Path Mode's AI. Path Mode will work the way it used to, a trail of dots leading to an eventual deadend.. But we'll also be using it to find paths for the arrows. Find a path, pick 4 or 5 points at random, add the arrows. Nice and simple. Of course, if you leave all the arrows in, it does get a little bit...

Sometimes you have really productive days. Occasionally, though, those really productive days seem to drag on and on, and not actually produce much at all! Here's what I've done today. 1. We're up to 5 skins, since I added a plain rock+lava one. Plenty of graphical variety, but only as much as it's still a bunch of squares making up a maze! 2. Added the nice filter down level drop effect back into the game. It's a nice enough effect. No need to jazz it up, nor remove it. It ...

<a href="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/KingPelLittsTomb.png"><img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/KingPelLittsTomb_thumb.png"></a> Poor Blockman, all alone in a gigantic maze. If only there were a way to zoom into the action..

A nice and simple game, this week, inspired by this week's Wednesday Workshop (#224) Board Game challenge. Rather than having plain Questions and Answers, I've taken all the results from Socoder's daily polls, and rounded them up into the game. Can you select the option that the most people at Socoder did?! <a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Guesstimates_20091027A.png"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Guesstimates_20091027A_thumb.png"></a> Pick the best to ...

Blockman Gets More is coming along nicely, with one slight issue to be aware of. I've got the bloomin' Swine Flu, so don't expect a miracle super game by Tuesday. Dangit.. I should have a game done by Tuesday, but it won't be Blockman Gets More, that's currently waiting until such a time that I can actually think straight, and not struggle to type! Flu sucks, especially once it's got into your head. Bah! This week's game will be probably be the poll-based board game tha...

This week, due to popular demand, Blockman's Getting More. As you may have read, I attempted a new art style (fweeDee!!) last week, which really didn't work out at all. So, this week I'm aiming for the Pseudo popped-out-a-bit art style, and all seems happy in the world of Blockman. <img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/blockmangetsmoreb.png">

Prepare for disappointment! This week's been a bit of a disaster, really. I started with Arcade Slots, and actually managed to get quite far into it, but eventually realised there wasn't anything new to add to the mix. So that got scrapped. After that came a brand new Blockman graphic style, which was far too angled, and resulted in the maze being completely obscured. No good! So, after those two, you'd think I'd suddenly come up gold. Third time lucky, right? Nope. <a hr...

If you're currently coping with a bad bout of depression, it's probably not a great idea to download this week's AGameAWeek game, because.. quite frankly.. it sucks! As I type this, the game currently consists of a badly drawn dog, a badly drawn bit of grass, and a few badly drawn birds. I've hit a dead end as far as this game goes. I also hit a dead end with Arcade Slots, and I even hit a major blockage with Blockman Gets More. All in all, this week has sucked! I've got practically nothing imagina...

I got the basic slot machine reels working. A couple of nice functions. 1 to fill them up, 1 to draw them. Nudges work, Holds work. Everything vaguely important works.. Then I added the Pacman sprites. <img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/pacslot.png"> and started to get that "I've already done this, there's nothing new I can add..." feeling. I think I'm done with Arcade Slots. I've already done it.. There's nothing new to add. :sad face:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Socoder Newsletter -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-      "GET IT OUT OF MY EYE!"           #025 - 16th October 2009                      <form method="get" action="https://groups.google.com/group/socoder-newsletter/boxsubscribe" target=_blank style="background-color: #ffc; width: 320px; padding: 2p...

Thursday 8th of October 2009 01:46:19 PM Name : Nam Idea : May I suggest a "Tower of Druaga" mode for Arcade Slots? It's been a long while since I played inside the Arcade Slots source. If I remember rightly, there was some odd little issue in the code that made adding more stuff a little difficult. Can't remember entirely. Who knows.. I do remember trying to come up with drastically different gameplay styles for each game, so that the pla...

The last time we tried Munky Blocks we had 1 munky and many blocks. Munky had to collect the blocks, piece them together to form coloured areas, and blammo, they vanished. This time, we only have one block. Munky needs to pick up that block, and place it on top of the red button, to open up the red exit, and then he can leave. A simple enough concept, but one that took so long to build I didn't really have time to build a decent set of levels. A shame. <a href="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/M...

<img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/munkysblockb.png" style="float:left;"> Munky's Block is graphically coming along nicely, but unfortunately I've yet to actually start making levels. So far it's all been "Niceness" stuff, and as a result things are lacking a bit. Probably should've stuck to the blocky background like last time. Oh well, no matter. With only one day remaining, I'll be spending tomorrow messing around with the blocks, and trying to come up with some ...

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. Woo! <img src="https://socoder.net/uploads/1/munkysblock.png"> But the engine's up and running, and Munky's hopping around about the same as he did in the last game. So, yeah, things are definitely ...

Same game, different system. I started working on the Munky Portal thing this week, but it didn't really happen. A shame. No matter, because it gave me just enough time to remake Blockman Gets and pop it onto the DS. <img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Blockman_Gets_20091006B.png"> <img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/Blockman_Gets_20091006A.png"> (Note, those are two different levels! Screenshots are single-screen so that they fit in the archive better!!) I've rem...

I think that's everything!! hmmm.. I added the last (earliest!) stuff into the archive today, and I think I've pretty much done all the PC stuff, now. (URL "https://AGameAWeek.com/GameList.php?ShowJust=159"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/JNKFruit2K3_20030818B_thumb.png"> JNK Fruit) (URL "https://AGameAWeek.com/GameList.php?ShowJust=157"><img src="https://AGameAWeek.com/complete/JNKCar_20020925B_thumb.png"> JNK Car)...

I've tried to come up with an interesting gameplay method, but nothing's immediately apparent. I've still got a couple of ideas to try, but with only a day and a bit left to try it, it's not worth trying it now. So, what else? Well, I've not done a DS game for a while, let's try that. And what better game to try than Blockman Gets! Tuesday's release will be exactly that. Nothing special, nothing magical, just a port of last week's game onto a different system. In...

Friday 25th of September 2009 12:15:21 AM Name : Thunderskull 4024 Idea : Sokoban-like game with hex-based grid. OK, first off, not really sure what all the loving of Hexagons is about, but the word Hex is in the suggestion bag about 20-odd times! People appear to really like Hexagons! The Hexagonal Maze is in the archive. It's a half assed game, but I like it. Sokoban kinda needs specific controls, since you have to be able to move ...