[EDIT Final jam entry update to fix a bug with the player score 2 being detected which now works leading you to the first vertical blank period- however not much of a game - will finish game and link here as Post Jam game so you can play the final intended version if I had more time - you can keep the game going however if you want to try by redrawing the bats so the ball stays in play just for fun. Later this will count.]
Here’s my jam entry so far. It’s called “Behind The Screen” and is in tribute to the late Ralph Baer (“Father of Video Games”). You get requests from the game such as “Draw Player1″ or “Add 1 to Player 1 Score” down the bottom of the screen at the DOS prompt – you need to react to it – do what you are requested to do. This all happens between a refresh of the raster beam – using the timer at the top. The unseen players the other side of the screen are trying to play Pong and you are the computer. You have a pixel budget which diminishes over time. You need to draw pixels to make the paddles (or redraw the score) and then when a request such as “Move Player 1 Up” comes up in the DOS prompt, you spend your pixels on adding one to the top and removing one from the bottom of a paddle. When the VSync happens the player is none the wiser and it looks like their paddle moves up the screen. At the refresh of the screen the ball moves one pixel. If you start stuffing up i.e dont draw the paddle in time or don’t update the score the player’s pain increases until they rage quit because of the “stupid game!!!!”. To aide you is PixelMan who races around the screen turning pixels on and off for you. Not sure this is actually fun to play right now, but only time will tell.
What you can do.
1. Draw player bat 1
2. Draw player bat 2
3. Draw the score 1
4. Draw the score 2.
5. Ball will bounce - just finding that bug now. (DONE)
TODO (post jam)
5. Detect edge of screen and update scores - so tell player to redraw scores.
6. End game when a screen player reaches 10
7. End game when (you) the actual player stuffs up too many times and annoys the other players.
thanks panda - yep just ran out of time. I'll finish it though and post a link up as a final (not for judging though) After that I'll change the game to Space Invaders - yes! Draw each spacer invader - one.... at.... a.. time!!!!
thanks guys - yep it needs those extra features but i ran out of time. I will put up a non-judgable build in the next couple of days to add the completed feature set.
The main idea is really nuts but amazing, the main issue is that it's actually quickly repetitive. The idea would be really fun with a plateformer for exemple and sprite instead of pixel. The game is also badly explain, i had to look to a screenshot to understand where draw the player but whe it's became clear the game became almost strategic. Nice idea, and good execution.
Great use of the theme and great esthetics! As others have said, there is a need for more features - but you can't really complain about that looking at the time restrictions of LD.
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The game is also badly explain, i had to look to a screenshot to understand where draw the player but whe it's became clear the game became almost strategic.
Nice idea, and good execution.
As others have said, there is a need for more features - but you can't really complain about that looking at the time restrictions of LD.