Belphegor Breakout clone (demo)

[belphegor]

DOWNLOAD LATEST RELEASE HERE https://legacy.sfmluploads.org/file/110

OLD POST BELOW:
Hello everybody.
I am not native english, forgive my typing.  :oops:

First to say thanks to author for this great multimedia library, as i was first introduced by it (recently), it was love on first sight.

This is my hobby project, clone of very famous game called Breakout.
The development is far from finished, but i wanted to share with you where i got so far, so at least it could give me a little boost to continue with this.

Screenshot:


Known issuse:
1. Scaling of object is a bit "skewie" when using 16x9, 16x10 resolutions. I don't have proper solution yet.
2. Sometimes when changing res. and go back in game, first few seconds is a bit choppy
3. Sometimes ball is traveling in "normal" direction so it take some time to reach player paddle.  :oops:

Notes & credits:
It is for Windows only, although code is portable i lack knowledge to compile this for other OS-es.   :oops:

Box2D for physics.
http://box2d.org/

Sounds and music from: http://www.pacdv.com/sounds/

Texture: hhttp://ttp://www.cgtextures.com/

Particle system: based on irrlicht engine "system" and reconverted for 2D
http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/
(i was using it couple of years ago)

Comments suggestions are welcome.

[belphegor]

Minor updates:
Added "global fade out" on particles so it does not disappear abruptly as its lifetime ends.
Fixed balls speed. Added extra timer to count if 10 second is passed since last F or S speed power-up is picked up.
Fixed clearing particle system when player loses life.

DOWNLOAD http://www.sendspace.com/file/4i0kqv

Nobody likes it?  :oops:

[eXpl0it3r]

I don't like your distribution platform.
7min for 9MB seriously?
Also your image hoster gets blocked by the stupid firewall I'm sitting behind.
Maybe sfmluploads would be an alternative. :wink:

Also you shipped the release dll but the debug exe in the second version.
Downloading now the old version, see ya in 7min.  :? [/url]

[belphegor]

Thanks for the info, i really didn't know the issues related to those hosts (although it works fine for me). Also i accidently copied Debug executable as i didn't watch carefully on folder names.  :oops:

Thanks for pointing out for SMFLUploads, DOWNLOAD (RELEASE)

https://legacy.sfmluploads.org/file/110

Screenshot


I am really sorry for incoviniance.  :oops:

[eXpl0it3r]

No problems!

About the download speed, maybe the problem was on my side. Didn't notice that Origin was still downloading a game.

So I've looked at it and I've to say it's pretty good. I like the graphics and that it has some sounds. The menu seems great!

Here a few things that you can tweak a bit:

• Let the player navigate with arrow keys in the menu.
• Work a bit on the soundeffects. They are now a bit to hard. You somehow have to create some kind of an ambient.
• I kinda get annoyed playing the game. I mean you'd have to play 10min or so just to get all blocks away.
• Limit the FPS. It's not the same as setting vsync but it will take loads off the CPU.
• In the option menu, when you change something like turing down the music and you didn't change any video settings the window should be changed. Or better said get the right settings first.
• The size difference between the ball and the bricks can be irritating. I think the balls should have at least the size of the height of a brick or the other way around. The proportions just don't fit smoothly together.
• You've to integrate a solution for the problem when the ball is just about flying horizontally. It's really a pain in the ass to wait 10sec until the ball gets down again.
• Maybe you can align the options in the option menu a bit better, specially that the effects and music bar are not on the same level can be confusing.

Hmm this list is awefully long, don't take this the wrong way, I just want to help you to get a more ass kicking game.  :wink:

[StormWingDelta]

The bricks take too many hits to kill.  you need some one hitters in this and not just 2 to 4 hitters.  This will make the game far faster and so all the levels don't feel the same and too long.  Aside from this it is good.

[belphegor]

Thanks for your input. I will consider all of the recommendations to be resolved.

@eXpl0it3r

Work a bit on the soundeffects. They are now a bit to hard. You somehow have to create some kind of an ambient.

I don't have lot of choice here except what is offered as "free sound effect" i could find, and also they (somehow) need to be in same "mood".
Also i didn't find appropriate theme for this game, i choosed texture randomly (so to speak). It could be better if i first investigated what "type" of free resources i can find the most and then build the game around that.

Limit the FPS. It's not the same as setting vsync but it will take loads off the CPU.

What is common/best value to limit FPS? Do you think it should be on by default?

You've to integrate a solution for the problem when the ball is just about flying horizontally.

I got this same comment on the other forum too. I will try to reduce bounce angle and/or something else but it must not fell "unnatural". I will see with what i can came up with.

@StormWingDelta

The bricks take too many hits to kill. you need some one hitters in this and not just 2 to 4 hitters.

Yes, i miss "one-shoot-kill" brick.

I didn't meant this level to be "the 1st level", it takes a bit long to finish i know, but i intendent first to introduce all features i can and then for finish to add more levels, scale diffuculty, bricks types/placement, lives coun...

This game project is started just for practice, to see how am i handling in this situations, so far i am thinking of redesigning some parts as i am slowly but surely losing track for some things.

Thanks, i appreciate your time for testing.

[StormWingDelta]

You wanted to know where to find some free sounds.

http://www.freesound.org/

I use this site all the time for sound effects. I haven't found one for music though.

[eXpl0it3r]

I don't have lot of choice here except what is offered as "free sound effect" i could find

Google is your best friend. There are also many threads on diffrent forums that contain a listing of free resources.

and also they (somehow) need to be in same "mood"

You can also try to add some filters on your own to get a consistant ambient.

What is common/best value to limit FPS? Do you think it should be on by default?

It varies on the type of game. You'd often choose 30, 60 or 120fps depending on the action of the game. At the end you anyway only get to see what your monitor is capable of and that is very often 60Hz (= 60fps).
So 60fps would be enough.

I will try to reduce bounce angle and/or something else but it must not fell "unnatural". I will see with what i can came up with.

You could make sure the bounce angle from the wall never gets over 45° or so.

Btw maybe you can edit your first entry to provide the new files there. It's a good practice to keep the first post uptodate since many people don't want to browse through all the posts to find the new stuff.

[belphegor]

@StormWingDelta
Thanks for the link, didn't see that one before.  

@eXpl0it3r
Thanks for the tips.
I will edit my first post for latest releases.