Adventure Game Studio

AGS Games => Completed Game Announcements => Topic started by: Kweepa on Fri 30/04/2010 21:43:27

Title: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Fri 30/04/2010 21:43:27
SPACE POOL ALPHA

(http://www.kweepa.com/step/ags/games/SpacePoolAlpha.png)

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=1309 (1.1MB)

An intergalactic arcade sports simulation.

Featuring:
* tutorial mode
* time attack mode with replay (let's see those times!)
* tournament (player vs computer) mode
* two player mode

Tournament mode features 7 progressively more challenging computer opponents from a roster of 21. Gotta collect (and identify) 'em all!

Game features:
* motion blur
* antialiasing
* physics
* particle effects

With character portraits by AngelicCharon and music by m0ds!
Additional game design and early playtesting by bicilotti.

Made for MAGS, April 2010.

Enjoy!
Steve
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: on Fri 30/04/2010 21:56:16
Quote from: SteveMcCrea on Fri 30/04/2010 21:43:27
Additional game design and early playtesting by bicilotti.

:-*

I've had the pleasure to beta test this, and it's really a slick production, with lots of skillful scripting! Be sure to download and enjoy!
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: on Fri 30/04/2010 23:55:33
Same, just amazing stuff...I can't believe AGS can do it!!!

Alry Values or WHAT!  :=

Nice one McCrea!1

PS. Sorry I couldn't do much music in time
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: mintymint on Sat 01/05/2010 16:14:13
Wow.. this is great!!

the tournament is the most fun part, the physics works really well, and the AI is amazing..
must be a very advance scripting..  :)

However,
Spoiler
when the computer shot  the final shoot in one round, and both balls (target and cue ball) went in (scratch), the computer still won, thus, i lost.. it's not suppose to be like that right? but i believe it's very rare to happen.. sorry if my understanding is wrong.. :P
[close]
anyway, nice game!! well done Steve.. it's very fun to play.. :D
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: ThreeOhFour on Sat 01/05/2010 16:29:57
Hooray I just finished a tournament without losing in the semi final and saw the final screen.

Rawr  8)
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Sat 01/05/2010 18:02:33
Quote from: mintymint on Sat 01/05/2010 16:14:13
when the computer shot the final shoot in one round, and both balls (target and cue ball) went in (scratch), the computer still won, thus, i lost..
Actually there's no penalty for potting the cue ball!
Glad you're enjoying the game, and thanks for your comments!

Quote from: Ben304 on Sat 01/05/2010 16:29:57
Hooray I just finished a tournament without losing in the semi final and saw the final screen.
Which opponent did you face? There are three, with different... difficulties :)

Quote
Rawr  8)
Indeed! AngelicCharon at his finest (and most rushed!).
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: ThreeOhFour on Sat 01/05/2010 18:10:39
Quote from: SteveMcCrea on Sat 01/05/2010 18:02:33
Which opponent did you face? There are three, with different... difficulties :)

Awww, I can't remember now, but I must say that I am super impressed with the way the difficulty increases, and that the way they all have backstories, portraits and unique ships makes them way more interesting and really adds to the game!
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: LimpingFish on Sat 01/05/2010 22:14:01
Oh man, this is forking brilliant! It's like a smokey arcade, circa 1983! :D

The ghosting on the sprites is a fantastic addition. If it also had that authentic flickering vector-style "glow" to the graphics I'd explode!

Plays great, too. Though, I'm currently terrible at it.

Well done, Steve!

It would be a crime not to expand on this. I see different table types, a single player mode like Lunar Pool (weirdly constructed tables have to be navigated in a set number of shots), and a high-score table where I can write "COK, "BUM", "TIT", and "FUK"!.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Sat 01/05/2010 22:56:08
Here are a couple of ideas that I didn't have time for:
* scoring (with high score table)
* achievements (eg billiard shot, plant, whitewash... I have a list of 28)

I briefly thought about the different table types but it would have made the AI crazily difficult to code. I suppose they could be for single player only?

Quote from: LimpingFish on Sat 01/05/2010 22:14:01
It would be a crime not to expand on this.
Oh great. Now I'm a criminal. :(

[EDIT] Wait, what is this lunar pool you speak of? Rushes off to google it... cool!
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: LimpingFish on Sat 01/05/2010 23:21:26
Lunar Pool (http://www.mobygames.com/game/lunar-pool/screenshots) was an old NES game. It was pretty much just regular pool, played on a succession of weirder tables. Multi-bumpers, ramps, what have you. It was largely a single player game (ie. there wasn't an AI player during these stages), and, in this sense, it was something like crazy golf; you had to bounce balls off of corners and such, while trying to reach a designated pocket.

With SPA, and the addition of the Thrust-esque mechanic, it stuck me that combining the two might be interesting.

But, yeah, it would probably work best as a single player game.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Ryan Timothy B on Sat 01/05/2010 23:38:05
Oh my bad, I hadn't noticed that you had created a completed games thread.  Otherwise I wouldn't have been flooding up the MAGS thread with all that ramble of mine. :P

Anyway, anyone who respects programming, or Non-Adventure games in AGS, or even just anyone who wants to play a fun little game... play this!
Indy games with scripting like this always make me smile.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: AngelicCharon on Sun 02/05/2010 00:13:16
Quote from: Ben304 on Sat 01/05/2010 16:29:57
Hooray I just finished a tournament without losing in the semi final and saw the final screen.

Rawr  8)

You truly are, a Space Pool Ace! ;)
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: CaptainD on Sun 02/05/2010 13:18:29
Looks very cool  Is it just me, or are there more non-adventure AGS games being made these days?  8)
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: nihilyst on Sun 02/05/2010 18:46:00
Excellentely made! It was fun playing, although terribly easy once you figure out how to do it.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens on Sun 02/05/2010 21:37:58
It's space pool-riffic.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Pixelton on Sun 02/05/2010 21:45:40
I just finished the Tournament! Superb guys and Mods's music is awesome too. Cool end screen :)
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: tzachs on Sun 02/05/2010 22:17:24
This is a really cool game!  :)
I had real fun with it, until I discovered a trick which made the game really easy, maybe you should find some way to ensure that this trick won't work.
The trick is:
Spoiler

Put your ship really close to the ball and tap very light on the shoot ball. This way you will never be in danger of losing the ball...
[close]

Also, I have a suggestion:
How about  adding a "Royal Rumble" mode. I'm talking total chaos here, 6 players/cpus and 3 cue balls on the field (you will probably need to allow movement at all times but ignore collision of ships when one is holding the ball), action everywhere, should be a lot of fun!
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Ryan Timothy B on Sun 02/05/2010 23:39:15
Quote from: tzachs on Sun 02/05/2010 22:17:24
I had real fun with it, until I discovered a trick which made the game really easy,

Yeah I took advantage of that when I was playing the other day too!  lol  I didn't know how he could possibly change it, so I never mentioned it.

I totally agree with having some kind of Royal Rumble mode or timed mode.  So that you literally have to fly through it to sink all the balls under a time limit, with or without the computer players.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Mon 03/05/2010 20:25:31
I added something to prevent tzach's cheat - a minimum cue ball launch speed.
I also replaced the Practice mode with a Time Attack mode, with a high score table. Let's have your best times!

http://www.kweepa.com/step/ags/games/SpacePoolAlpha14.zip

Thanks for your kind words, all...

Steve
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: DrWhite on Mon 03/05/2010 20:44:50
Thanks Steve for this fantastillarious game. I´m already addicted and would also welcome if you´d decide to continue working on that game.

I also found a beautiful "cheat":
Spoiler

You can push your enemy if you´re in possesion of the ball and he cannot do anything against that. So you can push him into a ball and use him to score. Very time-consuming, but effective.
[close]

Again, great game.
Edit: well, it seems like your new version already made my cheat impossible.  :'(
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Ryan Timothy B on Mon 03/05/2010 22:08:40
Right on!  I've already started playing it!  Got a high score of 1.08.5.  I can post a screenie if you'd like to see some proof!  :P

Also not sure what happened in the one game of Time Attack I was playing.  I quickly broke the triangle then a ball hit me.  I was pushed near the bottom center hole and a ball sunk.  A message popped up saying "FAILED! KNOCKED IN A BALL!".  The cue ball is still on the table too.  Weird.

Edit: I figured it out.  It happens when a ball bounces off your ship and into the pocket.  It adds to the opponents side, even though you're in Time Attack. 
Also Beat my score again.  I'm now at 1.06.4.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Mon 03/05/2010 22:35:48
Quote from: Ryan Timothy on Mon 03/05/2010 22:08:40
Edit: I figured it out.  It happens when a ball bounces off your ship and into the pocket.  It adds to the opponents side, even though you're in Time Attack.  
Yup, that's deliberate! No sneaky cheating by ramming balls into pockets!

Quote
Also Beat my score again.  I'm now at 1.06.4.
Wow, that's way better than my best time (about 1.20)!
[EDIT: Aha! 1.04.0!]
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: asuka_mercury on Tue 04/05/2010 03:57:02
Fun game! Very entertaining! ;D
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Ryan Timothy B on Tue 04/05/2010 04:33:06
Just because I really enjoy the game and definitely enjoy the challenge, I just gotta say this.... HA!  Beat this score!
(http://www.bryvis.com/entertainment/other/agsf/spacepool_topscore2.png)
Edit: Just beat the 59.1 with a whopping 50.5!!  My goal is to get the impossible 40.0.

Man, on this one game I sunk 5 balls on the first break and couldn't even get under a minute... it was one of the worst aiming games ever, mostly because once I sunk the 5 balls, I was too excited to focus properly.  If I was playing top notch that game, I would have definitely scored less than 50 seconds.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Tue 04/05/2010 05:15:56
Awesome times!
I have got to put in a replay mode!

Quote from: asuka_mercury on Tue 04/05/2010 03:57:02
Fun game! Very entertaining! ;D
Thanks!
Kweepa kicks asuka
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Ryan Timothy B on Tue 04/05/2010 18:36:45
I've had this game crashing error twice now.  I'm not sure if the two messages were exactly the same, but they were both memory issues.  This one said:
Error: Out of memory: failed to allocate 69632 bytes (at PP=1004)

I'm not sure if it's my end or the game/AGS itself.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Tue 04/05/2010 22:20:54
Thanks for the report!
I may have forgotten to release a dynamic sprite at some point. 69k seems large... but we'll see!

Any progress towards 40s? :)
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Igor Hardy on Wed 05/05/2010 02:58:52
Now this game is really addictive and the space ships angle gives playing pool a whole new dimension. However, I think a great part of the addictiveness is actually the soundtrack.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Wed 05/05/2010 05:26:13
Quote from: Ascovel on Wed 05/05/2010 02:58:52
However, I think a great part of the addictiveness is actually the soundtrack.
You can thank m0ds for that... :'(
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Igor Hardy on Wed 05/05/2010 16:27:54
Quote from: SteveMcCrea on Wed 05/05/2010 05:26:13
Quote from: Ascovel on Wed 05/05/2010 02:58:52
However, I think a great part of the addictiveness is actually the soundtrack.
You can thank m0ds for that... :'(

I didn't mean this in the way that the gameplay is missing anything, just that the music sets a perfect mood for this type of game. :D
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: GarageGothic on Wed 05/05/2010 16:47:58
Great idea and impressive implementation. Takes me back to the good old days of playing Gravity Force and Turboraketti on the Amiga, though my reflexes seem to have gotten quite a bit slower with age. I expect two-player mode to be wicked fun but haven't had a chance to test it yet.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: on Wed 05/05/2010 16:54:44
Quote from: Ascovel on Wed 05/05/2010 16:27:54
Quote from: SteveMcCrea on Wed 05/05/2010 05:26:13
Quote from: Ascovel on Wed 05/05/2010 02:58:52
However, I think a great part of the addictiveness is actually the soundtrack.
You can thank m0ds for that... :'(

I didn't mean this in the way that the gameplay is missing anything, just that the music sets a perfect mood for this type of game. :D

Thanks for the compliment :) I warned Steve I didn't have my arcade music shoes on at the time (just finishing up a 60 minute soundtrack) so I'm glad you thought it worked! It's only a gaaame so! Sadly I didn't have time to make a particular track into a MIDI, "Snooker Loopy". Steve's idea ;) Maybe for Space Pool Beta.... thanks again!
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Wed 05/05/2010 17:50:18
Quote from: GarageGothic on Wed 05/05/2010 16:47:58
I expect two-player mode to be wicked fun but haven't had a chance to test it yet.

Nor have I!
(Has anyone?)
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Ryan Timothy B on Thu 06/05/2010 05:36:30
42.7 is now the highest score I've gotten so far with a double 50.5 in second and third place.  If I didn't screw up on one ball I would have had less than 40 seconds, believe it or not.  :-\

You know what would be super nice?  To have F9 restart the level instead of ESC and then ENTER once the next room loads.  Also ESC doesn't work when you're in a tournament.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Thu 06/05/2010 07:17:13
New version:
http://www.kweepa.com/step/ags/games/SpacePoolAlpha15.zip

This one includes a replay mode behind the menu for your best time attack time.
Sorry I was too late to add this for your 42.7!

ESC doesn't work in a tournament? Oops. Will fix that next.
F9 to restart? Seems reasonable.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: CaptainD on Fri 07/05/2010 22:54:29
Great game, I really enjoyed this one.

The intro biographies kinda reminded me of Shufflepuck Cafe (definitely a good thing!)  8)
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: on Sun 09/05/2010 01:47:45
AGS games DB? Would like to promote it to my mates sir  8)
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Sun 09/05/2010 19:29:19
Added a new version to the database:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=1309

Fixed a few bugs:
* sound memory leak, thanks to CJ
* ability to exit from two player mode :O - has no-one played this? :(
* seeding the random number generator before time attack (replays are not forward compatible)
* cleaned up the smallest font
* escape escapes from tournament mode
* err...
* that's it!
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: abstauber on Tue 11/05/2010 08:44:56
Hey Steve & team,

this game rocks!
A really cool idea mixing pool and asteroids, even though I totally suck at playing it :)

Also big thanks for sharing the code - very educational!

Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Mordalles on Wed 12/05/2010 14:22:38
what a great use of ags. some awesome work, and love the portraits and characters and that cool effect behind the ship. superb game, lots of fun. thanks!
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Zyargeikunn on Wed 12/05/2010 21:52:22
Is there a way to change the buttons? I really suck with my left hand, maybe I'm better with right or even two-handed.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Thu 13/05/2010 02:32:48
Your right hand has a hinged extension that should allow it to reach the left-hand side of the keyboard :=

Seriously though, I might add key redefinition at some point. I just need to think about how to keep it from interfering with the two player mode.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Ryan Timothy B on Thu 13/05/2010 19:52:33
It's been a few days since I've played this, but I finally managed to get a somewhat respectable time in the time mode.
I believe it's 43.5, but my best time (before the replay mode was added, unfortunately) was 42.7.

http://www.bryvis.com/entertainment/other/agsf/REPLAY.DAT
(right click to save as)

As you can see, some of my moves are pure luck, the rest are quick reaction and good positioning.
Title: Re: Space Pool Alpha
Post by: Kweepa on Thu 13/05/2010 22:43:58
Very interesting!
Interesting that you shoot quickly and from up close. I guess that way the ship's position is more important than the exact direction of the cue ball.