Vector Vendetta (July 26th, now with multiplayer and demo recording)

[Radiant]

Vector Vendetta (updated in July)

As an experiment in what other things AGS can do (and MAGS, of course), this is a fast-paced shooting game with retro-style vector graphics. It's probably the first AGS game that uses a grand total of zero sprites, and proves that AGS is quite capable of handling arcade games.

In your mighty triangular ship, use mouse, keyboard or a combination of both to obliterate the enemy vectors before they do the same to you! It starts out easy, but on later levels you'll be quickly overwhelmed by swarms of enemies! Dodge bullets, kamikaze ships, and laser beams, collect sparks to upgrade your ship, and prepare yourself for the boss battle at the end.

* Twenty different enemies, from lowly Wonk to nasty BFG, and an evil boss monster.
* Lots of powerups and special weapons, from teleportation to nukes.
* Retro graphics and soundtrack.
* Three difficulty levels, three game modes.
* Keeps track of high scores.
* Two-player support.
* Demo recording.
* Enjoy!

[nihilyst]

Great idea and well executed, although it's very hard for me to play it. I'm playing this game on an LCD screen with a 16 ms response time; the ghosting of the cursor makes it nearly unplayable for me, though I really don't know how that could be changed.

Anyway, great thing!

EDIT:

Some issues:
- It sometimes happens to me that enemies disappear, when they collide with those invulnerable box things. The level can't be beaten then.
- Retro-fire seems to rely on the position of the cursor rather than your battleship. So, if you use keyboard controls only, retro-fire doesn't fire out of the back of your ship.

[Radiant]

Some issues:

Thanks. I think I've fixed that in the new upload.

[R4L]

Wow! This is fantastic!

[Radiant]

*bump*

We've got an update to fix the few bug reports that came in. Also, high scores have been reported that are over 7000; try topping that

[Nikolas]

I'm at around 3000 points, but bless me this is a brilliant little game!

Anyone else, so obsessed with this little gem?

[Matti]

Anyone else, so obsessed with this little gem?

Not really obsessed but it's much more fun than I expected. First I thought this is too retro but hell, it's entertaining.

[Snake]

Hey, Radiant!

No time to play right now, but I'll get back to you as soon as I do! This sounds amazing

[Nikolas]

Feedback:

1. Xaos are "erraticly" difficult to hit! Damnit they are hard and could be at further levels. Vultures and Kudzu are nothing as bad as them!

2. a. BFG gives too little warning when hitting
b. BFG gives mainly an audio waring, thus making the game unplayable to those with non direct audio installation (me for example)
c. BFG does not really imply WHERE it's aiming so you can avoid it. Ok, it is a polygon, ok the short side is where it aims, but damnit it's hard to notice with hell going on next to you.

3. pierce is much more trouble than it should be! Of course it makes killing master, but there is a slight problem with sizes (at least to my version), where the enemies simply become really really small, only due to the "armor piercing" and this makes the game harder, when it should be easier really.

4. In general, in order to get further in the game (my strategy at least) is to first get the turbo, then chain, then retro, and then build up from there. With the current setting, in order to get spread (which should come after hyper, at least, and chain), is too further in game and while it's immensly useful, you really don't have enough time to get it, or enough power ups. So a bit more power ups perhaps?

5. What would make the game interesting (strategically speaking), would be to know which enemies will throw power ups (so you would go after them first). It wouldn't really change the difficulty setting (which seems to be about right), but it would change your moves drastically.

A wonderful game, all round! Thanks Crystal Shard/Radiant for this!

[Radiant]

1. Xaos are "erraticly" difficult to hit!

What control scheme are you using?

b. BFG gives mainly an audio waring, thus making the game unplayable to those with non direct audio installation (me for example)

Okay, good point. I'm not sure how I could make it a visual warning, though; suggestions welcome.

c. BFG does not really imply WHERE it's aiming

That's because it's always aiming right at you.

3. pierce is much more trouble than it should be!

Noted. I could easily implement a minimum size for enemies.

4. In general, in order to get further in the game (my strategy at least) is to first get the turbo, then chain, then retro, and then build up from there.

To this, I can only suggest that you might vary your strategies. For instance, retro then spread is a good starter, as is turbo then shrink, as is chain then pierce.

5. What would make the game interesting (strategically speaking), would be to know which enemies will throw power ups

That's a good point, I can probably fix that visually.

Thanks for the feedback, and good luck zapping!

[Nikolas]

1. Xaos are "erraticly" difficult to hit!

What control scheme are you using?

I'm using keyboard only...

b. BFG gives mainly an audio waring, thus making the game unplayable to those with non direct audio installation (me for example)

Okay, good point. I'm not sure how I could make it a visual warning, though; suggestions welcome.

I would suggest (regarding c as well) that a sort of "light" beam (like concetrating the fire of where it will shoot, and where it's coming from), would be sufficient. Problem with not knowing where it's aiming, is that you don't generally know where it's coming from. And thus you may try to move out of the way with the audio signal, but still be in the path of the beam.

c. BFG does not really imply WHERE it's aiming

That's because it's always aiming right at you.[/quote]
See above

3. pierce is much more trouble than it should be!

Noted. I could easily implement a minimum size for enemies.

Thanks ^_^

4. In general, in order to get further in the game (my strategy at least) is to first get the turbo, then chain, then retro, and then build up from there.

To this, I can only suggest that you might vary your strategies. For instance, retro then spread is a good starter, as is turbo then shrink, as is chain then pierce.

I have altered strategy. I go for turbo, chain gun, retro, spread shot and then anything else that may come my way.

5. What would make the game interesting (strategically speaking), would be to know which enemies will throw power ups

That's a good point, I can probably fix that visually.

Cool.

Thanks for the feedback, and good luck zapping!

Thanks for taking note of my... notes.

EDIT: I've encountered a bug twice now. After 10,000 points (I've reached up to 11,000) and after a certain level (3-4 times after you're done being introduced with new enemies), the game is unsolvable: You kill all the enemies, including the undestroyable boxes (by killing your own life, I had to try), and yet the game does not progress to the next level: You are stuck to an empty room with no enemies whatsoever. So Esc, or Alt+x...

[Radiant]

Regarding being stuck - does that still happen after you've downloaded the update?

[Nikolas]

Downloaded the file on the 18th of Nov. No idea if it's the updated file or not...

[Nikolas]

The bug about being stuck!

It happens when I get 5 lives, as opposed to the normal 4. And after 10,000 points (but points are probably irrelevant).

[Radiant]

Bump. This game has been around for awhile, but I was never really satisfied with the first version, and didn't consider it finished yet. However, this month's MAGS theme of "Finish Your Game" inspired me to put in the finishing touches.

There's more enemy vectors, more powerups, and a boss monster. There's also three gameplay modes, various difficulty levels, and demo recording. Finally, you can play together with your friend, one on mouse and one on keyboard. Oh and yeah, the bugs mentioned above have been fixed.

Arcade Game Studio ftw!

[Dualnames]

I like the fact that there's like no sprite! Great job in terms of programming, Radiant!!

[Dualnames]

The game is really great!! I made a great 1921 score, and had lots of fun. 

[Chicky]

Love the fly-in text! This is a real achievement!

[Radiant]

Anyone want to post a demo here? I would like to have a few demo recordings from players other than myself.

[Wonkyth]

I have Camtasia, so I might do one some time.
but I'll have to make sure it's a good score, I don't want to embarrass myself too much... 

[Nikolas]

Hem...

The demos are saved from the game itself, if I understand it correctly. Just post the file *.ved and you shouldbe fine I think... No need for camtasia or otherwise.

[Radiant]

The demos are saved from the game itself, if I understand it correctly.

Precisely. It's a new feature that records your gameplay and stores it as a .VEC file.

[Nikolas]

I am encountering a number of bugs, but none on an Internet connected computer so I can't post.

1. First of, in medium or hard, after a few levels the game crashes (something about 921 I think, but I'll try to replicate and offer).
2. One time, one single time, in a level the game stuck, meaning that there were no enemies to be seen but I couldn't pass the level, so I commited suicide.
3. At that time, there was no offer to save the replay. Is the replay available at every time, or only at advanced levels?
4. The yellow N are highly annoying!  

But still a great game Radiant!

EDIT:

---------------------------
Adventure Game Studio
---------------------------
An internal error has occured. Please note down the following information.
If the problem persists, contact Chris Jones.
(ACI version 2.72.920)

Error: run_text_script1: error -6 running function 'repeatedly_execute':
Error: Array index out of bounds (index: 599, bounds: 0..199)
in Global script (line 948)


---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------

The error I got!
PS. How do you pass the last level, with the red UAO (?) monster?

[Nikolas]

I also want to bump this thread!

http://rapidshare.com/files/402236948/Nikolas.vec.html

(rapidshare because hosting *.vex files can be a pain...)

I reached around 7500 points and at an advanced level (I think previous to last) in hard mode, so this is worth showing!

[Wonkyth]

PS. How do you pass the last level, with the red UAO (?) monster?

Shoot the crap out of it!

EDIT:
Error

---------------------------
Adventure Game Studio
---------------------------
An internal error has occured. Please note down the following information.
If the problem persists, contact Chris Jones.
(ACI version 2.72.920)

Error: run_text_script1: error -6 running function 'repeatedly_execute':
Error: Array index out of bounds (index: 395, bounds: 0..199)
in Global script (line 1182)


---------------------------
OK  
---------------------------


BTW, love the new look!


EDIT2:

Another error

---------------------------
Adventure Game Studio
---------------------------
An internal error has occured. Please note down the following information.
If the problem persists, contact Chris Jones.
(ACI version 2.72.920)

Error: run_text_script1: error -6 running function 'repeatedly_execute':
Error: Script appears to be hung (150001 while loop iterations without an update)
in Global script (line 2034)


---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------


It happened after I'd died as soon as I pressed enter after typing in the name for the replay.
Speaking of which, here is the score I got that time, which is the best I've done on the newest version so far.
http://shutupload.com/dl/6d00b6a4ee66/

[Nikolas]

When I tried reading the above vec file (to check the high score!) I got the following error:


---------------------------
Adventure Game Studio
---------------------------
An error has occured. Please contact the game author for support, as this
is likely to be a scripting error and not a bug in AGS.
(ACI version 2.72.920)

in Global script (line 2765)

Error: FileReadInt: File read back in wrong order

---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------

[Wonkyth]

Probably something to do with it stuffing up.
I'll tell you the boring way: 12135.

[Nikolas]

based on the file size (733 kb) I'm assuming we reached the same level! You didn't upgrade too much and earned so many points? Cause I tried again and reached about 8,000 points but no more!

[Wonkyth]

Yes, UAO all 'round.
The trick is what order you get powerups, and how many aster particles you kill.
For me, it's CHAIN, PEIRCE, RETRO, SPREAD, SHRINK, SHIELD, and then just 1-ups.
My problem was that I only invested one point in speed(to buy me some time when the CrosSmiter came to claim me), and so I ended up getting eaten by the UAO's fork.

[Nikolas]

I always get TURBO first. I can't STAND being so darn slow... Then it's chain, retro, spread, etc...

[Wonkyth]

You don't get Pierce?  :o

[Nikolas]

You don't get Pierce?  :o

nope... only if I have leftovers and even maybe after I get hyper!

Different strategy I guess, but maybe your score might be a sign that mine is not 'the right' one.

Radiant: What's your top score, please?

[Wonkyth]

That reminds me, I have a half-finished strategy guide for an older version somewhere...

[Jim Reed]

I think it's time for me to set another record =)

EDIT:
And here it is:


The play recording is broken for some reason.

EDIT 2: Updated the score.

[Wonkyth]

I haven't unlocked Radiant on the new version yet, otherwise I'd give you a good challenging!

[Radiant]

3. At that time, there was no offer to save the replay. Is the replay available at every time, or only at advanced levels?

At every level.

The play recording is broken for some reason.

Please elaborate?

Different strategy I guess, but maybe your score might be a sign that mine is not 'the right' one.

My intent is that there is no "right" order, it depends on your playstyle. For instance, I tend to go RETRO => TURBO => SPREAD, myself. Also, I find that it helps to have WARP available when fighting the UAO.

I'll see what I can do about those bugs. With line numbers they should be easy to fix.

[Jim Reed]

Haven't noted the exact error, but I'll try to reproduce it later.

EDIT:
Upon saving the replay:

[Radiant]

Ah, got it. When writing a demo file, if writing more than 150000 values to the file, AGS will conclude this is an infinite loop and abort. This also explains why Nikolas's and Wonkyth's demo are the exact same size (they're cut off at 150000) and why reading them back fails (they're incompletely written). D'oh.

I'll release an update with noloopcheck asap.

(edit) regarding the other bug - does this occur at the very beginning of a level, or during a level?

[Gord10]

Great game...
Strafe keys for rotational keyboard would be really useful; as the rotation, which left and right button supplies, can already be done with mouse.

I couldn't understand how high scores work: Could AGS connect to web?

[Wonkyth]

High scores are personal, with the ones already there being preset.

[Nikolas]

Still a tad lower than Jim, but I got 16689 (7 points lower...). Couldn't beat the UOA... :-/ Oh well...

[Radiant]

Okay, and another round of bugfixing, which I hope is the last one.

"Infinite loop" bug in demo saving fixed.
Added extra safeguards for sine array out of bound.
Added strafing option in rotational keyboard mode.

If you have any nice demo files, please post them!

[Jim Reed]

Oh, a bugfix, I'll be sure to dl and play, to show my awesome demos =P
Nikolas: Screenshot!

[Jim Reed]

Replay

Screenshot:

[Peder 🚀]

Awesome game!

Will you ever try and implement the TCP/IP module to support online play? :

[Jim Reed]

If you're thinking on Dualnames' TCP/IP plugin, I don't think it can be done easily as there are some slight lag issues on it. Have hope though, Monsuier Ouxx is working on a improved version of it as far as I heard.

Internet co-op play is something I would be glad to see.

[Wonkyth]

And Head2Head, as I'd love to put Jim in his place. >:D

[Jim Reed]

I just hate that hand:
http://www.mediafire.com/?kdw7ljyghnd2w14

[Nikolas]

Oh, a bugfix, I'll be sure to dl and play, to show my awesome demos =P
Nikolas: Screenshot!

+1 and once I get back home from vacation, I promise to post a screennie!

[Radiant]

Replay

Very impressive! Thanks!

Will you ever try and implement the TCP/IP module to support online play? :

I'll consider it for some unspecified point in the future.

[Jim Reed]

Unbelievable rainfall of powerups and the bloody motherf**king HandOfDeath which I hate oh so much

I mean, this is the third time in a row I died of it's touch.

[Radiant]

Unbelievable rainfall of powerups and the bloody motherf**king HandOfDeath which I hate oh so much

Awww, and you even hard a Warp ready!

Yeah, it just happened to me as well. I guess I don't like making easy games 

[Wonkyth]

Easy is for the weak.
And fat nerds.
I'm hoping I'll get some time to blow Jim out of the water soon, but walking loops wait for no man...

[Ryan Timothy B]

I'm hoping I'll get some time to blow Jim [..]

Oh dear....  :

Haha. I couldn't resist.
Anyway, I played this game once before and really couldn't get into the mood. Perhaps I'll download it again since you've added all these new toys.

[Jim Reed]

Wonkyth, if you ever manage to top my score, I might even have a suprise for you. =P

[Radiant]

And in today's lesson, we learn that avoiding the Claw Of Doom is all fine and dandy, but that thing also has a friggin' laser beam. D'oh!

[Jim Reed]

And this happens when you get cocky and start milkin' it.

My best score so far, and I didn't even defeat the UAO.

I noticed you don't use the mouse. Why?

EDIT:

Mwahahaha!



I wonder if I can dive deeper than 20000 under the sea.

EDIT2:
Yep, 21165!

[Radiant]

I noticed you don't use the mouse. Why?

I find the game easier to control with two hands on the keyboard. There's a reason why it supports several different control methods

[Nikolas]

SO CLOSE, yet so far away...

21138, but rename it to Nikolas.vec, instead

If only for the claw of death and SO quickly!!!

BTW: Radiant. A small bug. In the menu screen, if you leave it open for quite a while, there are chances that the yellow N type ones will be given birth, thus gain some extra points, and actually I've had the chance once in a while to grab 160 extra points, and also start with the warp illuminated!

[Radiant]

If only for the claw of death and SO quickly!!!

Well done, still!

[Nikolas]

22585...

I love this game, I really do! ¬¬