Release Official!
Tuesday May 16th, '06 @ 3:55pm
posted by mike
I am happy to present you the final release of Lode Runner X!
You can <a href='lrxfinal.exe'>download the game here</a>. Simply run the program and follow the instructions. I included a nice readme file, but you should also be able to just jump right into the game without much trouble.
I've also added a section for you to register an account for multiplayer stat tracking. Check it out in the right column under "Register."
At the top of this main page (and only on this one page), I've added a small line to tell you whether a multiplayer game is currently running or not. (It also lists the time at which said game began.) You'll be able to just stop by the site quickly to see whether or not a game is running instead of needing to check from the game itself.
I'm considering adding some sort of game-setting-up service where you can send messages to other players to see if they want to play sometime. I could also just set up a little bulletin board; that might work better. We'll see what happens.
Enjoy the game!
Release Soon
Saturday May 13th, '06 @ 12:23am
posted by mike
I'm planning on releasing the game very soon. I have released it to a limited audience, and in the next couple of days I should have it officially released.
I added a line at the top of this front page that lets you know if a game has recently been started. This way, you can just quickly check this website to see if a multiplayer game is available instead of having to start the game and check.
Working on Levels
Saturday Apr 22nd, '06 @ 5:48pm
posted by mike
During the last week I've focused on finishing the remaining levels for the single player mode. Once I've completed all 80 levels (i've got around 16 left now), the game will near be complete. The remaining work will mainly consist of fine-tuning various parts of the game (mostly visual / input elements).
Since I don't have a lot of exciting news to update with, I'll try to put up screenshots of many of the remaining levels. There are a couple of new screenshots in the screenshots section; I just put up a shot of Level 71, so you can check that out if you're interested.
Gamepads
Saturday Apr 15th, '06 @ 12:11am
posted by mike
I bought a gamepad today to make sure the game would let them work. I actually only had to add testing for a POV hat in my code (since that's what the D-pad registers as); the rest of the code handled the thing fine.
I also fixed up the control settings menu. It works well now, and you can choose which device you want to use in the event that you have, say, two joysticks and a gamepad attached to your computer.
I also, recently, increased the font size in the game. It was, admittedly, a little bit small, but now it reads very easily.
Aesthetic Changes
Wednesday Apr 5th, '06 @ 12:31am
posted by mike
I've been prettying the game up a little bit over the last couple of days.
I started by increasing to 800x600 resolution (from 640x480) and adding a frame around the main action area. See the screenshots section for how that looks. This way, I can easily display all information without worrying about obstructing the player's view.
I even added a scrolling tip box (with different hints for the game and for the editor); it's pretty cool.
Yesterday and today I re-did the menu. It seemed somewhat clumsy still; it works great now, and it looks so much better. I will put up a screenshot soon.
I added some powerups to the multiplayer mode. Along with invincibility, invisiblity, increased speed and increasing bomb power, I added a throwing hatchet. It's a rare item (1 of 5 types of powerups), but every once in a while you can get your hands on a hatchet. At any time, you can then throw it to the left or right and it will destroy any player/enemy in its path. Very cool!
