Elementum - new Elk/Beeb platformer

[0xC0DE]

Elementum v1.00 is now released: viewtopic.php?f=74&t=20872

[roland]

I saw this yesterday on your Youtube channel. Looks impressive but quite difficult to play
Can you also create UEF files .... for WiFi connected Elks?

[0xC0DE]

I saw this yesterday on your Youtube channel. Looks impressive but quite difficult to play
Can you also create UEF files .... for WiFi connected Elks?

Added UEF in original post!

[roland]

I can confirm it's compatible with WiCFS and like I said, playing it is a real challenge. However, it is a real fast game. Impressive work!

[lurkio]

I saw this yesterday on your Youtube channel. Looks impressive but quite difficult to play

Phew, it's not just me, then! I think the sprite animation is amazing, but the level design made it very hard (for me) to make any progress at all! (Mind you, my reflexes were never brilliant and are pretty poor these days, so that didn't help...)

But technically speaking, an excellent game!

[robcfg]

This is quite a challenging game!

I always feel like I'm going to bump into some bad guy because it's very fast and fluid, so I tend to fall short on the jumps.

On the other hand, it works like a charm on the real machine and to me it's the game with the smoothest movement of all Electron games I've tried so far, congratulations!

Here's my puny score

[oss003]

Nice job Kelvin ....
Very smooth, fast .... and difficult...

Greetings
Kees

[0xC0DE]

Thanks everyone so far for giving it a go and giving me feedback! I will be sure to create easier levels in the beginning of the real game.

I have intentionally not added lives. I want infinite retries and give the player one more chance to do better than the last time.

[Snuggsy187]

Top work Kelvin, that's developed a lot since the last Dev session !

Smooth and difficult, marvellous !
..... and thanks for the UEF image !

[0xC0DE]

Thanks so much Neil! I'm having a blast creating this game as you can probably tell

[Marvin]

Thanks everyone so far for giving it a go and giving me feedback! I will be sure to create easier levels in the beginning of the real game.

I have intentionally not added lives. I want infinite retries and give the player one more chance to do better than the last time.

I've had a fair few goes playing this and it is too flipping hard, at least for the first screen.

So infinite lives and bloody hard... that puts it into the same category as a certain classic... Exile

I do have a soft spot for monochrome games, imho the increased resolution far out weighs the lack of colours. Keep up the good great work.

[0xC0DE]

Wow, thank you very much, Marvin!

[0xC0DE]

Added v0.11 to the original post.
Should fix the minor sprite flicker when playing in Electrem.
Adds a new baddie type: The Resistor.
Adds spike floors!

More ways to die, have fun!

[0xC0DE]

Flash update: v0.12: implemented 'coyote time'
(see top post for downloads)

[picosonic]

Flash update: v0.12: implemented 'coyote time'
(see top post for downloads)

Much better, how much grace have you given? 5 frames at 50Hz?

[0xC0DE]

Flash update: v0.12: implemented 'coyote time'
(see top post for downloads)

Much better, how much grace have you given? 5 frames at 50Hz?

Only 3!

[picosonic]

Much better, how much grace have you given? 5 frames at 50Hz?

Only 3!

It's a welcome addition, thanks for putting it in so quickly

[Marvin]

Added v0.11 to the original post.
Should fix the minor sprite flicker when playing in Electrem.
Adds a new baddie type: The Resistor.
Adds spike floors!

More ways to die, have fun!

Great now it's even harder to play ... So far I've been playing for over 15 mins, I've died about a billion times and not even collected one flag this time around.

Seriously though keep up the great work it's very impressive, I can't write 6502 assembler for toffee so the least I can do is encourage those that can

[0xC0DE]

And that is greatly appreciated, Marvin. People like you that actually play and enjoy what I create keeps me going.

You should try version 0.12 which implements coyote time, making jumps a little easier.

[Marvin]

Well after dying many more times than I care to count I managed to get a grand total of 3 flags collected. Woo Hoo that's my best result to date.
I especially love the animation of the resisters walking, it's got the same sort of charm as Mad Professor Moriarti.

I like how you've done the turbo option but how about a "creep" option as well to make it easier to position yourself ready for the next jump ?

[0xC0DE]

I like how you've done the turbo option but how about a "creep" option as well to make it easier to position yourself ready for the next jump ?

Will try it out!

[jms2]

This is a beautifully animated game, but it is way too hard for me! I'm looking forward to those easy levels you mentioned...

[0xC0DE]

This is a beautifully animated game, but it is way too hard for me! I'm looking forward to those easy levels you mentioned...

Thanks! I'm on it!

[0xC0DE]

OK, OK, here's a very easy beginner level!

Check the original post for downloads of version 0.13 of my game demo.
Enjoy!

[rmbrowngr]

Great work. God, my reactions a slow now.

The graphics remind me of Ghouls from Micro power.

[lurkio]

OK, OK, here's a very easy beginner level!

Haven't even completed the new easier first level, but I was able to make more progress because you "opened up" the level design to allow the player to experiment a bit more, without getting themselves killed straight away!

I'm no expert on arcade/platform games but I've tried (and failed) to play a lot of the Beeb ones over the years, and I have to say that this is one of the smoothest-animated player-character sprites I've ever seen on a Beeb or an Elk. Just a joy to watch it as it rolls and bounces around the screen!

Please do port this to the Beeb so we can host it on bbcmicro.co.uk!

[0xC0DE]

Thanks for all the positive comments and suggestions for improvements. There will definitely be a Beeb version! Actually, it will be a multi-platform version that runs equally well on either system (as games should!).

[kieranhj]

Thanks for all the positive comments and suggestions for improvements. There will definitely be a Beeb version! Actually, it will be a multi-platform version that runs equally well on either system (as games should!).

Beeb version in MODE 1 maybe?

[0xC0DE]

Thanks for all the positive comments and suggestions for improvements. There will definitely be a Beeb version! Actually, it will be a multi-platform version that runs equally well on either system (as games should!).

Beeb version in MODE 1 maybe?

Yeah maybe Doesn't look like I can spare the extra 10K of precious memory though. Perhaps if you could help me create a custom 256x256x4 MODE 1 on the Beeb?

[tricky]

Loving your work as always, especially seeing a demo coder putting their talents to good use making a game.

... equally well on either system (as games should!).

That's a bit easier when going from elk to Beeb, unless you do a lot of palette changes
Custom mode 1 is only a few 6845 resisters. Making it look good in four colours is a little harder. You also have a nice timer, so swapping a color or two per scanline is also no trouble.
If for example you use one color for the platforms, the floor and beans could be the same different colour and if you have some enemies that only walk on the platforms, they could also use that palette entry for another color.
I was quite tempted to do a proton (+) version, until you mentioned that you might, now will, do one.