Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo] / Double Action 53

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tepples
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by tepples »

For "RHDE characters goes here" in this label mockup, you might want to trace the guy hauling the chair and the guy swinging the bat in this render.
JRoatch
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by JRoatch »

Edit: Moved file to wiki.

Image

This is the finished label.

The file is a 65mm by 108mm SVG file that should crop to around 55mm by 98mm. Inkscape glitches on the logo and doesn't render the line widths correctly. If you need a bitmap render of this, open the file in GIMP and type in your desired DPI (like 600) in the Resolution field. The fonts are baked into the file expect for the notice at the bottom which uses the font "Droid Sans".

If any adjustments are needed, I'll just update the file at that URL.
Last edited by JRoatch on Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
tepples
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Double Action 53 Release Candidate

Post by tepples »

A freeze in Solar Wars was fixed.

There hasn't been much beta feedback, and I hope that's good news. (Or did we fail to publicize it enough?) So I'll put out the first release candidate incorporating this fix. If this version is accepted for release, hex edit "R.C.#1" near the end of the ROM to say "#00001" or the like.
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Double_Action_53_RC1.zip
Make your selection now?
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JRoatch
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by JRoatch »

I have in mind some aesthetics improvements and features (like more NKI), but maybe those can wait until the remix volume and master release.

Not that infiniteneslives has to reply personally, but are we still on his radar, or should we give him a heads up?

Also, this weekend I might actually might be able to get this tested by other people.
tepples
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by tepples »

RC 1 should not be released. A stack overflow bug was discovered in Solar Wars. (No, I'm not talking about that Image Stack Overflow.) I still need to get the fix patched into my UNROM mapper hack so it can be tested.

But yes, someone should try to get a hold of INL to inform him that the RC series has begun.
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NESHomebrew
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by NESHomebrew »

tepples wrote:But yes, someone should try to get a hold of INL to inform him that the RC series has begun.
I'll contact him.
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NESHomebrew
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by NESHomebrew »

NESHomebrew wrote:
tepples wrote:But yes, someone should try to get a hold of INL to inform him that the RC series has begun.
I'll contact him.
He is now aware :). Was there any interest in making this a boxed release?
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by JRoatch »

For some reason the menu glitch is present in DABG again. Old version in RC 1?
tepples
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by tepples »

Could you describe how to trigger this menu glitch?
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NovaSquirrel
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by NovaSquirrel »

tepples wrote:Could you describe how to trigger this menu glitch?
I assume this is referring to how the menu didn't reset being in a 2-player fight mode. Holding turbo and killing player 2, and then starting a player 1 game notices player 2 is nonexistent and assumes you won fight mode again. I really should start putting version numbers on things.
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dabg.nes
Most recent version, fixes another 2-player bug and adds a build date on the credits screen finally
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by JRoatch »

So last night until morning I got RC1 tested a bit by other kids. Most kids and teenagers there wanted to do other things but there was at least one kid who played the entire time. Favorite games were DABG, robotfindskitten, and Solar Wars. The other games where also briefly played. RHDE was tried for just one round but the game was too confusing to pick up right away. To my confusion another kid said he had played super pakpak (and later lawn mower) "on the gameboy" before :?. After a few hours I had to leave the room for the rest of the party so I just let them play my selection of homebrew games contained on my powerpak (like thwaite and "A pirated copy of LJ65"). As the party came to a close, the kids playing Solar Wars experienced the stack overflow bug. No surprise to me that even the mapper got stuck. So yeah, it was an awesome time.

@NovaSquirrel: That is correct.
NESHomebrew wrote:Was there any interest in making this a boxed release?
I'm sure collectors like boxes. I don't, but that's because I care more about an included manual than I do a box that would most likely have the same art as the game label.
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by tepples »

43110 wrote:So last night until morning I got RC1 tested a bit by other kids.
Thanks for the extra test coverage.
RHDE was tried for just one round but the game was too confusing to pick up right away.
If you have suggestions for what changes to make before the remix compo version to make it less confusing, put them in a reply to this post if you don't mind.
I'm sure collectors like boxes. I don't, but that's because I care more about an included manual than I do a box that would most likely have the same art as the game label.
Then we may need to figure out who will write the manual. Would printing the existing on-screen help be enough, or is something more detailed needed (especially for RHDE)?

I noticed DABG got a little bigger with the addition of the build date.
Attachments
Double_Action_53_RC2.zip
release candidate 2
changes: Solar Wars stack overflow fix; DABG menu glitch fix
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NESHomebrew
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by NESHomebrew »

A manual would probably be helpful if people aren't familiar with the games. I don't know if it needs to be printed, but at least a very obvious download on the "For Sale" page. I'd say that most of them are straight forward, but unless you know the ins and outs of it you might totally miss things (like mouse/zapper support on the menu).
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by zzo38 »

You could try to make a single-sheet manual; it can be both printed and downloadable, if that helps some people.
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Re: Results and Downloads posted [2014 Compo]

Post by JRoatch »

The thing I like about video game manuals is not so much the "press A to do things" line of explanation (for which the multicart menu takes care of), but rather things like the game setting, pictures for each of the available actions. original concept art, things like that. Last year is has been said that we should collaborate on this on a wiki and I agree. Perhaps I should start with a wiki page with what would be nice to have in a video game manual. Maybe by the time the master release comes around we'll have enough art assets and text excerpts to compile into a sizable manual.
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That said I like the single-sheet manual idea, and I'm writing it now. It's a folded sheet with the front titled "action53 Quick Start Guide" (not double because this would hopefully be generic), and in it will be several brief sections explaining things like:
  • Operation of the multi region chip (I assume it works like the ciclone)
  • Basic controls of the menu including how the reset buttons returns to the menu
  • Explanation of the controller symbols in the menu (a plus sign could either mean all directions or a combination of a and b)
  • SNES mouse wiring diagram.
  • if there's room, "Health and Safety"
  • Something else that should be explained?
and on the back would be 3 URLs to nesdev, nintendoage, and infiniteneslives.
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I asked INL about what the box would be like and with his permission I'm posting what he said in that regard.
As for traditional or bitbox options both are possible. In general small volumes of bit boxes are more cost effective due to the smaller initial investment because we can do batches of 1-100. Traditional boxes are lower cost each, but require a large volume of 250+ with a large initial investment. I do think we will easily sell well over 100 copies in a few months time, so traditional boxes are a viable option if we'd like to go that route.
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