The Daily Click

::. ::.

Project Started:	17th December, 2007	Last Update:	8th January, 2014
Project Owner:	s-m-r	Project Members:
Project Type:	puzzle-platformer	Project Progress:
More Info:	http://www.let-off.com/software/gnome/gnome.zip	Faves:	1

Project Overview

I used DavidN's tutorial, found on the Clickteam website, to create a custom platform engine.

In Chrono Crystals, you play the part of one of a group of garden gnomes in Mr. McSmitty's backyard. During daytime hours, the lot of you are frozen in a stony form, but when the sun goes down, you and your gnome friends reanimate, taking care of the McSmitty garden plot. But one day, you come to realize someone has stolen all your tools...! You, being the bravest of the gnomes, set out one night to reclaim your purloined items from whomever was responsible.

Unidentifiable tracks lead into a mysterious cave in the hillside...Could this be where your trusty tools are located?

Project Forums	Topics	Posts	Last Post
Public Forum Public forum for open project discussion	0	0	No Posts
Private Forum Private forum for project members only	0	0	No Access

COMPLETE, with reconstructive surgery

Posted 8th Jan 14, by s-m-r

Post A Comment

Good news and bad news to report.

One of the recent levels I'd created was pushing the Active Object limit, and during testing I noticed that some objects failed to load. I pored over the code and optimized as much as I could; eventually I decided to look back at DavidN's tutorial once again, and discovered that Backdrops can be changed to the "Obstacle" type.

Originally, I hadn't understood the option to change the type of Backdrop (ladder, obstacle, etc.), so I sidestepped that issue by using Active Objects. Now, the limit of Active Objects is catching up to me, and I've needed to compensate. The difficulty I'm encountering is now related to the fact that I've replaced Active Objects with properly-defined Backdrops...My code needs to be altered, coding needs to exclude the backdrops but include the permeable platforms...It's all very frustrating and time-consuming.

One interesting aspect to this sloppy coding of mine is that I've discovered a "quicksand" effect which allows the player to slowly sink while overlapping a particular type of platform...But that's small comfort regarding my current dilemma.

I think I need to sit down with a note pad and simply plot out all the changes that need to be made, so that my code looks more like the example engine. Another option that I'm considering is simply stealing the entire engine, and replacing everything within with my own sprites and animations. I'd be more satisfied if I had developed the code myself, but now I think I'd be most pleased by simply putting this project to bed.

So the good news is that I've figured out how to use Backdrops properly; the bad news is that I want to replace my code accordingly, which takes time and diligence. Coupling this new wrinkle with the holidays and all the places I'll be visiting in the next couple days...Perhaps this won't be done by the New Year at all.

update: 21 december, 2008

Posted 22nd Dec 08, by s-m-r

2 Comments

Wow...Looks like I took a year off from this one. But I've learned a tremendous deal of new techniques since starting this project. The later segments of the game will be sure to include these more advanced aspects.

Here's a current situation report on current features:
+ custom platform movement
+ different animations for running, jumping, and falling (particularly proud of this and how the little guy looks)
+ solid platforms that cannot be jumped through, as well as "ledges" that the player can jump through and then land on
+ moving platforms, activated by the player shooting a projectile at an activation switch (appears as a large, red crystal that spins once activated); on some later levels, these platforms are time-sensitive, and need to be reactivated
+ "trampolines" that allow high jumps when the player bounces on them
+ implemented the player's weapon: throwing magical dust on enemies that freezes them for a short time, rendering them harmless
+ eight out of ten levels are completed
+ final artwork is about 85% complete
+ three different enemy types, each with different styles of attack

TO BE IMPLEMENTED:
+ two additional levels await completion (to make 10 total)
+ finalized artwork, including parallax backgrounds and more special effects
+ an intro screen; cutscenes between levels
+ music; not sure if I'll have MP3s of live music recordings (my personal preference), MP3s of studio music, or rely on MIDI music (the worst-case scenario, to be honest)

The included screen shot shows the third enemy, which launches a snowball at the player once spotted. Please note the final background is not displayed in the screen shot.

TARGET RELEASE DATE:
I intend to finish this project before 1st January, 2009.

moving platforms

Posted 1st Jan 08, by s-m-r