[Ti-83plus Games] Bowling

[nitacku]

Finally found the problem!

So simple, yet so complicated.
All I had to do was swap flip flop "End:.5(Ans-5" in the code
Only took about 2 hours to find it

The error only affected the computer AI when you selected No on the option to watch or not. So otherwise, the scores should have been accurate.

Anyways, I took out the "error factor" and changed the spin routine to alternate between the left and right arrow instead of a counterclockwise button mash.

The program has been updated in the previous post as well.

[luby]

@ darkerline I see. The bowling score gave 11 for the first frame which was correct, but only after the second frame was bowled. The calculator displayed the score of 11 before I bowled the second frame

[bananaman]

I just downloaded this and tried it out and it was awesome. I have some suggestions though.
- somebody already noticed the scoring issue and it seems to happen on the spares.
- make items in pack saved with game so you don't have to continuously reselect everytime you start up.
- and here is the biggy. Could you possibly show animation of the pins being knocked over. Even if the pins stay straight up and just move into others and fly off the lane it would be cool. If not could you show the ball going through the pins (without the pins moving) to let the user know exactly where it hit.

Otherwise. I love the game. Great graphics and design.

[nitacku]

Thank you bananaman for the ideas.

I added the packed items into the save file so that you don't have to repack them when you load the game.

Which version of Bowling were you playing that had the scoring error in it?
Basically, were you playing the version where spin is applied by pressing the arrow keys around clockwise, or by alternating between the left and right arrows?

I think I had fixed the scoring error in the later versions, but let me know which version you were playing that had the error in it.

As for the pins, I could probably make the ball crash into them.
Although I will not dismiss the idea of animation, I believe it may be beyond the ability of basic.

Check out one of my previous posts (not the first) for the newest version of Bowling.

[tifreak8x]

I was wondering, did you ever run across the error that I noted when I graded your game??

[nitacku]

I don't think so...

What was the error again?

[bananaman]

[tifreak8x]

[nitacku]

EDIT:
@tifreak8x Was the screen shifted even after the computer had bowled and it was the player's turn?


Changing which way the ball spins shouldn't be too hard...
Just have to negate the value that defines curve.

Although I should probably create an options page for some of this stuff.

Things to put into options page:
Right/Left Handed
Autosaving
Contrast
Handicap
AI difficulty

I have optimized the program enough to fit everything including an installation file into an app.
Now I am just going through the entire program and changing all the lists and strings into files beyond the normal 0-9 range using an asm program I found on ticalc.
That way I can minimize user error.

Would someone be willing to create an animated screen shot for me?
I have tried to get Virtual TI working, but can't seem to get past the download emulator stage even though I can get it to work for an 89.

[bananaman]

I'll see if I can get an animated screenshot. I've never done one before, but I just got calc capture and I'll see if I can get it to work.

I also just remembered another suggestion. Could you make it possible to save in the middle of a tournament?

[luby]

[attachment=1277:attachment]Will mine work?

[tifreak8x]

It stayed shifted like that until I exited the program. It also seemed to "squish" some of the images.

[nitacku]

@luby Awesome! Thanks luby! It runs really smoothly. Sometimes it's a bit fast, but I like it. Thanks!

@tifreak8x It might have been something interfering with xLIB. I am not sure what else it could be.

@ bananaman I might be able to create a save state where the next time Bowling is run it instantly picks up where it left off.

[bananaman]

here is my screenshot that I made.

In flash debugger you can't hold down a button so the release of the bowling ball is always on lowest velocity.

[nitacku]

Thank you bananaman!

I am going to use both of the screenshots to try to persuade ticalc to feature it.

How does one go about getting a program featured on ticalc?
Just submit the game and then send an email to them letting them know about it?

[bananaman]

I think you get an inside connection.

But with the quality of the game so far, if you finish up the additions, I think it would get featured.

[nitacku]

I think having the game as an app is going to be a big part of getting it featured.
Because I am packing the game into an app, I have a very limited amount of memory to work with, especially since I have already maxed out the app in terms of memory.
If I want to add more, I will have to subtract from it somewhere.

So the question becomes, what should be added, and what should be subtracted.


Here is a list of things that could be added:

Autosaving (probably just a save state)
Right/Left handed
Seeing the ball hit the pins
Options page with some of the stuff above


Here is a list of things that could be subtracted:

title screen
records (including the messages at the end of the game that says if you broke a record)
some fancy effects
the rectangle graphics you see when selecting an arcade option (this would also eliminate records since the record graphics share the same picture)
ball rotation (This would eliminate 2 pics, but I would still have the ball flick between 2 sprites)


So then, what should I add, and what should I throwout?

[bananaman]

I would definately keep the ball rotation, and add the animation of the pins.
If I were to throw out something it would probably be the title screen as all it adds is style points.

[Harrierfalcon]

But...but...style points!

The title screen adds a professional touch to the game. One of the most important aspects of a game is the menu (in my opinion). It pretty much tells you if the game is going to be good or not. Granted, there are some games with great title screens and sh***y games, but this isn't one of them.

And isn't there a minimum size to BasicBuilder?

[luby]

Don't worry about a minnimum size. You can always throw in a space wasting sub routine. Definately keep ball rotation and maybe throw out the car race game and add in black jack. Maybe a practice too.

On a related note, sometimes when I run the app on my calc, it gives me a blank screen and just glares at me until I press on. works fine on the emulator.