Music Ride

Finally I was able to publish very first version of Music Ride - rythm game. After few hours I find out that there is problem with scoreloop leaderboard - on my phones everything worked fine but I didn't receive any score records. I have made new publication and I hope this problem is solved.

Some technical info: the analyzer routine is written in C, and compiled to three CPU architectures (ARM, ARMv7, x86). So the owners of new devices equiped with ARMv7 (and ATOM) should not suffer from long calculations. The algorithm is quite simple, you can find description of it on internet - in nutshell: it makes FTT of audio data, and measure average music power comparing it to "accumulated" average music power value of longer period of time (longer = about 1 second).

The fantastic music I used in this game was created by LUKHASH. I like his style and thanks to him I was able to add this music to game. The game is available at Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zr.music.ride

Escape From Creepy Lab

After few months of work I managed to finish "Escape From Creepy Lab". This is platform game with some elements of logic (sometimes you have to think first before do something). You can download it here. I love the review written in "Mobi Apps Review " (http://mobiappsreview.com/index.php/android-games/85-android-games/389-escape-from-creepy-lab-review).
    The game is built with 3D engine and everything (except of HUD) is created with "edgy" 3D graphics. I wanted it to looks like "Minecraft" but don't want it to be identical, thats why most of objects are shaded with gouraud shading and some of them have enabled texture filtering.

    Unfortunately looks like there are not so many oldschool game lovers (like me) or maybe I am unable to break through other productions, to be seen by users, because so far this game is a big failure.
Anyway making a game gives you sometimes a lot of fun, but it is a hard work too. Making a game (like this one) is not only the game itself, but if you are using free game engine you usualy have to write additional tools, like level editors, unless you are writing game where next level is simply done by increase game speed ;). Maybe in future I will publish map editor for Creepy Lab.

Trace On level editor available for download

Click to download Trace_On level editor

I have decided to publish level editor for Trace_On. There are few people who like this game (like me :] ), so if you like it and have an idea for new level then this article is for you.
      If you have latest version of Trace_On, then you probably saw new menu - "Load level from file" - this menu gives you opportunity to load and play your custom level. I'll explain basic usage of level editor. First you have to download it from here, this is Windows application not for Android ;) and it was made for use by game developers not user :p

Let's start.

When you run this app you will see something like this:

 The central part of the window is top view of playfield. To ease the positioning of level elements there is a grid, and enabled snap to grid by default. You can change step of the grid here:

when you enter new value and click anywhere in the window the grid step will be changed after 2 seconds.
On the right side of window you can see properties of selected element. When there is nothing selected (you clicked background) it will shows properties of level:

• Descriptive name - description displayed when the level starts
• Game speed - less value means faster movements, try to set it between 10 and 20
• Level distance - distance between upper and lower playfield
• Logical board width and height - dimension of playfield
• Scale factor - this value will transform logical board into phisical display of playfield and will affect the feel of speed

The actors

   First thing you usually want to add are "holes" or rather ramps. It should be at least one. In the properties you can change direction of it or change ramp into hole:

Next you add players. By default when you add player it has player mode set to PLAYER_CPU1, you can add as many as you want those types of players, they are computer players, but you have to add one player and change it's mode to PLAYER_HUMAN. If you don't add exit then level mode will be automaticaly set to "last standing wins" and in this mode you have to have at least 2 players.

Important! If you want to change where player starts (upper or lower level) you do it with "StartLevel" property, and it have to be set to 0 or 2. Other values will cause the game to work incorrectly.

   The exit. 

If you add an exit then level mode will be set to "find the exit" you can add as many exits as you want.



Important! As with players if you want to change where the exit is placed (upper or lower level) you do it with "Level" property, and it have to be set to 0 or 2. Other values will cause the game to work incorrectly. 

The finish

When you finish your level, you just have to copy it to phone, and select game menu "Load level from file" navigate to your file and play ! :)
Last notes:

• If you want to change position of item then click "Move" menu button and drag and move it
• If you want to change properties of item just select it (disable any "Add..." menu buttons first)
• If you have problem seleting item - disable "Snap to grid"
• If you want to delete something - select it and click "Delete" button
• On the phone items X positions will be reversed

If you manage to create level send me a copy by e-mail, I want to try it too.

Spray The Wall 3D

Last time I didn't have time for blog, latest projects are taking all my time.
However there is one good point of it - I can present now new game: "Spray The Wall 3D".
After "long" time I was able to finish it. However I have just received message that this game don't work correctly on some devices :(
So far I am unable to find what causes it.

I don't want to abandon my previous game, thats why I decided to publish level editor for Trace On (soon), and add to it possibility to load levels from external files. But first I have to finish my latest short project (it will be wallpaper).
Do not expect too much, from this level editor, it was designed for someone who has a small knowledge about this game and it limitations, so don't blame me if it won't be user friendly.

For those who don't read descriptions on Play Market I have posted video with "Recognizer" mode available in game Trace On. To play it you have to select last available vehicle in "vehicle" menu.

Falling Images

Another live wallpaper released. This idea has long been on my mind, in the end I managed to make it - wallpaper, which displays images from the phone, adds a frame (similar to the "classic" photographs), and animates them in 3D space. You can download it here.
I have an idea for another wallpaper that I must try to accomplish before I make any serious project (yes I think about another games however i dont have much time lately).

Fighting with compatibility

After long searching cause why Trace_On don't want to load textures on older version of android I find out that the problem was in main thread, looks like it has little bigger priority than other threads in Android 1.6.
I'll try to add few new levels in next update, if they pass tests.

Snowing wallpaper

Being in Christmas mood i have decided to write new, short project - live wallpaper.
The effect of this idea can be seen at Android Market here.
It look pretty decent. I have decided to use in this project the Airpush as ads provider because it is best solution for this type of application without user interface. The only place where usual ads can be put is settings screen,
but how many times peoples look into it?