Last Starfighter video game project - COMPLETED

[eaviii]

Just a bump-Much of the game is done but now tweaking and awaiting help with sound (forthcoming I believe)- The game is nearly done including the diagnostics (free play, continue, music on in attract, enemy accuracy, weapons recharge rates, continue, coin per play/continue, mappable key controls, mouse control toggle, programmable level repeat/plan, shields per credit, and others I am forgetting-19 or 20 options)- Also, updated some of the graphics and changed some in game effects- Added a slow shield recharge in game and gradual color transitions in the ship homunculus in the left scanner- Also scoring in place- Unfortunately, with the last few additions, I have noted unacceptable slow down especially if the game is left running in attract for an hour or 2- I am running out of the compiler diagnostic and suspect it will speed up when compiled into an executable- There are however a large number of bitmaps used for animating some explosions and the analog gauges- This is the most likely source of the slow down- I am working on the HUD as a 3d object (currently textured plain) and limbing the analog gauge arcs for smooth transitions (tedious man)- Nonetheless, have already done a mockup code and it works very quickly and well- Will see if this fixes the slowdown as well as general image optimization and a few more switches to low polygon models- I need to redo the HUD anyway as it is a bit asymetric-

Sorry no new pretty pictures (unless you want to see the dipswitch screens) but I will say things are looking better every day- Will fix the slow down, this I swear-

Doc

 

[Rook 3]

Thanks Doc. I know I appreciate all your hard work on this project.

 

[Pilot]

I've been quietly looking forward to the "1.0" of this for a long time, Doc, and I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate all the toil and trouble you've put into it. Can't wait to see the final version.

-Rick

 

[trixter]

as stated above, we apereciate all our combined efforts and work in going to create one of the coolest prop replicas around.
eaviii and the rest of us have done some awsome work and hope we can see some more great works from this and from others as well in the furute.

To all of us, keep dreaming and building.

 

[eaviii]

Minibump- Appreciate the kind words guys on behalf of everyone involved in the project (software, graphics, hardware)- The every 5-10 frame pause disappears when the game is compiled (happened when running in the editor) and it seems to pur along once compiled

Still tweaking and just finished a rendered 3d HUD that is much nicer than what I had and should make modeling the gauges easier and more memory/processor efficient- New pics soon and I may just get my web guy to upload the current version (no sound) for perusal in the next week- Things are moving fast enough now it's hard to find a beta to post-

Doc

 

[eaviii]

Meet the new HUD- rendering of full 3ds model- Decided to keep it as a textured plain in the game for cosmetics sake- All items refit and retooling gauges- Speeding things up nicely-

[image]http://www.fotoheap.com/image.php?on=207&an=1940&in=29340&t=i[/image]

Doc

 

[Rook 3]

Looks nice and clean. Well done.

Russ

 

[OldKen]

is there/will there be a demo of this???

or even video of it in motion, i too anxiously await seeing this, as i think its one of the neatest projects to take on.

also, what about space paranoids?

is there a link to a demo???

 

[eaviii]

Originally posted by oldken@Jan 25 2006, 12:29 AM
is there/will there be a demo of this???

or even video of it in motion, i too anxiously await seeing this, as i think its one of the neatest projects to take on.

also, what about space paranoids?

is there a link to a demo???

[snapback]1167219[/snapback]​

Indeed there is at www.roguesynapse.com

I am hoping my webmaster will have an upload link for me in the next few days for the latest and most complete beta- That being said, there is the full Sapce Paranoids on there and a 3 level Starfighter on there-

Doc

 

[eaviii]

Just a brief update- I have been getting some help with sounds (Thanks Blue Fugu)and should have essentially a finished game out in the upcoming weeks- Worked in a beacon subroutine that fires off rarely and randomly during attract mode, got the second scanner subroutines working (the blinking white dots seen on the full HUD), and have integrated in a Death Blossom level (fighter swarm). Should have Death Blossom done in the next few days and a full version out VERY SOON. Thought I would activate Death Blossom by pushing all three weapons toggles at the same time or depressing both fire buttons- All weapons recharge thereafter to full and shields regenerate - This feature is a toggle in the diagnostics-

Getting a bit of notice from the arcade community-

http://www.retroblast.com/news.php

Still no blueprints for the cabinet yet but hopefully someone will pick up that gauntlet from the spec pics posted.

Doc

 

[batninja]

I can't wait to see this come together. At the recent DFW prop party, I was amazed at the graphics on the Space Paranoids machine.

 

[Prop-Maker]

The Starfighter game was pretty good-lookin', too. Can't wait to see the game inside the cabinet it belongs in.

 

[wuher da brewer]

Just wanted to repeat what these guys said. It was a kick in the pants to play the game.

 

[ShackMan]

Agreed ... the StarFighter game was awesome, except for the fact that it proved I'd suck as a Starfighter myself.

The graphics were great, and movement was there too ... just not enough coordination on my end.


ATM
ShackMan

 

[Mechinyun]

Talk about a cool replica "prop".

Cant wait till its fully complete.. I know its a bit latea nd I dont know coding, but I do know graphic design and optimization.

Viva la starfighter.

 

[eaviii]

Just a bump- The game is essentially done and, hopefully, my webmaster will have an upload link for me today or tomorrow. This is not the very final version (always fixes arise when it goes out) but it is darn near 100%.

The game features:

- Working 10 different levels (3 are the command ship)
- Programmable level order (up to 50 levels betweeen start and finish)
- Working Death Blossom
- SOUNDS now ......
- Full attract mode (7 subroutines including a random occassional beacon)
- Full dipswitches/preferences including
---------Death blossom- toggle on or off
---------Continue- toggle on or off
---------shield number
---------enemy accuraccy
---------weapon recharge rates
---------music on or off during attract
---------keymapping
---------mouse control
---------key control check
---------Return to defaults
---------variable refresh rate
---------reset high scores to default

-Easter egg credits

I have left the game running for hours at a time and it seems to hold up well. The only changes I can see would be to put in an occasional system failure after Death Blossom (as in the movie). This would add that Asteroids sense of "Do I really need to use hyperspace?" that I like. I am also awaiting more sounds and dialog. That being said, this is the version that will be around for a long while (begin the glitch catalog).

I will hopefully hear from my webmaster tonight or tomorrow about an upload to our server (my webmaster has computer problems right now and the info that Starfighter was ready seemed to generate stress avoidance). If a delay, I may bug someone out there for a temporary upload link (only 11 meg zipped- 100meg unzipped) so at least the RPF/BYOAC/Digital Press folk can check it out.

It has been a long road (18mos+) but hopefully everyone will find it worth the wait. I can't thank everyone enough for their input, design help, artwork, models, and sounds. Hats off to Rook3, Vegas Vader, Trixter, Miniaturizer Ray, and Blue Fugu in particular. Also, Starfighter66 sent some partial cab blueprints this weekend.

I am hoping he will post an updated Bishop of Battle teaser (intro with models) and a prototype Atari combat 3d (just model design right now)-

As this has come up before, this is a freeware project so no cost involved. The download is free. I would ask folks not sell this is any way or bundle it, etc. I would also ask that people let me know about problems (or better yet fixes) or suggestions.

Also, if someone wants to take a crack at better models, be my guest except for the gunstar and launch pad (which are Miniaturizer Rays). The 3d logo text uses Rook3's marquee font so that one too. The Ko-Dan fighters, Xurian cargo ships, light missiles, heavy missiles, meteors, frontier, and command ship are my slipshod modelling so have at. If you do make prettier models, you might wish to share


Also, I have watched the darn movie innumerable times now. The marquee is angled as was pointed out by the more observant earlier in the thread. The top of the marquee is flush with the front edge of the cabinet and the bottom is recessed.
This is well seen in the production photos also as previously pointed out by others earlier in the thread.

I still don't have a line on the white sheet of instructions that goes on the front panel of the cabinet. I bugged David Fein about it but he never sent it to me (replaced it with a pic of Robert Preston when the cab was sent). Anyone got any leads on that one?

Rogan has left the building . . .


Doc

 

[Mechinyun]

A W E S O M E... :cheers

 

[trixter]

ok this is it, I know what IM DOING ALL WEEKEND. :love
man I cant wait to play this, again hats off to all involved.

 

[eaviii]

GREETINGS STARFIGHTERS- DOWNLOAD IS UP AND WORKING AT:

http://www.roguesynapse.com/games/last_starfighter.php

(at the bottom download full version).

Having played this on a few machines, a brief caveat: the game uses fast texture swapping and may be a bit finicky on some graphics cards. That being said, be patient and let it run a bit and, even on older machines, it will get up to a decent speed (took a few minutes but ran well on my work PC- compaq nc6000- P M 1400MHz with 256 ram, ATI Mobility Radeon 9600). Ultimately, if performance is an issue for most, I will write in a varible resolution suroutine (Space Paranoids was originally written at 400x300x16 but Starfighter just doesn't look that good at the lower resolutions). Look forward to the feedback-

In attract mode, hit "0" to enter diagnostics/preferences. The default toggle for some of the features is off (like Death Blossom and Game continue).

Again thanks to all involved- Likely not the final version but definitely enough to build a cab around-

Doc

P.S. I am no Alex Rogan- Can't even get through the third level with 3 shields at start and no continues/no death blossom.

 

[trixter]

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
ok IM gonna be up for a while........

Ok im gonna start here with my cab, Im going to try to run some face pieces on my vacuform for coin doors, control panel, and the monitor bezel. Ill let you know how it works. If all goes well, ill offer them here for those doing thier own cabinets