Hyperspace Invaders II: Pixel Edition (out now on STEAM!)

[Atomhead]

*** EDIT *** post below is long deprecated, check http://hiii.entity.be for more recent footage / screens or get it on STEAM here --> http://store.steampowered.com/app/397690/ ***************

Greetings dear shmup fanatics!

>><><<>>< *EDIT* <><<>><> Trailer here! --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdURiubGCZI

After a lot of tinkering with some (non-shmup) game designs, I ultimately decided to return to Hyperspace Invaders.

http://hiii.entity.be (official HIII website)

The first thing I did was port HII over to GM:Studio and I reduced the window size back down to 480*640 - resulting in a major performance improvement!
My goal remains to create the game that I envisioned years ago - sticking to the original plan has proven to be a pain in the hiney but I can't rest until it's out of my system - in the way I originally intended it to be.
I've received some sound advice on my previous efforts through these forums in the past, and I've been trying to take it all into account.

So without further ado and a serious lack of feature-listing (since all is subject to change at this point), here are some screenshots from the latest build:





I'll update this thread as I progress, and I'll think about doing a video when there are actual levels to play
Until then, I'll be working on more enemies, bulletpatterns, background visuals, ....and some as of yet unmentioned features.
Suffice it to say: this one will be a LOT different in a lot of ways.

Hope you can dig it! Comments are very welcome.

[BPzeBanshee]

Holy crap that looks impressive.

Nice to hear you've not only reduced window size but went vertically-oriented too. If you need a hand with TATE give me a buzz.

The stills of the shaking trouble me a bit though. I can see that making HUD visibility a problem if there's too much overkill in that department. If it's anything like the last game though (as I recall you had a few settings to reduce the glow and increase performance which was really handy, and the game still looked great that way) it should be pretty good!

[Atomhead]

Hey BPzeBanshee! Glad you approve.
The screen tilting bit is still in experimental phase, and indeed it does mess with the HUD at times so I might throw it out.
It does react nicely when you're hit, in which case i just randomize the view_angle a bit.

I've made some (11 at this point) winamp-style background visuals which do require some processing power due to heavy math calculations,
but I'll definitely make them optional for lower configs.

Still have to take a look at TATE, but I have a feeling it will be an easy port from your GMOSSE scripts

[BPzeBanshee]

Hopefully it should, yeah! The trick in your case is adjusting the offset and having some kind of initialisation room to call the script which calls room_set_view to all of your game rooms. MK-VII complicates things with this, I admit, but that's only because it's doing more in those same lines now (adjustable window size by a numeric factor).

Would be interesting to see a video of this closer to time. Any plans on what price you're selling it at?

[nZero]

I like the title, sounds like a flirty greeting. Waiting for Hyperspace Invaders 2 Unlimited (HI2U)

[Atomhead]

BPzeBanshee: I've not yet decided on a price... I'll worry about that when I'm more near the finish line.

nZero: thx

[Atomhead]

...got TATE working!
Turned out to be a simple port from the G.M.O.S.S.E. script.
All that required was changing the resolution and offset values and leaving out some functions which GM:S considers to be obsolete (window_set_region_size and window_set_region_scale)

Also, I took out the screen tilting idea which was pointless anyway...

Ok back to scripting some bulletpatterns!

[BPzeBanshee]

There was window_set_region_size used?

....Oh my god, it's the old method. Nice and easy to use but at the cost of distortion from stretching the view around to make it more or less fit. You deserve better! If you have an initialisation room, use this instead:

Code: Select all

/*
scr_TATE_init()
New Method by Pieterator
Old Method by worstplayer
Fixes, offsets, structure etc by BPzeBanshee
*/

// TATE offset/variable init
globalvar win_w,win_h,xview,yview,x_o,y_o,x_o2,y_o2;
switch global.tate
    {
    case 0: 
        {
        x_o = 0; 
        y_o = 0;
        win_w = 240; 
        win_h = 320; 
        break;
        }
    case 1:
        {
        win_w = 320; 
        win_h = 240;
        x_o = 41; 
        y_o = -40;
        x_o2 = 1;
        y_o2 = 0;
        break;
        }
    case 2:
        {
        win_w = 240; 
        win_h = 320;
        x_o = 1;
        y_o = 1;
        x_o2 = 1;
        y_o2 = 1;
        break;
        }
    case 3:
        {
        win_w = 320; 
        win_h = 240;
        x_o = 40; 
        y_o = -39;
        x_o2 = 0;
        y_o2 = 1;
        break;
        }
    }

// create global.xview/yview vars    
xview = view_xview[0] + x_o;
yview = view_yview[0] + y_o;

// Set room views
room_set_view(rm_menu,0,true,-x_o,-y_o,win_w,win_h,xport,yport,win_w,win_h,0,0,0,0,noone);

When you have a draw event in an object (ie HUD) make it declare the xview/yview itself, and then use xview/yview as your xy positions for drawing in the HUD. For room views, do that line for every room EXCEPT the room that it's being called in. For drawing backgrounds (ie background_create_from_screen-made backgrounds for pausing) you may need to add x_o2 etc to the actual draw function used because Game Maker is especially weird in what offsets by what amount.

Now of course those variables are adjusted for GMOSSE. If your screen is 480x640 it'll probably use 79/80/81 with the secondary offsets still being 1 because they're weird. I also simplified it compared to the GMOSSE code as it's now part of scr_screen_init() which does a whole lot more now using the room_set_view functions.

[Atomhead]

Hmm it doesn't appear to be working... it gives an error because it can't find variable "yport"...?
Either way, it was working fine before so i returned to the previous tate.... it doesn't matter really...

Also, I only use 1 room (rather than an init room) and a few main objects to create & destory every other object.

[BPzeBanshee]

Ah, one of the parts I forgot to rip out. If you'd replaced them with 0 it'd be fine.

The difference is more significant than you think. See here:


Wouldn't want to make a blurry mess of those neat glowing shapes and vectors.

Interesting to hear you only use one room though. It's an easy addition, just duplicate your existing room, put it above your main room, remove all objects from the room and add room_goto(whatyounamedmain) in the Room Creation code. Impressive what you've done with one room regardless!

[Atomhead]

It's been an eternity, so here's some updates:

* I've been gone, but now I'm back, probably not for long.
* The game is based on adaptive difficulty, generative gameplay and tempo/BPM-based game events (level with faster music = more hectic).
* There are 7 levels and tracks. Includes an insanely hardcore Boss level.
* I don't want to give it away for nothing since it took 3+ years to get there so it'll probably end up cheap as f***. Suggestions anyone? What kind of price do you think is right? Do you want to play it at all?
* I made a shaky cellphone cam movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNSND43fhU4

The game is smoother (constant 60fps) and less bright compared to this footage. Background fx were disabled.

I think I'll leave this game at v0.999b.

Thx for your time & please let me know what you think!

[Shmuppet]

Dude, this game looks tight! My only gripe is all the bright color cycling.

If you want to sell it, I say go for it. BTW, how were the sales for your previous HI games? Good, bad, comfortable, etc? That'll tell you right there if you should sell HIII.

[BPzeBanshee]

Good to see you still around on this!

If you still need a hand with distortionless TATE let me know. Believe me it makes all the difference.

[Atomhead]

Hey guys,

Thanks for your feedback.
By now I finished it - apart from TATE which got all screwed due to some new GM protocols. I'm a try n fix this tonight and then prepare some gfx/website/promo stuff to prepare for official release.
Will bump when it's that time!

Shmuppet --> great, that tells me I should probably just abandon the project because previous sales were abysmal.
....and I would have if I wasn't having so much fun with it. Released the first version of this (HI0) 4 years ago, still making improvements and the occasional overhaul.
Now I am going to sell this (3rd version) at a very reasonable price (especially considering the time it took to develop it). Might even do a special deal for the whole trilogy.

[Atomhead]

^ Well, that didn't go as planned...

The good news is: I have just finished HIII and I plan to release it next week, April 2nd 2015, through Fastspring.

I totally killed the vertical screen ratio ("classic mode") and decided to go with the widescreen approach.
This took some enemy tweaking so they'd make more use of that:



A rather big screenshot here:

Spoiler

It's going to sell at a typical 5$. Stay tuned!

https://www.facebook.com/hyperspaceinvaders <-- follow this for updates if you're on FB
http://hiii.entity.be <-- official site, to be updated asap

[Atomhead]

Now trailerized into a quick video, expertly destroyed by Youtube as per usual:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdURiubGCZI

Also updated the site:
http://hiii.entity.be

[Atomhead]

The game's just out, you can get it here for 3 measly dollars! --> http://hiii.entity.be
Not been arsed yet to do a demo. Maybe if there's enough interest...

[Iori Branford]

Not been arsed yet to do a demo. Maybe if there's enough interest...

Count me as the first drop in the bucket, though I'm at least 75% sold already.

[Atomhead]

I'll tell you what. Due to the popularity of HIII and the bags of gold I already collected by selling this game on the internet...
I give you, the link to the full game: http://www.entity.be/hiii/exe/HIII.exe
Enjoy. Or not. I don't care so much anymore.

(offer not cumulative with other products, epilepsy warning, mad skills and good music taste required, joystick and sunglasses recommended, offer may be nullified at any point, extended play may cause your retinas to turn inside-out and accidentally hook you up to Hyperspace through extrasensory multidimensional implants solidifying in your brain.)

[BulletMagnet]

Out of curiosity, what are the suggested specs to run this? My laptop is hardly top-of-the-line, admittedly, but even when windowed this game chugs like few others do on here. I'd like to at least tell you what I think of the game (and toss you a few bucks if I like it), but as it stands I can't play it...

[Atomhead]

I honestly don't know. I'm running a quadcore (desktop) at 2.4GHz, 4GB RAM (though it should work fine with 2GB) and a gfx card with 1GB VRAM.
There's a known bug related to windowed/fullscreen mode. If you switch between the 2, you have to start the game, and then press escape to return to the title screen so it refreshes.
Setting graphics on minimum disables the shader effects which speeds up performance.
It will remember your settings on exit.
If you don't get a steady 60fps in fullscreen, I guess your computer is too slow...

[Atomhead]

http://atomhead.itch.io/hiii <-- now available here too.
Thanks BPzeBanshee for the tip.
Pay what you want!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Any plans to release Hyperspace Invaders II on the PS Vita handheld or even through Xbox Live for the 360 console? It'd awesome to play HIII on a 1st-gen Vita with the slick OLED display.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Atomhead]

Any plans to release Hyperspace Invaders II on the PS Vita handheld or even through Xbox Live for the 360 console? It'd awesome to play HIII on a 1st-gen Vita with the slick OLED display.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Maybe (considering Xbox One), if time and budget allows!

[Atomhead]

HIII:PE (Hyperspace Invaders II: Pixel Edition)

[Atomhead]

HIII:PE is now on Greenlight, your vote being more than welcome!
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/f ... =495906145

[Atomhead]

....and it's finally out on STEAM! Thanks for voting!
http://store.steampowered.com/app/397690/