The answer to this (and many other problems) is “Beer“!
Yes, the very thing that makes the games into what they are, is the very thing that makes them better (read:tolerable) during play. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been programming slowly, but surely, on X-Quest 2, and I am (as usual) doing it past midnight, listening to loud music and drinking beers – long past my bedtime. The most important bits I’m programming right now is the visuals and the AI. Gameplay and tuning comes last. I’ve just put in the AI for a couple of the enemies and the moment it worked I couldn’t help but sit and laugh at it. “Why don’t I just make the movement ramdom?” I thought – “I looks like they’re moving ramdomly“. Actually it’s a bit more complicated than that, but with all the factors that are calculated, it does look a bit random….but there is an idea behind it (although randomnes is also a factor to avoid making it too predictable.)
For those of you that are keeping score I can tell you that this remake of X-Quest 2 will contain the same amount of powerups and enemies than the original game – 15 enemies and 9 different powerups and it’s looking good so far – no pictures though..that hasn’t changed much.
Completely unrelated to remakes I’d like to mention some other distractions that”ll affect my time (and wallet) this year. Two, possibly 3 vacations are planned for 2008.
- One week in New York. I’ve always (well, since 1979) wanted to experience Pat Benatar live and I’ve come to the realization that she’ll never come to Europe so I’ll have to go to the States. Luckily she’s touring every year, so hopefully I’ll take a trip to NY in April this year to finally hear her.
- I’ve been talking with my best friend about to going to Transylvanina (Hungary) to visit Dracula’s (alleged) Castle. Sort of a pilgrimage – we both love horror and monsters.
- The most ambitious trip will be at the end of the year – november or december, and be for 4 to 6 weeks. I’ve decided to go backpacking through Laos and Cambodia . I’d rather not go alone, but that’s probably the way it’s going to happen.
…ohh, and I’ll probably buy an Xbox360 in a week or so – Burnout Revenge just came out and I need my yearly racing fix.
😀
