DAY 16

Some good progress was done today, although i basically hoped for more, but couldnt dedicate enough time today to get all the things done i had hoped.

Regardless, story graphics are about half way done, and font is selected and some more polishing have been done, as you can see from the new screenshot, which makes things look quite much different than yesterday.

It is hard to say at this point if I am able to make this a worthwhile game or not, or if this will be clearly showing that it isnt quite finished. Tomorrow I will know much better as I will do more polish and hopefully get maybe some sound and music in place too, unless i leave them until last day by purpose, since they are basically stuff that wont crash the game usually even when added in last minute.

DAY 17

The second last day.

I got very good progress today. Although there was one thing in which i didnt get as far as i meant, which was on mapscreen, on every other front i got further than i expected and game looks much better than i anticipated it would.

Basically only one critical thing that i wish i have time to do tomorrow, more levels, right now there are barely the tutorials in place.

Also, what I really wish I will have time tomorrow to do, would be to add more commands. Right now this game is pretty much a puzzle game because i havent been able to implement enough commands for player to be able to make actual AI for robot that player would associate as AI. In reality just getting through those puzzle levels will be coding an AI, just a very simple AI.

My current guess is, that I am able to finish this game properly that it doesnt feel more incomplete than it obviously will feel, since right from beginning my thought was to give a try to one idea of mine and just see how far i can show that idea in this competition time, hence i never expected this to be actually complete feeling game, but i did hope i had got further with the AI part. Hence my guess is that while I am going to put those fight levels in place, they dont really make much sense, they are more of letting player imagine what this game could be, had it went further. Hence my focus on those levels will be on those puzzle levels instead of fight levels, since fight levels dont make much sense, as in practice they be pretty much puzzle levels in current state.

Save game feature would be nice to have too in this, but I guess i wont make it. It is pretty much on bottom of my list. After all, there arent that many levels, and you can anyway save and load your code, so it doesnt take too much effort to get back to where you were since you dont need to code from beginning alone, just annoyingly keep loading and executing them.

Music and Sound are also completely missing still, but I trust I will be able to put something in place tomorrow. After all, there dont need to be much sounds in this one anyway, might even skip the soundfx department completely.

One thing that I am very much wishing to have time to make tomorrow, would be to show during fights five lines of code being executed, that would really help the player to see where hes code fails, but I am bit afraid, that might get cut due to time, since it isnt absolutely critical, just a thing that would really make a big difference to players play experience.

And did one graphics switch, so heres for Kris to see what the Arena background looks like now:

Been playing and enjoying your game until I got a stack overflow error that keeps crashing the game. Any ideas on that? It first happened when I got to the level where you have to turn right. After that, it just keeps happening now around the first or second level.

I dont seem to get that myself. I am not sure what is the actual reason for that, but I did have at one point a problem with stack overflow and had to find a way around it. I was trying to make copy of one table and it strangely gave me stackoverflow, then i made it so that it saves the table to harddisk and loads it from there instead and problem was solved. I am bit suspecting there might be a bug in that language, since Hollywoods tables can have all kinds of items, inclduing functions, so i am bit suspecting that it could be for example that when having function it stackoverflows it when trying to copy that table. That stackoverflow might have to do with computer memory. But then again, i have only 1-2 Gb of memory, so i suppose most will have more and since i dont have it on final build, that seems bit unlikely.

I could optimise the code to go to much smaller memory space, but at this point it is too late for the competition. I might do that anyway so you get to test it, since it is not that big change to the code, it is more of a didint have time to make code better, hence everything is hacks and taking space.

But do you mean it is failing already at Tutorial level 3?

edit:

To put it in otherwors, I suspect the problem is that i have made these maps as one big table, but i can cut it into pieces so that each level is its own map, and make them as mapfiles to harddisk which are loaded as levels start, if those are the root reason for stackoverflow, as is my guess, then that should help fixing it.

Another thing is that are you playing this game on 1920 x 1080 screen? Playing it on different sized screen could also affect things as then all the graphics are being resized, and that takes up power and memory, playing on 1920x1080 is the optimal playsize, since then nothing needs to be resized. Even 1 pixel difference, and i noticed a big slowdown on those arena places.

So here's the stackoverflow bug I keep getting. It came up again twice with the new build you uploaded.

If I can send you a private message, i will tell you what was supposed to read in the very last picture, that i completely forgot to do when i was in hurry getting everything done in last day. It would have revealed everything much better, but now i completely forgot to put that.

But basically all those parables are in there, although some more and some less, but main was actually 1 peter, but as i mentioned, i forgot what i meant to write to last picture.

I was too much in hurry to get focused on those things coming out clearer anymore. But building each other I actually meant that both those robots had offered to build the tuner and amplifier to each other, that way it coming out literally, and basically you could say that the main characters friend was pushing the other guy forward (hence building him up and encouraging) although partially selfish reasons.

What comes to finishing the race, well, that was obviously arenas etc. but it doesnt come that well out either since i ddint get the ai coding far enough that you would actually get to ai fight against other bots, and for that reason too the finishing race part gets quite slim.

But when you think of the leaving us an example that we should follow. Then comes the coding, you are giving your robot example to follow. Also the robot rules. What comes to robot rules i had one idea that i cut out quite quick simply because it seemed too difficult to get it done. But idea was that there had been some very expensive and good chip, that you could have choose to steal, but if you did, then from that point on, your robot would have decided every now on then not to follow the code that you put in the arena, but do something else instead, since he got out of the road, now he decides to step out even more. But as said, never did do that, since it had been too difficult to put there in this time.

Also, I originally i meant that the main character is hearing that message, and every time he gets better tuner he hears the message clearer and clearer, and it would have started giving a way to follow, and eventually it would have ended to the end, making it more like that, and then i meant there to be some sort of suffering thing that the coder had gone through in the story, but i actually forgot that long ago already so when i started making those cut scenes, i was only doing what ever i could quickly get done and didnt really think of them parables anymore any deeper, hence that is pretty much missing too.

VOTES RESULTS ARE IN, THE AFTERMATH:

well, for me personally, this years Speedgame was complete failure and I am feeling very discouraged about it, which is funny when considering that one of the verses was about encouraging others.

I am so disappointed in my position, that if i could go three weeks back, i would rather not even participate in this at all.

But, I do want to give special thanks to "Apostolic Game Designers" for making that video about all speedgames, for if he hadnt made that video, i would feel completely beaten. That he ranked me number 2, that is really something i was needing right now in this great feeling of disappointment about how my own entry did against others.

However, not all is lost and right now most important is to find out, why did this happen?

I am first telling what my own thoughts were during the competition

At beginning i was just trying my game idea, not knowing if i had time to make it properly etc. At later point when things started forming and i noticed i actually had time to concentrate on it, I started aiming high, i was aiming at win. 

When I submitted the game, i thought i had a very strong entry, and when i had played through all other games, i thought fight was between AIBOT and Typer Hero, I would have actually added Encourager to the list too, but i thought people wouldnt value it as much as it should, however, I am glad to say i was wrong, people did get it, for in my personal opinion Encourager was even better entry than Typer Hero, for Typer Hero failed in some areas bit too much to stand against Encourager which was very solid entry.

Especially when "Apostolic Game Designer" made his video, that proved i was right with my initial thoughts and being on fight for first spots. However, hes video also opened my eye on something. Originally I thought i had somewhat passable graphics, that I thought that there were weaknesses here and there, and that the comic cutscenes would split people to those who like and those who dont, anyway, i was basically waiting for some to give 4 some give 2 stars. But when video commented about them looking like MS paint, thats when i realised that darn, that guys right, its not going to split peoples opinion, i wont get a single 4!

Anyway, basically already before, and now even more, i thought the fight was going to basically be about how much people punish me from graphics vs how much people punish Typer Hero from its shortcomings, plus by that time there had came the problem of crash bug to my game by BurnerKnight (only one who reported about it). But then again, there was crash bug on Typer Hero too. so perhaps it wouldnt throw the balance off too much.

Anyway, encouraged by that Video, i dared to start thinking of a bigger plan that i had basically only dreamed at beginning. For I was thinking that as long as i win on one category, or become seond and third on at least two of them, I would use that as marketing tool and make a commercial game based upon this. Idea being that for example had i won the "most fun" category, i could have used "They say educational games are boring, well, prepare to meet the educational game that was voted against non educational games as most fun in speedgame competition!"

That had really been a good marketing line to separate it from list of hundreds of games seen on same page. 

And that was naturally more part of the reason why my lousy position was so devastating, since it basically crushed my plan that i was thinking i would get to do.

But all in all, this was my own personal thinking before votes came in. After votes came in, I have been very worried about what is the reason, and have only theories of it, and here are my 4 theories why it might have failed:

1. Due to too few votes, individuals opinion mattered too much.

2. People think those voting categories very different to how i think of them.

3. Crash bug caused people to reflect my game badly.

4. Game was simply crap and i understand nothing about games.

I dont think number 1 is the case, after all, BurnerKnight was commenting about the game favorably, and so did Apostolic Game Designers video, hence if individual mattered, it would have mattered other way around as well, although i dont know if "Apostolic Game Designers" actually voted.

Unless case is number 4, I am sure number 2 had to do with this a lot. I am actually going to write another message regarding voting to general topics, since I think there is some improvement to be done there that we havent took into consideration. I was even thinking of writing already during the voting phase about this since when i watched Apostolic Game Designers video and thought about it a bit after that too, i really started thinking that we need some guide for voters, but more about that in completely another topic.

what comes to graphics, that result is no surprise as i already explained earlier. Stability same. I originally thought after submitting the game that i would have a shot for stability, since I had only 2 bugs in game, but considering how stable all the other games were, i never had a shot at stability, even without that crash bug.

Best presentation of christian teaching i didnt give too much hope either, since i never implemented it clearly in place the way i was planning to, but did expect bit better position anyway, and was also thinking that if people are merciful to the failures, maybe there would be even hope for very high position. 

However, all in all, it seems to me that christian message voting part really needs some guide lining, since to me, the end results dont really make too much sense in many cases.

In "funnest" i thought i had a strong shot at number one, especially after discussing with BurnerKnight, as i realised that there is even replayability value in my game, i never thought there had been such until i discussed with him about the game. Also, I had full completeable story, levels that to my own opinion had sense in that when you completed one level (in map screen), the next levels opening had directly to do with the one you just completed. as example, first there being a level that needed you to turn one direction, completing that opening a level that needed you to turn two different directions, etc.

And you had multiple ways to complete the level, buy new commands etc. It was quite full package compared to rest. That basically only thing i was worried in that all was that would it be too difficult for some to play, which is possible, that perhaps some people didnt like it since it was too difficult for them not being used to coding? Also, another possibility is that some simply didnt like the programming aspect in the end. But that remains a mystery to me, why only number 5?

Most strange part is the originality part. I thought I was pretty sure winner of that one. That only threats i saw were "encourager" and "follower", that especially when it came to follower, the game was very minimal, and when it comes to minimal game, you need only one unique idea, since you cant really fit more inside it, and because it did have that one (very fun) idea, i was thinking that some people might rate it to max based upon cant fit much more in there, hence the game in all its minimalism being perfectly original, but never in my mind did I think Typer Hero would be a threat to my place in originality, and yet,  Typer Hero was voted as most original game?

I can understand voting "Typer Hero" over "Encourager" or "Follower", or "Encourager" and "Follower"  above "Typer Hero", since they are different enough to each other, and hence it depends how you look at it, but I cant see how Typer Hero was thought as being more original than AIBOT? For let me compare it to you.

Typer Hero has somewhat original mechanism of typing, however, typing games do exist before, as example typing of the dead.

Programming Games however, exist much less, only one I am aware of that to my understanding is about programming in similar sense than mine, (i have never tried it) is "Human Resource Machine", hence, on that one either I am not aware that there are more of those, or I win.

Then I completely admit that Robots are not unique at all, i even mentioned that in my Blog, but neither is RPG. Therefore, a draw on that one.

Where Typer hero could get an edge is in sending encouraging messages to other players, which was excellent and also original idea from existing idea (MiiWorld messages in games especially used in WII U). But then we get on to that i had original story, original characters, original levels. Typer hero didnt quite much have a story, even levels were random generated and right from beginning all the same, no character personality, except for the looks, but then again, i had looks too, several looks even on those different robots and i would even argue that while typer hero had minecraft look in it, it is still easily identifiable as minecraft look, mine had even some characteristics that will be harder to find another example, except for the main character which i by purpose made to be something somewhat familiar and one female computer that was a nod to Eric Schwartz. Hence, I feel i should be winning him hands down on originality, yet, that is not the case, I am only number 4 while he is number 1. 

Therefore I be interested in how did you review the category "originality"? Since I cant really see how i would lose comparison against Typer Hero, regardless how you look at it, and yet I did, completely.

Best overall was my ultimate goal, and i thought i had a shot, since while graphics were my weakness, i still thought as overall, i had a whole sort of big game compared to rest with all the whistles and bells,even tutorial, which no one else had, and except for the sounds which i had none but music, but seems many others were lacking in that department too, and hence i wasnt too worried of that after having tried other entries.

The third option is basically having to do with number 2 option, but is more specific. The crash bug.

This seems quite likely based upon that my stability was rated at 2 in total, which probably means that from 4 voters that i had in total, one gave maybe 4, two gave 1 and one 2, but it also makes me very unhappy on two different levels.

First of all is that the bug wasnt relly reasonably my fault. After BurnerKnight helped me track down the bug and test it out (thanks for that), I came to conclusion that bug wasnt actually on my code, but on the language itself. It seems that for some reason one very simple command bugged on about everyone elses computer but on mine. This makes me feel that I shouldnt have been punished from something that was not reasonably in my own control so harsh, and I think there needs to be put some system in place to prevent this from happening in future, for right now i feel that if this is the case, then i dont feel like wanting to participate in speedgames anymore, as you can make a winning (or close to winner) game, and then end up to the bottom upon something that is not really in your control. It is so discouraging as can be, that even you do your best and you get things done right, you still fail because lightning decides to strike in head. Rather stay in bed to avoid that lightning striking than do something useful, since whats the point, you will anyway fail since thats how it goes, regardless what you do.

Next question is how did people reflect on that crash the whole game. For I am suspecting that people punished me all around about it. They might have decided that because game kept crashing, it was no fun, they might also punish on overall based upon the crash. But basically I think it should only affect the stability and and overall to some extent, i think people might be thinking that crash should affect everything, and that could be one reason why it didnt do so well.

I am taking how i rated Typer Hero as example here, since this is how i think things should affect things.

First of all, Typer Hero crashed twice on me. However, I think the bug was same both times. But since I couldnt find any other stability issues in that game, I decided it was still worth 4 stars on stability, since it was only one problem, although it was a crash.

Then when coming to funness, because of the endless nature of game and too slow speed, i felt it was actually bit boring in the end (it had been great had there been big boss on floor number 5 for example and game ended there), and hence i rated funness to 3 stars only, and i didnt let the crash affect the decision on funness, since that was separate issue which shouldnt affect the funness when there was separate category for stability.

At first I was thinking of giving overall rating at 3 stars too, until i realised that actually I was thinking funness rather than overall, since if you look the game in all, basically it had only two problems, one crash bug, but it is still only one bug, and that it was bit boring. Hence I decided overall product would be 4 stars.

This how i felt. but it makes me think that were others letting the crash issue affect the star ratings on things like funness and whole rating in major role, or how did it do so bad on those all?

It is also possible that since game kept crashing on tutorial level 2 already on BurnerKnight, that perhaps some people made their votes based upon seeing only those 2 levels, that would make sense based upon ratings i received, so it might well be that.

But all in all, based upon stability rating being only 2, this is most likely the cause of AIBOTs bad rating, and I feel it very unfair being punished so harsh from something that was not reasonably under my control. Although I cant blame the voters for that, since how could they know? Which is exactly why there would need to be some system to prevent something like this happening, for i really havent felt this down for a long time.

Now the last option is that the game is actually crap and I dont understand anything about making games. If this is the case, then I better start thinking wether I should be making any games anymore, but perhaps rather focus my energy on something else. And that is why it is important for me to try and find out where the fault lies in getting so lousy position in this.

from all these possibilities, number 4 is worse option and means i perhaps should stop making games anymore. Wether number 2 or 3 is worse is hard to say. On one hand, crash bug means it wasnt necessarily my fault, but it does make me think if i want to participate in future speedgames anymore, at least in more serious sense as i did this time. The first option would otherwise be best, except it does make basically bit of the same problem as crash bug, that it makes you wonder that if individual opinion can matter that much, then is there really any point in participating in something like this when the end result is based upon luck, but I think it is unlikely that my fail was based upon individual opinion, but rather on one of those other three possiblities.

To help me out in finding out what my fail was, I am hoping you would give some comments about for example, was it so that you didnt get to see past tutorial level 2 for example, or that you maybe punished all around due to that crash bug, that you felt it was no fun because of the crash bug or something similar. Or what was your take on originality of the game, that how did you come to conclusion that typer hero was more original than AIBOT.

Those comments could really help me figure out what went wrong with my entry.