Today is a very special date, as Rockman (Megaman in USA) celebrates it’s 25th anniversary!

Watching the release of Street Fighter vs. Megaman that was made by a fan and now supported by Capcom-Unity also makes a homebrew developer like me smile a bit and again focus on working in Rockbot’s code once again after a while.

And for that special date, I need to write an explanation on Rockbot’s current status:

The lack of news was due of me being a bit tired, as a single person developing almost everything into a game sometimes becomes boring, you have no one to exchange ideas with or some support when doing hard tasks. With day-work requiring much of my strenght and causing pain in my spine due to long hours sitting in a chair in front of a PC, Rockbot work was put aside for a few months.

In the last week I was finnaly able to resume working on it, and already coded all of Ape Bot’s Artificial Inteligente (AI) and great part of Daisie Bot’s too. Most of work is to create small functions such as “jump_to_player” where the enemy will execute a jump in the direction of the player, function that will be used not only by robot masters, but also small enemies. Another area of work are special attacks and improving a lot of the  projectiles system, so it supports a large number of attack types and variations. In short, a lot of boring work that will drasticaly improve all enemies on the game and, when you play our next beta and face Ape Bot, you WILL undoubtly understand 🙂

So, when is the next release? Well, I have 10 days of vacations in this year’s ending, that probally win’t help much, as I will travel and won’t have much time to code, but in february I’ll get more 20 days, so expect something in middle-march. Our plan is have all bosses working fine – instead of just standing there – and special weapon (coild, jet) working again, and with some luck, get sound working on PS2 and get a build for PSP.

That is it, good christmas and happy new year to everyone!

[lang_en]Thanks ro ragnarok2040 for helping me to compile Rockbot for PS2. Except for the sound and threads that needs to be fixed, things are running just fine for a first build![/lang_en]

[lang_pt-br]Obrigado ao ragnarok2040 por me ajudar a compilar o Rockbot para PS2. Exceto pelo som e threads, que precisam ser corrigidos, as coisas estão rodando simplesmente bem para um primeiro build![/lang_pt-br]

Opening Rockbot on PS2

[lang_pt-br]

Depois de muita demora (tudo culpa do Playstation 3, hehehe) lançamos uma nova versão, bastante revisada e melhorada, do jogo e engine Rockbot.

Para obter os arquivos, vá até nossa página de downloads.

Confira as mudanças completas no arquivo de TODO/Changelog.

[/lang_pt-br]

[lang_en]

After much delay (all fault of the Playstation 3, heheh) we are releasing a new version, much improved and expanded, of the Rockbot game and engine.

To get the files, go to out downloads page.

Check the full changes list in the TODO/Changelog file.

[/lang_en]

[lang_pt-br]Levou mais tempo que o desejado, mas o primeiro beta da versão 1.0 do jogo Rockbot finalmente está pronto. Vá para nossa página de downloads para pegar sua cópia.

Nós usamos o tempo entre a versão alfa e este beta para não apenas corrigir inúmeros problemas, como também introduzir algumas novidades interessantes, como tiro carregado e escorregão; portanto esta nova versão pode ser uma grata surpresa para quem ficou desapontado com o alfa.

A lista de modificações é bastante extensa:

BETA1:

– reduce hit push back

– test all stages to assure all can be finished:

– hide map link numbers

– fix rockbot ears color in stairs frame

– check that all stages have checkpoints in valid points and in boss door

stages – TECHNOBOT – scroll is stopping near the end of stage, review

stages – SEAHORSE – needs some adjusts in boss room (use map #3)

stages – DYNAMITE – scroll is stopping in two points, review

– player jump must not be interrupted because out of screen (top)

– showing destrin logo before killing all 8 bosses (due to intro stage)

– implement “demo stage”

– jumping NPC is dying because out of screen 🙂

– holding left/right on transitionScreen is STILL moving player to the wrong place !!!!!! :-/ (was missing reseting the last_scrolled, duh!)

– faster walking sprite movement

– fix 3 pixel diference between jump and jump_attack sprites

– implement checkpoints

– fix character leaving and returning to platform when the platform moves

– fall/fky platforms must slowly return to the original place after activated (thus, must not be destroyed when out-of-screen)

– charged shot is not swapping colors

– implement objects movement

– implement go-up platform (same as fall one, but to top direction)

– fix platform moving player because of head

– fix up/down platform colision (not coliding)

– add OPEN_PANDORA build mode

– if save exists, default cursor position must be “load” instead of “new” game

– bg2 was not being shown in technobot’s stage

– finish colorcycle stages implementation for seahorse and daisiebot

– when on “demo mode”, boss gravity must not stop before half-screen

– bug: platform object types are falling (gravity)

– fix colorcycle showing weird colors

– fix for menu being show and froze after stage selection (input.clean needed)

– add open pandora keys

– add #define for HANDLELD (Dingux/Pandora)

– boss dialog must be controlled outside boss class, using game class instead (fix player being able to move during it)

– reflected projectiles are not being destroyed (thus player can’t shoot anymore)

– find references to “./” and replace by FILEPATH

– stage colorcycle optimization

– fix for menu being show and froze after intro (input.clean needed)

– walk-attack animation is changing quickly

– shot is reflecting on shielded-NPC even when it is attacking

– create face for Milonga

– edit link error (was erasing links if same stop but not same map)

– hiatus in horizontal transition scrolling

– objects need gravity

– when killing a boss that isn’t any of the 8 that give weapon, player must teleport out of screen

– implement boss-room dialog (OK on file-format)

– do not show boss dialog if none was set

– EDITOR: first character or object in editor is not setting the right image filename

– implement all weapons usage

– timed-bomb explosion (morph projectile concept)

– shooting is not making any sound

– implement map bg1, bg2 and bgcolor (different planes)

– implement and review ending

– if hit and pass a door, is moving to the wrong direction (must be using player direction, should use player movement)

– show object makes player, npc, objects and 3rd level of tiles to blink

– fix boss door

– doors from left to right are not locking player/scroll

– scroll has a kind of “kick” when moving after a door

– from left to right scroll-lock is not showing the locked tiles (stops scrolling too early)

– entering a room with doors is moving player to an unknown location

– after shooting some times, you can’t do it anymore (projectiles are not being destroyed?)

– when pushed back by being hit, background is scrolling in the wrong direction

– editor: there is a bug in stage dialog editor

– weapon menu is not showing the right player HP on “normal weapon”

– implement/test load(save) game

– esc on start screen is not making game to leave

– got_weapon for stages other than the 8 should just explode boss and then leave

– crash when loading save and reopening a beaten stage

– crash when using esc at stage selection screen

– after killing apebot, is showing got weapon for “desert scorpion”

– editor: implement weapon edit

– editor: implement stage boss weapon selection

– background color is using wrong data/colors

– background repeat is failing for intro stage

– rework intro

– player shot is not making any sound

– after falling, is not changing from ANIM_TYPE_JUMP to STAND

– dialog accept jump button

– weapons menu coloring selected item

– weapons menu: add delay on change item

– holding a key while on vertical teleport/transition makes the player go to an invalid position out of screen

– implement NPC spawn (as attack or when killed – need adjusts in file and editor)

– seems like game is loading the initial stage twice

– use NPC spawn for mummy bot weapon (scorpion)

– use L/R keys to change between weapons

– implement freeze weapon

– partial implementation for quake (missing damage on NPCs)

– separation for execute and show in characters (used in freeze)

– sound for charging shot

– background1, background2 and background_color into map file-format (not used yet)

– file-format review and freeze (changes will be made from 2.0 to 2.0.1, 2.0.2…)

[/lang_pt-br] [lang_en]

It took a bit longer than expected, but Rockbot’s game first 1.0 beta is finally ready. Go to our downloads link to grab it.

We used the time between alpha and this beta not only to fix several issues, as also introduce some interesting news, like charged shot and sliding; thus, this new version can be a pleasant surprise for those who were unhappy with alpha 1.

Changes list is very extense:

BETA1:

– reduce hit push back

– test all stages to assure all can be finished:

– hide map link numbers

– fix rockbot ears color in stairs frame

– check that all stages have checkpoints in valid points and in boss door

stages – TECHNOBOT – scroll is stopping near the end of stage, review

stages – SEAHORSE – needs some adjusts in boss room (use map #3)

stages – DYNAMITE – scroll is stopping in two points, review

– player jump must not be interrupted because out of screen (top)

– showing destrin logo before killing all 8 bosses (due to intro stage)

– implement “demo stage”

– jumping NPC is dying because out of screen 🙂

– holding left/right on transitionScreen is STILL moving player to the wrong place !!!!!! :-/ (was missing reseting the last_scrolled, duh!)

– faster walking sprite movement

– fix 3 pixel diference between jump and jump_attack sprites

– implement checkpoints

– fix character leaving and returning to platform when the platform moves

– fall/fky platforms must slowly return to the original place after activated (thus, must not be destroyed when out-of-screen)

– charged shot is not swapping colors

– implement objects movement

– implement go-up platform (same as fall one, but to top direction)

– fix platform moving player because of head

– fix up/down platform colision (not coliding)

– add OPEN_PANDORA build mode

– if save exists, default cursor position must be “load” instead of “new” game

– bg2 was not being shown in technobot’s stage

– finish colorcycle stages implementation for seahorse and daisiebot

– when on “demo mode”, boss gravity must not stop before half-screen

– bug: platform object types are falling (gravity)

– fix colorcycle showing weird colors

– fix for menu being show and froze after stage selection (input.clean needed)

– add open pandora keys

– add #define for HANDLELD (Dingux/Pandora)

– boss dialog must be controlled outside boss class, using game class instead (fix player being able to move during it)

– reflected projectiles are not being destroyed (thus player can’t shoot anymore)

– find references to “./” and replace by FILEPATH

– stage colorcycle optimization

– fix for menu being show and froze after intro (input.clean needed)

– walk-attack animation is changing quickly

– shot is reflecting on shielded-NPC even when it is attacking

– create face for Milonga

– edit link error (was erasing links if same stop but not same map)

– hiatus in horizontal transition scrolling

– objects need gravity

– when killing a boss that isn’t any of the 8 that give weapon, player must teleport out of screen

– implement boss-room dialog (OK on file-format)

– do not show boss dialog if none was set

– EDITOR: first character or object in editor is not setting the right image filename

– implement all weapons usage

– timed-bomb explosion (morph projectile concept)

– shooting is not making any sound

– implement map bg1, bg2 and bgcolor (different planes)

– implement and review ending

– if hit and pass a door, is moving to the wrong direction (must be using player direction, should use player movement)

– show object makes player, npc, objects and 3rd level of tiles to blink

– fix boss door

– doors from left to right are not locking player/scroll

– scroll has a kind of “kick” when moving after a door

– from left to right scroll-lock is not showing the locked tiles (stops scrolling too early)

– entering a room with doors is moving player to an unknown location

– after shooting some times, you can’t do it anymore (projectiles are not being destroyed?)

– when pushed back by being hit, background is scrolling in the wrong direction

– editor: there is a bug in stage dialog editor

– weapon menu is not showing the right player HP on “normal weapon”

– implement/test load(save) game

– esc on start screen is not making game to leave

– got_weapon for stages other than the 8 should just explode boss and then leave

– crash when loading save and reopening a beaten stage

– crash when using esc at stage selection screen

– after killing apebot, is showing got weapon for “desert scorpion”

– editor: implement weapon edit

– editor: implement stage boss weapon selection

– background color is using wrong data/colors

– background repeat is failing for intro stage

– rework intro

– player shot is not making any sound

– after falling, is not changing from ANIM_TYPE_JUMP to STAND

– dialog accept jump button

– weapons menu coloring selected item

– weapons menu: add delay on change item

– holding a key while on vertical teleport/transition makes the player go to an invalid position out of screen

– implement NPC spawn (as attack or when killed – need adjusts in file and editor)

– seems like game is loading the initial stage twice

– use NPC spawn for mummy bot weapon (scorpion)

– use L/R keys to change between weapons

– implement freeze weapon

– partial implementation for quake (missing damage on NPCs)

– separation for execute and show in characters (used in freeze)

– sound for charging shot

– background1, background2 and background_color into map file-format (not used yet)

– file-format review and freeze (changes will be made from 2.0 to 2.0.1, 2.0.2…)

[/lang_en]

[lang_en]For beta1, we are working mostly in bug-fixing and small details, such as this rewoeked intro:[/lang_en]