In which is discussed...
10998521 16/06/01 23:12
The following changes have been made:
8-directional movement
More forgiving collision detection
Random variants on common tiles
800x600 resolution
3 (Yes THREE!) levels
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:14
I'm impressed, but put it at 1024*768. At least
50% of your current market uses that resolution.
10998521 16/06/01 23:14
I tried that. The levels look too small. You can
practically see from one side of the level to the
other.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:16
So increase the tile size.
Though that would entail increasing Pokey also.
Dang.
The game design is limited by the aesthetics of a
character who was drawn once and who we are not
allowed to draw again.
10998521 16/06/01 23:17
800x600 don't look that bad. Especially with the
fogging gone.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:21
Send it over then. And include PokeyEd if you
will.
And the source, while you're at it.
10998521 16/06/01 23:22
The whole lot? Ok, but they're LARGE. PokeyEd is
an extra 500k. And the source is mostly
unreadable gibberish. On account of me ripping
lots of it out of various disparate programs and
not giving a shit about comments except to remove
unused portions of code.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:23
You're a lazy shitbag, Marty.
Reading CTYIDebate, does Jerome actually know
what a Gillen Radius is?
10998521 16/06/01 23:24
Probably not. What is a Gillen radius?
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:25
A person's constant of pretentiousness. He's
trying to apply it to individual phenomena. It's
somewhere in the Logs, I think between the last
release and the present day.
10998521 16/06/01 23:28
Ah yes. Found it. Where exactly is Jerome using
it?
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:30
Fizzytings, 16th June, 21:13:59
10998521 16/06/01 23:32
Ah. haven't got that one yet. I'm on digest.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:34
Just go straight to the online archives, unless
Yahoo have abolished that.
Diarmuid signs himself as Ogion The Silent,
Jerome replies:
"that ranks 7.13 Gillen
hahahahahahahaha"
10998521 16/06/01 23:35
I wonder is he aware of the origin of the term,
or has he just nicked it from your "one over root
two Gillen". I suspect the latter; he's a Mac
user.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:36
The latter. Impressionable lad.
It's incorrect usage as well.
10998521 16/06/01 23:37
Damn right.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:39
The Gillen radius is a constant for any given
entity. Fool.
10998521 16/06/01 23:40
He could have been saying that Diarmuid was 7.13
Gillen. Which is a ridiculous amount. 7.13
milliGillen, perhaps.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:42
Yes. The boy ain't that pretentious at all.
One over root two for the group may have been an
overestimation as well as slightly dubious usage
also.
10998521 16/06/01 23:45
I believe one over root two could be a reasonable
estimate for the entire group. And I believe
that's perfectly good usage. The Gillen radius is
measured in Gillens. Kieron's Gillen radius is
defined as one Gillen.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:50
The group's been going downhill recently though.
If it gets much less pretentious it'll have to
have its Gillen radius adjusted, and that would
lead to a catastrophic failure of the whole
system.
10998521 16/06/01 23:50
The group is a collective entity. As bits drift
off, their Gillen radii are subtracted from that
of the whole.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:52
Acceptable. I think the all-but departure of Drew
and Ashvin has been a great blow to the group's
former Gillen radius.
10998521 16/06/01 23:52
Yes. Actually, as a collective entity, I believe
the group may behave, not as a Gillen sphere, but
as some sort of metaball-based structure.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:58
Pokey is good. Any further ideas for a plot?
10998521 16/06/01 23:58
No. My sister is scared of Mr Nutty. He walks
funny, apparently.
Weishaupt 16/06/01 23:59
He doesn't walk. He glides in a wobbling fashion.
And, vampire-like, he does not appear on the map.
10998521 17/06/01 00:00
I can change that. I never added him to the map
as he does nothing as of now.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:02
It's nice to know where he is.
POKEY MUST FIRE UP THE TIME CANOE TO ESCAPE MR.
NUTTY'S BLAZING MANSION!
ITALIANS HAVE HIDDEN ALL OF THE GASOLINE! POKEY
MUST RESCUE HIS PETROCHEMICAL FRIENDS FROM THE
INFERNO!
10998521 17/06/01 00:03
POKEY MUST BATTLE THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIME
PERIODS TO RECOVER THE PARTS FOR HIS TIME CANOE!
ALONG THE WAY HE ENCOUNTERS A VARIETY OF FRIENDLY
AND NOT SO FRIENDLY PEOPLE!
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:04
POKEY CANNOT REACH OTHER TIME PERIODS WITHOUT A
FUNCTIONAL TIME CANOE. FOOL.
10998521 17/06/01 00:05
POKEY CAN USE THE TIME CANOE BUT CANNOT CONTROL
IT. IT TAKES HIM TO RANDOM POINTS IN TIME.
INCLUDING ANCIENT SCOTLAND AND FAR-FUTURE
CYBERSPACE.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:06
AND PRESENT DAY MEAT-SPACE!
10998521 17/06/01 00:06
YES
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:10
AND MR. NUTTY WANDERS AIMLESSLY BEHIND.
10998521 17/06/01 00:11
MR NUTTY HAS ACUTE BOOGIEMANIA! POKEY MUST DEFEAT
THE EVIL ITALIANS WHO HAVE INFECTED HIS FRIEND
WITH THEIR MEDITERRANEAN RHYTHMS!
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:12
BUT FIRST, HE MUST BOOGIE!
10998521 17/06/01 00:13
So which are we going for? Running away from Mr
Nutty's burning conservatory or curing his Acute
Boogiemania?
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:13
Various levels, I believe. All of which have
objectives which involve mindlessly acquiring
hundreds of identical items.
10998521 17/06/01 00:16
First I must give Mr Nutty a proper path-finding
algorithm. Then I shall add hostile creatures
(possibly Italian). Then we shall work out some
ridiculous objectives for various levels.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:17
Include the Governor and an oil slick. And maybe
a robot helper or two.
10998521 17/06/01 00:19
For a comic with so much hostility, there aren't
many hostile characters in Pokey.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:19
The main characters supply most of the antagonism
among themselves, and it's always short-lived.
10998521 17/06/01 00:20
Perhaps good for a level or so. Headcheese,
particularly.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:21
Headcheese is not so much an antagonist as a
put-upon.
10998521 17/06/01 00:22
True. But he always seems to be planning some
revenge.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:23
Is Headcheese male?
I thought all small penguins with head-growths
were female.
Small Child, on the other hand, always seems to
harbour a lingering resentment that could
probably last out a level or two.
10998521 17/06/01 00:24
Ah. Actually, further research shows that
Headcheese is female.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:24
Thought so.
10998521 17/06/01 00:25
The Devil is another possible enemy.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:25
He seems to be comic relief. Make him a bumbling
Team Rocket-esque enemy.
10998521 17/06/01 00:26
I believe all enemies shall be bumbling and Team
Rocket-esque.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:27
Given the current state of your AI, yes.
10998521 17/06/01 00:27
Pfah. I have been Researching. I now understand
pathfinding algorithms.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:28
Excellent. You now have enemies capable of
finding a target.
10998521 17/06/01 00:28
Possibly. I have yet to try implementation. The
cliff is also an enemy.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:32
Yes. I suspect Small Child will be an amusing
villain, however. Revelations along the lines of
"YOU ARE THE EVIL MASTERMIND!"
"YES! HAVE A HOT DOG!"
"HOORAY!" are on the cards.
10998521 17/06/01 00:40
Grr. Lockups.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:40
Which now?
10998521 17/06/01 00:42
The cliff. From Pokey And Cliff (173).
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:42
Yes. I know of the cliff.
10998521 17/06/01 00:43
Is Gustavo friend or foe?
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:44
Gustavo does not interest me. The hat seems to
imply he is on safari.
10998521 17/06/01 00:44
He could be an evil mastermind. They tend to
dress strangely.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:46
He has not shown this yet. This sort of duplicity
is unheard of in Pokey.
10998521 17/06/01 00:47
He may or may not have kidnapped Pokey's Grandpa.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:48
There is that. But he lacks the finesse of a true
ultimate villain.
Did I mention that this game should have Final
Fantasy style battles?
10998521 17/06/01 00:49
Yes. That could be entertaining. And easier to
code.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:50
Would also make it easier to code Half-Life into
the engine.
10998521 17/06/01 00:51
And more amusing. FFHalf-Life.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:52
Thinking of disguising yourself to gain
fraudulent entry to CTYI for mirthful purposes
after exams?
10998521 17/06/01 00:53
Nah. My brother's there. I'll probably join
people in town Session 2.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:54
This summer should prove entertaining.
10998521 17/06/01 00:55
Quite. Some friends of mine are semi-planning to
disrupt the Junior Cert with balaclavas and water
pistols.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:56
No crossbows?
10998521 17/06/01 00:57
We have no easily obtainable crossbows. Whereas
water pistols and balaclavas are available in
pound shops.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 00:58
Use t-shirts instead of balaclavas. Investigate
on E2: "How To Be A Shirt-Ninja".
10998521 17/06/01 00:59
Excellent. Shirt-ninjas it is.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:00
I was highly amused when I attempted this in the
middle of the night last week.
10998521 17/06/01 01:00
I will not try this now.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:01
While you still have your dignity.
10998521 17/06/01 01:03
Too late. I just tried it. The t-shirt is only
grey, but the effect was quite humourous.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:03
Yes. And you will interrupt the Junior Cert in
this fashion?
10998521 17/06/01 01:04
Perhaps. If I am interrupting the Junior Cert,
this will be the fashion of my interruption.
Except in black.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:04
Will there be specific targets for your dampening
antics?
10998521 17/06/01 01:05
Third years. I think the plan is to burst in,
spray the room, and run before anyone catches us.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:06
Go to Santry Omniplex and see if you can still
find a fire extinguisher.
10998521 17/06/01 01:07
Won't be able to get there by Thursday. Which is
the planned day of our attack.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:07
Balls. Ordinary pistols it will have to be.
10998521 17/06/01 01:09
The pistols we are planning on using do have
multi-directional fire. On a different note, if
we are using FF-style battles for Pokey, do we
need to show enemies on the main screen or are
they invisible, a la FF?
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:10
Make them visible, but also make it necessary to
advance to defeat higher-level enemies. Of
bourse.
10998521 17/06/01 01:11
Level 47 Pokey vs. 3 x Level 36 Italian?
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:12
Something of the sort, yes.
10998521 17/06/01 01:12
Could be amusing. And work.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:13
Have magic in there as well. Lightning and Solar
Blast would be identical (see I Got Rings) to
save on art.
10998521 17/06/01 01:14
I don't think saving on art is a problem. I can
just cut and paste.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:15
I am very attracted to the prospect of Pokey
shouting out the names of his special attacks and
spells in sppech bubbles.
10998521 17/06/01 01:15
SUMMON DEF LEPPARD!!!!
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:16
I GOT RINGS!
10998521 17/06/01 01:18
GIVE ME WHISKEY!!!
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:19
NO ID, NO WHISKEY!
10998521 17/06/01 01:19
OH NO! NOW YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:20
I believe this comes under the heading of "GUN".
POKEYZILLA!
10998521 17/06/01 01:21
Nah. Summon POKEYZILLA!
Giant Pokey comes along and shoots the enemy with
his bazooka.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:22
Pokeyzilla was just regular pokey with a bazooka.
10998521 17/06/01 01:22
TEE HEE
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:23
MOLOTOV COCKTAIL!
10998521 17/06/01 01:23
LE CIRCUIT PRINCIPAL DU DRAGON!
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:25
This does nothing. We're not even sure what it
is.
Maybe the Devil's Machine could make an
appearance.
10998521 17/06/01 01:26
I think Le Circuit should have a random effect.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:27
Yes. With giant Kanji characters blasting all
over the place, it being inventé en Chine antique
and all.
10998521 17/06/01 01:29
It could say Pokey the Penguin in Katakana. Well,
Po-Ki De Pe-N-Gi-Wi-N
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:29
No. Random Kanji, I proclaim.
10998521 17/06/01 01:30
Alright. I'll see what I can do. But the title
screen will be in Katakana.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:32
Very well. Final Pokesy it is.
10998521 17/06/01 01:32
What was the title of the episode with "NOBODY
TOUCHES MY STUFF"?
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:33
One moment.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:35
THE FORBIDDEN CANDY
10998521 17/06/01 01:35
Yes. I just found it as this message was coming
in.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:36
Reason?
10998521 17/06/01 01:36
Just looking for it. It's funny.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:36
Ah.
10998521 17/06/01 01:38
I may actually end up bringing this Pokey project
to fruition.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:39
Impressive.
10998521 17/06/01 01:40
I am a genuine video game designer. I can command
salaries of many currency units.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:40
Tomorrow.
10998521 17/06/01 01:41
Yes. Perhaps even next week.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:42
I haven't bothered trying to get DJGPP and
Windows to play nicely yet, on the other hand.
10998521 17/06/01 01:43
You're more of an ideas man.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:44
I'm a professional crap-talker.
10998521 17/06/01 01:45
The word is "consultant".
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:46
I talk too fast and I don't charge. This makes me
an insane hobo.
10998521 17/06/01 01:46
Oh well. Next best thing.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:47
Except I have a house. I think I defy
categorisation here.
10998521 17/06/01 01:48
You're the crazy guy who lives in the old house
on Knockrea Park.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:50
I dunno, Timmy, my Mom always said to stay away
from the old McInerney place...
10998521 17/06/01 01:52
What are you, Johnny, chickenshit? Those stories
about ninjas are just stupid kid's stories.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:53
Blair Witch 3.
10998521 17/06/01 01:53
It could work. All we need is a crappy video
camera.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:54
And a frightening premise.
10998521 17/06/01 01:57
After our gladiatorial combat movie.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 01:59
Or during.
10998521 17/06/01 01:59
Or we could combine the two. The kids won't go
near the old McInerney place because of the
gladiatorial combat which goes on there.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:00
Gladiatorial combat between Ninjas.
It would have worked better if I lived in the
Circus Maximus.
10998521 17/06/01 02:01
Move.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:02
Refurbish the Circus Maximus and live there. Yes.
10998521 17/06/01 02:02
It can be done. Or maybe not.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:03
They remain separate projects.
10998521 17/06/01 02:04
If you wish.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:05
But first, crossbows. This is actually quite a
simple project as these things go.
10998521 17/06/01 02:05
Simpler than Final Pokesy?
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:06
No, but that's pretty damn' simple, even for
someone who doesn't program.
10998521 17/06/01 02:07
Simple but possibly long-winded.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:08
We'll just have to hope it's entertaining enough
to finish. Then onto Final Lambdasy.
10998521 17/06/01 02:09
Final Lambdasy won't take very long once Final
Pokesy is finished. All that will be required
will be some small modifications and a different
graphic set.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:10
Well, there'll be plenty of writing to be done if
we're to convert it to an RPG.
10998521 17/06/01 02:11
Not really. Both Pokey and Half-Life are quite
lacking in meaningful dialogue.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:12
Half-Life will need some more. Though we can just
have Freeman say "..." at every point.
10998521 17/06/01 02:13
Absolutely.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:13
We'll need some entertaining Engrish lines from
the Nihilanth though.
10998521 17/06/01 02:15
Oh yes. Maximum tentacle attack!
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:15
ANCESTRAL WARP BALL!
10998521 17/06/01 02:17
Spinning whirlwind flame of righteousness!
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:18
You have reached my inner cave of floating, but
now you will be mercilessly disemboweled by
flame!
10998521 17/06/01 02:19
Feel the wrath of my venerable light!
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:20
Ah, I can see that your exploding ways have
overcome my crystals, but now I must blind you
with death.
10998521 17/06/01 02:21
Your reedlike weapons are no match for my dragon
float
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:22
! GET YOUR BUTTOCKS OUT OF MY CRANIAL CAVITY!
YOU CRAZY ORANGEMAN!
10998521 17/06/01 02:24
You havee the colour of ripe goldfish!
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:25
We'll have to make the graphics look a little
professional, you realise.
10998521 17/06/01 02:25
Professional! Are you mad?
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:26
This is Half-Life, not Pokey in an orange boiler
suit.
10998521 17/06/01 02:27
Oh please. Please let me have Pokey in a boiler
suit.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:28
You can make that his ultimate attack. Call it
Lambda Force. Pokey puts on an orange boiler suit
and whips out a badly drawn Gluon Gun.
10998521 17/06/01 02:29
Yes. I think so.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:30
And blue wavy MSPaint lines fly out of it towards
the enemy.
10998521 17/06/01 02:30
MSPaint! Pah! I use PSP, dammit. Although I'm
thinking of downloading GIMP.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:31
MSPaint is the only acceptable package for Pokey.
10998521 17/06/01 02:32
You don't even know that it was done in Paint. In
fact, as the graphics are GIFs, I doubt it
muchly.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:33
Looks Painty though. No gradients anywhere, very
few colours. Almost as if the Authors were
working with very basic tools and a limited
palette...
10998521 17/06/01 02:35
Perhaps by choice, not necessity.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:35
Paint enforces a Pokeyesque style, however.
10998521 17/06/01 02:37
Yes, but we need not assume Paint was used,
merely because of this style.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:38
It is, however, useful for making one's graphics
as much like Pokey as possible.
10998521 17/06/01 02:39
True. Although most graphics programs are capable
of Pokeystyle.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:40
Though it seems you forgot yourself when drawing
those rocks.
10998521 17/06/01 02:40
I had the rocks already for the precursor
program.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:41
Redraw, I say.
10998521 17/06/01 02:41
I will. As soon as I feel like it.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:42
And I will start ripping tiles and writing
dialogue for Final Lambdasy. Next week.
10998521 17/06/01 02:43
Next week. Actually, make up a list of enemies
and attacks for Final Pokesy first.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:46
Pokey himself:
GUN!
POKEYZILLA!
WRECKING BALL!
BLIZZARD!
SUMMON DEF LEPPARD!
LIGHTNING!
I GOT RINGS!
SUMMON BOXING GLOVE!
LAMBDA FORCE!
more later.
Should Pokey be allowed pick up more party
members?
10998521 17/06/01 02:47
I think so. It would be a use for Mr Nutty.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:47
And Skeptopotamus. And Small Child, while she's
not being evil.
10998521 17/06/01 02:48
Skeptopotamus is more of a whipping boy. Perhaps
a recurring enemy.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:52
I don't know. I think he'd just be an innocent
bystander/victim.
10998521 17/06/01 02:53
Yes. the results of our heroes' actions always
impact negatively on Skeptopotamus and his beach
house.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:54
I think he should just sit around and bemoan his
lot.
10998521 17/06/01 02:54
Yes. While we set fire to his beach house.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:56
In the process of battling Mr. Nutty, who we
discovered had some cake we wanted.
10998521 17/06/01 02:57
Yes. After this, Mr Nutty turned to our side and
helped us battle the evil forces of Gustavo.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:58
He was already on our side. He was just holding
out on us with the cake.
10998521 17/06/01 02:58
The fiend. But we showed him.
Weishaupt 17/06/01 02:59
THE CAKE IS ALSO DESTROYED OLD BEAN!
HOORAY!
Goddamn, it's late. I'm gone to bed.
10998521 17/06/01 03:00
Good night, old bean.