The end of SCF?

As you *might* have noticed, I am not updating this blog or SCF itself anymore, and the project does look dead indeed.

I've officially stopped working on SCF now. But... (yes, there's a but) the only reason I stop working on SCF is because I will start a new online game.

Why? Well, I made SCF because I'd never done an online game before, and creating a game for others to play wasn't really my primary goal in the SCF project. I partially made SCF for myself, to learn new things and such. Because I had zero experience with online game development, the scripts in SCF are really messy, and adding new features, improving existing features etc is nearly impossible at the moment. Therefore I came up with the idea to completely start over, and, because I also have some cool ideas that won't fit in SCF, it will be an entirely new game. Technically, it will be based on SCF, conceptually, it won't have to do anything with the Special Cube Force anymore. Still though, there might be a few elements you could recognize from SCF.

Because the game is still in an early, conceptual fase, I can't tell you so much about it yet. I'm working on it under the name "Project York". Don't start Googling 'York' right away, it's just a project name.

As I have officially announced that I will not work on SCF anymore, this blog is obviously dead too. I'll create a new devlog for Project York soon, and post the link here.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone who helped my with the development of Special Cube Force. Especially to Tim Kampermann, for hosting the game, receiving 3 updates per day and still not complaining too much about it (thanks in advance for hosting this next game too, even if you didn't know that yet, Tim), and his suggestions that helped me creating the game.

Also many thanks to everyone that played SCF and thanks for all of the suggestions and comments in the forums.

If you're interested in this next project: you can start Googling for 'Zed' ;)

UPDATE: You can find the new devlog at yorkdev.blogspot.com. Stay tuned! :D

Advertisement

As you can see at the bottom of my devlog, I've added Adsense blocks to the page. These blocks will probably motivate me to work harder on SCF itself. I hope you don't find it disturbing and I surely don't want you to get the impression that I want money (even if I do).

Back to the subject this devlog is made for. Somehow I can't get something working: I wanted to make separate area's in SCF to reduce the amount of data being sent to players and to split up some parts of the word. This gives me some technical advantages and it could create some possibilities in gameplay. That is, of course, if the thing actually works. Though I have found examples that can help me (eventually) and all I can hope is that I can fix it ASAP.

A quick chat is added aswel, you can now press key 1-5 to create a text above your head (from "OMG" to "Noes!" and "*gasp*").
Before I forget, the enemies have a fightwords system now (based on the quick chat system for players). This means they will shout things like "Aaargg" and "Yarr!". A significant difference, in my opinion :)

Well, that's it for today. Yarr!

Experience to level

I just build in a level system. You collect the blue tokens as usual, but now your level is calculated too. The level of a player is visible behind his/her name. At the moment you don't realy do anything with it, but it helps to indicate how good a certain player is. I'm also working on userbars that indicate your current level, for example.

Also, there are now moving enemies available. Probably a bit more difficult than the idle ones :)

Currently working on the expansion of the level. I'm making the world higher, because it is way too flat right now.

Next...

I'm thinking about uploading the new version soon, though I seem to have a little problem. All the things I actually wanted to change are, in fact, not changed at all. And on the other hand: Most things that I didn't really needed to change are adjusted a bit. The result is quite good by the way, even though a player won't see much of a difference between the current and previous version, that doesn't mean there aren't any: The interface and HUD are slightly changed, and I really think it looks (at least a bit) better. I also reorganised some things what makes it easier for me to update SCF in the future. As you could have guessed, the data transmission system is not updated yet because I am still experiencing problems with it. I just hope I don't get any problems with that too fast.

Also, before I'm going to upload the next version, I'll expand the level somewhat. Plus, I'll include a new teamwork element. :)

A mess

I'm talking about the source code now. Who ever wrote those scripts? Ah, wait... =P
Anyway, I AM making progress, reorganising a few things in the source now. I now actually got to the data system itself. The update system and menus are already improved.

First interfaces almost done

The first interfaces (connect to server, login, create account, update) are almost done. Just need to add one more thing: The news bulletins from the server.

You now navigate in this way:

- Game connects to server
- Game checks for updates

When there's an update available, you can click a button to update SCF. The download screen now has a counter to indicate the ETA (seconds remaining), and the updater will remove the old version automatically when the new version gets launched. These are only small modifications, but the system looks better now (I also cleaned things up in the source code, making it easier to edit the system, if necessary).

After a connection with the server has been established, the login screen appears. The news bulletins will shown in this screen too. Besides that, most things look the same like before (switching between 'create account' and 'log in' etc.)

Anyway, that's it for today. I'm working on SCF as much as I can ;)

Making progress

So it seems it is less difficult than I first thought. I already made a improved system to connect to the server.

There is still much to do though, but I assume it will be finished much earlier than expected. Need to figure some things out yet, but the engine is much easier to edit now, as I reorganized all elements of the engine in total.

There will be some changes, in interface AND in gameplay. As I already mentioned in a previous post, there was added a new gameplay feature before I started on the engine, it won't change the game dramatically, but it will enlarge the replay value of every part of the levels, and I'm sure people will like it :)

On the other side the login/connect screens are slightly changed: Connecting to the server and logging in are now separated, what shouldn't be bad for the user by the way, but it is easier to edit things in that way, and it makes me able to show you a new bulletin or whatever in the home-screen, even if you're not logged in yet (e.g.: "If you can't log in..." or "New in the update:...").

When you log in, there should be (still working on this part) a status/progress screen, that shows your stats (your score, playing time, the part of the world you've already discovered etc) and the stats of other players (like the global high-score list).

Yes, those are not parts essential to the main engine, but I could build everything a lot faster if I build it in right now.

So, still nothing interesting to show yet, but there is progress.

Hidden progress

As I've said before, Special Cube Force will remain paused until the online engine is completely rewritten. So you won't receive any updates until that, nor will the server be online.

I'm currently working on the engine though, it really takes some work (as I expanded SCF quite some times), there is really much to change, as everything is connected to everything in the scripts. But I'll manage to adjust all of this properly, even if I have no idea how long this will take.

Updating all of this means however, that the engine will be way better after the next release, and I'll make it so that I can adjust things more easily. After that I can update things that you are able to see (as the matter of fact, I already added something nice, and it will be available as soon as possible).

So, in short: Updating everything for the next release will take a while, but it has a bright side too. ;)

Ah, and when I release the next update, perhaps there will be people who actually READ all of this... But I'll keep reporting updates here anyway, just in case. :P

Paused

SCF will remain paused for a while. This does not mean that the project has been canceled.

Zzzzz

SCF has been paused for a while, but I'm working on the game again. You won't see any updated the next couple of days, but I'll fix the data system (yeah, still that part). Also, a central profile-system would be nice too, as there are going to be more than one server (probaly). At the moment, each server has it's own profile list, and that's not so good for a game like this, I assume.

So, no new level or other functions until the system is ready (after all, when there are only a few people who can play at the same moment because of the lag, there is no point in updating the other stuff), sorry.

Still though, If you have any suggestions, I will take a look at them anyway. After the data system, Special Cube Force needs a lot of updates before it can get a "Finished" status.

Next blog entry will be the one that tells you that everything of the system is ready and that I can work on the nice parts of the game, like the playing world and new functions :)

Userbars

Good news for the people who like putting those userbars in their signature on forums, I made some for SCF:


To add it to your sig, just copy the following piece of BBcode:

[url=http://scfdev.blogspot.com]
[img]http://home.hetnet.nl/%7Etijn_kersjes/iSupportSCF.png[/img]
[/url]

A direct download userbar is available too:


To add it to your sig, just copy the following piece of BBcode:

[url=http://home.hetnet.nl/%7Etijn_kersjes/SCF%20Online.exe]
[img]http://home.hetnet.nl/%7Etijn_kersjes/iDownloadSCF.png[/img]
[/url]

Still working on SCF

Yes, I know it has been a while since the last update of Special Cube Force. But now I have 2 weeks vacation, so I'll work on it again. In fact, I released a new update of the platformer, it includes an enemy update, 'cause they were not really included before.

There is also a NPC who tells you how to neutralize the enemies, in this case, jumping on them will do the trick.

I'm currently working on a system for moving NPC's, both hostile as friendly. When this is done I can start working on things like quests. Think of helping a cube to the other side without getting him killed by enemies and stuff like that. Also think of cource, about normal moving enemies, the current ones only stand there waiting to get 'neutralized'. They will respawn after something like 1 minute though, so the current system is finished.

Enemies

Yes, the enemy cube type will be added soon. Actually, there are allready 3 of them added in the world. But as they're allready killed, you won't see them (of cource, in a new system they will eventually respawn. But for now, you don't have to worry).

The enemies will look simple, just like the rest of the game. They will be red (because enemies are always red, that's a rule), and they don't smile like other cubes.

Touching them will hurt you, let you lose all recent collected points and respawn again, just like the plasma.

About the new online engine: It's not finished yet. The players still seem to jump to random directions, so I need to fix that before I build it into Special Cube force.
Sure I'll figure it out, but it can be very frustrating if things don't work the way you want them to.

Still no problem, 'cause the current system works well for the current amount of people online.

100th user

Last Saturday, the 100th account was created on SCF.

Apart from that, I added highscore displays recently, so you are able to check who has collected the most points. This works pretty well, and someone already has more than 1700.

I'm thinking of splitting up users to different teams. Blue cubes vs Red cubes for example. Teams can play to get the highest score (per player, of course), and things like that. I'm not sure about this tough, but I'm already making a system for this, in case people like the idea.

I guess that was it, for this update. I'll make some screenshots of the new features today, and I will post them right here.

Progress

Okay, I'm working much on the final version lately. The new data transmitting system is nearly done. The incoming and outgoing data is 200 times les than in the DEMO. The idea of this is that every player moves less laggy, and the server can handle more players now. Still though, it is not perfect yet, but I won't change it, because people want to see the next version, and I want to get it done soon too.

I want to add some new functions in the coming update too. This means that after you 've logged in, you will get a new screen. Not sure what I will make, but here are some ideas:

- News bullitins: The news system makes me able to post some bullitins, that everybody can read after logging in.
- A status screen, with your score (yes, I allready have made cubes you can pick up)
- Highscore list
- Friend system (not sure I have time for this): Add friends, look whether they are online or not, and where they are in the (almost) big world.
- Of cource, with the friend-position system, I need to make a sort of world map.

I'm sure the news system will be build in, and the status screen as well. Perhaps the highscore list too, and, when the other things are done, the friend system. Not sure yet, because appart from searching them on a map, I don't really see what you can do with it...

As you can read, I've much to do. But before I'm making all of this, I want to enlarge the world first.

Signatures
If you want to support the game, you can add one of these images to your signature (place the URL between the [img] and [/img] tag):

http://home.hetnet.nl/~tijn_kersjes/SCFsig.png The standard signature image.

http://iphonephp.com/Tijn/SCF/scfnewsbox.php This is a dynamic image. The text on the image can be updated very easy by me. So this picture is always up-to-date!

Soon: the final version

I decided to stop working on the current level. Instead, this is the testing area, so if someone finds a bug, please report it.

Starting from the scratch, I make a complete new world. Also a higher one, so you can go in every 4 directions, not only to your left and right.

Seems that the engine works well, most of the bugs are fixed, unless there are some unknown ones. Score system needs to get build in, and probaly some enemies too.
If those are working well, I'm ready to get started on the final version of SCF (of cource, this does not mean it is finished, there will always be updates, I just mean that we leave the demo stage).

Admin gadgets

Probaly not so much for you, but I and Tim have new admin gadgets. This includes a remote control for all electronic objects in the game, such as doors. And, my favority, a sort of jetpack which makes us able to fly trough the world (all to help people, not for fun of cource :P ).

Anyway, the admins will get some more gadgets to support players in game. This can be simply done by answering questions, or to help them on teamwork-based places when nobody else is arround.

The admins can be reconized by their green color.

Accounts and teamwork

The new version of SCF includes the use of real accounts, you simply create one, and log in with it. Just like you are used to I guess. With the account-feature comes a chat update as well, by typing /user you start a Personal Message mode with the entered user. By typing a / you will be in public chat again.

I've also added the teamwork element, it was already planned in the beginning, but now there is a actual part in the world that requires 2 players (well, it's a start at least). This is meant for giving the game some more value than just walking around.
However, now I have the problem that players can't pass these points when there is nobody at the same place. Still working on that, I assume the best solution is to not make teamwork necessary if you are only walking to the other side, just when you want to get a high score or something like that.

Still arguing about the server up-times, probably somewhere next weekend.

You can expect a offline-explore-world mode in the next version, so you can get an idea of the actual game.

More updates

Okay, so my friend made a board so that users could post their suggestions, found bugs and stuff like that.

To the SCF Boards

Besides that I finished the base of the chat system. By pressing ENTER, the chatbox pops up. All cubes in the area (the onces you can see, and a tiny bit further) will see your messages. Now, because you don't have the chatbox open all the time, there is this notification thing. When you press the DOWN key when you stand before another player, he will get a flashing icon in the corner of his windows. This will tell him to open the chatbox, so you can talk to eachother. (I know, it's a bit weird, but this is just the base, it will be extended with private messages etc).

3000 pixels are added to the world too. This includes 2 buildings, and introduces plasma. The idea is that you should not make contact with it. But if you do, you simply respawn at the beginning...

The public beta is planned for Friday 29-2-2008.  I should say this on 64digits too, if I want to have some people to play it by then. That means my post ends here. I hope some people are interested, and that they stay interested after playing the game ;)

Tijn

Special Cube Force beta

As you can see, I've created a devlog for Special Cube Force. I have been working on it much recently, and I think the game is ready for a public beta. Yeah, it's about time...

The MMO engine works fine, as far as I've tested it with my friend, so now we could test it in a real situation: with more than only 2 players at the same time. All bugs that we found are fixed, the game is stable, so you can start downloading the game.

Note that you can't log in yet. The uptimes of the server will be released within a few days.

Tijn