Home » Archimedes archive » Archimedes World » AW-1994-12-Disc1.adf » Disk1Dec94 » !AWDec94/Goodies/S42/DevNotes
!AWDec94/Goodies/S42/DevNotes
This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.
Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.
| Tape/disk: | Home » Archimedes archive » Archimedes World » AW-1994-12-Disc1.adf » Disk1Dec94 |
| Filename: | !AWDec94/Goodies/S42/DevNotes |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 0703 bytes |
| Load address: | 0000 |
| Exec address: | 0000 |
File contents
Cycloids - Development This was the very first version of Cycloids (then called Cycloidz of course) in existence. Tom sent it to us just when he was on the verge of finishing Ixion, apparently just an idea he was messing around with. Also included is a version of our original comments file, about what sort of things needed to be in the final game and some instructions as well. We were amazed at the time. Both levels of this demo are extremely difficult by the way, it took me absolutely ages of playing to get anywhere near the end of the second one (you need very careful timing and coordination for some of the jumps), this resulted in the finished game being much easier, although there are some similarities with some of the levels. It's quite amazing how much work actually needs to go into something extremely simple like moving our clown around the screen. His foot turning the unicycle one revolution takes eight separate frames of animation. A sprite file of our friend is included, and you can try a popular trick used by graphic artists to see how it works. Load the file into Paint, and double click on all the images. Now overlay them all, so the windows are in exactly the same position on top of each other (and so that they're numbered consecutively) and click continuously on the top left hand icon to start the animation going. You'll see how it works - the game uses exactly the same technique of quickly changing the picture. Also included are a couple of screenshots to compare...one from this early version, and one from the release version of the game - see how the graphics have been tidied up carefully, especially in the main character and the scenery blocks and ropes, but still keeping the basic idea of a stupid clown and weird alien creatures.
00000000 0a 43 79 63 6c 6f 69 64 73 20 2d 20 44 65 76 65 |.Cycloids - Deve| 00000010 6c 6f 70 6d 65 6e 74 0a 0a 54 68 69 73 20 77 61 |lopment..This wa| 00000020 73 20 74 68 65 20 76 65 72 79 20 66 69 72 73 74 |s the very first| 00000030 20 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 43 79 63 6c | version of Cycl| 00000040 6f 69 64 73 20 28 74 68 65 6e 0a 63 61 6c 6c 65 |oids (then.calle| 00000050 64 20 43 79 63 6c 6f 69 64 7a 20 6f 66 20 63 6f |d Cycloidz of co| 00000060 75 72 73 65 29 20 69 6e 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e |urse) in existen| 00000070 63 65 2e 20 54 6f 6d 20 73 65 6e 74 20 0a 69 74 |ce. Tom sent .it| 00000080 20 74 6f 20 75 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 77 68 65 6e | to us just when| 00000090 20 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 76 | he was on the v| 000000a0 65 72 67 65 20 6f 66 20 66 69 6e 69 73 68 69 6e |erge of finishin| 000000b0 67 0a 49 78 69 6f 6e 2c 20 61 70 70 61 72 65 6e |g.Ixion, apparen| 000000c0 74 6c 79 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 6e 20 69 64 65 61 |tly just an idea| 000000d0 20 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 6d 65 73 73 69 6e 67 20 | he was messing | 000000e0 0a 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 77 69 74 68 2e 20 41 6c |.around with. Al| 000000f0 73 6f 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 65 64 20 69 73 20 61 |so included is a| 00000100 20 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 6f 75 72 0a | version of our.| 00000110 6f 72 69 67 69 6e 61 6c 20 63 6f 6d 6d 65 6e 74 |original comment| 00000120 73 20 66 69 6c 65 2c 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 77 68 |s file, about wh| 00000130 61 74 20 73 6f 72 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 6e 67 |at sort of thing| 00000140 73 0a 6e 65 65 64 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 69 |s.needed to be i| 00000150 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 6e 61 6c 20 67 61 6d 65 |n the final game| 00000160 20 61 6e 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 0a 69 6e 73 74 72 | and some .instr| 00000170 75 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 61 73 20 77 65 6c 6c 2e |uctions as well.| 00000180 0a 0a 57 65 20 77 65 72 65 20 61 6d 61 7a 65 64 |..We were amazed| 00000190 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 2e 20 42 6f | at the time. Bo| 000001a0 74 68 20 6c 65 76 65 6c 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 |th levels of thi| 000001b0 73 0a 64 65 6d 6f 20 61 72 65 20 65 78 74 72 65 |s.demo are extre| 000001c0 6d 65 6c 79 20 64 69 66 66 69 63 75 6c 74 20 62 |mely difficult b| 000001d0 79 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 79 2c 20 69 74 20 74 6f |y the way, it to| 000001e0 6f 6b 20 6d 65 20 0a 61 62 73 6f 6c 75 74 65 6c |ok me .absolutel| 000001f0 79 20 61 67 65 73 20 6f 66 20 70 6c 61 79 69 6e |y ages of playin| 00000200 67 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 61 6e 79 77 68 65 72 |g to get anywher| 00000210 65 20 6e 65 61 72 20 74 68 65 20 0a 65 6e 64 20 |e near the .end | 00000220 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 20 6f 6e |of the second on| 00000230 65 20 28 79 6f 75 20 6e 65 65 64 20 76 65 72 79 |e (you need very| 00000240 20 63 61 72 65 66 75 6c 0a 74 69 6d 69 6e 67 20 | careful.timing | 00000250 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 6f 72 64 69 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e |and coordination| 00000260 20 66 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 | for some of the| 00000270 20 6a 75 6d 70 73 29 2c 0a 74 68 69 73 20 72 65 | jumps),.this re| 00000280 73 75 6c 74 65 64 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 |sulted in the fi| 00000290 6e 69 73 68 65 64 20 67 61 6d 65 20 62 65 69 6e |nished game bein| 000002a0 67 20 6d 75 63 68 20 0a 65 61 73 69 65 72 2c 20 |g much .easier, | 000002b0 61 6c 74 68 6f 75 67 68 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 61 |although there a| 000002c0 72 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 73 69 6d 69 6c 61 72 69 |re some similari| 000002d0 74 69 65 73 20 77 69 74 68 0a 73 6f 6d 65 20 6f |ties with.some o| 000002e0 66 20 74 68 65 20 6c 65 76 65 6c 73 2e 0a 0a 49 |f the levels...I| 000002f0 74 27 73 20 71 75 69 74 65 20 61 6d 61 7a 69 6e |t's quite amazin| 00000300 67 20 68 6f 77 20 6d 75 63 68 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 |g how much work | 00000310 61 63 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 6e 65 65 64 73 20 74 |actually needs t| 00000320 6f 0a 67 6f 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 |o.go into someth| 00000330 69 6e 67 20 65 78 74 72 65 6d 65 6c 79 20 73 69 |ing extremely si| 00000340 6d 70 6c 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 6d 6f 76 69 6e 67 |mple like moving| 00000350 20 6f 75 72 0a 63 6c 6f 77 6e 20 61 72 6f 75 6e | our.clown aroun| 00000360 64 20 74 68 65 20 73 63 72 65 65 6e 2e 20 48 69 |d the screen. Hi| 00000370 73 20 66 6f 6f 74 20 74 75 72 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 |s foot turning t| 00000380 68 65 20 0a 75 6e 69 63 79 63 6c 65 20 6f 6e 65 |he .unicycle one| 00000390 20 72 65 76 6f 6c 75 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 61 6b 65 | revolution take| 000003a0 73 20 65 69 67 68 74 20 73 65 70 61 72 61 74 65 |s eight separate| 000003b0 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 0a 6f 66 20 61 6e 69 6d 61 | frames.of anima| 000003c0 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 41 20 73 70 72 69 74 65 20 66 |tion. A sprite f| 000003d0 69 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 6f 75 72 20 66 72 69 65 6e |ile of our frien| 000003e0 64 20 69 73 20 0a 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 65 64 2c 20 |d is .included, | 000003f0 61 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 74 72 79 20 |and you can try | 00000400 61 20 70 6f 70 75 6c 61 72 20 74 72 69 63 6b 20 |a popular trick | 00000410 75 73 65 64 20 62 79 0a 67 72 61 70 68 69 63 20 |used by.graphic | 00000420 61 72 74 69 73 74 73 20 74 6f 20 73 65 65 20 68 |artists to see h| 00000430 6f 77 20 69 74 20 77 6f 72 6b 73 2e 20 4c 6f 61 |ow it works. Loa| 00000440 64 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 6c 65 0a 69 6e 74 6f 20 |d the file.into | 00000450 50 61 69 6e 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 64 6f 75 62 6c |Paint, and doubl| 00000460 65 20 63 6c 69 63 6b 20 6f 6e 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 |e click on all t| 00000470 68 65 20 69 6d 61 67 65 73 2e 20 4e 6f 77 0a 6f |he images. Now.o| 00000480 76 65 72 6c 61 79 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 6c 6c 2c |verlay them all,| 00000490 20 73 6f 20 74 68 65 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 73 20 | so the windows | 000004a0 61 72 65 20 69 6e 20 65 78 61 63 74 6c 79 20 74 |are in exactly t| 000004b0 68 65 0a 73 61 6d 65 20 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e |he.same position| 000004c0 20 6f 6e 20 74 6f 70 20 6f 66 20 65 61 63 68 20 | on top of each | 000004d0 6f 74 68 65 72 20 28 61 6e 64 20 73 6f 20 74 68 |other (and so th| 000004e0 61 74 0a 74 68 65 79 27 72 65 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 |at.they're numbe| 000004f0 72 65 64 20 63 6f 6e 73 65 63 75 74 69 76 65 6c |red consecutivel| 00000500 79 29 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6c 69 63 6b 20 0a 63 6f |y) and click .co| 00000510 6e 74 69 6e 75 6f 75 73 6c 79 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 |ntinuously on th| 00000520 65 20 74 6f 70 20 6c 65 66 74 20 68 61 6e 64 20 |e top left hand | 00000530 69 63 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 73 74 61 72 74 20 74 68 |icon to start th| 00000540 65 0a 61 6e 69 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 67 6f 69 6e |e.animation goin| 00000550 67 2e 20 59 6f 75 27 6c 6c 20 73 65 65 20 68 6f |g. You'll see ho| 00000560 77 20 69 74 20 77 6f 72 6b 73 20 2d 20 74 68 65 |w it works - the| 00000570 20 67 61 6d 65 0a 75 73 65 73 20 65 78 61 63 74 | game.uses exact| 00000580 6c 79 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 74 65 63 68 |ly the same tech| 00000590 6e 69 71 75 65 20 6f 66 20 71 75 69 63 6b 6c 79 |nique of quickly| 000005a0 20 63 68 61 6e 67 69 6e 67 0a 74 68 65 20 70 69 | changing.the pi| 000005b0 63 74 75 72 65 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 73 6f 20 69 6e 63 |cture...Also inc| 000005c0 6c 75 64 65 64 20 61 72 65 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 |luded are a coup| 000005d0 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 73 63 72 65 65 6e 73 68 6f 74 |le of screenshot| 000005e0 73 20 74 6f 20 0a 63 6f 6d 70 61 72 65 2e 2e 2e |s to .compare...| 000005f0 6f 6e 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 69 73 20 65 61 |one from this ea| 00000600 72 6c 79 20 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 |rly version, and| 00000610 20 6f 6e 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 0a 74 68 65 20 72 65 | one from.the re| 00000620 6c 65 61 73 65 20 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 |lease version of| 00000630 20 74 68 65 20 67 61 6d 65 20 2d 20 73 65 65 20 | the game - see | 00000640 68 6f 77 20 74 68 65 0a 67 72 61 70 68 69 63 73 |how the.graphics| 00000650 20 68 61 76 65 20 62 65 65 6e 20 74 69 64 69 65 | have been tidie| 00000660 64 20 75 70 20 63 61 72 65 66 75 6c 6c 79 2c 20 |d up carefully, | 00000670 0a 65 73 70 65 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 20 69 6e 20 74 |.especially in t| 00000680 68 65 20 6d 61 69 6e 20 63 68 61 72 61 63 74 65 |he main characte| 00000690 72 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 73 63 65 6e 65 72 |r and the scener| 000006a0 79 0a 62 6c 6f 63 6b 73 20 61 6e 64 20 72 6f 70 |y.blocks and rop| 000006b0 65 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 6b 65 |es, but still ke| 000006c0 65 70 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 73 69 63 20 |eping the basic | 000006d0 69 64 65 61 0a 6f 66 20 61 20 73 74 75 70 69 64 |idea.of a stupid| 000006e0 20 63 6c 6f 77 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 77 65 69 72 64 | clown and weird| 000006f0 20 61 6c 69 65 6e 20 63 72 65 61 74 75 72 65 73 | alien creatures| 00000700 2e 0a 0a |...| 00000703
.