Super DX-Ball v1.1 BETA Test

[Mike W.]

Hello All,

We could use some help with beta testing the latest version of Super DX-Ball.

v1.1
-----
New Features:
-Continue Game
-Difficulty levels - Easy, Casual, Classic, Hard
-Board Selection screen with ability to unlock and start on higher boards
-Board Shuffle option
-Neverending game option, loop after last board
-Included original DX-Ball boards, no longer an easter egg
-Plus... options to turn off all this new stuff ;)


Shareware download link:
superdxb11_beta1.exe (http://www.blitwise.com/sdxbtest_167_beta1/superdxb11_beta1.exe)


Please give this version a try and let us know if you find anything that needs fixing. Hopefully everyone will enjoy the new features. As for a board editor... that is still in the works but its release is imminent. :)

Thanks for the help!

[ekoz]

yay...first reply... it should be very fun. thank you for the privilage of a: finally talking to you on the forum, (because i kinda talked to you via e-mail, but not forum), and b: turning your faithfull crowd into guinea pigs (for the better cause). thank you.

[Drjinak]

I just downloaded the beta today. I am addicted to this game and will provide any feedback on the beta as soon as I can.

:)

[blue_moon]

We get to test it? AWESOME! I downloaded, and found nothing wrong. Love the layout.

[XRaiderV1]

will try it later today myself as well.

[blue_moon]

This is all of our dreams! We get to test! This is...
AWESOME!
I found nothing wrong still, the new features are awesome. I can't wait for the board editor.

[Mike W.]

Thanks for checking it out. It sounds like things are pretty smooth so far. Has anyone tried the game on these systems?

-Windows Vista
-Windows 98
-Windows 95

I still have to do my routine compatibility testing before a release, so feedback on those systems in particular would be helpful.

Glad everyone enjoys it so far. Please let me know if the game feels too 'soft' with it's default settings. I've tried to make it clear to players that Super DX-Ball can be made as hard as before, or ever more grueling. The DX-Ball series has always been a very unforgiving breakout game, except for DX-Ball 2 of course. So I'm trying to reduce the frustration level for the average gamer while giving advanced players a better challenge.

Does the board unlock method make sense and feel right?

Cheers,

[Rex Nex]

I am testing it also. Thanks Mike for bringing us this, it should be some fun to beta-test it. And glitches/errors found will be reported... slow connection....... 80% done. :(

[Rex Nex]

I am testing it also. Thanks Mike for bringing us this, it should be some fun to beta-test it. And glitches/errors found will be reported... slow connection....... 80% done. :(
Ok, no seriuse glitches found, but some things just... annoy me.
The first is in the game itself, the level will sometimes end before the brick dissapears. I dont know if this is fixable, but its a little, uh, "weird" to end a level with a dark grey brick still in the "Exploding" process. Another is the "Buy The Deluxe!" screen after you play. Sometimes when you press "Maybe Later" it will bring you back to the menu, instead of your desktop.

[blue_moon]

Well, the board unlock is working like normal. Well, I don't really know what it is supposed to act like, but for every difficulty, you have to unlock the boards again, right?

[ChallengeSpaceYard]

Might want to...

Make boards played in In Order count toward Select Board for purposes of unlock.I'm surprised by the fact that...

The Classic DX-Ball is no longer hidden.
The Surprise board pack will no longer be an expansion pack (if I'm reading right).
Lots of other features.No reports so far.

[Mike W.]

Another is the "Buy The Deluxe!" screen after you play. Sometimes when you press "Maybe Later" it will bring you back to the menu, instead of your desktop.

I'll make sure the Maybe Later button is working correctly. As for the partially exploded brick at level end... I've not noticed that. I'll fix it if is starts to bug me too. Thanks... I think. ;)

As for unlocking, yes the boards need to be unlocked on each difficulty level. Does that makes sense? I'm not really sure how to make that obvious... is the current handling good enough or will people simply not get it? Does anyone think that a board should only need to be unlocked once, no matter what the level?

About the In-Order counting towards unlock: I like that idea except that then I'd feel like the board shuffle ought to count against unlock. It's a catch 22.

Right... Classic boards are no longer hidden and the Surprise Pack is now included in Deluxe. Did I mention that I'm raising the price to $19.99? That's why Surprise is in there, plus it's a cool board pack and rounds out the Deluxe experience nicely IMHO. It's funny, folks have been asking me to raise the price of SDXB to $20 for years now. I simply could not do that without giving customers more bang for the buck. :)

[Rex Nex]

Glad to hear that.

[ChallengeSpaceYard]

I'll make sure the Maybe Later button is working correctly.
Forgot about that bug.

About the In-Order counting towards unlock: I like that idea except that then I'd feel like the board shuffle ought to count against unlock. It's a catch 22.
I'm okay with this.

Right... Classic boards are no longer hidden and the Surprise Pack is now included in Deluxe. Did I mention that I'm raising the price to $19.99? That's why Surprise is in there, plus it's a cool board pack and rounds out the Deluxe experience nicely IMHO. It's funny, folks have been asking me to raise the price of SDXB to $20 for years now. I simply could not do that without giving customers more bang for the buck. :)
What are you going to do to existing customers once this update comes out?

[blue_moon]

Perhaps they have to charge the customer four dollars. Maybe they''l be kind and just update it.
Also, what do you mean "you need to play them in order?" The only way to not play them in order is by doing shuffle mode.

[Everlast]

As for unlocking, yes the boards need to be unlocked on each difficulty level. Does that makes sense? I'm not really sure how to make that obvious... is the current handling good enough or will people simply not get it? Does anyone think that a board should only need to be unlocked once, no matter what the level?

I think that if you unlock a level, it should unlock that level for all the difficulty level below it. So if you unlock a board on hard, it would unlock that board for all the difficulty levels. But if you unlock a board on Classic it wouldn't unlock the board for hard, because it is a higher difficulty.

[Mike W.]

What are you going to do to existing customers once this update comes out?

Existing Deluxe customers get the update for free. As for folks who purchased Surprise... Brian and I are devising some kind of perk for current Surprise Pack owners.

[Drjinak]

I am using Windows Vista and have not had any problems. I like the additional options for difficulty and being able to continue on the same level when you run out of lives.


Actually I did find one problem when set on hard for difficulty - I can't seem to keep the ball in play. I am pretty sure it is something that i will overcome with practice :o Great changes!! I am looking forward to the release.

:D

[ChallengeSpaceYard]

Existing Deluxe customers get the update for free. As for folks who purchased Surprise... Brian and I are devising some kind of perk for current Surprise Pack owners.

Release another purchasable expansion pack and give Surprise pack owners for free?... (just an idea though; I'm not a Surprise pack owner though I still have Deluxe)

[XRaiderV1]

i love it!
no bugs that i can detect, other than a slight slow down with more than 5 balls in play, course, that could just be my system though.

[blue_moon]

I remember there being a ball cap... I remember getting a split, then two eights and I let them all go...
1x2=2x8=16x8=49 balls fell and 1 stayed.

[Scooter]

I'll test it next weekend. Sorry I can't do it sooner.

[Rex Nex]

Im making a utub video.
I like utubs.

[blue_moon]

Whats an utub? Anyway, whats the max ball cap for you guys?

[Zwaken]

Thanks for checking it out. It sounds like things are pretty smooth so far. Has anyone tried the game on these systems?

-Windows Vista
-Windows 98
-Windows 95



Does the board unlock method make sense and feel right?

I wil be able to try it on Vista when I go to my dad's house, which is next sunday.

The board unlock seems fair.

[Samail]

Thanks for checking it out. It sounds like things are pretty smooth so far. Has anyone tried the game on these systems?

-Windows Vista
-Windows 98
-Windows 95

I still have to do my routine compatibility testing before a release, so feedback on those systems in particular would be helpful.

Cheers,

I can test it on Windows 98 and XP. I don't suppose it's compatible with Linux?

I think the board unlock method looks good. Extra things to keep a person motivated to play. :D Though the decision is whether or not unlocking a board on one difficulty should unlock it for the rest.

Only thing I noticed first was the original DX-Ball boards being on the top of the pack list. I think the primary packs should be first and then descend from there. Same for expansions. (You know, like how the Pocket Tanks weapons are arranged by pack release date.) But that's just nit-picky stuff. :rolleyes:

(I actually prefer to play the DX-Ball boards in the original game. Just gives a person that nice classical feeling. That and you can choose the music. :))

EDIT: Hmm... OK, so to unlock a board you have to win that one 3 times. So, you have to play the game through 3 times to get it? Do I have that right?

[Mike W.]

Actually I did find one problem when set on hard for difficulty - I can't seem to keep the ball in play. I am pretty sure it is something that i will overcome with practice :o Great changes!! I am looking forward to the release. :D

That's funny! :)
And thank you.


The ball cap is, and I quote from the ball.cpp source code:
const int bl_maxActiveBalls = 36;

I think it was with 36 balls that my Athlon 500 would start to slow down. I can't remember if they were fireballs or not... those can really slow a computer down. (particles I assume are the culprit)

As for Linux compatibility... yes w have Super DX-Ball and Pocket Tanks running perfectly on Linux. We're flirting with the idea (no promises) of releasing on Linux, since I visit www.happypenguin.org every day and I feel like we're missing out on the fun. :)

I could put the classic DX-Ball boards later on in the list. It was a tough decision to put MegaBall and DX-Ball first. I'm still pondering that decision, so thanks for the input.

Yes, you need to beat the board three times to unlock it.

Does anyone think that maybe you should only have to 'play' the board 3 times to unlock it rather than 'beat/win it? I'm sensing a bit of confusion on the whole unlock topic.

Any testing on Vista would be most helpful. Cheers!

[Samail]

There was a time when I picked up about 4 of 2-split icons and then 2 8-split icons. My computer almost froze up. :)

I was playing just now and also noticed that the ball makes the same sound when it hits paddle, regardless of the ball's size.

May also be nice to be able to choose what song plays, like in the classic DX-Ball.

It's also quite easy to have a higher score than everyone else if someone was to set the continues to unlimited, and then the play the same boards over and over again. :rolleyes:
EDIT: OK, maybe not. Score resets after all lives are lost. Good idea.

Having to play each board 3 times may be nice. I'm not sure.

I can picture Super DX-Ball on a Linux system. :) Blends in well with games like Frozen Bubble.

So anyways, nothing unstable about anything so far. Very nice. And this is only BETA!

[yacoub]

Hey Brian/Mike, can you PLEASE implement one very basic fix for the mouse cursor, so it behaves properly in windowed mode like it does in Neon Wars?

The cursor needs to be constrained to the game's window when the game is not Paused. This will help prevent so many frustrating accidental window focus changes in the midst of a game when clicking to release the ball when you have the holder paddle or when firing the laser paddle, as well as when the cursor gets far enough outside the game window that the paddle responds erratically or stops moving with your mouse without warning.

Thanks.

[Rex Nex]

Yes I have tested once again (HIGHSCORE of 3k!) and the exploding brick while winning is true, I can beat the game while the brick is still exploding.

[Everlast]

Is that the lighting thing? Because I was playing and a bolt of lightning destroyed the last brick. I didn't play the game much but I don't remember that.

[Rex Nex]

No: If you hit the last brick, you will win before it is even destroyed. So you end the game with a grey brick.

SOMETHING ELSE: With the laser power up, if you fire just right, the laser will go through the sides of bricks without destroying them.

[blue_moon]

Is that the lighting thing? Because I was playing and a bolt of lightning destroyed the last brick. I didn't play the game much but I don't remember that.
Yes, if you have trouble knocking out the last brick, it will be destroyed by lightning after a long while. However, that time appears to be reduced. You should hear a static-ish/buzzing electric sound after you hit the second to last ball. Before, this took longer.
@ Rex:
Yeah, I know what you are talking about. You get a half exploded brick, you can't make out the original color but its a gray color and is almost done exploding. Perhaps if Mike was to implement a timer.

[yacoub]

I bet the time-to-lightning increases with the difficulty level. =)

Btw am I the only person playtesting this in Windowed mode? It seems like it if no one else mentions how frustrating it is when the mouse cursor moves beyond the bounds of the game window while trying to shoot bricks with the laser paddle or release the ball with the catcher/holder paddle causing chaos on your desktop in the background, accidentally maximizing/restoring the game window, etc.

[Samail]

Well I played through the entire DX-Ball pack. That took me some time. (Plus or minus 4 continues.) :rolleyes: Nothing unstable at all. I even had 24 larger balls in play and no slow downs. Now to play the 50 boards 2 more times! Onward! (Nothing else to do at work...)

I think it would be nice to have the music from the original DX-Ball as well. Especially the longer one that doesn't repeat itself as much as the others. I mean the one that doesn't have the long note at the start, or the high score board theme, or the one that actually is a real song. (Can't remember the name. The quieter one.)

Also the music on the board selection screen could be a little louder.

[blue_moon]

I bet the time-to-lightning increases with the difficulty level. =)

Btw am I the only person playtesting this in Windowed mode? It seems like it if no one else mentions how frustrating it is when the mouse cursor moves beyond the bounds of the game window while trying to shoot bricks with the laser paddle or release the ball with the catcher/holder paddle causing chaos on your desktop in the background, accidentally maximizing/restoring the game window, etc.
That was on the hard difficulty.

Yes, I played in windowed mode. It didn't actually bother me because I had no need for the paddle to go outside the only playable area.

[yacoub]

Obviously the paddle doesn't go outside it, but your mouse cursor moves around and often some bit up or down that adds up, so unless you're using the keyboard to move the paddle your mouse will work its way outside of the game's window, usually above or below it (since the cursor is not properly locked into the window like it is in Neon Wars to prevent focus change with a click).
Maybe it's also because I run a fairly high resolution and cursor movement speed (naturally) so it more easily gets outside the little game window and wreaks havoc when clicked.

[Samail]

Quick question. What makes the Hard difficulty hard? I played Classic, then Hard. Are there more bad items, or does the ball move faster, etc?

[Bert]

About the windowed mode thing...It pauses when you click outside of the game, so what's the big deal? I said it once, and I'll say it again. You shouldn't be spazzing out so much that you constantly keep moving your curser outside of the window. Why do you have windowed mode on if you don't want to click on things outside of the game anyway?

I also noticed that the music seems quieter compared to the sound effects. It seems the sound effects are overpowering the music at most time. Maybe not, I am not sure though.

[Everlast]

I use windowed mode so I can do mulitple things at one time.

[yacoub]

I use windowed mode in games for that same reason - so I can simply Pause or Alt-Tab over to another window or my desktop. However SDXB doesn't constrain the mouse cursor properly.

About the windowed mode thing...It pauses when you click outside of the game, so what's the big deal?

The game involves clicking when using the laser paddle or the capture paddle. Because the cursor is still live in the background on the desktop and not kept within the game's window, if you click when the cursor isn't exactly over the little game window, the click is registered on the desktop. When clicking rapidly, as one does with the laser paddle (and when multiple balls are in play and using the capture paddle), this wreaks havoc by accidentally opening another program via a desktop icon, or screwing up something in another open window that was open in the background where the cursor was on the desktop.

Look, it's not very easy to explain why this is such a problem, but it is and it's a very easy thing to fix and it's a very basic thing to restrain the cursor to within the game's window except when Paused or alt-tab is used to switch focus. This is something that most other games (including Neon Wars) do when in windowed mode.

I don't understand why you're insulting me about an obvious deficiency in the windowed mode of the game. What do you have AGAINST this being fixed?
There is no LOGICAL reason you would need to click on on your desktop while the game is in progress. If you need to do that simply hit alt-tab or Pause the game like you would with all other windowed games including Neon Wars. It's not my fault you play in a low resolution monitor where the game even in windowed mode takes up most of your screen so you don't experience this very annoying bug. :anirolleyes:

[Bert]

I am against it because it is perfectly fine the way it is.

Neon wars is a game where you really are flailing the mouse around. You dodge aircrafts thingys moving really fast, and it is chaos. Neon Wars has a curser restraint because you are constantly hitting the edges of the game in windowed mode. DX Ball is different. You aren't supposed to be hitting the edge with your mouse frequently; it's not as much as an action game as Neon Wars is. In DX Ball, you can easily plan where you will move your mouse because you can see the whole level at once, unlike in Neon Wars. You don't know where everything is, or is going to be in Neon Wars, so you tend to flail the mouse. Causing you to hit the edges of the level. Basically my point here is that they are different games, and you can't compare them.

The way it is now, really is the most convenient solution, as long as you have some control over your mouse. Let's say you are in the middle of a game, and if you look down to hit the P key, you will lose. All you have to do is click outside the window, and presto, the game is paused. Easy and simple.

How is pausing then getting the window out of your view in windowed mode, easier then pausing then minimizing with the windows key or something in regular mode? It's not. That's why in windowed mode you can just click out of the window to pause the game. It is more convenient for multitasking, hence what windowed mode is for.

With what you are suggesting, I really don't see how windowed mode is much of a help compared to regular mode. The only way I could see it useful if maybe if you are eagerly waiting for an Email or something, and you have to read it the minute you get it. But if you were so eager for something, why would you be playing a game if it is so important (also, you could tell if you got an email from sound, not just visuals)? On a side note, I pretty much think windowed mode is useless in Neon Wars.

If you can't keep the mouse in windowed mode, then you shouldn't be using it.

I wasn't insulting you. I don't have this problem at all. Who else is experiencing this problem?

I am not sure where that random comment came from about my screens resolution. :confused: Anyway, there are two reasons I don't experience this so called "bug". One, I don't play windowed mode (until you brought up this silly debate). Two, it is not a bug.

[Rex Nex]

It was just a idea, let him talk Bert!

GO BERT GO!

[Zwaken]

Is that the lighting thing?

Just to throw something out there: It has a really cool name that I saw in the readme. (I know I'm sounding kinda like "OMG, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED?!?" person, but I'm not trying to sound like that) It's called "act of god." :D

[Samail]

I knew that a long time ago. Can't remember where I read the name...

As for windowed mode, I understand both sides:

On the one side: I have been using a windowed program before, and then my mouse goes outside and I lose. That is infuriating.

One the other side: Pausing, and being able to easily go outside the window is useful as well.

Anyway, you guys' points have been recorded, several times, in more than one thread. So you can stop arguing about it. Let Blitwise decide what to do.


About the sound/music volume, I've noticed many oddities with sound and music on different computers. In some cases one is louder than the other. In some cases the sound fades more the closer the ball gets to one side of the screen. All speakers settings were balanced and configured properly on all of the those computers, so I don't know what's going on there.

[Rex Nex]

I use earphones.

[yacoub]

I am against it because it is perfectly fine the way it is.


See you really don't have a clue. It's not simply the mouse movement that causes problems, it's the clicking. You don't even know when you've moved the mouse outside of the game's window until you get a paddle that involves clicking and then everything can get screwed up if the cursor is outside the game window when you start clicking as you move the paddle back and forth, and have to stop playing to fix everything that was getting clicked on and then get back into the game.

It is NOT fine the way it is. In fact I wouldn't buy it if this doesn't get fixed because for me I only plan to play in Windowed mode and the way it is implemented is unacceptable.

"The way it is now, really is the most convenient solution,"
No it isn't.
The problem is you are used to a BROKEN implementation of cursor click constraint in a windowed-mode game [or as we find out later, you don't even play the game in windowed mode so you really shouldn't be commenting on this matter at all to begin with].

Besides, there is NO real convenience lost were they to fix it so the cursor clicks are captured within the game window when the game is in play and only register outside the game window if the game is paused or you alt-tab.

"I wasn't insulting you. You might actually have a physical disability..."

:anirolleyes: Stop acting like a troll by tossing veiled insults at me. My machine is running a high resolution and as is natural for higher resolution displays the mouse cursor movement speed is higher and accelerated, so it is much easier for it to work itself outside a little 800x600 window. This is exactly why games in windowed mode usually offer proper mouse cursor click constraint - the cursor will always work its way outside of the window, and if clicks aren't captured in the game's window when the game is in play, it will accidentally register on the desktop or other windows open next to the game window.
Either the game can be fixed to work properly in windowed mode or it can be left the way it is, which is not proper and thus 'buggy'.

And you really don't understand what I'm suggesting if you think some convenience is lost when windowed mode is implemented properly. The only change is that the cursor clicks stay within the game window except when Paused or alt-tabbed.

"I don't play windowed mode"
So there's the real proof you're just being a disagreeable jerk - you don't even play the game in that mode yet you want to argue against my helpful suggestion and demand it not be fixed. Real useful feedback you offer. You put the game in windowed mode and played it for a couple minutes, deemed it fine, and decided to be a pain in the butt for no valid reason. Wonderful. Thanks so much!
Now stop hounding me and stop following all my posts with a disagreement that makes no sense.

[ChallengeSpaceYard]

Even I sometimes have problems in Windowed mode.

As for the lasers and grabbers, I use the space bar instead of the mouse to release the ball/fire the lasers. That way I don't accidentally click outside the window if the mouse does slip outside of it.

[yacoub]

thanks I'll try that in the meantime until it gets fixed. :)
spacebar's a lot louder thank a mouseclick but at home that's ok.

[Mike W.]

Hum... there are two schools of thought on windowed mode coding ethics.

1) Lock the mouse to the mouse to the window to ensure the game runs properly. That tends to throw off newbie computer users and is generally shunned most enthusiastically by Apple Inc's code philosophies and Mac developers in general. The thought of a mere program altering the physical position of the mouse pointer it taboo and generally considered 'evil'.

2) Do not constrain the mouse to the window and be 'free'. You know, like free as in anarchy and chaos. When the mouse leave the window and you click around, you lose focus and click on stuff that is not part of the game. :)

Generally I like to avoid constraining the mouse to the window because I personally only use windowed mode for debugging the game while programming. Plus it's less rude of my games (relative to the OS and general good etiquette) to avoid locking the mouse to the window.

I propose this, since I am releasing a new version of Super DX-Ball in only another month or so... I'll try to squeeze in an option to lock the mouse to the window during gameplay. I'll default the option to off so that folks don't complain about losing their mouse pointer and such, which would most assuredly happen.

Other things I saw mentioned...

Yes, I changed the big ball paddle bounce effect to sound like a normal bounce. I just like that better after all. :)

There has been no changes to the music and sound effect volumes.

I'm not ultra worried about that last brick thing, but I'll add it to my list for the next update.

Hard is 'harder' that classic in that the ball starts our faster, speeds up faster, max speed is a lot faster, and there are a few other tidbits I can't recall at the moment. Hard is pretty darn 'hard', if you actually try to play the game. I'm thinking about adding an Expert/Elite mode where you start with a smaller paddle and other more pain giving options, just for folks who want bragging rights and such.

Act of God timing is not affected by difficulty... I don't think. ;)


Has anyone seen any crashes yet? I've heard a report or two about crashing and I was wondering if anyone here has seen that yet. (title screen, after picking a board pack and trying to start the game)

Things look 'okay' for releasing today, if I can just fix that crash. Thanks for everyone's help.

[yacoub]

I propose this, since I am releasing a new version of Super DX-Ball in only another month or so... I'll try to squeeze in an option to lock the mouse to the window during gameplay. I'll default the option to off so that folks don't complain about losing their mouse pointer and such, which would most assuredly happen.

Cool, i think making it an option will be a way to satisfy all of your customers. =)

That tends to throw off newbie computer users ... The thought of a mere program altering the physical position of the mouse pointer it taboo and generally considered 'evil'.

Well newbs like our 15-year-old friend Bert will get used to it the more they use a computer.

Really, when a game involves clicking it's really just asking for frustration to allow clicks to register in other windows when your program is in windowed mode and it's such a small window on most people's desktops these days.

I realize some folks here are likely still on 17" monitors running 1024x and 1280x, but as more of them replace aging or failed hardware with newer hardware, the percentage of people running higher resolution desktops, and thus experiencing this issue with the game, will only increase. Might as well take care of it now.

Generally I like to avoid constraining the mouse to the window because I personally only use windowed mode for debugging the game while programming.

Some of us actually use windowed mode to play the game since it's often too risky to go fullscreen (at work for example), not to mention a pretty poor use of higher resolution displays, especially LCDs where you have to run it Centered for it to render nicely and thus most of the screen is blackness. =)

Thanks for being willing to address this issue in the upcoming release. I'm planning to purchase this game because I enjoy the demo but the cursor issue is rather annoying.

[wildgoosespeeder]

I just downloaded the beta version and I like what Mike has done so far! No bugs found on my Windows XP. I like what Mike's done with that MegaBall boards 21-50 glitch in Super DX-Ball v1.0 (I mentioned that on a Super DX-Ball bugs thread)! That's fixed! I just got one thing about unlocking boards. What is the point of unlocking them? Usuallly in racing games when you race the track and if you win you unlock the track, there is usually a practice mode and/or time trial mode to race that track again. Do you think Mike can add those kinds of features on each board that is unlocked?

[Bert]

When you brought up this silly topic, I decided to play windowed mode to see what you were talking about. I played for a few hours. I picked up lasers and speed up items to test it too. My mouse stayed in the game fine. You know your mouse it near the edge of the window when the paddle is near the edge of the game. Maybe you should just use the spacebar. Or, turn you mouse sensitivity down, since you obviously can't control it.

I also loved how you complained about this be a bug in the game. A fault, something Mike messed up on. Then Mike comes in saying he did it on purpose, and it is fine the way it is. You said you will not buy the game because it is such a HUGE problem, when it is not. Now you say you will buy the game, even though it is annoying. Make up your mind man.

I guess we are making this personal now eh? Regardless of your resolution, a mouse can go from one side of the screen to another in a split second. My sister has a brand new computer with high resolution, and I have a semi-old computer with pretty high resolution. Guess what, they control the mouse the same. I wasn't insulting you, I think you actually have a disability. I said I wasn't insulting you, so what more do you want me to say?

Well newbs like our 15-year-old friend Bert will get used to it the more they use a computer.

So I need to use a computer more often why? You can't even control your mouse, maybe you should be using the computer more often. So who really is the newb? How does my age have anything to do with this? By that statement, you are implying you are an adult (which really is unbelievable; you don't act like one). Maybe you should spend a little less time playing video games, and a little more time working. You are an adult, games are for kids. Make your life useful, stop wasting it.

"I don't play windowed mode" is an in general statement. I don't usually play it. But that doesn't mean if I try it out for some hours that I can't form an opinion about it. Maybe you should stop being a pain in the butt and stop bugging Blitwise about something you think is a bug. When it is really fine the way it is.

I think the perfect solution for your case is to use spacebar (I think it is quieter than the mouse), turn you mouse sensitivity down, or practice moving your mouse a bit more. Get the feel for your mouse, and you will get the hang of the game.

On a side note, did you read any of my points in my previous points? Are you agreeing with them by not commenting on them at all, or what?

Anyway, I think the best solution for Mike is to make it a feature you can turn on/off, like he stated. It will make EVERYONE happier (yes, even our new community whiner, Yacoub).

[Samail]

Alright. So happy all around then. Are you finished? Good. Let's drop the window issue then.

[Bert]

Sounds good to me :).

[Everlast]

Actually if the mouse was on the desktop and the game at the same time, you couldn't move the mouse at all. Happens to me a lot with games that have the mouse locked to the window.

[Rex Nex]

.

Well newbs like our 15-year-old friend Bert will get used to it the more they use a computer.

You do know that you are insalting me? I AM 13 AND ME AND BERT HAPPEN TO BE NOT NEWBS!

Im done.

[blue_moon]

Yeah, same here. Fourteen. I think Mike's option of constraining the cursor could be applied. I also think the cursor could be center in the screen at all times, like when changing the power and angle in Pocket Tanks. Yacoub, flaming won't help.

[yacoub]

What Bert needs to do is stop trolling. The fact that there are 13 and 14 year olds here more mature than him just emphasizes the point.

[Mike W.]

Hi Folks,

Thanks so much for the beta testing. We did in fact fix the crash that was in the game and tweaked what we could given your feedback and my deadline. I'll address more of these issues in the next update... when the board editor comes into play. :)

So now you can download the final v1.1 from blitwise.com.

Registered owners will receive a new download link for v1.1 tomorrow. If you get missed, just send a message to techsupport@blitwise.com

Thanks again!

(phew, now I can relax a tiny bit)

[Rex Nex]

I Am The First To Play!

[Samail]

Wrong! Got here first. Huzzah for Blitwise! *huzzah!*

Interesting. When I play it, it has my high scores saved from the BETA version, as well as all of my option preferences and boards unlocked.

[blue_moon]

Blitwise games create files as they need them. When you first install PTanks, it doesn't come with some files and creates them later. So, it used the old highscore file.

[Rex Nex]

Mikes a magician.

[Mike W.]

We are switching over our games to use the My Documents/My Games directories to improve Windows Vista compatibility. That's why your config data was saved, because he beta version of the installer did not ask to delete the files from the My Games directory.

The new uninstaller will ask if you if you wish to delete that data. If not, the data will work great the next time you install the game.

It's kinda cool, and whole lot more compatible with Vista. Pocket Tanks will get this update next.

[XRaiderV1]

will it still be fully xp commpatible?
is that the only thing planned for the pocket tanks update?

[Rex Nex]

Oh no. Mikes more awsome then that~!

[XRaiderV1]

i like the super dx ball beta too much to put it down right now, hope mike makes the difficulty selection part of the game.

[wildgoosespeeder]

will it still be fully xp commpatible?
is that the only thing planned for the pocket tanks update?

I still own a Windows XP and I don't seem to have any problems with that.

[Mike W.]

Oh yes, XP is my development platform of choice at the moment.

I tested Super DX-Ball on these platforms before release:

95 - it's true... it ran on my P100 with 24MB of RAM.
98
2000
XP
Vista

It's all good!

As for the PTanks update... network play and support for saving config files on the My Docs/My Games directory are all I have in mind at the moment. (but that first one is pretty big) :)

[Samail]

It's all good! All systems are happy. :)

Though how easy would it be to have any Blitwise game on a Linux system?

[XRaiderV1]

Let the good times Roll!
:D :D :D :D

wanted to see if emiticons worked in the title of a post, alas, t'was not to be..... :shocked:

[blue_moon]

I can't wait for network. I will pwn you like the kirby in my picture.

[yacoub]

cool, looking forward to and appreciate the updates! Continued support for XP is great news because lots of folks still prefer it to Vista =)

[blue_moon]

Yes, XP is less limited. Also, newer OS are slower, but come with more RAM. Older OS are faster but come with less RAM.

[Pyrobellum]

Sure I'll playtest it! *COUGH* RELEASE FOR MACINTOSH *COUGH!* Grr. Fine, I'll playtest it on Vista. I'm pretty sure it's 32 bit. Although Vista is a failure of epic proportions. And hey! You still haven't updated Mac Pocket tanks! :mad:

EDIT: Hmph! The download link isn't working! Argh! *stabs*

[Samail]

Patience, ill-tempered one...

[Pyrobellum]

You'd be ill-tempered if the world conspired against your OS too.

[Samail]

That's because Mac is generally terrible for most people. I'm not saying Mac is a sucky OS, but for my uses, a PC is better.

Those who know PCs and Macs, you'll find this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEAGmBRC1dc) awesomely hilarious. :D

I think I've posted this link before.
( **** said twice. Caution...)

[Everlast]

Wow, it's not like a PC never locks up and crashes. Mine does it a lot. :mad:

[Zwaken]

LOL, I love it when he kicks the computer / monitor (the one where the computer is in the monitor) and it falls apart.

[blue_moon]

That was pretty true. My PC has never locked up unless you count the time I had a virus.

[Everlast]

My computer freezes a lot. Maybe it is a Mac that is disguised.

[Pyrobellum]

Lolz! I've never had that stuff happen to me before, it's mainly things like game developers not making awesome games for macintosh. Or in some case, at snail speed™. ^.^

[Zwaken]

Off topic, yet on topic at the same time: Who has read the newest Blitwise Newsletter? Network for Ptanks and Board editor for SDXB! It would be SWEET if the network came out before 2008.

[Mike W.]

It will indeed be out before 2008. :)

[Mike W.]

It's true, Mac computers are really cool. MAc users remind me of the passion found in the Amiga zealots of days gone by...

Ah, the good old days...

There's no conspiracy against Mac users here. It's simply the owner of CTSP Games being very very busy. (both work and home related)

We're experimenting with a Linux release of SDXB and would like to release it soon. Now that's what I call exciting!

[Samail]

Ah, yes. I'll bet there's much discrimination against the Macs. :rolleyes: It's a government conspiracy!

Looking forward to a Linux release if possible. I wonder if it would show up in the add/remove programs thing when searched for it.

[Zwaken]

I used to have a Linux...It was great. I wish I still had it.

[Everlast]

Microsoft gives you windows, Linux gives you the whole house. :)

[Samail]

That's an awesome saying. :D

[Pyrobellum]

Indeed. Here's a funny Mac vs PC spoof: Gates vs Jobs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHO8l-Bd1O4)
If you are easily offended by allusions to pr0nz, then you may wish to skip the last part.

[Zwaken]

Meh, it's funny in some parts but other parts are just dumb..."prepare to meet your programmer"? Wow...that was a dumb part.

[GolfDude]

you cant dl the beta anymore?

[Slade]

Nope. I think this beta ended after the first two weeks.

[Rex Nex]

Yah, they dont want complaints about the Xpacks not working.

[XRaiderV1]

my pc still occasionally seizes, apparently has no relation to whether the OS has any, repeat, any issues whatsoever(including whether it has any viruses, spyware, adware, malware in general), and I constantly maintain my system in general, even to the point of cleaning the cpu and power supply cooling fans once every few months.
(take that nay sayers).