Gauntlet Revisited, SHOOTER TDS Fantasy Shooter !!Now A YoYo Games Featured Game&# Options

[Mark13673]

You Have Been Choosen By The Gods...

Select your avatar - Warrior, Valkyrie, Wizard or Ranger - and fight your way through the mythical Gauntlet.
On your journey you will find food to keep you healthy, many wonderous magical potions to help you fight,
treasure to plunder, keys to unlock chests and doors, and many, many monsters...
Guard well your keys and potions, watch out for traps, fight well and maybe, just maybe, the Gods will name you Champion!

This game is the end of over a years worth of work and is my personal vision of one of the first games I ever played... Gauntlet.
It´s features include...

User defined keyboard control
Fullscreen and vsync toggle
30 levels of mayhem
4 player characters
Over 25 types of enemy with different AI
Power-ups, traps and teleporters
Treasure vaults and reliquaries
RPG style basic stats system

Here is a rundown of the above mentioned stats system
Strength - Determines how much melee damage you do to the opponent/generator
Firepower - Increases the power of your bullets
Speed - Increases movement speed and continuous fire rate
Armour - The lower the armour class the less damage you take

This was made with and may need a mid end PC due to the number of enemies, particle effects and large surfaces...

Download Links
Yoyo Games
Smaller File Size With Downsampled Music And Effects (29.3MB)
(Files included - Gauntlet.exe, Hi-score.dat, master.ini, Sounds folder, Intro folder, Splash folder, Supersound.dll,ReadMe.txt)

All graphics, programming and sound effects by Mark Alexander
Music is from Freeplay Music (www.freeplaymusic.com)
Supersound is by tsg1zzn (trondsg@gmail.com)

If you download this then please post with your comments!!!!
I have extensively play-tested this but nothing is perfect so please post with any bugs...

Fixed Bugs
There was a bug when exiting a Reliquary. This has now been fixed...
Bug with blue helper potion giving an error has now been fixed...
Bestiary now displays text properly...
Player can no longer get stuck in a wall from Level 5 to Level 6...
There was a bug with the Melee Potion (orange bottle) which is now fixed...
Pause key now pauses...
Key missing from Level 22 is now fixed...
Constant movement added to Melee Potion...
Graphics bug with Four Way Fire potion fixed...
Made the surfaces run better and there now should be no error if there is not enough graphics vram...

[Raszlo]

CODE

ERROR in
action number 1
of  Step Event
for object PotionDefenseBall:

In script PotionDefenseAI:
Error in code at line 8:
   if !collision_line(x,y,a.x,a.y,Wall,true,true) && canshoot=true

at position 27: Unknown variable x

Warrior 1st level after taking blue potion
Please fix it, the game seems to be cool...

Edit: Seems that this error don't affect wizard.
I don't get the pros and cons of those avatars, what is strength for? Why wizard have greatest defense? Valkyrie have every stat very weak - useless.
In bestiary informations are displayed too high and are above the paper backgroud making it hard to read.
Why I can't restart from the level I've died at, but have to go through previous one too (nvm, got into some killer bonus level ;p)?

I think that it would be better if you could actually gain stats and develop your character and save game (with experienced character) after every level...

This post has been edited by Raszlo: Sep 8 2008, 09:09 PM

[Mark13673]

Okay I´ll look into the error... it seems a bit odd... and post back. And I will look into the text problem in the Bestiary....

As for the stats, they are not biased as the armour stat works like the Dungeons and Dragons armour class... The lower it is the better!

The bonus levels appear on a semi random basis and you cannot start on them...
And as for saving, there is no need as you can start from the level you died on (as long as it was not a Vault or Reliquary) and as you go through the levels you get the option to add to your stats before starting (starting from level 6)... I made it that way for a more arcade feel. If you manage to survive the levels your character will be more powerfull than if you die and start on a higher level!

Thank you very much for posting and come back tomorrow when I´ve had a chance to debug somemore!!!!

Edit: Both bugs have been fixed. The potion looks for the nearest enemy and if there isn´t one it gives the error, and the bestiary was missing a text align code... Am uploading the fixed version...

This post has been edited by Mark13673: Sep 8 2008, 09:41 PM

[Raszlo]

Got another error while trying to leave reliquary (after lvl 5, wizard, choosing armor upgrade), unfortunately I don't have the error message. It only happened when I was staying on the exit.
Why it can't save progress after level was passed (finished lvl 5 -> unlock lvl 6 no matter if bonus level appeared next) instead of when level is accessed? ;p
Program remembers key bindings, but I always have to turn off fullscreen mode manualy...
Why it is so hard to aim while playing? ;p

[Mark13673]

That error has been fixed a while back... if you played on Yoyo games there should be flashing update button on the right of the buffering bar... and if not then you´ll have to re_download the zip... The game doesn´t save the progress from level 5 to the Reliquary beacuse you shouldn´t die there, you should get to Level 6 without problems! I will look into making the fullscreen and vsync settings savable too... And as for the shooting, it just takes practice and you have to use the straffing...

[Raszlo]

Pause is not working (longer than 1 sec ;p)
What's with those gas-button-tiles? I can't pass them without being seriously wounded.
Spinning bottle made me stuck in a wall once.
Save system is not too hackproof ;p

Sorry for complaining a lot I like this game and it's just pointing out what I found wrong while playing it

[Mark13673]

I´ll check on the pause thing... It works for me... As for the gas tiles, yes they do hurt! They are traps that you have to pass as qiuckly as possible... I´ve never experienced the Melee potion sticking the player in a wall, so I´ll do some more testing as someone commented this on Yoyo games too...
And yes, you can hack the levels, but I don´t care as whoever wants to do it is obviously not looking for the challenge that the game provides!

Your feedback has been invaluable and I can´t thank you enough, Raszlo... If only everyone else was so helpful and posted there comments after playing!

EDIT: Can you tell me under what circumstances and on which level you got the player stuck? I am unable to reprodce the error...

This post has been edited by Mark13673: Sep 9 2008, 08:58 PM

[THE KAPPTIN]

Probably the biggest download file I've ever seen on the GMC. This is probably the main reason you have practically no replies.
I notice you used a lot of bitmaps - that's a mistake. Use jpegs or something else instead, because bitmaps make massively huge image files, they usually take a while even just to download one image. There are ways to save JPEGS without any artifacts/screwiness (Photoshop can do it easily, not sure how else - of course you could always just use gifs).
Why bother with external resource loading when you're going to just wreck it all by using bitmaps?

This was made with and needs a mid end PC due to the number of enemies and particle effects...

It's actually probably from all the bitmaps.

Also the fact that I can listen to all the sounds and view all the screens (including the "you won the whole game" screen) cheapens the experience for me. It makes me feel more like a designer testing my own game than a player. There's no mystery, and I don't really have to "work for it".

-Unskippable intro, annoying. Pressing escape directly exits, also annoying.. at least make it skip the intro, then make it exit when you're on the title screen.
-Escape directly exits on the menu too. Feels unprofessional, and can be extremely annoying if you hit esc by accident (especially if there's an unskippable intro). (oh, you can skip the intro... there is just another one that you can't skip for some reason. ?)
-When I checked "information" in the help thing I was hoping for some info on the controls.
-The level intro thing is cool.
-A pause feature would be nice (whoops, I just accidentally exited again)
-Very well polished graphically, and it seems pretty bug-free as well.
-Poor controls. It's hard to aim at stuff (even when it's within striking distance of your face), and you chose to use the RSI-inducing fire method. Make holding space shoot at the maximum rate, so I don't have to keep pressing over and over. If you include a hold-fire feature that doesn't shoot as fast as the tap-fire, it's about as good as not including it (mouse aim would fix the aiming issues, or you could do it gauntlet-style where you just shoot in the direction you move (with simple 8-directional movement) or Smash TV style where you have 4 arrows for moving and 4 arrows for shooting in each of the 4 directions).
-I think because you've included that level timer and the levels are so big (and just to look more professional) you basically have to put in a pause feature.
-I see no reason why the hitboxes on the pickups and the generators should not be bigger.
(Edit: there is a pause feature? I didn't know how to pause, just assumed there wasn't one. This game needs to tell you the controls somewhere, preferably somewhere convenient, or better yet, unmissable.)


Don't get me wrong, I love Gauntlet and I think this game has HUGE potential, just make it more user-friendly (controls, interfaces and file size) and I will love it.
Hopefully this post is helpful to you.

This post has been edited by THE KAPPTIN: Sep 10 2008, 05:03 PM

[Raszlo]

The key for pause is in options-controls, youc an even change it The problem is that it is not working for now.
I agree that insta-exit at any time of the game is annoying and wrong

[THE KAPPTIN]

Okay, apparently I'm just inept at navigating menus.

[Mark13673]

Well I wanted criticism... And I must say that your post (THE KAPPTIN) is fantastic! I´ll address your points one at a time...

I notice you used a lot of bitmaps - that's a mistake.

Duely noted... As this is my first ever game, I obviously still have a lot to learn... I will try and make them smaller in the next update...

Also the fact that I can listen to all the sounds and view all the screens (including the "you won the whole game" screen) cheapens the experience for me. It makes me feel more like a designer testing my own game than a player. There's no mystery, and I don't really have to "work for it".

Well, again that´s my noobness showing (from now on take it for granted that I will start every phrase with this!) as I didn´t even know about file encryption until nearly finished the game, by which point I could not figure out how to implement it properly... Future games will have it!

Unskippable intro, annoying.

it´s not unskippable exactly... any key will skip the first part and when Gauntlet appears anykey will skip that too... With hindsight I should have made it completely skippable and will probably change this.

Escape directly exits on the menu too.

A mistake! I forgot to change the settings in GM before making the .exe!

The level intro thing is cool.

Very well polished graphically, and it seems pretty bug-free as well

Some good news! I worked hard on the presentation and on making the game as smooth as possible. As for the graphics I am a graphic-designer/artist by trade...

Poor controls. It's hard to aim at stuff (even when it's within striking distance of your face), and you chose to use the RSI-inducing fire method. Make holding space shoot at the maximum rate

Okay, okay I will fix everything else that I can first and then tackle the controls... I made them how I like them and didn´t realise that everyone would hate them! As for the firing you do not need to repeadedly press space... Hold it down and you have continuous fire, but if you want to fire faster then you have to work at it... or increase the speed stat which will also make you fire faster!

I see no reason why the hitboxes on the pickups and the generators should not be bigger

Well the hit boxes on the generators are all the same size because I used the same spawning script for all and if they were bigger then they wouldn´t spawn as the place_free command would always return false... I will look into changing that too...

This game needs to tell you the controls somewhere

I assumed that everyone was like me and looked through all the menus before playing (in which case you would have found the keys in the options menu...) but I will edit the post to explain them and maybe add them into the help section of the game... Oh and the pause key did work and I have no idea why it´s not anymore. I rogue piece of code I´m sure...

And finally, I must thank you again for taking the time and effort to write down all your thoughts on this game, as having read many posts in this section I see few people being so helpful! I will attempt to address all the issues you have mentioned so please come back in a few days for the updated file!!!

This post has been edited by Mark13673: Sep 11 2008, 02:20 PM

[Mark13673]

MAJOR UPDATE!!!
All known bugs fixed
New 8 way control and direction
Skippable intro
Pause button
Reduced file size

Come on guys, play and post!!! Thanks to The Kapptin this game is better than ever!!!!

[Chris Neilson]

http://img34.picoodle.com/data/img34/3/9/1...kem_b8d8f60.png
dont find blue key in 22 level.

[Orc Leader]

Bravo! I've always loved the Gauntlet series, and this fills the that empty Gauntlet hole I've needed to fill. . . maybe I'm just crazy. Great game, although I have only done two levels I enjoyed them very much, and this will last a long time. (Longer then most GM games.)
The only thing that made me sad was the fact that it had no multiplayer.

[Mark13673]

Chris, you,re right (sorry) there was no blue key... (OOPS!) It´s a big game and I missed it... The file is being updated as we speak...

Thanks Orc Leader! I´d like to try multiplayer, but as this was my first game it was a bit too much to attempt... Maybe for my next project!

[SublimatedDreams]

seems very nice... I'll try it :-)

[cogexmod5]

Well I like this game...
it a bit laggy on my computer but its still good!

[Mark13673]

Thanks! I worked hard on it... I might try and add a graphics option if more people report problems as there are a lot of things that are there as eye candy eg, shadows, particles etc...

[Jenner]

The gameplay needs lots of work I think

[Mark13673]

In what exactly? It is a TDS with fantasy elements... Have you played the original Gauntlet? (in terms of content it had less than this and was an incredibly fun game!) How far did you get in the game as each monster (25 in all...) has a distinct AI, there are a number (12) of different power ups, there are teleporters, traps etc... So what didn´t you like?