Making a great retro game. Episode 67: Skeletons, scene skip and science!

[tehepicasian]

About the Archer: Don't you have a physics engine in the game? Couldn't you give the arrow a force, and let the physics engine take care of it?

Question: Is the baby a part of the Kobold's sprite? Or is it attached to a running Kobold sprite?

Can't wait for a new update!:D

[LoneBoco]

@tehepicasian Yes, there is a physics engine in the game. The issue is determining what angle and force to fire the arrow at in order for it to hit the Kobold.

The baby exists inside the level as its own object; however, when a Kobold touches it, the baby disappears and it tells the Kobold to use special baby-carrying textures. So, there is a run texture and a run with baby texture. This was the easiest solution as I don't have to worry about mounting the baby and animating it.

[giftinteractive]

@LoneBoco Are you using farseer in KQ?

[LoneBoco]

@giftinteractive Nope. We bought the platformer starter kit and have been building that up. The PSK uses Torque X's default physics engine. Too many things would have to be re-programmed if we switched to Farseer.

[SeveralDigits]

KQ is sure looking fun, it looks like its time to get it into playtest. Maybe not then, but probably now.

[giftinteractive]

Where's episode 68!? Where's KQ? Did the team run out of Rockstar?

[RunandGunPictures]

@giftinteractive I have had the flu for the past 4 days... More are coming.

[giftinteractive]

@RunandGunPictures that sucks - don't stress yourself out making science!

[Frod]

I got inspired by this video. I'll have to rewatch when I get home from work and then do some programming.

I like stunthumb's suggestion of a imperfect archer, improving it's aim over time. It seems like the sort of problem someone would have in a physicsI course. If you had two failed attempts, it seems like you should be able to figure out a correct attempt. I don't have much math experience though. Have you figured out a solution since this video was filmed ?

[GODTECK]

@Frod what kind of programming do you do?

[Frod]

@GODTECK As a hobby.. Game Programming mainly in Visual C++, though I'm not as active as I would like to be. For work I occasionally do some programming in Extra! and VBA.

[LoneBoco]

@Frod We haven't gotten a solution yet as I am just finishing up the wizard AI. I will be working on the archers next.

[stunthumb]

Might be cool to have the archer key in, like start with a guess at how much power to fire the arrow with, and if the arrow lands between the player and archer, increase power, if it lands further away than the player, reduce power. I don't think there's anything wrong with a random element like that - if the player is running towards the archer, then there's a chance that a short falling arrow would hit him. Personally I hate perfect aims, more fun (and easier) to be a bit random IMO.