Buzzing for a bonus

10th March 2015

My week's HOLIDAY started Sunday this week. It's going to end soon, but I have not only been out and about places this week, but I have also been plodding away on Honey Bee. For me, the project is shaping up quite nicely and it has been making me happy. I have been thinking that I am very near to completion with the project. .... Well not quite. As more crazy ideas have popped in my head for this project. Find out more in this blog.

Okay, so what has been happening the past 2 days or so?. Honey Bee felt as if there was something missing in general, and that was a bonus round for every level completed. I had two ideas, one of which was similar to a Shark Attack type of stage in Sub Hunter, and another which was one of Kenz's ideas. A flappy bird style bonus stage. Months ago, I was trying to create something by the way of SEUCK WITH GRAVITY. In January I attempted to make a FLAPPY BIRD style game, using the sideways scrolling SEUCK, and the aid of the TASM/CODENET plugin on my 1541Ultimate2. Although the use of gravity was simple enough, I failed to get the jump physics correct and it made the game harder to play. So, I went for the easier option, which was the Sub Hunter style bonus stage. Since I'm no fan of the Flappy Bird phenomena.

I created the bonus stage by manually designing the cave graphics, using Steve's existing graphics, that formed the ground, and rocks, etc. I manually typed these into the source code and created quick and dirty code that built the screen the simplest kind of way. Next I programmed the interrupts and got the scroller in action. I also added it an extra effect for the cave wall background. I added a ROL char routine, so visually during the scrolling operation, you could see a two layer scroll instead of one.

Once I was happy with the scrolling background, I decided to fill the cave with bats, and also get a crystal moving across the screen. Then I linked the main game code, which controlled the player. No use of gravity was being used for this stage, as it would have been hard enough as it is. The next thing I added to the bonus game was a set amount of time, which the player must survive for so that he/she can earn an extra life, by completing that stage. The purpose of the gems is to allow the player to give big points as a reward. For 1 gem, the player gets 500 points added to his/her score. Finally after setting up the set times. I linked the bonus stage to the main game code.

Okay, so I got all those working. Now about the ideas in my head. I was browsing at the sprite data, and discovered that I can simply add some MORE sprites into the game. I moved the text data to a different memory location, to be able to preserve more sprites. I notice that some of the levels, which I mistaken bats for birds, could actually have some birds added to the source. The eagle might be a good option I noticed some of Wayne's sprites, which could be useful for the game. Also, some worms could actually be SNAILS.I think  Some sprites could be used for bouncy 'GET READY' 'GAME OVER' 'BONUS' sprites, before actual things commence in the game.

As well as the game sprites ideas. I feel that I could do with removing the fade in / fade out transition effect every time a life has been lost. As it could possibly annoy the player who just wants to get into the game.The transition effect can be used for after every level is complete and a new level starts.

Admire the screen shots and see you soon with another progress update about Honey Bee - The Full Version.