Saturday, 15 October 2016

New Stuff

I've added some features to the server (you don't need to download anything — this stuff will just start happening):
  • You can now change your password
  • Old wins are now “carried forward” when a level is edited
The new “carry forward” feature works like this:

When you edit a level, all the old plays are invalidated as usual (they turn grey in the high score table and will get pushed out when people play the new version).

BUT, now, the server starts going through all those old plays and trying them against the new version of the level. Any that still work get carried forward and turn white again.

Basically this means you can make small changes to your levels and people won't always lose their high-scores. Small changes mean things that don't affect the actual gameplay of your level — decorative floors, walls, that kind of thing.

Adding save points won't always count as a small change, I'm afraid, but I'd like to fix this in the future.

43 comments:

  1. Too bad, would like to add save tiles to some of my older levels without affecting scores but what the heck, it's Alpha mode so, let them do it again! Ha ha, I see Bobby has been pillaging my level pit anyways! HA HA HA!

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    1. You'll probably get away with it, I just can't guarantee it for all levels because of how saves work at the moment.

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    2. Nah, let them suffer for the time being. When we go Beta, I might think about adding them so the rookies might have a chance.

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  2. This is an awesome system, and I'm surprised I've not seen it elsewhere.

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  3. Alright y'all I have to study for the GRE and Blackshift is distracting me too much. See you in a couple months.

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  4. When try to play Suit Yourself, cosmic rays screw it up!

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    1. Clear your cache — I screwed it up when I first posted it (used the next version of the game, so the file is too new for the current version. Gotta stop doing that!)

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  5. Was just making a level and testing out the blue/orange bullet changer tile and blue deflectors. The changer did not work and as well, the deflectors missed the bullet. I published one ending in the pit.

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    1. I named it Some Flaws Demo - left other stuff to play with for testing purposes.

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  6. Rob, look at my replay on Cereal Killer, page 17 of my levels. I think the clock stopped there where I got grilled. Ha ha ha

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  7. I made a cosmetic change on "New Game Demo Ha!" after I beat it and, it worked. Will try more tests on this demo level including adding saves. It will be edited or, I will just copy it and change it then experiment. Good work Rob.

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  8. Changed "New Game Demo Ha! again and first, it didn't work because yer server is asleep Rob! It was a cosmetic change and first it didn't work but when I did a replay, it changed and the scores didn't so, that's a good! noyesmaybe still got top score which I will beat soon! The Bobby/Biddy battle continues and over 300 plays on my levels since yesterday. Let the game wars begin!

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    1. my only top score and you had to beat it...:-)
      /nynm

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    2. got one back, Beat the bullet! is mine. For now:-)

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    3. Fcuk, can't beat your score! What? Are you on steroids! Ha ha ha...

      For Rob, renamed an Untitled level. Kinda funny because it was moved to a different level in my pit but, nothing happened and the scores were not affected. Am resurrecting some old Blackshift levels that are easy for your new flock. They don't work quite the same (because some components are missing) so some modifications were necessary. Didn't go for speed so, HTFU, 666!

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    4. The missing element in Beat the Bullet is a fixed tile that when you hit it with a bullet, it shoots another bullet in a different direction - there should be 4 of them in each direction. As well, there was a 4 gun moveable tile where when you shoot into one of the guns, 3 bullets came out the other 3 guns.

      Also need the machine gun and the body count tile (if you kill all the bugs, the body count tile disappears). Another feature that would be nice is for the follower bug to be encased in an ice block so, when you shoot it, it is released!

      Just spit ballin' here! Rob is up to another update soon. Watch for it!

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    5. *Adding level number two to his belt*...:-). 666 is great fun! Pretty sure you can beat that score with eyes closed:-/. Don't worry tho, have screen shot already:-)

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    6. Ha ha ha - yer killing me dude!

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    7. Someone had equalled my score on Beat the bullet overnight and landed the top spot on the list. Had to rectify that. Phew. It all comes down to the last right turn. This score should be pretty hard to beat, hehe.

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    8. I lit that level up like a fire sale. There is so much crap going on in the background, it slows down my computer. Rob saw the flaw and used it. A demo to get Rob for a new tile, a directional gun which can only be fired by shooting at it.

      But, you can't get high score that way like you did. And yes, the last right turn is the key! Try Miss Direction - I hesitated in the win but got top score anyway. It is another old Blackshift Level but had to modify because the screen is so small. Plumpers on Crack - I dare you to beat my score! Buahahaha!

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    9. Challenge accepted. I hereby give it back:-).

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    10. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Direction".

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    11. "Blackshift9, how do you do?". Do I spot a trend here, more playable levels and optimised for speed and timing?

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  9. Tried to make a level with Lasers and Grilles with an on off function. The lasers failed when the grille went on and then off again. A little problem there.

    Some levels you guys (Bobby, BibbyTheDark and Swiftshade) have made don't work anymore, check them out, look at the replays and figure out what the problem might be. Something is messed up!

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    Replies
    1. 1. Thanks, fixed in next update.
      2. I've removed the plays that are failing. I think I messed them up when updating something. The levels themselves are still good.

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    2. Yeah Rob, I see you found the work-around for Beat the Bullet because I didn't have the directional bullet tile so, you can cheat fate. Oil well, you can't get fast score that way but it works. It's a facsimile of a Blackshift original level as are my last 4 levels. Had to change 666 because, you cannot place a bomb on the diamond counter when it goes to zero and it is so ugly you have to change it! I call it pink poop right now. If a function is down and cannot be put back up like the doors, trees and the counter, you should be able to place shit on it! Now, here is the kicker from Level 100 of the original Blackshift and I noticed it in one of my levels recently, if you have more than one goal (U on the keyboard), you must defeat them all to win!

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  10. Rob

    Go top 10 on the leader board. You got room.

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  11. Another request Rob, allow the tubes to be walls and thus a background. Also, let us chose the background. Just thinking out of the box here...

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  12. I hate to do this to you Mills and and others, gonna try a cosmetic change just to see if Rob's cosmetic surgery works. You can always do it again! Ha ha ha - I am testing, this is a test!

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  13. Might be nice if some of you made some levels! What the heck?

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  14. Hey guys, didn't know where to post this... but any tips for Level 39 of the normal levels? Or is it meant to be impossible for now?

    And also, I need more clues for Bobby's Night at the Museum level!!

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  15. Level 39 is fooched. On Bobby's - 6 shots on 1 (wait for the bug) then 8 on 2, then teleport and get the diamonds. Teleport again, 5 shots on 3 til the bullets pass you, then 2 on 4!

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    1. So does that mean I've finished all the official levels?

      and aaaah how did you figure it out tho >:(

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    2. nvm just figured out that the bullets affect the relative museum displays. Really cool!

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    3. That's all he put up for the time being. I think he messed up level 39 when he was fixing a bug with the teleporters! More will come soon.

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    4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  16. I did a cosmetic change on Muffins are Stupid by re-doing the tiles. When I published the changes - took me two tries, it came up with me as leader. Once I played it, the original scores came back. I will make a change to an older level which I beat and add a save tile. It was made when the save tiles messed up the game. I know exactly which one I will test.

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  17. The only problem is that by changing the tiles, it put it up on the leader board again! Whatever! Gonna try something different!

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  18. Rob, did you see my win on "A Ditty for Mills"? And, "Slippery Slope"? Don't touch that!!! It is not a flaw! And, the crash reports you got from me lately is because I messed up and ended up putting the ship under a roller enemy. I fixed and it became "Rolling Down the Way".

    Sorry about fixing that level twice (I am embarrassed BTW) but, I didn't want to kill the goal without seeing it die! You can still prolly beat my score.

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  19. Sorry, I meant to tell Mills I changed the level twice because he smartly saw my flaws! Damn!

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  20. daaaaang Obie you didn't give budgie a clue to Night at the Museum - you gave him the solution! Teach a man to fish! I coulda given a clue. (such as: the numbers around the exhibits tell you where to shoot, and the exhibits tell you how many bullets to use.)

    Yes the exhibits show the machines that are out of view when you shoot the guns. Probably a little too hard. If I hadn't designed it I doubt I could have figured it out.

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    1. I couldn't figure out the clues so, I just shot gun one until I got killed, then stood over the bomb to get a dead win to watch the replay.

      When Rob introduces the game to friends, they complain that it is too hard. Thus, I modified my levels so that you can learn as you move on down the line. I also put out demos. Because the playing field is so small, it might be nice to have a "View Field" mode, non playable, but you could zoom out to see what you are up against.

      We need players and builders right now and new people buying into the game and having fun.

      When I played Netshift, there were so many people playing and building, there was at least a new game every day and I think I made over 1400 levels. Right now I have over 260 playable games and an average of 500 plays per day.

      What is most satisfactory, is when the list of winners on my games fill the screen! That is not to say that I won't make another hard level or long grueling level - you will see that soon enough!

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