PewPew 2's progress

I haven't posted in quite some time now because I've been so busy with programming PewPew 2, but quite a few people are asking for news, so here we go:

PewPew 2 is progressing real well. Here are some of the new features that are currently done:

-Scores can be uploaded anytime, not just after you've played (it should have been the case from the start, I know)

-Replays are now uploaded along the scores. This will allow you to watch and admire the best players play. Also, you'll be able to show off.

-Better graphics, 3D sound, seriously optimized engine.

-2 new sound tracks.

-A 10 level campaign with a lot of diversity. And a boss.

-2 new unlock-able game modes (in addition to megagore, assault, chromatic conflict and dodge this)

-Medals. These are rewards when you achieve certain scores in one of the 6 game modes.

-6 different ships. You progressively unlock them by obtaining medals.

-Lot's of new ennemies.

I think it's enough new content for a first release of PewPew 2. Make no mistakes though, there will be updates ;-)

So what am I waiting for? Why am I not submitting PewPew 2 to the app-store? Well, I need to polish everything up. This is the step that will make PP2 awesome. I have to carefully balance everything, make sure the difficulty is not too high (I tend to do that), not to low (no worries there), that the in-game explanations are clear, that the objectives in every campaign level are also clear, etc...

One more thing... I have been busy bringing PewPew 2 to the iPad! Here are the first screenshots of PewPew 2 HD:

That's Megagore. Notice the increased viewing field.

And that? That's one of the level of the campaign ;-)

That's the splash screen. The quote comes from a review on the Canadian App Store, and I find it absolutely hilarious. I had to put it somewhere; I hope the author doesn't mind!

Fun fact: like 99% of the developers creating iPad apps, I haven't got an iPad to test it on. To find the ideal position for the virtual joysticks, I've made myself a dummy iPad in cardboard and imagined myself playing with it! Actually, probably all the game developers for the iPad have done the same thing.

OK, enough chitchat, I have a game to finish.

PewPew 2

Here's a news that will make a lot of people happy: PewPew 2 is in development!

It will feature (among other things) new game modes unlock-able by completing some levels (there's a campaign mode), additional sound tracks, and medals and ships to earn.

The release date of PewPew 2 is "When it's done", but I hope to finish it before March 2010.

Programming the levels in the campaign mode is one of the task that is taking me the most time. I want all the levels to have a distinct look as well as a different gameplay. Right now, creating one level takes approximately one week (20% of the time is spent creating the level, 80% is spent polishing it)...

Of course, if you have any ideas or suggestions for PewPew 2, feel free to send me an email (jfgeyelin@gmail.com) or post a comment.

Update sent to the App Store

I uploaded an update of PewPew. From what I read, it will probably take a week or so for the game to be available on the App Store.
Anyway, PewPew now:

• encourages doing the tutorial when playing the game for the first time
• asks for confirmation when quitting a game
• permits the activation/deactivation of rotation during a replay
  
• makes it visually obvious to the player that he has taken a bonus
  
• has a lower amount of particles
  
• has prettier explosions
• puts the game in pause when a low battery alert (or a music menu pop up) appears
  
• ignores replays that can no longer be played
• make the difficulty increase more slowly in the "Assault" mode
• respects the players that are listening to their own music :)
  

Under the hood updates:

• versioning system for the scores
• precalculation of the explosions
• needed models are loaded at the beginning of a game (to avoid ingame slowdowns)
• externalized descriptions of the game modes

What I should have finished:

• The 3rd mode
• An obvious optimization to the collision detection

I am still not satisfied with the way the "3rd mode" is. I have tried a variety of gameplay models, but I can't find anything that's not too hard and not too boring.
Also, the "obvious optimization" will take a lot of time to do, and right now I prefer focusing on finishing the "3rd mode".

Current todo list

Here is the current list of tasks I need to do before releasing an update for PewPew:

• force/encourage doing the tutorial when playing the game for the first time
• ask for confirmation when quitting a game
• permit the activation/deactivation of the rotation during a replay
• make it obvious to the player that he has taken a bonus
  
• load some of the needed models at the beginning of a game (to avoid ingame slowdowns)
  
• somewhat precalculate the explosions, and reduce the number of particules
• make the explosions more spectacular
• put the game in pause when a low battery alert appears
• create a versioning system for the scores
• ignore replays that can no longer be played
• externalise the modes descriptions
• finish the 3rd mode
• make the difficulty increase more slowly in the "Assault" mode
  
• optimize [a small] part of the collision detection

Green = done
Red = might not be done