I added a new slider that allows you to set the amount of gravity in puzzles or contraptions. It can go from zero to four times the regular gravity. It can be accessed from the puzzle options button.
Here is the gravity being set low:
And here is the same contraption with the gravity set high:
You can see the changes, like the candle not tipping over so easy and the heavier gravity making the soccer ball and other balls move differently.
Part Clone Fix
I also fixed an issue where it wasn't allowing parts to be cloned if they were locked. Works now:
That's it for this update. Not sure when the next one will be. Doing some work on getting the new Incredible Puzzles Pack DLC out by Christmas. Should have around 161 new puzzles.
Kevin
Build 1.4.12: Making User Interface More Friendly
So our return to Oklahoma has been delayed (details at the end of this post) - so I tackled a few more requested features for Contraption Maker.
What's New
Added a "Pause" and "Single Step" mode. Hit "P" to pause a running contraption/puzzle and "S" to advance a single step. Should make it easier for puzzle and contraption building to see exactly what is going on.
Added projection to see where the the Energy Burst from the Ray Gun will go.
Added a projection to see where the Water Drop for the Dripping Bucket will go.
Added green areas to show how far the various creatures (Dog, Cat, Mouse, Toolman Tim, and Zombie Toolman Tim) can see.
Add CTRL-Z to Undo and CTRL-Y to Redo.
Workshop puzzles and contraptions now default to the "Most Popular" instead of "Newest"
Added some more parts to the Part Creator part: Stable Candle, Flying Saucer, Brain, Tennis Racket, Curling Stone, Bucket, Dripping Bucket, Paper Lantern, Dog Toy, and Ghost.
Added a button to reset puzzles to the default zoom level.
Changed code so that if a bunch of parts are selected at the same time (in a rect) and one or more of them are locked, it'll just select the unlocked ones. Before it wouldn't allow the selection.
The project lines will make it easier to see exactly where things are going without having to run a contraption. Same with the creature sights - gives a better sense of how far they can see.
Here some of them in action:
Here is where you can find the Reset Zoom button:
What's Next?
The plan was to head back to Oklahoma from California in just a few days, but that is on hold because my son's liver numbers went up (slightly) in his labs last week. He had a liver transplant at 4 months old so they track those numbers closely. Got new labs today - will see the results tomorrow. So he has a MRCF (a type of MRI) scheduled for December 15th in San Francisco. A liver biopsy make be back on the table if today's numbers are even higher. We'll see.
I'll probably work on another CM update in the next week or two. I have a list of possible parts to add, but I left that in Oklahoma. I also really need to spend some time on Minigolf Blast which is coming out in the 2nd half of February after the next Next Fest.
Build 1.4.11: Added a New Part & Bug Fixes
There was a request for a more stable candle that won't tip over so easily. Here it is:
Also:
Made it so the Bucket can be disposed of by the Part Disposal.
Fixed a crash bug when the Candle would hit a Sticky Wall.
Fixed a crash bug when Recycling Box is place between to Pinball Bumpers.
Put in some better physics update checks so they don't always have to happen.
Slowly working my way through things that have been on my Contraption Maker to-do list for a while. I have list of possible parts to add, but it is back in Oklahoma. In California now, but hoping to get back there by Thanksgiving.
On the home front my son's liver numbers have dropped back to normal. He had a liver transplant when 4 months old. They were high so UCSF liver team wanted to see him so we can back to California. Once he gets his MRI (they want a baseline to compare to in the future) we'll be back in Oklahoma.
Looking forward to crossing out lots more things on the CM to-do list before the end of the years. Feels good.
Kevin "Gamedev is Fun"
PS This is build 1.4.11. It shows up near bottom of title screen when running CM. I've noticed sometimes there is a delay in Steam updating to new builds.
Progress Report
I probably should label this short update a (lack of) Progress Report.
Incredible Puzzle Pack
There is a new puzzle pack on the way with 161 new puzzles based upon the original puzzles in The Incredible Machine. Wanted to get it out in September - may be out this month - will be out by Christmas at the latest. My son is working on it. I need to go through it very carefully and verify that everything looks good.
Mighty Knights
I've changed the way the knights interact with each other. This almost needs to be interactive where you can make changes as the levels are running.
Minigolf Blast
I've been going through hole by hole adjusting things. Adding more interactive elements. Doing Next Fest in February and then releasing as Early Access right after that. Could release now as Early Access and the cash flow would be very helpful, but want it to be better.
There is a new demo build out that has some of the changes in there.
Here is an example of a hole that I'm currently working on. Started out with just a few blockers. Added more and also game them bouncy surfaces. Then added Treasure Chests and Skulls that can give bonuses or penalties. Partway through making changes to this hole.
Finally... I'm off to UCSF (San Francisco) with my son next week. He had a liver transplant at 4 months. His liver lab numbers are up and so they want to do a ultrasound and then a biopsy. Hopefully just a quick stay and then back home. Driving from Oklahoma to California on Sunday. Not looking forward to the 24 hour drive.
Combined Announcement: Contraption Maker, Minigolf Blast and Sciatica
Contraption Maker
Been working with my son on a new puzzle pack that is close to done. It'll come out sometime is September.
Work on Mighty Knights is going slow - painfully slow. I've seriously considered just releasing it as part of the full game instead of as a DLC, so everyone that has already bought Contraption Maker would get it for free, And then afterwards bumping up the price on Contraption Maker.
Changed the Steam capsule images for the game. Just as an experiment. May change back - may hire an artist to do one that gives more of the Rube Goldberg feel.
Minigolf Blast
I have delayed the release to October. Have a design idea to make it more unique. Not sure if I want to do it or not. Certainly won't be able to get it complete by October.
So... will either not implement the new idea, implement an early first pass of the idea, or delay (again! - sigh) until February to flesh it out some more. I'm leaning towards just releasing as Early Access in the 2nd half of October.
My focus is on fun gameplay rather than amping up the graphical look.
I solved some NAT punch-through problems and online internet play against other players worked without problems. Need to push it in testing to see if we can really get up 40 people playing at the same time.
If you choose the "staging" branch in the Minigolf Blast Demo the internet play should work much better. Warning haven't test much though. Not even sure how visible the Minigolf Blast Demo page is.
Sciatica
Not recommend. 0 out of 5 stars.
So I ended up spending the first week of July bedbound. First time I've ever had anything happen like this. Today I'm almost 100% back to normal, but for more that a week it was amazingly painful to just take a step or put any weight on my right leg.
We had this extended family get together up in the mountains. It is a cabin that my Grandparents got back in 1928. I get up there and see that our friend Trey Tosh is playing - so I think, "that spot in the dirt there looks like a good place to sit down and watch." (x marks the spot)
Well, it turned out that that spot was NOT a good place to sit down and watch. The chair was dangerously tilted and broken.
My brother-in-law crashed down on me and the pain started soon after.
I found a photo of my Mom when she was little with the same chair in the background. It is on the right and looking much more solid.
Playable Demo and Sports Fest
I just released a demo of the Minigolf Blast game that is coming out near the end of June. Played against my son in an online multiplayer game and it was a blast! It was a 9-hole course and in the race mode where you are trying to get into the cup in the quickest time. He crushed me... lol.
There is a now a playable demo of Minigolf Blast available. This is the first demo so while it is very solid there is still work to be done.
Minigolf Blast is part of the upcoming Sports Fest.
Okay one other of thing - Wishlist it if you want to be notified when it the full version comes out.
Mighty Knights Unit Interactions
This will be just a quick short update on how the battle interactions between the different Mighty Knight parts will play out.
One initial idea was that each unit would have hearts representing their health and the sword icons representing how much damage they can do. It would play out like this:
As the Grunt (warrior type) makes his way through the the enemy units his health drops until when he gets to the Builder he ends up losing.
The other method and the one I'm leaning towards using now is similar to the Rock/Paper/Scissors type result where whoever is toughest will win. It plays out like this:
In this case the Grunt is tougher so he wins each battle.
I think this will work much better in the context of solving puzzles where it will be much easier to predict what is going to happen after you hit go and the contraption starts running.
Now that more complex interaction with health/hearts - that would work will in a head-to-head real time game. Hmmm.... maybe someday...
Kevin
Mighty Knights Lineup
I'm currently working on the way the various Mighty Knights parts interact with each. Right now each part has health indicated by hearts, melee damage indicated by swords, and for the archer, the amount of damage caused by arrows.
The values for these are a work-in-progress right now as I balance out how they work. Still not sure about how the Mage works and if he should be included or not.
My plan for the next few updates (which I have to force myself to do - would rather be spending the time doing gamedev) is to have an update focusing on each of the new Mighty Knight parts.
Back to work now...
Kevin
Mighty Knights Update Report
Mighty Knights is a coming update to Contraption Maker which has Grunts, Diggers, Builders, and other characters that do battle with each other. Right now the goals for the puzzles can be complex or as simple as "Defeat the Enemy King" where you are strategically placing your available units to achieve victory.
It also comes with a terrain editing tool that let's you quickly craft out a battlefield.
All the other Contraption Maker parts can be used along with the Mighty Knights parts to create some crazy contraptions.
I'm currently working on adjusting the design of some of the battle elements. Trying to figure out the best way to resolve the different units attacking each other. Want to get this out as soon as possible, but need to nail down this design issue first.
Going forward the updates will be short like this one so I can spend more time on actual game creation.
Kevin
Mighty Knights - Overview
Progress
Well, progress is being made on getting Mighty Knights ready for release. Still quite a bit to be done and some design decisions still to be made. Over the next few weeks I'll post details on the various characters and their abilities. They currently are:
Archer
Builder
Digger
Mage
Grunt
King
Start of Journey
This is one of the initial character sketches from over 5 years ago.
And those sketches evolved into this as the character designs were fleshed out.
Work on Mighty Knights has been start and stop, with lots of 'stops', but we are finally getting close to getting it out the door.
Gonna stop here with this update and get back to work. Next update will be about the Grunt.
Kevin
PS Finished drywalling, mudding, sanding, and painting one room in our fixer-upper (see previous updates). Just started putting in some new subfloor. Learning as I go along... lol
