WAITING FOR GOOD DOT -- CRT Version
WAITING FOR GOOD DOT
Controls: Arrows. Get to the highest level you can before you run out of shoes.
(Note: this CRT shader may have trouble on Chrome on the Mac... if you are, here is the normal, non-shader version: https://thattomhall.itch.io/waiting-for-good-dot )
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HISTORY
Okay, let us travel back to ... 1980!
Our family got an Apple ][+ on June 9th, 1980. I LIVED on that computer all summer. Making text adventures, graphics demos...
One of the first games I made was WALK INTO THE DOT. It was in Apple ][+ lo-res graphics. There are BAD DOTS. Do not walk into them. There is a GOOD DOT. Walk into it to win the level! Get to the highest level you can!
It wasn't great, BUT it did bring up some subtle game design ideas, and was part of me learning, 39 years ago, how to design games.
But how to re-make it now? Make it with cool graphics? NO. I would make it like it was. Crappy, primitive, but hiding some interesting lessons.
So, I programmed the old Applesoft lo-res commands of PLOT, HLIN, and VLIN and re-made this crappy old game.
HOWEVER, there is something about it! As you get above level 10, level 20, you start feeling that "slot machine" feeling and "I almost made it"! That weird frustration-success feeling is addictive, and is worth study, even in such a primitive game as this! Also, you can learn the secrets of the game's collision: if ANY pixel of your dude touches the good dot (even if other parts touch the bad dots), you win the level! Often you may see you can win when it looked hopeless.
Caution, this is a quickly done game, BUT it's an interesting study in very raw game design. AND... there is... A CHALLENGE.
THE WORLD RECORD IS LEVEL 36. (By my sister... who's in her sixties!) Playing, you will see how hard that is to get!
CAN YOU GET HIGHER?
Comments
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Love the CRT emulation! Do you have code you can share on how to do that? My latest project needs to scream late 70's/early 80's and this effect sure does that!
That’s an old programmatic filter by someone else . Wl try to find.
After googling around a bit, I found this: https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=33488. I think that's what you're using? Not having luck getting it to work with the latest version of PICO-8. May just have to do a simple CSS effect...
Yeah that's it -- and I had problems with it in various browsers (like it only worked in one or something) so I didn't try using it again. But it does look cool. Hope there is a more stable and all-browser solution.....
Thanks for the heads up! Made some css for simple scanlines. No convexity, but it still suits.
Ah nice! Hope that works in all the browsers!
Now I know that you are not only a legendary developer but also a very humble and generous man. It's very inspiring to see you here amongst us, mere mortals. Thanks for everything, Mr Tom.
Awww thanks! Making Pico-8 games takes me back to my beloved Apple ][ days! And I did this crappy game (albeit with some okay polish) as my first P8 game cuz it is the smallest-scope game I know. Now that I have finished one (haven’t truly programmed in years), I will go back to my larger scope project with a better mindset!
You're always welcome!
AHahaha Well, it might be crappy but with your legacy you can make as much crappy games as you want.
I'll be looking forward to future releases here from you!
I wish you the best. I hope life is giving you all the happiness you gave us all. (forgive my poor English)