Re: [pygame] Squirrel Game Demo

[Kris Schnee <kschnee@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Brian Fisher wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 4, 2010 at 12:11 PM, Kris Schnee <kschnee@xxxxxxxxxx 
> <mailto:kschnee@xxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
>
>     <http://kschnee.xepher.net/code/squirrelgame/>I'd appreciate
>     thoughts on making the movement more satisfying.
>
> Animation can actually make a huge difference on the feel, but there are 
> a few things I think would help that are just mechanical.
>  
> You have decceleration on stopping, which is nice, but you don't have 
> acceleration on starting movement...

> Also, it would feel a lot more satisfying if the squirrel felt smarter 
> when it came to edges of platforms...

> Finally, it might be nice to do a little action on jump landing - in 
> particular, detect whether I am asking for movement when I land...

http://kschnee.xepher.net/code/squirrelgame/

I was tinkering with the code before seeing this message, so there are 
minor changes already:
-Level size is determined from the level.txt file, so you can make 
arbitrarily large ones. I guesstimate that Python should be able to 
handle *much* larger levels on an ordinary computer.
-Improved wall-grabbing and wall-jumping: You automatically grab walls 
when jumping at them, and don't have to hold any key to hang on. If you 
jump while on a wall, you jump off of it. If you step a bit rightward 
from the start, then leap towards the left wall, you can then reach the 
top platform just by wall-jumping.
-Gliding. Hold Z (which now does nothing else) to fall slower.
-X should also make you jump, if Space isn't working due to that 
keyboard problem.
-Music (gratuitously). Plays the first OGG file it finds in \music.

Based on your suggestions I added acceleration on walking/running. 
"speed = min(current_speed+accel, max_speed)". The difference is subtle 
but really seems to help fine movement. The other ideas sound useful 
too, if I can implement them -- but enough for one night. Thanks!

Currently, holding LeftShift gives you that four-footed pose (with no 
effect on your bounding box yet) plus higher speed. A possible way to 
handle edges better is to resist going over them if you're "walking", 
ie. in the non-shifted upright pose. (The art is of course just a 
placeholder.)

New version uploaded (definitely with source code) to:
http://kschnee.xepher.net/code/squirrelgame/

There's an optional music file from Celestial Aeon Project (jamendo.com) 
that you can put in the music directory if you'd like.

Yesterday I tried out the 2D flash version of "Mirror's Edge" for 
comparison. It ran poorly on my laptop, so it's hard to give it a fair 
judgement, but I found the animation nice but the movement... a little 
off, somehow.