Last Post... On This Computer

Edit: (February 19, 2013) Typing this from the new computer. Think I've got all my drivers set up.

The parts for the new computer will be here on Monday most likely. It's gonna be nice being able to do everything from one computer again. I wasn't able to record video very well, and if I did, I couldn't get any sound. The computer wouldn't edit sound at all, so I'll finally be able to make sound again without it being a hassle. I'm actually completely unable to do anything with DT on this computer now. Compiling typically kills the computer every time now. Saving the project has a high chance of corrupting it. Yay for having a bazillion back ups all the time. I do local back ups all the time and it never goes more than 2 days without it being backed up somewhere else. It gets a back up on a USB thumb drive monthly. That used to be more frequent, but I've found monthly is fine for that since it's always in other accessible places as well. I'd continue with DT's code on this computer through a text editor like ConTEXT, but I don't like writing a ton of code without debugging it first. I typically code a function/routine and then debug it before moving on. By the time I get the new computer, I'd have a bunch of code and finding where the inevitable bugs are would be more work in the long run I feel.

So lately on that other old computer, I've been playing games on my steam list that I've neglected for years. A friend had gifted me one of the Humble Indie Bundles about a year back. (I believe it was Bundle 4 and it came with 3, so yeah, lots of games.) Tried out Cave Story+, but having already played through it twice way back in 2006 (or was it 2005?), I put it down pretty quick. It has a hard mode, but the only thing different that I saw was there were no health boosters and the missiles weren't there. I was hoping for something a little more instead of simply removing health boosters. That just turns the game into a no-damage run. If you really like Cave Story though, it's worth checking out for the extra stuff. It's kind of like going from the original DT2 to the new one released a few months back. Same content for the most part, with some challenges and extra fluff.

Finally decided to finish all of VVVVVV. I typically stopped at the escort missions. (Yes, I hate escort missions that much.) I liked it, but the slide really threw me off on a lot of things. The game seemed to demand pixel perfection in some parts, and that slide just got in the way. If I had played this before making DT1, I might have reconsidered Jerry's slippery physics. (Probably not.)

A marble physics game called NightSky. Played all of it in one sitting like VVVVVV. It was pretty nifty and the levels were well made aside from one somewhere near the middle of the game.

There's a few others, but I won't mention them, aside from my favorite of the bunch. A little game called Crayon Physics Deluxe. I found the game encouraged player creativity in nearly all of its scenarios. It does a good job of showing you new rules and things you can do as you move on. It's $20, so that's quite a hefty price for an Indie game, but check out its demo and if you feel it's something you could really get into, I'd say go for it. That or wait for the steam deals as the game is about 4 years old at this point and it'll be on/off those often I'm sure. I've managed to unlock its final level that requires 120 stars. Took me 7 hours, but it was fun trying to figure out the 1 object solutions.

If you like numbers and charts, check out this steam user analysis tool. It just shows you how many games you have on your steam profile, the percentage of them you've actually played. (Or how many you've shamefully neglected.) And tons of other things. My profile lies... sorta, I played Half Life 2 before getting steam and Amnesia I've played outside of my steam account. Though I haven't finished it, so eventually that'll be added to the played side of things.

DT3 Development Stuff
Playing Crayon Physics Deluxe reminded me of what I was originally going to do with the beginning of DT3. It was still going to be what it is now, with the player not being able to jump, however Jeremy was going to allow you to make moving platforms (limited by #) and move them around at times to get Jerry to the Jump Boots. I can't remember anymore why I decided to remove that aspect of the scenario, but that idea hasn't been completely thrown out. It may show up later on, or the beginning might get an edit with that put back in. I know it wasn't a technical reason to not go with it.

Next time, I'll be back with new equipment!