JS13k Day 22 - Mage Duel is sort of Playable

 I've had a bad few weeks in programming with varied problems across work, life and the world threatening my JS13k Project but have managed to put some long hours into it in the last few days.

I have got a lot of the game system working including the turn based resolutions required for a complex game like this. 

I have also built a graphics system that draws brush-stroke like lines which are beginning to look more like the oriental ink brush on rough paper look that I am hoping for. 

Time is very short and the game has a long way to go but I am hoping to make a fairly complete entry.

This version is playable sort of and a pretty good demo of the graphics.

js13K Day 4 - Curve Editor

 I've been doing a bit of work on the js13k mage dueling game.

I've got a paper prototype and am working on some formal rules for the game, still in progress but looks like it could be fun.

On the code side I still haven't started any actual tight game code but I have built a very simple svg editor which I needed to trace predictable svg from my art work samples. You can see this editor here https://elementalsystems.github.io/MageDuel/day3/svgedit/ which displays a SVG path (d attribute) in a edit box and draws the curve on the demo below. You can position the red circle on a point by clicking on the text representation of it. Clikcing on the diagram moves this point. 

I build this little toy because have a very specific requirement for my avatar paths - that each path has exactly the same number of points as any other which represent similar parts of the curve. Using this feature I can interpolate between two curves very efficiently and smoothly (and without byte costs).

This https://elementalsystems.github.io/MageDuel/day3/svgedit/test is a sample of this technology working in practice. Additionally there are two cool features I'm working on here: the 'paper' background is generated with svg filters and a noise function; and the fuzzyness of the lines supposed to look like chalk or charcoal which is generated using a displacement filter. I'm not really happy with either but I'm beginning to understand how to do what I want with filter effects.

JS13K 2020 Day 1

 It's that time of year again and in a few days the js13kgames competition will begin. (js13kgames: a contest to write a game in <13kb in 30 days that runs in a browser).

I have decided to complete an entry despite various time pressures mostly because I have taken part every year for the last 5 years and in this difficult covid time I should be part of the global fun. 

I have (as always) ambitious goals:
* I plan to enter into the desktop, mobile and server categories of the contest with a game that  will adapt to available interface and graphics effects. I've never written a multiplayer networked game before or entered the server side of the contest.
* I would also like the ability to play solo vs an AI; against another human player online (using the js13k sandbox server side); or against another human on one device (pass and play).
* Use a hand drawn look with super smooth animations. I really enjoyed using SVG last year and I want to take it out for a broader artistic spin.
* Include sounds! I never make good sounds in my entries - this year!

At the moment I'm not really sure what I will make but I'm very inspired by Onitama's card system and am considering a deck based combat duel of some sort.

The contest theme for this year is '404' which is a bit difficult for me but I'll find a way to fit it or just ignore it.