js13k2022 - The Devil's 4-Play - Completed!

 I have run out of my very short time scale for this years js13kgames contest. My final product is called "The Devil's Four-Play" and I am quite happy with it. This new version has some nice flavour text and pretty icons with a 'hellish' theme.

You can play it online using this link.

I am very happy with the outcomes of the project - it has all the features I imagined and looks polished. 

I only used 8kb of the 13kb available and did the project in about 20 hours of development.

This was an intense 4 day project for me because of my travel plans.

Good luck to all the other competitors and use your remaining days well! 

JS13k - day 2 - almost done

 In my super short time scale js13k this year I've spent much of the time I've got available but with some  solid hard work today I've got a good ai playing at various levels of skill.

Have enhanced some of the graphics and made it a bit friendlier. My current live version at https://js13k-fourplay.herokuapp.com/ . Archived version on github (no online play).

Tomorrow I want to display moves and scoring more clearly, take a look at how to theme and colour the game and work with the audio a bit.

JS13k 2022 - First Version

 Been hard at work in these first hours - here is a first working version of my tic-tac-toe like strategy game.

I started with my own turn based game starter project , took a lot of inspiration from this codepen and did a bit of work with css perspective to get a working (mostly responsive) board layout.

The AI player doesn't work yet but you can play another human online or locally and the rules are explained (somewhat) and implemented. The latest working version is served for multiplayer here. Local  play only archive of this code is here. 

A long days work - tomorrow I program the AI player.

JS13k 2022 - Starts Now

 For several years I've enjoyed the js13kgames contest and have consistently created an entry.

This year is a bit difficult as I am adventure travelling for 27 out the 31 days of the competition thus I intent to submit my final product 4 days from now and find out about the results when I return in 5 weeks.

This year I have 10-15 hours of development time over 4 days as opposed to my usual 30 - 50 hours over 4 weeks. So that is a constraint.

This year I'd am planning a simple turn based game with these features:

• Play 2 human players on one device; play two human players online; play vs AI
• Have varied and worthy AI opponents
• Abstract strategy game
• Some simple audio effects
• Glowing, tron-like, neon 80's appearance

The contest is started - the theme is 'Death'. 

JS13k Warm Up 2022

 This years js13k will be a bit different for me - I am travelling for most of the 30 days and it seems unlikely I'll spend more than 15 hours on the project before I leave. However I've completed every year for 7 years and would like to do a simple respectable entry.

Last year I spend a significant portion of the time setting up infrastructure for my project which was required to play in three modes (player vs player local; player vs player online and player vs AI) and the UI interface to support these modes including a lobby where on line players can meet.

In order to avoid this overhead this year I decided to do a public prep framework with some basics required to support a two player turn based game. This new structure makes extensive use of async/await to make the game code very readable; it also support basic audio support; a menu system;js13k style sockets support for multi-player and some basic DOM manipulation code.

The 'game' in this example is a trivial game where each player takes a turn and the game ends after 5 turns.

A running installation can be found here  and the code is publicly available here.

The Last Days of JS13kGames 2021

 One of the things I didn't mention in my previous blog posts is that I intended to take 8 days of the contest period off from technology; thus I spent days 19 to 27 in the mountains without connectivity generally relaxing, having fun and doing nothing too intellectual. This was part of the plan but I was a few days behind on the plan when I left. Most especially I had not completed the AI work on the game which was supposed to be done some days before - the AI was pretty dumb and it was hard to understand the game well by playing against it.

I did write the tutorial text and some design but probably only spent 3 hours on it in the week away.

When I returned from the wilderness with just three days to go the game looked something like this...

At this point I've got a long outstanding feature list and am already looking pressured. But first the AI needs to work - it took a bit more effort than I expected (and a lot of time to tune the heuristics) but I got to a place by the next day where it satisfied my goals:

• That it could beat an experienced player in it's most analytical modes.
• That in less clever modes it would play in a human-like manner - make mistakes; play towards positions that aren't that great etc.

Here is an example of it two versions of the AI playing against each other.

With just a day or so to go I needed to tidy up the interface and test it thoroughly both as a game and as a piece of software that had to run on multiple browsers, multiple os's and multiple device forms. This is when I had my worst moments on the project...

The responsive aspects had some problems (especially around more square devices like an iPad) but those I have extensive experience with and understand (media queries for the win) and had expected.

It looked terrible on Safari (flickering z-order/backface issues) but it worked and I had expected issues on Apple software (aren't there always). 

On Firefox the perspective view simply didn't work - after some investigation I found that google and Mozilla's interpretation of the transform-style property and how it is inherited are somewhat different. With a sigh of relieve I explicitly implement the transform style at each level of the DOM and then I get perspective....but it totally failed in multiple ways - the graphics wasn't appearing clicks weren't working and the lobby systems were unreliable. I thought I had played nice with the browser specs and had no expectation of having problems with a highly standards-aligned browser but could see  I had some serious problems that were going to need both research and restructuring of the graphics systems.  

It took me 5 hours of hard slog that I didn't really  have - several different aspects of the implementations of 3D transforms on svg and DOM elements are understood differently by these browsers. Firefox (probably the more standard compliant browser) really doesn't like CSS-level transforms on svg path elements -  mostly around ambiguity about the transform origin for such an element. I had to introduce several more divs for 'rigging' to manipulate the svg leaf-shapes efficiently in a cross-browser way.

Then I resolved most of the Safari issues; for me this is a slow and inefficient process as I only own oldish apple hardware for testing and don't use it on a day to day basis. But I made it work on my mac-mini and my test iPhone 6+.

After that I fixed all the little things (message if the mobile screen is portrait; messaging around players bailing out of multi-player; messages for empty lobby  and about 10 other small features).

Then just setting up standard board sizes and starting positions. I decided on 4 boards for the game - the boards are different each time but the size and initial elements on the board (but not their position) defines the courtyard. I played around for a few hours with peice collectiosn until I found something I mostly liked for each board.

Finally I changed the colour schemes a lot as I had always planned and finally had a release version.

You can play that from the js13k site here. 

I submitted this game to all three categories I wished to (desktop, mobile and server) a few hours before the close of the contest  - in time is good enough but not how I like to play.

I've taken a brief look at some of the other games and the standard seems exceptional this year - between the skills that various players have developed and the new emerging browser technology it gets more difficult and competitive every year. As always there are several competitor who have shown amazing design and technical skills that I am in awe of. 

This was my 8th year I have competed - it's been a hard year for me but I'm proud of the outcomes.

JS13k - lobby and front facing Code - Day 17

 I've been working day by day adding small features to my game. It has a lobby with a pretty menu system and the first audio effects and the look of the game is slowly improving.

 Currently all modes work (p1 vs p2 local or offline and p1 vs computer) on the heroku server - this version will remain live in the long term (but has no multi-player online)

A quick screen shot of the lobby area:

This is what the game is looking like:

JS13k - Almost an AI - Day 13

 Today I have my first attempt at a dumbish AI player which has turned out very well - it's simple heuristic is getting dominance of the board in the very short term as defined by the score.

Here is a version where you can play 7 x 7 against it - a board where something like this AI sometimes does okay.

So I'm getting close to my goals for a game that can be played between players together or apart and would support single player vs AI opponents but I need a menu system and intro page to structure all these pieces. 

Currently the project is running at 4880 bytes compressed - about 37 percent of the allowed package size. That's okay I think - there will be space enough to make it pretty.

Js13K - multiplayer progress - Day 12

 I've had a busy few days in which I have redesigned the look of my 'path game' a little; also introduced scoring and win conditions. You can see the latest version here set up for two players on one device.

I've played the game against myself on one device for a few days and am happy with the dynamics - I have a few small tweaks in mind but nothing breaking.

I've also completed the work on cloud based play - this Heroku instance allows connection across the cloud to other players and co-ordinates the play between players on different devices. You can play with that here (by going into multiple tabs or using different devices/browsers). Very happy with this implementation atm and don't think it will need much further work.

Source code for my development can be found here if anyone needs a sample for a turn based multiplayer game.

Path Game - Day 7 - JS13k Games

 I have been working on the dynamics and game play of my strategy game. I currently have a working version of the game for 2 human players on one device which still has rough graphics but allows you to play out the basic dynamics of the game, it looks something like this:

This is 9x9 board with the game about half way. A simpler board might look like this near the beginning of the game.

Currently there is no way of keeping score and no end condition. I was thinking of using a simple % domination of the space to keep score and ending the game if no move is possible for either side or one side gets 60% domination.

You can play the game (with yourself or another person physically with you) here:

Starter Game 7 x 7 

Standard Game (I think) 9 x 9

Hectic Mode 11 x 11 (mostly just testing to see if this grid size can work on mobile)

The release compressed zipped size is currently 3673 bytes - 27% of the 13kb.

The Path Game - js13k - Day 4

 The contest has begun and my plans continue afoot. The announced theme for 2021 is 'Space' which should be easy enough for my ideas - I'm thinking 'a space in the sun' or winning space within a small area (as opposed to outer-space).

I have some CSS code to draw the game pieces in a grid and have started the code analysis of the board at least so that it can select legal positions for the next move.

All the graphics is needs to be replaced but it's looking alright here.

A 'Path Game' - My js13k ideas - 1 day to go

I've played a lot of the board game Carcassone over the last few months - a brilliant and famous game. I am especially enamoured of the 'road game' in Carcassone which involves building roads from the tiles and claiming a segment of road as your own.

Carcassone looks like this:

So the road pieces (white roads on green) are essentially a lot like the this game which has existed in various forms throughout my life. (this is the windows 95 version called 'pipedreams')

So these concepts are at the centre of what I want to do: a square grid on which you place tiles to form pathways(like Carcassone and pipes); a turn based two player game where your paths can block and interfere with your opponent's (like Carcassone); which has targets you needs to reach (like pipes); and which you can see the future tiles (like pipes) and plan for them.

Additionally I'd like the game to be fair in the sense that no luck element is involved and both players have equal opportunities (Carcassone is not like this) - thus a symmetric board and identical draw of new tiles for both players. 

Tomorrow we get to know the theme and can start thinking about how it might look (branches of a tree; neurons in a brain; roads or really anything that has paths and flows).

Plan to start the programming in earnest next week.

JS13k Some old Audio Code - 5 days still start

 Audio is an important aspect of games but I often fail on it as there is never enough time and space (in the 13k) left for good audio by the end of a project.

This year I want some good simple sound effects - nothing fancy. I went back to my 2018 entry ice-x and extracted the audio system I used there as it was tiny and flexible.

It allows you to make effects by defining a volume and frequency envelop in time and allowing concurrent sounds. Simple to use and very small in bytes I made a repo here demonstrating how it works - there is a live copy where you can hear the sounds it makes

The Lobby for js13k multiplayer - 6 Days to go..

 I've been working a little on the js13k server technology and created a demo that is the minimal version of a multi-player lobby in which strangers can meet online and play together. It also provides a communication and ending facilities for a two player game.

I plan to use this as a major piece in my own js13k entry this year. The multi-player features and associated displays and server side co-ordination are currently 2k / 13k - something like 15% - that seems like a lot to me so I'd like to cut it down.

Here is the public sample code I wrote for the lobby which is running here if you want to play with it.

JS13k Time 2021 - Starts in 8 days

 Once again the new js13k contest will be starting in a few days, for those  unfamiliar with the contest the rules are pretty simple: write a game in entirely one month that runs in a browser and ensure that all resources, code and graphics can zip to 13kb - yep that's 13 312 bytes. Not a lot.

In the previous years of the contest I have entered both desktop and mobile games but I have never entered the server category which allows communication between players through the cloud.

This year I plan to focus on this functionality and hope to enter the game into the server, desktop and mobile categories. I have a turn based strategy game in mind and I intend to support:

• one player vs AI (various levels of skill)
• player vs player on a single device
• player vs player online

I'd really like to include:

• A nice lobby where players can select an appropriate opponent for multi-player
• Very pretty relatable graphics using SVG and CSS
• Simple soundscapes
• Good tutorial
• an AI that plays in a human-like manner

So the challenge is pretty hard in terms of the 13k code size - specifically the extra lobby display code,  the server side messaging logic and the AI system aren't going to leave a lot of space for the actual game.

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.

Sopwith - Play Testing Results

A few folk have played the game in the last few days; thanks to all those who did and their very useful feedback.

The general consensus was that the game was fun and the idea exciting. However ALL the players reported that the game was just too hard - even at its novice level. A clear UX problem. At least the AI must be less relentless especially when the player's plane is on the ground, and in general less aggressive and a much worse shot.

One player remembered (correctly) that the original had a 'No enemy' mode where you could play without enemy planes just to practice flying and bombing - this is an excellent idea and I can easily build such a 'CADET' mode.

They also expressed a general feeling that the game could be more forgiving - stall less damaging and/or less easily; make is easier to launch your bombs without dying on them and similar ideas.

Everyone noticed the changes of theme but didn't really associate them with different generations of video technology. I think I want to do something more explicit on screen for this.

A few bugs were reported:

• a way to clock up the score without any effort by messing with the AI pilots. 
• no one liked the bullets and bombs and smoke graphics - this is fine as these were just place holders at the time of the testing - I got cool graphics for them (now),
• some issues with corner case collision detection (destroyed building / plane hits plane)
• issues with the rules around planes on the ground and plane crash sites and how they affect the game play

My play testers also had a few interesting ideas I didn't expect: a change of name: Is 'Sopwith 2019' a good joke? 'Sopwith Returns' is maybe cooler?

I have quite of lot of bytes but not a lot of time - just a few refinements...

Sopwith - Play Test Time

My Sopwith homage is playable and needs to be completed in the next few days. I think it is time for real players to try it out.

 A fully playable version with three modes is available here. (requires a keyboard)

Although there is help text to assist you the keys are: Left/right arrow to steer plane; down arrow to flip; A and Z to change speed; Space to fire and B to drop a bomb.

So go play it if you want and comment below on what you think:
- Is it easy enough to understand and pick up
- Was it fun to play? Too hard? Too Fast?
- Did you notice the back in time changes in graphics?
- General overview; any bugs you noticed?

My high score on BRUTAL mode is about 4000 - but I'm not much of a game player.

Sopwith - Video Modes

With just a week left to go in js13kgames my game is mostly working and playable (and kind if fun) like the original game.

I've made a little video showing how the appearance can move smoothly from a circa 1990 256 VGA colour look to the most basic 1984 4 colour CGA display modes.

Watch this video which demonstrates the overlay, terrain and objects shifting between modes.

Got a few more tasks especially intro, tutorial and finishing screens still to do - then to concentrate on the appearance a bit more.

Sopwith - A playable demo of Day 17

Today the js13k contest is half way through of so - My Sopwith game is just about playable.
 I've mostly been checking off the basic game play features:

• The player's plane is full featured allowing a flip, guns and bombs.
• The world has smoke billows to show when planes go down.
•  The AI can fly a bi-plane (not well, but aggressively and fearlessly) and shoots me down often enough. 

A new playable demo is available here 

Use , (comma) and / (forward slash key) to fly up and down.

Use Z and X to control the throttle.

Use Space to Fire

Use B to drop a bomb

Use . (period) to flip the plane