Another update and quite a big change to the game.
We've now included after-touch so you can bend the ball - great for putting the ball past the keepers. It only bends the ball slightly but it's just enough.
The pitch size for the grass and concrete pitches has been increased in width slightly. They originally looked a bit narrow. The astro and indoor pitches are unaltered.
The goal kick has also been improved. If you use the Shoot key to take your goal kick (boot it upfield) the ball will grow in size to show height and will go much further than before.
New demo version can be found at http://addictive247.fileburst.com/addictivefootballdemo.exe
If you like the game it can be purchased from http://www.addictive247.co.uk/purchasefooty.htm
Also, don't forget to play the demo and then fill in the Addictive Football Survey. By sending it to us you can receive a 15% off discount code which can be used on any of our games.
We'd love to get your feedback on the new improvements to the game so please post your comments here or send us an email.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Monday, December 18, 2006
The Best Old-School Soccer Game
Apparently there's a Best Old-School Soccer Games of the year poll going on and Addictive Football is included - hurray.
Details of all the games can be found HERE
If you'd like to vote for Addictive Football then please go HERE and make your vote count!
Currently Yoda Soccer is winning with a massive 44%. I was also expecting Sensible Soccer 2006 to have many more votes than 2. Come on Support the Little Guy!
Details of all the games can be found HERE
If you'd like to vote for Addictive Football then please go HERE and make your vote count!
Currently Yoda Soccer is winning with a massive 44%. I was also expecting Sensible Soccer 2006 to have many more votes than 2. Come on Support the Little Guy!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Bend it like Beckham
Currently working on some code for the game which will give you the option of applying after-touch to a shot. If you don't know what after-touch is, it basically allows you to curve the ball slightly to the left or right when a shot is taken.
This was one of the features suggested by a number of people who completed the Addictive Football Survey.
If you haven't filled the survey in then please do go to the link above and give us your feedback. As a thank you we'll give you a 15% off discount code for any of our games.
The after-touch code seems to be working pretty well so far but some more tweaks are still needed. We're also going to include the option so you can play with it on or off. This new feature will be added to the next build of the game which should be released before Christmas.
This was one of the features suggested by a number of people who completed the Addictive Football Survey.
If you haven't filled the survey in then please do go to the link above and give us your feedback. As a thank you we'll give you a 15% off discount code for any of our games.
The after-touch code seems to be working pretty well so far but some more tweaks are still needed. We're also going to include the option so you can play with it on or off. This new feature will be added to the next build of the game which should be released before Christmas.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Survey
We've just put up a very short survey to do with Addictive Football and would really appreciate it if you'd take the time to fill it in. It's only 8 short questions which should take a couple of minutes (max!) to complete.
The survey can be found at http://www.addictive247.co.uk/footballsurvey.htm
If you fill in the survey and supply your email address we'll send you a 15% off Discount Code for any of our games. It's our way of saying a big Thank You for helping us out. As always your email address will be treated with complete privacy and will not be passed onto any other organisations.
The survey can be found at http://www.addictive247.co.uk/footballsurvey.htm
If you fill in the survey and supply your email address we'll send you a 15% off Discount Code for any of our games. It's our way of saying a big Thank You for helping us out. As always your email address will be treated with complete privacy and will not be passed onto any other organisations.
Friday, December 08, 2006
New Addictive Football Movie
Just uploaded a brand new Addictive Football Movie which shows off a lot more of the game. YouTube version is embedded below:
If you want to watch the good high quality version then get over to our new Addictive Football Cool Stuff page. There's a couple of desktop wallpapers there as well :)
If you want to watch the good high quality version then get over to our new Addictive Football Cool Stuff page. There's a couple of desktop wallpapers there as well :)
Thursday, December 07, 2006
A tiny, tiny change
Well, I promised myself that I wouldn't do any changes at least for another week but I couldn't resist!
A new version has been uploaded (v1.4.1) which has a tiny change to how the pass indicator works. Previously the team mate you could pass to had an arrow above his head. If he runs off screen though the arrow stays above his head meaning you can't see who to pass too!
The new version fixes this so if your team mate runs off screen the arrow stays on screen pointing to where he is upfield. It makes life (and passing!) a lot easier now.
Get the new free demo version now
A new version has been uploaded (v1.4.1) which has a tiny change to how the pass indicator works. Previously the team mate you could pass to had an arrow above his head. If he runs off screen though the arrow stays above his head meaning you can't see who to pass too!
The new version fixes this so if your team mate runs off screen the arrow stays on screen pointing to where he is upfield. It makes life (and passing!) a lot easier now.
Get the new free demo version now
Monday, December 04, 2006
Promoting the game
Well, the Press Release for Addictive Football has gone out today and I'm continuing to promote the game everywhere possible.
If you'd like to help spread the word about the game then we've created 2 banners that you can use. If you run a website and would like to include one of the banners then please do. Please host the banners on your own servers, for obvious reasons.
The banners can be found at:
http://www.addictivefootball.com/images/footybanner1_468x60.jpg
http://www.addictivefootball.com/images/footybanner2_120x375.jpg
If you do mention the game somewhere or post up a banner then please let us know so we can pass on our thanks :)
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Improved A.I (v1.4)
Yet another update!
Version 1.4 has just been uploaded and can be downloaded from the usual link.
This version has improved A.I so the defenders actually defend and don't run off like little school girls when the opponents are attacking your goal. The strikers should also play a much better game now.
The passing routine has also been tweaked a bit so it should be more precise.
Version 1.4 has just been uploaded and can be downloaded from the usual link.
This version has improved A.I so the defenders actually defend and don't run off like little school girls when the opponents are attacking your goal. The strikers should also play a much better game now.
The passing routine has also been tweaked a bit so it should be more precise.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Uziana Review Addictive Football
The guys over at Uziana have done a great review of Addictive Football. It scores 7 out of 10 (I hope it's out of ten!) and is a fair review.
A quote from the review:
From the review it sounds like they had a lot of fun playing it, which is what the game is all about. They also make some good points about the A.I and passing.
I'm currently working on an update (not another one I hear you cry!) which has improved the A.I, especially the defenders, and I've also tweaked the passing of the ball. The passing won't always be perfect as I think that would go against "the real game", in that you can never 100% of the time do a perfect pass.
Another quote:
I also find playing the game more difficult with an 8-way gamepad. If you have a gamepad with analog sticks then I'd suggest using them. It's much easier. My personal preference is the keys though unless I can rig up my old Competition Pro joystick that I used to play Kick Off with.
A quote from the review:
"Addictive Football features a bunch of game-modes including knock-out cups, amateur and pro league and tournaments. All of them are great fun, but the best part of the game is the custom game mode. Using the mode you can create your own team with different skills, it’s great for practicing but even more fun to create a superb team and trash the competition."
From the review it sounds like they had a lot of fun playing it, which is what the game is all about. They also make some good points about the A.I and passing.
I'm currently working on an update (not another one I hear you cry!) which has improved the A.I, especially the defenders, and I've also tweaked the passing of the ball. The passing won't always be perfect as I think that would go against "the real game", in that you can never 100% of the time do a perfect pass.
Another quote:
After a while you will get the hang of it, but the passing part of the game is still extremely hard with an 8-way gamepad.
I also find playing the game more difficult with an 8-way gamepad. If you have a gamepad with analog sticks then I'd suggest using them. It's much easier. My personal preference is the keys though unless I can rig up my old Competition Pro joystick that I used to play Kick Off with.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
3 Changes in one month (v1.3)
or the title should read "Addictive Football v1.3 is ready".
Get the new demo Here
The new version has the "not-so-perfect" keepers included. I was quite surprised at how such a small change could really make a difference to the game. It's a lot more fun having un-predictable goalies as the action doesn't seem to stop as much.
and a new screenie for you (nothing to do with goalies though)
Get the new demo Here
The new version has the "not-so-perfect" keepers included. I was quite surprised at how such a small change could really make a difference to the game. It's a lot more fun having un-predictable goalies as the action doesn't seem to stop as much.
and a new screenie for you (nothing to do with goalies though)
Monday, November 27, 2006
The Perfect Keeper
In Addictive Football the keepers are damn good. They always keep hold of the ball if it's hit at them, which is very unlike the real game.
I'm currently working on a bit of code which makes the keepers not so perfect. If the ball is hit at them they may not be able to keep hold of the ball and will punch the ball back into play. This makes it great fun especially for scoring on the rebound. I've also added a sound effect of the crowd going "Ooooohhh" when this happens, which really adds to the atmosphere.
There's a bug in the code at the moment which I'm hoping to get fixed by tomorrow. It then needs a good test before releasing it.
I'm currently working on a bit of code which makes the keepers not so perfect. If the ball is hit at them they may not be able to keep hold of the ball and will punch the ball back into play. This makes it great fun especially for scoring on the rebound. I've also added a sound effect of the crowd going "Ooooohhh" when this happens, which really adds to the atmosphere.
There's a bug in the code at the moment which I'm hoping to get fixed by tomorrow. It then needs a good test before releasing it.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Addictive Football v1.2
Just uploaded version 1.2 of Addictive Football. The demo can be downloaded Here
In this version we've added the following:
* Names appear above players' heads during the game. Can be turned off from the Options menu.
* Player Name Editor. Allows you to rename each player in every team.
* Improved A.I.
In the demo version you can have a look around at the Name Editor but you can't save or make any changes. This is only available in the full version.
Screenshot of the Name Editor can be found Here
We're also offering a 15% discount off Addictive Football for the good folk who read this blog.
Just go to the purchase page and click on the Buy Now button. Near the bottom of the actual purchase page there will be a box called "Discount Code". Your discount code is UPM000X4.
This offer is available until Thursday 30th November 2006. So be quick to take advantage of it.
As always, all feedback would be appreciated
In this version we've added the following:
* Names appear above players' heads during the game. Can be turned off from the Options menu.
* Player Name Editor. Allows you to rename each player in every team.
* Improved A.I.
In the demo version you can have a look around at the Name Editor but you can't save or make any changes. This is only available in the full version.
Screenshot of the Name Editor can be found Here
We're also offering a 15% discount off Addictive Football for the good folk who read this blog.
Just go to the purchase page and click on the Buy Now button. Near the bottom of the actual purchase page there will be a box called "Discount Code". Your discount code is UPM000X4.
This offer is available until Thursday 30th November 2006. So be quick to take advantage of it.
As always, all feedback would be appreciated
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Edit Player Names
In the latest version of Addictive Football you can edit the team names in the game but that's it as far as customization goes. So I'm currently working on an update so you can edit the player names for each team.
When you now play the game the players' name will appear above his head. There will be default ones supplied with the game but you can then go into the lovely editor I've just written and change every single name for every team.
Here's how the editor looks so far:
It's really easy to use. You just click on the Team you want to change (left side of screenshot) and then you can just type over the original name. Clicking the Save button (bottom right) obviously saves your changes.
If you don't like having the players' name above the heads in the game then there's always the option to turn the feature off. Hopefully we should have the new version with the editor ready for a release tomorrow :)
When you now play the game the players' name will appear above his head. There will be default ones supplied with the game but you can then go into the lovely editor I've just written and change every single name for every team.
Here's how the editor looks so far:
It's really easy to use. You just click on the Team you want to change (left side of screenshot) and then you can just type over the original name. Clicking the Save button (bottom right) obviously saves your changes.
If you don't like having the players' name above the heads in the game then there's always the option to turn the feature off. Hopefully we should have the new version with the editor ready for a release tomorrow :)
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
New Version Uploaded v1.1
We've just uploaded a new version of Addictive Football (v1.1), which has the following changes:
* Players running speeds have been increased slightly.
* Players passing speeds have been increased.
* Demo download size is now smaller.
Only small changes but they do speed the game play up.
Demo is in the usual place at http://addictive247.fileburst.com/addictivefootballdemo.exe
If you like the game why not grab yourself a copy for only $19.95. The full game has loads more to it and features 5 different game modes to play. I can also testify that the 2 player game against friends is great fun after a long night in the pub :)
* Players running speeds have been increased slightly.
* Players passing speeds have been increased.
* Demo download size is now smaller.
Only small changes but they do speed the game play up.
Demo is in the usual place at http://addictive247.fileburst.com/addictivefootballdemo.exe
If you like the game why not grab yourself a copy for only $19.95. The full game has loads more to it and features 5 different game modes to play. I can also testify that the 2 player game against friends is great fun after a long night in the pub :)
Monday, November 20, 2006
Official Addictive Football Website
The official Addictive Football website is up and actually contains some more content now. You can visit it Here
As well as hints and tips and more screen shots we've just added a Free Stuff page which has a couple of desktop wallpapers. We'll continue to add to this page with more free goodies over time.
There's also a new Partners Page which has some links to external sites. If you've got a football or gaming website that you'd like included then details on how to get linked can also be found on this page.
As well as hints and tips and more screen shots we've just added a Free Stuff page which has a couple of desktop wallpapers. We'll continue to add to this page with more free goodies over time.
There's also a new Partners Page which has some links to external sites. If you've got a football or gaming website that you'd like included then details on how to get linked can also be found on this page.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
New Version (2)
The new version of Addictive Football has just been uploaded.
The changes mentioned in the post below have all been implemented. Get the free demo of the game Here
If you like the game then why not help support the Indie Gamer movement and buy a copy from Our Website
Go on, you know you want to!
The changes mentioned in the post below have all been implemented. Get the free demo of the game Here
If you like the game then why not help support the Indie Gamer movement and buy a copy from Our Website
Go on, you know you want to!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Update
What a boring title!
Still working on the next update which hopefully should be released tomorrow. The new version will include:
* Improved A.I - Seems like this will be an ongoing thing.
* Improved Goal Celebration - When you (or the CPU) score a large 3D version of your player is shown in the bottom left corner of the screen doing his goal celebration dance.
* Passing speed - The speed of the ball when passing has been increased slightly.
* Extra polish - Box outlining each score, Logo embossed into the ground of the Astro pitch, whistles when there should be one, better goal! and goal kick text
* Bug fixes - A few small bugs have now been fixed.
* View or Config keys - You can now view the keys or configure them from within the menus instead of going through the Options.
A big thanks to everyone so far who has given us feedback on the game. It really is appreciated. If you want to help out then please download the demo at http://addictive247.fileburst.com/addictivefootballdemo.exe and contact us with your thoughs by using our contact info at http://www.addictivefootball.com/contact.htm
Still working on the next update which hopefully should be released tomorrow. The new version will include:
* Improved A.I - Seems like this will be an ongoing thing.
* Improved Goal Celebration - When you (or the CPU) score a large 3D version of your player is shown in the bottom left corner of the screen doing his goal celebration dance.
* Passing speed - The speed of the ball when passing has been increased slightly.
* Extra polish - Box outlining each score, Logo embossed into the ground of the Astro pitch, whistles when there should be one, better goal! and goal kick text
* Bug fixes - A few small bugs have now been fixed.
* View or Config keys - You can now view the keys or configure them from within the menus instead of going through the Options.
A big thanks to everyone so far who has given us feedback on the game. It really is appreciated. If you want to help out then please download the demo at http://addictive247.fileburst.com/addictivefootballdemo.exe and contact us with your thoughs by using our contact info at http://www.addictivefootball.com/contact.htm
Friday, November 10, 2006
The work continues
Been playing around with some small changes to the player A.I today so that the players' react a bit more realistically. Think I've finally got it how it should be now.
This weekend we're also going to be working on another update which will see quite a big change to the goal celebration routine. When you score, a large screen will appear in the play area called the "Player Cam". It will show a large 3D version of the player doing his goal celebration. We might also adjust this code so we can include a "Streaker Cam"!
We haven't done a big release for the game yet as there's a few things we want to change first. Hopefully the next version will be out early next week. In the meantime though, everyone can help us out by downloading the demo and giving us some feedback. We want to know your thoughts on the gameplay in general, player A.I and any bugs you may spot. Also, anything you think would be cool to add to the game at this stage.
The demo can be downloaded at http://addictive247.fileburst.com/addictivefootballdemo.exe
and you can get in touch with us from our Contacts page at http://www.addictivefootball.com/contact.htm
This weekend we're also going to be working on another update which will see quite a big change to the goal celebration routine. When you score, a large screen will appear in the play area called the "Player Cam". It will show a large 3D version of the player doing his goal celebration. We might also adjust this code so we can include a "Streaker Cam"!
We haven't done a big release for the game yet as there's a few things we want to change first. Hopefully the next version will be out early next week. In the meantime though, everyone can help us out by downloading the demo and giving us some feedback. We want to know your thoughts on the gameplay in general, player A.I and any bugs you may spot. Also, anything you think would be cool to add to the game at this stage.
The demo can be downloaded at http://addictive247.fileburst.com/addictivefootballdemo.exe
and you can get in touch with us from our Contacts page at http://www.addictivefootball.com/contact.htm
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
New Version
A new version has just been uploaded - Here
This version has the following improvements:
* You can now control the goal kick. Press the Pass button to do a short but precise kick to a team mate or press the Shoot key to boot the ball upfield.
* A couple of bug fixes to do with Player Vs Player code.
* Text on Key Config page explaining the controls.
* A couple of other minor bug fixes.
The official Addictive Football website is now up and running and can be found
Here. I'll be doing some changes over the following week but the site is fully functional for now.
This version has the following improvements:
* You can now control the goal kick. Press the Pass button to do a short but precise kick to a team mate or press the Shoot key to boot the ball upfield.
* A couple of bug fixes to do with Player Vs Player code.
* Text on Key Config page explaining the controls.
* A couple of other minor bug fixes.
The official Addictive Football website is now up and running and can be found
Here. I'll be doing some changes over the following week but the site is fully functional for now.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Updates and Changes
Over the weekend I've been making some changes to the game after receiving some feedback.
The new version will be released this week and it will include the following:
* You can now control the goal kick when your keeper has the ball. Pressing the Pass key will do a short but precise kick to one of your players while pressing the Shoot key will boot the ball upfield.
* A couple of bug fixes to do with the Player Vs Player code.
* Extra text on the Config Keys screen(s) explaining what the pass/shoot keys do.
* Goal celebration animations improved/changed.
I'm really glad that I never went full out on the launch last Friday as I wanted to do a bit of a "soft release" first to catch any bugs. First impressions definately do count and I think the game will be much better received when the new version is out there.
The new version will be released this week and it will include the following:
* You can now control the goal kick when your keeper has the ball. Pressing the Pass key will do a short but precise kick to one of your players while pressing the Shoot key will boot the ball upfield.
* A couple of bug fixes to do with the Player Vs Player code.
* Extra text on the Config Keys screen(s) explaining what the pass/shoot keys do.
* Goal celebration animations improved/changed.
I'm really glad that I never went full out on the launch last Friday as I wanted to do a bit of a "soft release" first to catch any bugs. First impressions definately do count and I think the game will be much better received when the new version is out there.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Addictive Football is Released!
Finally!!
The demo and full game are now available. More information about the game including screenshots and the demo can be found at http://www.addictive247.co.uk/addictivefootball.htm
The demo lets you play a 1 or 2 player friendly with 4 of the teams and also lets you have a go of the Amateur Knockout Cup. You can also have a short go of the Custom Game mode. Most of the other options are locked down but you are able to view them to see what they're like.
The game is priced at $19.95 and if you'd like to buy it then please go to http://www.addictive247.co.uk/purchasefooty.htm
This is version 1.0 but it will be a continuing project for us as we strive to improve it and add loads of new features. We'd love to get your feedback about the game so please feel free to post about it here or on the Addictive Football Forums
The official home of Addictive Football will eventually be at www.addictivefootball.com when I get around to building the site.
New high quality version video can be downloaded Here
YouTube video is Here
Enjoy :)
The demo and full game are now available. More information about the game including screenshots and the demo can be found at http://www.addictive247.co.uk/addictivefootball.htm
The demo lets you play a 1 or 2 player friendly with 4 of the teams and also lets you have a go of the Amateur Knockout Cup. You can also have a short go of the Custom Game mode. Most of the other options are locked down but you are able to view them to see what they're like.
The game is priced at $19.95 and if you'd like to buy it then please go to http://www.addictive247.co.uk/purchasefooty.htm
This is version 1.0 but it will be a continuing project for us as we strive to improve it and add loads of new features. We'd love to get your feedback about the game so please feel free to post about it here or on the Addictive Football Forums
The official home of Addictive Football will eventually be at www.addictivefootball.com when I get around to building the site.
New high quality version video can be downloaded Here
YouTube video is Here
Enjoy :)
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Addictive Football Demo . . .
. . . is not ready yet!! Sorry that's just plain cruel :)
The build of the demo version has started as feedback on the last test version has all been good. A couple of minor little hiccups have been fixed but nothing major. The game seems solid enough for us to go ahead and release.
I always get nervous at this point. I hate building demos and Addictive Football seems to be a tricky beast. It's hard to know what to include and what to leave out. Most demos leave the player hooked and then end the demo, which is a lot easier to do with say a platform game than a football game.
I'm doing the usual thing like cutting out the number of teams you can play with etc but I think it makes the game look kind of ugly now. I think I'm just used to seeing the game in it's complete state. It seems mean to now rip it apart and leave a few scraps in the demo. Anyway, work on this butchery continues and I'm hoping to get it in a "happy" state by tomorrow.
Another problem I've had over the last few days is the massive amounts of ideas I've had for the game. The engine is solid enough and we could just keep adding to it but then the game would never get released. It would be "feature creep" overload!! I've got a nice list of things which will eventually get added to the game.
Which brings me nicely to the old age question of . . . "When you release the game, is that it?" No chance matey is my reply!
Addictive Football is going to be a continuing project which will progress, improve and mature over time. Hopefully we can get a community behind the game which will keep fresh ideas rolling in as we strive to make Addictive Football the best 2d footy game after Sensible Soccer (Amiga version, of course)
The build of the demo version has started as feedback on the last test version has all been good. A couple of minor little hiccups have been fixed but nothing major. The game seems solid enough for us to go ahead and release.
I always get nervous at this point. I hate building demos and Addictive Football seems to be a tricky beast. It's hard to know what to include and what to leave out. Most demos leave the player hooked and then end the demo, which is a lot easier to do with say a platform game than a football game.
I'm doing the usual thing like cutting out the number of teams you can play with etc but I think it makes the game look kind of ugly now. I think I'm just used to seeing the game in it's complete state. It seems mean to now rip it apart and leave a few scraps in the demo. Anyway, work on this butchery continues and I'm hoping to get it in a "happy" state by tomorrow.
Another problem I've had over the last few days is the massive amounts of ideas I've had for the game. The engine is solid enough and we could just keep adding to it but then the game would never get released. It would be "feature creep" overload!! I've got a nice list of things which will eventually get added to the game.
Which brings me nicely to the old age question of . . . "When you release the game, is that it?" No chance matey is my reply!
Addictive Football is going to be a continuing project which will progress, improve and mature over time. Hopefully we can get a community behind the game which will keep fresh ideas rolling in as we strive to make Addictive Football the best 2d footy game after Sensible Soccer (Amiga version, of course)
Monday, October 30, 2006
Final Test Version?
I sent out what I've called "the final test version" to all our testers this afternoon. If there aren't any amazingly stupid bugs in the game then this will be the version that we use to create the demo.
That means you might actually be able to get your hands on the game ready for the weekend. However, holding your breath is not advised as it will kill you.
You can also head on over to SWOS UNITED where the fantastic moderators there have given Addictive Football it's own little sub-forum. Thanks for that guys, much appreciated :)
That means you might actually be able to get your hands on the game ready for the weekend. However, holding your breath is not advised as it will kill you.
You can also head on over to SWOS UNITED where the fantastic moderators there have given Addictive Football it's own little sub-forum. Thanks for that guys, much appreciated :)
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Last minute changes
Over the weekend I've been playing around with changing the passing routine within the game to make it more realistic and playable. At the moment when you press the pass key the code will try and pass to the nearest player to you. This worked out pretty good but did have it's drawbacks in that you could end up passing back towards your own end if you were running up field.
So, what I've done is for the new pass routine to work out which one of your players' is nearer to the goal you're going for and then make a pass in his direction. This also means that the power of kick for the pass has been increased so that nice long balls can be played. So far it's working out much better but I still need to tweak it a bit.
I've also been adding some more polish to the game and have added sound effects in for when the ball bounces off ad boards or goal posts etc. It's amazing how such a small change like that can really make a difference.
All the detail for every pitch type is now complete (hurray!). I thought we'd never get the concrete pitch looking right but it looks fine now.
Also got the domain addictivefootball.com which will be the official home for the game along with the Addictive 247 website. Just got to build the bloody site now and try and get the game finished!
Will we release the game this week??
So, what I've done is for the new pass routine to work out which one of your players' is nearer to the goal you're going for and then make a pass in his direction. This also means that the power of kick for the pass has been increased so that nice long balls can be played. So far it's working out much better but I still need to tweak it a bit.
I've also been adding some more polish to the game and have added sound effects in for when the ball bounces off ad boards or goal posts etc. It's amazing how such a small change like that can really make a difference.
All the detail for every pitch type is now complete (hurray!). I thought we'd never get the concrete pitch looking right but it looks fine now.
Also got the domain addictivefootball.com which will be the official home for the game along with the Addictive 247 website. Just got to build the bloody site now and try and get the game finished!
Will we release the game this week??
Thursday, October 26, 2006
The Latest Screenies
Here's a few screenshots showing the game in it's almost complete state.
Opening Menu Screen
Custom Game Mode
Grass Pitch
Indoor Pitch
Medal Tournament
Opening Menu Screen
Custom Game Mode
Grass Pitch
Indoor Pitch
Medal Tournament
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Game Polish
I've spent most of the day working on little things that will just make the game look that little bit better and add some polish. The menu options now slide in on the right side of the screen and theres a few sound effects when selecting an option. There's also some text that pops up on screen explaining what each option or game mode does. It's not exactly rocket science and most people will be able to tell what "Friendly Game" is but it's good to get these things in.
Two bugs were also spotted by one of the testers so I've now fixed them. Nothing too exciting but so far the game seems very solid. I'm still not 100% happy with the concrete pitch detail so Phil's making some changes to the graphics.
Funnily enough today was meant to be release day for the game. Oh well, tough! It will probably be next week now. To keep everyone happy here's a screenshot of the opening menu . . .
Two bugs were also spotted by one of the testers so I've now fixed them. Nothing too exciting but so far the game seems very solid. I'm still not 100% happy with the concrete pitch detail so Phil's making some changes to the graphics.
Funnily enough today was meant to be release day for the game. Oh well, tough! It will probably be next week now. To keep everyone happy here's a screenshot of the opening menu . . .
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
. . . The end is Near
Been extremely busy over the last few days trying to get the remaining graphics into the game. All the menu backgrounds are now in and it all seems to be coming together nicely.
The Trophy Cabinet is now included which shows any of the cups or medals you've won in the game. I'm still working on the pitch detail which has become a right pain in the arse. It's difficult to get the right balance of spectators without taking your eye away from the action. The grass and astro pitches are fully complete but I've still got work to do on the concrete and indoor pitches.
The latest beta version of the game went out this morning so I'm awaiting feedback from the testers. I think there'll only be one more test version after this one before release.
So, the end is in sight but we're not quite there yet.
The Trophy Cabinet is now included which shows any of the cups or medals you've won in the game. I'm still working on the pitch detail which has become a right pain in the arse. It's difficult to get the right balance of spectators without taking your eye away from the action. The grass and astro pitches are fully complete but I've still got work to do on the concrete and indoor pitches.
The latest beta version of the game went out this morning so I'm awaiting feedback from the testers. I think there'll only be one more test version after this one before release.
So, the end is in sight but we're not quite there yet.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Teaser Trailer
I've just uploaded a little teaser trailer for Addictive Football.
The good quality version can be found at Good Quality Version
The compressed and squashed version on You Tube is at You Tube Version
The menu backgrounds and pitch detail aren't complete yet so some of it's still programmer art!!
Enjoy!
The good quality version can be found at Good Quality Version
The compressed and squashed version on You Tube is at You Tube Version
The menu backgrounds and pitch detail aren't complete yet so some of it's still programmer art!!
Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Detail so far
Here's a couple of screenies showing the pitch detail so far.
Below is the Astro pitch. As with most astro pitches it's enclosed with netting all around. I've added some of the crowd detail which you can see peeping over the boards and through the netting.
Next is the indoor pitch. The stands are filling up with people now and more need to be added around the sides. There's also some other props to be added as well.
All in all, it's coming together nicely. The concrete pitch is the one that needs the most work as it's very "empty" right now, with a lot of detail needed to be added. Should get round to that before the week is out.
Below is the Astro pitch. As with most astro pitches it's enclosed with netting all around. I've added some of the crowd detail which you can see peeping over the boards and through the netting.
Next is the indoor pitch. The stands are filling up with people now and more need to be added around the sides. There's also some other props to be added as well.
All in all, it's coming together nicely. The concrete pitch is the one that needs the most work as it's very "empty" right now, with a lot of detail needed to be added. Should get round to that before the week is out.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Crowd Detail and Streakers!
Today I'm working on the crowd detail around the sides of the 4 different pitch types. Phil has supplied me with some small people graphics of varying sorts. As it's meant to be a Sunday League 5-a-side game and not a Premiership match the crowds will be a lot smaller. The indoor pitch will be the most detailed as there are stands on both sides of the pitch.
For the outdoor pitches there's also people stood there with dogs and stuff like that. Much more realistic. Not all the members of the crowd are static either. Some will actually follow the game and will look where the action is.
Last night I also added Addictive Football's first streaker! I've named her Jennie, for no particular reason. She appears in the indoor pitch and runs along the side line being chased by a much slower policeman/security guard. Streakers will appear when certain conditions are met so you might not see them in every match you play. The first streaker is a very simple one but I should have others running all over the pitch causing havoc. I'm not sure whether the game play should pause when a streaker appears or if the game should continue - need to test it out really.
For the outdoor pitches there's also people stood there with dogs and stuff like that. Much more realistic. Not all the members of the crowd are static either. Some will actually follow the game and will look where the action is.
Last night I also added Addictive Football's first streaker! I've named her Jennie, for no particular reason. She appears in the indoor pitch and runs along the side line being chased by a much slower policeman/security guard. Streakers will appear when certain conditions are met so you might not see them in every match you play. The first streaker is a very simple one but I should have others running all over the pitch causing havoc. I'm not sure whether the game play should pause when a streaker appears or if the game should continue - need to test it out really.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Edit Team Names
One thing that I hadn't included in the game was the ability to edit team names. You can name your team in the Custom Game Mode but that's it. All the other teams keep their original names throughout the game.
So, today I thought maybe it would be cool and players' would enjoy the idea of being able to re-name all the teams. I know other footy games do it so why not Addictive Football. A good few hours later and a lot of code changes and the player can now edit all the team names.
Ok, so it's not the most exciting feature of the game but groups of friends could have a lot of fun renaming the teams to things more meaningful. Although it's guaranteed that people will just enter rude words.
So, today I thought maybe it would be cool and players' would enjoy the idea of being able to re-name all the teams. I know other footy games do it so why not Addictive Football. A good few hours later and a lot of code changes and the player can now edit all the team names.
Ok, so it's not the most exciting feature of the game but groups of friends could have a lot of fun renaming the teams to things more meaningful. Although it's guaranteed that people will just enter rude words.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Arse!
The latest edition of The Arsecast has now been released. Check it out Here. Addictive Football also gets a mention :)
Sent out another beta test the other day but then realised there was a bug to do with the players' running speeds. No matter which team you selected the players' all ran at the same speed! Which didn't make it fun at all. I fixed the problem and a new build was sent out.
The game is now nearing completion - hurray I hear you cry! I've now added a "Team Information" page which gives some info so you can work out which teams are good and which aren't so good. I was dead against showing stats for each team as I think it makes it too easy to select the good teams to play as. Instead there is a bit of text describing each team which contains some clues as to how good they are. Much better than having some individual status bars or scores out of 10.
Phil has also just completed the graphics for the different cups and medals that can be won. They look fantastic! We just need to do slightly smaller versions of them so they can appear in the Trophy Cabinet. Next we're concentrating on getting all the pitch details correct and including the spectators/crowd. Busy, busy, busy!
One of my friends, who is also a beta tester, wanted an addition to the game that included tanks, guns and lots of blood! Basically he wants the game to be Speed Ball 2. It's funny that he mentioned it though as I was thinking of re-using parts of the engine and maybe doing some kind of Speed Ball style game. Definately something to think about, although there won't be a Death Match mode to Addictive Football anytime soon!
Sent out another beta test the other day but then realised there was a bug to do with the players' running speeds. No matter which team you selected the players' all ran at the same speed! Which didn't make it fun at all. I fixed the problem and a new build was sent out.
The game is now nearing completion - hurray I hear you cry! I've now added a "Team Information" page which gives some info so you can work out which teams are good and which aren't so good. I was dead against showing stats for each team as I think it makes it too easy to select the good teams to play as. Instead there is a bit of text describing each team which contains some clues as to how good they are. Much better than having some individual status bars or scores out of 10.
Phil has also just completed the graphics for the different cups and medals that can be won. They look fantastic! We just need to do slightly smaller versions of them so they can appear in the Trophy Cabinet. Next we're concentrating on getting all the pitch details correct and including the spectators/crowd. Busy, busy, busy!
One of my friends, who is also a beta tester, wanted an addition to the game that included tanks, guns and lots of blood! Basically he wants the game to be Speed Ball 2. It's funny that he mentioned it though as I was thinking of re-using parts of the engine and maybe doing some kind of Speed Ball style game. Definately something to think about, although there won't be a Death Match mode to Addictive Football anytime soon!
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Latest Screenshots
We've now added some of the advertising boards around the sides of the pitches. Some of them are rip-offs of famous shop names. The screenshot below shows the players running into position at the start of the match.
The next screenshot shows an attack on goal. There's still spectator/crowd details to be added, which will be done last.
The last screenshot shows the menu screen for the Inter Knockout Cup. In this mode the player has to play against 5 different teams of varying ability and beat each one. The actual background is just a place holder for now and will be changed before release.
The next screenshot shows an attack on goal. There's still spectator/crowd details to be added, which will be done last.
The last screenshot shows the menu screen for the Inter Knockout Cup. In this mode the player has to play against 5 different teams of varying ability and beat each one. The actual background is just a place holder for now and will be changed before release.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Lots going on
Been very busy this last week trying to tweak the game after receiving feedback from the beta testers. One of the main things I've done is to alter the speed of the actual game depending on which pitch you're playing on. If you play on the Indoor pitch then the ball will roll and bounce more compared to playing on grass, which makes the game slightly faster.
I've also added in the crowd sound effects for each of the different venues. I think I've managed to get it to sound more like a local football game with a small crowd rather than a stadium full of supporters.
Everything seems to be coming together now. There's still a fair bit of graphics work to do but it's mostly small detail stuff for the pitches or the spectators. Oh and we need to design the streakers!
I've also added in the crowd sound effects for each of the different venues. I think I've managed to get it to sound more like a local football game with a small crowd rather than a stadium full of supporters.
Everything seems to be coming together now. There's still a fair bit of graphics work to do but it's mostly small detail stuff for the pitches or the spectators. Oh and we need to design the streakers!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Addictive Football Rocks!
Literally! We've just added the title track to the game and it's a fast-paced, heavy rock anthem. As always we've used Chris Worth Productions for our music. We've used them since 2003 when we needed a track for our platform game Coin World. Every game released since then has used music written by them. I really can't recommend them enough. The prices are excellent and their customer service is the best I've ever encountered. If you need music for a game or any other type of media then I'd suggest getting over to their website and having a good look around.
The second beta test version of the game went out yesterday and so far everything seems fine. Today I've been concentrating on getting the crowd sound effects right. As there are 4 different pitch types I want each one to have different crowds. It would be dead easy to just put generic football stadium sound effects in, but I don't think they'll really fit as the game is meant to be based around a five-a-side Sunday league and not the Premiership.
The second beta test version of the game went out yesterday and so far everything seems fine. Today I've been concentrating on getting the crowd sound effects right. As there are 4 different pitch types I want each one to have different crowds. It would be dead easy to just put generic football stadium sound effects in, but I don't think they'll really fit as the game is meant to be based around a five-a-side Sunday league and not the Premiership.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Logo is done!
This is the new Addictive Football logo! It's slightly different from the one shown in the screenshots in previous posts. This is the 3rd (or is it 4th?!) design that we've done and we're now happy with it. Get used to it as you'll be seeing a lot of it over the next few months :)
Monday, October 02, 2006
Joystick, Keys or CPU??
Loads of fun today as I've had to re-design some of the menu screens. I'd originally set it so that Player 1 could use the keyboard to play but no Joystick option and Player 2 could only use the joystick but no keys! How stupid is that!!
So now on the menus you can select to play using the keys, joystick or set your player to be CPU controlled. This works for both player 1 and 2. I've also added a configure keys menu for both players' so people can use their own key combos.
A few other stupid little bugs have been fixed. Basically, it's been a day filled with stupidity!
I've also increased the distance from the goal that the CPU controlled teams will shoot from. Previously they were shooting so close to the goal that the goalie had a chance to close the angle down, therefore saving the majority of them. Now the CPU teams can shoot further out making it much more realistic.
Both team goalies are computer controlled even if you're controlling one of the teams. I suppose this is down to my personal preference in footy games as I hate having to control the keeper as well as my own team. It also means that if you lose a game you can always blame the goalie - as in real life :)
So now on the menus you can select to play using the keys, joystick or set your player to be CPU controlled. This works for both player 1 and 2. I've also added a configure keys menu for both players' so people can use their own key combos.
A few other stupid little bugs have been fixed. Basically, it's been a day filled with stupidity!
I've also increased the distance from the goal that the CPU controlled teams will shoot from. Previously they were shooting so close to the goal that the goalie had a chance to close the angle down, therefore saving the majority of them. Now the CPU teams can shoot further out making it much more realistic.
Both team goalies are computer controlled even if you're controlling one of the teams. I suppose this is down to my personal preference in footy games as I hate having to control the keeper as well as my own team. It also means that if you lose a game you can always blame the goalie - as in real life :)
Sunday, October 01, 2006
OrbitZ is Freeware
Our puzzle game OrbitZ has now been released as Freeware! The game has 65 levels and will require skill, strategy and logical thinking. If you think you're up to the challenge then head over to the Orbitz Homepage for more information and download the full version for Free!
Friday, September 29, 2006
Fun and Games!
Spent the best part of half a day chasing a bug which I thought was to do with the load/save game code. When playing one of the Knockout Cups the game wouldn't let you progress past the first team that you played. It kept on selecting the team for a replay which can only happen if you draw with them. Turns out it had nothing to do with the code but an old button that was hiding behind the "next game" button. If you clicked Next Game it thought you wanted a replay!! I need to keep on top of things now and remove any old code/graphics that are no longer needed.
I also need to speak to Phil about re-designing the pitch side graphics for the concrete pitch. There's a bit too much grey and red colouring going on which makes the play area look kind of busy and detracts the eye. Should be a simple change.
The indoor pitch is almost complete apart from members of the crowd and the advertising boards for the grass/astro pitches are in but are blank at the moment while we think of what to advertise on them. I think it will look quite boring if we just advertise Addictive 247 and Addictive Football, so we're going to do some rip-off names of famous brands or stores. Should be fun :)
I also need to speak to Phil about re-designing the pitch side graphics for the concrete pitch. There's a bit too much grey and red colouring going on which makes the play area look kind of busy and detracts the eye. Should be a simple change.
The indoor pitch is almost complete apart from members of the crowd and the advertising boards for the grass/astro pitches are in but are blank at the moment while we think of what to advertise on them. I think it will look quite boring if we just advertise Addictive 247 and Addictive Football, so we're going to do some rip-off names of famous brands or stores. Should be fun :)
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
More Graphics!
Phil's been working his little socks off this week getting through a lot of the graphics needed.
Here's how the Custom Game menu currently looks. Still work to be done on the actual background though . . .
. . . and heres how the second screen of the Friendly Match looks . . .
I'm currently working on the actual detail around each of the pitch types. Below is the indoor pitch in it's current state . . .
There's still small people to add as the crowd and probably a few other props around the outside. And of course the much wanted and anticipated Streakers!!
Here's how the Custom Game menu currently looks. Still work to be done on the actual background though . . .
. . . and heres how the second screen of the Friendly Match looks . . .
I'm currently working on the actual detail around each of the pitch types. Below is the indoor pitch in it's current state . . .
There's still small people to add as the crowd and probably a few other props around the outside. And of course the much wanted and anticipated Streakers!!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
On Track
Had a meeting with Phil last night (in the pub!) to go through all the remaining graphics requirements for Addictive Football. We both know exactly what's needed and think we can get the game complete by around this time next month. The graphics that will take the longest will be the short intro scene at the start of the game which shows how each player gets to the match. It's going to be done in a cartoon-style strip and should be a lot of fun. Who says football games have to be serious!
All the different game modes are complete but the final one, called "The Honours Cup" for now, needs a good old test to make sure that the save/load game stuff is working. Hopefully get around to that today.
One of the points brought up from the beta test was that there was no re-define keys option. I've built that part of the game now and just need to make the menu system for it look a bit better. Feedback from the beta test has so far been positive :)
All the different game modes are complete but the final one, called "The Honours Cup" for now, needs a good old test to make sure that the save/load game stuff is working. Hopefully get around to that today.
One of the points brought up from the beta test was that there was no re-define keys option. I've built that part of the game now and just need to make the menu system for it look a bit better. Feedback from the beta test has so far been positive :)
Monday, September 18, 2006
Features
As development of the game is progressing well and it's actually being tested by real humans I thought it would be good to list some of the features of the game. Now some (maybe all!) of these features might change before release but it will serve as good reference for looking back and laughing at some of the ridiculous ideas!
* Old school 2D football game similar in style and playability to
Sensible Soccer and Kick Off. 5-a-side football rules apply.
* Plenty of different game modes for the player - 1 or 2 player friendly; Amateur Knockout Cup; Inter Knockout Cup; Honours Cup; Custom Game mode.
* Custom Game mode allows you to set the skills of the player/computer teams so you can practice your skills. Play against a really tough opponent or give the computer the worst skills possible!
* Choose from 10 different teams to play as. Each team has different skills and abilities.
* Four different pitch types - Grass, Astro Turf, Concrete or Indoor.
* Trophy Cabinet so you can look at all your lovely silverware.
* Streakers and Policemen!!
* Fast gameplay, minimal controls and minimal menus
So, there you have it
It's my birthday today (21 cough, 30 splutter, ok 33!!) so no more work for me. One of my presents was the lovely "New Super Mario Bros" for the DS so I'm off to waste a few hours on it :)
* Old school 2D football game similar in style and playability to
Sensible Soccer and Kick Off. 5-a-side football rules apply.
* Plenty of different game modes for the player - 1 or 2 player friendly; Amateur Knockout Cup; Inter Knockout Cup; Honours Cup; Custom Game mode.
* Custom Game mode allows you to set the skills of the player/computer teams so you can practice your skills. Play against a really tough opponent or give the computer the worst skills possible!
* Choose from 10 different teams to play as. Each team has different skills and abilities.
* Four different pitch types - Grass, Astro Turf, Concrete or Indoor.
* Trophy Cabinet so you can look at all your lovely silverware.
* Streakers and Policemen!!
* Fast gameplay, minimal controls and minimal menus
So, there you have it
It's my birthday today (21 cough, 30 splutter, ok 33!!) so no more work for me. One of my presents was the lovely "New Super Mario Bros" for the DS so I'm off to waste a few hours on it :)
Friday, September 15, 2006
Beta Testing!
Yesterday, Addictive Football went into Private Beta Testing. Thanks to all the people who are involved in this (you know who you are). I'm looking forward to the feedback and the ideas that come back. Hopefully (crosses fingers!) there aren't too many bugs. I think the engine is pretty solid but I'm sure a few things will turn up.
I'm still currently working on the menu design side of things and have been adding some of the graphics that Phil has just recently done. Small graphics representing the computer, players keys and joysticks have been added. Nothing earth-shattering but it's nice to get those things in.
Phil's also working on the advertising boards for around the pitch and the players' goal celebration animations. Hopefully we'll have these in over the weekend. There's still plenty to do and I have a bad feeling that we won't be able to release the game this month. Sometime in October is looking more likely :(
I'm still currently working on the menu design side of things and have been adding some of the graphics that Phil has just recently done. Small graphics representing the computer, players keys and joysticks have been added. Nothing earth-shattering but it's nice to get those things in.
Phil's also working on the advertising boards for around the pitch and the players' goal celebration animations. Hopefully we'll have these in over the weekend. There's still plenty to do and I have a bad feeling that we won't be able to release the game this month. Sometime in October is looking more likely :(
Thursday, September 14, 2006
The Arsecast
The Arsecast is a retro and Indie gaming podcast which I stumbled upon yesterday. There's quite a few podcasts out there about games but this is by far the best. The British humour is excellent and the content it covers is very well thought out. A must for any gaming fan!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Pain in the arse Goalies!
I've noticed over the last few days of playing around with the game that the player (and cpu) goalies aren't as good as they should be. It's been too easy to beat the goalie and score. Before I started adding different team attributes the goalies where tough to beat. I then changed it so they were a bit easier.
Now that each team has different skills it's made it hard to make a fair goalie. A lot of the time they'll stand there and watch the ball whistle past them into the back of the net. I think I've now managed to get a good mix of good/bad goalie by playing around with their line of site. However, I've been playing with the game for a few months now so I know all the tricks to scoring. I need to get the game into the hands of some testers so they can give me some feedback.
Now that each team has different skills it's made it hard to make a fair goalie. A lot of the time they'll stand there and watch the ball whistle past them into the back of the net. I think I've now managed to get a good mix of good/bad goalie by playing around with their line of site. However, I've been playing with the game for a few months now so I know all the tricks to scoring. I need to get the game into the hands of some testers so they can give me some feedback.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Grass and Concrete Pitches
So here's a couple of screenshots showing the new pitch types. The first one is the grass pitch. Ignore the green surrounding areas for now as these will have advertising boards, crowd etc in the final version.
The screenie below shows the concrete outdoor pitch. Originally it was going to be grey (like the surrounding area) but it works much better with a sandy style red. Again, a lot of detail needs to be added to the surrounding areas.
I'm also doing some work on the menus and so that it isn't too cluttered there will be 2 menu screens to go through for the Friendly and Custom game modes. Having the Team select, control select, match length and pitch type on one screen was just too much. Now the player selects the team and control on one menu and the match length and pitch type on another.
The screenie below shows the concrete outdoor pitch. Originally it was going to be grey (like the surrounding area) but it works much better with a sandy style red. Again, a lot of detail needs to be added to the surrounding areas.
I'm also doing some work on the menus and so that it isn't too cluttered there will be 2 menu screens to go through for the Friendly and Custom game modes. Having the Team select, control select, match length and pitch type on one screen was just too much. Now the player selects the team and control on one menu and the match length and pitch type on another.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
A Good Graphics Day!
Yesterday Phil was feeling much better so I received some much needed graphics. I managed to get the four different pitch types in as well as the team kits for the menu screens.
I also completed the Custom Game Mode which can be seen in the screenshot (above). Ignore the menu background and a lot of the text. About 90% of this needs to be changed before release and is currently using my crappy "programmer art" so that it's functional. The custom game mode is a lot of fun and it's nice to be able to create a really bad opponent and completely batter them!
I also completed the Custom Game Mode which can be seen in the screenshot (above). Ignore the menu background and a lot of the text. About 90% of this needs to be changed before release and is currently using my crappy "programmer art" so that it's functional. The custom game mode is a lot of fun and it's nice to be able to create a really bad opponent and completely batter them!
Monday, September 04, 2006
Custom Game
Well we're still no further on with the graphics as our graphics guy Phil has been ill over the last few days - get well soon Phil! (we need them graphics!)
As all of the team attributes are set by variables I had a great idea yesterday that it'd be cool if you could design a custom team and then a custom opponent and then battle it out on the pitch. Settings such as player speed, passing ability, shot power, shooting ability etc, etc could all be set with little sliders on a Custom game menu. You could then do the same for an opponent, pick your match length and pitch type and away you go! This would also be useful as people could set up a really bad computer opponent and then practice against them.
Had to go out on the weekend and buy another game pad as I can't find my other one. I just bought a basic 4 button one from GAME which is good enough for testing the pad support within Addictive Football. A friend who came over on the weekend complained that he got beat by the computer opponent because he hated playing with the keys. It had nothing to do with the large quantities of ale we were drinking though! The game plays well on a pad but my personal preference is still the keys.
As all of the team attributes are set by variables I had a great idea yesterday that it'd be cool if you could design a custom team and then a custom opponent and then battle it out on the pitch. Settings such as player speed, passing ability, shot power, shooting ability etc, etc could all be set with little sliders on a Custom game menu. You could then do the same for an opponent, pick your match length and pitch type and away you go! This would also be useful as people could set up a really bad computer opponent and then practice against them.
Had to go out on the weekend and buy another game pad as I can't find my other one. I just bought a basic 4 button one from GAME which is good enough for testing the pad support within Addictive Football. A friend who came over on the weekend complained that he got beat by the computer opponent because he hated playing with the keys. It had nothing to do with the large quantities of ale we were drinking though! The game plays well on a pad but my personal preference is still the keys.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Players are in!
All the team players for Addictive Football have been created and added to the game. It's really shaping up now and starting to look more like a football game.
Next thing on the list is to add the different pitch types. There will be four in total - Grass (outdoor), Astro Turf, Concrete and Sports Hall (indoor). The player will be able to select which pitch they want to play on for the Friendly Match but for the cup games the computer will randomly select one.
The areas around the pitch also need to be designed. They will mostly be advertising boards and small crowds of spectators. I loved how in Sensible Soccer there were little men with cameras at the edge of the pitch. Think I might add something like that. One idea I'd also love to add is streakers! I don't think I've seen a football game with them included? They could run on the pitch at random intervals with policeman chasing them. Maybe the game would stop when this happens or it could be more fun if you could take a well aimed shot at them and knock them over!?!
Next thing on the list is to add the different pitch types. There will be four in total - Grass (outdoor), Astro Turf, Concrete and Sports Hall (indoor). The player will be able to select which pitch they want to play on for the Friendly Match but for the cup games the computer will randomly select one.
The areas around the pitch also need to be designed. They will mostly be advertising boards and small crowds of spectators. I loved how in Sensible Soccer there were little men with cameras at the edge of the pitch. Think I might add something like that. One idea I'd also love to add is streakers! I don't think I've seen a football game with them included? They could run on the pitch at random intervals with policeman chasing them. Maybe the game would stop when this happens or it could be more fun if you could take a well aimed shot at them and knock them over!?!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Balls and things!
I was hoping to be able to post some more screenies of Addictive Football today but work on the graphics is progressing very slowly. We've got a new ball graphic in the game now - hurray! It actually moves and rotates when you kick it. It's amazing how the small things like an animated ball can really make the game look different.
There's still some small bugs in the game which I'm working on and I've added a couple of sounds like crowd noise and a kicking ball sample. These are all just temporary for now as proper samples will be put in nearer the end of development. I've also just put in some code so the crowd go "ooooooh" or "aaahhhh" if you hit the post or just miss.
Originally I wanted the game to be released just before the season started but obviously we've missed that deadline. I'm now hoping that the game can be released at some point in September. Keep your fingers crossed!
There's still some small bugs in the game which I'm working on and I've added a couple of sounds like crowd noise and a kicking ball sample. These are all just temporary for now as proper samples will be put in nearer the end of development. I've also just put in some code so the crowd go "ooooooh" or "aaahhhh" if you hit the post or just miss.
Originally I wanted the game to be released just before the season started but obviously we've missed that deadline. I'm now hoping that the game can be released at some point in September. Keep your fingers crossed!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
1st ever Screenshot!
Ok, so people keep asking for screenshots of the game so just to make those people happy, there you go.NOTE: The screenshot has been reduced so this is not the actual size when playing!
So far the players' in red are the only new graphics. The blue team, ball, line markings, grass and anything else will all be changed within the next week.
When the graphic changes have been made I'll feel happier posting a more detailed and real size screenshot. Until then, that will have to do you!
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Shooting Ability
I've currently been working on the players shooting ability at goal for the computer opponents. When testing the game it's all too easy to beat the computer by a large goal difference as their shooting ability isn't up to scratch.
By messing around with some variables I've given each team different shooting abilities. Some will still be crap at it but others will shoot at much tighter angles and away from the goalie. This has worked well and when playing I've actually lost a few games to the computer.
So I've now got some really tough teams to beat who are fast at running with the ball, have great shooting ability and are good at passing. I was toying with the idea of displaying each teams stats on screen so you could work out who was the better teams, but I think the fun of a football game is working out which teams are good and which ones can easily be beat.
By messing around with some variables I've given each team different shooting abilities. Some will still be crap at it but others will shoot at much tighter angles and away from the goalie. This has worked well and when playing I've actually lost a few games to the computer.
So I've now got some really tough teams to beat who are fast at running with the ball, have great shooting ability and are good at passing. I was toying with the idea of displaying each teams stats on screen so you could work out who was the better teams, but I think the fun of a football game is working out which teams are good and which ones can easily be beat.
Friday, August 11, 2006
A day at the races!
Yesterday I did absolutely nothing and decided to treat myself, my wife and our little girl to a day at the races. It's been a long time since I had a proper day off from coding and it was much needed. We visited Haydock racecourse which is pretty local to us and met up with some friends.A few beers, sandwiches and bets later we were already down on our money with only one win on the first race! Things improved over the day but we still only ended up with 3 winners out of 7 races, so by the end we'd spent more than we'd laid out for bets. Oh well, that's the races for you. We still had an excellent day although the weather turned pretty shit in the end.
So, it's back to coding today. I've already done some tidying up of the main menu stuff although it's still using my programmer art for the menus which looks bad. Can't wait for Phil to get onto that side of things. Once Phil's finished the main players, goals, ball etc I'll post some screenies up.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
The Good Work Continues
I've now managed to finish the load/save game code for the Knockout Cups, which is great as it makes testing a hell of a lot easier as I can actually save my own progress. This will come in very handy when testing some of the other cup games when there are a lot more teams to play against.
We've also managed to get the style of the player sprites just right although we're just smoothing out the running animations. To be honest I think the game looks strange now with proper sprites actually "running" around. Before, the players' just floated about the pitch and I kind of miss that in a strange kind of way. Maybe that should be a new game mode - players with Jet Packs !
I'm also still playing around with the different team attributes. I keep changing my mind about how good (or bad) a certain team should be. I change the variables, test the game, think about it a bit, change 'em again, test again etc, etc. After a while you forget what you're meant to be testing for! Maybe that's a good sign that the game is playable? or maybe I need to start getting more people involved in the testing?
We've also managed to get the style of the player sprites just right although we're just smoothing out the running animations. To be honest I think the game looks strange now with proper sprites actually "running" around. Before, the players' just floated about the pitch and I kind of miss that in a strange kind of way. Maybe that should be a new game mode - players with Jet Packs !
I'm also still playing around with the different team attributes. I keep changing my mind about how good (or bad) a certain team should be. I change the variables, test the game, think about it a bit, change 'em again, test again etc, etc. After a while you forget what you're meant to be testing for! Maybe that's a good sign that the game is playable? or maybe I need to start getting more people involved in the testing?
Friday, August 04, 2006
Addictive Football gets the backing of . . .
. . . Steven Gerrard!He phoned yesterday and demanded that he should star in the game. He agreed to pay me a stupid amount of money and his name was added to the Addictive FC pub team. If Michael Owen also fancies being in the game then I'm sure we could make him the slowest sprite on the pitch (or off the pitch as he spends most of his time!).
In "real" news, progress on the game is continuing although I've got a really bad head cold and don't fancy doing anything today. I started working on the load/save game code for the Knockout Cups but have now given up as my head hurts too much.
Last night I messed around with how the goalies react to the ball. If the ball is within a certain distance of the goal then the keeper starts to move to where the ball is coming from. However, the distance was set to be too near, so if you kept your distance enough you could fire the ball past him without him even reacting. Not good!
I've changed (tweaked) this a bit and now I want to work on each teams goalie so they have slightly different abilities.
Right, time for the Beachams Powders
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Knockout Cups
As mentioned before as well as a Friendly Match the player can compete in a number of Knockout Cup games. I've just put the finishing touches to the code so the first "Amateur Knockout Cup" is pretty much fully functional and working.
This Knockout Cup is the simplest one out of all of them. The player has to beat 3 different teams all of which should be pretty easy to win against. The match duration (for each half) is set at 3 minutes so it should be a good introduction to the player. My first game saw me win 12-0 over Addictive FC - that's the best score I've had! Maybe I need to tweak the teams playing skills a bit!
The other Knockout Cups (called Intermediate and Ultimate for now) will feature more teams who have much better skills. The match duration will also be increased to 5 or 7 minutes. The game will also feature a Trophy Cabinet menu option so you can go and view all the lovely silverware you've won.
This Knockout Cup is the simplest one out of all of them. The player has to beat 3 different teams all of which should be pretty easy to win against. The match duration (for each half) is set at 3 minutes so it should be a good introduction to the player. My first game saw me win 12-0 over Addictive FC - that's the best score I've had! Maybe I need to tweak the teams playing skills a bit!
The other Knockout Cups (called Intermediate and Ultimate for now) will feature more teams who have much better skills. The match duration will also be increased to 5 or 7 minutes. The game will also feature a Trophy Cabinet menu option so you can go and view all the lovely silverware you've won.
Monday, July 31, 2006
and now for the graphics
That's right Addictive 247's resident graphics artist is now getting down and dirty with the graphics for Addictive Football. The game is still no where near complete but it's time for Phil to step in and work his magic. The first designs he did for the player sprites were a bit too realistic so we're going for the classic big head cartoon look now.
Phil's worked on all the graphics for Addictive 247 since around 2003. If you want to see some examples of his work then head over to Addictive 247 Games. Some great examples are Coin World and Baby Boom II. As work on the graphics has started we should have some screenies to show off soon enough - hurray!
Away from the graphics side of things I'm currently coding one of the Knockout Cup menus. In the game the player will have the choice of playing either a Friendly or competing in one of the Knockout Cups. So far there are 3 Knockout Cups to play. Each one is slightly more difficult with tougher teams to beat along with more teams in each competition. I'm not sure at this stage if the player should be able to play in any Knockout Cup or if they should have to progress from the easier stages up to the tougher ones - some thought needed on that one me thinks.
Phil's worked on all the graphics for Addictive 247 since around 2003. If you want to see some examples of his work then head over to Addictive 247 Games. Some great examples are Coin World and Baby Boom II. As work on the graphics has started we should have some screenies to show off soon enough - hurray!
Away from the graphics side of things I'm currently coding one of the Knockout Cup menus. In the game the player will have the choice of playing either a Friendly or competing in one of the Knockout Cups. So far there are 3 Knockout Cups to play. Each one is slightly more difficult with tougher teams to beat along with more teams in each competition. I'm not sure at this stage if the player should be able to play in any Knockout Cup or if they should have to progress from the easier stages up to the tougher ones - some thought needed on that one me thinks.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Support Gibbage and make Dan Happy!
If you haven't done already get yourself over to Dan Marshall's Blog at http://www.gibbage.co.uk
It's an excellent blog which I've been reading for some time now. Dan has a great style of writing and is very passionate about his game Gibbage. In fact he's trying to raise enough money so he can enter the game into The Independent Games Festival 2007. Details on how you can help can be found in this entry - http://gibbage.blogspot.com/2006/07/gibbage-sold-out.html
Go on, help out an Indie Developer who actually has passion and creates exciting games - otherwise his next game might be a match 3-colour puzzle or Diner Dash Clone !!
It's an excellent blog which I've been reading for some time now. Dan has a great style of writing and is very passionate about his game Gibbage. In fact he's trying to raise enough money so he can enter the game into The Independent Games Festival 2007. Details on how you can help can be found in this entry - http://gibbage.blogspot.com/2006/07/gibbage-sold-out.html
Go on, help out an Indie Developer who actually has passion and creates exciting games - otherwise his next game might be a match 3-colour puzzle or Diner Dash Clone !!
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
In-Game Menus
I'm currently doing some work on the in-game menus for Addictive Football. Now one thing I hate is the amount of menu screens I have to go through in some games to get to the actual game. You have one screen for player 1 teams; then one for player 2 teams. Then you have to select your control method (screen 3); then it's onto other settings such as match length, pitch type, weather, crowd noise etc, etc
Imagine if you've just got back from a good night in the pub and you and your mates fancy a game of football on your PC or games console. By the time you've gone through all the different settings and menus one of your mates will have fallen asleep, the other will be throwing up behind the couch and your final friend will have been dragged off upstairs by the local barmaid who decided to tag along! Looks like your playing with yourself again!
The menu system in Addictive Football will be a lot simpler. I'm trying to get as much info on one screen as possible, without it looking cluttered. So if you're playing a Friendly game both players' will select their teams, control method and match duration on one screen. I may need another menu for pitch type unless I can squeeze it in but at the very least there will only be 2 simple menus before the game starts.
Imagine if you've just got back from a good night in the pub and you and your mates fancy a game of football on your PC or games console. By the time you've gone through all the different settings and menus one of your mates will have fallen asleep, the other will be throwing up behind the couch and your final friend will have been dragged off upstairs by the local barmaid who decided to tag along! Looks like your playing with yourself again!
The menu system in Addictive Football will be a lot simpler. I'm trying to get as much info on one screen as possible, without it looking cluttered. So if you're playing a Friendly game both players' will select their teams, control method and match duration on one screen. I may need another menu for pitch type unless I can squeeze it in but at the very least there will only be 2 simple menus before the game starts.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Red Card! Not a chance!
Even though Addictive Football will follow the five-a-side rules of football there will be no fouls in the game. What!! I hear you cry.
In the actual game of football I'm sick to death of players' diving, rolling on the floor and holding their heads as though they've been hit by a rather large hammer. They are killing the game and slowing it down. Whatever happened to football being a fast, skillful game.
So, to right all that's wrong in the modern game Addictive Football will probably be one of the fastest games you'll play. There are two keys you need apart from the direction keys (1) Z for passing to nearest player and (2) X to shoot. That's it! You can't go sliding into your opponents player and take his legs just as he's about to score, you'll basically have to play a skillful game of football for the length of the match. Also, as it's 5-a-side rules it's played in an enclosed pitch, no offside and no throw-ins.
I'm sure I'll get a lot of emails from players' saying that you should be able to slide tackle your opponent - tough! If you want to get the ball off an opposing player then you're going to have to work a lot harder than just pressing a key. Don't fancy it? then go off and play FIFA Street with all the other kiddies!
In the actual game of football I'm sick to death of players' diving, rolling on the floor and holding their heads as though they've been hit by a rather large hammer. They are killing the game and slowing it down. Whatever happened to football being a fast, skillful game.
So, to right all that's wrong in the modern game Addictive Football will probably be one of the fastest games you'll play. There are two keys you need apart from the direction keys (1) Z for passing to nearest player and (2) X to shoot. That's it! You can't go sliding into your opponents player and take his legs just as he's about to score, you'll basically have to play a skillful game of football for the length of the match. Also, as it's 5-a-side rules it's played in an enclosed pitch, no offside and no throw-ins.
I'm sure I'll get a lot of emails from players' saying that you should be able to slide tackle your opponent - tough! If you want to get the ball off an opposing player then you're going to have to work a lot harder than just pressing a key. Don't fancy it? then go off and play FIFA Street with all the other kiddies!
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Sinclair C5 !!
In completely un-related news I've managed to get my hands on not one, but two Sinclair C5's! If you're a young lad or lass then you probably won't have even heard of them. They were released back in 1985 and loads of info about them can be found at http://www.sinclairc5.com/
I'm a massive fan of retro gaming and have a great collection of consoles and games so when my wife spotted these two beautys at a local auction I couldn't resist. So we bid like mad, got them at a pretty decent price and have just moved them back to our house so I can work on them. One of them is (apparently) in full working order whilst the other one needs a new motor.
I'm just like a kid on Christmas morning !
I'm a massive fan of retro gaming and have a great collection of consoles and games so when my wife spotted these two beautys at a local auction I couldn't resist. So we bid like mad, got them at a pretty decent price and have just moved them back to our house so I can work on them. One of them is (apparently) in full working order whilst the other one needs a new motor.
I'm just like a kid on Christmas morning !
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Problems Fixed
We've managed to fix the problems with half/full time now and all the players' are reset correctly on screen. The other bug to do with the players' running out of the play area has also been sorted out, although I'm yet to make the changes to the code to stop this happening. I'll get around to it sometime this week.
I've also been playing around with the different team attributes. So now you may play against a team who are faster than you, run with the ball more often and have a stronger kick when shooting at goal. Or they may be dead slow, pass around a lot and have an average kick power - a bit like England in the World Cup !!
I've also been playing around with the different team attributes. So now you may play against a team who are faster than you, run with the ball more often and have a stronger kick when shooting at goal. Or they may be dead slow, pass around a lot and have an average kick power - a bit like England in the World Cup !!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
It wouldn't be a game without . . .
Bugs! I've just noticed two bugs within the main core game engine. One is to do with the Half Time code. Basically depending on certain conditions the players' aren't getting reset on the pitch correctly or they lose all power of movement!
The other bug is a bit of a strange one to do with collision. The players can run out of the field area via the corners of the pitch but you have to almost force the player out! I've passed the details onto the two developers who worked on the original main engine so hopefully they'll have it sorted out soon.
I'm still adding bits to the engine and now have Half Time/Full Time boxes appear on screen displaying the current score along with some crappy text saying "GOAL!" when you score. Once the main engine is completely bug free I'll let our resident graphics artist loose on the game so he can work his magic on it.
The other bug is a bit of a strange one to do with collision. The players can run out of the field area via the corners of the pitch but you have to almost force the player out! I've passed the details onto the two developers who worked on the original main engine so hopefully they'll have it sorted out soon.
I'm still adding bits to the engine and now have Half Time/Full Time boxes appear on screen displaying the current score along with some crappy text saying "GOAL!" when you score. Once the main engine is completely bug free I'll let our resident graphics artist loose on the game so he can work his magic on it.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Sensible Soccer 2006
Got this over the weekend for the PC and fired it up last night. As I'm not a big fan of 3D football games my wife thought it was strange for me to buy it. I call it research!
I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe an option to play the original version rather than me dragging out my Amiga or Mega Drive. But no, it was all in 3D (obviously!). I played a few games and it's ok but it just isn't Sensible Soccer. Maybe I need to devote a lot more time to playing it or maybe I should just leave my Mega Drive set up.
I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe an option to play the original version rather than me dragging out my Amiga or Mega Drive. But no, it was all in 3D (obviously!). I played a few games and it's ok but it just isn't Sensible Soccer. Maybe I need to devote a lot more time to playing it or maybe I should just leave my Mega Drive set up.
Monday, July 10, 2006
He Shoots He Scores!
The main core engine of Addictive Football is now written. At the start of the game you can select from 10 different teams, but this may increase to around 16 for the final game. The game is fun to play but at the moment all the teams are the same. So if you pick Team A and play against Team D it will be the same as playing against say Team G. So I'm currently working on giving each of the teams some different attributes.
I've started off simply and have already given some of the teams different running speeds when on the ball. Also all the computer controlled teams pass the ball in a random manner so I've changed it so some teams will pass more and others will try running with the ball. Just by making these small changes the game play has altered quite dramatically and is now a lot more fun. Still plenty more to do though
I've started off simply and have already given some of the teams different running speeds when on the ball. Also all the computer controlled teams pass the ball in a random manner so I've changed it so some teams will pass more and others will try running with the ball. Just by making these small changes the game play has altered quite dramatically and is now a lot more fun. Still plenty more to do though
Friday, July 07, 2006
All Play.d Out!
I love games but I especially like retro games. I came across this e-magazine the other day called "Play.d" which had some great retro related content along with some other general gaming reviews and features.
Now I don't normally like e-magazines but this one has some great content and best of all it's free! Check it out at http://www.playd.co.uk
Now I don't normally like e-magazines but this one has some great content and best of all it's free! Check it out at http://www.playd.co.uk
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Lets start at the beginning . . .
If you've read the top of the side-bar you'll get the general idea of what this blog is about - It's about a Football game. Not a Soccer game, a Football game. A good old fashioned British football game based on the 5-a-side rules and featuring a number of made up pub teams.
Now this isn't some fancy 3D style affair with real players names, the ability to adjust the camera angle, controls as tough (and ugly!) as Wayne Rooney and so many front-end menus that you get pissed off and throw the game away before you even get to the kick-off!
Nope, Addictive Football is a simple game that everyone can play. With minimal controls and minimal menu screens. It's how the great football games of yesteryear were - Sensible Soccer (the original Amiga version!) and Kick Off are the inspiration.
I'll post more details and the all important screenshots as progress is made. The actual core football game engine is almost complete or will be in the next day or so. It's then time to tweak, tweak, tweak and tweak some more.
Now this isn't some fancy 3D style affair with real players names, the ability to adjust the camera angle, controls as tough (and ugly!) as Wayne Rooney and so many front-end menus that you get pissed off and throw the game away before you even get to the kick-off!
Nope, Addictive Football is a simple game that everyone can play. With minimal controls and minimal menu screens. It's how the great football games of yesteryear were - Sensible Soccer (the original Amiga version!) and Kick Off are the inspiration.
I'll post more details and the all important screenshots as progress is made. The actual core football game engine is almost complete or will be in the next day or so. It's then time to tweak, tweak, tweak and tweak some more.
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