AMCOG Games : Request for beta testing

Currently we are working on our next release which is planned for the RISC OS London Show 2018.

This game is a top down view racing game which employs 360 degree motion.

We hope to have this game ready for beta next week.

Beta testing is essential to make our games viable for release. I will be very grateful if I can find 3 to 4 beta testers.

Please would you reply here if you have time to test the game,

Stunt Racers is expected to be compatible with the Raspberry Pi, Beagleboard, Pandaboard, ARM X6, Titanium, RPCEmu and Virtual Acorn (running RISC OS 4).

Thanks for your continued support. It’s much appreciated.

Best Regards,

Tony Bartram
www.amcog-games.co.uk

Happy to test! Can try on a Pi 3 and an Iyonix.

Sort of like the original Grand Theft Auto?

I’d be willing to pick over the code if you want… ;-)

Thanks Simon

Rick, I’m always gratful for a code review. There’s lots of code re-use. So some of it may look familiar… (hopefully without familiar errors ’though).

There is also a third beta tester from Shropshire. So I’m now up to 3. Room for one more?

you can count me in and i will test it on titanium,omap5432 and pi3.

I have no time in the next following weeks, but I’ll – without any doubt – buy it :)

Thanks David. I appreciate it.

I had 5 offers of beta testing between midnight and 9am, which was great.

Rob, Rick, Simon, Graeme and Tom – it should be ready for next Friday hopefully…

As usual, I’m a bit behind. However, most of the game is done. I’m just improving the ‘intelligence’ of the computer controlled cars before sending Stunt Racers out to beta (and adding a couple more racing tracks)….

Latest pictures of the beta:
Please note: Some graphics are temporary and I’m enabling more robot cars – now the first computer/robot car is working correctly.

Sample music
Track 1
Track 2

Will be sending out beta tomorrow.

Hi Simon, please would you send me your contact details to the contact e-mail at

www.amcog-games.co.uk/about.htm

Thamks,
Tony

Thank you for offering to test Stunt Racers.

I have sent out beta 1 of Stunt Racers. It now includes 4 computer controlled cars and some added sound effects and graphics.

The game should be compatible with the Raspberry Pi 0,1,2,3, ARMX6, Titanium, RPCEmu (host computer speed permitting), VirtualAcorn, Pandaboard and Beagleboard.

Instructions are included in the game.

Known bugs:
3) If you explode and have lost the race, the game does not end – Sev 1
4) Vertical alignments for the player are slightly out in the X plan when headed upward – Sev 2
5) Player car collision with robot cars imperfect – Sev 3
6) Dead code in steering control and in car control speed code – Sev 3

Planned features for RC 1
1) Add car-selector (you are currently always a black T-top)
2) Skill level control that select robot car maximum speed
3) More tracks and possibly track selector
4) More obstacles to jump
5) Possibly more sound effects

Please let me know if you find the game playable or find any more bugs.

Thanks for taking the time to test it. I greatly appreciate it. Once the game is finished, I will send you a finished copy of the game.

Thanks and Regards,

Tony
www.amcog-games.co.uk

First comment and suggestions from beta:
1) Include road markings as hints to turn / slow down / move for ramp
2) Adjust the name as Stunt Racer 2000 was an iconic RISC OS classic game and the name similarity could confuse expectations of the type of game.

1) Include road markings as hints to turn / slow down / move for ramp

One thing which a few racing games do (both top-down and perspective) is use arbitrary objects on/around the track as road markers. When the player first plays the track they won’t know the significance of the objects (and most of them will just be there for decoration), but as they get more familiar with the tracks they’ll start learning that “oh, this object in this position means that I need to start turning now, or need to be on this racing line, etc.”

Or if there are road signs/markings, sometimes they troll you by making them point the wrong way :) (I’m looking at you, Lotus II fog course)

Hi Jeffrey,
Thanks. I’ll put some objects around the edge of the track. I’ll have a think about any roadmarkings I add. If they point the wrong way – I might start getting customer support e-mails citing bugs on my signage :-)

Tony

RC release planned to go out to those actively beta testing tommorrow

Current bug tracking list is below. Please let me know if I missed any.

Thanks all for your help. Much appreciated.

Bug 1 : During Dev : Alignment of map chwecking for point might have
error in divisor causing bottom of map to be
progressively out of alignment – SEV 2
FIXED – point is not tracking car position yet
and is vulnerable to sprite rotation.
Bug 2 : Tiles need colour matching – SEV 1
FIX – implemented
Bug 3 : If you explode after you have lost the race the game does not end
SEV 1 – FIXED
Bug 4 : Vertical alignments for the player are slightly out in the X plane
when headed upward – SEV 2
Bug 5 : Player Car collision with robot cars imperfect – SEV 3
mitigated by sound perception
Bug 6 : Dead code in steering control and only 1 speed required not 2

Bug 7 : When cars are jumping collisions can occur – SEV 1
– Not reproduced yet
Bug 8 : Player can get stuck on barrier – SEV 1 : FIXED

Bug 9 : Computer cars do not always correctly align with Ramp – Sev 2
– they pass a bit under the ramp and a bit above.
– I could widen the ramp to the edge of the tile to fix
– or I could change the value of mx/my (presentation modifiers)
Bug 10 : Lack of signs makes game hard for beginners – SEV 2
– in progress adding trees/slow/arrows
Bug 11 : Finishing race : You lose resets – SEV 1 – FIXED
Bug 12 : Graphics cleanup – SEV 3
– In Progress
Bug 13 : Need more maps – SEV 1

I’ve just sent release candidate 1 to the beta testers.

A difficulty selector has now been included as well as a track selector, road markings, stands, trees etc. Also various bugs have been fixed.

I’ve got 3 racing tracks so far and plan to add a few more before Saturday. Plus there’s still some graphics clean-up to do.

Please let me know how this plays if you have time.

Thanks and Regards,

Tony
www.amcog-games.co.uk

Release notes:
Bug 1 : During Dev : Alignment of map checking for point might have
error in divisor causing bottom of map to be
progressively out of alignment – SEV 2
FIX – point is not tracking car position yet
and is vulnerable to sprite rotation.
Bug 2 : Tiles need colour matching – SEV 1
FIX – implemented
Bug 3 : If you explode after you have lost the race the game does not end
SEV 1 – FIXED
Bug 4 : Vertical alignments for the player are slightly out in the X plane
when headed upward – SEV 2
Bug 5 : Player Car collision with robot cars imperfect – SEV 3
mitigated by sound perception
Bug 6 : Dead code in steering control and only 1 speed required not 2
SEV 3

• Bug 7 : When cars are jumping collisions can occur – SEV 1
  – FIXED
• Bug 8 : Player can get stuck on barrier – SEV 1 : FIXED

• Bug 9 : Computer cars do not always correctly align with Ramp – Sev 2
  – they pass a bit under the ramp and a bit above.
  – I could widen the ramp to the edge of the tile to fix
  – or I could change the value of mx/my – IMPROVED
• Bug 10 : Lack of signs makes game hard for beginners – SEV 2
  – in progress adding trees/slow/arrows : FIXED
• Bug 11 : Finishing race : You lose resets – SEV 1 – FIXED
• Bug 12 : Graphics cleanup – SEV 3
  – In Progress : Mostly complete
• Bug 13 : Need more maps – SEV 1
  – In progress -= 3 defined so far
• Bug 14 : Player should not be able to turn when stationary – SEV 2 – FIXED

• 1) Add car-selector : estimate 1 hour – DEFERRED
• 2) Detect ARMX6 / Titanium and double frame rate + adjust
  all speed constants based on table. – DEFERRED
• 3) Skill level that controls robot maximum speed – DONE
• 4) Added level selector
• 5) Built out remaining game functions

6 Racing tracks are now included

More object types to jump over have been added – including a coach….

Thanks to everyone who bought Stunt Drivers at the London show and to the beta testers for their valuable feedback.

I’m going to send the version released at the London show to the beta testers tonight.

However, I will upload a version with a couple of improvements to the Plingstore later this week including:

• More signs before corners
• A couple of minor bug fixes.

Best Regards,

Tony Bartram
www.amcog-games.co.uk