*** qoob 0.9B released ***

Another HUGE update. We listened to what you said and got to work. There is some really cool stuff in this new version like the ability to post your best times to an online server, trap doors, major update to the menu plus loads more - check out what's new...

General
Allow people to pre-order qoob! Order online right now!
Lots of updates to the documentation
Added more info to the F11 stats display (tidied a bit too). See Key Assignments
qoob universe now constructed of 6 * 6 systems/worlds as opposed to 8 * 8.
Splash screen sound effects controlled by the global sound effects values.
Cleaned up fonts and standardised sizes, colours and shadowing
Clean up - removed redundant graphics and merged 2 of the data files.
Replaced Newbieski with Bellerion in the demo.

Game
You can now post your best decryption times to the qoob online server! Try and beat the best times!
Added 9 more music tracks making a total of 32.
Replaced the decryption cube with the decryption console! Revamped the whole decryption sequence.
Improved the gas mask overlay - plus it's always the same size despite the screen resolution.
Now start in walk mode as opposed to run mode. See Key Assignments
Improved the tutorial world, added more information and only hide the text with the right mouse button.
Changed the default movement keys to WASD. See Key Assignments
If you are moving forward you now continue to jump if the jump key is down. See Key Assignments
Mouse movement is now super smooth and 'ramped' for silky motion!
Added option to adjust fog range (visibility). See Key Assignments
No longer show the world info in the message area when entering the world.
Redesigned the flare and particle effect (updated the icon in the HUD too)
Redesigned the fuel cell (updated the icon in the HUD too)
We now don't just loop the same music track - we now randomly play tracks in groups of 5 (with pauses too) to add dramatic atmospheric effect!
Added trap doors! See World Objects
Various code tightening and optimisation.

Menu
When the game is run for the first time display a helpful message regarding the tutorial and documentation.
Ensure the mouse pointer is not centre screen at start-up to prevent accidentally selecting the quit cube.
Major optimisation!
Added more game options to the relevant options menu.
Replaced the options LEDs with Sprite Candy objects - also added a helpful mouse over effect.
Replaced the 'previous' and 'next' and 'return' cubes with Sprite Candy
Fade the music out when going into game
Replaced options menu cubes with text buttons
Added game option to adjust running speed
Added game option to adjust mouse dampening
Added game option to adjust the camera fog distance
Made it far more obvious which systems/worlds are playable in the demo
The pick accuracy when selecting the worlds wasn't 100%
Corrected the positioning of the world info

Editor
Improved the currently selected block routine so that the old selected block is visible.
Various minor fixes.

Go grab it here - http://www.boiledsweets.com/qoob

sounds great. Look forward to trying this when I've got a few minutes.

Had a quick go, and the mouse/slowdown problems I was having in the menus have all but gone. There is still slowdown when entering the options menus, but it does settle down reasonably quickly. Somewhat odd to have slowdown issues in the menus, but not the game.

Played the tutorial level. Followed it through to the point it suggest you drop a flare. Took the upper route to the locked door. Back to flare, down passage some way and it locked up solid. Repeating sound no keyboard response. Had to reset machine.

Will test some more.

Geehawk - what particular menu where you in? Was it the options menu or one of the options screens (i.e. the Audio Options screen).

Also could you please do an F11 during the game and the menu and send me the screen shot

Lastly what is your pcs exact spec.

Many thanks.

I just played through the qoob demo/1

To be honest, Id not paid much attention because I thought it was more of a puzzler-type game.

I was absolutely blown-away! No under-exaggeration, Boiled, the game is AWESOME!

Very informative tutorial, stunning effects and very nicely presentd!

Malice,

your feedback makes it all worthwhile - MANY THANKS!

It IS a puzzler game - thats what it's all about!

We have some nice stuff coming too!

Any suggestions on how we can make it even better then please let us know. We figure we are about 75 - 80% done.

Don't forget to take a look here to compare your scores!

Next version shows online shows withinthe menu...

I' will send you some screenshots today hopefully. It was the options screens where the slowdown occurs.

Played again right through the tutorial level, this time no glitches or problems of anysort during gameplay.
First person games are not my thing at all (I suffer from motion sickness with most of them), but this did look to be quite a fun puzzler, with some nice touches. One annoyance was the 'grunt' on jumping, especially on a flight of 'stairs'. Perhaps a few different grunts at random, with the occasional no grunt at all, or none to start with but bring them in after a number of consecutive jumps i.e. you are a bit tired...

Had a quick fling with the editor too, but had lots of problems there. Got a red cube (I think) rotating up from the bottom which would dissapear then start again. No buttons appeared to do anything, although I was taken out to the help screen when that button was clicked. The only problem was that exiting the help, and going back to the editor, only flashed the editor briefly before reloading the help pages again. This carried on ad infinitum and I had to end it with task manager. It was as though the last mouse click was repeating over and over.

Oh and I was a bit dissappointed when I found the decryption terminal or whatever. I was under the impression I would have to do something to decrypt something or have an extra code breaking puzzle to solve but it just did it itself :-(

Geehawk,

1. We have tracked down a possible cause for the slowdown. It's to do with 'too many' Sprite Candy effects running at the same time. The next version will not have this problem! Thanks for reporting it.

2. We will action your idea of the grunt option. It's a good idea. Thanks. It will be in the next version.

3. The editor is not written for performance in mind - in fact it stinks, it's slow and very user unfriendly. We wrote it so we could design the worlds and figured hey why not give it away with the game. Perhaps we need to add a little note in the docs to warn about it. Thanks.

4. Regards the decryption terminal. Just yesterday we have a brain storming session about it. We are planning on sticking it all sorts of logic puzzles all over the place that you need to complete to progress. The current idea for the terminal is this. Dotted around the world there will be "1"s and "0"s. You will have to find the correct number of "1"s and "0"s, plus the sequence to plug into the terminal to start the decryption sequence.

If you have any other cunning thoughts please let us know.

Thanks for trying qoob. v0.10 coming soon.

Follow our progress here - http://dev.boiledsweets.com/flyspray/index.php?tasks=all&project=5

good luck with this... it really has the potential to be a winner...


--Mike

Perhaps some/all of these are already incorporated or discussed, but I'm listing my ideas here for completeness:

1) Pushable Blocks?
2) Blocks that disappear then reappear after a set time after flicking a switch?
3) Crumbling Blocks (that disappear once walked over)?
4) Some form of moving guardians that perhaps follow a set pattern and need to be hindered/removed/avoided to progress?

________________________________________
Couple of little points:
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In bringing up the command-list with F1, The JetPack key isn't displayed.

Oh and in Windowed Mode, when pressing F2 to open the Help File, I don't know if the timer is stopped (or even needs to be stopped) but the mouse re-positioning continues, making it therefore impossible to move the mouse pointer to view the Help Manual.

The trouble is the dymanic collision system in Blitz3d but I'll note your suggestion.



This could be implemented in the trap doors. So a secret door opens for a certain amount of time. Will implement in next version.



Did you not play the tutorial? We have these already :-)



COOL! But once again we are getting into dymanic collisions - will note this.



Thanks will fix.



Thanks will fix in next version.

If you have any other cunning thoughts please let us know.

Thanks for trying qoob. v0.10 coming soon.

Follow our progress here -

http://dev.boiledsweets.com/flyspray/index.php?tasks=all&project=5

Heh - yes, I played through the tutorial, I only noticed crumbling blocks you had to bash!

I hope you get the collision probs sorted soon!