I wanted to get some feedback on my latest project:

GYMNAST

Gymnast is a physics-based acrobatic game all about swinging on, and leaping between, bars! The controls are 100% analog, using the thumbsticks to control the upper and lower body joints on the gymnast, allowing for lots of variety in gameplay.

Features:
1. Circus Mode - jump from bar to bar, trying to reach the "goal" bar. Records are also kept for best time, highest score, and fewest releases, including Portal-style challenges for each of these records.

2. Gymnastics Mode - just you and 1 bar. Try to achieve a high score by linking release moves into combos. Your score only counts if you land safely on one of the blue mats.

3. Play as one of several different gymnasts

4. Save and watch replays from all game modes

5. Built-in level editor lets you create new levels and challenges (all levels in the game were made with this editor)

6. Tutorials to explain how to play.



Screenshots (click for larger):


Trailer:
YOU-TUBE TRAILER

Alpha version Download:
Windows Download (exe installer)
Xbox 360 .ccgame


Known Issues
1. missing many sound effects
2. no music yet
3. some usability issues with the level editor
4. overall some polish
5. missing final levels and goals for those levels.


Please give the game a go, and let me know of any bugs that you find. Also if you make an interesting level or replay, please send it to me! You can find them in a folder called "UserFiles" in the program directory (usually c:\program files\Gymnast)

I'd like to include some of these that I receive from the community in the final version. Obviously you'd have to use the PC version for this, as there's no way to pull individual files out of a game save on the 360.

Also as this is an alpha release, please don't distribute, the game is not quite ready for everyone to play yet.

anyway, thanks for your time!

-walaber

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Go Go Gadget XNA!

More screenshots:

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Go Go Gadget XNA!

I have some technical issues with my PC, but as soon as those are fixed, I'll deploy to the xbox and try the game out.

So far it looks awesome. The gymnastics mechanics could probably be used with great effect in a game with environment puzzles and exploration similar to Prince of Persia, or Assassin's Creed.

I still have to see how the controls are. Hopefully, I'll do this in a few days.

 

Thanks for releasing this.

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Microsoft XNA MVP

My blog: 12 months, 12 samples : April Sample: Dynamic 2D Shadows

Walaber, you are a game producing madman regardless of what forum you are posting on! Keep up the great work.

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Brandon Bloom

I am a former XNA Intern rejoining the team soon. Nothing I say is official.

That is a WEIRD game.  I mean that in a good way.  :)  Do you plan on making the characters less blocky?  I think they would look much better if they had a more rounded appearance. Merely opinion of course.

Swordshock:

That is a WEIRD game.  I mean that in a good way.  :)  Do you plan on making the characters less blocky?  I think they would look much better if they had a more rounded appearance. Merely opinion of course.

I actually like the way the characters look. It's very different from everything out there. I vote keep the blocky people :).

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Nick Gravelyn -- Microsoft XNA MVP
XNA Wiki | Zune Games

I don't know what to say.  Color me impressed.

I'll have to try it when I get home from work. I can't get to the download from here. :(

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Jim Perry
Here's what I'm up to.

Nice game man. I really like the level editor....*goes off to make a level*

thanks!  I'm working on an updated alpha that will support regular DirectInput controllers, as well as a few other general improvements.  I will definately stick with the blocky character look, I really like it a lot.

if anyone makes any interesting levels, please send them to me, I would like to include them in the game!

you can find your levels (and replays!) in the UserFiles folder in the game's install directory.


EDIT--

ALPHA 03 RELEASED

== CHANGES in Alpha 03 ==
** Added support for DirectInput controllers on Windows... first connected controller should be auto-detected. Controller mapping can be configured by modifying the controller.cfg file (it is a text file) in the "Content" folder of the install path. default config works perfectly for my PS2 DUALSHOCK controller connected via USB converter. config for SIXAXIS is also included in the file for reference (commented out by default)

** Added a delay at the start of a level to wait for the camera to align properly. Also added "GO!" text to signify the level start.

** Added a few new levels and replays.

** Fixed a bug where levels that are tall and skinny were not displayed properly in the level select screen

** fixed a crash when entering the replay theatre and no user replays exist.

** other minor bug fixes.

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Go Go Gadget XNA!

Looks good, keep up the good work.

Well, I looked at the screen shots and thought "that does not look appealing...", then I looked at the videos and thought "hey, thats a slick smooth animation of the guy" - after all, it looks like a good game, just the first impression from the screenshots is not the best.

Really good work!

I'd really like to try out the Alpha version, but sadly the link to it (windows version) does not work.

I like the trailer, though. I would like to point out that something similar has been done before, in a minigame fashion. Over at experimental gameplay they made "The Amazing Flying Brothers" which is a game where a character flings himself on rotating poles driven by ragdoll-physics.

Link

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- Mordi

I've seen The Amazing Flying Brothers before, it's definately along the same themes, but where that game simplified the controls down to a single button, I've gone the other direction with full dual-analog :)

anout the alpha link:
sorry about that, I updated the alpha to version 3, and forgot to upate the link in this thread.  it's updated now...

another (final?) test version should be available soon that fixes many of the known issues in alpha 3, and also adds many new levels, and same-screen multiplayer as well.

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Go Go Gadget XNA!

I can't stop playing this its a very addictive game, nice work

Finally got to try this over the weekend. My 7 year old son liked it very much. I couldn't seem to get the hang of the controls. :( Granted, I only played it for about 10 minutes. Hopefully I'll get a chance to give it some more time. Good job overall though.

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Jim Perry
Here's what I'm up to.

Hey man, I'm really enjoying the game no matter how much I suck at it.

I didn't manage to crash it just a moment ago. I had my second monitor output going out to my TV via HDMI, and when my fiancee unplugged it to plug in the 360, the graphics device was reset, the resolution changed and the game crashed.

Probably a framework thing but still kind of funny.

Excellent job! I would definatly keep the blocky characters. They look like paper dolls which to me makes the whole game.

thanks for the feedback everyone, it's very encouraging!

I'm currently working on a "community site" for the game, so that players can share levels and replays easily.  It's mostly up and running now, you can check it out at the link below.  It's a shame I can't let the Xbox 360 version connect to the internet, or I'd add a way to push and pull files from the 360 directly... but for now it only works for PC users who upload and download the files on their own.  It's been good practice at php for me, this is the most complicated website I've designed to date :)

http://walaber.com/gymnast/community



--EDIT---

ALPHA 04 RELEASED

http://walaber.com/gymnast/Gymnast_Alpha_04_install.exe

changelog:

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== CHANGES in Alpha 04 ==

1. Fixed error that caused unreadable replay files when overwriting an
   existing replay with a new, shorter replay.

2. Fixed error where last trick score was not being added to total in
   challenge mode.

3. Game now remembers selected characters, levels, and replays, and menus
   default to previous selection now.

4. Added bonus for completing a Challenge mode level without using "slo-mo". 
   you get a substantial bonus (x1.25) for this now.

5. removed the overlapping display of text "GRAB"  and "GOAL" when
   finishing a level.

6. added the ability to zoom out and view an entire level by pressing
   the Left or Right shoulder button when playing, and also by pressing
   the Left shoulder button during a replay.

7. Fixed a bug causing tricks to not be registered properly, and made
   gymnastics mode also feature the "no slo-mo" bonus multiplier.

8. built Community website for sharing levels and replays:
   
    http://walaber.com/gymnast/community


9. Added 2-4 player same-screen co-op!  plug in several controllers and
   go- the rules are the same as  challenge mode, but with multiple gymnasts. 
   if anyone grabs the goal bar, the level is complete.  gymnasts can only
   grab other gymnast's hands and feet.

   Levels created in the level editor are automatically sorted into the
   proper modes, depending on the number of gymnasts in the scene.

10.Added sound effects and music.  Sound effects play during replays as well.

11.Added confirmation screen when quitting the game.

12.Fixed some timing-related bugs that could cause errors when previewing
   levels in the editor.

13.Added the ability to endlessly extend "slo-mo" time by clicking the
   analog sticks again.  Also added a visual timer on-screen when in
   slo-mo mode.

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Go Go Gadget XNA!

I like it even more. I like the retro music. And I'm finally getting better at it :).

My only suggestion so far is to have the game detect my controller after it has started. So I started the game with the controller off, but when I turned on the controller the game didn't register it and let me use it. Might want to add that in.

Edit: I did wind up with a fairly funny replay: http://www.wegame.com/watch/Gymnast_Replay/. Granted it's funnier with sound. If you want, I can send you the replay files.

Edit 2: It seems your game now saves the replays in the "Program Files\Gymanst\User Files" directory which should be a no-no. Anywho, I have a couple replays for you if you want them: Closelined.zip and SwingAndAMiss.zip.

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Nick Gravelyn -- Microsoft XNA MVP
XNA Wiki | Zune Games

Nick-  you can still navigate the menus with the keyboard.  if you go to Settings -> Rediscover Controllers, it will find any controllers that you have connected or removed since the game started.  I couldn't come up with an easy way to automate that...


Translation Help

does anyone on this forum speak a foreign language, and would be interested in creating a translation for Gymnast?

 I recently added localization support for multiple languages, and today I finished the Japanese translation of the game... here are some screenshots:

http://walaber.com/gymnast/gymnast_jp_00.jpg
http://walaber.com/gymnast/gymnast_jp_01.jpg


My wife speaks Chinese, so she's going to help me with that translation, but if anyone knows any other languages and is willing to help, I can send you the script file to translate.  it has a total of about 300 lines to translate.

Because this caused a big change to the game code, I will release 1 final alpha version before the official release, once I have all of the translations implemented.

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Go Go Gadget XNA!

Walaber:

Nick-  you can still navigate the menus with the keyboard.  if you go to Settings -> Rediscover Controllers, it will find any controllers that you have connected or removed since the game started.  I couldn't come up with an easy way to automate that...

Yeah, I did find that after I mentioned it. Perhaps you could just put a check in the Update code like:

if (GamePad.GetState(PlayerIndex.One).IsConnected)
    //set up gamepad controls

I just think it'd be a nice touch to have the automatic discovery for controllers.

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Nick Gravelyn -- Microsoft XNA MVP
XNA Wiki | Zune Games

yeah, I thought of that too.. .but the problem is that I also have DirectInput support for other gamepads, and making it work across both was something I hadn't figured out...

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Go Go Gadget XNA!

I am very terrible at this game (stuck on the 2nd challenge) but its cool! 
One of these days I will figure out how to make that transfer :o

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Ur-Quan Masters: XNA Melee

Version 1.0 released!

just a note that version 1.0 has been released.  As soon as the Community Games beta goes live, I will work on submitting this and JellyCar for distribution on Xbox Live as well :)

http://walaber.com/index.php?action=showitem&id=18


and a link to the launch trailer:
http://www.vimeo.com/865045

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Go Go Gadget XNA!