Final Testing now taking place

[Cloudee1]

Ok, here's the deal, this here is damn near going to be the final version I am pretty sure that this is at least the final test version. If it wasn't for sheer will power alone that is keeping me from actually being brave enough to call it done.

This is where I need your help in testing. I only want to release version 1.0

Things to note:
Easy alt debugging is intact. But please keep a teleport free save game to actually report bugs from. skipping around rooms and entering from unexpected rooms, can make some things screwy. So please keep that in mind and double check with your clean save game. Also same deal for memory issues. If you use teleport, you are bypassing the unLoading business that is going on. If you can recreate it on your teleport free save, then game on otherwise, it is almost to be expected.

If you aren't sure what you should be doing, you can get the official Sierra hint book here at Al lowe's website. It should get you successfully through my point and click version as well.

Thanks

[gumby]

Text resources:
000 - 2 - apply
000 - 19 - remove second comma
001 - 12 - remove comma
001 - 16 - remove comma
002 - 2 - remove period?
004 - 2 - remove comma
007 - 11 - remove comma
008 - 7 - fingertips
008 - 23 - response
009 - 26,27 - unnecessary caps of last word
009 - 31 - extra space between leading/to
009 - 33 - apparently
010 - 0 - remove comma
011 - 7,8,9 - ! or not to !?  - I used the "!" when you talk to it, so that is what it says in response, not what it reads. The other two, are what it reads.  A very very subtle joke.
012 - 8,9 - warrior's or warriors' - I'm not sure (however that should not possessive).
012 - 12 - remove first comma
012 - 21 - remove both commas around 'and'
012 - 37 - sense?  I still don't understand the sentence - even in context of the action that creates it. talking to an inanimate object in room 12 (really 31) when someone else is present.
012 - 39 - 'Hey,' or 'Hey!'
015 - 0 - remove comma before 'and'
015 - 1 - remove comma
015 - 11 - to
018 - remove comma after 'occasionally' & 'here'
018 - 5 - remove comma after 'her'
020 - 26 - change 'inside' to 'behind'
020 - 29 - too
020 - 32 - caps on G.
023 - 11 - remove comma
024 - 3 - remove caps on 'Evil'
031 - 6 - remove both commas around 'and'
033 - 14 - remove comma
034 - 6 - climbable
036 - 1 - continue
045 - 37 - pluralize minion
045 - 40 - change "just to look" to "just looking"
047 - 18 - change '.' to '?'
048 - 14 - friendly-looking
048 - 17 - remove extra space inside/that
049 - 9 - add comma after 'survive'
050 - 23 - add period
052 - 31 - remove comma after 'Eilonwy'
060 - 10 - change trailing !" to '.' - change ',' to '!'
060 - 15 - remove comma after 'violently'
060 - 16 - remove comma after 'you'
061 - 21 - remove comma after 'unfortunately'
061 - 50 - 'for such' instead of 'such'
062 - 23 - remove comma after 'secret'
063 - 6 - change 'is' to 'are'?  Not sure...
064 - 26 - remove comma after 'mirror'
501 - 3 - 'will'
950 - 18 - add space between 'after' and 'all'
950 - 19 - add period at end

Done.  Please nuke this post after corrections are made - it's way too long.

[Cloudee1]

Oh my God, where did all these bugs come from.  Crap that has worked since day 3 has suddenly developed serious issues. Anyway, here is where we currently stand...

Resolved

• gumby's grammer lesson. most of them anyway.
• gwythaint capturing print gets overexcited.
• rm 15 - wrong print for jumping with pig following.
• rm 18 - bush priority overlaps menu buttons
• rm 23 - acted funny when jumping with pig following
           - water warning about pig goes twice.
           - big rock sends you elsewhere even when it shouldn't
• rm 24 - get hen wen to safety print screwy
• Rm 31 - clicking on last option fouls things up
• rm 37 - end falling sound when lands.
         - Ego on ground, clicking on parapet getting message about not being close enough to jump.
        - Clicking on water from a far distance - the water promptly exits via your fingers Actually added a distance check for grabbing all water.
• rm 39 - adjust ego falling to the right more.
• rm 39 to 42 - falling to death, out of heap before hitting 49
                          - if Hen Wen following, she goes to next room too
• rm 47 - dialog 'You leap from the wagon', erases some of closed drawbridge view - I just went ahead and changed the text
• rm 49 - falling to death, ego moves diagonally
• rm 54-59 - Bauble doesn't always enter from same room we do
• rm 58 - priority issue with bauble & gargoyle?
• Rm 60 - pig on platform, no change in z
• rm 61 - move ego to d to get r
                - player control during vision
• rm 62 - returning, there is out of place print
• rm 69 - wait cursor should be activated
  
• rm 500 - add ego to background
           - add hen wen in hut to background
           - add goose 1 to background
           - add cart if present to background
           - add gurgi to background
            - add gwythaint chasing to background
            - add lost f to inventory screen
           -  add henchman party to background
            - add hen wen following to background
            - add goose 2 to background
            - add goat to background
            - add witches to background
            - add goon chasing to background
             - add hornking to background
            - add creeper to background
            - add E to background
            - add fair folk to background
  
            
  
• Rm 71 - update testers, ahem!

Non Issues

• Climbing & eating works (shouldn't?)- As long as you've got it handy, I think it would.
• Rm 58 - missing text resource 6- Are you sure, I turn it both ways, and the print statement is correct each time,  including 6
•  Rm 51 - Upper right corner of hole in floor, ego cannot walk north/south into/out of. - I'm not seeing where you couldn't walk south into hole, I couldn't  keep him from going north, but looking at the control screen, there may be a small window of opportunity there. Pressing alt-c will pull up the control screen while in game.

[gumby]

Outstanding Issues

• redraw death by gator
• redraw death by stairwell
• revisit  climbing, starving and then falling.

-  Rm 33 - no sound on lowering of drawbridge?
-  Rm 51, 52 & 58 -  How about a sound for the stones sliding open & closed?
-  Rm 39 - Happened a second time from same save game - this time called up inventory and got message.  Arrgh.  3rd time.  I can't get past it now (whereas before I thought I was somehow able to dodge it). - I only encountered it so far while falling through. I'll see if I can recreate any more heap errors. We're all around room 39 right, or did these other two happen elsewhere. - Yes, all around rm 39 (42 & 49).  All from one save game, rm. 49 -  right after freeing FF.

-  Re:  Rm 51 - It's the very top right corner of hole.  After ascending, walk east as far as possible, then (attempt to) walk north.  Same area is effected walking south (but north is more critical). - How about if I just change the control area so that anywhere inside the edge of the hole: you climb down. right now, I give you about 8 y pixels in the front of hole to walk into it. Is it that perspective causing the trouble.  I don't know, I just walked the ego as far east as possible, ego stops - so I figure, no problem, let's just exit to the north, but ego can't go that way either without first going back to the west (a minor inconvenience).  Just seemed inconsistent - maybe it is the perspective.

Non-Issues

-  Re:  Text resource 58 - 6.  I didn't get the message with the 'door' closed, the ego just climbed the ladder & stopped.   Ah!  I see the problem!  Not the 6th text string, the #6 string (starting with 0 as the first string) - "You bump your head on the ceiling, ow!" - oh, yeah, I'm pretty sure that you will never see this in the game, or it's brother "you hit your head on the parapet". I thought they were kind of dumb so I didn't put them in. But if you think the game needs them...  No, I was simply prompted by the text resource that I found - I don't think they are necessary.

[gumby]

Okay, people.  I'm not going to test any more until others post some test results - I want others to contribute & get their chance at this.

[Cloudee1]

Gumby, so more stuff worked before right. I mean, really or is it just me. Oh and about the print statements clearing off more space than it needs. Sierra's suffered from it too. That's what led me to use the whistle where I did in sq2. I suppose I could just change the text until that overdraw is gone.  oh yeah, what did you think of the new cupboard, or the print boxes...

[gumby]

No, I think some of these things have been there - I'm just trying different approaches to the testing (I have to, otherwise there would be no problems for *me* to find).  I think there are certain rooms that got overlooked consistently (room 37 comes to mind).  I just think it needs to be pounded on by more people - everybody plays differently.  Hell, I didn't even have the sound on until a few days ago...

Okay, so you changed a few things that probably needed to be tested before final testing, but hey, no biggie.  What's the story with the 'out of heap' - same problem as before?  Did you ever re-implement the code in inventory room with loops?

Yeah, I was wondering if the print message had changed in the cell - it seemed like it was wider, hiding the door.  No worries, if it's the engine it's the engine.

I like the new dialog boxes.  The rounded corners really look good (and the color).  The cupboards are good too - I remember the first time I saw them (the old ones) I was like 'crap, how do I get out of here?' - they should help a lot.  Looks like you may have tweaked the inventory room too, different icons?  I was going to say you might want to change the order of the icons to put the OK on the far right - it should be easier to hit there (I liken 'OK' to 'X' or 'Close' in the standard windows environment - I'd even recommend to change it to an 'X', but I don't know if it would work out).

[Cloudee1]

I'm not entirely sure what is going on with the out of heap error's. The ones that I have actually seen, I have been able to track down and squish, but I fear there is still something going on that I'm overlooking. Usually whatever room you are in when you get it (usually while about to switch rooms, so I should say the room you are leaving) is the culprit. Since I have been constantly adding and changing the main script since the first test version, there has never been a point that I could use one of your save games.

As far as the inventory loop, my first attempt failed, but I plan to keep trying but that code was never going to be used in this game, with the whole losing all of your items stuff, I have a couple of extra variables being checked prior to an items initing so I wasn't even going to try and figure out the logic behind it. I was looking into that because now that I have actually used the pnc template to create something, it is time to clean up and finalise the pnc template and then I figured I would mirror Brian's tutorial and walk you through creating all the basic stuff. But that comes after this is done.

I think you'll like the new changes with the characters and the inventory screen and transitioning back, the game has taken on a much more polished feel because of it. Also the whole Horn King Creeper cut scene that you were getting so tired of watching before. You don't have to watch it nearly so often now.

[gumby]

I like the idea of the template game & tutorial for point-and-click.  I am thinking the same thing for my project - if I can ever get back to it.

Looking forward to seeing the latest version.  Anybody out there get any testing done over the weekend?  Does anyone have plans for testing?

[MusicallyInspired]

I have zero spare time to do anything at the moment. I started going to audio engineering school a few weeks ago and I have 2 tests coming up this Friday. I'm also working on a soundtrack for a commercial title. Between that and my other obligations, I have virtually no time at all. Both my SCI projects are currently on hold until the opportunity opens up. This is also why I haven't tested anything further with BC SCI beyond that priority issue in the briar patch screen. I'm just kind of dropping in and checking on things...

[Cloudee1]

Yeah I can definately relate with time constraints, I can feel the noose tightening myself. That's why this was supposed to be a summer project. I'm going to fix the bit about starving whiile climbing and then post the for real last test version. I'll probly give a heads up to Al, but I am hoping  to call this thing finished and on the games page by Monday. So if I could get as many people as possible to run through the game as possible when I upload the latest version tomorow, that would be great.

[Cloudee1]

Screw the testing, I'm pretty sure it's done, or at least as done as I am going to get it. The Black Cauldron: Point and Click is now available for download from the fan games pages.

[MusicallyInspired]

Awesome! If I notice anything I'll let you know.

[Cloudee1]

Now you offer,

Just kidding Brandon, hope you enjoy it, all around I'm pretty happy with the way the game turned out. I learned alot and now feel pretty confident about what are and aren't good ways to do things.

On a sidenote, I have already started cleaning up the point and click template and am proud to announce that I have a peakaboo menu going strong at the top of the screen so that should be nice. I have built in 3 layouts for the menu buttons, selecting 0, 1, 2 is all that is necesary to switch between them: static on the bottom, static on the top, and peakaboo on top. But that should be ready real soon now. as long as I don't get to distracted by my next project, nothing more than a dem would ever come from it though as I just want to see how close I can come to... Anyway, more on what I'm doing next when I actually begin it.

For now, enjoy the Black Cauldron, and if anyone can be bothered to play the original, I would love to hear how you think it compares.

[gumby]

Oh, man!  I was hoping for a final test pass at it.  Ah, well - congrats on a project finished.  On to the next!