Bell's Adventure Game

Bell's Angels ported into Unity!

Jeffrey Georgeson — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 12:00:10 +0000

I've ported the original XNA Bell's Angels into Unity, a game engine that allows me to make the download file less than one-third the size of the XNA version and create a deployment that should work properly without installation hassles. Yea!

To install and play Bell's Angels on your Windows machine:

Download the zip file below.
Unzip it.
In the 'Bell'sAngelsUnity' folder that is created, there's a file called 'Bell'sAngels.exe' (the 'exe' part may not show up on your computer, depending on your folder settings). Double-click this, and play the game!

Let me know if there are any problems, and enjoy!
-Jeff

Bell'sAngelsUnity.zip (~40 MB)

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

If all else fails ...

Jeffrey Georgeson — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:12:29 +0000

I've uploaded one other version of my game. The only difference is it uses Microsoft's *!@* Click-Once deployment, which means when you double-click setup it doesn't give you any choices as to where you're installing and just immediately runs the game after installing. It also might begin the install with a screen that tells you the programme "might not have installed properly", but if you wait a few seconds the game installs anyway just fine. The reason I think this one might work better than the others is it may install whatever dependencies your machine needs to run my game (like the correct version of the .NET architecture, XNA framework, or whatever), whereas the full deployment might not be smart enough to do that on its own.

I'm sure that's all clear as mud :(, but here's the direct link:

Retro Retrievers: Bell's Angels Click-Once (145 MB)

To run the game on your computer, unzip the zip file and double-click setup.exe.

For the nicer installation, try the version in the previous post.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Back to the future ...

Jeffrey Georgeson — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:46:37 +0000

OK, so that version appears to have problems working in a Win32 environment, so please download this one instead:

Retro Retrievers: Bell's Angels v1.1 (150 MB)

To run the game on your computer, unzip the zip file and double-click setup.exe.

(This is why game companies have loads of testing before release!!!)

In order to exit the game, press ESC.

Please send me reports of any problems encountered or anything that knocks your socks off--I can be reached at jgeorgeson@jgdesignworks.com.

And again, if you like this game, please donate to the Telecommunications History Group by clicking the button below.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Version 1.01

Jeffrey Georgeson — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 05:13:02 +0000

Please use the following link to download Retro Retrievers: Bell's Angels. It has been updated to include a much better installer (!) and fixes some minor display problems with the menus. *** Edit 19 Dec 2010: And now tries to fix a Win 7 64-bit problem by explicitly setting corflags to "32BIT+" ***

Retro Retrievers: Bell's Angels v1.01 (150 MB; not available)

To run the game on your computer, unzip the zip file and double-click setup.exe.

In order to exit the game, press ESC.

Please send me reports of any problems encountered or anything that knocks your socks off--I can be reached at jgeorgeson@jgdesignworks.com.

And again, if you like this game, please donate to the Telecommunications History Group by clicking the button below.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Version 1.0: Game On!

Jeffrey Georgeson — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 20:21:32 +0000

The following link will download version 1.0 of Retro Retrievers: Bell's Angels. Keep in mind that this is relatively untested in different operating environments, and thus will in some ways behave as an "alpha" testing version rather than a full initial release.

Retro Retrievers: Bell's Angels (150 MB; no longer available)

To run the game on your computer, unzip the zip file and double-click setup.exe. The game should set up and run. In order to exit the game, press ESC.

I'll be working on a better setup method that allows more choice as to setting the game up to run (it currently uses Microsoft's "One-Click" deployment, which is a bit clunky). I'll be working to make the file size smaller as well.

Please send me reports of any problems encountered or anything that knocks your socks off--I can be reached at jgeorgeson@jgdesignworks.com.

I imagine an updated version will be up soon; I'll notify everyone on this blog when that occurs.

And remember: This project is in aid of raising money for the Telecommunications History Group, so if you wish to make a donation, please click this link:

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Nearly Done! And Playtesting ...

Jeffrey Georgeson — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:20:57 +0000

I haven't written here recently, as I've been so busy trying to get the game together I haven't had time.

I am pleased to say that Bell's Angels is playable all the way through, with screens for beginning, middle, and end. Levels are complete (although I already want to revise one of them; see below), interstitials are complete, beginning and end screens are complete, initials entry for top ten high scores is complete ... What's left is an options screen that will allow changes in difficulty level and music volume, and various architectural tweaks. Class diagrams are basically done as well. And, of course, I have to deploy the game and see if it works on machines other than my own.

I had several people playtest a slightly earlier version; at the time, the only level available was much too difficult, and the movement of the gun and the tractor "blob" was too slow. The gun was also difficult to aim. A second round of playtesting (involving just one person, unfortunately) involved the entire game, and several bugs were revealed--amazing how just putting the game in hands not one's own can result in such different playability! The playtest also revealed that the first level doesn't feel/look as nice as the other two levels; if time permits, I'll try to change it, but it may be a change that needs to wait until the next version.

Backgrounds and particle clouds will also be added if time permits, but with one week to finish and complete the write-up for the game, I'm not sure I'll get these done. They may also be "next version" items. (If so, I'd hope to have such an update done for the charity before Christmas.)

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Start Your Engines!

Jeffrey Georgeson — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:34:33 +0000

Now I have two of the starting screens finished (well, roughly finished), and the logo. I've tweaked the gameplay, but it's still quite difficult. I'll do some playtesting on it tomorrow and Wednesday, if possible.

I can see where game engines come from, looking at my level design--or at least setting up a game with editable levels. Because of the architecture, any level using the same graphics and, say, a subset of programmed "moves" for the sprites could use the update, drawing, and collision blocks that already exist. Not that I think Mr. Bell will be challenging Unreal anytime soon, but I can humbly see where it all begins.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Initialisation Scan Complete ...

Jeffrey Georgeson — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 23:49:15 +0000

Woo-hoo!!!

After many, many hours of work again this weekend, I have, in essence, a game!!! It's only one level, there is no sound, there are no special effects, and there are no start screens or game over screens, but I've gone from reworking everything a few weeks ago to a level that populates itself with game sprites; sets up the camera and gun to fire, move side-to-side, and aim up or down; has a countdown timer; keeps track of a score and number of lives left; detects collisions between what you fire and anything else; and generally plays like a game. A very, very difficult game, but a game nonetheless.

What I have left to do is still daunting (it's basically the list of everything the game doesn't do, above), and I'll have to figure out how to deploy it and write up all the text about it, and prepare a presentation of it, and probably other things, but I no longer feel like it's impossible. In fact, I'm quite enjoying it. (And I keep playing it, trying to get through the first level ... and occasionally do!)

I've once again been playing with maths, although this time it's been trig--mostly figuring ways to make spheres orbit one another and move in waves. And I've liked the results. This looks much better and much smoother than it would have in 2D, and has provided a nifty way to keep score. I'll write up the directions tomorrow (especially as I have to get them onto the start screens).

Original post blogged on b2evolution.