[shezzor]

Well, I've decided to pick up Ruff 'n' Tumble (yet) again  After a few days of getting myself back into the mess I call the Blitz code and digging through the umpteen amounts of graphics files, I don't think it's doing too badly. That said, theres still plenty to finish but I'm optimistic that I can actually get the project released this year... hopefully.

On a side note, I kinda get the idea Blitz3D is showing its age now on newer hardware and I've even had problems getting the editor to work ok (thank you IDEal). I had toyed with the idea of moving all the code over to C++/OpenGL and had even started this a few months back but I think its too far gone and this would only cause me more headaches. Has anyone else had any issues with Blitz3D? The final executable seems to work fine so everything should be all right I guess.

So where is the project upto...

Code: probably about 90-95% complete. Mainly the menu and profile stuff still to complete but other wise its just bug hutting (I know there is still a few in there).
Sound: roughly 80% complete. Still missing a few samples here and there.  
Music: 100% complete. This has been sitting here for so long, my apologies Infamous
Graphics: ...and here comes the big one, I honestly have no idea where I'm upto at the moment. I've finally come to conclusion its probably best to concentrate on each world individually rather than just picking anything at random. I'm nearly at my first milestone in that all of world 1's graphics are pretty much complete. I just need to understand where I'm at with all the rest!

As I haven't posted anything in a while I've put together a simple play through of the first level just to show you the new graphics in motion. You may like the it but then again you may not :s

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/0qGdONrWteM&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/0qGdONrWteM&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0</a>

And those unfamilar with Ruff 'n' Tumble heres the original. As I say you may prefer this one

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/EujjPMpsOb0&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/EujjPMpsOb0&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0</a>

So there you have it, more news soon... I guess.

Oh and if anyone cares, they can get regular updates on twitter. As I can't type for toffee, 140 characters is perfect for me. This way you can keep complaining and nudging me to get some work done

[sparkes]

DON'T NAME YEARS!!!!!

it's jinxed you everytime it's happened    Just drop in the odd bit of news from time to time and don't let anyone draw you into talking releases and we'll all be happy.   Not as happy as when you release it of course

[hitm4n]

The new gfx are tip top, the game is almost perfectly matching the original yet has a smoothness and brightness to it. Its smooth as silk, sounds great, looks great. How could anyone not like it ??

I'm glad you are back on it, and i say DO name years. 2009 is the one !

Regards Blitz, its not been a problem for me so far, even on Vista x64. When the engine, sounds, music and graphics are so far on, it would be a shame to move now to C++ and increase dev time once again. The step back could break your will to complete and we can't have that. Besides, c++ wouldn't make the game any cooler than it already is...

Now... Hurry up !!!

[Blitzblaster]

The ingame video looks very good. Nice game!

[Sokurah]

What's not to like - it's beautiful - it's sex on a stick.
If this game was a woman it'd be Natalie Portman.
...have to go now...my mouth suddenly started watering.

[AndyH]

Looks 'mazing!

[BigAnd]

WOW!

This is looking really, really nice

Don't give up!

[Dragon]

The new gfx are tip top, the game is almost perfectly matching the original yet has a smoothness and brightness to it. Its smooth as silk, sounds great, looks great. How could anyone not like it ??

I'm glad you are back on it, and i say DO name years. 2009 is the one !

Regards Blitz, its not been a problem for me so far, even on Vista x64. When the engine, sounds, music and graphics are so far on, it would be a shame to move now to C++ and increase dev time once again. The step back could break your will to complete and we can't have that. Besides, c++ wouldn't make the game any cooler than it already is...

Now... Hurry up !!!

Ditto!  And it does look much smoother than the original.  Er, carry on then.

[The Codex]

Fantastic mate, glad it's officially back and looking super fly. Can't wait!

[_Steve_]

Tis looking mighty fine there Shezzor. As some of the others have said, it actually looks smoother running than the original, and the new bright shiny graphics are both lovely and yet familiar. The added layers in the background also add more depth.

Definitely looking forward to this one when it becomes ready.

[hatonastick]

Wow... That looks freaking incredible.  If you hadn't said it was a remake, I'd have thought I was looking at the real deal.

[saulc12]

This is looking so good now, please, please finish so we can all play it - a great achievement :-)

[gryzor]

Oh-em-gee... Will be following this one!

[SuperJerk]

Looks fantastic!

[shaba]

Good job man!
There is some fresh news?
When do you think you will have a payable demo?
..Or fully games?

[louise]

Ruff looks a little... fat, sorry to say so But otherwise the graphics really looks amazing and the music really hits the spot!

I only had one problem with the original Amiga version, and that was the controls.

Could a responsive control mode be optional, where he doesn't slide?

[hitm4n]

I think the sliding is part and parcel of the gameplay style. He builds speed up when he starts running and slides a little when stopping. Without this he would seem very robotic.

I wonder if you can put the original Ruff and the new Ruff side by side Shezzor ?

[hitm4n]

Grabs from videos, scaled up some. The whole game originally was a work of art, and the new version i think pushes the level higher...

[shezzor]

Thanks for the great comments (again) guys. Its coming along nicely now. Still concentrating on the graphics so don't expect any news postings any time soon as that's all I'll be doing for the coming months Although to be honest I've surprised myself how much graphics I have now redrawn but looking back it seems I've definitely lost some updates which is a little bit of a kicker.

Shaba, there'll be no demo unfortunately any time soon as coding has been put on the back burner for the moment (see above).

Also as for the sliding, I have to agree with Hitm4n on this one. With the speed that the main character flies back and forth, if he were to suddenly stop, it just wouldn't look right (especially with the speed boost, believe me).

I've attached a comparison of the Ruff sprite, old to new. I dunno, the Amiga video posted above was kinda squashed if that's what your comparing it to. 

[louise]

Also as for the sliding, I have to agree with Hitm4n on this one. With the speed that the main character flies back and forth, if he were to suddenly stop, it just wouldn't look right (especially with the speed boost, believe me).

It probably would, but it would make the game play so much better, not having to take small steps all the time

Many platform games have a "ice world", where the character slides in order to force to the player to slow down, or have him fall into traps.

I think, it can be a fun challenge to undertake for a few levels, but for a whole game?

I would give up realism at any time for a responsive mode =)

I've attached a comparison of the Ruff sprite, old to new. I dunno, the Amiga video posted above was kinda squashed if that's what your comparing it to. 

It is just now I realize how out of style Ruff is compared to all of the other graphics. The robots are extremely beautiful and the background are exceeding crisp, and then there's Ruff. It is almost as if the original was good at drawing robots and other dead things, and just gave up when he came to human.

But I can see the problem. How to make a human cute?

[caffeinekid]

I think he looks great. The original and the new high resolution one too.

[Infamous]

Ruff looks a little... fat, sorry to say so But otherwise the graphics really looks amazing and the music really hits the spot!

I only had one problem with the original Amiga version, and that was the controls.

Could a responsive control mode be optional, where he doesn't slide?

Im hitting her spot! woop lol .. sorry couldnt resist.

Shezz any chance you could throw me over my soundtrack back to me again? only the end theme tune remains all the others died in the great hd crash of 2007 :s Totally forgotten what they all sounded like, be interesting to pick my own stuff apart (like i do on a regular basis) and the new gfx are looking fabtasticorgeous!

[shezzor]

Just drop in the odd bit of news from time to time and don't let anyone draw you into talking releases and we'll all be happy.

OK New screen shot...

http://twitpic.com/5srk8

[louise]

It was just today that I subscribed to your Twitter feed, and was thinking how you felt that you are making a complete game, that took 2 professionals (+ musician) ?

[shezzor]

It was just today that I subscribed to your Twitter feed, and was thinking how you felt that you are making a complete game, that took 2 professionals (+ musician) ?

Exhausted! Although I'm far from professional