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Community => Project / Coder's Corner => Wanted: Music for Projects => Topic started by: Jayenkai on August 24, 2008, 18:05:31

Title: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Jayenkai on August 24, 2008, 18:05:31
Cowbell Hero! (http://socoder.net/index.php?gotoentry=355)
Before I post the final version to my site (Tuesday) I'm just wondering if people might like to submit a track or two.
I'm looking for plain XM files, (nothing too fancy lest my coding buggers up the reading of it ;)) with Silent No-instrument "c-0" No-notes where Mr Cowbell oughta go.

And, small, too.. Say about 250kb max per xm.

You can stick the mods in the songs directory in order to test them out, and ensure they're at least vaguely playable.

Monday night for submissions (tomorrow!)
Sorry that's short notice, but A) I only started it today, and B) I've set myself a Tuesday Update day for my website (AGameAWeek.com) that I'd like to stick to.

Either way, even if no-one submits, it's still a nice fun silly game!
Enjoy, and thanks!
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: raina on August 25, 2008, 07:47:41
Umm.. it seems that instead of "C-0", the game responds to ghost instrument which is an instrument number without a note.

EDIT: Also, I think I royally suck at this game. :( It's so simple I can hardly blame it on bugs..

Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Jayenkai on August 25, 2008, 11:09:15
Yeah, sorry.. I was tweaking in modplug, plopping C-0's in, saving, and not looking back.
Having looked back, it does indeed reload them as ghosts instead!  Go figure!

Still, seems to work ;)

The game does indeed have a couple of bugs, but they've been worked out this morning, by changing the "BAD" method of doing things.  (if you got one bad, a whole bunch would start freaking out!  This will no longer be the case once "final" is uploaded on Tuesday.)
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: raina on August 25, 2008, 12:26:52
Btw, what do you suppose would be the optimum round length in Cowbell Hero? Because I've been working on a cover song and I don't know whether to continue it past 1:10 or just stop there. The next logical stop would be around the 2:30 mark. In its shorter form it could serve as an "Easy" level, being pretty straightforward with the CB track as well.
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Jayenkai on August 25, 2008, 13:08:55
Honestly, the gag gets pretty old pretty fast, so.. shorter = better, imo.

Don't Fear the Reaper! (http://socoder.net/uploads/1/Blue_Oyster_Cult_-_Don__t_Fear_The_Reaper.zip)

(Also, I uploaded the slightly better version.  If you re-download, it should now be about 70% easier ;) )
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: raina on August 25, 2008, 14:42:32
The game plays much better already. (Damn, I wanted to say I did.)

Hoo boy, you'll never guess which song I decided to cover. :P I tried to copy the original pretty much verbatim, but into NES environment. ;) But there seems to be a slight problem..

Is there a limit to the total number of cb hits because the last couple of hits in my track don't appear on the track? I'm not yet ready to publicly release the mod but I thought I'd bring this to your attention as we're on a schedule here. :)

I'll PM you the current (not yet 100% finished) version of my track so you can check it out and possibly help me out.
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Jayenkai on August 25, 2008, 15:21:55
Thanks :D
Works great.  (And sounds super, too!)

I recently realised that instead of reading the Song Length's number of patterns I was reading the Number of Pattern's number of patterns..  (!)
Basically, because your mod has less patterns than song length, it was cutting off the end.
(and conversely making songs seem longer if you cut out a chunk of patterns from the order!)

I've tweaked, and the newer version's at the same download link.
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Saga Musix on August 25, 2008, 17:24:37
i like your game :) but i think you should check the "excellent", "good" etc texts, they are hard to read when vanishing so fast.
my best combo: 78 :)
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: ko0x on August 25, 2008, 18:36:56
Part of a co-op chipmix with joule.
Cowbell channel added by jojo :)
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Saga Musix on August 25, 2008, 19:10:33
may i add that you will probably have to tweak the cowbell channel... i put a c-1 in there since modplug deleted the c-0 as mentioned before. do with it what's necessary :)
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: raina on August 25, 2008, 19:59:00
@Jayenkai, I've updated the file now so just re-download the game edit of the song. Everything should be alright now.

I'll be uploading the standalone version into the archive next.

Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Jayenkai on August 25, 2008, 22:48:34
Cool, thanks :D

The JoJo&Co track has been tweaked, and also I fixed the game!  It kinda crashed when it tried to play that track, so..  quick tweak and it no longer crashes...
So, thanks for that, too!

Woot!
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Jayenkai on August 26, 2008, 12:29:30
OK, extra thanks, and a "Final" notice!
(It's a double post, but it's the next day, so that's ok right!?)

Posted the final version up today, over at AGameAWeek.com (http://www.agameaweek.com/?p=65) (albeit the same end link, so.. either-or!) and have included the latest submissions.
Thanks to everyone who joined in, and if anyone wants to add any more, stick 'em here, and I'll someday get round to adding 'em to the game ;)
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Saga Musix on August 26, 2008, 19:57:58
I tried the new version and it seems to ignore every 4th keypress or something. this also happend randomly in the preview version, but not as often. it's totally unplayable this way..
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: raina on August 26, 2008, 22:12:23
Inspired by the great idea of holding the keyboard like a guitar (http://fretsonfire.sourceforge.net/about/pose.png) introduced by Frets on Fire, I came up with a guideline for people who like to pursue that extra bit of authenticity in video games. The best part is you don't need additional hardware because you most likely already own what is needed.

Assuming Cowbell Hero is running and you see a song you like on the screen, here's what you do:
1. Place your mouse (or other feasible pointing device) on the palm of your hand.
2. Grasp it firmly leaving the primary button exposed.
3. Extend the index finger of your other hand.
4. Tap the primary button of your mouse with the side of your extended finger to start the game.
5. Tap the primary button of your mouse repeatedly, applying force as you see fit, to rock on.


That's it. Copyright 2008 raina. Patent pen... CBA.
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Jayenkai on August 26, 2008, 23:00:00
wootsocks!
Fantastic tutorial.

..
Additionally, if anyone would like to somehow manufacture a realistic Cowbell instrument, the game will accept input from Joybutton 1 ;)


Jojo, not sure what, exactly, that bug is that you're describing.  Are you sure it's not an actual keyboard issue?  Try with the mouse, see if it's better.  And/or, is anyone else having that same issue?
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: raina on August 26, 2008, 23:53:38
wootsocks!
Fantastic tutorial.

Thanks. Feel free to quote me. :)
Title: Re: Quick request : Cowbell Hero!
Post by: Saga Musix on August 27, 2008, 13:42:49
Jojo, not sure what, exactly, that bug is that you're describing.  Are you sure it's not an actual keyboard issue?  Try with the mouse, see if it's better.  And/or, is anyone else having that same issue?
after some more playing, i found out that your game was rather (very) strict when the key was pressed a bit too early and not that strict if it was pressed to late... that's the issue, it seems.