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Writer's pictureBruce

Vertical Shmup - Part 11 - Improving the Alien Sprite

At the moment, our Alien Sprite only has one frame, and therefore is always pointing in the same direction no matter which way it is travelling.


This should be pretty easy to fix, we just need to create a frame for each direction and ensure that Frame 0 points in Direction 0 (North), frame 1 points in Direction 1 (North North East) and so on.


Here's how I changed Sprite 2 which will be my default Alien sprite:









Ok, these first five frames represent a quarter turn, so the rest of the frames you dont need to draw each one, you can just use these ones and M to copy, I to insert a new frame and K to paste, then use V to flip vertically and H to flip horizontally.


For example Frame 5 is the same as frame 3 but flipped vertically.


Once you've got all 16 frames, open up your Alien Event (Sprite Type 5), and update it as follows:



EVENT SPRITETYPE5

							; FLEXI ALIENS
							; =====================
							
SPRITEINK C					; colour the alien with C value					
							
IF SETTINGA = 0				; Alien first appears
	RESTORE					; Restore the data table
	LET RND = L				; Store the Level number in RND	
	ADD 50 TO RND				; and increase it by 500
	WHILE DIRECTION <> RND  	; While DIRECTION doesnt = RND
	READ DIRECTION			; Read value from DATA table
	READ SETTINGB				; Also read second value
	ENDWHILE				; Keep going until we find the value in RND
	LET SETTINGA = 1		; When we find it change SA to 1
ENDIF

IF SETTINGA = 1				; Ready to get direction & reptitions
	READ DIRECTION    		; Read the next movement into DIRECTION
	READ SETTINGB     		; Read the repetitions into SettingB
	LET SETTINGA = 2			; Got directions & reps		
	IF IMAGE 2				; is this image # 2?
		LET FRAME = DIRECTION ; yes, set its frame to its DIRECTION
	ENDIF
ENDIF



IF COLLISION 1            	; if hit by a torpedo
	OTHER				; switch to torpedo
	LET DIRECTION = 99	; run the explosion
	ENDSPRITE			; return to this Alien
	LET TYPE = 6			; Switch it to explosion type
	LET IMAGE = 4			; Explosion image
	LET FRAME = 0			; first frame
	LET DIRECTION = 0		; tell explosion its an alien exploding
ENDIF


IF COLLISION 0				; if enemy and player collide
	LET TYPE = 6				; switch it to the explosion type
	LET IMAGE = 4				; and the explosion image
	LET FRAME = 0				; reset it to first frame
	LET DIRECTION = 0			; this is an alen exploding
	OTHER
	LET DIRECTION = 99		; trigger the player explosion
	ENDSPRITE
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 0				; Move N
	SPRITEUP
	SPRITEUP
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 1				; Move NNE
	SPRITERIGHT
	SPRITEUP
	SPRITEUP
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 2				; Move NE
	SPRITERIGHT
	SPRITERIGHT
	SPRITEUP
	SPRITEUP
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 3				; Move ENE
	SPRITERIGHT
	SPRITERIGHT
	SPRITEUP
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 4				; Move E
	SPRITERIGHT
	SPRITERIGHT

ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 5				; Move ESE
	SPRITERIGHT
	SPRITERIGHT
	SPRITEDOWN
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 6				; MOVE SE
	SPRITERIGHT
	SPRITERIGHT
	SPRITEDOWN
	SPRITEDOWN
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 7				; MOVE SSE
	SPRITEDOWN
	SPRITEDOWN
	SPRITERIGHT
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 8				; MOVE S
	SPRITEDOWN
	SPRITEDOWN
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 9				; MOVE SSW
	SPRITEDOWN
	SPRITEDOWN
	SPRITELEFT
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 10				; MOVE SW
	SPRITEDOWN
	SPRITEDOWN
	SPRITELEFT
	SPRITELEFT
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 11				; MOVE WSW
	SPRITEDOWN
	SPRITELEFT
	SPRITELEFT
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 12				; MOVE W
	SPRITELEFT
	SPRITELEFT
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 13				; MOVE WNW
	SPRITELEFT
	SPRITELEFT
	SPRITEUP
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 14				; MOVE NW
	SPRITELEFT
	SPRITELEFT
	SPRITEUP
	SPRITEUP
ENDIF

IF DIRECTION = 15				; MOVE NNW
	SPRITELEFT
	SPRITEUP
	SPRITEUP
ENDIF

						; BOUNDARY CHECKING
						; ===================
IF X <= LEFTEDGE			; if alien reaches the left edge
	REMOVE				; remove it
	SUBTRACT 1 FROM S		; decrement the sprite counter
	SUBTRACT 1 FROM F		; decrement the alien counter
ENDIF

IF X >= RIGHTEDGE			; if alien reaches the right edge
	REMOVE				; remove it
	SUBTRACT 1 FROM S		; decrement the sprite counter
	SUBTRACT 1 FROM F		; decrement the alien counter
ENDIF

IF Y >= BOTTOMEDGE		; if alien reaches the right edge
	REMOVE				; remove it
	SUBTRACT 1 FROM S		; decrement the alien counter
	SUBTRACT 1 FROM F
ENDIF

IF Y < Q			; is alien above minimum height for releasing missiles?				
	IF W > 0				; yes, can alien release	missiles?
		IF X < M				; yes, is Alien to the right of player?
			SUBTRACT X FROM M	; yes, how far to the right of player is alien?				
			IF M <= 8			; 8 or less pixels?
				LET AIRBORNE = 1	; run the chance of firing routine
			ENDIF
			ADD X TO M			; reset M
		ELSE
			IF M < X			; is alien to the left of player?
				SUBTRACT M FROM X ; yes, how far to the left
				IF X < = 8		; 8 pixels or less?
					LET AIRBORNE = 1; yes, run the chance of firing routine
				ENDIF
				ADD M TO X		; reset X
			ELSE				; enemy must be directly above player
				LET AIRBORNE = 1; run the chance of firing routine
			ENDIF
		ENDIF
	ENDIF
ENDIF

IF AIRBORNE = 1		; Chance of firing routine
	IF S < 9			; are there 8 or less sprites on screen?
		GETRANDOM H	; yes, get a random number from 0 to the aliens missile probability #
		IF RND = 1	; is it 1?
			LET RND = DIRECTION	; yes, store aliens direction in RND
			SPAWN 3 6 		; spawn a missile
			SPAWNED			; switch to the spawned missile
			LET DIRECTION = RND 	; set its direction to RND
			ENDSPRITE	 ; switch back to this alien
		ENDIF
	ENDIF
	LET AIRBORNE = 0 		; end the chance of firing routine
ENDIF


SUBTRACT 1 FROM SETTINGB	; decrement repetitions remaining
IF SETTINGB = 0			; has alien moved all repetitions?
	LET SETTINGA = 1		; get the next direction & # of repetitions
ENDIF


DATA 51 0 8 20 7 8 6 8 5 8 4 16
DATA 52 0 8 20 9 8 10 8 11 8 12 16
DATA 53 0 12 48 11 2 10 2 9 2 8 2 7 2 6 2 5 2 4 40 5 2 6 2 7 2 8 2 9 2 10 40 
DATA 54 0 4 48 5 2 6 2 7 2 8 2 9 2 10 2 11 2 12 40 11 2 10 2 9 2 8 2 7 2 6 40
DATA 55 0 13 26 14 4 15 4 0 4 1 4 2 4 3 4 4 4 5 4 6 4 7 4 8 4 9 4 10 40
DATA 56 0 3 26 1 4 0 4 15 4 14 4 13 4 12 4 11 4 10 4 9 4 8 4 7 4 6 40
DATA 57 0 8 16 7 4 6 4 5 4 4 4 3 4 2 4 1 4 0 4 15 4 14 4 13 4 12 4 11 4 10 4 9 4 8 4 7 4 6 4 5 4 4 60
DATA 58 0 8 16 9 4 10 4 11 4 12 4 13 4 14 4 15 4 0 4 1 4 2 4 3 4 4 4 5 4 6 4 7 4 8 4 9 4 10 4 11 2 12 60


Build your game, and now Aliens should point in their direction of travel.


Next, there's a few things I want to tidy up, then we'll be ready to release MPAGD SHMUPKIT v1 , so you can quickly start building your own Shmups!

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aboutME

Hello, I'm Bruce and I write games for old 8bit computers using Jonathan Cauldwell's excellent Multi-Platform Arcade Games Designer (MPAGD)

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I've written a few successful* games for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and MSX platforms that have been (largely) well received including Twenty Four Hour Parsley People scoring a 10 out of 10 on Planeta Sinclair.

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In my blog I am sharing lots of the code that I wrote for my games, in a way that you can use in your own games.   I've commented it so that you'll learn some of the techniques I use to create interesting new mechanics and help your games stand out from the pack.

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MPAGD includes lots of standard scripts, they're great to get you started, but if you're new (or just rusty) when it comes to writing code, hopefully my tutorials will help you get started and  turn your imagination into awesome 8 bit games!

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All my code is free to use and do with as you please, but if you find them useful please feel free to buy me a coffee ...or better still - buy or download my games :)

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*successful is a very relative term in 8bit computer games

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