3D Mines released (Bike or Die!)

[3D Mines released] thank you :-)

Sz — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:55:55 +0000

thank you

3D Mines is almost completely ARM code while BoD v1.x is m68k code with a bit of ARM code for performance critical fragments - this is the reason why it is not as fast as it could be (but on the other hand, it works on the old palm devices while 3D mines is just for palm os 5).

BoD v2.0 is like 3D Mines - faster and os 5 only (all those graphics improvements are not possible on older devices anyway).

and yes, i'm going to make a new version of 3D Mines soon, with 16 bit graphics (which makes nice backgrounds without dithering) and more shapes. but the game will remain mostly the same, it is just a simple minesweeper

[3D Mines released] it is a great game!

Mr.pickle. — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 19:59:57 +0000

it is a great game!

[3D Mines released] Sz all of your game are brilliant man! I hope you ...

PiNerd — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 11:12:54 +0000

Sz all of your game are brilliant man! I hope you decide to bring out a new version of 3D mines because it is really good. I like it a lot and it is really good for a bit of fun. I might buy it, depends how much it is. On my Zire 72 I get between 40 and 60 fps which is very nice. I am very surprised that BoD only runs at about 20 fps as according to speedy my palm is the 4th fastest palm availiable, and I have heard people with 50 fps. Anyway, I am not an fps junkie, I am a graphics junkie so I am prepared to sacrifice speed for looks! Please can we have Zire 72 camera working wit arcade reality and with video jigsaw (very nice too might I add) because that would really sort it for me!

[3D Mines released] iv recently donloaded all sz'z games(exept arcade ...

Mr.pickle. — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:45:19 +0000

iv recently donloaded all sz'z games(exept arcade reality,since I don't have a treo,only a zire)and this one and video jigsaw are awsome,I like touch brickes to

[3D Mines released] For some of the default layouts on expert mode. O...

ackmondual — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 21:47:02 +0000

For some of the default layouts on expert mode. On my T|T3:
hi-res.... 38 - 45 fps
hi-res+ landscape.... 15 fps
hi-res+ portrait.... 28 - 35 fps

z71 beginner shapes:
hi-res.... 25 - 41 fps

zod2 beginner shapes:
hi-res.... 35 - 45 fps
hi-res+ landscape.... 22 - 29 fps
hi-res+ portrait.... 25 - 30 fps

zod2 beginner shapes with music in background:
hi-res.... 16 - 22 fps
hi-res+ landscape.... 13 - 16 fps
hi-res+ portrait.... 12 - 19 fps

[3D Mines released] Yeah, Astraware makes many interesting games, but ...

ackmondual — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 21:24:17 +0000

Yeah, Astraware makes many interesting games, but not a whole lotta 'em r original. When you load up an AW game, or just looking at the game on their site after clicking the "more" link, pay attention to the developer logos and names. If you see something like AW and another logo, then the game was originally made by that dev (PopCap, GameHouse Pazzazz, Sandbox, Binoteq, Cold River Studios) but ported by AW.

@Kristopher
Not defending AW, but it's true. When AW ports games to PDA, they have licensing agreements with other devs. These agreements lay out what AW can and can't do when they port games. They need permission in order to stray from or add to those agreements. Next time, consider also posting on the PopCap's forum as well at the source.

Price is also influenced by PopCap and co. AFAIK, but I could be wrong. AW did vehemently defend Mazera's $30 price tag. I think it's a great game, but not worth the $30 IMO. And yes, I know alot about the hard work that goes into developing for a platform that's more difficult to develop for than PPC, and for a market that's only a fraction of GBA, PSP, consoles, or PSP individually. If PDA gaming devs could get away charging $50 for PDA games, they still wouldn't make much of a profit in comparison due to the sheer gaming market of other platforms.

Even so, I've noticed how seasoned PDA gamers will only buy games and software only if they're on sale.... especially from games from AW since they send out promos (exclusive and public) to their existing customer base (BTW, AW should still have their Hogmanay sale going on. At least 50% off their older games)

[3D Mines released] Im hooked on this game. Everyone in my class like...

...lol — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 00:26:46 +0000

Im hooked on this game. Everyone in my class likes it. It made an ok game for the computer a super addicting game for the palm. I have a Zire 72 and it has a very nice frame rate. I like all the effects you added too. Nice job Sz

[3D Mines released] I'm not necessarily saying it would be worth $300...

Kristopher — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 03:14:21 +0000

I'm not necessarily saying it would be worth $300 to put music into this game, but I found a really nice MOD music engine at
indus3.org
Apparently it can play 30,000 songs from
www.modarchive.com

[3D Mines released] My Review is Posted at PDArcade! I gave it 9/10, b...

Kristopher — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 20:22:01 +0000

My Review is Posted at PDArcade! I gave it 9/10, but with some improvements, I might have given it 10/10.

http://www.pdarcade.c om/modules.php?name=Reviews& rop=showcontent& id=289

[3D Mines released] Thanks for the results. Since the Zodiac doesn't ...

Kristopher — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 20:48:40 +0000

Thanks for the results. Since the Zodiac doesn't use the graphics accelerator for this game (that way it uses less battery), in Hi-res+, it gets between 45 FPS for a 1x1 Flat object, and 8 FPS for the big objects while running music in the background.

[3D Mines released] ok, so Treo650 get about 58max on Moebius level.

You Qi — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 16:35:42 +0000

ok, so Treo650 get about 58max on Moebius level.

[3D Mines released] oops, I found that the result was vary for each le...

You Qi — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 11:39:16 +0000

oops, I found that the result was vary for each levels.
as FYI(again ), the ux50 fps result was based on DeathStar level while the LifeDrive based on Moebius level. (UX50 get 28max and 27max on Moebius level) I will try Treo650 performance later when my dad's back!

[3D Mines released] ok, yet another addictive game from Sz. :)

You Qi — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 11:32:59 +0000

ok, yet another addictive game from Sz.

FYI, i can get 24max when Gravitti open while 23max when closed for UX50. For LifeDrive, gravitti open can get about 95max and 75max for closed.

[3D Mines released] i was thinking, for atmospheric music, something k...

MunkYBoY — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 22:04:22 +0000

i was thinking, for atmospheric music, something kinda classical. like piano music or something. thats what it feels like to me.

[3D Mines released] Thanks for the answers! But I didn't need any for...

Kristopher — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 20:56:40 +0000

Thanks for the answers! But I didn't need any for Bike or Die; I reviewed Bike or Die already at PDArcade.
My review of 3D Mines should be posted in a few days. With the right publicity, 3D Mines should be a big success; I can't imagine playing in 2D instead of 3D, and I like this better than the cube-based versions.
Have I mentioned this game could use some themeatic music? The game has such an original look to it, and that should be taken advantage of. How about techno or space music?
It's great that my ideas will be used. Did Astraware want to make a level editor for Super Slyder upon my suggestion? Noooooooo!! They wouldn't do it unless PopCap did!! They didn't think it would attract many more customers. It shows you what kind of audience they are attracting- the people who don't want to play the same game for more than a day. But not all of there games are short lived...
The FPS isn't bad; I'm not sure what the T|E can run well.
Is the problem for every T|E, or can anyone run 3DM on theirs?
This is a great game. I plan to buy it ASAP.

[3D Mines released] the answers:

Sz — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 17:05:38 +0000

the answers:

yes, there is one very similar windows minesweeper, (which i found during my initial googling to make sure there is nothing like this on palm yet ) and several "cube-based" windows minesweepers (the single field is not a flat square but a 3d object itself, it makes the visualisation more complicated, because those fields must become semitransparent to give access to the other fields inside the playing board). personally i prefer the "surface-based" minesweepers

one person reported that it doesn't work on tungsten t. another tungsten x owner said the graffiti stays on screen after using modal dialogs (eg. custom board). the causes are not yet determined.

the next version will be released when i fix some bugs (as the above). the future development depends on my free time and on the feedback - there are dozens of minesweepers on palm (on palmgear new & updated you can see at least one of them constantly!) and even being the only 3d version doesn't ensure the success btw. thank you for your ideas about improving the game. i'm going to use some of them in v1.1

tungsten E has the worst performance (15 fps) i've ever seen on 3d mines. this is because of the high resolution screen (a lot of pixels) and a weak processor (126 MHz). actually, the low resolution devices like zire 21 should perform much better (i have ~40fps on the 144MHz treo 600) but of course the graphics is less detailed which is a drawback on the expert levels having a lot of small fields.
(btw. there is a "secret" code to see the fps measure, type: "f" + enter, like the BoD easter eggs, then spin the object to make the game refresh the 3d view constantly for a second or two in order to get meaningful results. of course the performance depends on the complexity of the object)

[3D Mines released] i get a good frame rate on the zire21 unless its l...

MunkYBoY — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 06:15:52 +0000

i get a good frame rate on the zire21 unless its like one of those levels that makes everything really lag and you end up sliding and thats only two levels and they arent in the hall of fame.
theres a game called elastomania and its pretty much the same thing as bike or die.
of course theres a future version coming out...soon?
i personally havent had any issues with it.

[3D Mines released] Since I am reviewing this game for PDArcade, I ha...

Kristopher — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 02:34:05 +0000

Since I am reviewing this game for PDArcade, I have some questions:
* Is there anything like this on the PC?
* Have any crashes or incompatibility issues been reported?
* Are any future versions coming out soon?
* How is the frame rate on slower palms (Sony or Zire 21)?

[3D Mines released] heheheh

MunkYBoY — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 01:40:14 +0000

heheheh

[3D Mines released] I've given them lots of ideas; I have 190 posts a...

Kristopher — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 19:27:56 +0000

I've given them lots of ideas; I have 190 posts at their forums. But they haven't used any of them yet. And they don't steal from Palm developers; they "port" from PC developers.