Powerstick Man XE Central

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:28 pm

2015 Note: The next journal entry was also posted to the “Hype Up Your Game Thread” on Slime Salad, p. 17. Here’s a page jump to that discussion: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... &start=240

Originally posted May 6, 2009:

Reposted from Slime Salad's "Hype Your Own Game" Thread:

The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition

The Third Preview

Another lengthy amount of time has passed since the last official preview of The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition, so I thought I’d make use of the “Hype Your Own Game Thread” for the next epic installment.

There’s nothing fancy to report, by the way. This is strictly a photo session. And I apologize for the image heavy post if that bothers you.

Note: Some of these, if not many, are subject to change. This is just an example of the direction the game is going.

Nectarine Institute of Research (Formerly the Faberge Chemical Factory):

A scene from the introduction (now updated).

The compassion of Dr. Smack.

Most indoor areas (commercial and industrial zones especially) have signs labeling the respective rooms.

A shopkeeper who doesn’t waste a thing.

A clip from the main hall. The “Statues of Nectarine” series gives some additional background about the location.

So this is the famous Nectarine Institute of Research, the place where superheroes are made. This opening dungeon replaces the defunct Faberge Chemical Factory and its ugly silver bar walls. As a bonus, I did away with “Gonna Make You Sweat” and replaced it with something way cooler (and ogg-based).

A Note About the Music:

The game’s opening dungeon and closing dungeon will feature high-quality music to bookend all the midi tracks everywhere else.

Some specialty areas will feature high-quality music as part of the background. If it sounds good, it’s probably part of the scene, not the soundtrack. (See the posting about “Big Daddy’s" in my journal for an example of this.)

A few general maps, but all dungeons, will feature streaming music as the soundtrack. This means that maps, battles, and victory music all share the same song so that it doesn’t feel broken. Most dungeons are too short for this feature to become annoying.

A Couple Outdoor Areas:

A direct response to Chaos Nyte’s comment (in his Castle Paradox review) about beating up wildlife for experience.

One of the many new heroes you’ll encounter in your journey.

Some Cut Scene Moments:

Part of the main storyline. I won’t spoil the surprise.

One of the many “Off the Beaten Path” moments you may encounter if you put on your explorer’s hat.

The Squatter Village:

The Extended Edition has double the locations of the original game (maybe triple when it’s finished). One such location is the “Squatter Village,” where the factory protesters live.

Old Areas Drastically Revised:

This is the back room of one of the original game’s existing areas. Can you guess which one?

Always read the signs.

And beware the citizens of this crazy town.

The saddest singles mingle ever.

All the fun’s happening here.

The pimped-out penthouse of Mayor Samson Applewhite.

Cannonball City Hall:

Read all the signs and magazines and you might be eligible for a surprise.

A classic example of why enemy animation and battlescripting will become a welcome addition someday.

Meeting the Odor King.

Defeating the Odor King.

Cannonball City Hall has a couple new surprises that the original game didn’t offer. Can someone say “collapsing floors?”

Treasure Cove Cave:

One, two…

Who’s bad enough to roll that rock away?

Deep down into the “Treasure Cove Cave.”

Outrunning the tidal wave. (This picture was taken before I added the dark sprite palette.)

Some bosses have no regard for kittens.

So that’s the latest info on The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition. The game should be ready sometime between December 2009 and June 2010.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:29 pm

2015 Note: The next journal entry was also posted to the “Hype Up Your Game Thread” on Slime Salad, p. 25. Here’s a page jump to that discussion: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... &start=360

Originally posted July 18, 2009:

The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition

New Characters

Though the release of The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition is still a ways off, I thought I’d introduce you to a few new recurring characters. Most of these people have an extensive presence in the two novels and make at least three appearances in separate sections of the game (though only a couple of them do this presently). At least one will become a selectable hero and all of them add depth to the overall story (as I’d like to believe all my characters do).

Max Powers:

Member of an anti-terrorist squad who is trying to thwart the smuggling of a nuclear bomb. As it stands, he keeps missing the mark. Perhaps a vain superhero can help him out.

Protester Harry:

The hippie who just wants to get home, but accidentally locked his keys in his car. While he fails to hold onto his keys, he does manage to keep devices that can remove obstacles in Powerstick Man’s path.

Plummet Man:

The superhero who “falls the wrong way,” he tries to recruit Powerstick Man into the official ranks of superherodom (rather than leaving him as a mere vigilante). Will eventually become a selectable hero.

Funky Fresh Boy:

The superhero reject who is about as bad as a shopkeeper as he is a crime fighter. He does own one important item, though.

Miss Honeysweet:

The queen of poetic justice, she can make a proud man cry and a king weep before the feet of his peasants. But even she doesn’t know how this happens. She just goes with it. She helps Powerstick Man track down an elusive item.

Cherry Chicklet:

The Cannonball Strip’s resident pop star and mentor to Miss Honeysweet, she can gather the townies like a pied piper and march them into battle with her sultry voice. She’s also a great dancer, as Powerstick Man may discover if he meets her at the Foxberry.

The Music Effect:

The updated game will also track Powerstick Man’s music skill. As of now there are three places where he can increase his skill. If he enters into the third place all beefed up he’ll perform a song for the lounge lizards in its entirety. If he’s under-practiced, he’ll give up before he finishes.

Below is a clip of the first minute of his entire performance.

<param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I36C_-wdZ1w&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I36C_-wdZ1w&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed>

And here’s a scene from later in the song.

EDIT: Hmm, seems the Youtube version drags a little. Everything's pretty tightly synced in the game, better than what this is showing anyway.

Other New Stuff:

And finally, I’m proud to reveal an update that has been long awaited (by me) and will hopefully delight the true fans.

Yes, I am referring to the triumphant return of Elwood Walker.

Come the Extended Edition, he will have not one, but three intros to choose from. Depending on which you choose, you can see how his life has progressed over the years since not playing the original Powerstick Man.

And as an added bonus, you can now select how much of the intro to watch. Or you can just dive right into the game.

And that concludes this update. Enjoy.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:31 pm

Originally posted August 24, 2009:

(From the post “Centennial Week” on Slime Salad)

To the handful of you interested in The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition's progress report (aka development journal), I posted the 100-week version as an attachment to the Legendary Edition game page.

http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... =3902#3902

I should warn you that this document is quite lengthy and contains a vast amount of spoilers, so only read if you have the time and don't mind having secrets revealed early (or if you have short-term memory).

For anyone who's interested in the journal and wants to be included in the email updates I send to my playtesters, send me a PM and I'll add you to the list. Right now I'm starting Week 103 and won't be sending the next update out until the end of 104. And for anyone interested in playtesting, say so, and I'll provide a link to the ongoing game file. Understand that this invitation is on a first come, first served basis.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:32 pm

2015 Note: The next journal entry was also posted to the “Hype Up Your Game Thread” on Slime Salad, p. 27. Here’s a page jump to that discussion: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... &start=390

Originally posted September 7, 2009:

The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition

New Landscapes

One of the nice things about updating a game is that you can make something that was once sub-par look decent. But one of the nicer things is that you can make something that was once decent turn into something attractive. This can mean including a number of things like action sequences and ambient sound effects. But most likely it means pumping up the scenery.

Last month I released the 100-week version of my playtesting document, which chronicled the changes that were made to The Adventures of Powerstick Man since its original release in December 2000. One of the common themes of the document was the rebuilding of old areas that once looked sub-par. Well, as of Week 101 I went back to the early maps and started re-landscaping them with new vegetation. And for those who’ve read the journal, you’ll know that this mission to improve the landscapes began when I added new rock formations to one of my cave maps in Week 99.

The following screenshots reveal the new look that has befallen my oldest maps in the last four weeks:

This screenshot was taken from the outdoor area of the Nectarine Institute of Research, which is the facility where our story begins. If you compare this to older screenshots (or to the original game), you’ll see how much more personality the detail gives the game now. Up until now, the game only suggested that it took place on a Caribbean island. Now it should reveal this a little better.

This is from the Hitcher Highway. In the past, the map was just a winding road that snaked through a massive forest down toward the swampy shoreline in the south. Now, not only are there new types of trees turning it into a diverse ecosystem, but two large lakes with a connecting river make the scenery less boring. The swamp also has reeds growing from the shallows among other things.

One of several coastal areas where palm trees cover the beaches and moss grows from the cliffs.

And while revisions are necessary to making a decent game better, there is nothing quite like a new addition to story or gameplay. Here are a few more story and gameplay screenshots from scenes later in the game:

Even with the addition of bus passes the Cannonball City Transport can only stick to the highways. So what’s one to do if he wants to get to Sandy Smack Island in a hurry? Why, he takes the Water Taxi, of course.

Who are these people, and what do they want with a frightened chicken?

And what good is new gameplay without an introduction to some new enemies? Meet a sample of the people and creatures you might encounter on your journey through the tropical wasteland:

Where will they show up and how will you beat them? Find out these things and more when The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition comes to a computer near you.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:33 pm

Originally posted October 26, 2009:

(From the post “A Limited Engagement” on Castle Paradox and Slime Salad)

View the at-times derailed discussion here: http://www.castleparadox.com/ohr/viewtopic.php?t=6381

Or the tamer Slime Salad discussion here: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3178

After months of consideration, I finally decided to upload a demo of the upcoming The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition.

What this demo offers is the first two hours of gameplay and an example of things to come.

What it doesn't offer is accessibility to every area currently implemented. In fact, it only features about a quarter of total current gameplay available. I closed off the remaining sections because I'd like to leave some element of surprise when I release it officially in the next year or so.

However, for those impatient souls who know how to hack a passworded file, you're welcome to explore the later areas if you don't mind spoiling the experience later.

Game is only on Slime Salad. This is to keep the download speed at optimum, as it is a large file.

http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewgame.php?t=3177

Notes from the README (in case you forget to read it after downloading):

The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Limited Extended Edition

10/25/09

This file will be available on Slime Salad from October 25-November 2, 2009. If you downloaded it elsewhere at any other time, then you probably got it from someplace it doesn't belong.

Important Notes:

There is a LOT of gameplay available after the official End of Demo marker. However, I blocked it off where I did to a.) avoid spoiling the surprise of the full game, and b.) to hide the fact that much of the playable areas past the cut-off is still incomplete or will likely be changed in the future. If you wish to hack the game and delete the end of demo character, be my guest, but be aware that the later areas you find may not be representative of the final product. If you don't know how to crack the password, but are eager to see what I'm hiding, you may send me a PM and I'll more than likely give you the password (though, I'll try to talk you out of it first).

The areas I'm unveiling for this demo are mostly complete. Cosmetically, there are improvements I'd like to make, but the gameplay is, as far as I know, complete. What the final product will have that this version doesn't is repositioned dialogue boxes and portraits, and better battle balancing. In that regard, you'll probably need to start a new game next year when I release the full Extended Edition.

Most Important Note:

This game is designed like a pair of kids' shoes. I've built it to grow into the OHR's future features. Right now you'll notice a crapload of lagging in the plotscripts. I wrote this to make use of script multitasking for whenever TMC gets around to implementing it. Be advised that playing this version of the game may feel different performance-wise than it will in the future. I hope so, at least, as it plays like crap at the moment. I guess just play it with the knowledge that the engine may improve by the time this game is ready for the official release.

Also, on a related note, this game is counting on the new save format to work properly all the time. I doubt it will operate as intended from a save in the engine's current format. Again, this is about kids' shoes.

If you play this, be aware that it is only an example of what the future may bring.

Gameplay:

Most of the gameplay mechanics are similar to what you'd expect from any other OHR game.

However, there are a couple additions:

"Field Stat Counter" in the main menu will show you various stats you earned in the field like agility, strength, and defense. For every 1000 points, you'll get a stat increase.

-To build agility, you just need to change direction

-To build strength, you need to climb ladders (and swim and push things in later, non-demo areas)

-To build defense, you need to get hit by an enemy or field projectile (the latter in the non-demo areas)

Note: Defense is highly limited at the moment. When James implements global variables in battles, this will become more relevant.

"Kill Sounds" in the main menu will stop all ambient sound effects. This is helpful if you find yourself in the precarious situation of having too many sounds bleeding into each other. You shouldn't need this, but I'd advise using it before you quit a game if you choose to start over.

A Note About Exploration:

This game thrives on exploration. Even the demo has secrets/easter eggs to uncover. Although you're more than welcome to blaze through the game, you'd probably enjoy it more if you take the time to explore.

Remember to check computers, bookshelves, magazines, statues, wall notes, paintings, and any object that is unique to an area.

A Note About the Lag:

I am really sorry about this. I hope the new script interpreter will eliminate this problem (and I may re-upload a special edition when it comes out). Until then, play the game to get a sense of what it will become, not so much what it is at the moment. A number of my scripts (especially in the Nectarine Institute) feel broken as a result.

A Note About Load Time:

Although there is only about two hours' worth of gameplay available in the demo, it doesn't change the fact that this is a massive game as a whole (roughly eight hours' worth of game in total) and that the engine needs about 100 seconds to load it. Don't be alarmed if you select the game and nothing happens for awhile. This is normal. It will start. Eventually.

Credits:

Story, Design, Pretty Much Everything but the Music:
-Jeremy Bursey (Pepsi Ranger)

Playtesting, Super Advanced Plotscripts, Whipping Boy:
-Ralph Versteegen (The Mad Cacti)

Music:

See attached file.

Special Thanks:

James Paige for implementing a couple new plotscripting features specifically for this game. Also for reading the first in a series of novels that borrows the settings and story line from this game.

Surlaw for his future role in a super secret project that will hopefully see the light of day for the official release.

Gilbert and TwinHamster for additional playtesting.

Enjoy. Feel free to tell me what you think.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:34 pm

2015 Note: This next entry is a response to a statement made in a thread that OHR user Bagne originated about selling games. Rya.Reisender was the person I was responding to. I’m reposting that answer here because it offers relevance to my plans for the game, then and now.

Originally posted October 29, 2009:

(From the post in “It killed the cat” on Castle Paradox)

Original thread: http://www.castleparadox.com/ohr/viewtopic.php?t=6384

And BlastedEarth plans to go commercial with his game and I think Pepsi Ranger wants to do it too if I understood him correctly.

I am most certainly not trying to sell my game(s).

About going commercial: What I'm doing is taking the basis of my story lines, re-telling them, and am trying to go commercial with them as novels. Powerstick Man in particular is a slightly different case in that his story began as a comic, not as a game, and that the novel will actually have a different title than either comic or game. The other difference is that he's rarely called Powerstick Man in the novel(s), but is narrated from the point of view of his alter ego, Jimmy Knightly. And the story itself is a little different than it is in the game. In fact, the game's purpose in the last year has been to canvas potential locations for the books. The story in general has taken a new path to the old goal.

But that's what I'm doing. I'm not trying to sell the games. I don't have the rights to do that, thanks to the music, nor do I have the desire to try even if I did acquire the rights. For me, this is all about creative outlet, skill building (plotscripts keep my mind thinking about math every once in awhile) and scenery development for better descriptive details. Not about commercialism.

Just wanted to make that clear.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:36 pm

2015 Note: The next journal entry was also posted to the “Hype Up Your Game Thread” on Slime Salad, p. 32. Here’s a page jump to that discussion: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... &start=465

Originally posted May 31, 2010:

The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition

Preview #4

It’s been awhile since the last big update, so I thought I’d update the world about what’s new in Powerstick Man’s world. Get ready to hold your breath.

One of the unique staples of The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition is its growing library of unlikely gaming mechanics finding a way into Cannonball City and beyond. While simple RPG elements like gaining strength through fighting battles and using the dead enemy carcasses to fund a heroic operation is rapidly declining in the Cannonball Strip, complex elements like playing the lottery, cashing in money for experience, and increasing stats through the consumption of fancy dinners is climbing the ladder.

And now, thanks to recent changes made in the last year, Powerstick Man’s world has gotten even more advanced.

Let’s take the Bank of Cannonball City, for example.

The Bank

Visiting shops, drinking potions, and beating the pulp out of plips is commonplace in most RPGs for the OHR (well, substitute plips for any creature). But what about going to the bank? What about having to stand in a line and waiting one’s turn?

In The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition, the player has the pleasure of waiting in a line full of quality NPCs for his turn at the counter.

But what if he doesn’t want to wait in line? Then the teller will refuse service.

Unless, of course, he has the bank’s VIP Pass. Then he can skip the saps in line all he wants.

But I digress. The better question is why should anyone visit the bank?

Well, once he sets up an account with the account manager (seen at the podium in the left)—and he’ll want to wait until current interest rates are high enough to benefit from the bonuses—he’ll be able to check his account, deposit money, withdraw money, or complain to the tellers about whatever customers feel compelled to complain about.

And he can deposit or withdraw however much money he wants, provided the funds for it exist.

And why should he care to do either?

Because deposits accrue interest, of course. What better way to make money than to let time make it for you? Depending on the interest rate, several dollars can accrue every couple of minutes. Drop a high deposit, reap a high reward. Don’t like the current interest rate? Close your account and wait for the fluctuating interest to increase. Think the fluctuation window is too low? Then go buy stuff and stimulate the global economy. Or beat up more critters in the field. Every little bit helps.

Yes, in The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition, you affect the global economy, not just your own pocketbook.

Other New Features

Among the many other additions to the game, you can now access a separate menu to view your special actions and reports. And what new action is available since the last update?

Yes, the “Street Identifier.”

You ever wander aimlessly around an RPG town and just want to know the name of the dang street you’re walking on? Well, in The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition, now you can. Just access the “Special Functions” menu and highlight “Street Identifier.” Then, through the magic of strings and slices, you’ll get names like:

Ovatio Imaginate Boulevard, the street that cuts through the heart of the municipal district, and:

Townsend Street, the road that leads to the main artery through the city, or:

The unfortunate reminder that you’re not on a street, but in the middle of nowhere.

As of now, the “Street Identifier” is just a fun way to get to know your region better. But in the future, you’ll need it to solve a side quest or few.

New Areas

Now, as always, new gameplay features are just a sampling of the new additions. Thanks to my having updated almost 100% of the original game to the Extended Edition design, I’ve had more time this year to add new areas. Below is a sampling of some of those recently added maps.

Standing at the main doors to the Civic Center of Cannonball City. If Powerstick Man finishes all of his music-related subplots, then he may just win an invitation to see a concert here (once I find someone willing to perform the songs for it).

Who is this Cherry Chicklet, and what will it take to get her to sing (besides a competent voice actress with musical talent, recording equipment, and no fees)?

What’s this? A nice neighborhood in Cannonball City? A neighborhood that randomly generates its NPCs so that the experience is never monotonous? A neighborhood whose NPCs divulge the secrets of the Cannonball Strip? Impossible!

Journey high enough and you may even see the top of the world.

Surprising Twists

And now for Powerstick Man’s greatest tricks:

Wait, what? Wasn’t “Superheroes Anonymous” just a story? Do you mean—no, it can’t be.

No, no, no! Those are NOT alter egos wandering in a caterpillar party line. Powerstick Man is NOT walking around as Jimmy Knightly. That is—no, I don’t believe it!

And I didn’t even discuss the possibility of buying properties all over the Cannonball Strip for some kind of tycoon subplot. Oh, when does it stop?

So, want more?

Stay tuned to HamsterSpeak Volume #38 for something even more special.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:37 pm

Originally posted July 2, 2011:

2015 Note: This was my response to a question that OHR user G-wreck had asked about how people draw backgrounds.

(From the post in “Backgrounds” on Slime Salad)

Original Thread: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4180

I'll usually outline the basic landscape and any specific objects with the line and draw tools in MSPaint; then I'll fill in objects with some general colors using magic wand to contain any stray marks within the lines; then I'll take a 50x30 landscape texture from an exported tileset or screenshot and stamp it wherever I need grass, mountain, beach, or any kind of detailed texture, again keeping the magic wand outlined so that beach doesn't bleed into mountain when I get stamp crazy. I do all of this with the 256-color palette open in another window so that I don't accidentally choose colors that would map incorrectly. In some instances I'll also mess with drop shadow and lighting tools to enhance the image. Once I have a passable version of the backdrop, I'll import it into a throwaway game file as a tileset, fine tune the ugly colors and bleeding colors and whatever else is off about the image, export the final product, and then reimport it into the WIP game file as the official backdrop. This technique has produced screens such as these:

In capable hands this method works wonders. In my hands, it's passable ;)

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:38 pm

2015 Note: Mogri had posed an important question about mapmaking, and a number of us chimed in with our answers. This was the finale to mine.

Originally posted April 26, 2013:

(From the post in “Why does mapmaking suck?” on Slime Salad, p. 2)

Original Thread: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5081

I'm also curious how you managed to use all 8 layers... Do you actually need 8 separate layers or are they really functioning as 2 or 3 layers with very large tile-sets?

I suppose it's a combination of both. The two maps that use all eight layers (and could really use a ninth if I'm to add tile-based weather, which I would like to do so that I don't have to use intrusive waits to animate slices or have weather following my characters around, which is what happens if you fix the slice to the screen rather than the map) each use four tilesets.

I usually set my maps with 5 layers:

0-ground tiles (maybe dirt)
1-base ground objects (maybe a type of flowerpot)
2-details on ground objects (maybe a type of flower) or overlapping base objects
3-base overhead tile (maybe a treetop)
4-detailed or overlapping overhead tile (maybe a bird in the tree)

If I use more than five layers, it's because I have many working pieces involved in the map's design. Usually when this happens, I'll turn Layer 3 into a ground layer and Layer 4 on up into overhead layers. Sometimes a tile will have to act as both overhead and ground depending on the player's position, though I usually use plotscripting to switch between them. In the case of the following two maps, I've had detail on top of stacking or overlapping detail chew up my layers like candy, and I basically had to stop detailing them or stacking tiles because I was out of room. Both maps aren't technically finished because I need a ninth layer to complete the vision (I think nine will finish them) and I don't have one to use. But I'm content to wait.

Here's Cannonball Harbor. The ship is one example where I could've used fewer layers if I had a larger tileset, but it also has several sections that work as overhead tiles, so I'm still using about four layers to build it, not including the water layer.

Map size: 88x54 tiles

The next map is Botsmire Forest: It's a sprawling map with a wide diversity of plant life from shrubs to trees that uses multiple layers to blend everything in seamlessly. It also features two villages with unique architecture and a number of shorelines, bridges, and waterfalls, each using up several layers a pop. The treehouses top the eighth layer.

Map size: 119x166 tiles

So, that's how I maxed out my layers, and why I still need more. A larger tileset would certainly minimize the need for using all eight layers, but even if we increased the number of tiles allowed in a single set, it's too late to rebuild these two maps with new tiles in fewer layers. I've spent far too long designing them to rebuild them again.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:39 pm

Originally posted May 4, 2013:

(From the post in “Hype Up Your Game Thread” on Slime Salad, p. 63)

Original Thread Page Jump: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... &start=930

Just in: A dancing girl at the Foxberry Nightclub!

Watch her randomize her dance moves.

<object width="640" height="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/81fgGaziHFE?hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/81fgGaziHFE?hl=en_US&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="480" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

For those who are new, this is from the way long in production The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:41 pm

Originally posted June 4, 2013:

(From the post in “Hype Up Your Game Thread” on Slime Salad, p. 65)

Original Thread Page Jump: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... &start=960

The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition Promo:

Tired of random battles sneaking up on you and ruining your groove? Then it's time to meet the Fight Manager!

The Fight Manager

If an enemy party attacks, a pop-up window tells you who or what is attacking and gives you the option to FIGHT, RUN, HIT AND RUN, or use a SPECIAL WEAPON against it.

"You're Quite The Rock Star, Mr. Superhero!"

Then, once you've made your selection, a message in the lower right corner of the screen will let you know if your decision was smart.

The Battle You Previewed

Then, if you decided to fight, or if your other choice was a failure, you'll face those nasties that the Fight Manager warned you about.

So, why is this better than the traditional random battle system? Because you can--

FIGHT: Select this to jump right into battle. If your level is 4 less than the enemy party's average level, then the message to follow your selection may be less than encouraging.

RUN: Depending on your probability, you can try to avoid this fight completely. If successful, you'll raise your run probability and raise your AGILITY field stat. Buy the new item, Turbo Shot, if you want to perfect your odds of escape.

HIT AND RUN: Harder to pull off than simply running, the payoff for success is much nicer. Simply put, run away from the enemy, but not without getting in a cheap shot first. A successful hit and run will increase your DEFENSE field stat and earn you a third of the experience you would've gained by fighting. Warning: Unsuccessful hit and runs will not only force you into battle, but will allow the enemy to get a cheap shot on you! Buy the new item, Bag of Hornets, if you want to perfect your odds at pulling off a hit and run.

SPECIAL WEAPON: Want the best case scenario against rampaging random enemies? Buy a special weapon fitting for the enemy party. Need to kill off a party of slimes? Buy some salt. Want to distract the monkeys long enough to escape? Shoot bananas at them. Using the right (disposable) weapon against the enemy party (majority enemy type rules) will annihilate the attackers and double the receiving experience. Using the wrong weapon against the enemy party may yield less desirable effects, however, so buy and choose wisely.

So, with these special options to choose from prior to battle, you'll never have to hate on random battles again (at least until you tire of this gimmick).

Notes:

-The Fight Manager pops up only for random battles. NPC-triggered battles and boss fights do not permit the Fight Manager selection.

-Just because running through the Fight Manager fails doesn't mean you can't still run from inside the battle.

-If you prefer the pure RPG experience, you can turn off the Fight Manager and go back to triggering immediate battles.

-Running and hit and runs get easier the more you attempt them and the more you level up.

-Messages of success and failure have five alternates per selection.

-It will come with some hoopla.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:42 pm

Originally posted January 30, 2014:

(From the post in “Work-On-Your-Game-Weekend-2014” on Slime Salad, p. 4)

Original Thread: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5989
Page Jump: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... c&start=45

RMSephy, I like a lot of things about your game. Marking exits with arrows is cool. I think what I like most though is the act of triggering battles by slashing at the enemy. Really nice touch. Will this be a Heart of the OHR 2014 contender? I hope so.

I've been picking at The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition for the last few weeks, wrapping up production on a major cut sequence, and finishing up a major side area called the Pirate Force Camp. Here are a few shots of what I did in the last four weeks:

The fate of Jack Ice after the battle in Primex. Who are these people, and what have they done to him?

The Wile E. Coyote of Cannonball City, getting hungry after setting a trap for our hero.

The Pirate Force has kidnapped a number of women from a nearby town and locked them up in places around their camp for the gang's sleazy ways. Powerstick Man (and potential teammates) must work his way through town and free them all, laying waste to the Pirate Force as he goes.

Retched, the gatekeeper to the Den of Filth, aka the Pirate Force's dungeon, tries to stop Powerstick Man from fighting him. He's not too bright since he's left his back exposed to the easily accessible kitchen behind him.

One of the terrible things Powerstick Man encounters on his way through this vile town.

The Pirate Force Camp side mission is one of three that the player can complete to unlock the eastern regions of the Cannonball Strip (everything east of Cannonball City). The other two are the Treasure Cove Cave, which is the final area in the original release, and Cannonball Mountain, which takes Powerstick Man to the governor's mansion. (Only one mission needs to be completed to advance the story, not all three.) The Pirate Force Camp is the most involved side mission since it encompasses four major areas and takes our heroes to a hidden beach (which I have not begun working on yet, but will soon enough). It's also the required mission if you want to eventually ride around on horses.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:43 pm

Originally posted February 4, 2014:

(From the post in “Work-On-Your-Game-Weekend-2014” on Slime Salad, p. 5)

Original Thread: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5989
Page Jump: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... c&start=60

Willy Elektrix wrote:I've been considering starting Powerstick Man for a while. It's always looked cool to me. Should I wait for the Extended Edition?

I think that depends on what kind of experience you want when the Extended Edition finally gets released. The original is 13 years old now, and I'm pretty certain it's aged badly. It has none of the bells and whistles that OHR games pull off as standard these days, and it may feel odd going back to it after all these years; the Extended Edition pulls off most of the bells and whistles, like sound effects, and is, in my opinion, way cooler. If you want to experience what most of the community has experienced, then I would try the one that's currently online (Slime Salad has v1.1; Castle Paradox has v1.0). The advantage to that is seeing how an ugly, self-indulgent game can reinvent itself in the Extended Edition as a prettier, far more self-indulgent game. However, if you want the real experience of what Powerstick Man is and was always supposed to be (according to my skillset), and don't want to know any other version, then I would wait until the Extended Edition is ready. The original is my noob game, but the Extended Edition makes it feel like a noob game (as does most anything made in the OHR nowadays).

I think it also depends on how much time you want to devote to it. The original takes about 3-5 hours to complete on a general run-through, and 7-10 if you're trying to get everything (v1.1 cuts the time down a little by allowing the player to use bus passes to get around town). The Extended Edition is probably double that, though I haven't played from start to finish since I started production on it in 2007. I expect the released version to take a minimum 5-8 hours if you race through it, and as much as 15-20 if you do everything. Though, the likelihood of doing everything is slim since I've crammed it full of side quests and things that are easy to miss if you're not actively searching everything. In fact, the screenshots I posted here are part of a massive sidequest that you're likely never to find if you're not an explorer. The original has very few sidequests you can bypass, and is more about finding items and hidden characters than it is about whole story lines.

Hope that helps. If you want to play v1.1, you can find it in the Legendary Edition package here: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewgame.php?t=360. Take note that you have a number of file options in this link. The download for V2 will give you a new vision of the game, but one that's very incomplete, and is online only to show what could have been if I had been more graphically adept when I started the original game. V1.1 is the one you actually want, if you want the original experience.

If you want to see some of what's ahead in the Extended Edition, you can view the two somewhat outdated promo videos (I never did finish the third, but will eventually) here: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewgame.php?t=3911

And, I'm generally open to sharing sneak previews of the Extended Edition to interested parties, if you don't mind playing a game with broken sections. Really, it's up to you how you want to play the game.

Afterthought: Actually, after viewing the progress of the third trailer, I really don't know why I've held off releasing it. It's more than adequate to show off the real Extended Edition. I think I'll wrap it up and stick it on here tonight.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:44 pm

2015 Note: This next entry is a response to a question that OHR user JimLuc T. Kirkard posted about limits in the OHR. It’s basically the ending to a discussion about how Powerstick Man is steadily climbing toward those limits.

Originally posted August 3, 2014:

(From the post in “What are the limits?” on Slime Salad)

Original Thread: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6241

Mystic wrote:it might suck, but you're never completely stuck here. you can store all of your lines in a text file and have a textbox that shows a string. load the right line into your string and there you go.

Believe it or not, I have thought of that. But if you knew the inner workings of this game and why so many textboxes are needed, you'll quickly understand how badly that would slow me down and why I hope it never comes to that.

What do you mean, "already got over 9200"? Are you seriously suggesting that Powerstick Man is less than a third complete?

Er...yeah....

I'm only halfway finished with the Cannonball Strip. Don't yet know how much work is needed for the Hardcore Countryside. I've got at least seven towns and one city planned for that area. The Cannonball Strip has four towns, two or three villages, and one massive city. I've only got two towns and parts of the massive city in the game currently.

Oh, and there will be areas beyond the island's borders at some point. I think.

The problem with writing dialogue for this game is that some things change depending on actions taken, so any NPC worth more than a blurb is going to have multiple threads possible (initiation dialogue and repeating dialogue at the very least). Some people, as you know, like to talk, and some have multiple threads. I just added close to 300 textboxes in the last couple of weeks for seven Pirate Force lawyers who ask you to answer a question and respond according to your answer (one of five possibilities per lawyer). See, it adds up quickly.

I don't think I'll reach the limit, but I can't promise I won't. If any OHR game does reach 32000, it'll probably be this one. I know it won't be any time soon.

If somehow you manage it, by the time you get there I expect it will be trivial to raise (textbox and item data format replacements).

Back when the 100 map limit was raised (with some trouble) because SoJ hit it I felt like no other game would ever hit it (afterall SoJ only hit it because there were 4 copies of nearly every outdoor map in the game), but I think a few have.

Yep, I'm at 122 maps and counting.

LogHeckTech wrote:Lol, one person wrote all of them. I was actually gonna redownload Powerstick Man recently when I was on the CP game list, but there were a few versions and I wasn't sure which one to get. I think it was pretty short the first time I played it as well, but I don't really recall, that was probably 10 years ago and there's been alcohol since then.

I think the one on CP is for the original only. I know there's an entry for the Extended Edition on there, but no download. I had made that entry back when work on the Extended Edition had just begun and I thought the game would be much smaller and simpler than what it is now. I seriously doubt I'll ever upload the official copy on that site. Not that I think it doesn't deserve it, but I am trying to be moderately careful with how many sites host the IP since I am trying to sell the novelized version of the story (in a series of books), and I know that CP is one of those places where you can never fully take down a file if needed; you can only replace it with a dummy copy, which is stupid, I think. With Slime Salad, I can better control how the game is distributed and make any changes to the game's page if I do sign a contract that limits how I share the story with the public. For now, no one cares about Powerstick Man outside of this community, but one day they might, and I need to be prepared for whatever that might entail.

On Slime Salad, there's a version called "The Legendary Edition." That has the v1.1 version and the canceled V2 version. V1.1 is basically the original game but with a few bugfixes and an item called the bus pass, which allows you to warp from town to town. V2 is a rebuild of the game from the ground up with new graphics and some fancy technical tricks (and ideas for even fancier tricks), but I never did much with that one, and I no longer plan to revisit it. Most of what made V2 cool ended up going into the Extended Edition, which is the official continuation of V1.1.

The Extended Edition has not been released officially, and probably won't be for quite some time. I do, however, release limited demos of it from time to time when I feel like too much time has passed without a public showing. I think I may release one this year before Heart of the OHR ends. In the past, I've released one demo that ended at an early section of the game (a good six hours ahead of the actual end of gameplay), and another that had full access to whatever was current at the time, but had an expiration date that locked save files once a certain date passed. Both versions had limited stints on the game list lasting no more than a month. If I do release a new limited version, it will be similar to what I had done the second time. There is also a playtest version I update frequently that I keep online in an undisclosed location. It isn't public, but it is downloadable anytime. I'm usually generous about giving the URL to anyone who asks for it. The condition for that is that I request feedback if you play it.

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:45 pm

Originally posted November 24, 2014:

(From the post in “OHR tilemap exporting tool” on Slime Salad, p. 2)

Original Thread: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6373

RMSephy wrote:I just got back, and I've added TMC's changes (both on the repo and in the zip file). I also added a few more debug messages in case this doesn't fix the problem.

Definitely much better than before. I can actually get the thing to compile my RPGDIR folder.

Dropping the RPG right in MAPPER still doesn't work though. This time (thanks to the new error reporting, I actually know the problem now) it can't find UNLUMP.EXE, even though it's sitting right next to it in the folder.

EDIT: Oh, and can I make a request, assuming it can't do this already? Can you write an option to select multiple maps similar to how Microsoft Word lets you select multiple pages without having to pick one or all?

Example:

Code: Select all

Please enter the ID of the map you want to print &#40;0-122&#41;
Type "all" to print all the maps.
Type "," or "-" plus the ID to select a range of maps
Type "quit" to close the program.

>3,6,7-10,12,19,85

Drawing map 3
Drawing map 6
Drawing map 7
Drawing map 8
Drawing map 9
Drawing map 10
Drawing map 12
Drawing map 19
Drawing map 85

I think that would be helpful, too.

EDIT 2: Here's the result:

From The Adventures of Powerstick Man Extended Edition

The entire town of Primex (all four quadrants) spliced together to form a mega map:

One of the game's later areas (still unfinished), Cannonball Harbor:

I think I might want to upload a complete map pack for some of my games. Might be cool.

Also, you may want to support the selected master palette when printing. When I tried exporting Entrepreneur: The Beginning's maps, they all came out funky-colored. Same with Tightfloss Maiden.