View source for BoltThrower

{{Infobox homebrew
| title       = BoltThrower Game
| image       = [[File:BoltThrowerIcon.png]]
| type        = shooting game
| author      = [[User:Titmouse|Titmouse]] 
| version     = 0.71
| language    = <strike>Orc</strike> Orkish
| download    = http://code.google.com/p/wii-bolt-thrower/downloads/list
| source      = http://code.google.com/p/wii-bolt-thrower/source/checkout
| website     = http://code.google.com/p/wii-bolt-thrower
| peripherals = {{Wiimote1}} {{SensorBar}} {{FrontSD}}
| hbb         = yes
}}
<div style="clear:right;float:right;">
[[File:BoltThrower PlayedStats 2011-2012.png|Played stats via google analytics 2011/12|238px|thumb]]
[[File:BoltThrower IntroScreen v0.58.png|Intro Screen v0.58 in development mode, shows overlay text. Taken using Dolphin Emu|238px|thumb]]
[[File:BoltThrower MenuScreen v0.58.png|Menu Screen v0.58|238px|thumb]]
[[File:BoltThrower CreditsScreen v0.58.png|Credits Screen v0.58|238px|thumb]]
[[File:BoltThrower OptionsScreen v0.58.png|Options Screen v0.58|238px|thumb]]
[[File:BoltThrowerControlsScreen Ver0.47.png|Controls Screen v0.47|238px|thumb]]
[[File:BoltThrower InGame Active Base Defence v0.58.png.png|Game Screen v0.58|238px|thumb]]
[[File:BoltThrower InGame Death v0.58.png|Death Screen v0.58|238px|thumb]]
</div>

<small>Add your ideas by clicking on the 'discussion' tab or [[Talk:BoltThrower|here]]</small>

=='''NEW - check out my latest game 'High Octane' for Android devices *visit the Google Play Store*'''==

'''Version 0.71''' is now released - see Changelog
This is probably my last Wii release.  It's only a minor update, had modified code sitting around for well over 3 months doing nothing - so I've release this update rather than sit on the change which optimizes the probe mines, and I've reworded the credits as I never liked the older static layout. 

You can download latest version from the link provided or just run an older version of the game and it will ask if you wish to update. The update feature is available in versions from 0.60 and above.

'''Bolt Thrower''' is currently single player Space Shoot 'Em Up.  It’s still work in progress and updates will happen whenever I can find the spare time.
Every effort is being made to detach game data from the code, being 'data driven' anyone can change the look or functionality of the game. So I've exposed the data through a XML configuration file rather than lock the data into the code.  Please submit your ideas, bug reports or anything else via the discussion page if you wish to help in any way.

''previous version comments''

'''Version 0.70''' is now released - see Changelog

'''Version 0.62''' is now released - Fixed music playback stopping in 0.61 after loading screen, needing next tune to be clicked to restart the tune.

<small>'''Version 0.61''' is now released (available from the games auto update only at the moment) - try the Dpad up button to recall mines (mines are Dpad down)
I’ll add more notes here about 0.61 bit later when I have some spare time.</small>

<small>'''Version 0.60''' is now released - This release does not really add that much to the game itself, as I’ve been spending my time on things like socket programming.  The game now downloads via http, so things like auto update and tune downloading are now possible.  To add more tracker mods or ogg vorbis music, take a look in the games folder for the GameConfiguration.xml file.</small>

<small>'''Version 0.59 of Bolt Thrower is now released''' 
Looks like 0.58 was not easy to complete a mission as the enemies spore mines were hard to spot on the radar (tiny flashing red dots), so I’ve added radar pings over the spores - see change list for more information
[[Image:BoltThrowerRadarPings.png‎]] </small>

<small>'''Version 0.58 of Bolt Thrower is now released''' - see change list - 
Finally found some free time to put together another release.<br> 
Please note: there are only four missions - '''Mission four will never end'''.</small>

<small>'''Version 0.47''' of Bolt Thrower is now released - see change list - 
'''Don't forgot you can use arrow down to drop mines'''
For this version I was hoping to use more 3D models in game -  I had spend a long time modifying a Viper space craft I had found from 68980 polygons / 73793 points to something more usable for a computer game, I ended up with a count of 6903 polygons / 3961 points. The original had used planar mapping which I updated to use UV textures instead and obviously the polygon count was way too high as the model was well designed and extremely detailed – shame I had to downgrade it.  This whole process took me ages, especially the UV mapping. 
{|
||[[Image:ViperBodyTexture.png|none|thumb|100px|UV Texture for 3D Viper]]
|[[Image:Viper_HighPolyCount.png|none|thumb|100px|Original - High detail]]
||[[Image:Viper_LowPolyCount.png|none|thumb|100px|After - Lower detail]]
||[[Image:WiiMoteExample.png|none|thumb|100px|Wiimote - Lower detail]]‎
|}
Anyway I tried replacing the player 2D craft with the 3D viper but it didn’t look right at a distance, it looked tiny, very pointy and sharp edged – I think even if I added mipmaps and other tricks it would still look odd at the tiny scale needed.  So in the end I just stuck the Viper in the credits screen.
</small>

<small>-=previous version comment=- Version 0.36 of Bolt Thrower is now released - bit of a push to get my release under the 2MB file upload limit, not yet had the chance to look for somewhere else to store my submissions.
Had to resize the space backdrop from 1024 to 800 pixels in width.  I'll jpeg it for my next release to bring it back to the full 1024, while I'm at it I'll replace the sounds with mp3's using the libmad - MPEG audio decoder library, should help improve things.
</small>

== Media ==
<youtube valign="top" align="left">uhB8-Sx5y3E</youtube>
<div style="clear:left"></div>
<small>'''Thanks to''' [[User:Cid2mizard|Cid2mizard]] - for the youtube clip</small>

== Controls ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Button !! Action
|-
| {{WiimoteAButton}} || Fire Missile
|-
| {{WiimoteBButton}} || Use Thrusters
|-
| {{WiimoteDPadDown}} || Drop Probe Mine
|-
| {{WiimoteAim}} || Point at screen to target 
|-
| {{WiimoteHomeButton}} || Back to the Homebrew Channel
|-
| {{WiimotePowerButton}} / {{WiiPowerButton}} / {{WiiResetButton}} || Power off / Standby / Reboot Wii
|-
|}

<s>== Things that will happen: ==
* Lots of configurable choices on how to control the game
* Mixture of 3D and 2D - the 3D mainly for backdrops (even I can model a rock in space!)
* Lots of bad moving stuff on screen to shoot
* Weapon selection
* Vast levels
* Particles from big booms and propulsion trails, and other stuff like that.
* Level Editor
* Expose any remaining data to XML
* Limit the number of weapons dispersed at one time (people are going crazy with mines) - slowdown fix
* Transparent heads-up display (HUD) - things like score, remaining foe, radar & weapon status
* Camera view stuff (Maybe) – zooms out in relation to the ships speed, and say allow the camera to follow your missiles for a bit, could hold down a button to keep tracking?
* Drop decoy probe
* Drop attack drones
* Drop capture drones
* Sphere of tiny remote shield generators around ship - if one is taken out the others reform to take up the slack at reduced efficiency.
* Manual & auto lock-on target weapons
* Pickups - shield, weapon, bonus points...</s>

== Technical stuff ==

Built with DevKitPro using Windows & MS Visual Studio editor, with the following settings:-
 Property pages for m/s VS
 - Debugging
 set command to: '''C:\devkitPro\devkitPPC\bin\wiiload.exe''' 
 set Command Arguments to: '''BoltThrower.dol'''
 - NMake
 set Build command line to: '''make -r 2>&1 | sed -e 's/\(.[a-zA-Z]\+\):\([0-9]\+\):/\1(\2):/'''
 Rebuild all: '''make clean && make -r 2>&1 | sed -e 's/\(.[a-zA-Z]\+\):\([0-9]\+\):/\1(\2):/'''
 Clean Command line: '''make clean'''

 Configute a new windows variable using 'System Properties' Advanced tab.
 Add new Sytem variable called 'WIILOAD' using the value 'tcp:192.168.1.nn'
 lower case for ctp! (or whatever your IP is)  Needs VS restarting.

Launch using visual studio by pressing F5 - this will run ‘wiiload.exe’ on the pc & pipe the compiled code ''(BoltThrower.dol)'' over to the Wii, the homebrew channel needs to be running to recieve.

'''Libraries used'''
 ''' LIBS    :=  -lfat -lpng -lz -lmodplay -lwiiuse -lbte -lasnd -logc -lm '''
TinyXML is used to read the configuration file - see 'Configuration.xml' in the game folder

==Changelog==

===Ver 0.71 - 26/11/2012===
* Final release - nothing big, decided to submit remaining changes into release
* Optimized probe mines code using spatial grid (you can now have far more probe mines!)
* The Probe mine's interaction behavior has change as part of the optimize
* Reworked credits screen
* Shield level now remains at zero when you are killed
* Tune loading is now on it's own thread
* Tune loading now uses a pop up

===Ver 0.70 - 28/07/2012===
* Added display thread for loading/updating
* Changed the way enemies move 
* Small enemies now shoot back
* Mines now do damage to a small area, before they could only take out one thing!
* Added some new shielded enemies to the first mission
* Moon now terraforms in 2nd to last mission
* Made changes to the graphics
* Scrolling credits
* Last Mission is now a Survival Mission, things will hot up!
* Note:v0.70 has been sitting on the self for 6 months; sure I’ve missed commenting various changes.

===Ver 0.62 - 21/01/2012===
* music playback fix

===Ver 0.61 - 19/01/2012===
* Added health pickups
* Added gun ship collision
* Changed the lighting in-game and menus
* Updated and added better sounds and used the Ogg Vorbis format
* Optimised logic when erasing a single container element
* changed the way prob mines mines lock on.
* Added Recall for prob mines - Dpad Up toggles recall mode on/off
* Optimised Display code - tweaked some matrix 'libogc' functions kept in utils3D namespace
* Reduced any single image loads that can exists in the main bank
* Updated Music player - supports far more types of tracker Modules (and playback is now spot on)
* Added 3D in-game panels

===Ver 0.60 - 29/10/2011===
* Added auto update
* Added change tune feature
* Changed menu look
* Added on screen ping for spores
* minor ingame tweeks
* Added Http download feature
* Music folder now scanned, no need for config entries
* Music can be cached via Http config list
* Added ogg vorbris support
* Added language support via config
* Added Klingon language

===Ver 0.59 - 09/07/2011===
* Added radar pings to enemy spore satellites - It was hard to spot them and complete the first mission!
* Added a startup "Loading..." message

===Ver 0.58 - 08/07/2011===
* Added more front menus
* Added In game music
* Added scrap pick-ups after enemy is destroyed
* Added some missions - mission <strike>6</strike> '''4''' will never end!
* Added Base defences (gun turrets) on later levels
* Added rendezvous & collect terraforming satellites
* Added base's terraforming shield
* Added enemy fleet attack formations 
* Added some more 3D objects
* Added skull at death

===Ver 0.47 - 23/04/2011===
* Added enemy gunships - just noticed I forgot to add these to the radar, my bad
* Added bigger mine explosions
* Added a controls menu screen - (will add more later to pick other control methods)
* Updated main menu - now shows a 3D WiiMote in the background
* Updated Credits - now shows a 3D Viper (MK2) in the background
* Reduced amount of enemies
* Updated enemies movement logic - speedy enemies now find it harder to lock-on
* Update Intro screen - camera view glides in 3D space
* Added Camera catch-up the player's craft - the player craft will now drift away from the centre
* Added some new 3D models - Viper (MK2) & Wiimote
* Updated 3D object code to use all the layers in a Lightwave object (lwo)
* Bit of code refactoring (reworking internal design), hopefully everything will still work the same

===Ver 0.36 - 18/03/2011===
* Added Radar - showing enemies, mines, missiles & satellites
* Added Menu, Intro & Credits screen 
* Intro screen logo made from mines (scanned from tinylogo.tga), these mines start of slow then spurt off after the crafts.
* Added Music - 'Space Debris' Amiga tracker module, plays while in the menu screens
* Add Trails to enemy crafts
* Changed trails for missiles and mines
* Changed to way collisions work - ship to ship collisions now destroy enemy crafts
* Change the way the 'you are dead' screen looks
* Added 'bye' screen
* Fixed zero bugs "which was nice" - I've noticed the looped engine sound plays on into the menus if you died with thrust burning, I'll fix that on next release, at the moment its a feature ;)
* Added Hardware Drawlist for 3D objects - so pre-build objects can be spat out without the need of the main CPU
* Increased the resolution of Wiimote to help pointer travel off screen and still be active around the edges
* Changed the look of some resource graphics - mainly explosions which also double up as stars and exhaust trails
* Optimised the mines - I was creating and displaying a new mine trail every frame, requiring about 60 objects plus all the overheads that go with it.
* Optimised the dispay code for most objects.
* Added a lower detail moon with some rocks spinnig in orbit
* Improved the lighting on 3D objects
* Added ingame backdrop far into the Z plane so it scrolls slowly, reduced from 1024 width at the last minute to 800 pixels so it  fits the 2MB upload limmit - I'm just far to lazy to look for somewhere else to upload, plus its a challenge making a game fit into 2MB ;)

===Ver 0.35 - minor update - 05/02/2011===
* Shows remaining foes & spores
* More game data moved into the XML configuration
* Sound fix
* Correct Meta.xml version TAG this time, needed for Homebrew Browser

===Ver 0.34 - GAME - 29/01/2011===
* Added more sounds
* Added probe mines
* Added missile trails
* Added probe mine trails
* Added player ship thruster trail
* Added player collision
* Added blue (ok) to red (overloading) shields
* Added 'Well Done' message once everything (including satellites) are destroyed
* Added 'You are very Dead' message
* Added XML configuration, data used to store graphic positions,sizes, frames & other game data like 'AmountStars'
* Added more types of explosions

===Ver 0.23 - DEMO - 18/12/2010===
* Enemy drift off into space when hit
* Added explosion trails
* Added a few rocks around the moon
* Added another enemy ship type - takes 3 shots
* Added More sounds

===Ver 0.12 - DEMO - 12/12/2010===
* Added missle hits
* Added Spore spinny things
* Bad ships go boom

===Ver 0.01 - DEMO - 08/12/2010===
*First Demo

== Old Media ==
* v0.47 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq9oRkN9AGE
* v0.36 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8IexIoRtfo
* v0.35 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd_kmmN-VCc
* v0.24 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=980s42RKfbQ
<gallery>
Image:BoltThrowerIntroScreen v0.36.png|Intro Screen v0.36
Image:BoltThrowerMenuiScreen v0.36.png|Menu Screen v0.36
Image:BoltThrowerInGameScreen v0.36.png|In-Game Screen v0.36
Image:BoltThrowerDeadScreen v0.36.png|Death Screen v0.36
Image:BoltThrowerScreenShot v0.34.png|Game v0.34
Image:BoltThrowerScreenShot_v0.23.png|Demo v0.23
</gallery>
<BR>
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[[File:BoltThrowerIcon.png|link=BoltThrower]]
[[File:FridgeMagnets.png|link=FridgeMagnets]]
[[File:HighOctaneIcon.png|link=HighOctane]]
[[File:GameFrameWork.png|link=GameFramework]]
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