Ok, so apparently win32 REALLY doesn't like changing the alpha level of things via Numeric. I had to change a function to basically make all the incremental changes and save it out to disk, making the win32 build zip 5megs (versus 1 meg for the source) 20 minutes left. Maybe I can add a background song...

So close.. so darn close and I start getting overflow errors in force calculations.. gAh1!#$1413@%@OI%TH$%H#... hmmm must be in here somewhere...

I've submitted the final version of my game, I've squashed all the bugs I could find and added as many features as I could.

The game can be downloaded here.

So, what can my game do?

• You can build a network of steam pipes with various pipe sections using and easy point and click interface.
• The steam 'flows' through the system in a seemingly realistic fashion, although I did just make it up!
• You can guide the steam through additive squares that change the composition of the steam.
• You can monitor the stream through a series of easy to read gauges and dials.
• It has a menu system and pause functionality.
• While playing the game you can consult helpful tooltips for, um, help.

I'm pretty pleased with the way my code turned out. Towards the end it turn into a hack-and-slash affair with new features being bashed in with a big messy hammer, but at least at the start it was clean.

I've learnt quite a lot about how to structure a game. I really should have focused a bit more on getting a decent state machine for the menu system.

I had to cut back my grand initial vision to something a bit more manageable. Here are a few things that didn't make the cut...

• Penalties for over pressurising pipes and a visual indication of when you do so.
• Rather than gauges I had wanted to see the steam in the pipes and thus see what the pressure was. This went pretty early on...
• Levels. I initially wanted to do 50 or more, now there are only 20.
• High scores. If you want to know what your best score is, you'll need a pencil and paper!

PyWeek has been a lot of fun, although I don't think I could have kept going for more than a week! I don't what I'll be doing when the next one rolls around, but hopefully I'll give it a go again.

Thanks to Rich, Neil, Jack and Tom - I think I fixed all the bugs you found and added all the suggested features. Cheers for the help guys!

You get value for money:

• 15 (mostly) challenging levels
• Free-play "sandpit" to nourish your creativity
• Integrated level designer to challenge friends, family and strangers
• Detailed subplot and deep metaphorical insight into the nature of humanity (must read between lines and have awful lot of imagination).

Don't wait, start steaming today!

Hurrah.

you can log in now and build, kill and just chat...

Well, we finished Steamech with a little less than 2 hours to spare. :) We were a little more ambitious in the beginning, but I think the team did a great job re-evaluating what was possible in the remaining timeframe. Over the last 24 hours, things have really come together with the final art and sound assets, and getting it to run on windows.

So.. enjoy Steamech!

I've uploaded what I created during this week. It's a graphical advenure engine with a little game. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time in the second half of the week to create a decent plot (I even failed to incorpate the topic nicely). I uploaded my stuff anyways...
You need pygame, pyopengl and numpy for playing this entry.
Screenshots: #1 #2

Presenting...

Corsair!

Corsair is a Multiplayer Persistent Online Game.

It connects to xerian.net on port 2984.

When first asked to login, pick a username and password. If the username is not already taken, you will be allocated that username and password.

The idea of Corsair is to take over planets, by visiting them with your fleet, build mines, and collect a large steam supply.

When you vist a planet with an existing fleet, combat begins. If you fleet has more attack points than the defending fleets defense points, you win the battle.

Controls:

Press the Tab key to talk to other players.

Click on the Planet and Starbase to see a menu of options. The galaxy map allows you to move your fleets around, and move yourself around. You can only visit planets which have a fleet (owned by you) present. So dont leave planets unguarded!

Press ESC to exit a chat mode or a menu. Press ESC again to quit.

Known Bugs:

Fleets which appear in front of a planet cannot be selected. Build more ships to create a selectable ship in empty space.

If the server is down, players will see a black screen until a network connection is made.

Credits:

Design, Texturing, Intro and Production: Iven Stevens
Models and Texturing: Ricky Stevens
Artwork: Steven Donald
Music: Tom Pope
Programming: Simon Wittber and Jack Nutting


I am so tired.

We had a lot of fun building this game. It is a good example of what can be achieved with Python, in just a few days. We set our goals very high for this competition. While we didn't achieve everything we wanted to, the basics of gameplay are present, and the thing is persistent, and MULTIPLAYER! :)

Have fun. I'm off to Zzz land.

- Simon Wittber

And I just added a sweet new hud... but this is because I am procrastinating on the real problem... playable constants. Its still far too easy to break away.. in fact its hard not to break away..

Even if I do manage to make these constants remotely playable by the target time (t-minus 2.5 hours by my watch), I will be a long way from done. Oh well, at least it has a pretty hud now :)

I think it goes without saying at this point that heureusement will have to withdraw from this competition.

Our first two days were spent unsuccessfully attempting to think of a game idea relating to steam. The rest of the week was occupied by a major Chemistry project, work, school, work, SATs, and more work. Put simply, we didn't stand a chance :)

I did get the slight satisfaction of making that keyboard interface (Or, as phil coined it, the "magic keyboard thingy"). My apologies for taking up space, and I hope it works out next time.

See you all around, and the best of luck.

Daniel Bickett
(http://www.heureusement.org/)