Strings, strings... guitars, nice bikinis, ropes... mmm... Well, I'll eventually come up with an idea, I hope. Anyway, I'll start with a "string physics engine" while I doodle ideas on a paper (eh, I have two hands!)

OK! I have an idea and it seems both simple and nice enough for programming it in a week: a kite flying game. Something smooth and relaxing. I think I'll have my first "conceptual screenshot" in a few hours, as soon as I get the basic physics system working.

Well, it's been a busy day. Summing it up: 1) I got pyglet working with skellington (fixing resource paths) 2) I hacked a really simple particle physics engine, without collisions (not needed in this project) 3) I created a first test of a kite using particles and links and managed to render something (see screenshot!). 4) Wind can be created moving the mouse, and it pushes the kite around. However, the interface is still awkward. So, for tomorrow, I'll try to improve the interface.

Well, I've been fighting the whole day with the interface, and it's difficult to tweak. Wind gusts can be created with mouse movements as lines on the screen that disappear incrementally. If the kite is close enough, it follows the wind. But it's really difficult to control it, as strong gusts throw the kite away. So...
PLAN B! It's always good having one of these. Bungee Manager! A bridge, some guys bungee jumping and you choosing the proper "length of the string"! The larger the jump, the happier the jumper, which translates into money :) Accidents should be avoided, of course.
So, essentially, the mechanic will be similar to Diner Dash (attend customers) but with bungee jumpers. The physics engine I hacked yesterday works like a charm for this purpose!
gogogo!

Well, those guys are already bungee jumping! They walk around until you click on them, and then they jump. Right now the length of the rope is the same for everyone, but that's the next step.

Today I had to fight with pyglet to scratchs fps. On my first tests, the fps count dropped below 30 with just five guys jumping and ten or more walking around. However, thanks to batch drawing and vertex_list(s) more than thirty gys can jump at the same time while a bunch of them walk around waiting for fun! :D

My "clients" are already satisfyingly enjoying bungee jumping. They arrive to the bridge and they walk around waiting to be chosen for the next jump. With a simple clicking mechanic the player choses the length of the rope and the jumping precision (so jumpers don't swing dangerously). When the jump finishes, they are lifted smoothly and happily walk away.

That's because it's still completely safe to hit another jumper or the ground below: collisions are not implemented yet. That and some "special effects" will be added tomorrow, along with economical rewards if I have enough time! Good bye, day 3!

So it seems that day 4 is some kind of turning point... if you are still here it seems that you have something interesting, or at least playable, right? There must be something somewhere written about the psychology of creating something complex complete with such a close deadline!

Well, as I planned yesterday I was able to complete the collision system today, so jumpers may hit the ground and other jumpers. I also added a primitive 'special effect' class to draw onomatopoeias (mostly when colliding) and the groundings of the scoring system. You earn money with each successful jump, but you lose money is jumpers hit the ground or collide with each other. I want it to be a little more complex, so you can multiply your income if jumps are long or risky enough (jumpers almost hitting the ground or flying really close to other jumpers will pay you more). That's for tomorrow.

At some point I'll be forced to start drawing real guys and a nice background too...

Well, day 5 is over and my code is... quite a lot. But then I read it and think "this is NOT python, this is what I have been doing all my life, but with some nice python tricks". But I'm sure I'm not using half of Python power (not even proper loops or conditions...). I'm planning to revise it all after Pyweek is over, and learn a little bit more about this great language taking enough time.

Today I added some nice rewards, and finally some graphics. A nice background and some visual signs (like dollar signs when you earn money). I don't have a menu yet, not even a meta-game loop (menu->game->ending->highscores->menu) but I guess I can do something after the game is properly working. I also tried packaging it all with py2exe and it perfectly worked on a friend's computer who didn't have Pyglet installed. Bungeeee!

CHALLENGE END: 1 hour! Well, that was close!

Here's my entry. It doesn't have all the features I wanted, but I think it's quite playable. The objective is simple: just keep making money controlling your client's jumps choosing the length of the rope and the jumping angle. You must attend an increasing number of clients, so jumps must be precise in order to attend many guys at the same time while avoiding accidents.

Game ends if too many clients walk away unsatisfied (or with some broken bones), but also if tax time arrives and you don't have money.

Don't check your speakers, there's no sound :D Enjoy! P.S: I uploaded two versions: one without pyglet (just 77Kb!) and the final one, which includes pyglet. Just in case...