Yep, while experimenting with it I got that stacktrace on one of my computers, too. So I guess Mac OS X has a low heap space setting as standard. The fonts are taking an awful lot of memory...

Please test the Java Web Start Link again on Mac OS X - I have included a max heap space parameter.

- It's really fun. Well done

Thanks!

- I have to agree that judging from the screenshots it does not look really visually impressive, but it's much better in motion. How about adding some Geometry Wars - like glow-effect

I'm thinking about it, though as I'm only using native java so far, I don't think I've got hardware acceleration. Not talking about me having no idea how to do glow effects

- I would like it more if you could control the whole game just with the mouse, like resizing the net with the mouse wheel

Will do! I just added it to my ToDo-list.

[@Oddball,@Stoney:]

I haven't gone further than the first two levels, but I'm letting you know it work great here on archlinux/firefox.

Good to know! It is somewhat disconcerting that it doesn't run on some systems...

Very interesting and nicely executed idea, though it lacks something that will keep you hooked. Maybe you could make bigger, scrolled levels with more visual variation?

I actually thought about scrolled levels too, maybe even with boundaries! But I think I won't insert this in that version, maybe later in a sequel. Though - visual variation won't hurt, I guess. I'll try to think about something!


@Oddball,
@Stoney:
Could you please test if the JNLP-Download works (better) for you? (JNLP is really new for me, maybe it doesn't work at all.)

In the Bestiary: Do you see both cage-rectangles in full, or is the right one clipped? (The arrow down there is clipped for me too, that's my fault.)

Does it also happen with the JNLP-Download?

And if that doesn't work, does it also happen when you download and open the jar?
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1977054/catcher/catcher.jar

(Has the executed jnlp/jar a different size than the one in the browser? It should be 1024x700, I suspect it is smaller for some obscure reason.)

And which browser are you using?

Hi there! That's quite a nice music game you have there

Criticism:
- Like Toeofdoom said, it doesn't really add something new.
- I'm not sure if you can really beat Chaoz Airflow. Can you? It seems to be a wild rush-with-the-mouse-left-and-right.
- I'm not sure if a replay feature is that exciting. I mean, playing the game is fun because you are the one steering this catcherthingy, but I don't think I would enjoy watching someone else playing it.

Good things:
+ It has a low entry barrier. Didn't need the tutorial.
+ I like the music very much! I'm listening to the tracks on Newgrounds right now
+ The synching is well done.
+ It has a nice feel to it. And the upcoming glow effects will add a lot to it, I guess. (By the way, if you don't mind a technical question, how will you do them? I'm very bad at visual effects.)

All in all, it was fun playing. Thanks!

The unsigned version hangs for a while. Then Safari tells me the applet has started but nothing happens, just a blank page. Then Safari quits itself, not just the window it's in but all Safari windows. I don't have any other browsers on my Mac so couldn't test it in any others.

I'm having the same problem on Mac OS X 10.6.4 using Chrome 5.0, Safari 5.0.1 and for some reason also Firefox 4.0b2.

Okay, that's actually good, would've been hard to debug it if it just happened on one computer. I hope I can solve it soon. Thanks, you two!

This is pretty fun but enemies keep hanging out off-screen! It's not very nice of them!

That is certainly a very rude behavoir, and not acceptable since I told them to ruthlessly attack the player. It's hard finding good henchman these days.

On which levels does it happen, and which enemies do you refer to? While the Swimming Arrows are very prone for being partly off-screen and hard to see, I didn't experience it yet for other enemies - especially not going totally off-screen.

Anyone has a good idea for my game up to now known as "Catcher"?



To quote from my thread:
"It's a game about catching things. Especially geometric forms. (In SPACE!) With two spaceships, here depicted as circles. These two spaceships are connected by an energy line, which you will use to border your enemies and open a dimension rift by closing it - and thereby defeating anything inside."

this game has really good design, and looks a lot better in motion
it's a shame that there are not more comments and everybody should play it right now

 

Thank you! I love this coming from you, after hearing your great talk about game mechanics at the BIGJam. Cheers!

I tried this a while ago but didn't get it (I didn't read instructions) but now I get it and it's awesome. I game over'd on, I think, the level after the fast homers were introduced, and the only thing that kept me from retrying was...well it's late and I really ought to sleep. But great game. Thank you for it.

Wow, thanks! And please play on, there are a lot more exciting enemies ahead - and you can jump to any level you've been to before

And it seems like I really need a comprehensive tutorial, though I'm still struggling about the "how". I wonder how many people did the same like you and then went away frustrated.

(edit: Made a short gif description now in the first post. Hope this helps people to get their first catch!)

This locks up Safari for me. I had to do a forced quit. System details; Mac OS X 10.6.4, Safari 5.0.1

Hu, that's strange - it is just standard Java. (I hope.)
Is it the same with the unsigned version?
And is it the same with other browsers you might have on your system?

New fonts! A bestiary! Highscore working! Changed the keys! Streamlined the gameplay by removing the bomb feature!

...this, and a lot more, only here and now at Catcher. See the first post and try it, if you didn't already do it!

And by the way: Anyone has a better name for the game?

A great Jam and a great final day! I think we all owe Jstckr a big thank you!

I think that's one of the biggest understatements I ever read on TIGForums
Thank you, person with the name entirely composed of consonants! I hope I see you in Berlin soon

Ok,...I'm finally in St Oberholz! Just got me connected I'm the one with the 'rage against the machine'-shirt! ...but first I need a coffee (after only 2,5hours sleep)

Ok...first one is here. Now lets get the party started....

Heh, for a moment I thought I had the wrong timezone!
Making myself ready to leave, too - will arrive ~11:30 GMT+1

[game mechanics]

I think I've almost reached the point where I can say something sensible about game design.
Can I do a talk about game mechanics?

Yes please.

Yes please! Game Design talks are always welcome

I always close my firefox and all opened tabs as I finished browsing

Dito, though my session manager reopens them next time. With much less memory usage

In Actionscript 3, "contents" is just "an Array". One does not have an array of something. If you want Arrays that are "of" something, use Vector.<whatever> instead.

I love you!
Eh... I mean, thanks! I'm an AS3 newbie and didn't find this yet.

(This is no grumpy post. I know. I'm sorry.)

I learned today that the brand of MILK a hotel buys is ACTUALLY important to whether or not you will be able to get a job fixing their internet.

Care to elaborate?

Like Squirrelsquid said, he has the ticket now. So you guys can stop PMing me

Updating your original post probably helps more

Tell me you're making this game.

It's rather a compulsory subject at the HTW Berlin in germany for everyone who's studying applied computing there

Yeah, a fellow HTW Berlin Student! I'm doing International Media and Computing there, now finishing my third semester. And we have a native speaking American teaching Informatics

Coz you know, my game design skills haven't been proven yet. 

But your art skills, as you have just proven again, are beyond doubt

And it's great that you want to offer us both games! That way I can enjoy the pirate one much more.

Also, this quote:

"Players can actually register any name they wish when signing up for their Real ID -- but an account for a given game must be tied to a unique CD key for that game, and Blizzard says it plans to attempt to enforce the use of legitimate names."

Can you change the name you registered with?

And sold out!

(Pity, a friend of me told me he wanted to participate too, and I was just asking another one. Damn it!)