March 2009 Archives

Ok, here is the (last!) update for the day.

I've added in a "control strip", for people with trackpads. I don't know if this will make it easier, its kind of an experiment.

I've also added keyboard control. Make sure you click someplace in the SWF, then you can use the 1, 2 and 3 keys to control the shields. The keyboard interaction is still buggy, i know. Its just there for testing.

One good thing to come out of this experimentation, is that there is an easy way to "win" or at least put off loosing for a long time. Just flick the mouse across the 3 colour bars in the control strip, or press the 3 keyboard keys in rapid succession. This will pretty-much catch all the shots.

Some solutions to this tactic is to make the shields "activate" only after a period of time is spent on them - either via having the mouse on the shield/control strip or holding the key down for X amount of time.

Those will be things i try in the next update!

The game is, again, here.

In getting things rolling here at ThirdPlaceGames, I've been thinking about High Scores. Yes, the good old high score list. What better way to start spreading that social gaming goodness then providing for players to lord it over their peers? A simple high score script, and you are done, right?

Unfortunately, things are never as simple as that. It is ridiculously simple to reverse engineer a flash SWF file. From there, it would be quite simple to submit illegitimate scores to the, naive, high score script.

There are tools to help with this (and other related problems), but, really, there should be a simpler way. I don't think there is, but I keep hoping!

One thing in my favour is that there is no money involved here. May the gods help you if you are working with money and flash! Way to many people willing to take as long as it takes to crack your system if there are dollars at the end of it. No, I'm simply trying to make it hard enough that most people won't be bothered to circumvent whatever I put into place.

Doing a quick search, I find this interesting post, which outlines some possible solutions. The problem now is - how long will it take me to implement something like this? I don't really want to spend hours and hours on this. So, in the end, I'm going to go for a simpler solution. At least, till I start seeing that people are hacking it!

So, i've incorporated some feedback into this update.

The shields are bigger, the bullets are slower, and there is now a score.

Let me know how many bullets you can destroy before they get you!!!

Play the game

Ok, so here is the first prototype of what i'm calling the Shield Game. Its very hard, and not fun, but shows the concept. And, i think, shows that there is promise there. At least, i hope that is what it shows!!

You can find it here.

If you want the rules, stop the bullets from reaching the center of the screen. Hover the mouse over the shield with the same colour as the bullet to stop it.