Comments on: Ramses Game: 2 – Reading NES Button Combinations http://www.tummaigames.com/blog/2010/02/14/ramses-game-2-reading-nes-button-combinations/ NES homebrew! Development blog for homebrew NES games Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:06:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Ramses Game: 3 – Monster Sequences | Tummai Games http://www.tummaigames.com/blog/2010/02/14/ramses-game-2-reading-nes-button-combinations/comment-page-1/#comment-218 Ramses Game: 3 – Monster Sequences | Tummai Games Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:04:25 +0000 http://www.tummaigames.com/blog/?p=219#comment-218 [...] means that I have a full day at my desk to do whatever I want. I was up late last night writing my last post, so NES programming was on my mind when I woke up in the [...] [...] means that I have a full day at my desk to do whatever I want. I was up late last night writing my last post, so NES programming was on my mind when I woke up in the [...]

]]> By: Thomas http://www.tummaigames.com/blog/2010/02/14/ramses-game-2-reading-nes-button-combinations/comment-page-1/#comment-217 Thomas Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:36:23 +0000 http://www.tummaigames.com/blog/?p=219#comment-217 That's a good question. I won't know how awkward Select+dpad will be until I get my PowerPak. I can't think of a good way to use dpad only without getting mishits though. The controller is read about 60 times per second, too fast for a human to synchronize their fingers exactly. I envision a lot of misreads as the player tries to press up+B, but gets their input read as up because the B came 20 frames later. The dpad+button combination also gives the trigger-happy player a tiny window of opportunity to hesitate and pull back to avoid a mishit. Accepting dpad-only input would take that away from the player. Hitting an empty hole won't have any consequences in-game, but hitting the wrong monster will. As much as possible I want to avoid players throwing down the controller and screaming "BULLSHIT!" at the TV :) Not to mention that it is my personal habit when playing video games to spin circles on the dpad randomly while waiting for something to happen. OK, that's not really a reason. :) Testing will tell. Select+dpad might be awkward, but maybe it won't be. NES controllers are pretty small. If it proves unwieldy, I could try Start+dpad, or A+B+dpad, or have one hole be Select and the other Start, or just remove the 9th and 10th holes completely. It should be noted that the 9th and 10th holes aren't unlocked until later in the game when the difficulty level is supposed to be higher. That’s a good question. I won’t know how awkward Select+dpad will be until I get my PowerPak. I can’t think of a good way to use dpad only without getting mishits though. The controller is read about 60 times per second, too fast for a human to synchronize their fingers exactly. I envision a lot of misreads as the player tries to press up+B, but gets their input read as up because the B came 20 frames later.

The dpad+button combination also gives the trigger-happy player a tiny window of opportunity to hesitate and pull back to avoid a mishit. Accepting dpad-only input would take that away from the player. Hitting an empty hole won’t have any consequences in-game, but hitting the wrong monster will. As much as possible I want to avoid players throwing down the controller and screaming “BULLSHIT!” at the TV :)

Not to mention that it is my personal habit when playing video games to spin circles on the dpad randomly while waiting for something to happen. OK, that’s not really a reason. :)

Testing will tell. Select+dpad might be awkward, but maybe it won’t be. NES controllers are pretty small. If it proves unwieldy, I could try Start+dpad, or A+B+dpad, or have one hole be Select and the other Start, or just remove the 9th and 10th holes completely. It should be noted that the 9th and 10th holes aren’t unlocked until later in the game when the difficulty level is supposed to be higher.

]]> By: Peter http://www.tummaigames.com/blog/2010/02/14/ramses-game-2-reading-nes-button-combinations/comment-page-1/#comment-216 Peter Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:26:44 +0000 http://www.tummaigames.com/blog/?p=219#comment-216 I would think that expecting the player to hit the select button + dpad would be awkward during a fast paced game. What's the reason you went with that versus dpad without any other buttons pressed for the third set of 4? I would think that expecting the player to hit the select button + dpad would be awkward during a fast paced game. What’s the reason you went with that versus dpad without any other buttons pressed for the third set of 4?

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