Slow but Steady!

Game developer and music producer! I made the Mine Blocks game(s).

Age 27, Male

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Detroit

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Slow but Steady!

Posted by Zanzlanz - April 24th, 2012

__________________ The Bad News __________________
After Mine Blocks was started, I never actually made any new projects!
That backfired drastically! Now I haven't posted a NEW game since a year ago!

__________________ The Good News __________________
Well now that I realized my issue, I have decided to start a bunch of new projects.

Here's some of the new projects I plan to create:

- Destiny's Path (A very symbolic arcade game)
- Space Trinkets (A 3D space game)
- Project Zode (Top secret)
- Garden Fill (A puzzle game)
- Door Run (A puzzle game)
- (An isometric game without a title)
- (A platformer project without a title)
- And finally,

__________________ Mine Blocks 2 __________________
Yes that's right! A Mine Blocks 2!
- This version of Mine Blocks is going to have a story mode, survival mode, and a multiplayer mode! (Multiplayer can only be run from my website).
- Mine Blocks 2 will not be based off of Minecraft (or Terraria for that matter), but instead it will be it's own game.
- It will not lag like Mine Blocks 1 does (It uses BitmapData vesus Movieclips).

Although not much is going to be revealed of this game yet, you can still play the most stable version of it on my website:
http://zanzlanz.com/MineBlocks2.php

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Gimmick 2012-04-25 05:47:41

Good luck!
Oh, and how do you use bitmapData? I've always had some problems with it.

Zanzlanz 2012-04-25 05:47:41

Thanks!
bitmapData is a bit complex, but the basic concept is replacing all movie clips with 1 single bitmap (updated on every frame). This means that everything is controlled by script!
BitmapData is best used with AS3 in my opinion, but you can use it in AS2 also, I believe.

var worldData:BitmapData=new BitmapData(550, 400, true, 0x0);
var world:Bitmap = new Bitmap(worldData);
this.addChild(world);

That will create a simple starting bitmap.
Now let's say you had a clip in the library with class (linkage) name "CoolClip":

worldData.draw(new CoolClip);

You can use matrixes to translate the clip, use colortransforms to... well to change the color :D

It's cool once you get the hang of it :)

Gimmick 2012-04-25 09:33:23

Thanks for the information, but if it's not too much a problem, might I ask what heightmaps and bumpmaps are?

Wow. I know nothing about actionscript...hopefully I'll get better at AS3 when I get a book or something.

Zanzlanz 2012-04-25 09:33:23

Anytime!

Heightmaps and bumpmaps are (generally) used for texturing 3D objects in 3D game engines. These normally do not affect the actually 3D-ness of the object, but they change how the lighting reflects off of the object.

You wouldn't need to know this for actionscript though :)

To learn actionscript 3, you just need to know the new 'rules.'
One of the most major rules is that you MUST declare all of your variables.
Just remember, actionscript 3 is a lot more strict. It will require more code to do simple things. You can not add code directly to an object like you would in AS2 (on(release) kind of things aren't allowed).

Hopefully I'm helping :)

Gimmick 2012-04-25 13:51:28

Yeah, you definitely are :)
However, MineBlocks 2 is not 3d...why does it say "loading heightmap" in it then?
Also, yeah I've got the basics of AS3, events and all that...however, I feel like moving on to the higher stuff, but I'm just too lazy :p

Zanzlanz 2012-04-25 13:51:28

The heightmap is what I call it when I make the generator make a sloping landscape (Determining the height of the map). I can't think of a better way to phrase it! xD
I felt the same way as you, but I was just too excited to figure out the new things that come with AS3 that I just had to just right in! Maybe you'll feel the same way? :)

Gimmick 2012-04-26 05:26:48

jump*
Maybe, I mean, online tutorials WERE good for me but now I'm not so enthusiastic -- I think I learn better with actual,physical books rather than e-books.
Oh, and do you know about Perlin Noise?

Zanzlanz 2012-04-26 05:26:48

Yes I know about Perlin Noise (I don't know how it works, but I find it really cool!)

Gimmick 2012-04-26 05:31:39

Or, alternatively, Simplex Noise?

Zanzlanz 2012-04-26 05:31:39

Have not heard of that though :)

Gimmick 2012-04-26 23:16:02

Flash has a function called PerlinNoise() in BitmapData. You don't need to do much -- just enter the values and Flash will take care of the rest ;)
Oh, and do you know how to make an object face the ground it's on, as in Fancy Pants? I recently found out after an hour or so of searching, and the solution was pretty obvious -- I didn't know why it was so hard for me :p

Zanzlanz 2012-04-26 23:16:02

I know I've used it before, but I don't need it for anything.
Fancy Pants is far more complex than just that! But in general, you detect several hit tests from the points equidistant from the point of intersection, and get the average of the angles calculated :)
I've used it with ball to terrain physics before :)

Gimmick 2012-04-27 03:09:24

Oh, and here's another suggestion: why not use a system wherein you create a random terrain, and to edit it or to save the terrain you can use FileReference in conjunction with BitmapData to download the PNG to the user's system. From there, he can edit it using different colors to represent different things, such as "brown" for tree bark. Saving it and then using fileReference again, the user can upload it to your website (zanzlanz.com), and then either share it with other users, or he can load it himself to play it.

To detect which color was being used so that a tree, for example, can be added, the hex code #082a2, can be used with getPixel() to detect the color, and add appropriately.
(In case you're wondering, I got this info from the book "learning as2" or something)

Zanzlanz 2012-04-27 03:09:24

I've already made projects that used that technique. (zanzlanz.com/3DEngine.swf)
It's simple and effective. It makes for easy level design and reduces the amount of code by a lot :)
I find it used a lot in Java too, actually, but letting the user literally upload the files would be slightly too complex and isn't really necessary. If I were to save them to my server, I'd just save the data on a database instead of saving the files anyway ;)

The hex code is represented by 0x082a2 in Flash. And to convert a color value to a string (such as 082a2), you use [the color thing].toString(8)

RobloxXL2 2012-05-07 18:49:07

Is their gonna be crafting in mineblocks 2? :o

Zanzlanz 2012-05-07 18:49:07

Yes! Probably. :)

RobloxXL2 2012-05-12 12:15:30

FK YEAH!!!

RobloxXL2 2012-05-12 12:16:04

Your mineblocks game is awesome I play it mostly every day now

Zanzlanz 2012-05-12 12:16:04

Thanks! I appreciate it :D

RobloxXL2 2012-05-13 14:40:46

Pistons When i made a piston it wouldnt push anyblock which kinda made it usless because I was trying to make a auto killing machine if a zombie/monster falls into my pit i pull one lever and it pours out water and drowns the zombie and another lever deactavates it

Zanzlanz 2012-05-13 14:40:46

You want a sticky piston? Well I'll add it after I add slimes.

RobloxXL2 2012-05-13 14:42:34

I can't believe you made this by your self. (mineblocks and mineblocks 2)

Zanzlanz 2012-05-13 14:42:34

Why not?

RobloxXL2 2012-05-13 20:43:02

Are you gonna add a radio where you can select songs from newgrounds like typing numbers in like 34232?

Zanzlanz 2012-05-13 20:43:02

It's a good idea, but no, I'm not going to add that. The main reason is because you can always use Spotify, Pandora, or even the Newgrounds radio application in the background as you play the game. :)

cipilicamare 2012-05-17 15:06:51

zanzlanz well on mine blocks i have a problem i think it is a bug when i quit and save i go to play and then i cant load the save plus onceit happened that i wanted to cook iron on mine blocks and it wasnt smelting anything it couldnt work but though great game i like the sprint

Zanzlanz 2012-05-17 15:06:51

Thank you very much for the report!
I think it may have been fixed in the latest update. Please tell me if it happens again! If it does, I'll try and fix it :)

CostiBoss10 2012-09-01 04:31:16

Zanz i think that i found a glitch.
when i play the game i mine,cut trees you know doin' my jobs it suddenly shows that i have not a full but a stack of tools!
Once i was mining and after i made 3 stacks of cobble i saw that my iron pick on slot 4 was not actually 1 pick were actually 5 picks
When i cut trees with the wooden shovel (LOL LOL LOL)after the tool it's finished it showed me that another 13 shovels apear there.I don't know how the FCQ this glitch works but i can't say more explicit than that.Please answer and tell me where am i wrong.(Sorry for bad english i am romanian:) ) but i love the american artists work.
Keep it up with the good work.

Zanzlanz 2012-09-01 04:31:16

Wow, I missed this message :O
Thank you! I think that glitch was fixed after the next patch. Sorry I didn't see this message before, sir :)

domagoj2013 2013-10-12 07:19:56

I cant wait for Mine Blocks 2 for multiplayer!!!!!!!!!!
thank zanlanz

Zanzlanz 2013-10-12 07:19:56

XD I'm super excited for that too!
Maybe someday we can play it together when it's done!

domagoj2013 2013-10-12 08:21:38

Hey Zanlanz my idea is to add witches, Wither, Wither skeleton, Mob heads and dyed leather shield!
I would appreciate when you should add that!
Thank You
Zanlanz
domagoj2013 <3

Zanzlanz 2013-10-12 08:21:38

Haha where did 'dyed leather shield' come from? xD Hopefully some of that stuff will be added the list soon! :D

domagoj2013 2013-10-13 08:11:01

And i frogot to say you must fix that right-clicking problem! :D
And add villagers and villages and Giant egg! :D
And Giant zombie (like in minecraft)

And Zanlanz i played multiplayer and left(pressed the wrong button) and joined again everything i build dissapeared! And make servers!

Zanzlanz 2013-10-13 08:11:01

What right-clicking problem? You're not even suppose to use right-click :o

domagoj2013 2013-10-14 02:55:09

1.right click to put blocks and do some actions (open dors,levers...)
2.dyed leather shield to color leather
3.i would like to play multiplayer with you
4.please make chat in multiplayer and commands
Thanks Zanlanz <3
domagoj2013

Zanzlanz 2013-10-14 02:55:09

There's no right click in Flash; it opens a menu.
Don't worry; multiplayer will have all that kind of stuff when it's released :)

domagoj2013 2013-10-15 09:10:16

Oh ok <:D
Will you add coloured glass like in Minecraft 2.0
And skins chenge like Minecraft on Xbox 360
And add anvil!
I know this is a stupid idea: car-make car body,engine,tires and you will be able to drive it if you open car inventory and put redstone in engine bars
And make something like servers and FIND PEOPLE option where you can find somebody by his nickname and to be able to send Friend Requests and if he agrees than you can see him in FRIEND LIST and see when he is online,to invite him...
<3 Thanks Zanlanz
domagoj2013

Zanzlanz 2013-10-15 09:10:16

Well, all I can say is that there'll be more stuff in the future! xD

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