Ambrosia Software, Inc. Updates Sketchfighter 4000 Alpha

ROCHESTER, New York -- July 30, 2008 -- Ambrosia Software, Inc. today announced the release of SketchFighter 4000 Alpha 1.1.0. This updated version brings enhancements, along

The SketchFighter 4000 Alpha 1.1.0 update is free to all registered users, and can be downloaded from the SketchFighter 4000 Alpha product page, which can be found here:

http://www.AmbrosiaS.../sketchfighter/

SketchFighter 4000 Alpha redefines "retro" by bringing together the imaginative pen and paper sketches from your youth with a killer resolution independent OpenGL graphics engine. SketchFighter also boasts a unique synthesis of exploration and action game play, which has you alternately blasting cute little lady bugs into oblivion and then puzzling your way through the hand-drawn challenges presented to you.

Bet you didn't expect that one, did you? (neither did I, for that matter) By the way, I hear you wondering "1.1.0? what is so new in that one?"; well, I'll let the release notes speak for themselves:

SketchFighter notes
-------------------

.....

Revision history:
Version 1.1.0:

Game:
-- New version checking/update and registration system.

-- New Ambrosia logos.

-- Improved fullscreen support, scans for locally availible resolutions and supports widescreen.

-- Fixed bug with sound sometimes missing when enemy sprites fire.

-- Added sound effects for a couple of custom level dialogs that didn't have any.

-- Small fix to handleBossDeath to prevent active "Boss Start" triggers to pick up an exploding boss again.

-- Small fix to disregard mapmarkers in custom levels.

-- Small fix to properly remove extra2-tagged text-sprites in custom levels when appropriate.

-- Fixed Tank Boss and tweaked a couple of other scripts.

-- Three new custom levels.

-- Mouse scrollwheel support.

-- Small fix, getting the green gun in a custom level would unlock extras as it does in solomission.

-- 512x512 icons.

-- Can nolonger use the same key for multiple functions.

-- Fix to possible crash after end sequence.

Editor:
-- New version checking/update and registration system.

-- New "Find sprite..."-function to find and center on a sprite with a name, extra1 and/or extra2 value.

-- The editor now centers on the "Game Start" sprite if there is one when a level is opened.

-- Some fixes to text sprite editing.

-- Updated manual.

-- Scrolling miniature overview.

-- Mouse scrollwheel support.

-- 512x512 icons.

'nuff said.

Very, very cool.
Lamkin

Sounds AWESOME! I can't wait to try it out!

Nice folder icon :). Hoping for the same treatment for EVN 1.1.

(edit) It doesn't support widescreen, it just stretches! That's not cool! I'll stick with 1024x768, thanks.

This post has been edited by Guy : 30 July 2008 - 05:45 PM

Yeeha! Time to get back in action!

edit: Okay, is there any reason for your sketchfighter to emit a constant stream of smoke when critically damaged? It's extremely buggy at the moment; you'll get damaged, then the "buzzer" will play once, while you're still streaming smoke. If you try to fire your weapons, the buzzer will play once for each sound your gun makes, maybe for each shot, I'm not sure. It's really annoying when you try to fire. Here's a picture:

Edit2: It stopped doing it for some reason. I can't figure out why. <_<

Edit3: The boss fighter for the factory bogs down my machine badly, were it didn't with the previous version. I battled it twice; I the first time I saw laser bolts from the triple turret flying around outside the wall, but the second time I didn't, but heard gun noises none-the-less. Something to look into, as my 1.25 GHz G4 isn't exactly a low end Mac.

This post has been edited by JacaByte : 30 July 2008 - 06:35 PM

I guess I really should make a new epic huge map to celebrate this new release. Maybe something with a real plot. That would be original.

Wow, I never thought SKF would see another update! I'll get on testing it right away...

EDIT:

Those 3 new custom levels are awesome! I like the original themes.

This post has been edited by Silverwind : 31 July 2008 - 08:03 AM

Three new custom levels?! Where? I looked but couldn't find them. my computer is really strange. O_O
oh well
-K

EDIT: Looks great! I still haven't found the custom levels, but it looks great!

-K

This post has been edited by Kasofa1 : 31 July 2008 - 09:31 AM

They're in the sample levels folder...?

what are there names?

Yeah, I couldn't find them either. :unsure: Also, I wish that map thing wouldn't always appear when I scroll over a level. Is there a way to turn it off?

thanks,
Klublex

Wait a minute...

peeks in disk image for Sketchfighter 1.1

There aren't any custom maps; the image file only comes with the application and the sketchmap editor. It doesn't even have the registration app. What are you doing, Ambrosia? Anybody who doesn't have Sketchfighter 1.0.2 or earlier won't be able to register now.

@klublex, on Jul 31 2008, 09:44 AM, said in Ambrosia Software, Inc. Updates Sketchfighter 4000 Alpha:

I wish that map thing wouldn't always appear when I scroll over a level. Is there a way to turn it off?

thanks,
Klublex

I agree. Even though it's semi-transparent, it's a feature I'd like to turn off. (Even though I only make a new level once in a blue moon.)
Lamkin

This post has been edited by Lamkin : 31 July 2008 - 12:24 PM

@jacabyte, on Jul 31 2008, 12:16 PM, said in Ambrosia Software, Inc. Updates Sketchfighter 4000 Alpha:

Wait a minute...

peeks in disk image for Sketchfighter 1.1

There aren't any custom maps; the image file only comes with the application and the sketchmap editor. It doesn't even have the registration app. What are you doing, Ambrosia? Anybody who doesn't have Sketchfighter 1.0.2 or earlier won't be able to register now.

I bet that there is a "Register Now!" window for unregistered players, and the custom levels are the applications support
it would go something like this: Kasofa/Library/Application Support/SketchFighter/Custom levels, Sample levels, and save files are here!
STILL CONFUSING!!!!!! :mad:
I WANT MY AWSOME CUSTOM LEVELS THAT COME WIT THE GAME! (if they exist)

-K

Doh! I had forgotten that the registration app is now being integrated into the game itself. Still, I don't think the disk image for SF4A is complete.

This post has been edited by JacaByte : 31 July 2008 - 01:15 PM

There's a second Custom Levels folder which is referenced by the game after the primary path. (which is the Custom Levels folder in the SKF folder) to access the second one (which is where the new levels are) CTRL click the SKF app and select Show Package Contents. Open Contents: Resources.

But those don't appear in game, so what's the purpose of that internal folder? As far as I can see, it's only causing confusion so far.

With some help from Silverwind and Kasofa1, I finally got to play the custom levels. I'm simply amazed at how cool the concepts are, although some of them have been done before. (Dang, I was going to do a tunnel for my latest level, too.) Also, we get to open them up in the editor.

Jaca, I agree that it's too confusing. Hopefully, they'll fix that.

Lamkin

This post has been edited by Lamkin : 31 July 2008 - 03:24 PM

Okay, This update is indeed a little confusing. Allow me to make it clearer:

- As with all other Ambrosia releases and updates since about a few months ago, SketchFighter uses a new registration system which is integrated with the app, instead of being in a separate app. This has the related and unfortunate effect of bumping the minimum system requirements of SF4kA to 10.3 (Panther). But otherwise, this new system is great, no more having to run a separate app, and no more people misplacing it.

- In order to play better when multiple users enter the picture, the sample and custom level folders are now located in your user folder (in the SF4kA app support folder). Because the game is installed with the usual drag-and-drop method, these folders and the levels they contain are created when the app is run if they didn't exist already. Of course they have to come from somewhere: they are initially in the app bundle you dragged and dropped, and copied to this location; the versions in the app bundle are useless from this point on. The upshot is that now custom levels are going to have to be installed in this new location: (user folder)/Library/Application Support/SketchFighter/Custom Levels .