Farmer John and the Birds 4K

Contests 4K Game Competition - 2013
#21

I couldn’t access to the java console anymore since I upgraded my system to Java 7 ( yes, call me an amateur programmer ). What you wrote about some exception crashing your game lead me to solve my console problem - I just had to enable it through the system configuration panel.

Then I started to play Farmer John and the Birds 4K again. I reached level 22 this time when the game froze, in the middle of this level. The white screen appeared when I scrolled the page containing the applet. Then I opened the java console - a black screen appeared on it ! I waited for a while. The java console came back to normal, but no exception was indicated.

My Windows 7 system is running Java 7 Update 9, 32 bits version. I played your game under Internet Explorer 9. Later this week, I will try it again with Chrome.

#22

[quote=“StephR,post:21,topic:40251”]
Great, thanks for testing. It’s a weird bug, especially since it comes in so late. It must be something I my code, I could not yet reproduce it (I’ve “cheated” a few times to level 21, but no problem so far).

#23

I tried once the wrapper version, and experimented no problem at all beside very short lags ( never more than half a second ) when many birds were on screen. I lost on level 25.

Then I tried the java4K version with Chrome. The freezing bug happened again on level 22. I took a screenshot of the frozen game :


http://img4.hostingpics.net/pics/187583FarmerJohn.png

However, I was not able to take one with the Java console and its blackened screen on the foreground.

Also, I noticed a strange and short lag that happens on the very first shot of every first game session, even in the wrapper version.

#24

Wow, thank you for taking the time to do this testing. I’ve found the cause of the mysterious delay at the first shot: the sound system. I’ve fixed that one (not deployed yet). I’ll try to reproduce the freeze with Chrome & normal applet soon, but currently I’m a bit busy at work. Thanks again.

#25

Another update (new jars already uploaded):

  • fixed bug: short delays at the first shot
  • improved the sounds
  • tuned the difficulty: it should be harder to get to higher levels now
  • some minor bug fixes

I could not find the cause of the crashes you encountered StephR (I cannot reproduce it on my system), but I’ve cheated a little: difficulty is up now, so it should be much harder to get to that level. ;D

#26

I confirm the game is much harder now, and I’m ok with that. I went as far as level 13, and I believe I will never be able to go beyond level 14 or 15. And maybe even less far as I noticed another change into the game : now the gun loader is not reset at the start of each new level. If it was some unvoluntary change, when you fix it, the game will be even harder.

And sorry for warning you so lately about these problems. I lacked time to test games on the first half of the contest.

#27

[quote=“StephR,post:26,topic:40251”]
Are you kidding me? Haha, finding someone willing to test a game like this is a rare gem, so no way you’re allowed to say “sorry”. ;D

[quote=“StephR,post:26,topic:40251”]
You’re right, I kind of forgot to mention that. The reset at the start of each level was unintentional, I’d like bonuses (e.g. increased ammo and faster reloading) to carry over to next levels. This should compensate a bit for the increased difficulty.