[Resolved] java jar file rejected by folks at "Demo Derby", need .mov ASAP

General Discussions
#9

Your game doesn’t work on my mac. It stays forever at the intro screen. From the second launch, I see no window. Here is the console output.


Harshas-Mac-Pro:Downloads sriharshachilakapati$ java -jar hexarademoderby.jar
making GameFrame:1416328832187
making smokegs:1416328833098
PZConstructor, starfld1:com.adonax.hexara.stars.StarField@7daf6ecc
com.adonax.hexara.PuzzlePanel[,0,0,0x0,invalid,alignmentX=0.0,alignmentY=0.0,border=,flags=0,maximumSize=,minimumSize=,preferredSize=]
Harshas-Mac-Pro:Downloads sriharshachilakapati$

Sorry, couldn’t accomplish the task.

#10

@SHC
Thanks for trying. I don’t know what to make of that error message.

The next console line should have been: “GameFrame.noteRelease” for when the last gong note of the title is sent a “release” command. At that point it launches a drone tone.
Then, there’s a console line: “GameFrame.noteEnd” at which point I launch a command to change the JPanel that is displaying on the parent JFrame.

But it seems we don’t even get to the “release” of the 7th gong sound.

Very puzzling. I’ll have to spend some time working on testing the jar on a Mac and figure out what is going wrong.

Meanwhile, I found some instructions on VLC capture–am going to try that route again.
:stuck_out_tongue: ??? :clue: :frowning: >:(

#11

I am able to record with VLC and playback the file. I’m selecting the option:
Video for MPEG4 720p TV/device

It seems to me that is what they asked for in the specs.

BUT, it doesn’t seem to be recording sound. I check the audio tab and it is finding the correct line on the sound card. Am stumped. I’m going to see if it can record just audio, and see if there are any questions on the topic in their forum.

Meanwhile, once again, if there is someone willing to make a recording, that would be awesome. If the recording is to an AVI file, I think I can handle the conversion. There seem to be online converters available.

[EDIT: tried recording as ogg from the jar, but resulted in file length of 0
trying to register with VLC forum, not getting confirm email, must take a nap–pinkies are starting to go numb from lack of sleep! Will try to check in again in a couple hours. SFMC asked for ASAP, but I don’t know how strict they are going to be.]

[EDIT: @basil_ hope you see this and are still available!]

#12

I have a registered copy of fraps. Could record with that, you’re using opengl right? I think fraps is capable of detecting any opengl context. Unfortunately I am in class right now, but I will check it out if you want me to when I get home in ~3 hours.

#13

:smiley: … i’m back home, crunching a test capture. let’s if it’s going to fly.

#14

i managed to pull off a .mp4, … but .mov … who does use this format anyway ? :open_mouth:

hex_b.mp4 (go save-as, browser might say “corrupted coded” or something, file is fine, dont worry (harhar))

disclaimer : this is the first time i played the game! i have no idea how it works :slight_smile:

you fall asleep philfrei ?

#15

I just woke up. Good timing!

Let me see if my nice new copy of VLC can play your file.

#16

I’m downloading basil_'s video. Am going to grab a sandwich and come back. Will let you and basil_ know if this works or not, and whether more help is needed.

All the animation is Java2D, believe it or not. Actually, why not? Some of the glow effects are pretty sketchy–trying to just give the general idea, not finished product, for this deadline.

#17

The file plays great! It is terrific feedback for me also, to see how someone approaches the puzzle, trying to figure out WTF the rules are for solving it, especially since I didn’t provide any instructions. (No I’m not a sadist, really!)

I’m going to see about converting this to .mov. There’s a free service online called zamzar. Probably it will take a spell, since I have slow uploading. Maybe I can give them your URL below.

#18

cool :slight_smile: … the game is good. no worries, holding hands can be boring.

we can caputure some more if you want. maybe with directions.

#19

Game looks good! The music sets an appropriate mood.

#20

@basil_

Yes, a video with instructions would be awesome! I want to do a bit more work on the game first.

Thank you ags1! I wonder if the folks at SFMC are going to think so as well. It’s more new-age/sound-score than something that sounds like “composed music.” But this seems appropriate for this game, and that should always be the first consideration for any score, imho.

The video indicates that the playback of the audio was smooth. No interruptions to the sound! I was having terrible problems with dropouts in previous iterations. The new improved mixing and FM synths are much tighter now.

I don’t know if folks realize that the sound is being generated and mixed live. No wav files. No ogg files. I am pretty close to releasing the audio engine on JGO. All the help I’ve been getting from this community just increases my wanting to share this work! :slight_smile: :-* 8)

#21

oh that’s nice! was wondering if it’s a FM-synth.

#22

if you’ve got more time on hands, catch you tomorrow. bed-time :slight_smile:

#23

Bah.

The file may be too long. NOW they tell me: 1-2 minutes max. The file is 5 minutes.

I sent a request asking if they could go ahead and take the file (it’s 36MB) and just cut it short in presentation. I don’t know if they are set up to be able to do that.

We shall see.

#24

I wouldn’t push them to do stuff they don’t want… that tends to make judges biased. Why can’t you cut it? Would take 5 minutes max.

#25

Good point.

My brain is kind of stuck. I do have a Windows program that can edit video files, even though it doesn’t support screen capture. I’m not sure it supports the format I have. But I will definitely look into it.

#26

I took the MP4 that basil_ made and converted it to MOV via Zamzar. But I didn’t have any way to test the result before giving SFMC the link. SFMC was unable to open the resulting MOV file.

I also tried editing the MP4 to cut it down to under 2 minutes, but ran into problems with VLC’s editor, and converting to WMV and using the Windows Movie Editor damaged the audio (added high silvery noise–probably due to 44100 vs 48000 fps issues).

The deadline has passed and the issue is now moot, at least as far as participating in the “Demo Derby” this time. I still plan show up, schmooze, and show anyone that has a laptop that can run Java the actual jar file. I’m also going to see if Mike Moravsky (Valve composer, involved in Portal II amongst other games) will take a look. We exchanged a couple emails a year or so back after another talk he gave. He is on the Panel that will discuss game composing, but wasn’t going to be part of the Demo Derby.

Big thanks to everyone who helped or offered to help out!!

And the MP4 file that was made was great feedback in its own right. We should do video trials and send them back to the programmers as a regular thing, perhaps.

I need to solve this issue. I’m afraid my computer may not have enough cpu to run a screen capture AND play the game at the same time. Need to buy a new computer! I have been saying this for over a year now.

I’m going to perhaps make the next task (instead of further polishing Hexara) be making the audio engine available. I’m not sure what form this will take. I’m thinking there should be two version, a simple system and one with more features. The only way I can think to do this, though, is to have two GitHub projects running in parallel. I also have to make sure that the API for the stripped version will be a pure subset of the fancier version’s.

Regardless, I think the performance and size can potentially compete with TinySound (which is pretty cool already), offering a slight performance boost and some additional features but with a slight addition of complexity and a prejudice against decompressing resource files as part of the critical inner loop of the engine.

OK enough talk, time to put up or shut up!!

#27

Sorry to hear it didn’t work out in time… I know the feeling. Good luck with your future endeavors though!

#28

Fraps. Always.