Overview
Professor Cadbury and the Candy Castle is a 2D platforming game that is all about sweet, sweet speed.
Dash through the halls of Cadbury’s castle as quickly as you can, while eating delicious candy to increase your speed using the sugar rush. However, eating too much candy will cause Professor Cadbury to get sick, so watch that sweet tooth!
Statistics
- Project:
- Type: Game
- Developed: Oct 2013 - Dec 2013 (2 Months)
- Engine: GuildEd
- Platforms:
- Windows
- Team:
- Name: Team Yarnball
- Developers: 6
- 1 Artist
- 3 Designers
- 1 Producer
- 1 Programmer
Solo Programmer
- Developed core gameplay code for 2D platformer.
- Wrote lua scripts for all UI, including HUD and menus.
- Flexibly implemented unexpected features that were needed mid-milestone.
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Level End Menu
Motivation
At the end of each level, our team wanted to give the player a score in order to reinforce that speed and collection were important. We decided that the best way to implement this idea was to have a separate “end level” that would present the score.
Design
My focus in the design of this class was flexibility. This class was created midway through the project, and I knew we were going to have to make changes to this menu over time.
There are four main elements to the score menu: the title bar, the score table, a star rating, and a short poem based on that rating. Each of these four elements, as well as each element inside the table, can have its font, font size, position, and icons changed independently. We didn’t end up using some of this flexibility in the final product, bug having it available was helpful.
Code
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In-Game HUD
Motivation
One of the less developed features in GuildEd was the UI system. As a result, even though our game needed a minimal UI, I needed to write a custom UI class for our game.
Design
As with the end-of-level menu, my main focus in the writing of this class was flexibility. Each UI Element is able to be set to a specific corner of the screen, given an independent offset, linked to a specific piece of game data, rendered as a number or bar, and given a specific icon. This flexibility allowed us to quickly set up our HUD and modify it when necessary.
Code
In-Game HUD
--JS: File load and execution priority priority = -850 dofile( self, APP_PATH .. "scripts/include/Time.lua") --=================== Constants ===================-- --HUD Types local HUD_NONE = 0 local HUD_ICON = 1 local HUD_TEXT = 2 local HUD_BAR = 4 --Item Types local LINKED_WITH_NADA = 0 local LINKED_WITH_HEALTH = 1 local LINKED_WITH_SUGAR = 2 local LINKED_WITH_TIMER = 4 local LINKED_WITH_SCORE = 8 --Location Types local LOCATION_CENTER = 0 local LOCATION_NORTH = 1 local LOCATION_SOUTH = 2 local LOCATION_WEST = 4 local LOCATION_NORTH_WEST = 5 local LOCATION_SOUTH_WEST = 6 local LOCATION_EAST = 8 local LOCATION_NORTH_EAST = 9 local LOCATION_SOUTH_EAST = 10 --=================== UI Variables ===================-- local uiHeadingGeneral = false local uiHeadingLabel = false local uiHeadingData = false displayPosString = "CENTER" --Label Variables hudLabelTypeString = "NONE" labelOffsetXMinus = false labelOffsetX = 0 labelOffsetYMinus = false labelOffsetY = 0 labelFontTypeString = "arial" labelFontSize = 12 labelAnimString = "x.lua" --Data Variables hudDataTypeString = "TEXT" linkedWithString = "NOTHING" dataOffsetXMinus = false dataOffsetX = 0 dataOffsetYMinus = false dataOffsetY = 0 dataFontSize = 12 dataFontTypeString = "arial" --dataAnimString = "x.lua" --this could be useful for animated bars timeUpImageStr = "x.lua" timeUpPosX = 0 timeUpPosY = 0 --=================== In-Game Variables ===================-- --General HUD Variables hudPosition = nil --Label Variables hudLabelHasType = HUD_NONE labelPosition = nil labelTextString = "" labelFontObject = nil labelAnimation = nil --Animation Variables hudDataHasType = HUD_TEXT hudLinkedWith = LINKED_WITH_NADA dataPosition = nil dataFontObject = nil dataBarHeight = 20 dataBarLength = 100 haveDataBarBacking = true dataBarBackingSize = 2 --dataAnimation = nil --this could be useful for animated bars --count up or down timeTicksDown = false countDownMaxTime = 60 showTimeUpImage = false timeUpImage = nil timeUpPosition = nil --Window Width and Height windowWidth = 0 windowHeight = 0 --time used to animate icon sprites animationTime = 0 ui = { --General variables uiHeadingGeneral = { order = 1, type = "boolean", label = "GENERAL SETTINGS:", default = false }, displayPosString = { order = 2, type = "list", label = "Where is the HUD positioned?", default = "WEST", values = { "CENTER", "NORTHWEST", "NORTH", "NORTHEAST", "WEST", "EAST", "SOUTHWEST", "SOUTH", "SOUTHEAST" } }, --Label variables uiHeadingLabel = { order = 10, type = "boolean", label = "LABEL SETTINGS:", default = false }, hudLabelTypeString = { order = 11, type = "list", label = "What is the label HUD Type?", default = "NONE", values = { "NONE", "ICON", "TEXT" } }, labelOffsetX = { order = 12, type = "number", label = "Label X-axis offset", default = 0 }, labelOffsetXMinus = { order = 13, type = "boolean", label = "Is label X offset negative?", default = false }, labelOffsetY = { order = 14, type = "number", label = "Label Y-axis offset", default = 0 }, labelOffsetYMinus = { order = 15, type = "boolean", label = "Is label Y offset negative?", default = false }, labelTextString = { order = 21, type = "string", label = "(Text Only) Label Text: ", default = "Label: " }, labelFontTypeString = { order = 22, type = "string", label = "(Text Only) Label Font: ", default = "arial" }, labelFontSize = { order = 23, type = "number", label = "(Text Only) Label Font Size:", default = 12 }, labelAnimString = { order = 31, type = "anim", label = "(Icon Only) Icon Image: ", default = "x.lua" }, --Data variables uiHeadingData = { order = 40, type = "boolean", label = "DATA SETTINGS:", default = false }, hudDataTypeString = { order = 41, type = "list", label = "What is the data HUD Type?", default = "TEXT", values = { "NONE", "TEXT", "BAR" } }, linkedWithString = { order = 42, type = "list", label = "Link to what variable?", default = "NOTHING", values = { "NOTHING", "HEALTH", "SCORE", "SUGAR", "TIMER" } }, dataOffsetX = { order = 43, type = "number", label = "Data X-axis offset", default = 0 }, dataOffsetXMinus = { order = 44, type = "boolean", label = "Is data X offset negative?", default = false }, dataOffsetY = { order = 45, type = "number", label = "Data Y-axis offset", default = 0 }, dataOffsetYMinus = { order = 46, type = "boolean", label = "Is data Y Offset negative?", default = false }, dataFontTypeString = { order = 51, type = "string", label = "(Text Only) Data Font: ", default = "arial" }, dataFontSize = { order = 52, type = "number", label = "(Text Only) Data Font Size:", default = 12 }, dataBarHeight = { order = 61, type = "number", label = "(Bar Only) Bar Height:", default = 20 }, dataBarLength = { order = 62, type = "number", label = "(Bar Only) Bar Length:", default = 100 }, haveDataBarBacking = { order = 63, type = "boolean", label = "(Bar Only) Have Bar Background?",default = true }, dataBarBackingSize = { order = 64, type = "number", label = "(Bar Only) Bar Background Size:",default = 2 }, timeTicksDown = { order = 65, type = "boolean", label = "(Timer Only) Count Down?", default = false }, countDownMaxTime = { order = 66, type = "number", label = "If countdown, starting time?", default = 60 }, showTimeUpImage = { order = 67, type = "boolean", label = "If countdown, show image at 0?", default = false }, timeUpImageStr = { order = 68, type = "anim", label = "If countdown, time up image? ", default = "x.lua" }, timeUpPosX = { order = 69, type = "number", label = "Time up image X Position", default = 0 }, timeUpPosY = { order = 70, type = "number", label = "Time up image Y Position", default = 0 }, } function getHUDTypeFromString( hudTypeStr ) if ( hudTypeStr == "ICON" ) then return HUD_ICON elseif ( hudTypeStr == "TEXT" ) then return HUD_TEXT elseif ( hudTypeStr == "BAR" ) then return HUD_BAR else return HUD_NONE end end function getVariableLinkFromString( linkedWithStr ) if ( linkedWithStr == "HEALTH" ) then return LINKED_WITH_HEALTH elseif ( linkedWithStr == "SUGAR" ) then return LINKED_WITH_SUGAR elseif ( linkedWithStr == "TIMER" ) then return LINKED_WITH_TIMER elseif ( linkedWithStr == "SCORE" ) then return LINKED_WITH_SCORE else return LINKED_WITH_NADA end end function getHUDPositionOnScreen( screenPosStr ) local hudPos = { x = 0, y = 0 } --Start with X position if ( screenPosStr == "WEST" or screenPosStr == "NORTHWEST" or screenPosStr == "SOUTHWEST" ) then hudPos.x = 0 elseif ( screenPosStr == "NORTH" or screenPosStr == "CENTER" or screenPosStr == "SOUTH" ) then hudPos.x = windowWidth * 0.5 elseif ( screenPosStr == "EAST" or screenPosStr == "NORTHEAST" or screenPosStr == "SOUTHEAST" ) then hudPos.x = windowWidth - 150 end --Then do Y position if ( screenPosStr == "NORTH" or screenPosStr == "NORTHWEST" or screenPosStr == "NORTHEAST" ) then hudPos.y = 0 elseif ( screenPosStr == "WEST" or screenPosStr == "CENTER" or screenPosStr == "EAST" ) then hudPos.y = windowHeight * 0.5 elseif ( screenPosStr == "SOUTH" or screenPosStr == "SOUTHWEST" or screenPosStr == "SOUTHEAST" ) then hudPos.y = windowHeight end return hudPos end function getOffsetPositionFrom( startPosition, offsetX, minusXOffset, offsetY, minusYOffset ) local offsetPos = { x = 0, y = 0 } if minusXOffset then offsetPos.x = startPosition.x - offsetX else offsetPos.x = startPosition.x + offsetX end if minusYOffset then offsetPos.y = startPosition.y - offsetY else offsetPos.y = startPosition.y + offsetY end return offsetPos end function removeCollision() rigidBody:setCollisionCategory( CollisionCategory_NONE ) rigidBody:setCollisionMask( CollisionMask_NONE ) end function init() removeCollision() --Turn off Base icon iconVisible = false --Object HUD is attached to may not always be on screen, so update always is necessary. updateAlways = true if ( g.session.gotWindowSize == nil ) then -- this part is executed once PER GAME, not between different levels g.session.gotWindowSize = 0; g.session.windowWidth = width() g.session.windowHeight = height() windowWidth = width() windowHeight = height() else windowWidth = g.session.windowWidth windowHeight = g.session.windowHeight end --Set HUD Types hudLabelHasType = getHUDTypeFromString( hudLabelTypeString ) hudDataHasType = getHUDTypeFromString( hudDataTypeString ) hudLinkedWith = getVariableLinkFromString( linkedWithString ) --Set the positions for the HUD hudPosition = getHUDPositionOnScreen( displayPosString ) labelPosition = getOffsetPositionFrom( hudPosition, labelOffsetX, labelOffsetXMinus, labelOffsetY, labelOffsetYMinus ) dataPosition = getOffsetPositionFrom( hudPosition, dataOffsetX, dataOffsetXMinus, dataOffsetY, dataOffsetYMinus ) timeUpPosition = { x = timeUpPosX, y = timeUpPosY } --Setup icon labelAnimation = ImageAnim( labelAnimString ) timeUpImage = ImageAnim( timeUpImageStr ) --Setup fonts for text --labelFontSize = g.math.clamp( labelFontSize, 1.0, 100.0 ) -- clamping is causing some issue, not sure what if ( labelFontObject == nil ) then labelFontObject = Font( labelFontTypeString, labelFontSize ) end --dataFontSize = g.math.clamp( dataFontSize, 1, 100 ) if ( dataFontObject == nil ) then dataFontObject = Font( dataFontTypeString, dataFontSize ) end if timeTicksDown then g.maxLevelTime = countDownMaxTime end end function update( dt ) --Update animation time so that icons will animate properly getHUDPositionOnScreen() animationTime = animationTime + dt end function render( dt ) local animationAngle = 0 if ( showTimeUpImage and g.player.timeInLevel > g.maxLevelTime ) then timeUpImage:draw( animationTime, timeUpPosition.x, timeUpPosition.y, animationAngle, Image_COORDS_SCREEN_TOPLEFT ) end --Render UI object label if ( hudLabelHasType == HUD_TEXT ) then drawLine( 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1 ) if ( labelFontObject ~= nil ) then labelFontObject:draw( labelPosition.x, labelPosition.y, labelTextString ) end elseif ( hudLabelHasType == HUD_ICON ) then if ( labelAnimation ~= nil ) then labelAnimation:draw( animationTime, labelPosition.x, labelPosition.y, animationAngle, Image_COORDS_SCREEN ) end end --Render UI object data drawLine( 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1 ) if ( hudDataHasType == HUD_TEXT ) then local dataText = "" if ( hudLinkedWith == LINKED_WITH_HEALTH ) then dataText = g.tostring( g.player.health.current ) elseif ( hudLinkedWith == LINKED_WITH_SUGAR ) then dataText = g.tostring( g.math.floor( g.player.maxSpeed.x ) ) elseif ( hudLinkedWith == LINKED_WITH_TIMER ) then currentTime = 0 if timeTicksDown then currentTime = g.maxLevelTime - g.player.timeInLevel else currentTime = g.player.timeInLevel end if currentTime < 0 then currentTime = 0 end dataText = rawTimeToString( currentTime ) elseif ( hudLinkedWith == LINKED_WITH_SCORE ) then dataText = g.tostring( g.player.score ) end if ( dataFontObject ~= nil ) then dataFontObject:draw( dataPosition.x, dataPosition.y, dataText ) end elseif ( hudDataHasType == HUD_BAR ) then local dataRatio = 0.0 local barColor = { red = 0, green = 0, blue = 0, alpha = 1 } if ( hudLinkedWith == LINKED_WITH_HEALTH ) then dataRatio = g.player.currentHealth / g.player.maxHealth if ( dataRatio < 0.2 ) then barColor.red = 1 elseif ( dataRatio < 0.4 ) then barColor.red = 1 barColor.green = 1 else barColor.blue = 1 end elseif ( hudLinkedWith == LINKED_WITH_SUGAR ) then dataRatio = ( g.player.maxSpeed.x - g.player.moveSpeed + 1 ) / ( g.player.moveSpeedCap - g.player.moveSpeed + 1 ) if ( dataRatio < 0.5 ) then barColor.green = 1 elseif ( dataRatio < 0.70 ) then barColor.green = 1 else barColor.red = 1 end else dataRatio = 0 end local barUpperSide = dataPosition.y - ( dataBarHeight * 0.5 ) local barLowerSide = barUpperSide + ( dataBarHeight * 2 ) - dataPosition.y -- do te multiplication times two minus data position because of GuildEd weirdness. local barLeftSide = dataPosition.x local barRightSide = barLeftSide + ( dataRatio * dataBarLength ) - dataPosition.x -- subtract dataPosition.x because of GuildEd weirdness. local backingColor = { red = 1, green = 1, blue = 1, alpha = 1 } local backUpperSide = barUpperSide - dataBarBackingSize local backLowerSide = barLowerSide + dataBarBackingSize * 2 local backLeftSide = barLeftSide - dataBarBackingSize local backRightSide = dataBarLength + dataBarBackingSize --draw the bar background fillRect( backLeftSide, backUpperSide, backRightSide, backLowerSide, backingColor.red, backingColor.green, backingColor.blue, backingColor.alpha ) --draw the bar itself fillRect( barLeftSide, barUpperSide, barRightSide, barLowerSide, barColor.red, barColor.green, barColor.blue, barColor.alpha ) end end -
Player Physics
Motivation
From the outset, we wanted our game to be a platformer focused on speed and agility. Thus, our player character has the ability to run, jump, wall jump, and wall slide. My primary focus during development was on making all of the physics for these actions “feel right.”
Design
GuildEd had a solid integration setup for its physics, but its collision system had some small issues. In particular, the detection for the ‘on ground’ state was glitchy, and there was no detection for whether the player was touching a wall or not.
Fortunately, GuildEd did provide a very useful raytracing function, which I used for my solution. I created a pair of raytracing ‘sensors’ on the bottom and both sides of the character. As you can see in the video, they are designed to be very tight to the collision box and shoot in both directions. If either one of the raycasts impacts the environment for that side of the character, it sets the ‘on ground’ or ‘on wall’ state. This setup worked well enough to make it into the final game build.
Code
Wall Sliding Detection
--Wall-Sliding local westSideRay = nil local eastSideRay = nil local slightlyWestOfObject = 0 local slightlyEastOfObject = 0 local verticalColliderStart = 0 local verticalColliderLength = 0 timeDirectionHeldWhileSliding = 0 directionHeldWhileSliding = false function isNextToWall() slightlyInsideWest = rigidBody:posX() - ( 0.498 * iconWidthInWorldUnits() ) slightlyOutsideWest = rigidBody:posX() - ( 0.508 * iconWidthInWorldUnits() ) slightlyInsideEast = rigidBody:posX() + ( 0.498 * iconWidthInWorldUnits() ) slightlyOutsideEast = rigidBody:posX() + ( 0.508 * iconWidthInWorldUnits() ) colliderUpperPoint = rigidBody:posY() - ( 0.49 * iconHeightInWorldUnits() ) colliderLowerPoint = rigidBody:posY() + ( 0.49 * iconHeightInWorldUnits() ) westSideDownRay = RayB.new( slightlyInsideWest, colliderUpperPoint, slightlyOutsideWest, colliderLowerPoint ) westSideUpRay = RayB.new( slightlyInsideWest, colliderLowerPoint, slightlyOutsideWest, colliderUpperPoint ) eastSideDownRay = RayB.new( slightlyInsideEast, colliderUpperPoint, slightlyOutsideEast, colliderLowerPoint ) eastSideUpRay = RayB.new( slightlyInsideEast, colliderLowerPoint, slightlyOutsideEast, colliderUpperPoint ) if ( westSideDownRay:IsCollidingWithWorld() or westSideUpRay:IsCollidingWithWorld() or eastSideDownRay:IsCollidingWithWorld() or eastSideUpRay:IsCollidingWithWorld() ) then return true end return false endGrounding Detection
function isOnGround() slightlyInsideBottom = rigidBody:posY() + ( 0.496 * iconHeightInWorldUnits() ) slightlyOutsideBottom = rigidBody:posY() + ( 0.506 * iconHeightInWorldUnits() ) colliderWestPoint = rigidBody:posX() - ( 0.49 * iconWidthInWorldUnits() ) colliderEastPoint = rigidBody:posX() + ( 0.49 * iconWidthInWorldUnits() ) footWestRay = RayB.new( colliderEastPoint, slightlyInsideBottom, colliderWestPoint, slightlyOutsideBottom ) footEastRay = RayB.new( colliderWestPoint, slightlyInsideBottom, colliderEastPoint, slightlyOutsideBottom ) if ( footEastRay:IsCollidingWithWorld() or footWestRay:IsCollidingWithWorld() ) then return true end return false end