tile layers for quicker, more consistant level creation

After playing around with freeform levels, and playing with layers, I have decided, at least for now to do more tile-map level editing. I have made this decision for the following reasons.

1) tile layers simplify the collision properties of the objects. For instance you won't accidentally make a spot for the player to fall though, or get hung up on just because you didn't quite get the alignment of pieces just right.
2) tile layers allow for a more consistent spacing, and feel of the levels.
3) Simplification helps when working with other team members. we know how big each piece has to be: 20/20 pixels.

The one down side is that it takes away some of the free form custom feeling of some of the levels. We can still do a lot by adding separate pieces outside the tile map as shown "as a lighthouse in the image above", and being tricky with the way we create the tiles. Here is a quick view from the level editor of the progress.

Level selection menu created

I Created a quick level selection option so that I can easily create levels that can be played from the main menu. I eventually want to make the levels look like "worlds" in a universe.. but i'm not going to waste too much time on that right now.

I am now having to clean up some of the code to make it easier to port the player object into other levels.. without having to re-create him in each one. I will use a dummy object that can be placed in a new level.. and the player object will simply be put in that position. I guess we could put this in the very needed: cleanup catagory. Coming along nicely though. I'm getting better an whipping up ui controls, and working with the scenegraphs (object-image layer). So that's the added benefit of cleaning this code up.

cheers!
-nic

local games option

I added a "local game" option. This will allow gamers to decide to play locally and will not attempt to connect with the server. The advantage of this is that you will be able to play even if you don't have an internet connection. An additional fringe benefit is that it makes testing the game a little easier since you don't have to wait for the latest challenger information to be loaded every time.

phsyics bugs resolved!

Melv was able to resolve most of the physics bugs in TGB for me! The probe will no longer get hung up on corners, or while sliding down ramps! This is something that was a real show-stopper for me.. kudos to Melv!

Network code.

I've been working on net code mostly lately. I am in Seattle for a couple weeks, but I'm finding time to get some work done on the game anyway. It took me 6 hrs to figure out why I couldn't connect to the game server back home. It turned out that it was mapping my port incorrectly. That's fixed now.

Melv May, the creator of TGB is working on a couple bugs I've been struggling with where the probe gets caught on corners, and ramps. Hopefully he can fix it as that's a game-breaking problem at the moment.

My next tasklett, is to allow a local game with no competitive ghosting or network connection required. That shouldn't be too much work.. just hack out a quick UI, and a global state variable. I should be able to get it done before I go back to Portland on Friday. I probably won't be able to get too much done this weekend though due to some hosting plans I have.