VVVVVV Patch, V1.2

[Antony_256]

So now that the patch is out I'm running it under Wine, and everything works fine (awesome game BTW, I feel compelled to say), with one exception - Time Trial mode.  Maybe it's just me, but Time Trial mode runs very slowly.  And not just in a way that makes things easier - there's significant input delay, making it very hard to execute turns, for instance.  I don't really have any more details about it than that, except that the slowdown doesn't start until the timer starts - for those first few seconds it works fine.  But unfortunately it renders Time Trial mode pretty much unplayable... has anyone else had this problem, or is this just my computer being awful?

There's certainly a slowdown there yes. Try decreasing the size of the game window. But even in "fullscreen" 1680x1050, I really can't say it's unplayable for me.

[dinx2582]

It doesn't matter what language a game was written in. What it's like form a Linux users perspective is this: Before their release the developers of Unreal Tournament 3, Braid and VVVVVV publicly stated that they would bring their games to Linux natively. Yet no Linux versions surfaced for any of those games. The reasons behind this might be different for each game, but the result is exactly the same and that's what matters.

You say that Flash support on Linux is inadequate and you might be right, I don't know. But that, again, is not what matters. The point is that Terry announced a Linux version without having tried building a Linux executable even once. In fact, his news post indicates that the first time he tried was on the night of the release. And there is no way you can blame Adobe for that. This is pure carelessness on Terry's part.

Okay, reasoning doesn't matter in the context of there being no actual linux release, but you're ignoring the fact that cross-platform development isn't easy, especially when it comes to Linux, and especially when it comes to flash.  Why didn't UT3/Braid get released on linux?  Simple:  it wasn't worth the development time and energy to get it working on a platform that most people don't have.  Was this Terry's reason?  No.  It wasn't.  The fact is that he made a promise, but found out that it simply was beyond his control.  This isn't about UT3 or Braid.  This is about VVVVVV, and the hardships that come with developing in flash for linux.  Flash is supposed to be cross-platform, yet the builds only work in Win32/OSX, and that should tell you something about the difficulty involved in getting it to work in linux.  Reasoning is perhaps the most important thing here, since the only problems that would arise from scrapping a platform-specific release would in this case be upsetting the end-users, but if you can explain to them why it won't pan out, that's hardly the same thing as "fuck you guys, and fuck linux".  He tried.  It didn't work.  I for one appreciate the fact that he tried, but I can get over it considering that YOU CAN STILL PLAY IT IN LINUX VIA WINE, and it works damn well,  all things considered.

[/quote]

Had he said that VVVVVV would be a Windows/MacOS only game in the first place then all of this would not have bothered me the slightest. However promising something and getting people excited about it without even considering whether you'll be able to actually do it is quite low and bound to cause great disappointment. 

Again, it works fine in Linux.  If he, in theory, were able to package up this game, a Win32 flash projector, and of course WINE into one single binary, you almost wouldn't know the difference.  I say almost because it would appear as though he did a pretty damn good job, but simply required more bug squashing.  But this isn't the case.  Flash support blows on linux. 

This really shouldn't be bothering you, because Linux users are in no way left out.  There's nothing substantial to complain about, because you can still play it.  So, why would you care if the code was running natively?  Are you going to be staring at debug output in hopes of catching a swindler running a bait-and-switch in regards to hiding the fact that you're running Win32 code on Linux?  No, because that would be ridiculous.  Nobody cares to that extent, because there's no reason to.  If reasons aren't important to you, then you shouldn't care HOW the game works in Linux, because it does.  Just not natively.

[Terry]

If flash support on Linux ever improves to the point where VVVVVV will run natively, I'll absolutely make a native Linux version. I'm doing everything I can.

I heard that there's a new version of the flash player due out very soon - if there's a Linux version of that, I'll give it a try.

[dinx2582]

...new version of the flash player due out very soon - if there's a Linux version...

Most amusing thing I've heard today harharhar
(Sure, that would be great, of course.)

And the sense of entitlement with the gamers these days, boy I'll tell yez. 
Of course... f you get a Linux version working, that's totally awesome.  If you don't, that's how it goes.  Given the size and scope of the project as a whole, you've got the benefit of the doubt that you gave it it's due diligence.

CAN'T STOP PLAYING.

[Sniffnoy]

So now that the patch is out I'm running it under Wine, and everything works fine (awesome game BTW, I feel compelled to say), with one exception - Time Trial mode.  Maybe it's just me, but Time Trial mode runs very slowly.  And not just in a way that makes things easier - there's significant input delay, making it very hard to execute turns, for instance.  I don't really have any more details about it than that, except that the slowdown doesn't start until the timer starts - for those first few seconds it works fine.  But unfortunately it renders Time Trial mode pretty much unplayable... has anyone else had this problem, or is this just my computer being awful?

There's certainly a slowdown there yes. Try decreasing the size of the game window. But even in "fullscreen" 1680x1050, I really can't say it's unplayable for me.

Just tried that, no dice.  Disabling acceleration didn't help either.  It's really bad because the input delay is unpredictable.  Say you're playing the zig-zag segment with spikes on the walls, in the Tower.  Ordinarily you can just turn around in mid-air after you've left the platform... but in this case, you typically have to switch direction while still on the platform, because it won't register until you're off!  Except that sometime's that's not enough and it still doesn't respond in time and you die... and sometimes the input delay isn't there at all, so instead you just turn around and are killed by the advancing floor.

So I'm hoping there's some less-slowing way to implement the timer?  Or that this new version of Flash Player Terry speaks of will help? :-/

[Sniffnoy]

Though, it occurs to me that it's quite possibly not the timer per se that's the problem, seeing as, say, the timers on the Gravitron and Super Gravitron don't cause any problems.  Obviously I wouldn't know.  Still, whatever it is, it only starts when the timer starts and the time/death/trinkets displays first appear.

[Mercen4ry]

I continue to wonder why we can't get an SWF copy for cross-platform patches and gameplay.

Perhaps so we don't go and embed it on a web page?


Edit: Partially answered by Terry on page 2. Good luck with the Linux build!

[StephenM3]

So, what happens if you can't find a reasonable patch tool for mac?  I'm waiting for v1.2 before I take a serious stab at the time trials.

[Terry]

I think I might have found one, actually - the hold up is that I'm waiting for Stephen Lavelle to show up online again to help me make it. He hasn't been around for a few days!

[Terry]

Ok, mac version is ready! We gave up on trying to find a tool that produced something neat and small though, so it's about 70 megs:

http://thelettervsixtim.es/patch/VVVVVV_patch_v12.dmg

[Shasharala]

Good job Terry. 
Think you'll have to make any more patches?

[Terry]

I'm not sure! Probably not for a while, anyway (unless something really serious crops up).

[Requiem]

Yay! Mac patch! Thanks for trying to find a smaller version, but 70 megs isn't horrible. At least its' out now! 

[Shasharala]

That's good.
Bet you're glad you can breath easy for a while now, eh? 

[Mercen4ry]

 

Also, bug report for 1.2! (This one's minor)

While showing your terrific game to friends of ours (who we expect will buy a copy), we experienced a teleporter malfunction. It seems that teleporting right after Space Station 1 caused this to happen.


The results: Viridian teleports and then........ nothing. The screen remained focused on the teleporter and play did not continue, much to our amusement. Should we blame subspace interference?

(Edited to add: I have not tested whether this repros, as I'd rather not flatten the game in progress (and lack spare equipment and the will to install the game twice). Perhaps someone else has experienced this? )