Lockjaw: The Tetromino Game

[tepples]

View the last page of this topic to download the latest version of the program.

This product is not sponsored or endorsed by The Tetris Company.


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I may develop on a PC based tetromino fan game that will include satirical simulations of situations presented in Tetris DS.


Dual Marathon The keys control both a platform game (in the top window) and standard Tetris (in the bottom screen). If you die on either window, you lose.


Ridin' Spinners Standard Tetris, except if you abuse lock delay, or you make a T-spin triple, the music changes to a cover of "Ridin' Spinners" by Three 6 Mafia for a few seconds, and the screen spins (as in TOD (http://www.pineight.com/gba/#tod)).


Low Rider Standard Tetris, except visible playfield is 8 lines tall (instead of 20). Implemented.


Vs. Standard Tetris, except every time you are given an I piece (after the first), you get 4 lines of garbage. Implemented.


Items 3/4 of the time you start it, it will play annoying music for 2 minutes, give an 86420 error, and quit. The rest of the time, it will play annoying music for between 15 seconds and 2 minutes and then behave like standard single player Tetris, except you get random starting orientations, no rotation, and hidden next pieces, and the speed starts at 1G. Every time you are given an I piece, you get either a banana or 4 lines of garbage dropped on you. Implemented partially.


Beyond Level 20 The music starts slow, 60 beats per minute. On every beat, the tetromino hard drops. Every time you clear 30 lines, it speeds up by 10 BPM. Think of it as Shirase mode, DDR style. Implemented.


Any more crazy challenges?

[Phydeaux]

Actually, the cooler thing I'd see for dual marathon would be to have two games of Tetris running, with different piece combinations, or always two pieces off.

[M.Bison]

For the love of god please have 40 line and ultra mode, please I beg of you!

There are no where near enough versions with those modes


If you do you will forever be known as "Lord tepples". (well at least in my opinion)


Thanks man,


- Jono

[tepples]

Phydeaux: That could work too. I chose the platform game specifically because TDS runs a demo of Super Mario Bros. in the top screen.


jp01309: Have you tried Tetanus On Drugs (for Game Boy Advance) (http://www.pineight.com/gba/#tod)? It has 150 point mode (using The New Tetris scoring) and 3 minute mode.

How about pieces that go "blind" after 1-2 seconds?

Why not have a Vs. mode that, like DDR, rewards you for being on the beat?


Like...if you clear a line exactly on a beat of the song, +1 line to the opponent.


If you clear a line exactly on a critical beat of the song, in the "good" part of the song, +2-4 lines to the opponent in addition to what would normally be sent, etc.

[kotetsu213]

NOOOOOO not DDR, do ITG (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3543934619349227545&q=vertex+itg) instead.


It could have mines that explode if you don't clear them quickly... or something...

[M.Bison]

tepples, I have playes TOD, and I must say besides the fact that it seems like you just dropped two tabs of acid, it plays very nicely. Now if there where only a way to take away the LSD effect.........................


- Jono

[tepples]

Here's a first try at a vs. simulator (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj.zip). You'll also need to download the Allegro 4.0 DLL (http://www.pineight.com/pc/#allegdll) and put it in the same folder as lj.exe.


Controls: arrow keys move, Up hard drop, Z, X, C rotate, S hold


Wall kick tables are copied from illustrations of Heboris that colour_thief sent to me. If you find differences between this and TDS, please let me know.

[DIGITAL]

It's quite challenging but very fun nonetheless. I only managed to survive 161 tetrominos, make 124 lines, and send 71 garbage. http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif

The hold button is a bit awkward to press at the moment since I have to move a finger from the rotation button. Are you going to incorporate custom configuration settings in the future?

[tepples]

By 0.99, f-in' everything will be custom.


Another issue: What screen size should I target? I'm guessing that just about everybody on this board has a PC that supports 1024x768 pixels.

[Phydeaux]

In 0.99, may I substitute blocks for breeds of puppies?

[tepples]

Once skin support is in, you can have your Nintendogs theme.

[Phydeaux]

so, when I clear a line, and have partial blocks, will blood splurt out?

[M.Bison]

Holy crap, I love it! http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif

- Jono

[Phydeaux]

And if too much blood gushes out it creates garbage lines in one player matches?

[tepples]

For the love of god please have 40 line and ultra mode, please I beg of you!

If "ultra" is what I think it is (time limit mode), you'll like version 0.02: Speed level progresses 1/3 as fast Added menu for selecting a gimmick (game mode) to play Added Marathon gimmick (like Vs. but no garbage) Added 40 lines gimmick (like Marathon but ends after 40 lines) Added 3 minutes gimmick (like Marathon but ends after 10800 frames) Added Rhythm gimmick (20G, and if you fall below the minimum PPM, it automatically locks the tetromino, and the minimum PPM increases by 10 every 64 tetrominoes) Debriefing now computes PPM and score Debriefing now returns to gimmick selection instead of exiting the program
Download LOCKJAW program (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj.zip) and Allegro 4.0 DLL (http://www.pineight.com/pc/#allegdll)


New question: Does anybody here use a PC monitor smaller than 1024x768 pixels?

[caffeine]

edit: oh wow-- this is freaking awesome. is there a way to assign the keys? like where would i do that?


edit2: yeah, i think i've found it, i just don't know how mk works. i can wait, i guess.


also, might be a good idea to set only enter as the key which exits the debriefing. i keep accidently passing it up, since i'm still playing to the end.

[jjdb210]

Very Nice, Very Nice.

[tepples]

edit: oh wow-- this is freaking awesome. is there a way to assign the keys? like where would i do that?

edit2: yeah, i think i've found it, i just don't know how mk works. i can wait, i guess.
I plan on putting customizable keys in a future version. For the 'mk.bat', you need MinGW, DirectX SDK 7, and Allegro-devel installed. (GCC on any other platform supported by Allegro should work too.)

also, might be a good idea to set only enter as the key which exits the debriefing. i keep accidently passing it up, since i'm still playing to the end.

Good idea. Will be fixed in a future version.

[tepples]

Double posting because I have uploaded a new version. It doesn't have customizable keys yet, but I'm getting there.


0.03 (2006-06-21):

Debriefing now responds only to Esc, Enter, and keypad Enter. Compensates for refresh rates other than 60 Hz. Change log included with program. Plays sound effects for shift, rotate, land, lock, line, b2b. Bigger text using the "Aver" font. Lock delay in Marathon decreases gradually after gravity surpasses 20G. (Internal) Now reads keys through a bitfield, allowing for custom key->vkey bindings to be implemented in the future. (Internal) Does not alternate between "falling" and "landed" states when resetting lock delay on slide.
Download LOCKJAW program (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj.zip) and Allegro 4.0 DLL (http://www.pineight.com/pc/#allegdll)

[Phydeaux]

So how's the decapitated puppy mode coming along? http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

[colour_thief]

Shortly after the Gold and Silver triangle building mode.

[caffeine]

* Wi-Fi Items gimmick:
3/4 of the time you start it, it will play annoying music for
two minutes, give an 86420 error, and quit. The rest of the
time, it will play annoying music for between 15 seconds and
two minutes and then switch to Items gimmick.


nahhahaha.


lockjaw is like christmas.


will custom debriefing be something to look into in the future?


edit: so far i'm down to 47 seconds on 40 lines. still adjusting to the das (no macros, mind you). also, vs cpu is really interesting. after a few games, the most i've survived is 220 tetrominoes, but it really makes you think.


edit2: what about a key presses per tetromino function in the debriefing?

[M.Bison]

Dam you nicolas, always a few seconds faster http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_twisted.gif
Nah just kiding, hope to see a speed run of you playing the 40 line mode soon, im on 51 seconds have a vid, but yeah it is'nt that great and there's plenty of room for improvement


http://youtube.com/watch?v=6rvckL4J5-w& ... peed%20run (http://youtube.com/watch?v=6rvckL4J5-w&search=tetris%20speed%20run)


- Jono

[caffeine]

nice run, jono. almost broke the 50 second barrier. i plan on making a post about optimal movement in a non-delay environment (lockjaw) soon. you've got the right idea, but there's a few places you could really improve on. also, next time you might want to crop your vid.


edit:


looks like the program doesn't hold compatibility with winamp or wmp as far as sound goes. browser-based radio did work, however.

[tepples]

I just broke 80 seconds today. I made a special version that reads from my N64 controller (connected through a USB adapter) instead of the keyboard, and it turns out that I'm just as fast on the N64 controller (ca. 80 PPM) as I am on the keyboard (ca. 80 PPM). I'll release 0.04 once I finish the UI for a pkey->vkey mapping editor.


Yes, as I allow more customizations, this game will end up a testbed for theories as to what is faster. I've already learned that during some periods, I should be watching the next pieces and just glancing at the playfield itself, and that the strategy for a high score is not the strategy for a good 40 lines time. It remains to be seen whether playing for PPM (40 points per tetromino) or playing for garbage (200 points per garbage line sent) is more effective at producing a high score in 3 minute mode.

[caffeine]

i'd suspect getting b2b ts triples would be the strategy for 3 minute score.

edit: whoops, it's b2b ts doubles, as i recall. design flaw.

[colour_thief]

That would depend on the randomizer. SRS randomizer makes that strategy impossible.

[caffeine]

not totally, i'd think. get as many b2b ts doubles as possible, then compensate with tetrises.

[colour_thief]

Actually...


It's impossible to sustain it, but if you don't mind leaving some garbage rows at the bottom you could keep it up for a time. It's probably most suitable for whatever TDS calls B-mode.

[tepples]

"B-type" in TDS is single player > standard > line clear. But then it seems most of the line clear players on this board are in stopwatch mode, not maximum score mode.


That said, the preliminary key binding UI is ready:


0.04 (2006-06-22): Uses an OS-native bitmap rather than an Allegro bitmap, which may allow faster drawing with some video cards. Allows play from a keyboard or a joystick. Presents a key configuration screen when the program starts.
Download LOCKJAW program (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj.zip) and Allegro 4.0 DLL (http://www.pineight.com/pc/#allegdll)

[caffeine]

wooo-- hammer time.


"B-type" in TDS is single player > standard > line clear. But then it seems most of the line clear players on this board are in stopwatch mode, not maximum score mode.


yeah, in 180second, my goal is also how many lines i can clear ;]

[colour_thief]

BTW does Ti rotation fit in anywhere on your todo list right now?

[caffeine]

ct, he's going to release a wallkick/rotation editor, which pretty much covers ti. from what i hear, it's going to be like completely customizable.

[colour_thief]

I look forward to that. It's unforunate that TGM rules don't just drop into the SRS framework, because they need extra exception handling. It will be interesting to see an editor with that amount of control.

[caffeine]

i don't mean to be nitty gritty, but is it just me or is it now kind of laggy once the game ends?

[M.Bison]

nice run, jono. almost broke the 50 second barrier.

Thanks for the compliment http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif

You've got the right idea, but there's a few places you could really improve on


Yeah im still stuck in "Cultris mode" some what, trying to do combos. Next vid I post will be more efficient to say the least.


Tepples: Like the new version better than ever..............BUT, yeah sorry to nag, but I like it better when you held "up" and it continuously dropped the tetramino's.


- Jono

[tepples]

I look forward to that. It's unforunate that TGM rules don't just drop into the SRS framework, because they need extra exception handling. It will be interesting to see an editor with that amount of control.
If I do implement the TGM1/TGM2 and TGM3 rules, it'll be an entirely special case, and somebody will have to fill in the wiki's description of TGM wall kick (http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/../tetriswiki/TGM_rotation) first. (I refuse to call TGM3 "TI" because to me, "TI" has meant Texas Instruments graphing calculators, such as the TI-83 where I developed the great-great-grandfather of Tetanus On Drugs.)

i don't mean to be nitty gritty, but is it just me or is it now kind of laggy once the game ends?
That 30 frame delay is a space left for a Game Over animation that I haven't yet coded.

sorry to nag, but I like it better when you held "up" and it continuously dropped the tetramino's.

That will be customizable as a macro in a future version. Right now, I'm going for guideline behavior as close as I can.


But before I release the next version, I need to know:

I'm planning to expand the game window horizontally a bit, and it may end up at 800x600. Is there anybody on this board still using an 800x600 pixel desktop who needs to be able to play in a window?

[caffeine]

Actually...

It's impossible to sustain it, but if you don't mind leaving some garbage rows at the bottom you could keep it up for a time. It's probably most suitable for whatever TDS calls B-mode.

i was thinking more in the sense a player would stack extra tetrominoes closer to the top than leave holes in the bottom. i'm not talking about that meoro formation. alternating between ts doubles and tetrises, i don't see why a player couldn't pull it off.

That 30 frame delay is a space left for a Game Over animation that I haven't yet coded.

right, i see. it'd really be nice to make this conditional, so that it only happens for games which end, and not games which the player quits. it's kind of annoying when i want to quick-restart. see what i mean?


i personally don't mind the 800x600 window.


need faster das... ;]


edit: idea-- how about debrief returns 40 lines mode as 73.296 seconds instead of 73. likewise with ppm.


edit 2: idea-- don't really need a seperate up/down/enter/esc input for menu. could use user defined up/down/rotate1/rotate2 respectively, which is probably more instinctive anyhow.

It will be interesting to see an editor with that amount of control. http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif

[tepples]

need faster das... ;]
That will happen once I make the macros configurable.

idea-- how about debrief returns 40 lines mode as 73.296 seconds instead of 73. likewise with ppm.
Next version displays two decimals.

idea-- don't really need a seperate up/down/enter/esc input for menu. could use user defined up/down/rotate1/rotate2 respectively, which is probably more instinctive anyhow.

A few issues:

The player could have the Up physical key bound to the Rotate Left virtual key and the Down physical key bound to the Up virtual key to simulate Microsoft Tetris for PC. In such a situation, using virtual keys in the menu wouldn't work. Having the rotation keys navigate the menus would also close debrief() if the player tries to continue playing. That's one reason why I put in the game over animation delay. (And there's actual animation in the next version.) Would the menus use Rotate Right for start and Rotate Left for back (like on the DS and Japanese PS2 games) or the other way around (like on the Xbox and U.S. PS2 games)?
If the menu keys should be customized, it would need a separate set of menu key bindings like StepMania uses: Menu Up, Menu Down, Menu Left, Menu Right, Menu Back, Start/Pause.

[sihumchai]

Would the menus use Rotate Right for start and Rotate Left for back (like on the DS and Japanese PS2 games) or the other way around (like on the Xbox and U.S. PS2 games)?


By DS, you mean Nintendo http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif Yes, A for start, B for back. And I also play using Gamepad, joy2key.

[tepples]

So what button would one use for pause, exit, etc.?

[colour_thief]

Pause should not exist in any serious competitive game. (IMO)

[caffeine]

i'd say set a new button for quit altogether.

[tepples]

Pause should not exist in any serious competitive game. (IMO)
Not all cases of game play are "serious competitive"; most are casual. Players have solved the logistic problem of same-screen multiplayer pausing in a casual game since Street Fighter II and Tetris Attack on the Super NES, and LAN pausing on Game Boy games. Internet play shouldn't be paused, of course.

i'd say set a new button for quit altogether.

Macro for 20 hard drops? I'll probably just hardcode Esc to the pause menu.


Now available: version 0.05

Included readme.txt. Debrief report shows more decimal places in time and PPM. Game over plays a simple animation and sound. Playfield can be stretched (with a recompile). Removed hardcoded key binding help text. Window is bigger in preparation for wallpaper. Display mode is 15/16/24/32-bit in preparation for wallpaper. Added Low Rider gimmick:
Standard Tetris with an 8-block-tall visible playfield.
Download LOCKJAW program (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj.zip) and Allegro 4.0 DLL (http://www.pineight.com/pc/#allegdll)

[caffeine]

i like the new mellow colors. can't wait for skin support. everything seems pretty solid. great work.


still no winamp support. =/

[tepples]

What exactly do you mean by "winamp support"? Does Winamp misbehave while Lockjaw is running?

[caffeine]

yeah. the music shorts out when i have lj focused. though radioblog works fine. i'm not sure what's the deal.

[tepples]

It screwed up in Winamp once for me, but I couldn't reproduce it. I did go investigate reducing the program's CPU use though.


Anything else you want to see in the next version, other than a custom JPEG background?

[caffeine]

custom playfield background, custom blocks, custom shadows, etc. ;] why jpeg, though? wouldn't bmp or png be more accurate? macro compatability, keypresses per tetromino stat. weird how winamp works for you. i'll see what i can do. also, i'm not sure exactly what the functionality of the decreased next tetrominoe's sizes is exactly. seems like you have enough room now to make them all the same size. also, why do some appear centered, and others left-aligned?


btw, low rider's pretty cool. i forgot my record though.


oh yeah, along with custom background, what about custom sounds?


edit: okay i think i know what the problem is. lockjaw takes up 99 of cpu, despite it's low mem usage, so task manager's telling me. i think once it gains focus, winamp stops playing. same with other programs.


edit2: just made a 44.86 on 40line. wohoo. 137ppm

[tepples]

custom playfield background
In.

custom blocks, custom shadows, etc. ;]
EDIT: In.

why jpeg, though? wouldn't bmp or png be more accurate?
Most users seem to want a photoreal background (JPEG), not a cartoon background (BMP/PNG). It appears that a lot of the existing 800x600 pixel wallpaper images on the web (http://images.google.com/images?q=800x600%20wallpaper&sa=N&tab=wi) are JPEG.

macro compatability
Exactly how would you define a macro? And how would macros work for players with a USB gamepad?

keypresses per tetromino stat.
In.

weird how winamp works for you. i'll see what i can do. also, i'm not sure exactly what the functionality of the decreased next tetrominoe's sizes is exactly.
It's iCandy.

seems like you have enough room now to make them all the same size.
Even with expanding the score and putting player 2's field up?

also, why do some appear centered, and others left-aligned?
Tetrominoes whose bounding box is 3 blocks wide will be left-aligned, while others will be centered. A lot of other Tetris brand games and SMG clones' next piece displays have the same behavior, including Tetris (GB), Tetris Blast (GB), Tetris 2 + Bombliss (Famicom), Tetris Plus (GB), Tetris DX (GBC), TGM3 (arcade), and DTET.

btw, low rider's pretty cool. i forgot my record though.
I got at least 60,000.

oh yeah, along with custom background, what about custom sounds?
With the Allegro Grabber (search for grabber.exe) you can edit the sounds in lj.dat.

edit: okay i think i know what the problem is. lockjaw takes up 99 of cpu, despite it's low mem usage, so task manager's telling me.

I've fixed much of that.

[caffeine]

Most users seem to want a photoreal background (JPEG), not a cartoon background (BMP/PNG). It appears that a lot of the existing 800x600 pixel wallpaper images on the web are JPEG.

photoreal/cartoon? the difference i was concerned about was that they're both pretty much the same, except jpeg's compression leaves less predictable results. clutter pixels, if you will. i suspect most wallpaper's in jpeg b/c of jpeg's outrageous compression.

Exactly how would you define a macro? And how would macros work for players with a USB gamepad?


was thinking in terms of double rotate and 10g das seperate buttons. i don't know how it would work for usb gamepads.

[tepples]

Most users seem to want a photoreal background (JPEG), not a cartoon background (BMP/PNG). It appears that a lot of the existing 800x600 pixel wallpaper images on the web are JPEG.
photoreal/cartoon? the difference i was concerned about was that they're both pretty much the same, except jpeg's compression leaves less predictable results. clutter pixels, if you will.
Except photoreal images tend to have more fine detail that hides JPEG artifacts better than line art's flat areas do.

Exactly how would you define a macro?
was thinking in terms of double rotate and 10g das seperate buttons.

I can hardcode those in the next version until I figure out how to specify a completely custom macro for each vkey. (EDIT: done.)


137ppm scares me. How far can you get in Rhythm?

[caffeine]

Except photoreal images tend to have more fine detail that hides JPEG artifacts better than line art's flat areas do.
yeah i guess background's fine. really i think i'll probably just use black anyway, but i'm afraid that the jpeg format will make it less then black (like black, but a few different shades in some clutter at different places). really it's just important that the actual blocks and such don't use jpeg.
137ppm scares me. How far can you get in Rhythm?
nahhaa, i'll make a video eventually. i think i will once i hit 37 seconds, that's my goal right now. in rhythm, i just lasted 252 lines.I can hardcode those in the next version until I figure out how to specify a completely custom macro for each vkey. (EDIT: done.)

you're the man, or rather, a programming god.


you know, i think this low rider mode might be a really good exercise, as being able to keep the stack low is very important.

[tepples]

yeah i guess background's fine. really i think i'll probably just use black anyway, but i'm afraid that the jpeg format will make it less then black (like black, but a few different shades in some clutter at different places).
JPEG uses 16x16 pixel macroblocks; any flat area that fills the block won't get DCT-cluttered.

really it's just important that the actual blocks and such don't use jpeg.
Custom blocks use .bmp, either 256-color or true-color.

137ppm scares me.
nahhaa, i'll make a video eventually. i think i will once i hit 37 seconds, that's my goal right now.
My skill pales in comparison:
http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj005-40lines-70s.png
(adds demo recording to the to-do list)

I can hardcode [rotate left 2, move left 9, and move right 9] in the next version
you're the man, or rather, a programming god.
I'm no god, but I am the man now dog (http://www.ytmnd.com/users/tepples).

you know, i think this low rider mode might be a really good exercise, as being able to keep the stack low is very important.

In fact, that's what all the gimmicks from the first post are: the seeds of etudes.

[caffeine]

did i hear demo recording? oh man-- this is too great.


3.54kpp!? come now, tepples-- we need to work on this.


have you considered tpm/kpt instead of ppm/kpp? just thinking about quadra, since it uses ppm for points per minute.

[tepples]

3.54kpp!? come now, tepples-- we need to work on this.
In what way? Two shifts, one rotation, and one hard drop is already 4 keypresses.

have you considered tpm/kpt instead of ppm/kpp?
Where did those measures originate? Tetrinet, right? Googlefight! tetrinet ppm = 11,600; tetrinet tpm = 150

just thinking about quadra, since it uses ppm for points per minute.

That gave me an idea. Garbage per minute: in.

[caffeine]

in cultris, i can manage 2.7 key/block, and cultris is really awkward since it's backwards srs. has to do with never moving a piece more than twice (not more than once in i's case), by knowing when to kick off walls and when to once-back off walls. it also has a lot to do with not back tracking and changing your mind. learn kpp before ppm, in other words. (i still feel tpm/kpt sounds more accurate, especially since you use the term tetromino in the debrief, and not the term piece).

[tepples]

in cultris, i can manage 2.7 key/block, and cultris is really awkward since it's backwards srs.
Backwards meaning that the 3-wide tetrominoes spawn in cols 5-7 instead of 4-6, or that they spawn flat side up, or what?

has to do with never moving a piece more than twice (not more than once in i's case), by knowing when to kick off walls and when to once-back off walls. it also has a lot to do with not back tracking and changing your mind. learn kpp before ppm, in other words.
Does this mean I should implement "baby mode" (if you ? Katamari, then you know what I mean), where the game ends after 300 keypresses?

(i still feel tpm/kpt sounds more accurate, especially since you use the term tetromino in the debrief, and not the term piece).

I dodged the issue in the debriefing of version 0.06 (2006-06-25):

Gimmicks are sorted into columns. Debrief responds to controller mapping. Debrief shows keypresses per tetromino and garbage per minute. Now loads/saves vkey configuration from/to disk instead of prompting the user every time the program starts. Build system switched to GNU Make. Terminal window ("DOS box") hidden. Responds to window system's close button. Counts down 5-4-3-2-1 in line or time limited gimmicks. Icon in the top left corner of the window is now working. Displays ljbg.jpg in the window's blank space. Displays blocks from ljblocks.bmp. Releases the CPU for 5ms per frame when possible, so that background tasks such as a music player can keep up. Increased sound effects' volume so that music players do not completely overpower them. Added macros for rotate twice, move far left, and move far right. Corrected fix to alternation between falling and landed states that occurred especially when sliding a tetromino to the right under high gravity. Added Items gimmick:
Standard S.M.G., except after the first 7 pieces you get random starting orientations, no rotation, and hidden next pieces, and the speed goes to 1G. Every time you are given an I piece, either you get 2 lines of garbage or the columns of blocks in the well are shuffled. Fixed scoring tables in README.txt.
Download LOCKJAW program (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj.zip) and Allegro 4.0 DLL (http://www.pineight.com/pc/#allegdll)

[caffeine]

this is hardcore. i really, really like this game. it's like sunshine dust (salad fingers).


<img src="http://www.tetrisconcept.com/quikie.png" alt="quikie">


still can't get winamp to work, but i think it must be my computer's fault. also, no skin support for playfield background?


now i have to find some way of telling my friends and family i won't be seeing them for a few months...


edit: oh i see, playfield backgrounds in the bmp, too.


edit2: suggestion, key assign escape button. while "exit" is selected, escape will functions as enter.


edit3:

Does this mean I should implement "baby mode" (if you ♥ Katamari, then you know what I mean), where the game ends after 300 keypresses?

i don't know about that-- might be a cool idea. i was thinking about something like a mode where you couldn't move one way with a piece, then move back the other way, couldn't rotate more than twice, couldn't move a piece more than twice-- see what i mean? will there be a way to have a bmp for the next pieces? i want to make everything but the playfield and next pieces invisible (no shadow or active piece), makes good practice. maybe a new gimmick?


edit4:

um yeah, i'm fucking addicted now. forcing myself to go to sleep-- almost 4am. today's new record for forty line = 43.66 seconds; 149.77tpm; 2.83kpt.

[tepples]

I've implemented "Baboo!" (300 keystrokes) in my source tree. But my cousin suggested that players might artificially deflate their kpt (and inflate their scores) by letting tetrominoes drop by gravity only.


Earlier you said it was like Christmas. But in this case, it's nicholas getting the present, not nicholas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus) http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

[caffeine]

lol, i love how you always find a way to integrate wikipedia into your posts. anyway, you could solve that problem by making zero gravity, forcing the player to drop.

[Caithness]

But then they'd be able to take all the time they want to plan their next few moves.

[caffeine]

there's no point in pressuring the player-- lockdown time resets after movement or rotation. the goal isn't to survive, anyhow. it would be interesting and perhaps meaningful to see how little input a player could use to clear 40 lines.

[tepples]

it would be interesting and perhaps meaningful to see how little input a player could use to clear 40 lines.

Playing carefully, I got 41 lines in 2.87 kpt on this mode. But then groups of players may have to define what macros are permitted to be counted as one keystroke. For example, is rotate twice one or two? And is DAS one or four?

[caffeine]

yeah, i thought these questions may come up. das could go anything from two to five. it depends. i'm totally for tetris reform, though-- i think you should include macros as is, and keep it true to the kpt instead of simulated kpt. also, i think since lockjaw's so flexible, groups of players would need to agree on their own rules-- so competitions would need players to meet its specifications.


hows demo recording going? i was thinking that each demo would probably need to have a snapshot portion of the player's configuration. this would aid such specification requirements (as well as may be necessary for each person to see the game right, right?)


edit:


just to see, i did three perfectly played games (if i made a less than optimal movement, i restarted)-- one with double rotation, one without double rotation, and one without double rotation and das. the results respectively: (1, 2, 3; avr)


2.73, 2.76, 2.73; 2.74

2.87, 2.84, 2.94; 2.88

4.00, 4.04, 4.06; 4.03


we can compare set three to tetris ds, set two to tgm3/ace, and set three to dtet/lockjaw.


i'd love to test ars against srs, although i already know around where the results will lay. (yes that comment was directed towards you tgm guys http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif )

[MAIcrosoft]

wow, this is really nice. Great work tepples! [: btw, you need some graphics for the interface? Willing to do (for free) [;

[caffeine]

just for fun... http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9UQqirocOs


edit:


tepples, might want to take a look at <a href="http://www.tetrisconcept.com/tetriswiki/Ithing">this</a>, since lockjaw uses heboris's srs table. i tried it in lockjaw, and it doesn't work like it does in tetris ds.


here's the correct table:

http://www.din.or.jp/~koryan/tetris/p/ti(w)rm-i.gif


heboris used koryan's incomplete table, i believe.

[tepples]

tepples, might want to take a look at this (http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/../tetriswiki/Ithing)
Thanks. But in Tetris DS, I placed the pieces as shown, and it had a different behavior.

i tried it in lockjaw, and it doesn't work like it does in tetris ds.
I tried it in TDS and Lockjaw and corrected the diagrams on the Ithing page, which I think I'll be moving to a better name soon.

here's the correct table:
http://www.din.or.jp/~koryan/tetris/p/ti(w)rm-i.gif

The position that this trick relies on wasn't one of the missing positions though. It relies on one of the positions not being in TW, which used the wall kick tables from the 2001 version of SRS.


EDIT: Where did you get the "This is Tetris" rap song from the video?

[caffeine]

you must've had the orientations wrong or something, because it definitely works like i diagramed it in tds. press b, then once it's all the way down, press a. i've been doing this move since worlds. there's no difference between it and tds. wall kick tables from 2001 are identical to those of now. that old table you saw was an incomplete draft. koryan finished it recently (the completed draft i showed you).


i found that tetris rap on radioblogclub.com, hehe. done by a group called molecule.

[tepples]

you must've had the orientations wrong or something, because it definitely works like i diagramed it in tds. press b, then once it's all the way down, press a. i've been doing this move since worlds. there's no difference between it and tds.
You may be right. In that case,
http://www.din.or.jp/~koryan/tetris/p/ti(w)rm-i.gif is incorrect, and the fourth and fifth frames in 1->0, which are currently (-2, 1) and (1, -2), should be swapped.

wall kick tables from 2001 are identical to those of now.

Then what's this "Symmetry SRS"?


And have you tried it with L and Z tetrominoes instead of J and S? It seems to work differently. Why is it called "Symmetry SRS" when the J and S works as you described (kicking down) but the L and Z work as I described (kicking up unless there's that extra block)?

[caffeine]

i corrected the page again. the problem is that you're not rotating symmetrically. For the J/S, orient B then A-- for L/Z orient A then B. Remember there's four orientations for i.


i've never heard of "Symmetry SRS."

[tepples]

i corrected the page again. the problem is that you're not rotating symmetrically. For the J/S, orient B then A-- for L/Z orient A then B. Remember there's four orientations for i.

I did do B then A for J/S (video (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/Worlds_I-spin_1.avi)) and A then B for L/Z (video (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/Worlds_I-spin_2.avi)), and I get different results, consistent across Tetris Worlds and Tetris DS. (EDIT: Video is available now. EDIT2: Second link corrected.) The GIF is also incorrect, as it suggests kick-up before kick-down in both directions. And if there's no "Symmetry SRS", then who keeps putting it into the game infoboxes?

[caffeine]

the videos only show j/s. in any case, i was talking about worlds for xbox (and probably the rest of the tetris worlds releases), as gba worlds differs a lot from the rest (starting with previews, and how lockdown behaves). in other words, gba worlds is a very bad example for real srs.


the fact of the matter is that it works like it should in tds.

[tepples]

the videos only show j/s.
oops, I pasted the first video twice. Here's the second video (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/Worlds_I-spin_2.avi), with L/Z and A then B.

in any case, i was talking about worlds for xbox (and probably the rest of the tetris worlds releases), as gba worlds differs a lot from the rest (starting with previews, and how lockdown behaves). in other words, gba worlds is a very bad example for real srs.

But my copy of Tetris Worlds for GBA works the same as my copy of Tetris DS (except that up and down don't lock a landed tetromino in Worlds). Do you expect me to buy an Xbox to view how your copy of Tetris Worlds works or to buy a camcorder in order to prove how my copy of Tetris DS works? Is there a difference between batches of of Tetris DS Game Cards, such that yours behaves like Worlds for Xbox and mine behaves like Worlds for GBA?


But for now, I'll update the kick table to prefer kick-down, which contradicts the GIF and contradicts the TWGBA video and contradicts observed TDS behavior.

[caffeine]

tepples, are you talking about <a href="http://www.tetrisconcept.com/ithingy.wmv">this</a>? because i'm a bit confused right now.


edit: i think you're missing something, tepples. have a <a href="http://www.tetrisconcept.com/ithing2.wmv">looksy</a>.


edit2: oh, okay i see now. you're right. they are unsymmetrical. weird. three-high without obstruction. still, this behavior is different from heboris. this looks like a glitch in the srs system.

[tepples]

Given that all five platform versions of Worlds were written in either C or C++ or some scripting language, it wouldn't be that hard to make a single wall kick table and compile it into all versions. In fact, the decoupling of the model from the view in LJ lets different UI styles for different platforms share the same model code and remain frame-for-frame accurate against one another. It wouldn't surprise me if newer Tetris brand game engines have such an architecture as well.


Thanks for understanding. Support for this asymmetry won't go into LJ until .kick files are in. But for now, here's a new version that should allow the "I-thing" move to work as you expect (but not yet bug for bug compatible with SRS).


0.07 (2006-06-30): Added Baboo gimmick:
Standard S.M.G., except there is no gravity, and the game ends after 300 keypresses. Cleaned up the font a bit. Corrected wall kicks for I tetromino to match an updated description provided by nicholas. Specifically, I tetromino now prefers kick-down to kick-up. Removed sound-not-found debug message. Plays "ready, go!" like TGM. Bigger font for lines and time.
Download LOCKJAW program (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj.zip) and Allegro 4.0 DLL (http://www.pineight.com/pc/#allegdll)

[caffeine]

about the "ready, go!"-- the tgm series, as well as deluxe, as well as probably others, show the piece previews during the "ready, go!", and then once it's done, the next piece moves to active piece. just a little tidbit.

[tepples]

about the "ready, go!"-- the tgm series, as well as deluxe, as well as probably others, show the piece previews during the "ready, go!"

TDS hides the previews during "ready, go" in standard but shows them in push and mission. TW (GBA) has no "ready, go". What's the deal?


For now I put in a compromise: hide during ready, show during go.

[tepples]

Is anyone other than nicholas interested anymore? If I add a more patient game mode with ARE/IRS/IHS like TGM, will people be interested?

[Needle]

As for the direction of development, I'd rather be more interested in more wild experimentation with new rule elements that haven't been implemented elsewhere, since Heboris U.E. does a fine job of simulating the TGM series as-is.

[tepples]

Suggest some features that aren't already in TODO.txt, and I'll see what I can do.

Battle Gaiden attacks please

[kotetsu213]

that was me by the way

[tepples]

I have never played the game. Please fill in the wiki page (http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/../tetriswiki/Tetris_Battle_Gaiden) to help me and everyone else learn how this game works.

[caffeine]

"Suggest some features that aren't already in TODO.txt, and I'll see what I can do."


how about a downstack mode? random garbage (not ds random, true random with one hole each) lines up to the 18th row (or however high as possible). see how fast you can clear forty lines. this mode really makes you think. we used to play it all the time on tnet2. video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJv2vLZ0 ... h=tetrinet (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJv2vLZ0hE4&search=tetrinet)


that's a 20 second run. vapid holds the record with 16 seconds.

[M.Bison]

Is anyone other than nicholas interested anymore? If I add a more patient game mode with ARE/IRS/IHS like TGM, will people be interested?


Im intrested, have been from the start http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif I have'nt been posting as much as I would like to as im playing LOCK-JAW way to much. (I still liked it better with rapid-fast drop)


nicholas:

I manged to check your 40 line vid out about a week ago and I forgot to metion - HOLY SHIT!

Nice work.


I got 40 line mode down to 48, if I could use hold on a keyboard a may be able to get close to 44, but I dont thnik I will be breaking the 46 barrier anytime soon.


(P.S does anyone else have problems viewing videos on youtube everyime I attepmt to watch a one I tells me i either have java script turned off or have an older version of flash player, wich is a load of crap.


Thanks guys


- Jono

[caffeine]

nice 48, jono. keep up the good work.

[tepples]

I figured out how to get Winamp to play nicely with LJ: try setting Preferences > Plug-ins > Output to waveOut instead of DirectSound, and then use the equalizer's pre-amp for volume control.


if I could use hold on a keyboard
What problem did you have with the "Game Keys..." screen?

does anyone else have problems viewing videos on youtube
On what OS and browser?

nice 48, jono. keep up the good work.

And you too can keep up the good work with version 0.08 (2006-07-08): Plays sounds for the next piece like TGM. No longer allows 800x552 window now that 0.08 displays the gimmick name. Supports spawn delay and line delay. Supports initial hold and rotation. Supports variable garbage randomness. Begun to move gimmick code out of core. Added TGM World gimmick:
Standard S.M.G., except there's a half-second delay before each tetromino, and a half-second delay after each tetromino that forms at least one line. So if you want fast play, make more lines at once. Added Drill 40 gimmick:
Like 40 lines, but the screen starts with 18 rows of garbage. Be prepared to rely on SRS infinite spin for the first few lines until your skill improves.EDIT: 0.08a (2006-07-08): No double initial rotation when using initial hold in TGM World.
Download LOCKJAW program (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj.zip) and Allegro 4.0 DLL (http://www.pineight.com/pc/#allegdll)

[caffeine]

new version's really great. with world, though-- a sort of initial hard drop should exist. pressing and holding up during are, and it'll lock when it appears. this is tgm3 world behavior. also, does it end? i played a fairly long game.

[tepples]

new version's really great. with world, though-- a sort of initial hard drop should exist. pressing and holding up during are, and it'll lock when it appears. this is tgm3 world behavior.
Didn't know that. (Did you update the wiki about it?) This is only in modes with ARE, right? I can have it do the same "pretending" that it does for IRS.

also, does it end? i played a fairly long game.

In LJ marathon gimmicks, lock delay gradually decreases after the gravity gets past 20G. I could end LJ's TGM World at 290 lines like the real thing does.

[caffeine]

what about a tgm ace interpretation? in ace, games last one hundred fifty lines. not sure, but i think it hits 20g around 3/4ths through or so.

[M.Bison]

tepples wrote:

What problem did you have with the "Game Keys..." screen?


My problem manly is I dont use hold, except on TDS. But I do find the smaller screen is harder to play fast on.

On what OS and browser?


Im on windows XP home edition and using internet explorer 6


- Jono

[caffeine]

winamp works. sweet.


edit: you know what would be cool? for the pre-game animation to work as ARE.


edit2:

<img src="http://www.tetrisconcept.com/goal1.PNG" alt="goal1">

goal one achieved. new goal: 33 second (3tps). any progress with replays?

[tepples]

Replay is first a matter of getting gimmick code out of the core (which began in 0.08), so that I can reuse the model-controller more effectively. For instance, have behaviors depend on whether there is ARE, not whether I've chosen a TGM gimmick. And do replays have to be compatible from program version to program version?

[caffeine]

heboris works so replays mostly work for their own version.

[kotetsu213]

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/9641 ... tch3de.png (http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/9641/ljgraphicsglitch3de.png)

[tepples]

Can you consistently reproduce this black-screening? Does it require alt-tabbing in and out?

[kotetsu213]

No, it just happened suddenly while I was playing. That's the only time it happened I think.

[tepples]

Design decision time: For each frame, store keystrokes ("user pressed key left, user released key left, user pressed B, user released B"). For each frame, store actions performed by the player (e.g. "move left by 1, rotate counterclockwise by 1"). Option A allows a keystroke counter and a pseudo-display of the player's hands a la Death_800.mpg, but versions of the engine that allow custom macros will have to store the macro definitions in the replay file. Option B better resists changes in macro behavior and is more likely to allow demos to remain synced from version to version. It also fits in more cleanly with the way the is factored at the moment.

[caffeine]

i like b, but whatever.


by the way, i sysoped you on the wiki, you know, just in case you need to delete anything.

[colour_thief]

I like A but only because macros don't interest me.

[kotetsu213]

I also prefer A

[caffeine]

well, macros aren't really the argument here, as they're in both options. one's just less work for tepples. b looks better to me because of "more likely to allow demos to remain synced from version to version. It also fits in more cleanly with the way the is factored at the moment." i mean, i'm not saying i couldn't just play lockjaw without macros-- as i do with heboris. losing impact for macro compatibility does seem disappointing, though. it's one, of many, innovative tidbits lj has over the masses of other tgames.

[colour_thief]

I just really like seeing joysticks or whatever moving during replays. It'll be harder to learn from videos with B because you can't actually see what they're doing. But yeah I could see how it might hold back macro developments. Instead of a joystick, it would be neat if it showed a keyboard... It'd be a lot more work, but you could show even the craziest macro setups in motion.

[tepples]

Custom macros and recordable demos aren't in yet, but a few other features are in 0.09 (2006-07-16): Reverted sideways kicks of I tetromino rotating from horizontal to vertical based on testing I-I interactions in Tetris DS. Key pretending is now more consistent. TGM World stops at 290 lines, more like Tetris The Grand Master. In gimmicks with ARE (currently TGM World), allow initial hard drop. Now free software under GNU General Public License. Fixed incomplete first permu (0.08 regression). Has its own icon instead of the wall kick editor's icon. Input actions are now a 32-bit record for future recording. Hidden next piece is now a separate variable, which next piece sound also respects, fixing Items.
Download LOCKJAW program (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj.zip) and Allegro 4.0 DLL (http://www.pineight.com/pc/#allegdll), or view README (http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/README.txt)

[M.Bison]

Tepples:

The black screen glitch that kotetsu213 was talking about happens to me quite often, but as you said only when alt tabing.


Also, I broke version 0.8. "LOCKJAW fatal error - Could not open the main window."


It happend when I ran a recording program piror to opening the lj program, now it broke for good.


Never mind, I'll just play the new version http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif

- Jono


EDIT: Or it could be that I had my resoultion set set to 800/600 http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif

[tepples]

The game window is 800x600 plus the size of the border+titlebar. It should fall back to full screen mode when the desktop is 800x600.

Sorry to say, but there I cant play lj while my resoultion is set to 800/600.

Just displays the fatal error message. Doesnt really bother me I only have my resoultion set to 800/600 when recording.

No big loss.


- Jono

[tepples]

Does it work better if you set it to 800x600 32-bit?

Yes, yes it does.


Thank You


- Jono

[cdsboy]

I have ported LockJaw to os x. Currently it will only run out of the applications folder, because i have no idea how os x programs work... Its currently only for ppc, sorry any mactel owners


download it here (http://www.arrogantintellect.com/LockJaw.dmg)

[Caithness]

Still no luck here, cdsboy. No dock bouncing or anything.


EDIT: Okay, I figured out that I'm supposed to install the Allegro library, and used Fink to do so, but it still doesn't do anything.

[cdsboy]

hmmm, you might also have to install libjpgalleg

[tepples]

I thought libjpgalleg was static.


But by the end of this page, I'll have 0.10 (for Windows) ready, and it will involve yet another library.

[Caithness]

Okay the new version seems to work. There's a problem, though: I went to set the keys, and I thought I was selecting which thing to change with up and down, but I ended up setting everything to up or down, and now I can't play.

[tepples]

I went to set the keys, and I thought I was selecting which thing to change with up and down, but I ended up setting everything to up or down, and now I can't play.
This answer applies to the official Windows build and should apply to the Mac OS port:
The key bindings are saved to "lj-keys.005"; if they become unusable, you can delete this file to reset them to the defaults.

[Caithness]

Okay, now that I've actually had a chance to play it I can post some impressions. The presentation seems smooth and polished, even though the gameplay still has a few kinks to work out. The pieces seem to me to zip to the edge a bit too quickly. Also, I fail to see the point of playing a TGM-style mode with SRS. But Rhythm mode is beautiful, I can see a lot of potential there. Keep up the good work, Tepples.

[tepples]

LOCKJAW 0.10 is released - get it from the new LOCKJAW page (http://www.pineight.com/lj/default.htm)

Set default full screen color depth to 16-bit which may be more compatible than 15-bit. Press Print Screen to save the current screen as ljsnap.bmp. Plays next piece sound whenever the next column moves up. 0.08-0.09 didn't do so for the first hold in a game. No longer tries rotating right when rotating left fails. Handles DirectDraw amnesia (screen corruption in Alt+Tab) correctly in menu, game play, and debrief screens. Asset and video buffer cleanup consolidated into one function. Gravity speeds up 50% faster. Added options menu for selecting sideways movement speed and randomizer. Added more randomizers: 14-piece bag, move-to-back (TGM style), memoryless (classic), and SZSZ (used in the well-known proof that memoryless cannot be played indefinitely). Debrief screen displays date and time of report generation as
well as randomizer and sideways speed, and logs what it displays to lj-scores.txt. Moved all gimmick-specific code from lj.c to new file gimmicks.c. Built against Allegro 4.2.0. (Users of previous versions will need the new DLL.) Countdown based gimmicks (40 lines, 180 seconds, Baboo!, TGM World, Drill 40) now use the same countdown variable for end state detection that they had used for countdown sound. Support for tracked music using DUMB. Manual is HTML.
The black screen glitch that kotetsu213 was talking about happens to me quite often, but as you said only when alt tabing.
Could be fixed in 0.10.

I cant play lj while my resoultion is set to 800/600.
Just displays the fatal error message.
If you still want to use 16-bit color, try 0.10.

I have ported LockJaw to os x.
You'll have to re-apply the changes to the new version. Do you know how to use diff and patch?

The pieces seem to me to zip to the edge a bit too quickly.
That's 60 Hz DAS, which may be a bit fast for you if you're used to TDS. It can be slowed down in 0.10.

Also, I fail to see the point of playing a TGM-style mode with SRS.
Neither could a lot of TGM fans, but TI still has world mode, and the system in TGM Ace borrows a lot from SRS.

But Rhythm mode is beautiful, I can see a lot of potential there.

Especially once I find some good (freely licensed) mod/s3m/xm/it music for each BPM level.

[cdsboy]

ok i've worked some magic and it is already ported to os x. again it is located here (http://www.arrogantintellect.com/LockJaw.dmg).

[colour_thief]

Added more randomizers: 14-piece bag, move-to-back (TGM style), memoryless (classic), and SZSZ (used in the well-known proof that memoryless cannot be played indefinitely).


Nice.


Just to check accuracy here...

Is the TGM randomizer, or "move-to-back" as you like to conceptualize it, dealing pieces outside the history with 100% probability? TGM1 will try up to 4 times to roll a piece outside the history (at which point it settles on that 4th roll), and TGM2/3 will try up to 6 times similarly. It may seem like a small detail, but this uncertainty helps keep things unpredictable yet fair. Depending on how you've gone about things this might be tricky to implement, because there can be duplicate piece types in the history.

[tepples]

Nice.
How far can you get in SZSZ?

Just to check accuracy here...
Is the TGM randomizer, or "move-to-back" as you like to conceptualize it, dealing pieces outside the history with 100% probability?
Yes.

TGM1 will try up to 4 times to roll a piece outside the history (at which point it settles on that 4th roll), and TGM2/3 will try up to 6 times similarly.
So TGM2/3 will deal from the history with a probability of (4/7)^6, or about one in 28.72. I can approximate this behavior in version 0.11.

Depending on how you've gone about things this might be tricky to implement, because there can be duplicate piece types in the history.

The history still won't support duplicate tetrominoes, but players probably won't notice the difference. Remember that each randomizer is based on an underlying uniform PRNG, and I'm not trying to duplicate that either. Some operating systems' implementations of rand() can be slow, especially when I call it six times.


EDIT: I've figured out a different workaround for slow rand() that allows the exact behavior c_t describes.

[colour_thief]

So TGM2/3 will deal from the history with a probability of (4/7)^6, or about one in 28.72. I can approximate this behavior in version 0.11.


That is correct. Though for some strange reason I conceptualize this in terms of the percentage, which equivalently is 3.48%. Repeats actually change the odds fairly dramatically:


3.48% (4 distinct pieces in history)

0.62% (3 distinct pieces in history)

0.05% (2 distinct pieces in history)

0.00% (1 distinct piece in history)


I'd call the difference subtle but definitely noticeable. Why artificially plug these probabilities in? It seems easy enough to me to give TGM2/3 6 rolls and the Random Generator infinite under a common framework.

[sihumchai]

Tepples! Great work on LockJaw..


Maybe you should put information on the bottoms, when options are highlighted, e.g. When highlighted 40 lines mode, on the bottom is should read, "Make 40 lines as fast as possible!".. Rather than users having to read the readme for what it actually is.


Can we have ARS/Sega orientations too? Take Heboris as an example of selecting which system you wanna use. I dunno, it's really up to you. I guess that would make a Heboris clone http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif

And also, PLEASE! Music -B! http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif

[cdsboy]

I am really liking the way LockJaw is going. altho i think there should be an option to remove the sounds that happens when you move your block and drop the block.

[tepples]

Tepples! Great work on LockJaw..
I am really liking the way LockJaw is going.
Thanks.

Pictures speak 1000 words. Screenshots of what I'm working on:

http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj011dev-01.jpg
Why are the L and J tetrominoes in the queue upside-down?

http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj011dev-02.png
Oh, that's why http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif

Why artificially plug these probabilities in? It seems easy enough to me to give TGM2/3 6 rolls and the Random Generator infinite under a common framework.
Actually, my implementation of Random Generator keeps track of the part of the bag that hasn't yet been dealt, and it rolls only once per new tetromino from that part. Move to Back also rolls only once per new tetromino, for an index of which of the front three to move to the back of the line. But I found a way to roll 6 times that doesn't involve calling rand() in a loop, so version 0.11 implements TGM2/TGM3 randomization, step by step as you described it, as "History 6 Rolls".

Maybe you should put information on the bottoms, when options are highlighted, e.g. When highlighted 40 lines mode, on the bottom is should read, "Make 40 lines as fast as possible!"
Coming. But once this is in, there is space for only two more gimmicks, so I'll have to think of a new layout for getGimmick.

Can we have ARS/Sega orientations too?
Sega orientations? Yes.

Sega colors? Yes. An ljblocks.bmp for Sega colors will be made available along with version 0.11.

TGM wall kicks? Yes. I've tried to implement what was posted here (http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=836#836), including disallowing rotation when a block is below the center of L-down or J-down or above the center of T-up.

TGM lockdown (locking soft drop, not-locking hard drop, don't reset lock delay on move or rotate)? Not yet. "Sega mode" might feel like Frankentetris 360 until I get macro editing in.

Take Heboris as an example of selecting which system you wanna use. I dunno, it's really up to you. I guess that would make a Heboris clone http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif
My NES game uses a similar system for selecting game speed, so I'm not too worried.

And also, PLEASE! Music -B! http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif
I'll take requests for S3M covers of classic Tetris tunes in a separate topic.

i think there should be an option to remove the sounds that happens when you move your block and drop the block.

When I play TDS with sound effects off, my misdrop rate goes through the roof. How do you manage to play without sound effects for move and drop? Still, the player can remove them from lj.dat using Allegro Grabber. But given that you're the Mac port maintainer and thus approaching this from a Mac point of view, are you talking about disabling such sounds on a platform that hides lj.dat? Perhaps the manual for the port to such a platform should mention how to unhide and edit lj.dat, including how to obtain a port of Allegro Grabber (which is like a ResEdit for Allegro programs).

[colour_thief]

GB + Sega = mind blown


Nice work, I can't wait for full TGM-style support.

[cdsboy]

well i've taken it apon myself to make an alternate background for all of those who feel the need to change it up so here it is:

http://www.arrogantintellect.com/ljbg.jpg

[M.Bison]

Finally people are talking about block and background mods for LJ.

I had an M.Bison theme to start off with, but found it a little hard with to play with a large Russian man dressed in red powering up (I dont know it could just be me).


Now:


I usually go with a solid black background, with a grid on the play field (can't go wrong with a grid) and grey lockdown pieces with a lighter grey ghost.

But thats not to intresting, I was playing around with inivisible mode for awhile and a monocome mod, which is cool for awhile.


Also next version.............could you increase sideways speed, I can still play better on cultris.

I have 40 line mode down to 46, but that need to be 44 http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_exclaim.gif

Hopefully next time I can post something of more intrest, but im quite busy for awhile.


- Jono

[tepples]

Finally people are talking about block and background mods for LJ.
I had an M.Bison theme to start off with, but found it a little hard with to play with a large Russian man dressed in red powering up (I dont know it could just be me).
Or I could find some random Zangief wallpaper.

Oh yeah, I should add a switch for TNT/TGM style Zangi-moves.

Also next version.............could you increase sideways speed

Sideways speed is already at 1, wait, 1G. If you want instant left and right, there are macros for those. Or did you want 1, wait, 10G?

[M.Bison]

Or I could find some random Zangief wallpaper.

Lol, that would be great!

Sideways speed is already at 1, wait, 1G. If you want instant left and right, there are macros for those. Or did you want 1, wait, 10G?


Ok.

I do not want instant left to right. If your saying the speed is already at 1G, than would it be possible to the left to right speed adjustable from 1G up to 10G. That would be best from me. I just think a faster BPM is possible with this adjustment.


- Jono

[cdsboy]

or... you could just adjust it in the source, and recompile it for yourself. thats what i did : P

[cdsboy]

also i was wondering if we can get a game mode that has the same falling speed as beat but doesn't drop to a beat?

[tepples]

LOCKJAW 0.11 is out; get it from the LOCKJAW page (http://www.pineight.com/lj/default.htm)


0.11 (2006-08-01): Added Instant, 20 Hz, 15 Hz, and 12 Hz sideways speeds. Added randomizer History 6 Rolls, very similar to Move to Back but sometimes repeating recent tetrominoes. Allows separate wall kick tables for clockwise and anticlockwise rotation. New "theta=default" in piece->block expansion reflects the rotation system's initial orientations for new pieces, next pieces, and the hold piece. Option to use Sega rotations instead of SRS rotations. Option for ignoring diagonal presses. Option for locking or not when using hard drop (Up). Option to turn off smooth gravity animation. Option to use TNT style T-spin detection instead of TDS style. Debrief now displays rotation system and T-spin detection. Saves options to lj.ini. Split options screen and wall kick table into separate source code files. Now plays music in stereo. Site now distributes contributed graphics and music files to replace the defaults.
If it crashes on startup, you'll need to make an empty text file called lj.ini in the same folder as lj.exe. Thanks cdsboy and PtitPrince for helping me find this bug.


I do not want instant left to right. If your saying the speed is already at 1G, than would it be possible to the left to right speed adjustable from 1G up to 10G. That would be best from me. I just think a faster BPM is possible with this adjustment.
Done in version 0.11.

also i was wondering if we can get a game mode that has the same falling speed as beat but doesn't drop to a beat?

Not sure what you mean. Do you want plain 20g?

[cdsboy]

ya plain 20g, oh and the mac port is done and uploaded get it on the lockjaw download page.

[cdsboy]

holding the first block causes you to lose...

[tepples]

Based on a 1-hour chat on blockstats.org between cdsboy and me, this problem happens only in the Mac port. It doesn't seem to happen in the Windows version. It seems to have something to do with the hardDropY (position of the shadow) being set to the top of the playfield. But unfortunately, I don't have a Mac to troubleshoot this myself (unless you all want to pitch in and buy me Apple gift cards good toward a Mac mini), and though cdsboy is looking into the cause of the problem, it might take him a while.

[M.Bison]

Sorry tepples but I have a problem with the new version, its the whole "lock" on the up key when holding "left" or "right".

I am not to sure about the instant left to right either, I just wanted it to be a little faster, it seems to lag somewhat with the instant; But I would say thats just due to me using up, whilst holding left or right.


I am more than happy to adjust it myself as cdsboy suggested, but I cant find folder and or section it is located.


Thanks



- Jono

[tepples]

Sorry tepples but I have a problem with the new version, its the whole "lock" on the up key when holding "left" or "right".
Did you try changing this?
http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj011-allowDiagonal.png
Keyboard players might want to turn it on.

I am not to sure about the instant left to right either, I just wanted it to be a little faster, it seems to lag somewhat with the instant
It goes 1, then wait 10 frames, then 10G. Perhaps you might want to try binding a key to the instant left or instant right macro.

I am more than happy to adjust it myself as cdsboy suggested, but I cant find folder and or section it is located.

Look for the word "dasSpeed" in src/ljpc.c.

[M.Bison]

Thank you very much tepples.


You see I have a tendency of not looking into a situation before asking how to fix it; in case you have'nt yet noticed. http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif

Thanks, again


- Jono


P.S currently working on a 44 second 40 line vid.

[cdsboy]

also if/when you change any values you have to recompile it, it willnot just change it.

[M.Bison]

After much playing of LJ I finally got a decent 40 line run, I managed it in 44 seconds.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOO5bulyB2U


I am pretty happy.


- Jono

[tepples]

Good job Jono!


Now that a lot of options are being added to the menu, would it be a bad idea if I made the menu scroll?

[caffeine]

nice run jono

[M.Bison]

Thanks alot guys http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif

tepples: I personally am not a big fan of a scroll menu, but its really up to you. I think smaller text would be fine


- Jono

[cdsboy]

a scroll menu might not be back, you never know tho

[cdsboy]

a scroll menu might not be bad, you never know tho

[cdsboy]

ok now version .11 for os x works no noticable bugs, and i was wondering, who plays lockjaw? who plays tetris on the pc/mac? and who is interested in playing tetris on the pc?

[tepples]

ok now version .11 for os x works no noticable bugs
So I guess you should have no trouble porting LOCKJAW version 0.12, available from the LOCKJAW page (http://www.pineight.com/lj/default.htm).

0.12 (2006-08-13): Creates lj.ini if it doesn't exist, instead of crashing on startup. Added half-size Aver16 font. Zero gravity (as in Baboo!) + Zangi hard drop = land and lock, instead of just sit there Option to use classic (Game Boy style) or step-reset (TGM style) lockdown instead of move-reset (SRS style) lockdown. Now contains connection tables for all pieces. Not used yet, but will be used for Cascade (where gravity is based on shapes of pieces), Square (which forms big squares only out of whole tetrominoes), and Bombliss (which doesn't place a bomb between two blocks in a piece). Pieces can now carry bomb blocks within them. Not used yet, but will be used for Bombliss. Option for sticky gravity. This will also be used for Bombliss. Options rearranged: game on top, control in middle, view on bottom. Options menu uses a smaller font and scrolls if necessary (but it's not necessary just yet). Zero isn't wider than other digits in the large or small font. Split debrief screen into debrief.c. Debrief displays lockdown and line clear gravity type. List of options in debrief is written with smaller font. Config screen does a better job of ignoring simultaneous presses on USB joystick adapters that map the Control Pad to both axes and buttons (such as EMS USB2). Main menu and options always respond to the arrow keys (in addition to the keys set in Game Keys), allowing players to reset Game Keys even when the keys have become corrupted. who plays tetris on the pc/mac? and who is interested in playing tetris on the pc?

Good question.

[cdsboy]

version .12 upload and running on os x.

[M.Bison]

i was wondering, who plays lockjaw? who plays tetris on the pc/mac? and who is interested in playing tetris on the pc?


I play lockjaw.

I also play many versions of Tetris on PC more so than other systems. Cultris is the only online version I play at the momment, but my internet and CPU is currently down.


http://cultris.ath.cx/external/cultris/index.asp


- Jono


AKA: M.Bison

[Caithness]

Option to use classic (Game Boy style) or step-reset (TGM style) lockdown instead of move-reset (SRS style) lockdown.


Great, now it it almost makes sense to play the TGM mode.


The new pieces look rather Quinn-ish.


I like how you can move the playfield, making it easier to use a custom background.


There seems to be problems with the music in the OSX version.

[cdsboy]

oh lol i forgot to take my new pieces out when i uploaded it! gonna fix that lol... and they are sposed to like quinnish btw that was the point of the skin

[cdsboy]

after watching jp01309 44 second 40 line run again today. i desided i really liked the way his lockjaw looked. so i made my own.

http://www.arrogantintellect.com/images/ljback.jpg
download it <a href="http://www.arrogantintellect.com/background.zip">here</a>

[tepples]

cdsboy:

If you can upload the Quinn style pieces in either .png or .bmp.zip format, I'll include them in lj-contrib for v0.13. And is it OK for me to include your jp01309 style assets in lj-contrib?

[M.Bison]

Thanks guys glad you like that style, I find it easyer on my eyes. Oh and please call me Jono I hate that user name its just my initials followed by a numerical keyboard mash http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

Anyone up for a game of cultris?


- Jono


P.S

Made 40 lines in 42 seconds. (no vid yet)

[cdsboy]

sure thing jono, tepples in the future fell no need to ask to include the stuff you may always do so. and i will upload the quinn style as soon as my brother gets off my laptop. oh and jono i'll play but you'll kick my butt unless you can tell me how to get my gamepad to work with that game

[cdsboy]

i just had an idea. i think it would be cool since there are now a few differnt block styles and a few differnt backgrounds, to impliment a option in the options menu that looked in the folder "blocks" and read the names of the bmp's in it then let you choose which one and the same for the background. i don't think it would be hard to impliment and it shouldn't be a problem to port to os x. or you could make a folder called skins and have it look for other folders and in the folder you can have a .txt file saying the name and the names of the pictures, then you can make an option in the options menu that lets you choose the differnt skins.

[M.Bison]

oh and jono i'll play but you'll kick my butt unless you can tell me how to get my gamepad to work with that game


Sweet, you will play http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif
Whats wrong with you game pad with the game? Do you mean the keyboard layout? If so i use the same as the defult in lock-jaw.


- Jono

[cdsboy]

no i mean i couldn't figure out how to get my gamepad to work with the game. i like using my gamepad alot better then using the keyboard get in the blockstats chat and well hook up

[deepdorp]

cdsboy, i have a ps2 gamepad with a cheap ps2-to-usb converter from radioshack. since the converter itself does not enable custom keyboard mapping, i had to find a nifty little program that would do the trick.


here is the results of my searching and it has worked well for cultris and whatever else i have needed to do custom mapping in:

http://www.electracode.com/4/joy2key/JoyToKey%20English%20Version.htm




i just set up a standard keyboard config in cultris, then translated it with the program available at that site. hope it helps....

[cdsboy]

you know, i am a total moron. i used joytokey today... i am also using a ps2 controler, exept i made my converter and it is to parrellel port not usb, and i bought the parts to make it at radioshack lol... well thx for jogging my memory

[cdsboy]

the quinn style blocks for you : )

<img src="http://www.arrogantintellect.com/images/quinnblocks.bmp"></img>

[tepples]

cdsboy: On most other phpBB boards I visit, if one just posted fifteen minutes ago, it's wise to consider using the http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/templates/Saphic/images/lang_english/icon_edit.gif button. You're just making more work for yourself:


LOCKJAW version 0.13 is out (http://www.pineight.com/lj/default.htm)


0.13 (2006-08-15): Hard drop lock option "Zangi" renamed to "Slide". Added soft drop lock option. Ignores diagonal presses differently: instead of pretending the keys are up, it pretends that they haven't changed from the last frame. UP, UP+RIGHT, UP no longer makes a double hard drop. Esc pauses the game and music instead of immediately quitting. Added contributions from cdsboy to lj-contrib.

[caffeine]

things are really shaping up with lj. the new lj: about page looks great, too. very helpful and thorough.

[M.Bison]

i am also using a ps2 controller, exept i made my converter and it is to parrellel port not usb, and i bought the parts to make it at radioshack lol


Ah I see what you ment now. I tried using a PS2 controller on Lock-Jaw. I can't maintain anything over 110 BPM using a controller last time I checked.


As for blockstats chat: Well my home internet is down at the momment and I lost most of my Tetris data, so when I am back on Cultris I think I will be starting a new account.


I look forward to vs you on cultris, I go by:


*Jono*

*M.Bison*

*Shao Kahn*


So look out for me (I should be back on in about 3-4 days http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif )

[cdsboy]

you declare pause 2 times. first in ljpc.c on line 435, then in unistd.h on line 437. so my tools will not let me compile.

EDIT: version .13 is uploaded.

[cdsboy]

i also think lockjaw needs a 20G mode.

[cdsboy]

this is how TGM is scored:

Here is a more technical description of the scoring formula :
Score = ((Level + Lines)/4 + Drop) x Lines x Combo x Bravo

Where (Level + Lines)/4 is rounded up and :
Level is the current level you are on.
Lines is the number of lines you just cleared.
Drop is the number of spaces you dropped the piece. The last space your piece falls does not contribute to this, however locking the piece once it has landed will add 1 to the Drop.
Bravo is equal to 4 if this piece has cleared the screen, and otherwise is 1.
Combo returns to 1 by default every time a piece does not clear lines. Otherwise, it is :
Combo = Combo - 1 + (2 x Lines - 1)

[tepples]

i also think lockjaw needs a 20G mode.
I'll put in TGM2 death mode once I get some of gimmicks.c refactored.

this is how TGM is scored:

Wow. Did you deduce this yourself or find it on the web?


"Drop" refers to the soft drop, not to the natural gravity, right?


Dropping a piece that doesn't clear a line is worth 0, right?


That "Combo = Combo - 1 + (2 x Lines - 1)" simplifies to "Combo = Combo - 2 + (2 x Lines)", right?

[cdsboy]

i found it on the web. i gave up my own studies way before that. and i think drop refers to softdrop not hard because it is on TGM and there is no hard drop in TGM

[tepples]

i found it on the web

URL please? It's better if Tetriswiki has reliable sources (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_3AReliable_sources).


Oh, and there will be a new gimmick in 0.14. Just when you thought Low Rider couldn't get any harder...

[caffeine]

not to say tetriswiki doesn't allow original research (as it encourages it), but yeah, surprised ct or jago haven't commented on it. seems like they'd know.

[cdsboy]

i got the information from:

http://www.mameworld.net/maws/romset/tgmj


but the site seems to be down right now

[colour_thief]

not to say tetriswiki doesn't allow original research (as it encourages it), but yeah, surprised ct or jago haven't commented on it. seems like they'd know.


You fools.


source = me

I wrote that whole history.dat entry.


Oh and that formula only applies to the first game.

[cdsboy]

lol... well looks like ask CT instead of google when we have a question about TGM... and so do you have a formula for TGM2?

[colour_thief]

TGM2 is so complicated that I don't think I could explain it in any small amount of space. Plus there's some tables it uses that aren't exactly mapped out yet. But it is generally understood. There's a bunch of stuff that results in giving you more points for placing pieces quickly.


Given the literal unimportance of score in Master Mode though, I don't really think it's worth explaining. Time attack > score attack if you know what I mean.

[Taratang]

Maybe I'm being thick, but can someone give a couple of worked examples for singles and tetris scores in TGM?


For example, locking a tetris at level 600 with no combo gives ((600 + 4)/4+1)*4

= ((604/4)+1)*4

= 152*4 = 608pts


This seems low - am I misinterpreting the formula?

[colour_thief]

You've got the right idea. You just forgot the combo, which gives 608*7 for 4256.

[tepples]

More explanation of the formula would be appreciated on the wiki.


LOCKJAW 0.14 is out (http://www.pineight.com/lj/default.htm)


0.14 (2006-08-18): pause() is now pauseGame() to fix namespace collision on platforms with unistd.h (Linux, BSD, Mac). Gimmick settings for initial gravity, ARE, and ceiling height are initialized from a lookup table. History 6 Rolls randomizer uses correct initial history (ZSZS) and correct selection for the first piece (I, J, L, or T). Blocks are drawn connected within each tetromino if ljconn.bmp is present. Corrected connection table for O tetromino. Rhythm's BPM counter increases after every 64 beats, not every 64 tetrominoes. Added Low Vs. gimmick:
Like Vs. CPU with a low ceiling.

[Taratang]

You've got the right idea. You just forgot the combo, which gives 608*7 for 4256.Ah, that explains it, thanks. From the description I thought the combo only kicked in after successive line clears. Duh.

[cdsboy]

version .14 for mac is out and uploaded.

[deepdorp]

ooohhh, tepples, this game rules. play is very nice, and the customizations are the icing on the cake. I just got the 'baboo' title. without sounding ungrateful, could i offer a few extra options that i would love to see:


1. allow for an alternate hold button.(i use a controller, and like to have both shoulder buttons operate the hold)

2. is the #of next pieces variable? like 0,1,3,5 relating to different versions.

3. can starting level speed be adjustable, akin to nes tetris?


perhaps some of these are already implemented and i am just overlooking?

thanks for the awesome work,

deepdorp

[cdsboy]

maybe you could make it possible to map two keys to one item, like they have in MAME and some other games.

[caffeine]

Three things, from least desired to most.


3. Previews over shadow. An interesting idea developed by a quadra modder (http://www.roncli.com/pages.asp?PageID=9). You may want to see it in action (http://www.bofunk.com/video/3701/quick_quadra.html).


2. Instant soft drop. In other words, the ability to hard/lock with one button and hard/slide as a soft drop.


1. Improved "instant" DAS. Right now, 60hz goes a bit faster than instant. Instant is instant, yes-- but with a slow initial delay. As you can see in the quadra vid, pros react insanely fast. I've seen some tnet2 players set their initial delay to less than 40ms (though most range from 80 to 120).


Course, none of these go above a demo funtion, and as always, keep up the good work tepples. so far, lj's the most complete tetromino game i've played.

[cdsboy]

#3 i think is a cool idea. would be fun to see how it turns out. as for #2, i modified the source to have softdrop auto drop and i liked it. and #1 if you want something like that you could modify the sources and compile a version of your own to have these modifications, if your interested it doesn't take much know-how. first you go to tepples site and download the tools listed there, the pm me and i will tell you exactly what to change.

[caffeine]

great. thanks cds. i do plan to eventually go through it all and make my own little modifications-- a caffeine skin, if you will. though, i think i want to wait a few versions before i do that. good to know there's now two people who can help with the code stuff.

[cdsboy]

so i have to know, is there anyone else that thinks skin support in the accual lockjaw program is a good idea?

[caffeine]

i like that idea.

[deepdorp]

i second the notion.


skin support is always cool in almost anything

[tepples]

If I concentrate on skin support, it may take me three releases to iron out all the bugs in things on which skin support might depend. Luckily for all of you, LOCKJAW 0.15 will be the first of those three releases.


ljblocksSRS=ljblocks.bmp
ljblocksSega=ljblocks-sega.bmp
ljconnSRS=ljconn.bmp
ljconnSega=ljconn-sega.bmp
ljbg=ljbg.jpg
bgm=bgm.s3m

[cdsboy]

oh nice, sounds good.

[cosmonaut]

one more post

[tepples]

LOCKJAW 0.15 is out (http://www.pineight.com/lj/default.htm)


0.15 (2006-08-27): Options for DAS delay, number of next pieces, and window vs. full screen. Options scrolling doesn't cause the dialog's title and instructions to flicker. Small font's 5 glyph is the same width as other digits. Fixed O shape table. Macros (vkey->action mappings past the first 8) are in a lookup table in the new file macro.c. This paves the way for a future macro editor. Added macros Alt. Firm Drop and Alt. Hold. Game Keys displays names for all keys, not just printable keys. In Sega rotation mode, reads block images from ljblocks-sega.bmp and ljconn-sega.bmp if available. If ljbg.jpg is not available, uses a plain white backdrop. Reads file names for block images, background image, and music from lj.ini, which the player can edit with a text editor. New "6-piece Bag" randomizer is one stick short of a bundle. Added an arrangement of the minuet from JS Bach's French Suite in B minor (BWV 814) to lj-contrib. If you use instant DAS, please re-download.

allow for an alternate hold button.(i use a controller, and like to have both shoulder buttons operate the hold)
I was brought up on The New Tetris, which allows only the L button for hold. But try joy2key, or see below.

is the #of next pieces variable? like 0,1,3,5 relating to different versions.
It is in 0.15.

can starting level speed be adjustable, akin to nes tetris?
Is Rhythm too easy for you?

Previews over shadow. An interesting idea developed by a quadra modder.
Interesting.

You may want to see it in action.
292 tpm? Wow. That'd be like playing Rhythm with "Paranoia Survivor MAX". If only I could see a whole single-player game at this rate; it would push one of "death 800", "shirase", and "dtet vs. prince" off my cousin's top viewed list. But how does anyone even defend against 10 garbage lines at once? Or is Quadra more of a race toward first attack?

Improved "instant" DAS. Right now, 60hz goes a bit faster than instant. Instant is instant, yes-- but with a slow initial delay.
Have you tried binding the far left and far right keys?

As you can see in the quadra vid, pros react insanely fast. I've seen some tnet2 players set their initial delay to less than 40ms (though most range from 80 to 120).
DAS delay in 0.14 was hardcoded at 10 frames (166 ms) in ljpc.c (search for leftRightAuto), close to TDS (which is 183 ms delay, 12 Hz rate), and did not depend on DAS rate. But in 0.15 it is an option. I'll eventually have to make it controllable by the gimmick in order to implement TGM2 death mode.

That said, some of these requests could be filled by a macro editor. Each macro in 0.15 is defined as a struct with the following fields:
rotation in 90 degree units (+ for clockwise, - for anticlockwise) sideways movement in blocks (+ for right, - for left) downward movement in blocks extra actions Some example macros:
Alternate rotate left: (-1, 0, 0, 0) Rotate left twice: (-2, 0, 0, 0) Far left: (0, -9, 0, 0) Far right: (0, 9, 0, 0) Sonic drop: (0, 0, 20, 0) Sonic lock: (0, 0, 20, LOCK) Alternate hold: (0, 0, 0, HOLD) And how should I specify which macros are "initial", that is, which ones retrigger when a piece enters the playfield? I guess I'll need a fifth field that specifies when.

Another thing: The option screen is already starting to fill up even in the smaller font. Before you suggest a lot of options, please read about interface elegance (http://boren.nu/archives/2004/08/21/interface-elegance/default.htm). Should it scroll, or should it be broken into pages?

one more post

You sure know how to game the system, don't you? http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

[caffeine]

awesome. lockjaw is definitely the fastest tetromino game available. as for the elegance thing. i don't necessarily believe excessive options can hinder design. look at counter-strike. the interface provides for a few options, but config files are huge among the more advanced players. maybe there should be a cfg file for all the advanced stuff.


also, quadra bpm isn't real-time (it compensates for line clears); though, i clocked that last scene's "in-between line clears" tpm at 260! pretty crazy.

[Alpha Omicron]

Lockjaw rocks. I can delete all my emulated console games!


PS: If anyone wants altered ljblocks and ljconn files made to show GB Color blocks, gimme a shout at thefringthing @ gmail.com. I'll prolly make a bunch more.

[cdsboy]

i ported it, i'm just feeling lazy and not wanting to build the package... anyways it should be uploaded by the end of the day. and what happened to the fabled skin support you were talking about on irc?

[cdsboy]

lockjaw .15 mac version is uploaded

[Alpha Omicron]

Question: The background music is the .s3m file, yes? Will it accept only s3m files, or can a plunk a more conventional filetype (mp3/wma) into the folder?

[cdsboy]

only s3m... but you can just delete the s3m and play your own musac

[Alpha Omicron]

I do, but whenever the song changes in WMP Lockjaw lags, sometimes causing misdrops.

[tepples]

Lockjaw rocks. I can delete all my emulated console games!
Unless you need multiplayer.

and what happened to the fabled skin support you were talking about on irc?
If I concentrate on skin support, it may take me three releases to iron out all the bugs in things on which skin support might depend. Luckily for all of you, LOCKJAW 0.15 will be the first of those three releases.
For now look in lj.ini.

whenever the song changes in WMP Lockjaw lags, sometimes causing misdrops.

This failure to multitask worth a damn is Windows's fault. Have you tried using the simplest available WMP skin? Or you could pause (press Esc on the keyboard) when the song is about to change.


But why do you need other formats anyway?


Want to write songs

You can create .s3m files using Scream Tracker 3 or Modplug Tracker.


Want to use songs from modarchive.com in other tracked formats

Fair enough, as dumb.sf.net already supports .mod, .xm, and .it in addition. LJ 0.16 allows those formats.


Want to use recordings in MPEG audio layer 3, MPEG Advanced Audio Codec, or Windows Media Audio format

The .mp3, .m4a, and .wma formats are patented. In fact, I can develop this game only because Tetris itself is not patented.


Want to use recordings in .ogg format

I could use alogg (http://lyrian.obnix.com/alogg/default.htm), but it seems to come with a few issues: How would the user specify loop start and end times? Tracked formats include loop info, but I don't know of any .ogg files that do. I don't want to distribute .ogg files (which use roughly 1,000 kilobytes per minute) with lj-contrib. alogg would make lj.exe bigger as well. I want to discourage skinners (http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=193) from flagrantly violating copyright by ripping major label music from CDs and including .ogg files with their skins.

[Alpha Omicron]

Hey, you know what would be awesome? a 0G mode for practcing Tspin set-ups and stuff. That's what.

[caffeine]

i like 0g for time attack a lot, now that you mention it. http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif

[Caithness]

There's already 0G in the Baboo gimmick. You only get 300 key-presses, but that should be enough for practicing tspin setups.

[Alpha Omicron]

YEah, but what if a I want to practice all day? Hmm! What then!

[Rosti LFC]

I haven't played it, but is 1G not slow enough for you?

I would think that tepple should insert a mode when you can pick a level and play at that level endlessly.

If TDS had that option i would be happy, as I would quite like to practise t-spins and general play at 15G. (Mainly to combat the mushroom weapon on 4-player)

[Caithness]

As far as the more realistic Vs. gimmick goes, here's what I was thinking. Combine Vs. CPU and Vs. w/Items into one gimmick, and then let the user set the options for both garbage and items. These options could be on the main options screen, but I think it would probably be better better to have a separate Vs. options subsection.


For garbage, you can set how many lines you want to get each time and how often you get them. I don't know how hard or simple this would be to code, but I'm thinking the garbage should come at random intervals, and the user can set the mean time between attacks, and maybe even the standard deviation too.


As for items, the mushroom and the lightning definitely need to wear off eventually. I was thinking you should only get attacked with one item at a time, with varying time between attacks just like for the garbage described above.

[tepples]

LOCKJAW 0.16 is out (http://www.pineight.com/lj/default.htm)


0.16 (future): Fixed instant sideways speed (0.15 regression). In countdown modes, debrief screen displays whether clear was successful. 6-piece Bag no longer makes Vs. ridiculously easy. Counts score and garbage separately for future shift to gimmick-controlled scoring. Displays score instead of garbage on the play screen. Counts singles, doubles, triples, and homers, and displays them in debrief. Option to hide falling piece in addition to shadow. Can load mod, xm, or it music in addition to s3m. Moved skin description from lj.ini to skin.ini, and the name of this skin description file name can be changed with the Skin= command in lj.ini. Closes lj.ini when reading it. All vkey->action game key handling code moved to macro.c for future refactoring. Build process uses automatic generation of C files' dependencies for future refactoring of header files. Added two versions of NES-style blocks to lj-contrib: one by tepples and one by deepdorp.
Responding to the fans:


YEah, but what if a I want to practice all day? Hmm! What then!
Then you hack src/gimmicks.c and recompile.

I would quite like to practise t-spins and general play at 15G. (Mainly to combat the mushroom weapon on 4-player)
Rhythm gives a constant 20G.

As for items, the mushroom and the lightning definitely need to wear off eventually.

Has anybody looked into the true behavior of items in TDS, as in what's needed for them to wear off?

[caffeine]

have you considered making a cascade (aka quadra) mode in addition to sticky? scoring would take some thinking, though. btw, i really like how the scoring txt file is so thorough. might take some time to sort into excel though.


edit: also, there's something strange about rhythm. it's like i'm fine, and then all of a sudden it goes fast and i top out all at once. it's always at the same point. maybe there should be some sort of curve to the rhythm. as you get higher, the less it increases? another thing. it takes a while to get to that point. so it's like i have to go through minutes of no challenge before getting to the hard part. so maybe the curve should go fast then slow?

[cdsboy]

you either:

A) Forgot to update the source

B) Forgot to change the version in the program

C) Forgot to upload the chan ged version

[Phydeaux]

cdsboy, what do I need to do to get the Mac OS X version to launch?

[tepples]

have you considered making a cascade (aka quadra) mode in addition to sticky?
Cascade gravity
So yes, it's planned. I'm also adding sticky by color (as seen in The Next Tetris and TW Sticky) which is a compromise between sticky (as seen in Bombliss, Super Scope 6 Blastris A, and TOD) and cascade (as seen in Quadra, TW cascade, and TDS touch).

btw, i really like how the scoring txt file is so thorough.
Thanks. It's the same text on the debrief screen.

also, there's something strange about rhythm. it's like i'm fine, and then all of a sudden it goes fast and i top out all at once.
I think it's because you've been storing up time by hard-dropping pieces, and the stored-up time has expired. Perhaps stored-up time should convert to points after you build up enough; would that be a good idea?

you either:
A) Forgot to update the source
B) Forgot to change the version in the program
C) Forgot to upload the chan ged version

B) is correct. Just change the version number in getGimmick(), as I've already done. Thanks for pointing it out.

[Caithness]

cdsboy, what do I need to do to get the Mac OS X version to launch?


Try dragging Allegro.framework into the Frameworks Alias.

[cdsboy]

the new version of lockjaw for os x has been uploaded. sry about the long wait i've been busy

[caffeine]

small request. next-coming tetrominoes don't deminish in size. it formats the skin, which can result in nasty looking blocks.

[tepples]

small request. next-coming tetrominoes don't deminish in size.

Precedent: TGM3's piece preview draws subsequent tetrominoes smaller than the first. So does Tetris Plus for Game Boy. But it'll be in the next version as an option, along with a TGM3 style top position.


LOCKJAW is 54% platform dependent, and that's not good enough for me.

I've been doing a lot of refactoring, in order to isolate what depends on the Allegro library into a few C source files. Rationale is that any code that does not depend on the Allegro library can be reused as-is on other platforms that do not have the Allegro library, and only the rest needs to be rewritten for the other platform's library. The .c files of LOCKJAW make up 116 KiB; as of the time of posting, 63 KiB of that is files that call functions in the Allegro library. I want to reduce that amount by the next version.

[caffeine]

precedent ay? yeah, i suppose so. speaking of, how attached to "home run" are you? if we include quadra in precedent, it could go by the equally generic "quad" term. btw, your sig's lj plug links to lu. just a heads up.

[tepples]

how attached to "home run" are you?
"Home run" works in naive gravity because it's the most lines (4) made at once, just like a home run in baseball is the most bases (4) taken at once by the batsman. I'm not overly attached to anything.

if we include quadra in precedent, it could go by the equally generic "quad" term.
"Quad" might be better in gravity settings that allow >4 lines with one tetromino.

btw, your sig's lj plug links to lu. just a heads up.

Fixed; thanks.

[Needle]

Problem: Previews diminishing in size makes pieces look nasty.

Possible Solution 1: Don't make previews diminish in size.

Possible Solution 2: Don't make pieces look nasty when diminished in size.

[cdsboy]

i would get rid of the blocks getting smaller. I would also switch to quad, because it just sounds more tetris-y then homerun. also since heboris works on OS X do people still want me to port LJ to OS X?

[Caithness]

I'm still curious to see tepples' progress on LJ. You don't have to go to the trouble just for me, though.

[cdsboy]

well i think i will, because the truth is, the way tepples programs all i have to do is changed the paths to the files.

[tepples]

LOCKJAW 0.17 is out (http://www.pineight.com/lj/default.htm)


0.17 (2006-09-13): Option for sticky gravity per color, as seen in The Next Tetris. "Ready, Go" is centered, even in low ceiling gimmicks. Added TGM3's upward kick to Sega T rotations. Added Tengen rotation system. Removed TGM gimmick in favor of entry delay option. Initial hold works at any time. The key can be pressed and released during entry delay or even during line clear delay. Initial actions do not inflate keypress count (helpful in Baboo! with entry delay). Draws hold piece in garbage colors when it is not available. Options scroll. Option to draw next pieces to right in constant size or above. Better looking scroll bar in options. Debrief: In naive gravity, reports T-spin singles, doubles, and triples separately from non-T-spins. In other line clear gravity modes, "home run" is now called "quad". Fixed a buffer overflow bug in sticky: fillCLoop() no longer treats the right side of one row and the left side of the row above it as one region. Clarified manual as to the purpose of the Vs. gimmicks. Separated platform specific stuff into a separate struct. Refactored scoring into a separate function for future movement to gimmick and option control. Debrief formats the report into a string and then writes it to a file and the screen all at once. Refactored play() to move everything in the game loop that is not platform specific out of ljpc.c into new file ljplay.c. Wall kick table is no longer flipped, making it easier to add new rotation systems. Unified counterclockwise and clockwise rotation code.
I would also switch to quad, because it just sounds more tetris-y then homerun.
Caution: philosophizing follows. I've realized that since the mid-1990s, Tetris is no longer a Russian franchise. Even before the recent founding of Tetris Holding, Elorg had moved to Delaware in the United States. This makes Tetris an American franchise, just like Major League Baseball. But which national pastime do more Americans play, tetrominoes or baseball?

well i think i will

Thanks for continuing to support the game. The more refactoring I can do, the more likely it is that you'll see it on a third platform.

[caffeine]

thanks for the size option. the top one looks good as well. very nice. as for the ts counts-- you've read my mind before i could suggest it.

[cdsboy]

by the time you read this the mac version of .17 should be uploaded.

[caffeine]

what would be good is skinnability for seven different shadows.

[Needle]

Or semitransparency in ghosts to do away with redundant images.

[tepples]

I screwed up something related to the hold piece http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif

LJ 0.17a is uploaded.

[caffeine]

Or semitransparency in ghosts to do away with redundant images.


i don't see it as the best solution. thoroughness before redundancy. the main thing is that the semitransparency would be less accurate than an exact drawing. i mean, some people might want to take the extra time to draw the details. for example, i want my shadow to brighten instead of darken. i find it more functional.

[Needle]

Whatever you say.

[caffeine]

yeah, needle pretty much hates me by now. http://www.tetrisconcept.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif

edit: wa, tepples-- what happened to hide piece/shadow?!

[Needle]

Well, not really- I've just decided I'm not in a position to talk about Lockjaw when I'm no longer playing it much. You play it more, you probably have the right to have your opinion heard than me.

[tepples]

I hate it when I catch a bug after I've released a new version, and half-finished features end up in the quick point release. This could be fixed by using a trunk/branch structure like Firefox, but I don't have enough manpower for that yet. Updated to restore shadow options.

[caffeine]

thank you.

[Ezzelin]

Added TGM3's upward kick to Sega T rotations.

Is there a way this could possibly be an option? Say, a rotation set just like TGM2 and one just like TGM3?

[tepples]

Added TGM3's upward kick to Sega T rotations.
Is there a way this could possibly be an option? Say, a rotation set just like TGM2 and one just like TGM3?

Of course, and the two systems can reuse the same tables for J, L, S, and Z. But I bet someone's going to want NES and Game Boy style rotation too.


And about colored shadow: I'm putting both methods in. In addition to the colorless shadow of previous versions, LJ 0.18 will allow for a separate row of blocks in ljblocks.bmp, to be drawn as a colored shadow at 100%, 50% ("faint"), or 25% ("fainter") opacity. For those who don't like redundancy, if your ljblocks doesn't have the separate rows, it'll use the same rows as falling piece, and you'll want to use this with the faint shadow settings.

[caffeine]

teps, it seems for 17a the shadow settings will reset after each startup. also, what's the difference between classic, step reset, and move reset? i can still rotate indefinitely with classic.

[tepples]

LOCKJAW 0.18 is out (http://www.pineight.com/lj/default.htm)


0.18 (2006-09-16): Fixed Classic lock reset (unknown regression). Fixed misbehavior when hold is pressed after a piece lands but before it locks (0.17 regression). Shadow is drawn using the piece's color, at 25% opacity, from rows 4 and 5 of ljblocks. Fixed shadow option saving (0.17a regression). Added option to hide shadow color or change shadow opacity. Split Sega rotation system into one with and one without TGM3's upward kicks. Added NES and Game Boy rotation systems. Illustration of game play has an image map: hover over a region BPM is now called speed level in preparation for other speed curves (including TGM and TA Death).
My new personal best on 40 lines:

http://pinocchio.jk0.org/lj/lj018%20I%20BROKE%20A%20MINUTE.png

it seems for 17a the shadow settings will reset after each startup.
Fixed in 0.18. Thank you for pointing that out.

also, what's the difference between classic, step reset, and move reset? i can still rotate indefinitely with classic.

Move reset is SRS style behavior: lock delay resets when the tetromino moves in any way. Step reset is the behavior of Sega Tetris, Bombliss, Tetris DX, The New Tetris, and TGM: lock delay resets when the tetromino moves down by a row. If your chosen rotation system includes any upward kicks (like SRS and TGM3), step reset will still reset after rotation in some cases for the same reason that holding Down and spinning a piece in TDS generates points. Classic in 0.17 acts the same as Step reset due to a regression, but the intent (and the behavior in 0.18) is locking as soon as it lands.


[EDIT for correctness]

[caffeine]

ah, i see. nice job on the new record!


i really like rhythm+classic. it's so hard.


one more edit. i've known about this for a while, but i'm not too worried about it, so you may want to put it on the todo list or just not worry about it at all. anyway, 20g+instant doesn't really work out since instant doesn't take account of what may obstruct the tetrominoe's path. it's a move before gravity issue i suspect, and then entry delay would just skew things up even more. i use instant, but i have absolutely no problem just switching to 60hz when i need to play in a 20g environment. so while i'm pointing it out, it's not really a concern for me.

[PetitPrince]

Perhaps a new gimmick ?

{after playing with Rosti, NOAH and another one I don't remember his/her/its name}
<PetitPrince> I think a found a new gimmick idea for lockjaw
<PetitPrince> "vs cpu elite", you get 7 garbages after random(1,7) seconds, then random(3,5) garbage every random (5,20) seconds

[Cyprien]

How would one go about changing the theme in the Mac version?

[tepples]

You edit lj.ini and point it to a skin file as described in README (http://www.pineight.com/lj/README). As for where lj.ini is in the Mac version, I don't know. I haven't used a Mac since Mac OS 8. I'll let cdsboy answer that.

[Sully]

I played a little today but I had to leave for work shortly after I started messing with the backgrounds, etc. Is there an already existing file that makes blocks placed in the well turn grey, or is that something I'd need to tinker with to make for myself?

[cdsboy]

to change the skin:

1. find the executable

2. right click it and say show package contents

3. click contents, resources, then change the images in there.

[caffeine]

"Is there an already existing file that makes blocks placed in the well turn grey." make all the top row of blocks in ljblocks.bmp grey.

[Cyprien]

Thanks cds, I'll try it home when I get home!

[tepples]

The Rhythm gimmick will disappear in the next version, but you can apply the Rhythm speed curve (or any of the other included curves) to any other gimmick. And I'm planning a change to Rhythm that may solve the sharp difficulty increase that caffeine complains of.