Looks like the "Approve me!" button doesn't work properly :P Thanks for offering your help (your original post) but I got the help of a really nice guy; and I see you're now busy with FreeRunner, keep up the good work.
When it comes to code commenting, be sure not to add any: useless comments //Makes zylo a certain distance away x+zpart=xylo obvious comments //makes z equal x plus y x+y=z or meaningless comments //Lazorize x to combine layzor with zise (Too lasy to make an example, but you get the idea) I'm going to try out the new demo in a second.
Preview Release 3 is up; check first post for more details. YOU NEED THE LAST DIRECTX 9.0c (JUNE 2010) TO PLAY - Download links: FileFactory / MediaFire / MegaUpload / SendSpace - What's new: * Sonic. * 2.5D system. * Camera system. Reports about bugs and suggestions to improve are welcome. Also, I would really like to know how do you feel about basic controls.
I'm currently downloading this bad boy. Hopefully it lives to my expectations. :3'' EDIT: Yeah, it's not working for me. It keeps on saying it's not responding after saying "Ambiguous package name: Using 'C:\UDK\SonicGDK\UDKGame\CookedPC\SGDK\SonicGDKTestMap.udk', not 'C:\UDK\SonicGDK\UDKGame\CookedPC\Sonic\SonicGDKTestMap.udk'". What's up with that?
Okay. Preparing for first run... I'm not sure leaving this out was intentional on your part, but it'd probably be wise to begin double-checking your installers. It probably has to do with the file's built-in DX9 installer. I'm gonna try re-installing. That may fix it. EDIT: Nope, it did not. Any reason as to why the prerequisites are leaving out the file? Considering how the game won't launch without it, I think something went wrong in your install builder. Also, is it really necessary to have that DX9 installer in it every time? Can't you make a side version for first-time users to get the game, then an update version for people who already have DX9 from the past version?
Also, I can't touch the installer file. Uninstall all SonicGDK versions you have first, then do a fresh install.
The SonicGDK (or UDK) installer doesn't come with the last DirectX version, that's why you need to download the last version from another place (like from HERE).
It's a lot better than before, but still needs quite a bit of work. The slopes just feel really odd to control on still, and the jumping and rolling need work too.
Now that I got down and dirty with this, I made a video. This should show all the new experiences in this version. See the video to it here. I will say, the engine is looking to be quite epic. Sonic's animations are quite awkward though, and jumping in 2.5D seems like its forcing your direction of choice too far, as you'll see me jump past monitor boxes that I meant to hit. But this engine is looking amazing, and it's controls are top-notch compared to PR2. It feels as though you changed the physics too. My rolling upon those half-pipes felt amazingly easier to do compared to PR2. Overall, this is a much-needed improvement. Good job. Hope all these changes get Ashura Dark Reign closer to a new UDK edition release.
Engine is much better, but like Jim said, jumping and rolling need work. To be more specific about it though, Sonic's jump doesn't go nearly as high as you'd expect. Also rolling tends to make Sonic uncurl and fling himself through the air when starting to roll too fast or on a steep slope; which is something that obviously needs to be fixed as it breaks the engine a good bit and breaks the flow of rolling really quickly down a hill. Besides these problems this is a truly solid and fun to play engine, and has great graphics to boot. The only non-technical issues I have with the game is that Sonic's movements look a little awkward, and that I still am not too big of a fan of the "vomit-cam" styled loops. Still think this is probably the most solid 3D Sonic engine out there so far.
I haven't played it yet, but I can offer at least one nit-pick. I'm not diggin' Sonic's look at all. He looks wonky; his hands are a tad big, his arms just a smidgeon too long, and his running frames are strange.
The controls don't feel natural. In addition to it being weird that the left stick turns Sonic, you're currently duplicating what the X axis does between both the sticks. I was playing on a 360 pad, by the way, I'd advise against making mouse controls the target input device for basically the same reason as I'd advise against designing it for an arcade stick. Either way, I always feel like I'm on the brink of nausea. Also, I think you should pull the camera back from Sonic a bit it's hard to judge depth the way it is and it seems strange to have the camera so close. Compare Sonic's size on screen in one of the classics to his size in your game, he was about an eight of a screen in height in those games but he looks to be almost as tall as a third of a screen. It also helps to judge depth if you put the camera at a bit of a downward angle. That giant checkered ball kind of reminds me of blue sphere.
