Fix-It Felix, Jr. Replica (Finished)

[Sjaak]

What are you guys using to create the game?

I'm using visual C# express and the xna framework for coding the game. Photoshop for the graphics. I don't know what benjamoose is using for the sound effect and music...probably some incredibly cool 8 bit sound synth

[BUCKETHEAD]

I'm using visual C# express and the xna framework for coding the game. Photoshop for the graphics. I don't know what benjamoose is using for the sound effect and music...probably some incredibly cool 8 bit sound synth

Sjaak, Did you get my PM on coding? This is probably the answer you would have given me though?

[Benjamoose]

I don't want to get too far ahead.
Because i am sure you are far from it.
But what do you guys have in your bag of tricks for the (STUMP/BULLDOZER) intro. lol.

I'm looking into that now as it happens.

I have a clear enough source to replicate the tree stump and Ralph's custom sleep poses. I'm not entirely sure about the crane and bulldozer yet though.

And like Sjaak said, it's Photoshop for the graphics, but if you were making an 8bit game, you can use pretty much anything. Even Microsoft Paint would work if you didn't need transparency.

Edit: Those videos are EXREMELY useful Sjaak, thanks!

[Benjamoose]

Wow I told you I was tired last time I posted. I put "ALL RIGHTS SESERVED" in the title screen template!

Here's the current dropbox template for the titles:



In the movie it says CO. whereas the reproduced arcade cabinet says COMPANY, for if you're curious as to why mine says CO.

Things have been moved a bit, the word spacing was changed slightly, and I've added the copyright symbol.

I was so stupid by the way. It dawned on my that some of the actual intro/gameplay footage is in the teaser trailers for the movie in HD. So I'm currently using that for some things now too.

[Le Chuck]

Just curious - are Benjamoose and Sjaak working together on one project or are you two working on similar projects concurently and sharing notes and elements?  It's Sjaak's thread but it is a bit confusing on who I should be following for updates.  Would two threads help clean this up a bit perhaps?

[BUCKETHEAD]

Just curious - are Benjamoose and Sjaak working together on one project or are you two working on similar projects concurently and sharing notes and elements?  It's Sjaak's thread but it is a bit confusing on who I should be following for updates.  Would two threads help clean this up a bit perhaps?

Sjaak started the project. 
And Benjamoose joined here to follow it.
But i believe they have now formed a partnership, But that is just my thinking.
They should really answer that.
Very Glad to have them both!

[Sjaak]

Just curious - are Benjamoose and Sjaak working together on one project or are you two working on similar projects concurently and sharing notes and elements?  It's Sjaak's thread but it is a bit confusing on who I should be following for updates.  Would two threads help clean this up a bit perhaps?

This is still one project. Benjamoose has volunteered to help out by recreating the music and sound effects and he is also helping out with the graphics. The screens he is posting are photoshopped recreations of the game screen. My screenshots are actual screenshots of the game.

So to summarize, still one project and we're sharing game assets (graphics and sound).

[BadMouth]

Just curious - are Benjamoose and Sjaak working together on one project or are you two working on similar projects concurently and sharing notes and elements?  It's Sjaak's thread but it is a bit confusing on who I should be following for updates.  Would two threads help clean this up a bit perhaps?

It's like Voltron.  Their parts will come together to kick ass.

[Benjamoose]

Just curious - are Benjamoose and Sjaak working together on one project or are you two working on similar projects concurently and sharing notes and elements?  It's Sjaak's thread but it is a bit confusing on who I should be following for updates.  Would two threads help clean this up a bit perhaps?

Yep, this is still one project.

Pretty much everything Sjaak said. I'm working on getting graphics and sounds accurate while supporting the development of the game through details (I have a text file full of notes and gameplay details).
So if you see me post anything image wise, it's likely from my photoshop template unless stated otherwise.

You know what they say, two heads are better than one!

[BUCKETHEAD]

It's like Voltron.  Their parts will come together to kick ass.

Something we can both agree on!

[Well Fed Games]

This is great. Sjaak (and Benjamoose), you are an inspiration. I have been sitting at this desk for months with piles of game design books and Game Maker Studio on my PC and getting nothing done, and here you are cranking out replicas of some awesome games.  Sure is a kick in the pants for me. Love it!

[Benjamoose]

I just spent some time fixing my flashing hat graphics (the colors were wrong in the gold band and the shading was using the light blue from his standard hat), and then had to create a new set of flashing hammer graphics as they didn't exist.

[Automark]

That just look great 

[HaRuMaN]

subscribe

[marioxb]

Any one ever thing of adding in the Q*bert characters for the bonus levels? This can be something that can be toggled in the options/ dips I suppose.

[Santoro]

Like. 


Subscribe.

[BUCKETHEAD]

I just spent some time fixing my flashing hat graphics (the colors were wrong in the gold band and the shading was using the light blue from his standard hat), and then had to create a new set of flashing hammer graphics as they didn't exist.

For a bit of fun I made a test gif to see how they would look in motion:

Awesome!!!!   

[Benjamoose]

I've thought of an interesting idea.

In the movie, we never once see how 2 player works or acts, and the arcade attempt just does single player twice, exactly the same.

Given that the movie never shows it, I thought it might be interesting to create a recolored Felix for player 2. Kind of how Luigi was just a recolored Mario.

With Mario to Felix, red became blue.
So I'm thinking, for player 2, green would become yellow.

Here's an example of my player 2:


After doing some thinking; keeping the syllable count the same for the phrase, and the letter count the same for the name, I managed to come up with "Patch-It Percy".

I also changed his eyes to brown, to change his look further.

I wont be creating a player 2 of all of Felix's graphics yet, as I've not finished making them all for Felix alone. But I thought it would give this game an extra something, and create a lovable character attachment for the second player. It also references Mario more too, which is always good.

On that note, I also love the previously suggested idea of using Q-Bert characters in some later level. Perhaps an extra last one before the kill screen? It would be a good way to reference the final arcade cabinet scene in the movie.

[BUCKETHEAD]

Benjamoose, I love it!
Patch-It Percy!  perhaps? Patch-It-Pete ??
Great idea. I'm all for the Q*bert characters also.
I'm a big fan of Q*bert anyway.

I found this garble awhile back off the website.
Perhaps it can be used for the boot up and kill screen?

[CoryBee]

Repair-It-Randy

[PL1]

Repair-It-Randy

Extra syllable there, Cory.

How about Resto-Randy?

. . . no, wait . . .

Resto-Ricky -- he has no sleeves and is from Las Vegas.


Scott

[CoryBee]

Repair-It-Randy

Extra syllable there, Cory.

Scott

You're an extra syllable!

[Benjamoose]

Patch was one of the only single syllable words for fixing that I could figure that didn't sound terrible, heh.
As for Percy, it just seemed like out of all the five letter "P" names, it was the most cheesy and uncommon, rather like Felix.

As for the Kill Screen. I just did some checking. It seems the kill screen only uses the numbers 0, 1 and 2, in green, white, red and blue.

I checked between a high quality photograph and a YouTube video, and it seems the Kill Screen is randomly generated each time. While I could find areas that happened to match, other areas were completely different.

[juggle50]

Could have a mustache or something and be Fix it Felix Sr.

[Malenko]

I believe Fix It Felix is supposed to be a bit of alliteration and a bit of rhyming. I dont think syllable count matters.  Also. FIXIT is 5 letters, FELIX is 5 letters.The closest thing I can come up with that seems to go with Fix-It-Felix is Patch-It-Patrick. Rhymes, alliteration, and patchit has 7 letters and Patrick has 7 letters.

Also, I dont like the yellow, why cant our P2 be green too =)

[PL1]

Another possibility is Patch-It-Patty.

Patch-It-Paddy if you want to go Irish.


Scott

[BadMouth]

Meh, there weren't different characters for the popular alternating player arcade games of the time this is supposed to be from.
 

[Benjamoose]

Also, I dont like the yellow, why cant our P2 be green too =)

I think he'd look too "Luigi" if he was green. Plus I'm following the color change from Red to Blue, Green to Yellow. I quite like the yellow and brown, but I understand it's not going to please everyone.

I think the best thing to do would be to add a fake dipper option to either have the alternate colored character, or just use Felix again. That way everyone's happy.

Meh, there weren't different characters for the popular alternating player arcade games of the time this is supposed to be from.
 

Mario Bros came out in 1983. While it wasn't alternating, it's not something completely unheard of to have the character be different colors if they are supposed to be different people. Which my idea was. Especially considering Felix is himself a parody of Mario.

As I said before, if it was implemented, I'm sure Sjaak wouldn't mind adding an option to enable or disable the use of the color change.

At this point, it's not even a definite thing however, Sjaak and I don't have constant communication beyond the tools at this forum so it's not something I've mentioned or discussed, we just have a shared folder filled with graphics and sound, with guides, information, research sources etc. At this point I'm just sort of throwing an idea around for fun, it may not even be in his game at all.

That and I've got a bunch of work making the real graphics, let alone made up characters at this point.
So nothing to worry about yet .

[griffindodd]

I know there is already some artwork floating around out there for the cabs, Marquees etc etc but I noticed when looking at the disney recreations that they all had some very specific aging and weathering techniques applied to them.

I like to think that my Photoshop and design skills are pretty strong, I'd be willing to volunteer to create all the high-res art files for the actual cabinets and try to recapture all of the aging effects from the Disney cabs if it's something people would want.

Let me know.

[Sjaak]

At this point, it's not even a definite thing however, Sjaak and I don't have constant communication beyond the tools at this forum so it's not something I've mentioned or discussed, we just have a shared folder filled with graphics and sound, with guides, information, research sources etc. At this point I'm just sort of throwing an idea around for fun, it may not even be in his game at all.

My first priority is making a replica of the physical arcade game (not the movie arcade game). This video sort of shows what I'm going for. That includes the stump animation at the beginning and the kill screen at the end. One and two player mode, free play mode and credit mode.



After that, I'll add some features that were suggested by the contributors. These features can be enabled in a configuration screen.

One of the things I would like to do at this moment is that I would like to fill the initial hi score table with the initials (3 characters) of the people supporting this build. So if you want your initials in the hi score table, let me know.

[griffindodd]

I would love my initials in there for sure. JGD Woo hooooooo


Sent from my pocket ZX81

[BUCKETHEAD]

Add my initial's please.  SLK

[Benjamoose]

My first priority is making a replica of the physical arcade game (not the movie arcade game). This video sort of shows what I'm going for. That includes the stump animation at the beginning and the kill screen at the end. One and two player mode, free play mode and credit mode.

After that, I'll add some features that were suggested by the contributors. These features can be enabled in a configuration screen.

One of the things I would like to do at this moment is that I would like to fill the initial hi score table with the initials (3 characters) of the people supporting this build. So if you want your initials in the hi score table, let me know.

While I can see why you would initially want to set out to recreate the arcade-reproduction version (what with it being unobtainable) it seems odd to me that you'd rather target the physical machine rather than merge the best parts of both. When you have the creation control at your own fingertips.

For example, the arcade machine has tons of purposely modified incorrect graphics for no apparent reason beyond protecting the movie assets. Here's an example:



In the first image, they moved the shadow lines in the top of the window frame. Not only does this not make sense anymore, but it looks incredibly ugly.

In the bottom image, they remade the glowing hats using Felix's standard hat, but didn't bother to recolor the lighter shade, leaving a random blue streak in the hat. They also didn't use the different colors for his hat logo.

There's tons of things like these including missing frames of animations, more interesting gameplay etc.

When the physical cabinet was literally a thrown together attempt of making a functional version of the movie game, why not create something that combines the most accurate and detailed elements of both?

Whatever you decide, I wont stand in your way, but I suppose I thought this was a different project in my head. Otherwise I wouldn't have spent all this time freeze framing movie sources to create missing frames of animation or meticulously listening to the musical and sound pieces to recreate them, when the real cabinets have alternate sounds that are completely different, if I had known you had no intention of using them.

Anywho, my thoughts aside for the moment. I suppose technically speaking, recreating the cabinet version is less work in the grand scheme of things. Forgive my being-a-stickler-for-accuracy. I enjoy movie prop replicas, and am a member of The RPF (The Replica Prop Forum). I just find a great thrill in reproducing things and getting it all correct.

It's also nice to hear from you again .

[vanrose72]

I just find a great thrill in reproducing things and getting it all correct.

Good on you for being ambitious and attempting to create the definitive version of the game, even better than the original creators intended.

[BUCKETHEAD]

Benjamoose,

I don't think Sjaak has ruled out adding in any extra's.
I believe he just meant he wants to get a replica of the arcade game done.
Then he can add in any extra's after the fact.

Speaking for myself, Your contribution is very much appreciated! 

[yotsuya]

I know there is already some artwork floating around out there for the cabs, Marquees etc etc but I noticed when looking at the disney recreations that they all had some very specific aging and weathering techniques applied to them.

I like to think that my Photoshop and design skills are pretty strong, I'd be willing to volunteer to create all the high-res art files for the actual cabinets and try to recapture all of the aging effects from the Disney cabs if it's something people would want.

Let me know.

Griff-

All the artwork has been created in very high-res versions. Search for the thread on KLOV and ask for access to the Dropbox folder. You could even contribute your weathered versions when they're done.

[griffindodd]

Thanks man, I just sent a message to get those base files. I've also collected a lot of high res shots of the cabs in the wild to get some good resource material to base the weathering on.

[griffindodd]

OK I got hold of all of the artwork so I will throw this on my radar.

I just wanted to point out that I too appreciate anyone who takes the time for such painstaking detail. I think it would be a shame  for everyone involved to build something from scratch to be nothing more than a clone of the existing machines. It only takes one successful dump and hack of the code from the original machine to invalidate all your hard work.

But.... if what you build here were beyond the quality of what were essentially just marketing tools, then its value will always remain in tact as a unique piece if high quality work. perhaps it would be a possibility to switch between clone and 'deluxe' mode?

The same goes for the artwork. People could choose to build a cherry cab that's looks brand new or use the aged distressed art to make a cab closer to the 12 made by Disney

Sent from my pocket ZX81

[juggle50]

KPB please.

[yotsuya]

I'm donating Friday. Use either ASS or FUK as my initials......














...just kidding. PSC.