So the challenge was on; I decided it would be programmed in a language I’ve never used before, to add to the challenge: Monkey. It’s based upon Blitz Basic, but is multi-platform, compiling to html5, xbox, iPhone, android amongst others. It was quite a challenge getting used to the limitations for the language compared to the C++ I usually use; seeing its simplicity as a weakness at first. It was also slow progress at times, as I had to create some base concepts and components from scratch, rather than being able to get on and create the game.

But the end result is here, Saucy Hater! Since it was never going to be a spectacular game, as always I added a humorous twist; mainly, my hate for sauces of all kind! It’s a 2 player collect-em-up; race to collect the 5 yummy foods, whilst avoiding the 5 yucky sauces! Enjoy!

Back in 2007 I was a Games Tester for a company that made old fashion mechanical fruit machines, but was interested in programming, so decided to see if I could write a version of what I was testing myself. The company coded it’s games in C, so that’s what I used; and because the machines were mechanical there were no graphical libraries I could use, hence the decision to create it in a windows console using ASCII graphics.

It only took a couple of weeks to create; much quicker than I expected when it replicates all the legalities of a Czech Republic fruit machine at the time. I only really made a few stylistic tweaks to the source code to get it ready for public consumption; a lot of it actually held up pretty well looking at it 4 years later!

For my first game I wanted a simple game with rules that were easy to grasp, so that whilst programming I wouldn’t be struggling with game design decisions. Tic Tac Toe fit the bill perfectly; an easy to understand game but with the scope to create intelligent AI. The Street Fighter II theme was a light bulb moment half way through development, when the core game was already completed. I knew it would just be cool to see the characters in there, to hear the OC Remix music. It gave an otherwise low key game a memorable style to impress as my first project.

I moved from working as a tester to becoming a programmer a year ago now, so moonrat.co.uk will become the home to any personal programs & games I make in my spare time.

A thanks to Nearfrog for a nice and clean WordPress theme, and to skn3 for creating the banner at the top.