Super Duelling Minivans

Everything you want to know about the creation of Duelling Minivans which was originally created in only 33 hours (taken from its readme file):

• How did you make it?

Rowan did the art, using Newtek's Lightwave 3D v5.0 for modeling and rendering, and Adobe Photoshop & Fractal Design Painter for 2D stuff. He also did the sound recording & editing, using CoolEdit 95.

Jason & Chris did the coding. We used Watcom's C compiler, and Microsoft's DirectX SDK v3. Jason did most of the engine, but Chris did the rotating sprite drawing code. Chris did most of the game coding (including the van physics), with Jason doing a bit here and there.

• So what's the deal with the 33-hour thing?

A long time ago, in a city far, far away, Jason did programming for the Apple IIgs. Someone (the name of whom eludes him at the moment - sorry!) did a game in 24 hours, and released it. When Jason worked at another small start-up company, pretty much everyone thought it was a cool thing, but nothing was ever done about it. The idea resurfaced recently, and Jason & Rowan discussed the idea from time to time. Eventually we decided that we would actually do it. At some point or another, Jason mentioned the idea to Chris, who also thought it would be cool. Chris then volunteered to contribute his efforts to the "project." So, we set a date to actually do the thing. And then, Rowan got sick. So, we set another date. This time, Rowan didn't get sick.

We'd been bandying about the idea for awhile, so we pretty much knew what we were going to do. The "Duelling Minivans" idea was spawned on the way back from Jason & Rowan's first scuba dive - we're pretty sure that it was Rowan's idea, but not entirely sure, because we forget a lot of things. We figured out some other details along the way, but pointedly didn't write anything down, so we forgot a lot of things.

Everything (aside from the general design, fragmentary ideas, and this document) was built in those 33 hours (see the log at the end of this file for a breakdown, and some goofy comments). We did some copying & pasting from Microsoft's DirectX sample code & Windows boilerplate code (because that's how a "normal" project would get started), but the minivan was built from scratch, 'cause Jason's wouldn't make it through the door. We tried running a SCSI cable out to the parking lot, but then the scanner got crushed, and we were sad. Oh, yeah, the sfx are based on PD stuff on the 'net. So, there it is. If you think this sucks, prove it by doing better, within the same constraints that we applied, 'cause everyone hates a whiner. If you think it's cool - thanks, and buy our companies' real games!

• The log file:

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11:40am ALL Breakfast at Denny's: JAB: Pancakes, Bacon (extra crisp), Coffee RSA: Scrambled Eggs, Hash browns, 2 Bacon, 2 Sausage Links, English Muffin, Coffee, Orange Juice CJR: French Dip, French Fries, Orange Juice 12:36pm ALL Started the actual stuff! 1:13pm JAB Got first DMV link! 2:16pm CJR Got the first page fault of the project! 2:49pm ALL Stop for a frozen fruit snack. 3:29pm ALL First pot of coffee has been finished. 4:57pm JAB Made all of the Start menu icons go away! 5:17pm ALL Dinner arrives: JAB: Hot & Sour soup, and Mongolian Beef. RSA: Won-ton Soup, and Fragrant Chicken. CJR: No soup, but he had Pepper Steak. 6:22pm JAB&CJR First major bug found...and killed 3 minutes later. 6:25pm JAB Got bars (first screen display)! 7:50pm JAB Got sprites working! (with background restore & stuff) 7:59pm JAB Got the first copy of the van onscreen. 8:55pm CJR Discovered that voodoo programming is our friend. 9:29pm JAB&CJR Have a way-too-long discussion about actor collision detection 9:52pm JAB Told Rowan he should be making entries here 9:52pm RSA Rowan has done a bunch of art, and insists on just doing what he's supposed to, instead of the silly crap that CJR & JAB have been doing. 10:33pm ALL Stopped again for more frozen fruit snacks. Mmmmm. 10:38pm RSA Started the process of damaging Baja Minivan. 11:38pm JAB Jason says, again, "If this were a real program ..." 11:55pm CJR Chris opens up the shaken bottle of Mountain Dew, and lives! 12:56am JAB Got the pukers going (first sound use!) 2:28am RSA Got all of the absolutely essential graphics done 3:13am RSA Consumed last of the Mountain Dew ... situation grim... 3:14am JAB It wasn't the last 2-liter of Mountain Dew 3:15am RSA Oh. 4:48am CJR Got rotating sprites onscreen. 5:08am CJR Got rotating sprites working robustly onscreen 5:10am RSA&CJR Annoyed by JAB's constant playing of puking .wav files 6:13am CJR Chris just had to reboot for the third time this evening. 6:18am ALL The sun rises for the second time "today." 6:43am JAB Heard the first damned bird chirping. 7:40am JAB Takes a nap. 7:50am RSA Completed title and credits screens. 7:51am CJR Initial van physics working. 8:13am CJR Due to a bug, damaging a van actually ended up healing it. 8:51am ALL Decided to break for sleep. Must have sleep. Currently planning on reconvening in 6 hours to finish the game We're all tired, and we're really starting to code like crap. 4:50pm ALL It has begun again. 5:53pm JAB Jason discovers he made another "C 101" mistake last night. 6:25pm JAB Got the status bar basically done. 7:33pm ALL We've officially blown the 24-hour schedule now... 8:27pm ALL Ordered pizza. We ordered 2 medium thin crust with: 1) Sausage, Mushroom, Extra cheese 2) Pepperoni, Sausage, Extra cheese on one half, and Pepperoni, Black Olives, Extra cheese on the other. Here's what we got: 1) Not much cheese, but a plethora of pepperoni - after waiting for a second delivery person to deliver it. 2) Amazingly, it's correct. Oh well. - the pizzas were free. 10:20pm JAB Got the first sfx to play (missile launch & impact). 10:59pm JAB Finished off the third bottle o' Dew. 2:02am ALL Beta. 2:05am ALL Started recording sounds for the intro/credit screens. 2:37am ALL Finished. 3:01am JAB Realized that we consumed 3 2-liter bottles of Mountain Dew & 3 pots of coffee. That's a 2-liter of Dew & a pot of coffee. Each. 3:02am ALL Very early plans for the next "24 hour" game. Later ALL Forgot to log the rest of our time.

```

* New feaures added in enhanced version, Super Duelling Minivans *

· Added a computer opponent.

· Added guided missiles.

· Added mines.

· Added the clown.

· Added two new (cooler looking) arenas.

· Improved van physics, particularly when it comes to running into walls.

· Improved graphics engine & performance, although there’s still 0% assembly in this thing!

· Added object shadows.

· Tons of little tweaks - like permanent skid marks, distinct graphic for a "dead" van, made the Pause key work, etc.