Regarding Switchball and the level editor!

[soad667]

The reason i made this thread is because of Crazyball - you know, the MarbleMadness-style game from AtomicElbow... Everytime i install it, i can play it only once. After i exit to the desktop, the only way to play it again is reinstalling...
Anyone has a solution to this or i must get over it? After all, they said its development was stopped at v0.4 (the released one,a beta) and they currently working on Switchball.

Btw, I tried before some minutes to download the Switchball demo from their site to play it again, but no luck. Hopefully, there was a mirror in another great site if you ever heard... www.fun-motion.com :p :D
I hope they're still planning a release and that the game won't be abandoned!

[AquaGeneral]

Crazy Ball is cancelled 100%. The same problem happens with me about the game crashing after 1 play.

[Rob223]

These games are both rip-offs of a great Artari game called Ballance. I'd download a one level demo of it now from www.ballance.org. It's recently been released in countries besides the UK.

[AquaGeneral]

I had a play test of Balance. It is horrible, go around doing boring puzzles plus beyond belief horrible and dull textures. Switch Ball has physics contraption, ropes, liquids (if PhysX Card enabled), cloths, a map editor, gorgoues visuals and the full game will not be locked at 20Frams Per Second.

Ballance does not even have anything other than boxes as movable objects.

[Rob223]

Ballance's first level is boring, but in the levels following it does have ropes, bridges, fans, spinning dervish things, loop de loops. and ballance runs at 60fps for me. so, ya know, buy it and then tell me it's crap.

[oxology]

well, ballance was okay for 10 dollars.

[SataMaxx]

Watch this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ccb4OLg2us) and tell me again the puzzles are dull...

[soad667]

We can't have two nice games, it must be only one of them? Like Sonic vs Mario or Doom vs Heretic... Another battle begins :D

I have Ballance too and i enjoyed it a lot, but Switchball takes the concept one step further with more realistic physics, use of clothes, liquid, more beautiful graphics etc. See it as an expanded version of Ballance if u want... One way or another, i have Ballance and i'm sure gonna get Switchball too. As for the editor... they better keep their promise!

Btw, Ballance's developers are Cyparade, from Germany i think. Atari is only the publisher... It would be funny if Switchball will be released by Atari, i don't know if Atomic Elbow found a publisher yet :cool:

[AquaGeneral]

The reason why Balance runs smoothly is because the graphics engine is very standard and the marbles sub-divisions are not very high keeping the frame-rate high. Switchball uses roughly 32x16 Subdivisions For example (using C4 Engine);

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/1071/spheresubdivisionsfg1.png

Switchball is very different and much more colourful graphics wise http://www.atomicelbow.com/images/screen_download_top.jpg


I will just give you a link for these to save your bandwidth;
http://www.atomicelbow.com/images/screen_download_bottom.jpg
http://www.atomicelbow.com/images/screen_download_middle.jpg

PS: I Do not mean any harm to anyone, just telling everyone my point.

[Jokker]

Switch-ball is Ballance with eye candy. I frankly liked Ballance more, because the point of the game was you understanding what to do AND controlling the ball.

Also, Switchball runs with like...4 fps on this computer. Which is weird because I can even run STALKER on high. =\

[Dj Demetrius]

I know one of the guys who developed Switchball :p .

Seriously, sometimes new games ARE better than classics.... I mean, ok, Doom was a great game, and it's fun. But I'd rather play some Doom 3 right now than some Doom 1.

[AquaGeneral]

Switch-ball is Ballance with eye candy. I frankly liked Ballance more, because the point of the game was you understanding what to do AND controlling the ball.

Also, Switchball runs with like...4 fps on this computer. Which is weird because I can even run STALKER on high. =\

The Switchball demo was released 2006 around Q1. They have made many fixes and also the demo is locked at 20 FPS. Even it it says 40 it will only do 20.

[Jokker]

The Switchball demo was released 2006 around Q1. They have made many fixes and also the demo is locked at 20 FPS. Even it it says 40 it will only do 20.

Yeah, I know. But it's running at 4, not 20. 4! It's running real laggy and slow. I dunno why. Tried disabling most of the things and it still would run like...a drunk snail.

[AquaGeneral]

What GF card do you have?

[soad667]

I have a P4 2.8Ghz, 512MB RAM, Radeon 9600Pro (not the best rig around) and it runs with no problem. As it runs fine Stalker at high settings and Oblivion with everything on and some bars at 75% (but no grass and far view or how it is called). Taking care of the registry or generally the system's perfomance with some tools does miracles i guess... ;)

Dj Demetrius u know one of the devs? Then u can get us some inside info :cool:
Or inform him about this thread, maybe he can post something about their progress...
Or just let him know that there are people out there still waiting for their game! :eek:

[Jokker]

Same as above, just 1GB and Nvidia FX 5600. It runs STALKER fine, and Oblivion perfect. Yet, Switchball doesn't work. My guess is I need custom drivers or something.

[Rob223]

SB Worked okay on my crappy 512mb ram, 1.8 ghz nvidia geforce computer. I haven't tried it on my new one.

[AquaGeneral]

Same as above, just 1GB and Nvidia FX 5600. It runs STALKER fine, and Oblivion perfect. Yet, Switchball doesn't work. My guess is I need custom drivers or something.

Wow! YOu need a better GF card, you can buy some pretty powerful GF cards for only $200 AUS.

Switch-ball is Ballance with eye candy. I frankly liked Ballance more, because the point of the game was you understanding what to do AND controlling the ball.

Also, Switchball runs with like...4 fps on this computer. Which is weird because I can even run STALKER on high. =\

Seriosly you have only played a demo of Switchball and you have the full game of Ballance and the Switchball demo was released 1 year ago. No comparasion there.

[Jokker]

Wow! YOu need a better GF card, you can buy some pretty powerful GF cards for only $200 AUS.



Seriosly you have only played a demo of Switchball and you have the full game of Ballance and the Switchball demo was released 1 year ago. No comparasion there.



Actually, there is comparison, because Switchball is all about eye-candy. Frankly I didn't like how they over-used graphics. Ballance was simpler. This is coming from nearly finishing level 1 with slow, slow FPS.

And I don't need a better Graphics Card. I can tackle Oblivion on High and STALKER on high,...I don't need a better one. Also, I'd have to buy better cards from outside the country, and...unfortunately, I can't buy from outside the country. Exactly the reason I can't buy Toribash and Garry's Mod 10, even though I have the money...no way to send it outside.

[AquaGeneral]

Actually, there is comparison, because Switchball is all about eye-candy. Frankly I didn't like how they over-used graphics. Ballance was simpler. This is coming from nearly finishing level 1 with slow, slow FPS.

And I don't need a better Graphics Card. I can tackle Oblivion on High and STALKER on high,...I don't need a better one. Also, I'd have to buy better cards from outside the country, and...unfortunately, I can't buy from outside the country. Exactly the reason I can't buy Toribash and Garry's Mod 10, even though I have the money...no way to send it outside.

The game is supposed to run 60 FPS Locked on PCs in the future. Where did you get Switchball is all about eye-candy from? I know I cannot change your opinion with proving my point so I will not bother.

[Jokker]

The game is supposed to run 60 FPS Locked on PCs in the future. Where did you get Switchball is all about eye-candy from? I know I cannot change your opinion with proving my point so I will not bother.


Keep in mind I never saw the WHOLE game, so this is from a half-perspective. I only played the first level and saw pictures/trailers.

Oh, and it's weird because...everything glows. And it's foggy. It's like there's bloom activated and some weird effects. Which I couldn't disable btw.

[soad667]

Time to bring this thread back to life :p
I sent an email to AtomicElbow asking about Switchball and the answer was a lot faster than i expected and the news couldn't have been better :confused:
One of the devs said that today they're gonna make a massive update to the site, because finally they're gonna release it! He said to check the site www.switchball.com tomorrow for a trial and the full game :eek:
I already added it to my favourites and paying a visit there every hour or so :)

- I forgot the most important thing. If you can't wait (like me) check the following link for the official trailer http://www.gametrailers.com/player/20897.html?r=1&type=wmv

[Relys]

This game is vaporware. I've waited sooo long for this with no news....

[soad667]

Atomic Elbow's site has just been updated...
www.atomicelbow.com
One step closer ;)

[Relys]

OMG! IT'S COMING OUT TOMORROW!:eek:

Everyone download the trial!!!

[edthefirst]

Wow I have waited forever for some news; eventually i just stopped doing anything. Well I'm glad to see a good game coming back into the world.

[AquaGeneral]

The Trial is downloading currently. I have been waiting for this for 10 months.

[Maltor124]

Woah! Where'd this game come from! It looks great! I'll download it shortly...

[Relys]

Woah! Where'd this game come from! It looks great! I'll download it shortly...

It was reviewed on the site! *cough cough*

[Maltor124]

It was reviewed on the site! *cough cough*

Deeee..oh....er...uh...

*Whoosh.*

G'bye! ;)

[AquaGeneral]

Deeee..oh....er...uh...

*Whoosh.*

G'bye! ;)

Have you people ever heard of an Alpha or Beta demo? Developers release them for suggestions and feedback to improve there products. Such as the Halo 3 Beta or Cortex Command's Test Builds.

[Maltor124]

Have you people ever heard of an Alpha or Beta demo? Developers release them for suggestions and feedback to improve there products. Such as the Halo 3 Beta or Cortex Command's Test Builds.

I just never heard of the game, that's all. I play the alpha's beta's if they interest me, or if I know about them. :D

[AquaGeneral]

Well Mat reviewed this old game demo a while ago. I just thought that you. It sort of made no sense at all not trying Swtichball.

[soad667]

Well, i got it and it's amazing, i enjoy it a lot...
I think Matt should make another review for the full version, say about the various features not available in the alpha demo etc...
Going back to the game now ;)

[AquaGeneral]

The game is supposed to include a map editor. I cannot find it, has anyone else used it?

[soad667]

I guess the game... WAS supposed to include an editor...
Too bad they decided not to implement it in the final release :(
Maybe there will be an update or something, who knows, or a bonus pack with more levels. Time will tell...
'Til then, i have to get all the gold rewards to the existing levels ;)

[Relys]

Most games without editors, aren't worth buying. Especially puzzle games...

[Eanfom]

Wow, seems like it's back on.


The trial is amazing.


Sexy graphics

[Relys]

Wow, seems like it's back on.


The trial is amazing.


Sexy graphics

Amen, brother.

[Cyranix]

I merrily played through the first world on the Switchball demo and will probably buy. I wonder what it would be like playing it with an Ageia card...?

[Relys]

I merrily played through the first world on the Switchball demo and will probably buy. I wonder what it would be like playing it with an Ageia card...?

Ageia + this = Drugs

[Kurrus]

I got the game, it's awesome... only it doesn't have the level editor they promised us! What the fuck!? That's the only thing that made me want the game. And the forums are gone. Probably to not letting people complain. Ah, well.

[soad667]

Well, i knew before buying the game that editor wasn't included - it had been removed from the features list when they updated the site. Maybe they will add one later, as an extra feature or a separate tool...
Anyway, the game is great (the gold rewards need a lot of skills :)) and i hope they release an editor or something, sometime, somewhere :rolleyes:

[bk_]

Just played the demo (1 hour timelimit).

Its fucking beautiful, lots of sweet physics including cloth, ropes, wind etc. and amazing graphics.

Just gotta find a way to buy this w/o needing a credit card for online payment. Who at Sierra came up with this utterly stupid way of distributing a game anyway ?!

[Relys]

I'm waiting to even consider buying it, in tell they release a level editor.

[Kurrus]

Sooo... I sent a message to Atomic Elbow recently asking about the level editor of Switchball. This is the reply I got yesterday:

"Hi Kurrus,

UNfortunately the Level Editor did not make it into the final release.
However, we have been getting a lot of requests on this, so it is possible
that we will do an addon pack or free patch that includes the level editor
later on.

Best Regards,
Fredrik Erlandsson
Game Designer - Atomic Elbow"

:eek:

That'd be just plain awesome!

Also, they sure got a lot of requests, as shown by the capital N in "Unfortunately", wich is a common mistake when you're in a hurry :D

[soad667]

Yeah, some good news :D
I emailed them too before a couple of days, took a similar answer. The nice thing is that they always answer. Great game and the debut title for Atomic Elbow, everyone should buy it! As for the editor, just a matter of time. At least, i hope so :rolleyes: ;)

[Relys]

They better. All puzzle games fail on a epic level, without level editors.