Nearly there, just one more level to go. The Wumpus Room wasn't actually that bad -- the solution is a lot shorter than I realised, it just feels very long because of all the fruitless going back and forth until I found the right moves every time I've played the level

I don't know why, but the "easy" lower half of L37 gave me real trouble this time round, so maybe it isn't as easy as all that after all

@MichaelS: I'm impressed with your dedication! (In the absence of an appropriate emoticon --> <Loud Applause>*10..that's to the power of, not multiplied by! )

@KianV: Just wondering how you're designing these new levels? If it's a secret, no prob!

- Martin (still looking for some MichaelS-bandwidth to get back to the earlier levels! )

At the moment all my level design is done on a simple Linux console version of MazezaM, which I threw together for just this purpose while programming the Windows incarnation.
This version uses a text file to store the levels, as opposed to the binary method on the Beeb, which means that they can be quickly altered and tested.
When the testing is complete, I convert the text file to the correct format for the Beeb using a separate command line tool.
A level designer for the Beeb is in progress - (I haven't forgotten, Dave) - but at the moment progress is slow. Once the school hols hit in a couple of weeks' time I should have more time to work on it.
Due to the amount of memory available under Mode 2, the designer will involve loading levels from a disk file so I will have to try to get my head around doing that from asm

Kian

P.S. Today is the anniversary of the birth of Lothar Collatz, the inspiration behind one of my levels in set 1.

Aha, I'd been wondering what that level title "Collatz" meant

...I was hoping to have the videos complete by now, but I just haven't been able to do Level 39! Serves me right for boasting about getting through it relatively quickly last time round. I have now finally completed the level, but I'm not sure exactly what I did or why it worked, so it may still take a while to have the level ready for videoing.

EDIT: It's done Total time to complete 39 levels: 14:28 (which may not be the total length of the videos, as I may slightly alter the speed to match the music). Probably four parts (including the one already uploaded). Now, I just need to find suitable songs for parts 2, 3 and 4....

Part 2

...I don't understand why YouTube is cutting off the top and bottom, so that you can't see the level titles Let me know if you know of a way to fix it!

Another great job, Michael.
Didn't quite get the significance of the tune at first, but a little reading through your excellent analysis made it all clear

Re the 'cutting the title off' problem, this is purely a shot in the dark but what resolution/aspect is the video ?
The original demo which I put up is at 640x512 and all fits in nicely, as did your first one.

Kian

Both Parts 1 and 2 are 640x512 -- that's how my BeebEm is set up to record them.

Michael: I've been doing a little hunting around wrt to the video clipping problem.
The best I've come up with is regarding the pixel shape of the video.
I don't know what you're editing with, - I'm sure I remember reading 'virtualdub' somewhere but can't find it now) - but it seems that youtube tries to compensate for widescreen videos by chopping bits off. From what I've gleaned, outputting using square pixels should resolve the problem.

Hope this is some help,
Kian

And how does one go about doing that?

Which output format are you using, Michael ?
Some allow you to change the pixel aspect ratio and some don't.
On VirtualDub, when you select the video compression type, go to configure, and if it can be changed then there will be an option to change the PAR.
The usual standard for DV is a PAR of 0.909, whereas Square Pixel is, naturally, 1.0.

Kian

I don't have such an option on mine And it doesn't make sense that part 1 worked fine and part 2 doesn't...

...not that it matters now, really; enough people have viewed part 2 already that there's no point in replacing it with a fixed version. And I have a song chosen for part 4, but I can't think of one for part 3

In case the same problem occurs with the next 2 parts, have you tried using formatting tags in youtube ?
The ones I've come across are:

yt:crop=4:3
&
yt:stretch=4:3
and both can replace the 4:3 with 16:9.
I'm not entirely sure of the effects as my demo video is the only file I have to tinker with, but they might be of some use.

Kian
Edit:I've also found 'yt:crop=off'

No, I haven't come across formatting tags before. At what stage of the process does one use them, and how?

You can enter formatting tags when uploading or after the fact.
For existing videos, go to your account, select the video and then 'edit'.
They are entered into the 'tags' section.
Hopefully they will produce the desired effect.

Kian

Thanks! Both stretch=4:3 and crop=off seem to work, but slightly differently; I prefer the appearance with crop=off so I've left it like that.

I'm glad it worked
I shall look forward to the forthcoming vids.

Kian

A new set of levels put together for the lovely In Da 80s event in Manchester at the weekend.
(I've almost caught up on my sleep. The 'mexican wave' of yawning in the Lass on Sunday morning was quite entertaining.)
Just 10 this time, but with a very specific theme.

Provided I haven't made a hash of it - (again) - all of these are possible to complete in between 80 and 89 moves.

http://www.retrosoftware.co.uk/wiki/index.php/MazezaM#In_Da_80s

Completely irrelevant, but here is a piccy of me at the Alan Turing memorial in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Excellent stuff Michael! [Where's that Applause smiley?].
At the speed you were tearing 'round those screens, you were certainly born to run

The final set of levels I intend to design is now finished.
These are particularly beastly - ( I have been working on these since August in between Eventureland and a few other bits n bobs).
A new victory screen has been added and the traditional 'Retro Software' loader.

The level designer is very near completion, all I need now is a half-decent system for assembling all the separate levels into one pack.
I have resorted to BASIC for the designer. Mostly to speed up dev time and it really doesn't do anything fancy enough to warrant ASM.
My good lady has designed me a rather spiffing loading screen which I shall put on the 'All-in-one' disc when evrything is ready, hopefully in time for the coding weekend in January.

Anyway, time for another bash at Mixed Grill March.(I'm still pants at it).
Kian