A surprisingly very full day working on Taskforce. I keep expecting that the main jobs are all done, but then another full day is taken up. I discovered a new bug with the controllers; the joysticks would not detect the correct buttons. This took an hour to track down but it was a silly mismatch between the list of keys and the actual numbers, plus a typo that switched between hex and decimal unexpectedly.
I've also added two new features; you can now speed up all troop movements (this really helps) and you can use the number keys to select any option on the pop up menus, making those much faster.
I also spent a lot of time on the manual, which is nearly 50 pages. I'm considering publishing it on Amazon, although I might need to re-size it a little first. I've also taken a lot of screenshots, and set up the complex Steam stuff to permit a separate demo and full version; and added Steam overlay support for in-game ordering of the full game. I've also restored the cool heavy weapons to the demo, and the optional mood lighting there.
My final act of the 14 hour day is to type up some basic information on the Taskforce team members. Each is based on a real person, a celebrity or an actor of some sort. This makes their character easy to discern and define, and makes a film adaptation easier (although, clue, not all of the team are currently alive). I'm dropping hints in the manual about who is who by providing locations of birth.
Taskforce TF1
F1: Mackintosh McQuaid
Born: New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A.
Specialist Attribute: Strength
Weakness: Shot Skill
F2: Susan West
Born: Teddington, London, England
Specialist Attribute: Shot Skill
Weakness: Action Points
F3: Kent Rickman
Born: Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Specialist Attribute: Strength
Weakness: Action Points
F4: Sunshine Price
Born: Long Island, New York, U.S.A.
Specialist Attribute: Good Health
Weakness: Strength
F5: John 'Hawkeye' Tyler Born: Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. Specialist Attribute: Shot Skill Weakness: Health
F6: Beverley Santana
Born: Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico
Specialist Attribute: Health
Weakness: Action Points
F7: Elaine Kelly
Born: Passy, Paris, France
Specialist Attribute: Action Points
Weakness: Strength
F8: Luke Gemini
Born: Lupiac, France
Specialist Attribute: Health
Weakness: Shot Skill
F9: Charlotte Gilmore
Born: Sturmer, Essex, England
Specialist Attribute: Action Points
Weakness: Shot Skill
F10: Scott Oaktree
Born: Mullaghmore, County Leitrim, Ireland
Specialist Attribute: Strength
Weakness: Health
F11: Natasha Vetrova
Born: Priozersk, Leningrad Oblast, Russia
Specialist Attribute: Shot Skill
Weakness: Strength
F12: Nick Logan
Born: Ibadan, Nigeria
Specialist Attribute: Action Points
Weakness: Health
I'm so exhausted by the whole process now. People will be amazed that one man could make a game like this, but perhaps not surprised that in this climate, this is necessary.
