Welcome to Developer’s notes, a quick way to see what’s happening behind the scenes during Port Defender’s ongoing development cycles.

What would you like to see?

Future Releases

Previous Releases

Future Releases

Version 1.1.0

In Development

New Features:

• Updated tower graphics
• Tower animations

Hey, we currently changed development focus and started to upgrade on our tools for game development.  So the next release will take a few months to get out, but we are hoping to have animations for each tower, and later down the line another art upgrade for creeps.

News update 2012-05-17

1. Projectiles follow creeps
2. Projectiles hurt creeps
3. Big Changes
   1. Each map has four different paths.
   2. Paths can be for walking or flying creeps
   3. Flying paths now follow same rules are walking creeps
      1. They can fly in different directions
   4. Game will automatically match wave paths to layout paths, so each layout can have a different ratio of walking/flying paths
   5. Wave file format is standardized, so random, common and map based waves are all the same

News update 2012-05-15

1. Creeps walk and follow path
2. Tower's track creeps
   1. Can upgrade/sell towers
3. Projectiles
   1. Engine format issues, will need to resolve

News update 2012-05-07

1. Fixed bugs in layout exporter/save/load
2. Working wave exporter
   1. Up to 4 paths with 2 creeps on each one
   2. Seperate walk/fly paths
   3. One file format for common/random & map based waves.
3. Game engine
   1. Layout loading
   2. Wave loading
   3. Layout-Path merging
   4. Path finding

News update 2012-04-18

1. Layout editor is functional
   • Change tile paint
   • Change tile walk status
   • Change tile fly status
   • Change tile walk status
   • Change creep entry/exit points
2. Need to get export system working
3. New tile images
   • 5 Grass
   • 5 Dirt
   • 1 Grate

News update 2012-04-17

1. New tileset texture for Retina devices
2. Tools under development
   1. Content manager (80%)
   2. Wave editor (80%)
   3. Layout editor (30%)
3. New content delivery model for streamlining downloads

News update 2012-03-22

Just implemented tower selection and drag and drop in the new engine.

News update 2012-03-20

The new engine is in alpha state.  It will currently load engine resources, handle touches and render certain objects.

News update 2012-02-21

We are still working on the backend systems.  The backend systems are critical for the game to successfully perform, and we have been able to squeeze out the following features.

• All game objects, menus, actions, creeps and towers are now defined in control files.
  • In the future it will be extremely easy add in new creeps and towers on demand.
• Animation files now exist, which tell the engine how to render.
  • Previously, all animations were hard coded.
• Animations define where the exits for each tower exist, so it can accurately place projectiles.
• Animation & Game configuration files have checksums to ensure that they are loaded correctly.
• Our new Atlas Rising tool has been a pretty big time investment, but with it we can create our animation and engine configuration definition from Source XML files.

News update 2012-02-07

Still working on the backend.  Engine design is almost done, just have to finish up the "generic" user interface, tower barrel exit points, level file format and wave file format.

News update 2012-01-23

Still working on game.  The scope of the update when from major update to major re-write, so were taking the neccessary time to actually plan and design the best game we can.

News update 2011-09-12

Adding ammo animation smaples.

News update 2011-09-07

At the moment all new tower designs are final, but there may be some tweaks if something doesn’t look right.  The next step is updating our internal Atlas Rising tools to support creating animations.  Outstanding items include redrawing the menus, projectiles, admin and talking animations.  Creeps will be converted to the new file format without any art upgrades.

News update 2011-09-03

Added animation sample for Gas Tower Level 1.  You may think its animation loop looks a bit weird, but that’s because it’s the only back loading tower in the game.  The gas tower needs to keep its ammo from prematurely exploding, so it uses magnetic force to accelerate and spin gas barrels towards creeps.  So the backwards motion is the tower moving the barrel back in order to later on accelerate it forward.  Please comment.

News update 2011-09-01

Added animation sample for Ray Tower Level 1 and 6.  Please comment.

News update 2011-08-21

Added animation saple for nuke tower level 1.  Just want to clarify a bit, but the tower actually pneumatically launches unpowered nuclear gliders, which is why they can’t attack flying creeps.

News update 2011-08-19

Worked on the initial Ray Tower designs and have a good idea on how to finalize them.  For reference the Ray Tower is the new Microwave Tower so they will act the same, but look different.

News update 2011-08-18

Working on the tools, was able to add in extra features to reduce 30 sprites down to 6 in order to save space.

News update 2011-08-17

Added animation sample for ping tower level 1.  The bar will glow blue when ready to fire.  After firing the bars will increase to show its re-loading progress.

News update 2011-08-15

Added animation sample for gun tower level 1.

News update 2011-08-10

Our new Texture Atlas tool, "Atlas Rising", is finally in a semi working state.

New tower designs are being worked on every night.  We will post up previews here as they progress.  Please feel free to comment, and animation samples for each tower will be posted later.

New Tools:

• Atlas Rising: Our custom "texture atlas" software package, and special thanks to Netbeans Platform 7.0.

New Design Previews:

Gun Tower V3 (Final design)

Flak Tower V2 (Final design)

Missile Tower V3

Coming soon

Ping Tower V3 (Semi-Final design)

Gas Tower V2 (Final Design)

Ray Tower V2 (May re-do artwork again)

Nuke Launcher V2 (May Change Again)

Admin V2 (Going to change again)

Missile Shell (Will add gradiants)

Slow Shell

Gas Shell

Previous Releases

Version 1.0.32

Released 11/21/2011

Bug Fixes

• Fixed "Any Layout - Extreme" leader-boards not working

Version 1.0.31

Released 11/12/2011

Changes

• iOS 5 Fixes, moved around game asset files to reduce sync time. 
• Changed About to Credits 
• Added restore button for previously purchased items 
• Removed Classic menu view

Version 1.0.30

Released 5/26/2011

New Features:

• Random waves
  • Raising wave count from 100 to 300
    • Will raise generation cap over time
  • New file based generation system
    • Working on allowing online updates to random file
  • Testing results
    • 5/16/2011 Made it a little less difficult, lowered flying creep difficulty
    • 5/18/2011 Too difficult
    • 5/19/2011 Still too hard, updating random file
  • Will have a PDF/Page of combinations at some time
• Tower Placement
  • Rewrote algorithm to use current creep positions for more fluid placment
  • IE: You can place towers where creeps just walked, if it doesn't block other creeps from making it to the exit
  • Will resolve comment from Nametaken9321 posted on May 9, 2011 for Version 1.0.29 of Port Defender
  • Found issue with flying creeps marking open spaces as used
• Wave format
  • New format that allows for easier editing
  • Format ready, but not included with this build
• E-mail developer
  • Added in another checksum
  • Changed verbage
• Settings
  • Adding option to disable screen shot mode (Pause and don't touch game for 6 seconds)
• Pause screen
  • Switching screen from text to icons, more like the setting screen
• Game Center
  • Added in Creeps Destroid leaderboard
  • Added in Money leaderboard
  • Added in Random (Normal, Medium, Hard & Extreme) leaderboards
• Sync Tool
  • Changed transfer save game icon to layout icon
• Store
  • Option to buy all 3 items for less

Version 1.0.29

Released 4/14/2011

New Features:

• Added Sync Tool help icon

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed crash bug when using classic mode
• Changed "Classic View" text back to "Classic"
• Removed extra images
• Removed misc files from Lite version

Version 1.0.28

Released 4/8/2011

New Features:

• Added Splash & Game loading screens
  • 13 tips when starting or resuming game
  • 9 different startup logos
    • We wanted to be different, more to come later

• Added Sync Tool
  • Transfer save games & sync stats between devices
• Updated resume game icon
  • Icon has image of map and current wave number

• Updated store wait message
• Added online content to first time install
• Added in Rate Application dialog

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed issue when uploading stats would lock screen
• You can now Tap the cancel button when tower placement goes crazy
• Splash screen also solves issue/weirdness when starting app in portrait mode
• Fixed issues with certain view controllers leaking

Version 1.0.27

Released 1/13/2011

New Features:

• Basic scripting
  • Disable towers, selling, upgrading, bombs and admin
  • Clear towers from area
  • Pause
  • Add/Set/Remove money
  • Add/Set Health
  • For help info

Bug Fixes:

• Overlay setting
• Story text not working
• Easy reading font missing letter 'Z'
• Classic button enabled during loading
• Update function downloading installed content
• Changed email developer text to include "Write your message here text", because users are sending emails without writing anything.

Version 1.0.26

Released 1/5/2011

New Features:

• Changed layout selection menu
  • Added new start game button after user acceptance testing found fault with current top right button
  • Removed start game button from top right position

• Added Developer notes
• Added Email developer button
• Altered pause menu
  • Added in bottom toolbar
  • Moved increase difficulty button to bottom toolbar
  • Removed difficulty progress bar
• Made weapons stronger/faster
  • Damage has been increased for all weapons
  • Charge time has been standardized for all weapons
  • Need to make a better sound effect for weapon charging
• Moved Admin Button to far right, to match Cancel Button

• Updated Settings menu
  • Added Auto Pause setting

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed win/lose text placement (Missing line space)

• Fixed issues with placing towers in wrong location and bombs resetting when taking finger off screen
• Fixed achievement bug where obtaining extreme not unlocking hard

Version 1.0.25

Released 12/20/2010

New Features:

• New/updated weapons
  • Bomb!
  • Gas Bomb!
  • Nuke Bomb!
• Added in Build/Weapon toggle button
• Screen help button
• Classic UI
• Stat fixes
• New Store Items
  • Free Will
  • Cash 4 Admins

Version 1.0.8

Released 7/3/2009

New Features:

• Common waves introduced

Version 1.0.6

Released 5/20/2009

New Features:

• Nuke towers

Version 1.0.4

Released 4/22/2009

New Features:

• Flying creeps
• New maps

Version 1.0.3

Released 4/16/2009

New Features:

• Introduced Layout Overlays

Version 1.0.2

Released 4/8/2009

Version 1.0.1

Released 3/27/2009

Bug Fixes:

• Changed frame rate to 30 fps

Version 1.0.0

Released 3/17/2009

Hello World!

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