Updates for build 1.3:
* 10 tutorials added.
* Small graphics bug fixed (a thin strip of the tutorial was left over in the blue room but fixed now).
* File optimisation, changing all WAV music files to OGG files for less memory usage.
* PNG file optimisation.
* Circle crunches reanimated with an improved technique.
Firstly, thank you to Moo this month for some great suggestions for the game and also giving me a heads up on the Steam achievements not kicking in. I will work on getting the Steam achievements working, so will look into this.
I'll be honest here and say straight off the bat that this isn't a great update, as I took a holiday this month and also hit a snag. The game hit the 2GB RAM limit for 32 bit games recently, so I reduced the file sizes of the the music files by around 40%, thinking that this would free up memory for new content. . . . But to my dismay it oddly had no effect.
So, in a nutshell, I could only add some of the new content this month. The rest of the content I will add in a September update, when I overcome this snag.
It seems as though the textures (graphics and images) have their own memory limit . . . perhaps? So I will work on externally loading the images next to hopefully overcome this barrier. Sorry that this update is far from great, but I hope to make up for this in the September update, where I will try to get all tutorials completed and up.
Still keeping positive though, just a snag that needs hurdling. The important thing is to stay consistent and keep polishing this game whether or not things are going smoothly or not.
Here is a breakdown of activity since build 1.2 was released (half of the work done still needs to be added, the good news is that there should be a lot of content and improvements added if I can overcome this mysterious memory usage snag):
15/6/20 - Build 1.2 released.
16/6/20 - Supermans tutorial done + research.
17/6/20 - Hollow Hold tutorial added + research.
18/6/20 - Leg Raises tutorial done + research.
19/6/20 - Scissors tutorial done + research.
20/6/20 - Grouped together buttons on the GUI for more clarity.
21/6/20 - Flutter Kicks tutorial added + research.
22/6/20 - Crunches & Heel Taps tutorials added + research.
23/6/20 - Bicycle Crunches done & Squat Hold Punches tutorials done + research.
28/6/20 - Plank tutorial done + research.
29/6/20 - Elbow Plank tutorial added + research.
30/6/20 - Plank Leg Raises, Plank Shoulder Taps & Plank Arm Raises tutorials done + research.
1/7/20 - Circle Crunches re-animated, Circle Crunches tutorial added + research.
2/7/20 - Fly Steps tutorial added + research.
3/7/20 - Jumping Jacks tutorial done + research.
6/7/20 - Converting .wav files to .ogg files to free up memory space.
7/7/20 - Calf Raises tutorial added + research.
8/7/20 - Climbers tutorial added + research.
9/7/20 - Getting extra music tracks ready for future updates to the music playlist.
[10/7/20 - 21/7/20 On holiday]
22/7/20 - File optimisation (more optimisation of music files, reducing their size by around 40%).
23/7/20 - File optimisation cont.
27/7/20 - Image optimisation (reduced memory used in PNG tutorial images by around 65%)
28/7/20 - Fixed graphics bug, where a thin strip of the tutorial graphic would not disappear in the first location (blue room).
29/7/20 - Hit a strange and annoying obstacle today . . . even though I've roughly halved the memory size of the PNGs and music files, in Gamemaker it only allowed me to add 10 tutorials, instead of the full 19 I have prepared and I couldn't add the new exercise 'butt kicks' ?? It just throws up an unclear error. I will have to just run with it and bring out an update tomorrow with what it would let me add. I will try external loading next to see if it will overcome this.
[Once again, all content that I was blocked from adding by the memory usage snag, I will add in the September update]