🎉 Celebrating 25 Years of GameDev.net! 🎉
Not many can claim 25 years on the Internet! Join us in celebrating this milestone. Learn more about our history, and thank you for being a part of our community!
![<div class='d-flex align-items-center'><img class='media-img mr-2' src='https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png'><div class='d-flex flex-column justify-content-between align-items-start' <h4 class='text-white'>johnhattan</h4><div><i class='fas fa-heart mr-1'></i>2354</div><div>Joined June 15, 1999</div></div></div> Profile](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Southlake, TX
Imparting game development wisdom of dubious quality a ridiculously long time.
![Updated](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Awright, you might've noticed a couple of updates to the puzzle.
First off, the ads are in-place. My goal is for the ads in the puzzles to pay for the cost of hosting. That way I don't need to do anything lame like add a "donate some money to me" button. I figure if I get 35-50 regular players, that…
First off, the ads are in-place. My goal is for the ads in the puzzles to pay for the cost of hosting. That way I don't need to do anything lame like add a "donate some money to me" button. I figure if I get 35-50 regular players, that…
![Three or four things](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
First off, happy new year to all. Today is also my 16th wedding anniversary, so congrats to me for that.
Thanks also for the kudos on Zombie Kitten Attack. From the number of people playing, it appears to be well-received.
Any comments? Too easy? Too difficult? Too just-right?
Maggie's now climbing …
Thanks also for the kudos on Zombie Kitten Attack. From the number of people playing, it appears to be well-received.
Any comments? Too easy? Too difficult? Too just-right?
Maggie's now climbing …
![Four year-old bloodlust](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Well, Miss Maggie is excited about Zombie Kitten Attack, mainly because she's been watching me write and test the thing over her Xmas vacation from school. She's always offered to help me play, going as far as trying to wrestle the mouse from my hand when I'm trying to make a move.
This morning, I s…
This morning, I s…
![When Zombie Kittens Attack](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
My new Daily Puzzle (number eight) is up. It's called Zombie Kitten Attack. This one was a bit of an experiment. It's based on an old game of mine called Robottack, which in turn is based on the old text-based "daleks" games of the early 70's.
It's a bit interesting in that I wanted to see if I coul…
It's a bit interesting in that I wanted to see if I coul…
![Open letter](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Dear Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, Janine Garafolo, Jim Belushi, Larry The Cable Guy, and David Spade
Dear Steve Martin and Robin Williams
You have never made me laugh. None of you. Ever. Please stop making movies.
Dear Steve Martin and Robin Williams
Neither of you have made me laugh since around 1990. You have enough money. …
![I'm the decider, and I decide that YOU MUST SHOP!](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
"I encourage you all to go shopping more." - George Dubya "I'm The Decider" Bush
First off, I'm glad to see that The Commander-In-Chief has decided to join them leebral secularists in the 2007 campaign in the War on Christmas.
It ain't about Jesus, folks. It's about keeping the wheels of commerce fro…
First off, I'm glad to see that The Commander-In-Chief has decided to join them leebral secularists in the 2007 campaign in the War on Christmas.
It ain't about Jesus, folks. It's about keeping the wheels of commerce fro…
![SQL Question](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
My knowledge of SQL pretty-much reduces to "the minimum required to get my stuff running", and I'm now in the position where I need to expand that knowledge.
Is there an easy (and hopefully quick) method to prune old records. Here's an example. Go to http://www.thecodezone.com/statomatic.php?flyman …
Is there an easy (and hopefully quick) method to prune old records. Here's an example. Go to http://www.thecodezone.com/statomatic.php?flyman …
![I'm all blogspotted](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Well, it was bound to happen. Since I'm downright tired of the pretty-much constant 500 errors and delays that come from trying to post or view the Bargain Basement Blog, I mirrored the whole danged thing.
You can now read the mirror at thecodezone.blogspot.com. The posts will be mirrored until the …
You can now read the mirror at thecodezone.blogspot.com. The posts will be mirrored until the …
![Caching interestingness](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Shelly's been seeing a bug in the daily puzzles for the past few days now. It's in that little "games you've played" panel at the very end, and it's not updating itself properly.
That panel is actually a little HTML table-renderer that was a Macromedia DevNet component from days long-past. Quite sim…
That panel is actually a little HTML table-renderer that was a Macromedia DevNet component from days long-past. Quite sim…
![New daily puzzle](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Working on daily puzzle number eight. It'll be a little more whimsical than previous entries.
It's based on an idea that TANSTAAFL and I had at the GDC a buncha years ago.
Gimme about a week and I'll try to have it up. It'll need a bit more playtesting than other entries, so it might take a couple of…
It's based on an idea that TANSTAAFL and I had at the GDC a buncha years ago.
Gimme about a week and I'll try to have it up. It'll need a bit more playtesting than other entries, so it might take a couple of…
![Okay](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Awright, I got six or seven takers on the whole reviewer thing. Big thanks for applying.
We just got a Central Market right down the street from us. It's rather fun living in a very affluent town even though we don't, according to hoyle, live in the affluent section. Our little half-underground hobb…
We just got a Central Market right down the street from us. It's rather fun living in a very affluent town even though we don't, according to hoyle, live in the affluent section. Our little half-underground hobb…
![Help Wanted](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Okay, I probably ought to post this in the main forums, but I'll post it here first just to see if there are any takers.
WANTED
One or two new product reviewers for www.gamedev.net. Now that our review process has grown a little more streamlined and reviews are getting out the door at a reasonable cl…
WANTED
One or two new product reviewers for www.gamedev.net. Now that our review process has grown a little more streamlined and reviews are getting out the door at a reasonable cl…
![The gift that keeps on giving!](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Now then, I'm always one to look upon the holiday season with optimism, and I'm not one to grow depressed at the sight of unbridled commerce. According to Fox News, this means that I'm waging a "war on Christmas, but I digress".
Anyway, I have a funny story. As pointed out last week, I just turned 4…
Anyway, I have a funny story. As pointed out last week, I just turned 4…
![trigger-pull followup](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Awright, there were, of course, a dozen little quirks that appeared immediately upon re-releasing all of the daily puzzles. I think I got all of 'em squashed now. Only one that you can still see is that the Voracity scores weren't being sent as percentages but as raw scores.
For example, the highest…
For example, the highest…
![Okay, pulled the trigger](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
The "new" daily puzzles are up. Actually they're the old daily puzzles, only with a "real" registration system and score-tracking.
Lots of little things to iron out, but it all seems to be working. Go The Game Page to try 'em out again.
Yeah, I know the registration thing's a bit of a nuisance, but o…
Lots of little things to iron out, but it all seems to be working. Go The Game Page to try 'em out again.
Yeah, I know the registration thing's a bit of a nuisance, but o…
![Bask I tell you!](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Here's a list. . .
- Ritchie Valens
- The girl who played "buffy" in Family Affair
- Joan of Arc
- Billy the Kid, Jesse James, and Crazy Horse
- Sid Vicious
- Both of the girls in Poltergeist
- Buddy Holly
- Freddie Prinze
- River Phoenix
- Selena
- Duane Allman
- James Dean
- Lee Harvy Oswald and John Wilkes Booth
- Randy Rhodes
- 2pac
- The Re…
![My games for free!](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
You heard me. Any of my shareware games for free.
Free as in beer.
Free as in "you don't pay nuthin'"
How you may ask?
Well, it appears that Google is offering a $10 signup bonus if you open up a Google Checkout account and buy something.
So you do the math. Then signup using the link above. Then go her…
Free as in beer.
Free as in "you don't pay nuthin'"
How you may ask?
Well, it appears that Google is offering a $10 signup bonus if you open up a Google Checkout account and buy something.
So you do the math. Then signup using the link above. Then go her…
![Update next week](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Big Daily Puzzle update next week. It's basically ready and could probably go up this week, but I know I'll need to be by the machine for a couple of days afterwards when people start messaging me with reports of the stuff I broke. And I'll be in-n-out all this week, so I'm gonna wait until next we…
![ASP stuff](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Just got my request to re-up my membership to Association of Shareware Professionals, and I'll probably do it. I like the newsletters and the discussion forums, but I think the best thing is that ASP members like to give deals to other ASP members. And in the interest of "giving back", here are plu…
![I have trophies](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
In case you were puzzling over the whole "trophy case" business that I mentioned regarding the daily puzzles a few weeks ago, I now have something to show off.
Also, I can now show off what the new daily puzzle look-n-feel is gonna be.
Again, it's Poker Patience, but it's basically complete (save for…
Also, I can now show off what the new daily puzzle look-n-feel is gonna be.
Again, it's Poker Patience, but it's basically complete (save for…
![The Groundhog of Democracy emerges, blinking, into](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
For those outside the US who are wondering about the hoopla over here, this is how US elections work. . .
Every other November 7th, a groundhog (a burrowing rodent unrelated to a pig) peeks his little head up out of the ground. If he sees his shadow, then we get at least two years of attempts to mak…
Every other November 7th, a groundhog (a burrowing rodent unrelated to a pig) peeks his little head up out of the ground. If he sees his shadow, then we get at least two years of attempts to mak…
![A little under the hood and a complete noob questi](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Okay, doing a little minor work under the hood here. First off, my purchasers are having a problem downloading games. It's really a usability thing. My little download machine used to look like this. . .
1. Choose your game to download [combobox]
2. enter your name [entry field]
3. enter the magical u…
1. Choose your game to download [combobox]
2. enter your name [entry field]
3. enter the magical u…
![Three things. . .or maybe four. . .we'll see](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
First off, we got a new TV. We have an old Magnavox projection set that we've been nursing along for quite a while. It's ten years old, but the past year or so has seen it take a turn for the worst. It's an old-school projection set, so it's never had the crispest picture on the block, but it's bee…
![Still here](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Yep, I'm still still here. I found a way to make some much-needed improvements to the Mac games. Should be ready early next week. The Mac games will now be as good as the Windows ones, which was something that was bothering me.
G'bye to EDI's journal. To be honest, our journals are getting pretty sa…
G'bye to EDI's journal. To be honest, our journals are getting pretty sa…
![The problems arrive](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Well, nothing planet-smashing, but the problems did manage to rear their ugly heads upon releasing the Mac versions and changing dang near everything on the back-end. Specifically. . .
1. I broke google checkout by changing the name of the back-end CGI from the default without changing the link to i…
1. I broke google checkout by changing the name of the back-end CGI from the default without changing the link to i…
![One more danged thing happening](https://uploads.gamedev.net/profile/photo-15.png)
Mac games are up. I'm not 102% happy because they're in Rosetta so they're slow on Intel, but Zinc's not promising Universal Binary support until early 2007 and I figured I might as well put the games up now and offer a free 1.1 version upgrade later.
I made loads of small improvements to the page. …
I made loads of small improvements to the page. …
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