My Google-Fu turned up nothing, so I wrote my own implementation based on the Text Renderer I’d written for internal Ironshod usage.

I’ve released it on Github here for everyones enjoyment: https://github.com/danzel/IronXna

Beautiful Example:

When drawing text, both the inner and outer color can be changed.

It tries hard to draw text with the same spacing as SpriteFont, but it doesn’t always achieve it.

I’ve been working hard the last 6-7 months doing the coding for Ironshods latest iPhone/iPod touch game: Reverse Maze

Reverse Maze is a maze puzzler where all controls are backwards. Your goal is to get from the starting point to the exit without touching any walls or objects.

Go get it on the App store now

I cleaned up the code in the new font system, then started on cleaning it up and moving freetype out, so I can build without freetype. The way it will work is there will be an external tool powered by freetype to generate the font files (image and settings). Then I won’t need to link against freetype, which is good as I don’t have it set up on my mac, and may not have it on other platforms I want to build DSP for.

I did a bit of work on the level select menu, as shown here:

The top right area isn’t implemented yet (nor are the scores). The top right area will show an image of the selected level and a brief description.

Next week will be: Finish menu, finish refactoring font system, end game handling, new level?….

We tried it with a pre-paid SIM card (after activating it through iTunes with my SIM which is on account – not an iPhone plan) and it worked fine for phone and txt.

VFNZ data will work while on pre-paid. It doesn’t even work on corporate APNs, believe me I have tried! Even the Apple Corporate configuration utility didn’t help

After talking to the Vodafone NZ iPhone help desk, they mentioned that iPhone has its own APN (like a blackberry on the special blackberry plan), so that would explain it.

Don’t let the store people convince you that you need a data plan to activate it, you definitely don’t! iTunes does it all.

WiFi works of course, If you are in Hamilton then drop an email to shane@velocitynetworks.co.nz – they have set up a WiFi network in the CBD and are providing free access to iPhone users!

Hopefully when the jailbreak arrives we’ll be able to use non iPhone APNs on it like people with hacked 1st Generation iPhones can now!

Update: Talked to the iPhone support team again today, they might be able to set up the corporate APN on my iPhone, they need to talk to level 2 support who don’t work on the weekend of course!

The person I talked to confirmed that they lock down the APN so that people on pre-paid can’t access data. (Bastards!)

Update 2: Got a call back, apparently I need the iPhone APN set up on my SIM to be able to access my corporate APN (which didn’t even make sense to the person I was talking to). Of course to have the iPhone APN set up you need a data plan on your SIM, which negates the whole point of a corporate APN!

Back to waiting for the hacks….

Update 3: You can get data to work on prepay (and apparently corporate APNs, just not mine… ), details:

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=76&TopicId=24033

http://www.unlockit.co.nz/

Mintshot is a poorly coded, insecure and easy to cheat website.
The level of security shown on the site makes me worry for the future of web development.
The security problems detailed in this post, allow users to gain more m$ (the currency on the website) than they should be able to, thereby giving them an unfair advantage over the people who use the site legitimately.

Layman’s version: People can cheat on mintshot and get more money than you. This will let them win every auction and get all the prizes!

[Edit 3rd Dec] Removed at web hosts request.
Google Cache and pastebin have mirrors for now.

[Edit 4th Dec] Don’t send me stupid mail asking me how to hack, or I’ll post it on here like this:

From CS / Dec 3, 2007 2:25 AM

like the blog!! wanna teach me how to do this? i need new cloths too! and am not good enough to win! lol

hook a homie uP!

From CS / Dec 3, 2007 10:37 PM

hey man i know your probably going to shoot me down here!
but is there anyway you could show me how to write that bookmarklet thing! i just completed my first semester at uni and i know how to write in C.. but am yet to get into java script! any help would be nice! i know how to alter the info with a program in firefox but it takes heaps of time! so any help would be great! i dont want to rip the site off! i just wanna have a chance to win some SKINS!!!! lol please help it would be greatly appreciated! and i definatly wouldnt go crazy with it!

I should of just continued ignoring him at this point, oh well….

From Danzel / Dec 4, 2007 8:24 AM

Fuck off.

From CS / Dec 4, 2007 10:32 AM

hahahaha jesus! whats your problem? you left your e-mail on the site like you wanted to be contacted! jesus!

From CS / Dec 4, 2007 4:11 PM

common man help me out! dmanit! lol

From CS / Dec 4, 2007 6:51 PM

hey homo! looks like they have patched the exploit anyway! FUCK! all cause dick heads like you took it to far! if people had of been civil about it it woulda been sweet!

Yes, dick heads like me who informed them of the security hole.
I’m certainly a huge dickhead! </sarcasm>

Update: Release 1.1a to fix the bugs in the 1.1 release

And like clockwork (on some sort of clock that distorts time and sleep) here is the DSP 1.1 release.

Don’t forget you can still vote for Defence Station Portable on NeoFlash HERE
Thanks for all your votes!

This version has a slightly longer River TD, plenty of playability fixes and fixes/improves the bugs that prevented many other people from releasing their own maps.
There is also a difficulty modifier, so daring folks can try play the levels through with more difficulty. Try beat River TD on 2.0x difficulty, I DOUBLE DARE YA!

Mapdevs, check the updated leveldev.doc, the file formats are still the same but you can now override more of the images, check levels/test as an example

ChangeLog:
Add “How To Play” level.
Difficulty multiplier. (bigger number = more enemy HP)
Show tower stats while placing one.
Add “Save the house” mode.
Show range rings when upgrading towers (Yes, you can upgrade towers! select one on the map with X)
Show Wave XX/XX Text between waves.
Most game graphics customisable by level.
Fix loading levels made on windows.
Fix Quitting level in middle of wave stops player starting wave.
Fix points (Max 10 points / normal enemy, 40 points / boss. Quicker kill = more points)

Downloads
PSP
Linux
Windows

Expected release date: 20th August, or slightly before.
(Wow that cooincides with the NeoFlash competition)

Head over to his site to grab it

I haven’t had time to check it into SVN yet, Will do when i get some time…

Changelog:
Resolver shouldn't lock up anymore.
Jabber account adding.
Removed Splash.


Download Links:
OE Version
1.5 Version
[EDIT] Download links updated, thanks to LOCOSP for pointing out I forgot to update an image!

Enjoy as always.
My next project will be something that doesn’t need character input, if I ever decide to finish and release it