Solo Joe Climbing Game News:

September 16, 2008:
Much to my chagrin, I have completely neglected this project for the past several months, and I will not have the game finished by November. I still intend on finishing the game, though I am reluctant to prognosticate a future deadline. I will update this page as the project develops.

May 30, 2008:
I have nearly finished programming the next crag. It is exciting to see things come together. This level has some really cool lines including the game’s first project. This route is the first of several “open projects” in the game. This crag also has a new NPG (Non Player Character). This process is slower than I had originally hoped for, which makes the November deadline fairly daunting. However, that is still my intent.

April 14, 2008:
I found another issue over the weekend. The problem was with trad gear. Some of the trad placements were impossible. It was another quick fix. Version 4.2 takes care of it. I also began work on Area 251 yesterday. It is nice to finally begin working on a new area. I have kept the old version 1.6 up for the past week just in case the newer version completely bombs. If I do not get any complaints, I will probably take it down soon. Having said that, if anyone experiences issues with the new demo please contact me.

April 11, 2008:
I found a small graphics issue with version 4.0. It is fixed. If you downloaded the new demo prior to 7:40pm, you will need to get the updated.

April 11, 2008:
There were many changes between version 4.0 and version 1.6. In my rush to get it out, I did not take much time to test it. So, there will undoubtedly be issues. If you experience problems, please Contact Me and I will resolve them. Some of the changes include:

• The first non-player character... The Guide
• Making money made easier... Your 'sponsors' dole out cash for each successful attempt
• Special skills... Learned techniques that will enhance your character

I also worked on the memory leek. This has been a time consuming issue. I have made a huge dent in the memory consumption, though there is still room for improvement. This required many changes and it is likely that it will result in new bugs.

April 9, 2008:
The final demo is done. I am currently testing it, and plan to upload it by the end of the week. There have been many changes, so I recommend reviewing the manual (which received a cursory update as well). Remember, your old "characterdata" files will not be compatible with this release. To use the new demo you will have to start from scratch.

March 27, 2008:
Work sucks! Much to my chagrin, my real job has been limiting my development time. I have also decided to tackle much more than was first expected with the next release of the demo. Therefore, it is doubtful that it will be ready by the 31st. Nevertheless, good things are happening and I am excited about the new functionality. Be assured, I am plugging away and will get the next release out as soon as I can. Thanks again to everyone who is testing. Your feedback has helped me to resolve several bugs.

March 12, 2008:
I am aware of a memory issue. Generally speaking, this is something that users may not be aware of. However, it is a performance problem. Thanks to testers I am on it. I may not be able to fully address the problem in the initial release of the full demo. However, I am confident that this performance problem will not be an issue when the full version is ready.

Speaking of the full version, I am working on some exciting functionality that truly increases the upgradability of the characters. The demo is only the tip of the iceberg.

March 10, 2008:
Those of you who have tested the demo probably know that there are a few small glitches. I am aware of them and they will be fixed. Thanks for your patience. Speaking of patience... the full demo is going to take a little more time. I have decided to make some programmatic changes, which will have to take place before I finish the demo. Until then, please contact me if you find errors, that way I can fix them. Thanks!

March 6, 2008:
There was (and perhaps still is) a glitch that would cause the character to inexplicably shoot off of the screen after a short fall. I have made some changes. However, because the issue is so difficult to recreate it is equally difficult to resolve. Please, contact me if you experience this issue with the newest release.

Before updating your game be aware: the "SJ2_saved" file is only compatible with the game that created it. Therefore, if you download an update you must not put it in the same directory as older "SJ2_saved" files. Your "characterdata" file was designed to store your character information so that it can be transferred from one version to another. If you do not manage the files correctly you will create all sorts of errors. Review the File Management section of the manual for details.

March 5, 2008:
A couple of small changes were made. They will have very little effect on users who have already survived the learning curve. A brief edit was made to the manual as well. Both updates should make it a bit easier for new users. Keep in mind, this is a demo and is not intended to entertain you indefinitely. If you've leveled up your character to 5.7, that's about it. There are a couple of harder routes in the demo. Do not expect to be able to do them. They will come into play later, in the full version.

From here I intend to do one more edit to the demo. This edit will add the last wall to 'The Sport Crag'. Thus, everyone will be getting new climbs in a few days. After that, I will embark on the slow task of completing the game. I project the full version to be finished by the first of November. It is difficult to know how accurate this deadline is, so I plan to update this Website roughly once a month for those of you who are interested.

Note: A couple of bugs were reported on rockclimbing.com. Dan forwarded them on to me. Please, if you experience trouble with the game send the issue directly to me at info@flyingnutmuncher.com. That way they aren't lost, and I can fix them. Thanks to everyone testing the demo.

Mac & Linux Users:
Much to my chagrin, Solo Joe II is not currently compatible with Linux or Macintosh. I feel your pain; I love my old Mac. There are a variety of PC emulators out there. I have not researched this personally, but have been lead to believe that there are even free options. A quick search may yield something. If you find something, please share it with me and I will pass it on.

I have received some positive feedback in regard to this issue, and have several people who are eager to assist me in finding a solution. I am confident that Solo Joe will span multiple platforms, someday. However, I do not plan on working to this end until I have the full version completed.

March 3, 2008:
A note about jugs: not every hold is a good rest. Good rest holds are big and obvious. If you are not certain, it is not a good rest.

In response to initial user feedback (that the game started out too hard) I made a quick fix. The patch made the game easier, but not better. I was not satisfied. Easier is not necessarily gratifying. A hard fought redpoint is more rewarding (to me) than a forgettable onsite. So... I have tweaked it yet again. This demo version has 18 climbs. Three 5.4s, Three 5.5s, Five 5.6s, Four 5.7s, One 5.8, and two climbs that will most likely be impossible for anyone to master in the demo. The beginning character is fully capable of doing the first three climbs (as is) though it might not be easy.

One of the things that hooked me on rock climbing was the fact that I could learn and get better and eventually send the routes that, at one time, seemed impossible. That is an important aspect of this game. In the beginning, most of the climbs will be too hard, and trad climbing will be scary. However, as you learn the controls and improve your character you will find success. At times it may be frustrating. So is rock climbing.

Those of you who have already played the demo will find that this version is almost identical to previous versions. These are not drastic changes. I have not added to the quantity of climbs, and for the most part they are almost all the same as the climbs in previous versions. My goal in this first series of edits is to improve upon the initial play of the game. To this end, I cannot stress enough the importance of the manual. This game does not have an in-game tutorial, or help menu. Some of the controls are less than intuitive. However, they flow nicely once you understand them.

March 1, 2008:
In response to initial user feedback (that the game started out too hard) I made a quick fix. This patch caused a minor error. The error occurred when the character clips the anchors at the end of a climb. I have done a thorough edit, and the error has been fixed. I plan to update the game daily until I have fixed all of the known user issues (that I can). To that end, I need feedback. In addition to your concerns, I need to know what IS working. What do users like? What aspect are good just the way they are?

February 29, 2008:
I have already made some updates to the game. Early users expressed concerns that it started out too hard. This version makes the initial character tougher. It also includes preset attributes in the character creation. Users are still able to adjust attributes, but you are now unable to accidentally skip this part of the character creation (which makes it impossible to have fun). Check out this new release.

February 28, 2008:
the rock climbing computer game, Solo Joe II (demo) is finally here. Though it is only a demo version, it does include a great deal of functionality. I did not bother perfecting this release. There are known bugs. There is still a lot of work yet to be done. However, I am curious to hear what others have to say. How fast this project progresses from here is going to depend on user feedback. Please take the time to check it out and voice an opinion.

This is a demo, and does not include ALL of the game functionality. For example, do not attempt to donate money to the Access Fund to open climbing areas. The only climbs available are the few that I have created at The Sport Crag. The lack of climbs will make it is difficult to advance your character enough to take advantage of all aspects of the game, and it is unlikely that you will be able to improve your character enough to be able to perform dynos even though this feature is available in the demo.

Do not neglect to download the NEW game manual. In order to be successful you will need to know how to set up your character. If you neglect this, your character will suck and it will be no fun. I am planning to address this issue in the next release (any day). If you previously downloaded the OLD manual, delete it and download the new manual. Take some time to check it out. It will help.