The Supernatural Olympics v3.x - Screenshot of development progress on Mar 23, 2008
A screenshot of the scenery (as of Mar 23, 2008) viewed from about 6500 feet above ground in very early development.


What is version 3.x of The Supernatural Olympics like?


Last updated: Jan 5, 2008

Frequently asked questions (FAQ) < Previous page | Next page > Development progress checklist


This covers how to obtain support, file bug reports, and details about updates and upgrades. The bug severity system is also explained with plenty of examples. Until the game nears completion, much of the precise high-level details won't be known.

1 Support



Before contacting support, make sure that you meet the system requirements and read the FAQ and known issues sections. Also, make sure that the file was successfully downloaded rather than being cut short (check the file size by right-clicking on the executable and choosing "properties" (use a download manager if that helps)). If all else fails, then contact me and I'll look into the issue you're having. When contacting me, specify what the issue is, what version and edition you have of the game, what system specs you have (such as the CPU, memory, operating system, etc.; or just mention the make and model of your computer so I can look up the specs (if available), if it's store-bought one rather than custom-built), any errors you get, and whatever other details you have that may be handy. Do not send attachments without permission, or your message will be deleted without being looked at. If you have a screenshot or something (if you feel that one might help), upload it to some image-hosting service like imageshack or photobucket and provide the full URL to it within the E-mail rather than sending an attachment. Support requests commonly encountered by others will have some of the details to resolve the issue posted, if available, so it can help others, but the conversations in the support messages will never be posted (see my site's privacy policy on the main index).

2 Bug reports



A bug, also known as a glitch, is an unintential behavior of the program that can cause strange or unusual behaviors such as the game crashing or simple spelling/grammar errors.

2.1 The bug severity scale



Bugs are rated on a 0 to 8 scale with 0 being completely harmless bugs and 8 being destructive. It's based on a difficulty scale I used since childhood where 0 was "given" and 8 is "said to be impossible". 4 was "medium", 3 was "easy medium", 1 is "very easy", and so on. The scale is as follows, with examples:

Bug
class		SeverityExamples of such a bug
0HarmlessMisspellings, small typos, and not-so-easily noticed misalignments
1Very minorPoorly worded sentences, somewhat inaccurate information in text, colors slightly off, great misalignments, inconsistent styles
2MinorText overlapping, a rarely used feature doesn't always work properly, easily-noticed inconsistent styles
3Moderately minorDistorted sounds and graphics, character action different from intended, a commonly used features not always working properly, text doesn't display properly
4ModerateSounds and graphics don't play or appear, falling through the land in tough-to-reach areas, faulty collsion detection
5Moderately severeFalling through the land in many common areas, crashes with nonstandard but allowed settings, "file not found" errors upon loading
6SevereCrashes caused with usage of common features, rarely occurring infinite loops, save files frequently not saving properly, blank/not updating screen
7Very severeCrashes where pressing the reset button on the case is the only way to recover, game refuses to run at all, frequently occurring infinite loops
8DestructiveDoes physical hardware damage, bugs that force you to have to reinstall the operating system (and everything else) in order to recover


Bugs from classes 2 to 4 are the most commonly encounterd bugs. I've encountered a class 8 bug with text input in an advanced graphing calculator around 1994, which prevented me from using that calculator ever again. I've encountered plenty of 6's and 7's during both testing of my own programs, but also with software on my computer.

2.2 How to find and report bugs



If want to hunt for bugs or think you unexpectedly encountered one, here's how to check, the method I've used for a long time.

  1. Play around, create self-made challenges, go into out-of-the-way areas, do weird combinations of actions, and other things, including playing the game normally.
  2. If you do encounter an odd or unusual behavior, take note of the circumstances you did to cause it, the location it occurs, and try to repeat it. Write down the details if needed.
  3. Submit the bug report and explain the details. If you can't reproduce it, give as many clues as possible so others could possibly check it out who may be able to reproduce it.


I've used this technique for a long time and I've encountered many bugs and oddities this way (recording videos of them even and posting them on YouTube).

3 Updates and upgrades



An update is a release within a current version such as going from 3.0 to 3.1 then 3.2. They are typically rather small and contain a few new features, enhancements, and usually bug fixes, especially toward high-class bugs (3 and up). An upgrade is a more significant collection of new features, enhancements, and bug fixes (and in rare cases, complete rewrites as in my case from 2.4 to 3.x, which are not compatible), which have their version numbers going from 3.x to 4.x then 5.x. Updates are free within a version, upgrades are not (but at a reduced price compared to a full license). An upgrade 2 versions up (from 3.x to 5.x) will cost more than the one from 4.x to 5.x), but still less than that of a full license. One version up has a 50% savings and two versions up has a 25% savings.

If you're curious to know how much more is left for me to do before the next release is available, check the development progress checklist.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ) < Previous page | Next page > Development progress checklist


Learn more about the game with the following links:

9.1.4 The Supernatural Olympics version 3.x - the highly enhanced full remake of my high-speed action game
9.1.4-1 What is the game? - an introduction to the game and it's features
9.1.4-2 Feature comparison chart - a quick overview comparing each editions' features
9.1.4-3 Going 2.5D - the numerous advantages for taking a 2.5D approach instead of 2D only
9.1.4-4 Scenery features - features related to the game's scenery
9.1.4-5 Special features - the game's special features
9.1.4-6 Special abilities - explains the various special abilities
9.1.4-7 Special effects - explains what the various special effects are
9.1.4-8 Tournaments and challenges - details about the tournaments, challenges, and ranks
9.1.4-9 General features - various other features
9.1.4-10 System requirements - what the minimum and recommended system requirements are
9.1.4-11 End user license agreement - read this first before using the software or it's components
9.1.4-12 Ten reasons to upgrade - the top ten reasons to upgrade to the full edition
9.1.4-13 Buy, download, and install - how to buy the game, download it (including the manual and old versions), and install it
9.1.4-14 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - some common questions that may be asked frequently
9.1.4-15 Support, bug reports, and updates/upgrades - how to obtain support, file bug reports, and what updates/upgrades are
9.1.4-16 Development progress checklist - an in-depth checklist for things I need to do before the next release becomes available
9.1.4-17 Future plans and features - features planned for the future and the game's general future

Footnotes:
None.