Since you're using Flash, have you considered using either AGAL shaders or DisplacementMapFilter to implement relativistic aberration?

Here is a crude example I just threw together (click for focus, then use the arrow keys to move): http://circlepush.com/raptor.html

Oh, that's really cool. No, I'd not heard of those shaders or DisplacementMapFilter - but it sure looks like they could do what I need. My current method (as you can perhaps tell) is to split the (non-relativistic) image into a bunch of thin triangle fanning out radially from your character, then redraw those images onto triangles with modified angle/vertices.

It works pretty well, but I imagine using one of the methods you listed would be a lot faster. Thanks for sharing them, I'll keep them in mind for a possible upgrade to the game.

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I didn't realize you'd already solved this, because I hadn't played all the way until level 25 the first time around. Your method looks fantastic.

Oh - haha - no problem. One of my favorite parts of watching people who know about relativity play this game is seeing them a) think of an effect that isn't shown in the game, and state that out loud, then b) reach the level that the effect is introduced. (Doppler shift, aberration, etc.) Makes me smile every time.

I remember playing this years ago and couldn't progress past the last few levels. Is there a cheat to skip levels or unlock them, I don't want to replay everything?

Nevermind... I just finished it.

The colors always bugged me, why does the color sometimes become black when I'm traveling towards it when it should become brighter? Perhaps because the game only simulates the frequency and we can only see a narrow spectra so it makes sense it is black on both ends.

Also the closing doors don't seem to work properly, or it is just my perception.

Oh, nicely done! You beat the game faster than I could remind myself of the cheat code!

You're absolutely right about the colors. Right now, the color-blocks only show what would happen to the wavelength (which gets 'black' as you head into UV), not the brightness. There are so many effects, which can get confusing if all presented at the same time, so I had to pick and choose which I'd represent.

That said, I really should have added levels that dealt with the brightness. It's a cool effect, too, dammit! I'll keep that in mind.

About the doors, if you're noticing what I think you're noticing, a quick explanation... Put shortly: in their rest frame, they open/shut simultaneously. But to the moving raptor, those 'simultaneous' moments happen at different times. Which is why the raptor feels like she can fit through a pair of doors that are otherwise too close together - there is a period of time (in her frame) that the doors are both open, letting her through.

Have you considered using Haxe [0] / OpenFL [1] considering that flash is less and less available platform?

[0] http://haxe.org/ [1] http://www.openfl.org/

Since Velocity Raptor, I've started making my new games using Unity. That lets me release to the web (now, recently, without needing any plugin at all) or various devices.

I don't have any immediate plans to port Velocity Raptor over, though. It would take an entire rebuild of the game.

I loved the game, but the constant warping of the game board meant that my eyes were a bit screwy after playing. Still fun though. :)

Oh yes, so true. I too am not immune to a bit of minor nausea after a bunch of playing. Just goes to show that our eyes & brains really aren't built for seeing the relativistic world. Not something our ancestors really needed to do :)

Could you make more levels? :)

Ha, I would love to get more time to spend working on this game. There is a level editor, though, and some players have made truly amazing levels in the game. Many are posted in the TestTubeGames forum, so I encourage you to check them out (http://testtubegames.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=89).

One player made a quasi-"light clock" using the bullets, and another made a whole sequence of levels about the see-all seal that may as well be canon :)