Well, I think we need to solidify the basic game mechanics first. Hang on, I have to piss.
Thanks for waiting. Okay, so do you think we should make a platformer-style game, where the objective would be to make it to the end of an environment/level? (This would be difficult to program and make graphics for- we'd need a level editor as well as graphics for each level.) I'm leaning more towards a "Tetris" kind of puzzle game, where you have basically one screen that you play on (but different levels can be different screens, and we can advance any story we choose to add through cutscenes of different types).
Thanks for waiting. Okay, so do you think we should make a platformer-style game, where the objective would be to make it to the end of an environment/level? (This would be difficult to program and make graphics for- we'd need a level editor as well as graphics for each level.) I'm leaning more towards a "Tetris" kind of puzzle game, where you have basically one screen that you play on (but different levels can be different screens, and we can advance any story we choose to add through cutscenes of different types).
I like the idea of robot + dead bodies. I think the premise of the game could be something like this:
You (the player) are entrusted with the organization and removal of waste for the grand metropolis of ___. This city's sanitation department uses giant custom-engineered robots for trash disposal. As (different types of ) trash falls down from the top of the screen, you have to use the different tools built into your robot to organize and eliminate it. I'm thinking different types of trash have different properties- some might explode after a while, some might be used to power your vehicle, the dead bodies might animate as zombies after a certain amount of neglect (which you would then have to fend off).
Different tools on the robot might be a plow, which you could change the orientation of, some kind of cannon for fending off zombies, and the engine itself (which might need to be powered by dragging a fuel source onto it, when you want your machine to move).
You (the player) are entrusted with the organization and removal of waste for the grand metropolis of ___. This city's sanitation department uses giant custom-engineered robots for trash disposal. As (different types of ) trash falls down from the top of the screen, you have to use the different tools built into your robot to organize and eliminate it. I'm thinking different types of trash have different properties- some might explode after a while, some might be used to power your vehicle, the dead bodies might animate as zombies after a certain amount of neglect (which you would then have to fend off).
Different tools on the robot might be a plow, which you could change the orientation of, some kind of cannon for fending off zombies, and the engine itself (which might need to be powered by dragging a fuel source onto it, when you want your machine to move).
So then around the screen would be different contraptions that you could push the garbage into, perhaps- like filters that sorted the trash into different piles, etc. You would be pushing around different piles of stuff while maintaining your vehicle and fending off zombies, bandits, and hyenas. You could upgrade your robot with different turrets (or different crew members to man them- an easy way to change a part of the robot without changing the graphic) between missions.
So maybe to start with, you could make a simple mock-up of the level itself... WITH A PHYSICS MODEL THAT ALLOWS FOR STACKABLE OBJECTS woooooo
haha. Or however you think would work best.
haha. Or however you think would work best.
WE could start out with something simpler. How about a hop n bop game, 2d, that takes place on top of the boss of the level? Let's say the boss is a giant brain. The character would be running around the surface of the brain (it would be a big circle; the level would be cyclical) and killing different enemies that pop up. After a number of adversaries are eliminated, the player gets to move down to the next level of the brain (the top layer is destroyed and removed like a layer of onion) that contains more enemies! We could make it so that the amount of corpses on the current brain-level eventually makes it implode. Once you hit the "core," you fight the boss.
It would basically be like a 2-d version of Shadow of the Colossus, maybe kinda. Almost.
It would basically be like a 2-d version of Shadow of the Colossus, maybe kinda. Almost.
Do a real simple sketch of a level you are thinking of.
The incinerator for garbage could just be a fire that needs oxygen, so you have to fan it...unless you can figure out a way to build a fan! ...of dead bodies. Damn this game is sweet, just because of the theme. Maybe it could be post apocalyptic, mmm cliche, but that would explain the need for clean up.
I think maybe "para-apocalyptic" would be more appropriate. THE APOCALYPSE IS UPON US! parapocalyptic?
I will sketch.
!! There's a sweet-ass new feature in illustrator CS2 that converts raster files (i.e. my sketches) into vector paths (i.e. flash graphics). I'm planning on utilizing it extensively.
I don't suppose you know any Flash? Maybe I should take a class.
I will sketch.
!! There's a sweet-ass new feature in illustrator CS2 that converts raster files (i.e. my sketches) into vector paths (i.e. flash graphics). I'm planning on utilizing it extensively.
I don't suppose you know any Flash? Maybe I should take a class.
I can take a flash class also, but that would mean it's a while before development. Another good choice for fast development would be XNA using C# and DirectX which I have no code for, but XNA is a complete 2D game engine. Another great language, especially for mock up until we learn flash, would be Python which has its own API for game development called PyGame. Just throwing it out there in case you haven't heard of those.
I think I'm going to use XNA for the game. It's for fast development and scene as how I have no attention span that should help. It's also free and legal to download visual studio express and develop in c#, so multiple benefits to that, like you easily set it up and poke around at the code if you wanted. C# can be scripted so no recompiling to run new game code. And the best part in my opinion, it can be easily ported to the xbox 360, which my roomate has and is encouraging me to make a game for it. There is a concert outside and the guitar is got my attention, so I'm going to go check that out. Later.
No comments:
Post a Comment