Author Topic: A clean game  (Read 40366 times)

bluemonkmn

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A clean game
« on: 2009-06-06, 08:23:11 AM »
I haven't thought of a better name for this project yet, so it's just called Clean Game for now.  My intention is to design simple, clean graphics, but make the gameplay interesting.  Then if I or anyone else ever gets a chance, the graphics can be enhanced later.  That way I don't get bogged down in the graphics never getting back to working on the game.

So far I have:
1. Conveyor belts on which any of my sprites that are affected by gravity can ride like a platform, but the belts are added to the map by simply placing tiles (not sprites).  They work well.
2. Worms just crawl along and turn around when they hit a wall.
3. Bombs will show a fuse burning up in about 10 different frames (lasting about 4 seconds) before they explode.
4. Explosions will ignite any ignitable tile next to them.
5. Boxes of explosives will create explosions when ignited, propagating an explosion.
6. Wood piles and torches will create a fire (burning wood pile or burning torch) when ignited.
7. Fire will ignite any neighboring ignitable tile.
8. Bomb throwing Robot will move forward for a certain amount of time, then stop and wait for a short period, then throw a bomb up and forward, then wait another period of time, then continue moving.  It turns around when it hits a wall.  All of its wait times can be specified as parameters when the sprite is placed on the map.
9. I'm currently working on a sprite that will grow a plant/tree whose shape is determined by the digits of its "structure" parameter, and grows by spawning new tree sprites as it moves and processes the structure parameter.

Most of the graphics are defined in black and white and colored by the frameset so I can create different versions of various graphics by coloring them differently.  I haven't done that much yet except to create green and brown ground from the same graphics.

I'm liking the idea of creating ever more complex sprites that spawn other sprites.  The bomb robot is a good example.  It's a neat sprite because it can spawn a bomb which can spawn an explosion, which can spawn a fire, which can spawn more explosions, so you can get some really sophisticated results out of some relatively simple rules.  Maybe at some point I'll make a bomb robot dispensing truck :).  I'll probably make some sort of seed planting sprite that can plant these tree sprites.

I wonder how similar my seed idea is to Tanja's.  I still haven't been able to get Tanja's game running, unfortunately.

durnurd

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #1 on: 2009-06-06, 12:39:31 PM »
You reminded me of this Simpson's monent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOnrG6NTmBg
Edward Dassmesser

Tanja

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #2 on: 2009-06-06, 12:40:15 PM »
i really like your idea, bluemonk! i had something similiar in mind, like plants that spawn other plants in order to revive the planet. but i didn't come to the stage to actually script that.
also the chain reactions triggered by robots, bombs, explosives in boxes etc would be surely cool. that reminds me somehow of games like incredible machines.

how about showing us your results so far?

i bet this game, used as a sandbox could be useful to entice people, either to play, and either to create new sophisticated levels.
ah, i can see it. the plants are growing in the pace of the robots, while these destroy everything in their way. could be tricky for a side to win, if the balance is right.
« Last Edit: 2009-06-06, 12:44:47 PM by Tanja »

bluemonkmn

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #3 on: 2009-06-06, 08:33:31 PM »
I will try to remember to post some sample when I get my first idea for plant sprouts working.

Jam0864

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #4 on: 2009-06-06, 11:09:14 PM »
You could do it like a lot of real life plants do... Have plants periodically release a shower of seed sprites that blow long distances in the wind before hitting the ground. This would make the spreading appear less linear. Seeds might even blow over top of gaps or onto different platforms, creating plants in areas that aren't supposed to have them.

bluemonkmn

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #5 on: 2009-06-07, 10:35:41 AM »
Here's what I've got so far.
http://sgdk2.enigmadream.com/ben/CleanGame.zip

It's possible to make each branch of a plant spawn one of two types of seeds.  For now the two types are spawned as bombs and worms, but that will probably change (and you can spawn up to 9 different kinds of seeds if I think of that many).

tprime

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #6 on: 2009-06-07, 09:46:06 PM »
Wow, runs real great. I can't even get mine to do that. I'm able to do graphics if you want. I don't have too much programming skill, but I can serve with graphics!  ;)

Tanja

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #7 on: 2009-06-08, 01:03:51 AM »
hm, i thought of a topdown perspective and a more tactical strategy thing.
ideas: some plants are type of fire resistant, and their seeds do not sprout until they are burned.

bluemonkmn

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #8 on: 2009-06-08, 05:28:00 AM »
Wow, runs real great. I can't even get mine to do that. I'm able to do graphics if you want. I don't have too much programming skill, but I can serve with graphics!  ;)

You can't get yours to do what?

If you are able to change only the graphics sheet to improve the graphics, I can import better graphics at any time.  If you'd like to change more than the graphics sheet in order to improve the graphics, let me know and maybe we can coordinate our updates so that it won't be too difficult to merge our changes.  Of course I can add your name to the credits too assuming I decide to use the graphics.

bluemonkmn

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #9 on: 2009-06-08, 05:30:25 AM »
hm, i thought of a topdown perspective and a more tactical strategy thing.
ideas: some plants are type of fire resistant, and their seeds do not sprout until they are burned.

A top-down as it no gravity?  Or just more isometric-view-type graphics?

Sprout seeds as in start growing from the seed or drop seeds from their branches?

Tanja

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #10 on: 2009-06-08, 12:31:06 PM »
yeah, topdown like no gravity, just a view from the sky.
and when burned, already released seeds start growing.

SmartBoy16

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #11 on: 2009-06-08, 01:12:21 PM »
I ran it, but the only problem is i can seem to find the setting to slow the frame rate. (right now it goes at a whopping 300fps) other wise, it looks great. can i suggest something like grabbing the bombs and placing them in places to blow-up elsewhere, like for a stradegy game? or even better! have a huge maze of boxes and three different trails. two lead right back to you and one leads to the goal. place the bomb in the right spot and hope it is not the one that hits you.
Looking to the skies.....

Jam0864

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #12 on: 2009-06-08, 03:47:12 PM »
Add a rule "LimitFrameRate" to the maps plan. Mine was at 500fps before I did that. >.>


This is a good idea that has huge potential. Perhaps water could give plants a boost in growth speed for a period of time, fire/explosions could destroy them (certain species would drop their seeds when burnt(good idea tanja)), the player could have some way to impact it as well, such as wielding a chainsaw.

To make this even better, players should be able to stand on top of the plants, to warrant strategic growth to try and reach secret areas just out of reach.

SmartBoy16

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #13 on: 2009-06-08, 03:59:14 PM »
Add a rule "LimitFrameRate" to the maps plan. Mine was at 500fps before I did that. >.>

this helped. maybe this should be an included rule so that it doesn't confuse so many new developers.
Looking to the skies.....

bluemonkmn

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Re: A clean game
« Reply #14 on: 2009-06-08, 06:11:49 PM »
I ran it, but the only problem is i can seem to find the setting to slow the frame rate. (right now it goes at a whopping 300fps) other wise, it looks great. can i suggest something like grabbing the bombs and placing them in places to blow-up elsewhere, like for a stradegy game? or even better! have a huge maze of boxes and three different trails. two lead right back to you and one leads to the goal. place the bomb in the right spot and hope it is not the one that hits you.

Yeah, the plan is to make the player be able to interact with all these (including maybe even releasing bomb robots), but first I'm just getting a good variety of sprites working.