Project: Metagame - Join and contribute!

[Condog]

Unlockable minigame maybe?

So in the proper game we complete, the test one will be a bonus if you do a certain task. That would be awesome.

Here are some sketchs i've done for the Planetoid Platformer. Just basic things at the moment, trying to keep track of different ideas. I plan to go back over and visit each part in more detail later.

[Geti]

I don't think stationary cannons would work very well as the only enemy.

obviously not the only enemy, just another enemy, that pushes the planet a little in the direction it fires.

We could make a Scorched Earth mini-game as a physics/engine test for the subsequent planetoid game.

coolies. for particle systems etc? that would work. could get the art style down too.

@condog: i like this, especially the sweeper drone thing. however i dont think you should die from floating off into space, i think the gravitational field should always be pulling you. maybe if you float way to far out, but generally gravity is always in effect, it has no "field" per se.

besides, real gravity physics arent that hard.. http://www.geocities.com/paris/6502/impact.html

this is getting cool; im happy for it to go either way. just let me have some influence over the art :P

[Atilla]

JPEG on the scans next time, please. It reduces the filesize by a factor of ten - PNG compression only works well with large areas of a uniform shade, and that white isn't quite uniform (as is typically the case for scans unless you take some time to clean it up).

[mattk210]

@condog: i like this, especially the sweeper drone thing. however i dont think you should die from floating off into space, i think the gravitational field should always be pulling you. maybe if you float way to far out, but generally gravity is always in effect, it has no "field" per se.

no, if you're accelerating fast enough to escape gravity gravity will never be able to stop you (we have no drag, it's in space). Avoiding getting thrown out of gravity would make for an interesting game mechanic as well.

[Geti]

fast enough to escape gravity = velocity greater than gravity's acceleration (eg >9.8m/s on earth)
gravity is matter's attraction to itself, determined by mass. everything has some form of gravity, just a planet's gravitational pull is much much greater than a person's.
blah.

planetoid platformer with cannons and sweepers and all manner of robotic enemies would be interesting. even some levels with organic enemies maybe. like scuttly things..
eh, i still need to draw more up. if there are some weapons with enough force to destroy a planetoid that would be good.
would the game be episodic (like N) or long long levels (like knytt or cave story)? episodic would work well for large scale destruction, like player made levels could just be planetoid/planetoid's moons plastered with fortresses. multi level fortresses would work well with this aswell, like tunnels cycling down to the core of a planet, to get your engineer/saboteur to plant a charge to destroy the planet (as your weapons would generally be pitiful compared to you enemies, you would have to take a tactical side to things)

another thing, will all_of/our playable character/s be able to acrobat around? or will their mobility be limited?
i like the idea of a more acrobatic character, maybe even moreso than N (rolling/crouching, dashing etc is good in games with lots of bullets)

and, for the sake of discussion, do we want 1 or more characters? in the case of one, do we have metroid style upgrades? or like knytt? so many decisions to be made... we should start a wiki on assembla about all these possibilities, so everyone can comment more directly. rawrawrawr.

ill see if i can draw anything soon, itll probably have to wait till the weekend though, i have a lot of work to do..

[mattk210]

what are you trying to say about gravity? are you saying i'm wrong?

My thoughts on game structure:
* we start with an engine and some simple mode, maybe episodic or procedurally generated for a highscore-type thing
* once we've got something simple but playable to show we're actually capable of doing this, we expand it to a metroidvania style adventure or a SMG style level-based adventure, maybe keep the original game as a minigame. Multiple characters are OK, but once there's more than a few it becomes a pain to switch through them, and there's no real reason to implement this system (MMZX). I like metroid, so I'm biased towards that style.
* Acrobatics and fluid-feeling movement is key I think. I like the SMG style of having many different types of jumps and movement techniques limited by the area you're performing them in.

[Ad]

Nice designs, Condog, although the weapons may be a bit too N-based. You've got a good artistic hand!

Ooh, neat idea! Maybe, anyway. If we did have a platformer, at the end of the level (or every X levels) the predictable boss would appear. You'd beat the boss, which would explode, forming a black hole! The planets gradually get sucked back in, and you'd have to make your way back without getting swallowed! Sorta Warioland-ish, I guess. Image form:

Realism FTW.

Heh, upon thunking that idea up, I thought about some actual boss ideas. Got a bit carried away with one of them! :D

Yes, I know the worm/snake robot thing's gravity would most likely pull the planetoid, not vice versa. Shhhh.

...I need a hobby.

[Condog]

Nice designs, Condog, although the weapons may be a bit too N-based. You've got a good artistic hand!

Ooh, neat idea! Maybe, anyway. If we did have a platformer, at the end of the level (or every X levels) the predictable boss would appear. You'd beat the boss, which would explode, forming a black hole! The planets gradually get sucked back in, and you'd have to make your way back without getting swallowed! Sorta Warioland-ish, I guess. Image form:

The attachment Black hole thing! is no longer available

Heh, upon thunking that idea up, I thought about some actual boss ideas. Got a bit carried away with one of them! :D

The attachment Snake thing! is no longer available

...I need a hobby.

That....is fantastic! I do like the idea of having bosses included, maybe we could have them at the end of the 'column' equivalent in our game. That snake/serpent/worm thing looks awesome.

As for the blackhole thing, while it would be cool, it might be a bit hard for the programmers to accomplish. But it would be cool.

And thanks! :D

EDIT : More art!

With the character, I imagined you would be able to switch between three different modes, each with a different special ability - high jump, wall jump and hover - which would need to be used in different combinations in order to solve puzzles.

Character Design

Character Design

Ad's Boss idea is really neat. I created this version of the first boss based on his version.

Boss Design! Inspired by Ad

[Zora_S_Kenneth]

So let me get this straight, since my understanding of this is a bit shady, we're working on a platformer style game involving multiple bodies each exerting their own gravitational force?

Right then. I'm programming. ;)

[Geti]

i like the spring one much less than the others condog. what about we have it similar to how i picture the "launch pads" looking. less spring, more spring-ergy, or whatever.

example.png

example image, showing "spring-ergy"

(853 Bytes) Downloaded 468 times

i like the orange too, for player designs. just a thought. his eye didnt turn out the way i wanted but that can be remedied later.
IMAGE BEST VIEWED ON A DARK BACKGROUND!

[mattk210]

we can probably program a black hole, no problem

ad's comment about the boss at every column/level: Personally, one of the things that really turns me away from games is a strict formula: you will play 5 levels with the same theme then a boss, repeat. It's much better to have a more fluid game where there are bosses only where they fit and bits can be accessed in slightly different sequences. SM64 had great level-based play; while it was structured into levels, not all had bosses, you could do them in any order and then there were castle stars to break stuff up.

condog's first pages looked a little bit too getting-ahead-of-himself but i really like his last round of ideas. having rayman-style characters makes animation a lot easier, his three choices of characters are well-balanced and simple, and the boss is quite creative.

[Zora_S_Kenneth]

I would also like to sign up for visual design and maybe a few enemy ideas.

I came up with a few planetoid images that we could use, I can at request change how subtle the colors are.

[squibbles]

Holy crap...I might be able to get us some seriously high quaality space art for a background...

oh, and anyway, how about different "worlds", each with multiple "levels" in it, except each world is like, a different solar system! :D

[Condog]

Holy crap...I might be able to get us some seriously high quaality space art for a background...

It would probably be a good idea to have a relatively simple background for the game, otherwise it would distract from the gameplay.

oh, and anyway, how about different "worlds", each with multiple "levels" in it, except each world is like, a different solar system! :D

I like that idea. Similar to the structure of N episodes. We could have it in stages, related to the N level structure. (Inspired by Spore...)

All 10 Columns = Universe
Individual Columns = Galaxy
Individual Episodes = Sector
Individual Level = Solar System

Solar system would probably go better as the lowest form, as some levels might consist of large numbers of planets. Also, we could have a sun in each background to relate to this.

@Zora_S_Kenneth :: Wow, those are really cool. I was trying to make some images like that, but I could get it right. Nice job. :) It would be good to see what other textures you can make.

@mattk210 :: Yeah, i'll keep things on a smaller scale at this point!

[Luminaflare]

You going to include pixel physics with this? Because that would be very interesting.

[Exüberance]

I might be able to help out.

I have experience in both functional (not that you could make a real game out of a functional language) and imperitive languages and with Object-Oriented programming.
I've used AS 2.0, but not AS 3.0, but I pick up languages really quickly.

Unfortunately, I have enough work as is in University, so I probably won't have much time to work on it.

[Condog]

i like the spring one much less than the others condog. what about we have it similar to how i picture the "launch pads" looking. less spring, more spring-ergy, or whatever.

example.png

i like the orange too, for player designs. just a thought. his eye didnt turn out the way i wanted but that can be remedied later.
IMAGE BEST VIEWED ON A DARK BACKGROUND!

Ooh, that looks nice. The spring-ergy looks much better than a plunger thingy. And that character looks really cool. Oh, and I think 'spring-ergy' needs to be the official name for the propulsion used by that character, it just sounds so awesome!

[Pheidippides]

Wow, some of this stuff looks /really/ cool. I suppose I can help with the story, if/when needed. especially if we're pursuing the spacey planetoid idea that Condog and Co. have been doing concept art for. I can't wait to see how this will play out.

Edit: *Watching.* I don't know what team I'd fit on, though, for story-ing.

[Zora_S_Kenneth]

I can create virtually any texture using colorization, fractal noise, and a different opacity for each layer. I can even animate them. Any you were thinking about in particular?


And mind if I slip this enemy idea in?

Lava Turret
Winds up over one second. Then it spews a column of lava for three seconds, then powers down over one second. The lava will last forever until it either goes out of bounds or hits another planetoid. It will melt everything in it's path at a certain rate (engineer blocks included, albeit at a slower rate, and most lava will flow around) and heat the surfaces of what's left to dangerous heats. The lava is also affected by gravity of other planets. However, it is quite weak against thrown engineer blocks. One block will destroy it in a one second column of lava that spurts away from the remains.

Enemy concept video at: http://d.imagehost.org/download/0291/La ... oncept.mov
This video is sans gravity and melting. I'll get to those in a while.
Quicktime is required to view the video. If you don't have Quicktime, get it. If you don't get Quicktime, you can't view the video. And so on.

[Condog]

I can create virtually any texture using colorization, fractal noise, and a different opacity for each layer. I can even animate them. Any you were thinking about in particular?

Different kinds of planets, ie: rocky (mercury), boiling volcanic plains (venus), molten planets with bits of rock on them (Io), Icy planets (Ganymede), Storm planets (neptune) and asteroids, specifically. In general, just a variety of different textures and colours. :)

Enemy concept video at: http://d.imagehost.org/download/0291/La ... oncept.mov

O_o That is so goddamn cool. That is almost the quality I would expect in the finished version. Although it does look very similar to the chaingun drone... Also, it would be easier to do if the lava just evaporated away instead of floating around.

@ Pheidi :: Maybe a new team is needed to accomodate storyline/background/fluff creators. Call it 'Writers' or something. And if that team is created, i'd like to be added to that as well, if that is okay.

[Zora_S_Kenneth]

Asteroids

We could just use some clip art for that one.

As for the rest:





Maybe I should have dulled the color on that last one.

That is almost the quality I would expect in the finished version.

Well, besides the generic shape, which I plan to deal with, anything else you would recommend changing?

[Condog]

That is almost the quality I would expect in the finished version.

Well, besides the generic shape, which I plan to deal with, anything else you would recommend changing?

It's mostly the shape. At the moment it is ill defined and slightly blurry.

[Geti]

ahh no, vectors!
having the planetoids shaded like that completely burns away the cartoon-y style. ahh!
like yeah, space art is cool (heck, i do some. eg infernius) but noo not in this game..
im thinking a much more block colour, vibrant result...
like sure, black background sure, maybe even planetary atmospheres gradating out, but a much more block colour feel to it, this style makes me cringe a little. games tend to work better with simple-ish graphics..

lava cannon's attack looks hell cool, just the planetoid and style is worrying for me.. ;-;
and yeah, it looks inspired by N too much :P

You going to include pixel physics with this? Because that would be very interesting.

i hope so. ive included it in my new concept XD. well, its more just deformable terrain, but if it were done per-px, i suppose that would work. though, its shown by cortex command that pixel physics make a crapload of lag.

Holy crap...I might be able to get us some seriously high quaality space art for a background...

It would probably be a good idea to have a relatively simple background for the game, otherwise it would distract from the gameplay.

oh, and anyway, how about different "worlds", each with multiple "levels" in it, except each world is like, a different solar system! :D

I like that idea. Similar to the structure of N episodes. We could have it in stages, related to the N level structure. (Inspired by Spore...)

All 10 Columns = Universe
Individual Columns = Galaxy
Individual Episodes = Sector
Individual Level = Solar System

Solar system would probably go better as the lowest form, as some levels might consist of large numbers of planets. Also, we could have a sun in each background to relate to this.

@ point one: agreed, see first bit of this post.. i love the realistic thing, but not in games like this... >< simple, block-ish art is also better for character/enemy visibility. sigh. not the direction i wanted..
@ point two: coo-ool. id like to see some mario galaxy style world rearangement aswell. so maybe more like:

Code: Select all

All 10 Columns = Universe
Individual Columns = Galaxy
Individual Episodes = Sector
Individual Area = Solar System
Individual Level = Variation? continuum? time period?

eh, something.

i like the noarmsnolegs characters too, it lends itself to easy animation, and cool looking dodges :P. ill draw something up asap, in any case.

back to homework... x.x

[mattk210]

while you guys were concept-art-ing, I concept-coded. It's basically a test to see how the physics will work.

http://psychonova.110mb.com/planets.swf

notes:
* real gravity, following inverse square law
* player is massless
* click to focus, then use arrow keys to apply forces
* drag the planets if you want

It raises a few issues:
1) control: just like robotology, a control scheme needs to be created. currently i'm just applying forces, like what hover-mode would do, but to walk on planets, i was thinking maybe a walk forward button, a turn around button and a jump button. I can't think of any other method to run around planets without having to switch buttons (like running loops in sonic). Galaxy worked because the camera rotated with the player, but something like that in 2D is a sure recipe for motion sickness.
2) inertia: it's space, there's no drag, everything moves around. Maybe have a central planet the camera focuses on (a sun!)
3) everything tends to stick together: maybe i should do what galaxy does and have static planets... orbits are possible but don't last very long and are easily upset
4) speed: it's not an issue here, but everything needs to check vs everything else for collision and gravity. With very complex levels, this could cause a speed problem. There are solutions to this problem, which I'll think about.
5) collision: it's a pain in any game, and this small test shares N's system's problem of being squashed into stuff. I need a real solver, which I think exists for circles but I can't think of it.

@pixel-physics -- not my area, and i don't think it's anyone else here's expertise either. It's hard, slow, (more) inaccurate, and not n-like at all, so I would advise against it

@planet images -- well, we haven't decided on a style yet, but it should all gel, as Geti said. Although, personally, I think cartoony objects on a photorealistic background could work.

EDIT: Aargh, spoilers don't work. I want to put the source in one. Try this:

http://pastebin.com/f6f9f0998

[Condog]

oh, and anyway, how about different "worlds", each with multiple "levels" in it, except each world is like, a different solar system! :D

I like that idea. Similar to the structure of N episodes. We could have it in stages, related to the N level structure. (Inspired by Spore...)

All 10 Columns = Universe
Individual Columns = Galaxy
Individual Episodes = Sector
Individual Level = Solar System

Solar system would probably go better as the lowest form, as some levels might consist of large numbers of planets. Also, we could have a sun in each background to relate to this.

@ point two: coo-ool. id like to see some mario galaxy style world rearangement aswell. so maybe more like:

Code: Select all

All 10 Columns = Universe
Individual Columns = Galaxy
Individual Episodes = Sector
Individual Area = Solar System
Individual Level = Variation? continuum? time period?

eh, something.

I was thinking about this and i've come up with this organisation, inspired by Super Mario Galaxy and Yoshi Island.

Level Structure
* 1 Universe, divided into:
* 10 Galaxies, split into:
* 2 Sectors, which each have:
* 5 Solar Systems, each with:
* 5 Planetoid Clusters.
+ 1 Boss Planetoid Cluster Per Sector(which is unlocked when you beat every level in the Sector)
= Total = 500 normal levels, 20 Boss levels

I figured you begin with 4 unlocked Galaxies, and as you progress you unlock more. For each Boss you defeat, you get a cool secret (custom skins, bonus player, colour, mini game, etc). This would allow us to create some loose storyline to follow, which would add some depth to the game.

There could be a Sporesque interface for viewing the levels, wherein you start off with a full view of the Universe, and as you select different areas you zoom further in until you are looking a sun with the planets orbiting it.

Let me know if i'm going to fast. :P