[Contest Entry] An Exercise In Futility

[LincolnB]

I'm going to make a platform game, in Axe, for contest #8. I have scrolling and working collisions, and I'm ironing out ideas for objects like launchers, and puzzle elements.

FINAL UPDATE: This game is finished now. Updated screenie:


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-LincolnB

[Compynerd255]

I was just watching the screenshot and I think this is a good start. From what I can tell, this is a game where you must thrust your character in different directions to reach the end.

I think that this game could be improved by simulating the effects of space: no gravity or gravity coming from different directions, or no friction from the air, along with limited fuel. Also, it would be cool if the game featured two player link.
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[LincolnB]

Hey, that's a good idea - maybe I'll add powerups that cause anti-gravity, or zero-gravity zones. I could also add a jetpack powerup, with limited fuel. Thanks compynerd!
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-LincolnB

[KermMartian]

Great ideas there, Compynerd. Butts, it looks like you have a pretty solid physics engine down thus far, so kudos for that.
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[LincolnB]

Thanks! It started out as a demo program, more of a proof-of-concept, but I liked it so much I decided to make a game out of it.
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-LincolnB

[Compynerd255]

[LincolnB]

Well, I've just now started to formulate the main game concept, and I'm changing the vision/focus of the game to becoming a type of Survival game, pretty much just go around for as long as you can as things get progressively more challenging.

I've recently configure it so there's five modes you can be in at any time - retro mode, jumping mode, zero gravity mode, reverse gravity mode, and disciple mode (where you have a bunch of little followers that follow you around). Hopefully I'll be able to get a new screenie sometime a little later.
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-LincolnB

[LincolnB]

Okay, I've been working on this a fair amount and I've got a working fourscale menu screen, where you can choose between Training Room mode, and Survival Arena mode. The basic goal in both games is to survive. There are different arcade games going on in the background, and your character (sprite + control scheme) and the map style change randomly every about fifteen seconds (gets shorter as the game goes on). Screenie later, I'm getting some weird bugs with the fourscale. Maybe it's just my hardware.
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-LincolnB

[KermMartian]

What do you mean by weird bugs? Display glitches, physics glitches, or something else? I'm glad to hear that you're making solid progress on this, though! Just over two weeks left for this.
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[LincolnB]

Hey so it's all good now. Somehow Axe Auto-ops were glitching out the grayscale, I still don't really know what happened but somehow it's fixed now. For a while I just compiled without auto-ops and that worked great, but now everything's back to normal and just peachy.

I just finished this the other day. I'm hoping to write up a readme and post a screenshot later on this week.
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-LincolnB

[Sorunome]

I just picked up this project, and I have to say, it looks cool!
I like the different designs, physics are great, it looks like it will be a very fun game to play!
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[LincolnB]

Thanks! Update in the first post, with screenie.
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-LincolnB

[Compynerd255]

I just played Futility, and I really like it! I love the survival aspect with the different games, and I think that it could really shine with a few improvements.

First, some random bug fixes:
- In Gun Mode, bullets need to dissappear after they hit the monster.
- Also, in Gun Mode, I was going really fast to the left, and I ended up getting stuck inside the hill on the bottom right corner of the arena, waiting inevitably for my death when the game switched.
- I should be able to exit the game by pressing Clear on the Title Screen, and head back to the Title Screen by pressing Clear during the countdown.

Now, my worst pet peeve with the game is the way scrolling works - monsters follow you impeccably, making it too difficult to escape them. Given that, I can see two ways to fix the problem:

Method 1: Cause monsters to keep their position relative to the player when the screen scrolls:
- In Pong and Mode 5, the block should move with the scrolling so that the block is still in the same relative position, but should still bounce against the wall.
- In Avoid and Falldown, the falling blocks should wrap as you move left and right, and should move up and down with scrolling.
- Gun is fine as it is.

Method 2: Introduce Combat Scrolling. Basically, Combat Scrolling is a game mechanic that I have invented myself. It is sort of a misnomer, however, because while Combat Scrolling is activated, there is no scrolling at all. In Combat Scrolling, either a player or a monster can lock the scrolling, either creating a closed or wrap-around environment for a combat situation.
- For example, in Falldown mode, a player could move to a suitable location, then trigger Combat Scrolling by pressing Alpha. When this happens, scrolling will be disabled, allowing the player to move all the way to the left and right sides of the screen without causing the platforms to follow him.
- This could also be used to make Gun Mode harder: When Gun Mode is activated, Combat Scrolling is locked on by the monster, trapping you in whatever environment you were in when the game switched to Gun mode. If you're feeling particularly evil, you could force the scrolling window to move.
Combat Scrolling could be useful for other games as well. I originally developed the concept for a platformer game, which would allow a player to create an ideal combat environment, or a monster to prevent the player from advancing.

Still, that is an awesome game you have there. I hope you create many more that are just as cool, if not cooler!
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[Ashbad]

Hmm, actually haven't seen this until now -- looks quite nice. The only thing that gets me is the fire animation in the title sequence; at least 10 games have used it just like that, and for someone who's seen all of them and remembers them, it gives it a very borrowed and slapped-together look, in my opinion. Other than that, quite creative.
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-Ashbad

[LincolnB]

Wow compynerd, Combat Scrolling is actually a really good idea - I'm done with this project, but I'll be sure to implement something similar (if not identical) in future games.

EDIT: On a side note, I got featured! (which may have been what made people notice the game)
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-LincolnB

[Compynerd255]

[LincolnB]

Yeah, if/when I use it I'll credit you
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-LincolnB