BlackShipsFillt
16-12-2009, 11:52 PM
For competition 24 I'm trying to make a little, retro themed, simulation/defense game... I'll be posting updates to this post at the start of this thread.
If you just want to play here's the online version... However the code is very poorly optimised so it may run surprisingly slow.
www.blackshipsfillthesky.com/spectrumdream/spectrumdream.html (http://www.blackshipsfillthesky.com/spectrumdream/spectrumdream.html)
Otherwise the Windows downloadable can be found here, It may run faster and it won't have the framerate capped by the browser :
http://www.blackshipsfillthesky.com/spectrumdream/spectrum dream - windows build 23-12-09-2.zip
You can press "m" to turn off the annoying music. You can press "Alt F4" to get rid of the annoying sound effects, but this may also quit the game. If you don't like the random level it generates, restart it (there is no main menu as yet).
Other controls :
Movement keys to scroll around.
The menu at the top to select buildings and spells and a click to place the building or spell.
Screenshot (with a logo I added in)
http://www.blackshipsfillthesky.com/images/SpectrumDream(DevelopmentShot7)2.png
The idea is that it will play a lot like a tower defense / shooter defense game but with an economy. It could also be thought of as a simple city simulation but with enemies attacking and spells.
I haven't gotten very far, and already a lot of the features I've wanted to include I've realized are far beyond my programming abilities (you will see how slow it runs once I upload something (barely) playable, and this is after taking out the pathfinding), as well as my time constraints.
These are the mechanics I want to jam in somehow, if I find the time :
There will be no selection of units or buildings other than (maybe) to view statistics and possibly to upgrade towers. Though I would prefer to centralise upgrading, and to have the units actually display their characteristics - ie. If they are wounded they should limp, if they have a sword they should carry one.
No commands can be given to specific units.
There are no resources in the RTS sense. The resources you need to manage are the lives and time of your followers, though to some extent you can manipulate the resources they collect. Your followers collect and build all your structures autonomously, but they have needs which must be managed as well (like having enough food).
There may be some general commands that all units or buildings may respond to, like defend or attack an area, similar to Majesty. These commands will take the form of spells.
Buildings get selected and built through a permanent central interface like standard tower defense games. These buildings produce various units and unlock spells and other buildings.
Spells can be cast through a spell selection interface, like Populous the beginning.
Spells can be leveled up with experience, like static shooter defense games.
The units, especially you own, must have relatively complex behaviours. They must automatically collect resources, repair, defend, worship, farm, trade with each other, heal sick, have fun and be lazy.
In terms of Competition 24 I am trying to design the game as both a city defense game and a shooter defense game, and the game should be able to be played and be enjoyable both ways... Although the levels I produce will most likely require both sets of mechanics - ie. a well defended base and a lot of spell interference in order to survive.
However I hope to make some special levels (possibly as tutorial levels) that focus on one part of the gameplay at a time:
A level wherein the player receives a little spell power at the beginning, but earns worship points for enemy kills. These points can be spent on better spells and abilities. Basically a defense/shooter game where the object is to stop enemies reaching a base. The enemies become progressively more dangerous with time as do the player's spells and recharge rate.
Another level where the player cannot cast destructive spells, but must rather build a base that can defend itself with towers and military units. These units level up with experience and buildings can be built that offer them better equipment. This gameplay would be very similar to Majesty, as your units and defenses get stronger so do the enemies until a big boss comes along.
I feel there is a lot that RTS, city simulation or tower defense games can gain from inserting the player into the game in a more direct role, in this case a god or mage role, where the player can directly and nontrivially affect the world, in this case through spells, unlike most RTS titles where the vast majority of the action is as a result of issuing commands through units. Whereas strategy and defense games are multiple third person games, I want a lot of this game to involve the first person.
I cannot finish this game by February, but I'll certainly be able to get a single simple sandbox playable.
I will be updating this post, so check back here if you're interested in any progress.
If you just want to play here's the online version... However the code is very poorly optimised so it may run surprisingly slow.
www.blackshipsfillthesky.com/spectrumdream/spectrumdream.html (http://www.blackshipsfillthesky.com/spectrumdream/spectrumdream.html)
Otherwise the Windows downloadable can be found here, It may run faster and it won't have the framerate capped by the browser :
http://www.blackshipsfillthesky.com/spectrumdream/spectrum dream - windows build 23-12-09-2.zip
You can press "m" to turn off the annoying music. You can press "Alt F4" to get rid of the annoying sound effects, but this may also quit the game. If you don't like the random level it generates, restart it (there is no main menu as yet).
Other controls :
Movement keys to scroll around.
The menu at the top to select buildings and spells and a click to place the building or spell.
Screenshot (with a logo I added in)
http://www.blackshipsfillthesky.com/images/SpectrumDream(DevelopmentShot7)2.png
The idea is that it will play a lot like a tower defense / shooter defense game but with an economy. It could also be thought of as a simple city simulation but with enemies attacking and spells.
I haven't gotten very far, and already a lot of the features I've wanted to include I've realized are far beyond my programming abilities (you will see how slow it runs once I upload something (barely) playable, and this is after taking out the pathfinding), as well as my time constraints.
These are the mechanics I want to jam in somehow, if I find the time :
There will be no selection of units or buildings other than (maybe) to view statistics and possibly to upgrade towers. Though I would prefer to centralise upgrading, and to have the units actually display their characteristics - ie. If they are wounded they should limp, if they have a sword they should carry one.
No commands can be given to specific units.
There are no resources in the RTS sense. The resources you need to manage are the lives and time of your followers, though to some extent you can manipulate the resources they collect. Your followers collect and build all your structures autonomously, but they have needs which must be managed as well (like having enough food).
There may be some general commands that all units or buildings may respond to, like defend or attack an area, similar to Majesty. These commands will take the form of spells.
Buildings get selected and built through a permanent central interface like standard tower defense games. These buildings produce various units and unlock spells and other buildings.
Spells can be cast through a spell selection interface, like Populous the beginning.
Spells can be leveled up with experience, like static shooter defense games.
The units, especially you own, must have relatively complex behaviours. They must automatically collect resources, repair, defend, worship, farm, trade with each other, heal sick, have fun and be lazy.
In terms of Competition 24 I am trying to design the game as both a city defense game and a shooter defense game, and the game should be able to be played and be enjoyable both ways... Although the levels I produce will most likely require both sets of mechanics - ie. a well defended base and a lot of spell interference in order to survive.
However I hope to make some special levels (possibly as tutorial levels) that focus on one part of the gameplay at a time:
A level wherein the player receives a little spell power at the beginning, but earns worship points for enemy kills. These points can be spent on better spells and abilities. Basically a defense/shooter game where the object is to stop enemies reaching a base. The enemies become progressively more dangerous with time as do the player's spells and recharge rate.
Another level where the player cannot cast destructive spells, but must rather build a base that can defend itself with towers and military units. These units level up with experience and buildings can be built that offer them better equipment. This gameplay would be very similar to Majesty, as your units and defenses get stronger so do the enemies until a big boss comes along.
I feel there is a lot that RTS, city simulation or tower defense games can gain from inserting the player into the game in a more direct role, in this case a god or mage role, where the player can directly and nontrivially affect the world, in this case through spells, unlike most RTS titles where the vast majority of the action is as a result of issuing commands through units. Whereas strategy and defense games are multiple third person games, I want a lot of this game to involve the first person.
I cannot finish this game by February, but I'll certainly be able to get a single simple sandbox playable.
I will be updating this post, so check back here if you're interested in any progress.