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Messages - VAgentZero

#1
I realize I have failed to "show the money" on this one.  Life got in the way -- fiancee, house -- but I'll get back to this soon.   :viridian:
#2
VVVVVV / Re: Silliness
April 23, 2011, 05:55:19 AM
WWWWWWHY???!!
#3
Everything else / Re: Happy New Year!
January 03, 2011, 12:08:27 AM
Let me throw in another vote of confidence for the "not dead" side.
#4
The idea of a platformer is, sadly, non-negotiable -- the whole point of the project is my desire to make a platformer.  I have a working engine for player motion and interaction that works well, so there's near zero cost there.  The "test chamber" aspect you mentioned isn't too far off the mark from the image I have in my head, as each level is self-contained (connecting only to the main shaft), and the water is either on or off; there are effectively two sides to each level, one dry, one flooded.  So, like six levels, two versions each, and the levels will be succinct.  The overall "genre" ends up being light-puzzle mostly-action, essentially a mini Metroidvania (think Robot Wants Kitty) with limited upgrade options.

Verbs available to the player are:
Motion (run, jump, crouch, mantle)
Swim
Shoot (stun pistol or special weapon)
Dismantle (with tool kit, vs. drone or trap)
Interact (buttons, levers, consoles)

Upgrades planned:
Stun pistol
Stun pistol capacity
Grenade launcher (damages and dismantles robots -- "lethal damage" -- and blow open designated walls)
Tool kit (dismantle robots and interact with consoles)
Health capacity
Armor (absorb 25% incoming damage)
Oxygen capacity

The robot drops are instant things -- a shield, or a plasma arm with 30-odd shots; nothing permanent.  I really don't want to deal with crafting or something like that, at least in a game like this.  It's definitely filed away in the "consider this sometime" department though.  In truth, the robots were mainly so I didn't try to make another militaristic game about shooting humans, and the notion that being able to only stun enemies, with limited ammo, seems like a neat mechanic.
#5
Fair question.  The idea of flooding the elevator shaft is what allows you to enter higher and higher areas.  However, everything below the waterline (including earlier locations) becomes flooded, which will change their makeup entirely:  what drones are active, doors that are open or closed, areas that you can now swim to (and areas that you can't make it to before you drown), and so forth.
#6
This water thing is sexy.  I've been rolling it over in my head and came up with this:

"Waterline"

Some guy (researcher, or whatever) wakes up from a coma in an abandoned research station.  The place is flooded, and crawling with robots of all shapes and sizes.  The only way out is a huge cargo elevator shaft -- only, the walls are sheer and the elevator has been destroyed, presumably by the robots (who can heal, change shape, fly, whatever).  The only way out is to flood the place using a series of panic switches left over for one reason or another.  The player can use consoles to adjust the waterline one level; by flooding it to the top they can get out.

The player gets a stun pistol which he can use to freeze robots in their tracks; he'll later get a tool kit he can use to dismantle a stunned robot permanently.  Some robots will even drop parts he can use as weapons in the short term.

Seem fun?  I'm pretty psyched about it.
#7
Neat.  I'm talking like a ten-minute game, tops, so there wouldn't be too, too much difference between pressing one switch that adds one block and one that adds many.  That said, the idea of altering the environment fundamentally hasn't been one I've considered much.  Something like flooding an area with water, or changing gravity, or activating/deactivating traps or monsters, say...

Any other ideas?  I realize my initial post was rather awkwardly phrased, so the gist is I'm wanting to run a challenge for myself to see if I can still make games, since I haven't since like 2008.
#8
Everything else / I want to make a short-form platformer
December 04, 2010, 09:00:41 PM
What should it be about, and what kind of mechanics should I explore?
#9
VVVVVV / Re: Terry Pwns Again
November 08, 2010, 02:28:41 PM
 :viridian: :viridian: :viridian: :viridian: :viridian:
#10
VVVVVV / Terry Pwns Again
October 11, 2010, 03:24:50 AM
Consider this a digital form of knuckles and a manly chest-bump.  Congratulations on the Indiecade trophy, Mr. Cavanagh!   :viridian:
#11
Nexus City / Re: Nexus City
September 29, 2010, 06:06:35 PM
Neat.  Glad to hear it.   :viridian:
#12
Nexus City / Nexus City
September 29, 2010, 01:59:04 PM
How's Nexus City coming along?  It piqued my interest last month and I'm pretty psyched to see something come of it.
#13
Everything else / Good afternoon forum!
August 09, 2010, 04:08:08 PM
Long time, no talk!  How is everyone?
#14
Other Games / Re: Defen
June 17, 2010, 03:39:55 PM
And my fears of Terry's descent into Hertzfeldt-esque madness is confirmed with memrrtiks, suashem.

Why the epilepsy, Terry?  Why?!
#15
Well, isn't that just cute.

:verdigris:

Minus one cool point for me.