Stellar Warfare

[madscientist2064]

I am developing a game in the tradition of Gradius and R-Type. The graphics will pretty much suck, and the game will not have much originality, but my only goal is to actually finish this one. Using the SDL library, this game will be available for both Linux and Windows. Hopefully, someone with a Macintosh OS will be able to port it using GNU Pascal.

I haven't made a website for this game yet, but I've made a screenshot of the Titlescreen.

http://members.lycos.co.uk/madscientist2064/screenshot.png

Yes, it looks crappy, but then again, the first order of business is to finish it.

[Sander]

Heh, go for it, I always liked those games. And ehmm, graphics shouldn't matter too much in games like these, people won't be gaping at them with such high-speed action. :)

[Crisp_N_Dry]

Sounds like fun. I look forward to seeing it in action.

[madscientist2064]

Thanks for the encouraging replies. Now I HAVE to finish this game. :D

[savage]

Hi,
Just wondering what the latest is and if I can post an update about it on DelphiGamer.com?

[madscientist2064]

Sorry about the lack of updates. Just been busy lately. The project is coming along good thus far.

I haven't written much code yet, other than the title screen I posted, and also a short experimental piece of code that handles keyboard input, bullets, and collision detection to test out certain concepts.

So yes, I have written a little bit of code, and it works well.

Besides test engines that I will reuse for the full game, I haven't written a lot of code because I haven't finished planning yet. In the past, I've been dependent on my ability to improvise. However, that only works for small projects, as I have found. Eventually, you come across a creativity block and lose interest in your project.

So, my planning will utilize technology that may soon be outdated, and has existed for thousands of years: paper. I plan on designing the levels, the level script, a flowchart of the programming, and the graphics on paper before I begin writing the full game code.

I am also designing a storyline to go with this game. Before I use it, I want to run the idea by you guys because the idea is potentially controversial, one many will think is morbid, shocking, or whatever.

The idea is that the protagonist will be a "bad guy" while the antagonists will be "the good guys".

Set in the middle of this millennium, humanity has fully colonized the solar system, and is colonizing some of the nearer stars out to about 100 light years. Yes, humanity has developed a faster than light method of travel. The humans come into contact with a alien empire that spans about 14,000 light years. They quickly establish military rule over the humans. After about 40 years of rule, and also of small and isolated skirmishes between humans and the empire, the humans unite in a sudden revolutionary movement. Your job, as a captain in the elite force of the empire is to put down the rebellion and to establish total despotism on humanity to prevent futuee occurences of revolt. Being the best the empire has to offer the local regional government decides to send only you to put down this rebellion. Your prize will be that you will get promoted and will have rule over the humans.

Basically, the main theme will have to do with the relationship between a large, established empire and smaller, weaker societies that have the misfortune of standing in the path of an empire's expansionist and imperialist ambitions. So, you get to play the role of a Genghis Khan, a Caesar, a Napoleon, etc. Or if you are a Trekkie, picture being a young civilization beginning to explore the neighboring stars in the Delta Quadrant that has the misfortune of running head on into the Borg.

So that's the working storyline. Tell me your thoughts on this.

As for the gameplay, just play a Gradius or an R-Type game.