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Thread: Multiplexity: Planetar

  1. #1

    Multiplexity: Planetar

    Well, since almost everyone has his entry up here (and getting some good feedback on it too, in most cases) I thought I start one of my own as well.

    I have choosen to create a game where I try to combine RTS games with the platform genre.
    The idea is that players still have to build structures and units, gather resources and eliminate opponents. But unlike normal RTS games, in this game, the 'battlefield' is displayed an profile.

    This provides several interesting changes in gameplay (not to mention design issues). For instance, normally all units are controlled entirely using the mouse. In this game, the player now has the option to controle a character using the keyboard as well.
    Standard platform-like movements like jumping, climbing, running or ducking will be available.
    It will of course still be possible to issue orders to other units, so that they wont stand around doing nothing while the player goes off with a single unit to attack the enemies base. Depening on the available time, orders might include, shoot my target, follow me, stand ground etc.

    The world I¬„ve choosen is an off world planet, where valuable ore can be found. I wont go into details about the story, yet, but suffice to say that its the players job to extract the ore before the 'competition' does. Of course, this ore can only be extracted underground.

    This weekend, I¬„ve been busy working out graphics: what the world looks like, colors, gui layout etc etc. It's for sure not an easy task, and I'm not even close to finished, but the first parts are coming along quite nicely now.

    I hope I dont scare off to many of you with this image, but here's the very first screenshot.
    Mind you its all still in design stage, meaning nothing realtime. Just a Photoshop still.


    [size=9px](click on the image to see a larger version)[/size]


    What you see here is the world in isometric few, where the player builds his structures, performs upgrades or buys units. There¬„s already a building there, and some ore (decorational) .

    Well, that¬„s it for now. More screenshots and details will follow,...

    [size=9px]PS about the name. I agree, it¬„s totally stupid. I will get another real soon. (hopefully).[/size]

  2. #2

    Multiplexity: Planetar

    Hey Alex,

    looks great! How will you involve the eneven world in players movement? I think it's not an easy task in a pseudo 3D world to make him walk through such a landscape... or is this unpassable terrain?

    Keep it up! I'm very curious now

    Greetings

    Dirk
    <a href="http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/game/Valgard/?utm_source=gge&amp;utm_medium=badge_game"><img border="0" alt="GGE" title="GGE" src="http://static.greatgamesexperiment.com/badge/game/valgard/gge400x56.png"></a>

  3. #3

    Multiplexity: Planetar

    Thanks

    The surface of the planet wont be used much, except for building structures. Most of the action happens underground, in mines. (the platform part of the game). There the player is able to control his units and issue orders.

  4. #4

    Multiplexity: Planetar

    In my first post I showed an image of how the game was supposed to look at the end of stage 2.
    Had I known how much work it was to get the idea of that image realized, I might not have placed it here so soon.
    It's pretty easy adding a couple of images together in Photoshop and say, 'This is it going to be'. Making it actually work, is a whole different story.

    In any case, I wont bother you with the details of how bad things went at times, as I'm sure you've got plenty of 'learning moments' yourself, so I'll skip to new screenshots.

    Title screen:


    The planet surface, with a barracks and the entrance of a mine.


    Everything you see here now is actually working. The player has to build a foundation before adding structures on it. The mine can be entered already (though nothing is actually happening there). And the player can use the panel on the left to switch between units and structures.

    Unfortunately, it doesn¬„t make great gameplay yet, as that part will come with stage 3, but at least there¬„s a solid basis now.

  5. #5

    Multiplexity: Planetar

    Again, looks great But this time knowing it is not just an image but a game engine... I am very curious how this will end up...
    <a href="http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/game/Valgard/?utm_source=gge&amp;utm_medium=badge_game"><img border="0" alt="GGE" title="GGE" src="http://static.greatgamesexperiment.com/badge/game/valgard/gge400x56.png"></a>

  6. #6

    Multiplexity: Planetar

    eh.. that really looks awesome :thumbup:

    What kind of units/vehicles do you want to add??

    Any chance there will be multiple kinds fo terrain e.g sand, dirt, ice etc. I know there won't be any unpassable terrain, but it just looks nice and it's only a matter of applying textures. :?

    And eh.. what will happen underground? great battles of course
    Is it just a system of tunnels (with an isometric point of view) or something else??
    Can the user dig holes? And will there be multiple depth levels?? Maybe you can let parts of tunnels collapse when something big explodes.

    plenty idea's for this concept.

    i wish you good luck.. looking forward to playing it.
    Coders rule nr 1: Face ur bugz.. dont cage them with code, kill'em with ur cursor.

  7. #7
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    Multiplexity: Planetar

    Hey pretty nice Alex.

    Can't wait to see how it comes out.

    Love the title screen. :thumbup:
    Jason McMillen
    Pascal Game Development
    Co-Founder





  8. #8

    Multiplexity: Planetar

    Thanks for the replies!

    There's no way that I have enough free time to create a complete rts game in less than 4 months, so I'm cutting back on the advanced stuff, which imo is the AI of the enemy (base building, deploying units and attacking the player).

    However, since some kind of battle has to be implemented, I'm taking that part underground. For the moment, I have light guards, heavy guards and miners planned as units. I realize it's not a whole lot, but I'm already a happy man if those are in the game, doing their thing.

    Unlike most (if not all) rts games, your primary mission is not to eliminate your opponents base (probably still an option, though), but to gain enough resources. This does however not mean that the task is any easier, as other mining coorperations, also looking to get their hands on the resources, will do everything in its power to prevent you from reaching that goal in time.

    Of course, mines by definition are not safe. So next to enemy guards and miners, other dangers are awaiting the player as well.... :twisted:

  9. #9

    Multiplexity: Planetar

    With a little more than 6 days left for the next submission, I thought I'd fire up my entry thread again. I've been working on it for pretty much the entire weekend and I must admit, it is not even close to ready. For this stage we have to include scores, a menu and a clear explanation of how the genres come together.
    Menu is in already; the scores are going to be a bit of a problem as I have not a single clue on how to add those (do they even have scores in rts games?).
    The biggest problem however is going to be the joining of the two genres. Problem sort of is the fact that I still have both genres only partly implemented....

    I kind of hoped I was able to fix a lot of things this weekend, but time was pretty much spend on creating spiders and tiles for the mine and a few random things. Also a good thing, I know, but still. I was actually hoping for more.

    Anyway, as a teaser, I have created a video of the my entry including a sort of a making of. As I lack the proper software and codecs on my laptop (long story, but my regular pc has crashed bigtime) I had to make due with windows moviemaker (still not a bad product). Its about 10mb in size.

    What you see in the movie is actually how two models, a spider and the light guard, both used in the game, are made. During the first few seconds you'll see both models inside Lightwave's modeler program, there's a quick run through a few fases of the light guard model en then we skip to the Layout program where the lightguard is fully rigged and animated, perfoming a walk cycle.
    After that, you'll see how each frame of the animation is put in a large image and finaly how the whole thing looks in the game.

    Anyway, I'd appreciate any comments, what you think of it, likes / dislikes / more of these or not that sort of thing.

  10. #10

    Multiplexity: Planetar

    Very cool Alex!

    Nice to see how you progress.
    <a href="http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/game/Valgard/?utm_source=gge&amp;utm_medium=badge_game"><img border="0" alt="GGE" title="GGE" src="http://static.greatgamesexperiment.com/badge/game/valgard/gge400x56.png"></a>

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