Allow me to follow up on Quest for the Killer Game. In that article, I promised to complete and deliver a series of small, easy-to-design and easy-to-implement games. This prospect excites me because I know that I can write small, simple programs with relative ease in my spare time.
Enter Key Runner: the first such game. In Key Runner, the player must move about a fixed area containing a door and a key. The objective is to reach the door with the key before the time runs out. Any time remaining will be tacked on to the clock for the next level. Levels are pre-designed and loaded as the player reaches them.
The great thing about Key Runner is that obstacles are easily added after the initial implementation. Pits, spikes, oil slicks, fly paper and angry looking blocks that fall from the ceiling are all worthy ideas. Sweet gameplay physics such as velocity and acceleration may also be tacked on later.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's stick to the basics for the initial implementation: a little stick man, a key and a door.
Every game has a loop. In order to exit the loop the player must satisfy winning or losing conditions. Here they are for Key Runner:
* Winning Condition: Player passes every level; gets a gold star.
* Losing Condition: Clock runs down before key is brought to door.
The loop may also be exited if the player quits the game.
The player will use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move the stick man around. Diagonal movement will not be supported.
Graphics? Eh.. Let's go with flat (i.e. no-depth) tiles.
Some quick backstory: In school, I snatched up a minor in Media Arts, but I'm no graphics guy. For the sake of this basic game, I would like to design some simple floor, wall and door tiles. I ought to be able to crank those out in Gimp or Inkscape. Stickman's movement will happen between floor tiles. Wall tiles will block the Stickman from proceeding. Door tiles will trigger the next level if Stickman has the key.
Whoa, speaking of walls ... tiles are a good idea because they will also simplify collision detection with walls.
And you know how I am about 'simple': Simple makes for finish-able projects. I want to finish this project.
/*
* Check back on Second Table later to see progress on Key Runner and other
* great stories.
*
*/
Enter Key Runner: the first such game. In Key Runner, the player must move about a fixed area containing a door and a key. The objective is to reach the door with the key before the time runs out. Any time remaining will be tacked on to the clock for the next level. Levels are pre-designed and loaded as the player reaches them.
The great thing about Key Runner is that obstacles are easily added after the initial implementation. Pits, spikes, oil slicks, fly paper and angry looking blocks that fall from the ceiling are all worthy ideas. Sweet gameplay physics such as velocity and acceleration may also be tacked on later.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's stick to the basics for the initial implementation: a little stick man, a key and a door.
Every game has a loop. In order to exit the loop the player must satisfy winning or losing conditions. Here they are for Key Runner:
* Winning Condition: Player passes every level; gets a gold star.
* Losing Condition: Clock runs down before key is brought to door.
The loop may also be exited if the player quits the game.
The player will use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move the stick man around. Diagonal movement will not be supported.
Graphics? Eh.. Let's go with flat (i.e. no-depth) tiles.
Some quick backstory: In school, I snatched up a minor in Media Arts, but I'm no graphics guy. For the sake of this basic game, I would like to design some simple floor, wall and door tiles. I ought to be able to crank those out in Gimp or Inkscape. Stickman's movement will happen between floor tiles. Wall tiles will block the Stickman from proceeding. Door tiles will trigger the next level if Stickman has the key.
Whoa, speaking of walls ... tiles are a good idea because they will also simplify collision detection with walls.
And you know how I am about 'simple': Simple makes for finish-able projects. I want to finish this project.
/*
* Check back on Second Table later to see progress on Key Runner and other
* great stories.
*
*/
StevoTheBrush
Where's the source file? Playable?October 9, 2012 18:57