So this evening I got started on making the game. I am going to try and go with an NES-esque (NEeSque)art style sticking with a limited color pallet and 3 color sprites. However I am doubling the screen width to create a sort of CinemaScope effect and to make the character seem smaller and more isolated. All graphics are place holder now and the game will most definitely not be taking place in a black void but I haven't started work on my title set just yet.
The first thing I implemented was the "weapon." This consists of the ability to shoot any letter of the alphabet in 5 different direction. Currently pressing any letter on the keyboard will make your character shoot out that letter. All letters are equally powerful, that is to say equally weak, so you will need to spew a ton of them to take down any enemy you should disturb. The hope is that it will make the player frantically type with the left hand while the right controls the character using the arrow keys. In addition I will be putting surfaces in the game that letter "echo" off of in the empty city where the game takes place. The player can choose to type messages and watch them echo and fade away.
I have the first road sign programed so that it can detect if you follow it's directions but I have yet to implement what will happen if you don't. So that's one day of progress.
Are the signs personified, or anthropomorphized? Or are they just signs?
I will be going with a more abstract way of representing them. They will all start off normal size and sitting still. They only come to life if the player disobeys their orders. Once they are "alive" they will grow and possibly change in shape but it won't be anything humanoid. For example I think the stoplight might grow long spidery legs and hunt you down.
If anyone knows of any confusing road signs they could definitely help me in my brainstorming.
Typing Backwards reminds me of spelling words with a calculator.