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[jamesprimate]

Just want to say that this looks fantastic! I read through the thread but couldnt find a release platform... is this going to come out on iOS at all? if so i jealously await

[Windybeard]

Just want to say that this looks fantastic! I read through the thread but couldnt find a release platform... is this going to come out on iOS at all? if so i jealously await

Thanks 

At the moment im only going for PC to start, then if possible ill go for Xbox. Sadly i doubt iOS due to control constaints but you never know.

[Udderdude]

From watching the preview video, the controls seem very ill suited for dealing with the 'bullet hell' type enemy attacks.  Also it seems you have a shield and a very large hitbox, which is pretty much the exact opposite of bullet hell shmups which have no shield and a hitbox that's 2 by 2 pixels.  Also, the white enemy bullets blurred into the background quite often.  Consider changing them to stand out more.

[Windybeard]

From watching the preview video, the controls seem very ill suited for dealing with the 'bullet hell' type enemy attacks.  Also it seems you have a shield and a very large hitbox, which is pretty much the exact opposite of bullet hell shmups which have no shield and a hitbox that's 2 by 2 pixels.  Also, the white enemy bullets blurred into the background quite often.  Consider changing them to stand out more.

Thanks for the feedback, Its not a traditional bullet hell, its heavily toned down. Its a manic shmup run and gun. Im a big fan of Bullet hells and wanted to try and merge the genre with something a little deeper.
There is no shield for the ship but bullets can be destroyed with the magnet (right mouse) which will be heavily used during huge waves of bullets.
What im really aiming to make is a action shmup that punishes those who blink without the insane difficulty of a bullet hell, if you can see what i mean.

Noted about the enemy bullets, i have been trying to come up with a decent colour for them but at present im unsure whats a good one. Red and orange seem to be the norm for enemy bullets.

The Vid is fairly old now and i should really put a new one up.

As for the hitbox, i have been mixed in whether or not im going to change it, a smaller hitbox would allow for easier escape but then you can destroy bullets which you cant in any bullet hell i know of so i think its a fair trade. Also on this point you can change the ship asthetics when you unlock them to smaller ships, faster ships etc.

Thanks again for the feedback  

Ahh just noticed the old vid doesnt show the bullet defence system, ill have to do a new one. lots and lots has changed!

[Dakota.s]

Looking good so far, keep up the good work.

[Windybeard]

Looking good so far, keep up the good work.

Thanks Dakota, ill give it my best! 

[Windybeard]

I think im heading down a dangerous path!

I am constantly making this game more and more complex 

I think im going to strip out alot of the collection, upgrade and stuff like that and concentrate more on the action and graphics, keep it simple but fast paced, action packed and easier to play/make.

good idea or bad?

[Udderdude]

When it comes to this sort of game, simpler is definitely better.  The only really complex part should be the scoring system, and that should be optional.

[Franklin's Ghost]

Yeah I think that's a smart move, always to easy to get carried away and keep adding and complicating things. Think working on the action and graphics like you said will help and if then you still feel like you need some of those things you can always add them back in. Games looking awesome though, can't wait to see more gameplay footage 

[Dakota.s]

I agree with both of them, I think simple is the right way to go.

[Windybeard]

Thanks for the feedback.

I have now stripped alot of stuff from this game and astarted adding a scoring system, thats works as follows....

Each enemy has a basic score (ie 100 or 200 points)that is always effected by your multiplier, every time you kill a enemy your multiplier bar goes up a bit, when its full it will add 1 to the multiplier, If you get hit your multiplier goes back to 0.
Also if you defend yourself against bullets using the magnet it subtracts 100*multiplier from your score and subtracts 1 from your multiplier bar, this way you are at a massive scoring advantage if you dont use any defence.
Also i will be adding loads of dropped loot which just adds points*multiplier to your score.
At the end of the level you will get loads of bonuses for many things like not getting hit, finishing fast, killing all mobs etc.

Every level will now have a scoring target which when completed you will recieve a medal. Simple as that.

I might make additional tweaks to the scoring system but as it stands that is how it works and its working well.

I have added a small counter that shoots upward from everything killed nd collected telling you what it scored you. I dont know if i will keep this yet, ill have to test it on a very busy level to see if its disrupting.

Thanks again guys for the feedback, it really really helped and now that i have stripped it down i can really get to work on this game and push that demo out.

 

[Udderdude]

Each enemy has a basic score (ie 100 or 200 points)that is always effected by your multiplier, every time you kill a enemy your multiplier bar goes up a bit, when its full it will add 1 to the multiplier, If you get hit your multiplier goes back to 0.
Also if you defend yourself against bullets using the magnet it subtracts 100*multiplier from your score and subtracts 1 from your multiplier bar, this way you are at a massive scoring advantage if you dont use any defence.
Also i will be adding loads of dropped loot which just adds points*multiplier to your score.

At the end of the level you will get loads of bonuses for many things like not getting hit, finishing fast, killing all mobs etc.

Every level will now have a scoring target which when completed you will recieve a medal. Simple as that.

Sounds simple and effective.

[sycamoredrive]

Is it just me or is this game just an updated Toejam & Earl with guns?

"Your spaceship crash lands into an unknown planet and you collect your scattered power cores..."

Sound familiar?

[Windybeard]

Ha ha funny you should say that, i do have this in the game floating around in space!



i have loads of different advert boards floating but this one is one of my favs. Im a huge fan of Toe jam and earl and there is alot of "visual" inspiration taken from it. I also work them into the story slightly, nothing over the top so that i would have sega on my case but enough to give them props for the awesome game.

[Windybeard]

Hi

Heres an early screen shot of the new area im working on called "Canyon Chaos". Theres still loads of stuff to put in but the feel is there.



Also i am redesigning the in game character, at present it is a small ship like thing, i think im going to change to the actual main character with a jet pack and HUGE gun. Havent even started working on that yet but i think im going to have to soon.

Anyways, this game is getting closer to completion with every day and im loving every minute of making it and also looking forward to the next game i have planned which will swiftly follow this one.

Thanks and any feedback always appreciated.

[Windybeard]

Im currently designing the level select system. I have decided to go for something similar to that in Yoshi's island. Its nice a simple but very easy to use.

Every world is broken into 16 levels, every 8 levels there is a boss level. Each world has the same amount of levels and each level can be simply finished by reaching the exit or you can go for the medal where by you have to complete the level with a score higher than the target score for that level.
The target scores will start fairly easy but later levels will have very difficult targets to beat and will rely on the player having a decent grasp of the combo system etc.

Im not sure what the medals are for yet as there is no longer an upgrade system but ill think of something. I was thinking about allowing the player to use the medals to purchase extreme levels which as the name states are not easy by any means.

I have now designed world 1, 2 and 3 and there will be at least another 2 but i think i have a decent idea for 6.

The majority of the gameplay is complete, im still tinkering with it. I am thinking about getting rid of the need to find keys to open gates and just have a fast paced, speedy approach to each level and take out any need to back track as i think this will destroy the pace of the game.

Any thoughts on these ideas? i would appreciate any other ideas. Thanks

[Birdorf]

Just read the first few posts, I'll read the rest later, looks really good, just my cup of tea.
Consider me very interested, if you would.

[Windybeard]

Thanks :D

[Windybeard]

New video made showing play through of 2 levels, the scoring system and some other stuff. The levels shown are only quickly made levels i knocked up for the vid but you can get an idea.

Please let me know what you think.





Oh and frame rate and quality is due to recording, 60fps recording made file 3GB!

[Franklin's Ghost]

Game's looking great 

Two little things I noticed though, was that the font for the levels saying "it begins" and "pick up the pace" seem to be different then the general one you use. Not sure about using different fonts. Other thing was the start screen and the title Sweezy Gunner I think might move a bit too much. Just my opinion though, but it's looking great. Nice job