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[fingerman]

Hi there,

Rocketpack Insanity is planned a a small puzzle/twitch platform game. A small character has to navigate stages with a rocketpack that fires the cannon when boosting. In order to accomplish this, the player will need fast reactions and have to think about the route. The aim is to explore a simple mechanic in a fixed scope and get a small fun project finished.

If you boost, you shoot your cannon.

The colour palette for the game.

Walking simulation implemented.

Thanks for reading!

[fingerman]

Some more work went into this hobby project at the weekend. There are now rocks that can be cleared out of the way with the cannon.

Smashing rocks out of the way.

Thanks and take care!

[fingerman]

After posting the motivation was there. Now the win condition is implemented. The player character has to make it into the proximity of a teleport homer.

Get to the teleport homer and beam away.

I read an interview with Jeff Minter once, where the most important things to implement and in which order were listed. I can sort of remember... And I want to finish a game!

Thanks and take care!

[fingerman]

Added collectibles and exploding blocks.

Make sure not to shoot the dangerous blocks...

...else they explode.

Thanks for taking a look!

[fingerman]

Most of the boilerplate and basics are out of the way...
... still determined to finish this game!

The game on Ubuntu in a window with the hud. There is a clock and the time is measured.

The level selection screen. Unlock levels. The icons show if you collected all the eggs and beat the time for a level.

After some playtesting and user feedback a fuel bar was implemented.

The last basic element are the spikes.

Now its time to build some proper levels.

Thanks again for reading!

[fingerman]

Hi fellow TIG posters,

as the tileset was pretty bland in all purple the tileset has been updated to be slightly more varied. This is done by utilising "Wang tiles". The aim is to fill large areas with tiles that go together. I have these 2x3, 2x2, 1x2, and 2x1 tile combinations for the wall tiles. Fortunately all the logic of this mathematical problem is solved in the level editing program Tiled. All I needed to do was define the edges of areas that can be combined and hey presto.

An updated screenshot with a new tileset.

Defining the edges of the wang tiles in the editing program Tiled. All the red edges are the outlines of the areas. Cruicially it is also defined around the outside of the empty tile.

Building a level in the editor Tiled. The finisher flag is resolved as the teleport ingame.

Thanks for reading!

[JobLeonard]

Linux build? Wang tiles? Subbed!

[fingerman]

Linux build? Wang tiles? Subbed!

Hi JobLeonard, thanks for taking an interest! Yes, development is on Linux with LibGDX.

This post will focus on level design.

In general, new elements should be introduced one by one. Ideally the player has the opportunity to see the effects of different components in a safe setting prior to encountering them in earnest. However, as the stages are short and the player is expected to die often and as there isn't any enemy AI behaviour to witness... ...this design principle will not be enforced so much. (I once found this https://www.renegadesector.com/level-design-primer on this forum. It  There were also little example stages that you could try but they are not available currently. It is by user Alec S.)

To recap the core mechanic: This is a 2D platforming game, where you shoot in the direction you are facing when you boost to gain elevation. Boosting is linked to fuel which regenerates when the player characters feet are on the ground. The goal is to complete a stage by reaching the goal (currently a teleport homing beacon).

The stages consist of four basic building blocks. Wall/ground tiles block the player character are impenetrable by shooting. Then there are destructible rock tiles which block movement but can be removed by shooting. Collisions of the player character with spikes result in death, however shots can pass through. Lastly there are explosive blocks which block the player character but result in death when they are shot.

The building blocks of the levels.

There are also the secondary and tertiary objectives of collecting three eggs per level and beating a set time. This opens up a replayability of the stages with required solutions beyond what is needed to initially complete a stage.

These are some of the problems for the player which result from combinations of the basic building blocks. There are obvious problems that I had in mind when I first thought of this dame before writing any code. But some problems were "discovered" by building levels and trying out some things.

Face the other way!

Switch directions at the right time.

One well aimed shot down the hole. (There is no shooting up.)

As you boost up when shooting you need to go about this the right way. Especially if you want to be fast!

You get to practice getting the eggs without touching the ground first. The spikes mean immediate death and the exploding boxes mean that you are a dead man walking once you touch the ground.

Thanks for reading!

[fingerman]

Main menu with easing of the elements.

Hi there, just a small update. There is now a system in place for easing of the elements in the menus. Thanks and take care!

[JobLeonard]

Cool cool, bit of polish like that goes a long way