... an Idea of something I would like to start

[PacManPlus]

Hey Guys:

 

I have a couple of games on my list of things to do, but I've been thinking of an original idea that I wanted to get an opinion on:

 

Name:

The game is called 'Rain'.

 

Description:

It is like a cross between Missile Command and Avalanche.

The object is to keep something at the bottom of the screen from getting hit with raindrops, because the rain will cause it to either melt or die, depending on whatever I decide will be at the bottom of the screen (haven't decided that yet). These 'raindrops' come down from the top of the screen at different angles, leaving a trail behind them (that's where the 'Missile Command' part comes from). You must catch them with a sponge before they hit the bottom of the screen (the 'Avalanche' part). Now for the differences: 1) Like rain on a window, sometimes the drops will just stop part way down. If another trail of rain comes in contact with the 'stopped' trail, it will come down faster. 2) The trails of rain may sometimes break apart in different directions, and sometimes two will join together. Whenever two rain trails join together, they drop faster. 3) The 'sponge' you are moving across the screen at certain points has to be 'squeezed out' to get rid of the water it collected, otherwise it will be full and stop catching raindrops. (The sponge will change color to signify this).

Obvoiusly, as the levels increase, the rain comes down harder, and more frequent.

 

If the player misses a raindrop and it reaches the bottom, the action does not stop, but it just 'eats away' at whatever object is below. I am thinking of this to enable more hectic game play and to allow the possibility of two raindrops being at the same downward velocity at opposite ends of the screen (i.e. the player will have no choice but to miss one)...

 

I am actually thinking of this for the 2600. Is this even possible on that platform? or am I hitting some limitations that I am not aware of yet?

 

What do you guys think of the gameplay?

 

Thanks

Bob

[jpfalcon2003]

think this would make a very good game. choose somethimg cool 4 the bottom

[BigO]

Because you never know what will trigger an actual good idea, I thought I'd mention that he way the description processed through my brain, it made me visualize a Kaboom or Eggomania type game.

[gambler172]

Hi Bob

Sounds good;might become a good game.....

greetings Walter

[+atari2600land]

So, like a cross between Missile Command and Kaboom?

[supercat]

So, like a cross between Missile Command and Kaboom?

 

Avalanche was a game that predated Kaboom!; it featured a large number of rocks at the top of the screen which would fall down in random order and had to be caught. One major difference between Avalanche and Kaboom! was that the falling objects in Avalanche drop randomly, while those in Kaboom! are dropped by a bomber that moves back and forth across the screen. Though the bomber's motions get crazy at higher levels, a bomb at the far left isn't going to be followed by one at the far right.

 

Were you thinking of joystick or paddles for this game? Each could have its own advantages.

[PacManPlus]

...One major difference between Avalanche and Kaboom! was that the falling objects in Avalanche drop randomly, while those in Kaboom! are dropped by a bomber that moves back and forth across the screen. Though the bomber's motions get crazy at higher levels, a bomb at the far left isn't going to be followed by one at the far right.

 

Right - that was why I listed Avalanche instead of Kaboom I wanted the raindrops to look like the Missiles in Missile Command, complete with trail (water) but I remember someone saying somewhere that you couldn't get too many of those on the screen at the same time? (Only like two or three)?

 

I was planning on using Paddles... what would be the disadvantage?

 

 

 

 

BTW, I can't think of the title of this game without thinking... "When the rain comes, they run and hide their heads..."

[+atari2600land]

I whipped up a little something in bB. Is this kind of the thing you wanted? I could add some playfield blocks at the bottom and when the drops hit them, they disappear and when all the playfield blocks disappear, the game is over. I could work on this some more if you want me to. You move the bucket thing by joystick (I don't know how to do paddles in batari Basic yet.)

rain.bas.bin

[PacManPlus]

Cool dude!

 

Yes, something like that, although I was thinking of more drops, quicker speed, and random angles... Although now that I think of it, rain doesn't drip down the side of something at different angles; it usually goes straight down... damn, that ruins my whole idea

[+Random Terrain]

I'm always in favor of randomness.

 

Remember, if you like a piece of a game you are working on, but it doesn't fit your original idea, there's no law that says you have to stick with your original idea or maybe you could just use it in a different game instead of tossing it out.

[+atari2600land]

I worked a little bit more on this. I added some playfield blocks for the rain to touch if you don't catch it with the sponge, the raindrops get faster every 5 you catch. If you put the left difficulty switch to A at the title screen, you get a smaller sponge.

rain2.bas.bin

Edited July 18, 2007 by atari2600land

[PacManPlus]

Nice work

 

The technical part I hadn't looked into yet; I guess it is true that you can only have two at a time on the screen. I guess the raindrops (and the missiles in Missile Command?) use the two players... What if we flicker at 30Htz?

 

I like the idea of the playfield at the bottom... Now it's almost got a reverse 'Breakout' element to it.

 

@Random Terrain: thanks I was thinking about that... we could involve 'wind'; that would make rain drip down at different angles