[vdub_bobby]

You just want to do your job. Why do things always have to be so hard? It isn't unusual that the elevators aren't working; the hotel manager is notoriously stingy on maintenance. You've used the stairs before; you can do it again. But today the elevators aren't just out of order; today they are out of control...



You are a maid; you need to get to the top of the hotel using the stairs - and don't get hit by the elevators!

I've been working on this for about a month and a half, and I finally got a half-way playable binary working:  ElevRep20061112.bin (4K)
Number of downloads: 226


Press the joystick trigger to start a new game, then move across the floor to the stairs at the opposite end. You will be taken up a floor automatically, then go back to the stairs at the other end. Rinse, repeat.

When you reach the top you will get a 1000 point bonus, one of the elevators will speed up a little, and you will begin at the bottom again.

This is a very rough port/translation of the A8 games Elevator Repairman and Spy's Demise; I haven't figured out an exact title yet (sound familiar? ), so feel free to make suggestions!

All other comments, suggestions, etc. welcome as well!

[birdie3]

Cool!! I felt bad for not saying anything at first and then I remembered that you said you have been working on this for a month and a half so I figured I had better say something. The only thing I thought was that perhaps the theme could be changed to something more interesting like a thief attempting to escape with a time limit or plumbers trying to escape as water slowly fills the basement. Nice work!!

[privateers69]

Looks nice, I like the FREEWAY varation of sorts (bottom to the top) but with left to right navigations. the maid theme is cool maybe add some background furniture or pictures frames (no collision objects just pure decorations) to give more of an air to the hotel theme.

Like maybe a front desk on the first level and dis-shelved bed on the top. Maybe even change the top graphics to different levels. (bed, crooked pictures, dirt,) or some housekeeping tools (vacuum sweeper, a duster, cleaners cart)

Looks like you can go in all kinds of ways with this theme.

[Zach]

What you've got so far looks nice, Bob. I look forward to watching this game develop.

Is it part of the gameplay design that the maid can't stop in the middle? You can practically stop by quickly moving back and forth, but it seems like unnecessary effort.

[Albert]

Zach, on Tue Nov 14, 2006 1:51 PM, said:

What you've got so far looks nice, Bob. I look forward to watching this game develop.

Is it part of the gameplay design that the maid can't stop in the middle? You can practically stop by quickly moving back and forth, but it seems like unnecessary effort.

I'm guessing that's done to make the game more difficult, which it certainly does. If you could stop whenever you'd like, it would be much easier to get across each floor. I haven't played the games Bob cited, so can't vouch if that behavior is copied from them.

The game looks great so far and has a lot of potential. I like the use of color and the maid looks great, although right now she looks like she's on roller skates as she glides across the floor. Well, she also reminds me of the robot in the Jetson's. I look forward to watching this game develop!

..Al

[vdub_bobby]

Albert, on Tue Nov 14, 2006 1:07 PM, said:

Zach, on Tue Nov 14, 2006 1:51 PM, said:

Is it part of the gameplay design that the maid can't stop in the middle? You can practically stop by quickly moving back and forth, but it seems like unnecessary effort.

I'm guessing that's done to make the game more difficult, which it certainly does. If you could stop whenever you'd like, it would be much easier to get across each floor. I haven't played the games Bob cited, so can't vouch if that behavior is copied from them.

The behavior is copied from those other games and, yes, it is essentially to make it harder.

Quote

I like the use of color and the maid looks great, although right now she looks like she's on roller skates as she glides across the floor. Well, she also reminds me of the robot in the Jetson's.

My wife has said that several times - "she looks like Rosie"

[vdub_bobby]

privateers69, on Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:24 AM, said:

the maid theme is cool maybe add some background furniture or pictures frames (no collision objects just pure decorations) to give more of an air to the hotel theme.

Like maybe a front desk on the first level and dis-shelved bed on the top. Maybe even change the top graphics to different levels. (bed, crooked pictures, dirt,) or some housekeeping tools (vacuum sweeper, a duster, cleaners cart)

Good idea...I don't know if I can make it work, but it would be a very nice touch.

Thanks.

[Zach]

vdub_bobby, on Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:19 PM, said:

The behavior is copied from those other games and, yes, it is essentially to make it harder.

It that case, maybe consider adding inertia so that she can't stop right away. If we take off with the robot maid idea, she could take a long time to brake. The manager could be just as stingy on her maintainance too.

Sorry, but jiggling back and forth while waiting for an elevator to get out of the way feels more like a chore than a challenge.

[Nathan Strum]

Looking good so far.

Is there a way for her to move up the stairs, rather than popping from level to level?

[vdub_bobby]

Nathan Strum, on Tue Nov 14, 2006 2:49 PM, said:

Looking good so far.

Is there a way for her to move up the stairs, rather than popping from level to level?

It's on my list.

[privateers69]

Albert, on Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:07 PM, said:

The game looks great so far and has a lot of potential. I like the use of color and the maid looks great, although right now she looks like she's on roller skates as she glides across the floor. Well, she also reminds me of the robot in the Jetson's. I look forward to watching this game develop!

..Al

Maybe have the bottom of her uniform (the skirt part) moving like its bouncing up and down while alternating the foot pixel left and right

This post has been edited by privateers69: Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:14 AM

[seemo]

Hi vdub_bobby,

1) your maid is lovely !

2) you could put a flashing object along a floor: collecting it could be the aim of the game.
After you have collected it, the object would change position, and so on.
The timer would indicate how much time you have to pick up that object.
(I don't know how far from the original concept this would be)

3) Elevators could have different motions (like something that falls quickly and then rebounds)

4) Fire could be used to 'brake': if you give the maid more speed, when you press fire she could 'brake' with her feet

5) As an alternative, the maid could move only when you move the joystick, and with fire she could do a 'slip' move to quickly pass under an upcoming elevator (at times i felt the need to lower the body of the maid to pass under an elevator)

Just my two cents
Simone

[vdub_bobby]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Just for reference, here are the features I am currently planning to add:

1. A two-player (simultaneous) game.
2. Three (or four) difficulty levels
3. Can use the fire button to go faster, at the cost of the timer speeding up
4. Sound effects
5. Music

[black dog]

Maybe you could add Russell Crowe to the game, he could be throwing a phone at the maid and she has to duck the phones while completing her task.

[atari2600land]

This version is better than the one you posted in your blog. I like it!

[vdub_bobby]

Updated!  ElevRep20061121.bin (4K)
Number of downloads: 173

Changes:
-Added difficulty levels. Child, Normal, and Expert. Versus, right now, is the same as Expert. Plan is for that to be two-player, simultaneous.
-Reduced number of floors to better accomodate the maid's height.
-Maid now climbs stairs.
-Maid also faces the correct direction at all times.
-Console switches supported! SELECT changes the difficult setting, RESET starts/ends a game. The fire button still can also be used to start a game.

[NovaXpress]

It's nice to see an original idea for graphics. Using a maid instead of the usual old space man or adventurer is a genius move that sets it apart from the pack. And if you need a hot female model to wear a maid costume for the cover (think that won't sell at a gaming con?), I got your hook-up.

It's begging for a pun title like "Maid In America"

[SeaGtGruff]

NovaXpress, on Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:43 PM, said:

It's begging for a pun title like "Maid In America"

"Got It Maid."

"Maid for You."

"The Devil Maid Me Do It."

"Maid You Look."

"Barely Maid It." (Hmm, toss in a bear and it could be "Bearly Maid It.")
Or "Just Maid It."
Or "Finally Maid It."
Or "Maid It in Time"?

"Maid in the Shade."

Okay, I'll stop while I'm behind. But seriously, I half-like "Got It Maid"-- although a present/future tense might be better ("Get It Maid").

Michael

Okay, just one more...

"Maid for Action."

This post has been edited by SeaGtGruff: Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:46 PM

[NovaXpress]

"Maid For Action" is pretty good. I could also go for "French Maid Follies"

Seriously though, with a cute girl in a maid outfit on the box this could one of the best-selling homebrews ever. And the game is good, so the marketing isn't wasted.

*** I have a model friend who already owns a maid outfit, just let me know and I'll get a photo***

This post has been edited by NovaXpress: Thu Nov 23, 2006 1:51 AM

[Nathan Strum]

NovaXpress, on Wed Nov 22, 2006 11:49 PM, said:

*** I have a model friend who already owns a maid outfit, just let me know and I'll get a photo***

This could make for a very interesting label contest, indeed.

[Cybergoth]

NovaXpress, on Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:49 AM, said:

*** I have a model friend who already owns a maid outfit, just let me know and I'll get a photo***

I definitely need one!

[vdub_bobby]

Update:  ElevRep20061127.bin (4K)
Number of downloads: 173

Changes:
-Added sound effect code and a single sound effect, which is supposed to be footsteps as you climb the stairs. Needs work.
-Changed the colors
-Changed the bonus you get when you complete a building; now it is different depending on which difficulty level you are playing at.
-When you play at CHILD difficulty, elevators are added when you complete a building.

Main things still to do:
Add a death routine
More sound effects (on extra life and...)
Music
Versus mode
Memstick support (maybe)
AVox support (maybe)

[Gregory DG]

I've got a name suggestion! "Minute Maid!"

[128bytes]

I think Maiden Voyage would be an excellent, classy, and descriptive name!

[vdub_bobby]

Maid In Voyage?