TrapThem - creating a new arcade-classic

2012-05-26 02:31:38 pm

Metal Gear 2... You would.

2012-05-26 05:25:30 pm

TrapThem needs a smarter agent than Snake. I am thinking to integrate a codec-function though. You can call for help if you run out of ideas. The thing is that I am pretty sure you will need it sometimes. But it looks like TrapThem managed to make thinking fun. If you manage to complete the game it will make you a more creative person, that's the cool thing.

J_SNAKE

Edit history:

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-11 06:25:59 pm

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-02 10:11:53 pm

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-02 10:11:00 pm

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-02 10:10:10 pm

2012-07-02 10:09:37 pm

no spoilers:

From my part everything is done (nearly, I have decided to implement a hint-system in the end), just polishing up some level-designs here and there during the testphase.
The only bottleneck is the lack of art. I won't release it until that is fixed. Need to find a reliable artist.

ryu

2012-07-03 08:45:01 am

what's the game's resolution?

J_SNAKE

Edit history:

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-03 10:18:52 am

2012-07-03 10:16:20 am

24x24 pixels per grid-cell. But I am still open to quadruple it to 48x48 if the artist feels less restricted with it. But in bigger maps it would even slightly surpass fullHD, so rendering would be a bottleneck for people with weak hardware, mainly netbooks.

ryu

Edit history:

ryu: 2012-07-03 11:11:30 am

2012-07-03 10:48:30 am

sounds like i might be able to help. i mean i've got quite a bit of experience doing low les tile based graphics.

i don't have much time though, so even if i'm capable of doing the graphics you desire it would still depend on how many tile sets you need.

J_SNAKE

2012-07-06 02:31:11 pm

You can certainly take a try. Let's see on the quick you are suitable for the task.

The necessary bit for the setting: You are an agent and work your way down the cave-system of a mountain. Your job is to collect the crystals before the robots of an evil corporation get them.

Try to provide just a tile for the destructible and the solid stones in the gameplay-layer. Don't try to hide repetition. In this game the repetition of tiling should be visible(the game requires planning ahead). Just a suggestion: You are a gamer so I don't need to explain you what Mega Man X - series is. I will be perfectly fine with that style of look. Just take some inspiration from it, it has caves and robots. Please use the png-format.

ryu

Edit history:

ryu: 2012-07-15 08:24:36 am

2012-07-11 10:45:22 am

alright. i'll try to get to this this weekend.

edit: well, shit .. tests are actually coming up next week already. don't expect anything for the next 2 weeks. sorry.

J_SNAKE

2012-07-26 01:47:08 pm

Good luck in passing them. Be a good student and don't worry much about me.

Silverthorne

2012-07-30 12:42:01 am

!upmootk0mg

Quote from J_SNAKE:

no spoilers:
From my part everything is done (nearly, I have decided to implement a hint-system in the end), just polishing up some level-designs here and there during the testphase.
The only bottleneck is the lack of art. I won't release it until that is fixed. Need to find a reliable artist.

+ Gravity=Your Game=Copypasta.

Poision Envy

2012-07-30 12:53:54 am

Club 27 Goals

lol

J_SNAKE

Edit history:

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-30 11:47:19 am

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-30 11:46:43 am

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-30 11:40:20 am

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-30 11:39:50 am

2012-07-30 11:38:56 am

Quote from Silverthorne:

+ Gravity=Your Game=Copypasta.

Nope, in TrapThem you cannot push blocks. Think about it.

MilesSMB

2012-07-30 11:50:23 am

So much for this game blowing your mind, I guess.

J_SNAKE

Edit history:

J_SNAKE: 2013-06-22 03:44:32 pm

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-30 02:35:30 pm

2012-07-30 01:36:56 pm

Sophisticated mindfull gameplay, also perfect game-mechanics.

But Rodent's Revenge can be a decent fun game for being entirely sandbox.
The levels and challenge can be procedurally generated. The game is implemented pretty quickly that way.
May be a good opportunity for quick cash on smartphones.

TrapThem is another story since it has different layers of depth. I could certainly generate a ton of levels procedurally,
but it would still just scratch on TrapThem's potential. It practically allows you to put as much effort in level-design
as you want to come up with unique puzzles and challenges.

ryu

Edit history:

ryu: 2012-07-31 02:30:23 pm

2012-07-31 12:31:02 pm

turns out this is a bit more difficult than i expected it to be. i didn't put much detail into it in the end because i figured that would be the best wsolution for a non low res game with small tiles. how are these?

_

J_SNAKE

2012-07-31 05:22:21 pm

It's too monotonous. Also you need to work on shading, there is no depth. But I have recently found someone to work with, so you can skip the pain.

Anyway, thanks for taking a try!

Silverthorne

2012-07-31 05:36:42 pm

!upmootk0mg

Quote from J_SNAKE:

Quote from Silverthorne:

+ Gravity=Your Game=Copypasta.

Nope, in TrapThem you cannot push blocks. Think about it.

Ok Fine
Rodents Revenge+Digdug+slight complexity=still Copypasta

ryu

2012-07-31 06:00:26 pm

alright. i'm intrigued as to what the other person will come up with

J_SNAKE

Edit history:

J_SNAKE: 2012-07-31 07:03:47 pm

2012-07-31 06:59:44 pm

Might show some examples later, it's too early now.

J_SNAKE

2012-07-31 07:00:43 pm

Quote from Silverthorne:

Ok Fine
Rodents Revenge+Digdug+slight complexity=still Copypasta

Alright random stranger. The game is 10 feet over your head. How much better do you want it to be?

Silverthorne

2012-07-31 09:36:34 pm

!upmootk0mg

Quote from J_SNAKE:

Quote from Silverthorne:

Ok Fine
Rodents Revenge+Digdug+slight complexity=still Copypasta

Alright random stranger. The game is 10 feet over your head. How much better do you want it to be?

Just sayin.

J_SNAKE

2012-08-01 12:44:30 am

Don't make phony comments on things you don't remotely understand. TrapThem is a puzzle-game, not procedural sandbox.

Just sayin.

Poision Envy

2012-08-01 01:41:37 am

Club 27 Goals

so how does your game not being a "procedural sandbox" make it better? Visually they're very similar, looking at some quick videos they seem similar, so how is trapthem better?

J_SNAKE

2012-08-01 11:43:08 pm

The amount of "AHA!-moments" makes the difference.

But there is no point in putting up questions you are not interested in to be answered.
The rule-set is explained on the youtube-page, you could look it up before bothering.

Poision Envy

2012-08-01 11:58:18 pm

Club 27 Goals

But I am interested in the answer. you want people to be interested in this game, right?

Quote from J_SNAKE:

The amount of "AHA!-moments" makes the difference.

Maybe this is a language thing, but that sounds like a bad thing. Quality over quantity, etc. Surely there's another selling point other than just "making you feel 'aha' moments". What sort of progression is there? Even the most basic of games like peggle and angry birds will have progression and things to make them interesting (challenge modes, getting highscores, etc).