I am in need of help!

omegavolt · Post by **omegavolt** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:46 am

I don't know if this is the right place to post this however, I need help...

I am a programmer who greatly needs help with creating a shMUP. This would be a freeware project and need advice on important elements for a shMUP.

Open to any advice, and those who help will get thier names in the credits.

Thanks in advance.

Lloyd Mangram · Post by **Lloyd Mangram** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:58 am

My tip would be to check out the Unofficial Shmup Glossary on these forums. You can learn a hell of a lot about the concepts utilised in shmups just by reading through those entries.

worstplayer · Post by **worstplayer** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:38 am

Depends on how big your project is going to be. If you're going for simple "my first shmup" type game, all you need is player, some enemies, enemy movement and attacks (probably the hardest part), and of course way to destroy said enemies. Everything else is optional.

Anyway, take look at rest of the threads in this subforum, see what mistakes people usually bitch about, and avoid repeating them

omegavolt · Post by **omegavolt** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 3:51 pm

Thanks for the tips!

Im only going for a first shmup, but I still intend to spend some time on this.

My main problem is the graphic develpoment!

Dragoforce · Post by **Dragoforce** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 5:22 pm

omegavolt wrote:My main problem is the graphic develpoment!

Just add som lolis and you'll be fine.

null1024 · Post by **null1024** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:22 pm

omegavolt wrote:Thanks for the tips!

Im only going for a first shmup, but I still intend to spend some time on this.

My main problem is the graphic develpoment!

Use MSPaint, and pixel out little 32x32 ships. Easy. They don't even have to be too detailed, all they need to look like is ships. Or food if you want to make your game weird.

EDIT: Or, if you're lazy, someone made a program ages ago to autogenerate ships for you. I can't remember who/where it is/made it.

ZacharyB · Post by **ZacharyB** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:29 pm

Hey omegavolt,

I'll do some graphics for you.

What do you need?

omegavolt · Post by **omegavolt** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:49 pm

ZacharyB wrote:Hey omegavolt,

I'll do some graphics for you.

What do you need?

Well thats greatly appriciated...

Since this is my first shmup, nothing special.
In fact, i might use just colored blocks.

There will be no pay, all youll get is your name in the credits sadly, and even that wont be very big.

I might use some basic pictures to help get me started, ty in advance!

ZacharyB · Post by **ZacharyB** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:41 pm

That's fine; I accepted that when I replied.

Do you really want colored blocks? I can do that. Is this going to be horizontal or vertical? Or even isometric?

Also tell me the resolution of the sprites and the palette requirements.

omegavolt · Post by **omegavolt** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:50 pm

Well, when I said I wanted colored blocks, I was considering doing them myself. I havent picked out any particular theme, so I guess It's up to you.

I am planning on making it a vertical shooter, but it's not set in stone yet...

Try to keep the colors somewhat limited, but I am not restricting it much...
The sprites can be anywhere from 32x32 to preferably 64x64.

Ships like bosses or bombers can be alot larger.

Thanks alot for the help!

PS. I looked at your gallery on http://www.nofna.com/, and I did see some intersting works. I like the rough sketchy look, and how you get so much depth without using too many colors.

The moons here rock, http://www.nofna.com/?T=1-1-12-108

ZacharyB · Post by **ZacharyB** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:45 pm

Thanks man,

I'll doodle some ships for ya, including a player's ship.

Unless...

ZacharyB · Post by **ZacharyB** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:38 pm

Check out some of these themes. See anything you fancy?

omegavolt · Post by **omegavolt** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:44 pm

I like the second one from the right...

Although since I want to make this on probably a dark background, some lighter colors would be nice!

The 4th from the left is also interesting...

Also, nice colored block, rofl

But I like the others better!

Thanks

Just PM me in the future, it will be much faster

ZacharyB · Post by **ZacharyB** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:23 am

By the way, how large will the player's hitbox be? (If it's smaller than the sprite of the ship, I can draw that area with a slight highlight, so the player has a clue about which part is vulnerable)

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:46 am

Thank you for coming to Shmups Forum and making a game with the right conception in mind, of being a programmer instead of just "I design the level and you program it." I apologize if my English is not so good...

Important element of a shmup! Make sure people can see what the %&*@ is happening! Where is the ship?! Where does it get hit when the shot crosses it? Is some little tinfoil streamer as deadly to get hit as the cockpit?! (Also, the cockpit that shatters after a precise number of hits, this is bad also. No life bars please.)

Second element of a shmup! You have the scoring system that doesn't involve just shooting the enemies that come from the top of the screen (or right side if you're one of those unusual horizontal people, or bottom if you're Toaplan, or left side if you're niizh manidoowag)!

Third element of shmup, the scoring system that doesn't involve doing things a single particular way, i..e. shooting all enemies for a bonus, or using just a single path to get through the level (here is where having multiple groups of enemies and scoring opportunities is a good), etc.

The best thing is that a good scoring system makes a game fun and enjoyable without the need of creating fifty billions of new and exciting boss animations and exploding tubes that other junk. Although I like ZacharyB's box.

If you want to see these awesome shmups elements working, I would recommend:

Some Toaplan game, like Twin Cobra
Mars Matrix or Dangun Feveron (aka Fever SOS)
Then a Caravan Shooter, it's years of enjoyment (if you are me, maybe just a few weeks if you are Luciole) for a little stage that is only 2 or 5 minutes long, bellissimo!!

Dragoforce wrote:
omegavolt wrote:My main problem is the graphic develpoment! :o
Just add som lolis and you'll be fine.

This man spreads the lies.

Clearly, all shmups need to have a Sad Ending, so the player can rock out to sad music and blow their nose (true story, listening to Taito music from Gun Frontier, RayForce, or Metal Black does this to me), and make the feeling towards improvement.

Pixel_Outlaw · Post by **Pixel_Outlaw** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:40 am

Basically the best way is to take a shmup from a European developer and do everything opposite.

This applies to graphics too.

Take European ships for example, they always want to sweep the wings forward in some nonsensical space trident looking manner. Simply sweep them backward for a proper Japanese ship.

shmups.system11.org

I am in need of help!

I am in need of help!

Thanks

Re: Thanks

Re: Thanks