Explosionade on XBL Indie Games

[MommysBestGames]

Hi all! I created Shoot 1UP which is a shmup, but our next game is more of a run 'n' gun (thus the off-topic post).
Enjoy!

Explosionade
It's just like lemonade, but with EXPLOSIONS.
Out now on Xbox Live Indie Games!

Free demo
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games ... 258550684/

Gameplay trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwFJrJfBsY8

Web page:
http://www.mommysbestgames.com/explosionade.html

First 15 minutes of Explosionade via Eurogamer:
http://www.eurogamer.net/videos/explosi ... st-15-mins



All your friends are storming the Horronym Fortress but Colonel Bouche left you to guard the supply depot. Disregarding orders you open the depot to find a gigantic, prototype mech!

Features:

* INFILTRATE subterranean strongholds manned by cunning bipedal aliens and their mind-blasting hellions!
* Recharging MegaNades, and an earth-shaking machine gun rip DESTRUCTIBLE environments to hand-drawn bits!
* SHIELD-BOUNCE ability lets you defend attacks or go on the offensive bouncing around the rooms!
* Dozens of CHALLENGE-ROOM style gameplay with a zoom function that let's in you close or zooms out to see all the action!
* 2-PLAYER COOP so you can share the alien-stomping, grenade tossing joy!
* ONLINE High Scores to show off your skills!
* Hand-drawn, silky-smooth effect animations just like Mom used to make! (If your mom was SNK)






** Read below for why the game is delayed and how the Xbox Marketplace can break.
http://mommysbest.blogspot.com/2010/10/ ... aying.html

[njiska]

Looks like this could be fun. Interesting visual style.

[Khan]

ditto on the visual style I really like it, might check it out when I get some more ms points.

[Alec]

I really dig shoot1up so I'll check this one out when the time comes.

[MommysBestGames]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it! I've updated the first post. Explosionade is set to come out Monday, October 4th!
(We had an edge-case bug found in review, and I pulled it to fix it. I'm also doing some rebalancing at this point.)

[MommysBestGames]

Gameplay trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwFJrJfBsY8

[MommysBestGames]

Explosionade is out now on Xbox Live Indie Games!
Free demo
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games ... 258550684/

Explosionade features crazy mech-style combat with online high scores. See on the scoreboard!

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Oh this game is good, good stuff.
My review is over.................here - http://www.xblaratings.com/component/co ... yMainTitle

Apologies to Mommy's Best for fudging the name of the hero and apologies to anyone here who takes the crack about Japanese 2D shooters to heart.

[Drum]

Saw this on indiegames.com and sort of felt bad that you had to spam-bump this topic considering how neat it looks. Seems like Cybernator with organs everywhere ... is that a good description? I don't see how this couldn't be great.

[Sined]

Good game For only 80 MSP !

After Weapon of choice, Shoot 1UP...

Explosionade is more refreshing than a lemonade

Don't hesitate !

[Rob]

Digging it. Most fun on the serious setting, but is there no score bonus for selecting it?

Grapple Buggy is also looking good!

[MommysBestGames]

Oh this game is good, good stuff.
My review is over.................here - http://www.xblaratings.com/component/co ... yMainTitle

Apologies to Mommy's Best for fudging the name of the hero and apologies to anyone here who takes the crack about Japanese 2D shooters to heart.

Thanks for the review, happy to hear you liked the game. We aim to please. I think the Japanese shooter jokes were thick enough no one would take offense.

Saw this on indiegames.com and sort of felt bad that you had to spam-bump this topic considering how neat it looks. Seems like Cybernator with organs everywhere ... is that a good description? I don't see how this couldn't be great.

Any time I posted, I tried to add new, legitimate info, so hopefully it wasn't tooo spammy.
Yes, more organs next time! Cybernator was a big influence, as were odd things like Lode Runner and Bubble Bobble.

@Sined Thanks!

Digging it. Most fun on the serious setting, but is there no score bonus for selecting it?
Grapple Buggy is also looking good!

Thank you good sir!

There is no point bonus for Serious. I thought about doing that, but opted instead to have more, high-scoring enemies (shield Horronyms, missile turrets) in Serious mode.

The points for everything but bosses are listed in the "How To Play" screens.

I've been watching the boards carefully, I'll see if Serious needs a real retune to reflect its place in the boards. From playtesting, it seemed like it worked (Serious players have the potential to score higher) but if not after time, I'll rebalance things.

There's three other possible bonuses though 'all kill', 'no kill' and 'time' bonuses. Maybe those could use modifiers for Serious mode (and down for Chilled). Those bonuses are described in the game as well.

[DJ Incompetent]

Big ups to this game. It scratches the Bangai-O itch.

Good work.

[Drum]

Any time I posted, I tried to add new, legitimate info, so hopefully it wasn't tooo spammy.
Yes, more organs next time! Cybernator was a big influence, as were odd things like Lode Runner and Bubble Bobble.

It totally, totally wasn't - I was just expressing my sympathy/encouragement in an awkward, equivocal manner because I'm dumb.

[njiska]

Still having a bit of trouble finding a control scheme I like, but thanks for implementing the option to change it from the start.

As for the game I've been having fun. Not given it a serious go for score, but have quite enjoyed just messing around in the levels. The grenade arc algorithm you designed seems to work really well. Surprisingly it makes the grenade feel like it has a bit of weight to it instead of the usual flighty feel. The shield bounce is really cool as well.

[MommysBestGames]

.
.
For all the fence-sitters, here's the a video of the first 15 minutes of Explosionade via Eurogamer:
http://www.eurogamer.net/videos/explosi ... st-15-mins

Big ups to this game. It scratches the Bangai-O itch.
Good work.

That is certainly huge to hear as I love Bangai-O, but wanted to make something original as well. Glad you enjoy it.

It totally, totally wasn't - I was just expressing my sympathy/encouragement in an awkward, equivocal manner because I'm dumb.

I get your meaning though and appreciate it!

Still having a bit of trouble finding a control scheme I like, but thanks for implementing the option to change it from the start.

Sure thing, I know there's lots of people out there, and try to do what we can (being a small developer) to offer people options.

Surprisingly it makes the grenade feel like it has a bit of weight to it instead of the usual flighty feel. The shield bounce is really cool as well.

Great!

njiska--If you find a controls scheme you like will you pretty-please post it here so we may all check it out? It'd be informative, thanks.

[xris]

I really like your momentum, keep it going! Picked it up to support the cause, but haven't been able to play it really. Still looking forward to Grapple Buggy. Keep making games! Maybe another shmup, Please! I hope all this hard work is paying off for you. You deserve it, and should be held at the pinnacle of what XBLIG has become.

[njiska]

njiska--If you find a controls scheme you like will you pretty-please post it here so we may all check it out? It'd be informative, thanks.

Here's what i've ended up with

Machine Gun: Right Trigger
Grenades: Right Shoulder
Lock-Move: Y (Never Used)
Jump: Left Trigger
Shield: Left Shoulder
Zoom: X
Right Stick Shoots: Off

Essentially this control scheme allow me to keep my thumbs on the control sticks at all times and allows me to move and aim without needing to hold a button. The Machine guns and jump are on the triggers because they're used and held most often. Shield and grenade are on the bumpers as you tend to tap them rather than hold. Comfortable and efficient. The only annoyance is that when you activate your activate your shield your character animation is locked to aiming forward. This will sometimes result in the first shot fired going straight forward rather than at your intended target.

Oh and it's really weird that your forward confirmation button changes to whatever Jump is mapped to.

[MommysBestGames]

Keep making games! Maybe another shmup, Please! I hope all this hard work is paying off for you. You deserve it, and should be held at the pinnacle of what XBLIG has become.

Thanks, I really appreciate the support! Yes, I plan to make another proper shmup, not sure just when that will be. We'll see if Grapple Buggy makes it out first. But I do have several strange shmup designs in mind. I leave not-so-strange designs to the other good shmup devs out there, small and large.

Essentially this control scheme allow me to keep my thumbs on the control sticks at all times and allows me to move and aim without needing to hold a button.

I see. I had to compromise to offer and Metal Slug control scheme an a full dual-stick control scheme by leaving the A button as jump by default. I agree it's weird for the dual stick scheme. I see it at least somewhat ameliorated by fully customizable buttons.

The only annoyance is that when you activate your activate your shield your character animation is locked to aiming forward. This will sometimes result in the first shot fired going straight forward rather than at your intended target.

That is a tricky one. I leave the player locked to show your limited mobility. That's more of a feedback thing though--I'll consider letting you aim properly and if it screws up anything else in a possible future update.

Oh and it's really weird that your forward confirmation button changes to whatever Jump is mapped to.

Yeah.. I did that so there didn't have to be a "progress" button individually, and still allow all buttons to be remapped. But again, maybe another split and more remapping would be good.
Thanks for all the suggestions and feedback!

Also:
New update is out, has better shield-jump teaching, can move the mech during a shield jump, a Serious mode crash fix (obscure, but some people had it happen) and a few other bug fixes.

[DJ Incompetent]

You planning to do anymore patches?
I'll give you a list of recommended tweaks if you are.

[MommysBestGames]

You planning to do anymore patches?
I'll give you a list of recommended tweaks if you are.

I wasn't really, but if you gotsem I'm listening. (Or reading that is.)