DroneSwarm - shmup in development
DroneSwarm - shmup in development
Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and new to shmup development. I'm making a game called DroneSwarm - www.droneswarm.com
It will be a widescreen, high-definition side-scroller with 2D graphics. Hopefully I will have some screenshots soon - it's in the very early stages of development at the moment.
It will be a widescreen, high-definition side-scroller with 2D graphics. Hopefully I will have some screenshots soon - it's in the very early stages of development at the moment.
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incognoscente
- Posts: 927
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:33 pm
- Location: Georgia, USA
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Pixel_Outlaw
- Posts: 2636
- Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:27 am
Hello and welcome.
Gimme specs about language and libraries please.
Don't forget to post here too. Somewhat of a sister forum for shmup developers.
http://www.shmup-dev.com/forum/
Gimme specs about language and libraries please.
Don't forget to post here too. Somewhat of a sister forum for shmup developers.
http://www.shmup-dev.com/forum/
Some of the best shmups don't actually end in a vowel.
No, this game is not Space Invaders.
No, this game is not Space Invaders.
I'm entering DroneSwarm in the SHMUP-DEV 'options' contest, so look out for updates soon. Should have some concept art in the next day or two.
Here's the shmup-dev thread: http://www.shmup-dev.com/forum/index.php?topic=1230.0
Here's the shmup-dev thread: http://www.shmup-dev.com/forum/index.php?topic=1230.0
Concept art for DroneSwarm:
and a quick preview video of my work so far:
http://droneswarm.com/files/DroneSwarm_progress01.wmv
The sound effects are from http://www.soundportfolio.com/
and a quick preview video of my work so far:
http://droneswarm.com/files/DroneSwarm_progress01.wmv
The sound effects are from http://www.soundportfolio.com/
One thing I've wondered but for some reason haven't asked yet...why do your graphics look more suited towards a vertical shooter?
No matter how good a game is, somebody will always hate it. No matter how bad a game is, somebody will always love it.
My videos
My videos
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Zebra Airforce
- Posts: 1695
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:10 pm
I played the demo and enjoyed it.
The game runs smooth in 800x600 and with (very) slight hiccups in 1024x768 on my computer:
Pentium 4
1,8GHz
256 MB Ram
NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440
Windows XP
I can't comment on the enemies and bullet patterns at this point, but here are two other suggestions:
- Allow the user to change the button configuration. The positions for Z and Y are swapped on some (European) keyboards. This is pretty uncomfortable for players that (have to) use a keyboard.
- If possible, replace .png with .gif files to save memory
The game runs smooth in 800x600 and with (very) slight hiccups in 1024x768 on my computer:
Pentium 4
1,8GHz
256 MB Ram
NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440
Windows XP
I can't comment on the enemies and bullet patterns at this point, but here are two other suggestions:
- Allow the user to change the button configuration. The positions for Z and Y are swapped on some (European) keyboards. This is pretty uncomfortable for players that (have to) use a keyboard.
- If possible, replace .png with .gif files to save memory
Ghegs - good question! I wanted to make a top-down shooter because planes look more interesting from above than from the side, but I also wanted the game to run in widescreen high-definition video modes.
Zebra - I may include a key configuration for tate mode.
FSR - Thanks for the tip about the European keyboards, I'll include Y as a shoot button. Fully configurable controls will be available in later versions. I use .png instead of .gif because .gif has only 1 bit of alpha, whereas .png has 8 bit, allowing for much smoother edges on sprites.
Zebra - I may include a key configuration for tate mode.
FSR - Thanks for the tip about the European keyboards, I'll include Y as a shoot button. Fully configurable controls will be available in later versions. I use .png instead of .gif because .gif has only 1 bit of alpha, whereas .png has 8 bit, allowing for much smoother edges on sprites.
I kind of agree with Ghegs this really wants to be a vertical shooter. I think it would be cool if there was a little bit of animation to the wings when your ship moves 'cause as it is now it looks kinda stiff (maybe something like the ship in Karous).
I'd say flip the screen vertically and have a few people test it both ways, see what the consensus is.
Looks really cool!
I'd say flip the screen vertically and have a few people test it both ways, see what the consensus is.
Looks really cool!
Level 1 is now finished! European keyboard layouts are supported and so is tate mode.
YouTube Movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92PoS1NBwHE
Download the game here: http://droneswarm.com
Screenshots:
YouTube Movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92PoS1NBwHE
Download the game here: http://droneswarm.com
Screenshots:
+ If I'm not mistaken, some enemies (black jets, helicopters) have been weakened and repositioned. It's always a good idea not to start too hard in the first stage.
+ Playing the game with the Y and X keys feels a lot more comfortable.
+The drones are great. I didn't pay enough attention to them last time, but I can now clearly see why their use is important and makes the game easier.
+ I usually don't like games where the player gets punished for shooting to much, but it's very well implemented in this game.
+ Cool explosion effect on that boss
+ Playing the game with the Y and X keys feels a lot more comfortable.
+The drones are great. I didn't pay enough attention to them last time, but I can now clearly see why their use is important and makes the game easier.
+ I usually don't like games where the player gets punished for shooting to much, but it's very well implemented in this game.
+ Cool explosion effect on that boss