can't stump the shump

[JSimmons]

Hey guys, I used to work as a programmer and have decided to get more into game development. The easiest way to do that is to make a game. Please help me design a shmup. I've even added "shmup" to my chrome dictionary; See how serious I am about this? I'm a committed man.

Something just occured to me. On top of shooting, what if you could fly circles around enemies to deal massive damage? I wonder if that's a fun mechanic. I could see a bunch of turrets pop out and absolutely massacre anything unlucky enough to be inside.

[Legendre]

Sounds like it's time for a prototype.

[JSimmons]

there is no fun where we're going

[Cagar]

Honestly, that sounds like an idea you would get while taking a dump and the dump it before even prototyping it.

Please familiarize yourself with the genre properly if you already haven't.
Also, may I suggest a strategic, sort of like a 'turn-based' shmup?
Where during your own turn you command your options to move and fire and also do some damage yourself, and during the enemy/boss turn you dodge a pattern?
You can still keep it fast-paced, make the turns very limited in time. Also, keep the shmuppy feel: 4:3 vertical playfield, scoring, flashiness etc.

[Mr Halibut]

I think this (the ribbon trail thing) is actually one of the modes in Geometry Wars 3.

[JSimmons]

I think this (the ribbon trail thing) is actually one of the modes in Geometry Wars 3.

It's a bit different. You leave behind a trail of killing power in geometry 3. I'm seeing a bunch of turrets popping up when you complete a circle and decimating everything inside.

Honestly, that sounds like an idea you would get while taking a dump and the dump it before even prototyping it.

Of course I'd take a dump before prototyping it. I don't work on the can.

[JSimmons]

Honestly, that sounds like an idea you would get while taking a dump and the dump it before even prototyping it.

Please familiarize yourself with the genre properly if you already haven't.
Also, may I suggest a strategic, sort of like a 'turn-based' shmup?
Where during your own turn you command your options to move and fire and also do some damage yourself, and during the enemy/boss turn you dodge a pattern?
You can still keep it fast-paced, make the turns very limited in time. Also, keep the shmuppy feel: 4:3 vertical playfield, scoring, flashiness etc.

Oh yeah, that's undertale! It's an RPG that lets you progress without killing. If you do choose to fight, though, it uses an RPG battle system that makes you dodge waves of enemy attacks when it's the boss's turn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ4kumxv_1k

[Necronopticous]

I used to play this back in the day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuaRi_fhdlQ

[Squire Grooktook]

Honestly, that sounds like an idea you would get while taking a dump and the dump it before even prototyping it.

Eh, there's some potential here. I'm imagining a system where you have a limited (but regenerating) amount of "trail" that can be used to paint temporary bullet blocking barriers across the screen. Might work even better with a Psikyo style gameplay where you need to melee/point blank enemies agressively to prevent yourself from being overwhelmed, since you'd need to fall back behind each trail you paint to use it defensively, resulting in a kind of offense/defense/spacing balance. Also maybe the "painting" idea would make more sense if bullets passing through the trail were slowed (deleted only when speed hits zero), that way you would have to decide on the fly what shape to paint in response to different patterns.*

Only problem with the "encircling" idea is that you'd need to get in close and/or at the top of the screen to do it. Might work wonderfully for a twin stick or slow bullet game though.

Or maybe if you could shoot your own trails to push them into enemies, sacrificing defense for damage, stuff like that.


Also yeah Undertale is a better turn based shmup than anything anyone here will make. I'd recommend everyone go play it, just don't turn into a dork and say it changed your life like the other peeps I know. Trails In The Sky is a better heart warming friendship/family story anyway.


*

Spoiler

*edit* actually maybe I"ll try putting this in my own shmup and see how it works. ORIGINAL IDEA DO NOT STEAL.

[Shepardus]

The concept reminds me of a game called Chalk where you use your mouse to draw lines that block bullets and can be used to damage enemies. It's fundamentally a different concept since it's mouse-controlled and separate from your character's movement, but it might be worth taking a look at it for inspiration.

[Cagar]

Honestly, that sounds like an idea you would get while taking a dump and the dump it before even prototyping it.

Please familiarize yourself with the genre properly if you already haven't.
Also, may I suggest a strategic, sort of like a 'turn-based' shmup?
Where during your own turn you command your options to move and fire and also do some damage yourself, and during the enemy/boss turn you dodge a pattern?
You can still keep it fast-paced, make the turns very limited in time. Also, keep the shmuppy feel: 4:3 vertical playfield, scoring, flashiness etc.

Oh yeah, that's undertale! It's an RPG that lets you progress without killing. If you do choose to fight, though, it uses an RPG battle system that makes you dodge waves of enemy attacks when it's the boss's turn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ4kumxv_1k

Yeah, I intentionally avoided mentioning the name of Undertale, because I hoped this idea wouldn't be connected with it
Though I sort of derived the idea from that, I actually mean a way more shmuppy game; you'd still move and fire manually during your turn and so on. No menus.

[Squire Grooktook]

IMO Undertale works because it's combat is more a collection of minigames than a full on shmup. A lot of boss fights are like different genres altogether.

IMO also the rpg idea is fine for dodging, but not so much for attacking. Offense in shmups is best when supplemented by simultaneous dodging. Otherwise fighting game/beat em up combos or whatever are probably more fun and engaging than shooting.

[ACWraith]

On top of shooting, what if you could fly circles around enemies to deal massive damage? I wonder if that's a fun mechanic. I could see a bunch of turrets pop out and absolutely massacre anything unlucky enough to be inside.

Granted neither are shmups, but some other areas of inspiration might be Trino and Glowfish. Trino has an area marking sort of attack without shooting. Meanwhile, Glowfish has an encircling attack with familiars which perhaps resembles the turrets in some way.