I've decided to make a topic here, as I'm desperate for some feedback. I've been working on and off on a game that I've simply titled "Space Conquest" REMIX. Yea, it's a crappy name, but it's meant to be a remake of sorts of the first game I ever attempted to make.
Righto- onto the game. The game is being put together with Scirra's Construct Classic 1.2. Originally I had great visions for a massive immersive top down space sim- but it just aint gonna happen in Construct, not at the scale I want it. So the game... changed, a bit.
REMIX will be an open world sandbox "mini" space sim. The universe is a single large map, where two "major" races (Alliance/Orizon) combat each other via planet colonizing, station construction and invasion. The universe will also be randomly populated by minor races (such as the Hypanion and Twe'Tsu) which will only own a single planet. Games are meant to be quick, and replayed a lot. Construct has limits, and therefore I'm building a game well within them. My concept is that I'm attempting to add as many classic open world sci fi features as I can, but in a simplified manner.
The player's aim is to defeat the Orizon's Home Station, however to do that you'll need to build a capable fleet or a strong enough flagship (controlled by you). Credits can be gained via activities such as mining, scavanging and combat. Trading is a possibility, but I'm not sure I can achieve a proper system yet. Combat is fairly simple and fast paced, and has an arcade style to it, but also some basic sim elements via hull, shield, subsystem damage, energy and other aspects. The player can also attempt to purchase or colonize planets and therefore build his own small empire.
Some concept images and screenshots:
The race concept image only has the five (Trader Coalition is an ambient race) races that I plan to have by the first release version. I plan to add maaaany more. Also, the HUD is a very much WIP, lacking pretty much all of the readouts.
One last thing- one sorta abstract way that ships are implemented into the game at the moment is "ship abilities". Due to the game's quick nature, I decided that a generic equipment system wouldn't work well nor be interesting. Instead, each ship has up to three "abilities", making each ship good for different things. For example, a ship with the AA Weapons ability will be able to defend more effectively against enemy fighter craft, while a ship wih the Colonizer ability can take unowned planets without needing to purchase them from the nearest faction. Other abilities include Salvage Drones, Repair Drones, Mining Beams and a Constructor ability that allows you to build your own stations rather than have to purchase them from a nearby faction.
So yea, it's early. I'll post a download as soon as it's fully playable, if people are interested. I'm more adept with the graphics side of things, rather than actual coding. Not that Construct requires plain coding, but anyway.
Looking good so far Technical byte. 😎
Couple of ideas for you to consider a gravity well around any planets of stars could add to the combat.
A zoom in when combat starts or a zoom out when not engaged in combat.
Couple of old games I'am thinking about here are space war and star control 1 might be worth a look at as I think both of them have one or the other features.
Like the logo a lot.
Yeah the HUD can wait personally, perfect the game play the way you would then customize the HUD to the game afterwards. Those ship models and combat effects look nice. I can't remember TechnicalByte, do you plan to have the ability to manage more than one fleet? maybe group them together to have them patrol, or mine, or advance on the enemy?
Couple of ideas for you to consider a gravity well around any planets of stars could add to the combat.
A zoom in when combat starts or a zoom out when not engaged in combat.
Couple of old games I'am thinking about here are space war and star control 1 might be worth a look at as I think both of them have one or the other features.
One of the problems I've been toying with is that there isn't really any physics in the game... and this is mainly to do with the AI being a pain. While it's easy enough to create a player movement system that works similar to Star Control 2's, I haven't been able to create a physics based AI that works how I want it yet. Currently, the "captial ship AI" uses Construct's default pathfinding behavior, which allows it to move to waypoints and such. Currently it's capable of doing that and pausing when it detects an opponent ship, both trading fire. To be honest, I was looking to create something more along the lines of Gratuitous Space Battles style combat... I guess that doesn't sound real arcadey, but yea.
I'll see what I can come up with anyway... a zoom's possible, but I'm strill trying to figure out how to get it to work with Z based elevations, which Construct hates. I had a system in that zoomed in when the player controlled a smaller ship, like a fighter, but I scrapped that in favour of controlling larger ships. The smallest ship a player can control is a gunship/shuttle.
Yeah the HUD can wait personally, perfect the game play the way you would then customize the HUD to the game afterwards. Those ship models and combat effects look nice. I can't remember TechnicalByte, do you plan to have the ability to manage more than one fleet? maybe group them together to have them patrol, or mine, or advance on the enemy?
Thanks 😀
My problem is now that I can get the game to look good in screenshots, but now I gotta get the gameplay at a equally fun level. 😛 Hm... I haven't thought honestly that much about the player's own fleet (that was going to be something to work on secondly, as there's a big focus on the player fighting alone), but I honestly can't see why it couldn't be possible to have multiple fleets. I think it would be as simple as assigning different ships different variables, which respond to different events... and with the current AI set up, different orders should be easy.
I just finished the frame of the new "Interior Mode". I came across the idea by accident, when I was experimenting with dynamic zoom levels. Now, you can press the Switch Modes key (Q) to have the camera zoom into the ship so you can see the interior. This activates the Character Movement, and you can walk about the ship.
I'm not sure exactly how to use this sort of aspect. I'm thinking of having some types of special abilities, such as repair drones and long range scanners, usable only be accessing the correct section in the ship. I've only finished one type of interior system, the transporter pad. When activated, you can aim the targetting scanners to a nearby location and then beam your character to it.
Currently, the only use is to beam onto derelict ship hulks left behind after combat. You will then be able to find the command station and bring the ship under your control. I'm still trying to get the pathfinding AI working at this zoom level, but if it does, I can add enemy crew members (or friendly) you have to fight through. AND, I think I might be able to add a system where certain types of enemy ships can beam soldiers onto your own ship.
That second shot is of a Alliance Corvette, an extremely small and bare bones forward gunner ship. As such, it has pretty much nothing in it. Actually, both those ships are the two smallest in the game so far, besides the Trader Gnat, and therefore have extremely cramped insides. Other ships are a lot bigger, and have more equipment.
That blue thingy isn't a warp core, unfortuantly, rather a freeze chamber- you use it to decrease your fatigue and advance time to the next "cycle" (replacement for days). Does anyone else have any other ideas on equipment or other aspects to add to this?
That is some great stuff there TechnicalByte, I didn't think the Construct engine could do that type of thing.
Space marines 😀
Just been reading about loot drop games (ie Diablo2 ect) might be something to think about randomizing any equipment or cargo that can be found in the ships, giving the player a chance to find some of the best equipment early on.
Thanks again. Construct is hating me at the moment- so I'm using really simplistic methods to do things. For example, the "interiors" or ships are simply an overlayed sprite with special collision masks. The "Player" object simply has special objects attached to certain areas to give function to the various equipment inside.
Yea, I like that idea PINBACK. Borderlands actually gave me an idea awhile back of having that sort of system, with each equipment piece having randomized stats or something. I dunno, I'll mess about with it.
And I've changed my mind about holding back with some of the details of common space games. I'm now aiming to experiment with landing on planets, with randomized surfaces. Not sure how that will go, because I have no idea how to do that. 😛 However, I dream of actual battles with soldiers on planets to determine who owns it. Therefore, it must be so! 😀
EDIT: I'm thinking of cheating a bit and using this: http://www.scirra.com/forum/plugin-grid ... 42662.html . But it would be I'd have to completely redo the current "universe generation" script (which was simple anyway, but still. I doubt I can use my orbit behavior with it.).
If it makes getting to your milestone that much easier than why not :). Any randomization you can put into a game is always nice to have, I know you are thinking about just the planet surfaces. But I found this plugin a while back for blender that makes cities, maybe you will have a use for it ( http://cgchan.com/suicidator ).
I would say anything that makes the game easier for you to do, then use it.
Don't get carried away with adding features 😀
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