K Abstract Shmup prototype

Between university and my first job I made this game. It's a bit weird looking, I know. That was half the point. I was trying to see if I could work with a self imposed restriction - design a game in monochrome, and see how well you can communicate the game play through rather abstract means. I don't think I totally succeeded, but I learned a awful lot about how to express information to a player in clear, concise ways.

There's also some interesting gameplay mechanics - nothing "dies" in this world (except bullets and bombs). You're simply "turning" actors between light and dark energy - so if a light person continuously shoots a dark person, the dark person eventually becomes light. If a dark person shoots another dark person, it's like "healing".

The original heightmap engine was made by David Hillier, a friend back in the day. I made a big mess of his engine trying to get this specific look. Sozzles, Dave!

I don't really have any plans to pursue this game further, although... on the Wii? Hmm. I can think of a neat control system!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• game
• play
• experimental
• blue
• shmup
• shoot
• em
• up
• abstract
• indie
• games
• rez
• aubrey
• hesselgren
• xbox
• live
• arcade
• xbla

[raigon1]

It looks really weird, but I kinda like it. It does certainly look like something you get as WiiWare. (WiiWare needs some more good shmups and the like)

[JunkerJames]

@raigon1 Thanks.

I hope to eventually try to re-make this game, or make a sequel or whatever: I've had people say some really nice things about it, even though they never played it (and probably BECAUSE they never played it).

It might look interesting, but the game play didn't quite work out (mostly the controls/physics were awful). Hopefully now that I have more experience under my belt, I can be more successful next time.

[0xXEliXx0]

looks great mate, will u publish it so we can play?

[JunkerJames]

Nope, because I totally suck.

The game is really prototypy, and I don't really have the time/money/ability to make this a fully fledge game.

I can probably recommend HAWX if you want a play experience close to what I was intending. Just tried the demo and the third person combat is really neat.

[k7991]

Nothing stopping you from just uploading the prototype, a lot of people seem to want to try it out.

[JunkerJames]

I'm afraid it's not quite that simple. The game was made when I was a noob programmer, and only seems to run on Windows 98. I've not been near the code for such a long time that I don't really think I'd be able to figure out how to fix it. It became a real mess :(.

Someone totally l33t might have a chance, but I doubt anyone that good would be interested in what would really be a wasted effort. It's just not a good game as it stands.

[sirpolopaul]

can you send me this game

I really really want to play it

[tekkers]

that looks wicked! the world needs more abstract shooters..

[Daseekr]

I liek abstract <3 do you use c++?

[VJFranzK]

As many others note, this looks really cool / interesting! ;-)  Maybe you and others involved should restore and finish it, for Wii, iPad or something?

[Kheluva999]

I WANT THIS!!!!!!

It looks starfox64 meets rez.

Yes, thats good.

No sarcasm.

Seriously.

[hoobster5]

i think he really means it - no sarcasm involved - i`d like to have a vid with better resolution!