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Some Unnamed Gradius Fangame

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:51 am
by Evil_Nazgul0616
Download Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gduv8115rabyz ... 0Alpha.exe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
File Size: 88.2 MB (this is about as good as it gets so far, I will try to remedy it later.)

Here it is, the fangame I was working on all week, now I feel like sharing the (buggy but still fun to play) alpha of it.
I want to know what you all think. If there's anything that needs to be tweaked (aside from obvious things mentioned below)

Controls: (not listed in-game yet.)
hold Z - fire
X - Missile (assuming you have them)
C - Use currently selected powerup.
Arrow Keys - Move

Stage/boss names (for the curious):
Important things to note/major bugs:
-This is only the alpha, as such there are still things that need fixing. These will all be fixed (hopefully) in the beta. (It takes a long time to upload the file so I'd rather get all the bugs fixed by the same update rather than incremental updates.)
-Among the things that need to be fixed are the Options, they have very buggy AI so I don't recommend using them (except maybe during the boss rush, since they work perfectly on that stage.)
-If you die with a powerup selected, you can still use the powerup after you die, this will be corrected in beta.
-there is currently infinite lives, since playtesting would be infuriating without them. This will be removed in the next update so enjoy/hate it while you can.
-you will be sent to the game-over screen upon completing the game, since it's serving as a placeholder for the credits.
-it is very likely Planet Core will catch you off-guard with its lasers. This will be nerfed.

To Do List:
-fix the Option AI.
-Correct the powerbar.
-remove infinite lives
-nerf Planet Core
-list controls in-game
-add a credits reel
-fix any minor bugs that are discovered
-tweak the moai
-change some hitboxes around
-try to make the file size smaller

Re: Some Unnamed Gradius Fangame

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:47 pm
by dracmeister
Horrible Design.
I pacifist(no shot) run the Moai Stage.

Once more, I emphasize. HIT DETECTION. Its too stingy.
My environmental deaths I had was uncountable.
Also, those unavoidable deaths when going through a narrow halls with enemy spawners from behind.
At least reduce to ship's hitbox to make up for cheap deaths.

Some of the bosses don't telegraph attacks well, which leads to spam attacks.

Also Moais are rendered useless when flying over just a pixel(or two) above, below, left and right behind they're mouths.
I recommend the Hitboxes be mostly square/boxes. Having Circle, and other irregular shapes makes hit detection awkward.

That was a cheap job a Crystal Core. FIX IT. MAKE IT LOOK GOOD.

Moving Walls are fine but if they're not telegraphed well, then that's just cheap. The First Offense, is forgivable. Committing it multiple times without a pattern nor subtly, is unforgivable. It's those 'I thought we're done with that gimmick' moments.

Rotating Wall...
OH MAN MY FAVORITE SHADOW DANCER BOSS.
YOU KNOW WHAT BOTHERED ME? HIT DETECTION. It was at least fair(albeit trial and error at times) in Gradius Advanced/Galaxies/Generations, since your hitbox was super small and it gives you time to look for possible spots to stay(look at ACESpark's Boss Run of it).
But with the hitbox and the scrolling speed in this game, it doesn't give you that time... Yes the notches of the floor a more significant looking to fit through, the scrolling speed means you have to move at some point.
Also, I tried hugging the top notches of the screen, I still got crushed by the thing.

Stage Transition, can you at least make it Gradius-like? AKA Continuous? You're probably planning it, but this is just a reminder.
You could simply make the whole level dissolve into space again or slowly scroll further back to space.

Hope you don't take this negatively, but these are some immediate issues of this fan game that you need to take care of.
Hope you continuously work on this and refine it.

Re: Some Unnamed Gradius Fangame

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:07 pm
by Evil_Nazgul0616
Ok, I admit that the moai could be tweaked a little (what renders the moai useless was my attempt to stop them from shooting BACKWARDS THROUGH THEMSELVES, I can tweak the code a bit to give them a bit more range.)
My environmental deaths I had was uncountable.
On which stage(s)? When I playtest I rarely die by careening into a wall.
I recommend the Hitboxes be mostly square/boxes.
Well, if you want Nemesis Online style hit detection (which is even worse), be my guest.
That was a cheap job a Crystal Core.
It was originally planned to be the original Crystal Core, but I couldn't figure out how to make the tentacles so I changed it to a slightly different boss, giving it two accurate attack drones rather than randomly firing tentacles.

Oops! I forgot to reduce Rotating Wall's hitbox before I released alpha. That will be fixed in beta I assure you.
You could simply make the whole level dissolve into space again or slowly scroll further back to space.
Well I would if I could, but there is no transition like that in Game Maker (that I know of)


Your feedback is appreciated, I'll get to work on tweaking these.

Re: Some Unnamed Gradius Fangame

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:36 pm
by dracmeister
When talking about hit detection, I prefer smaller hitboxes than sprites sizes. Which what I was atoned to in some Gradius games.
Gradius Advance/Generations/Galaxies had a super small hitbox, Gradius V had a danmaku-shmup-like hitbox, Gradius IV lets you squeeze through almost every crevice.

For environmental deaths, when I see uneven ground/non-square/non-box-like ground, I don't see it as exactly what it is.
I assume its a bunch of boxes together to make the shape.

Environmental deaths from are mostly caused by my danmaku-shmup instincts.
I have statements in my head saying: "I will not hit this mountain till at least more than 1/4 of my ship's sprite is covered by it."
So you may ignore my environmental deaths.

Oh yeah, invincibility time, I had a continuous string of deaths when I get respawned on a wall.

You can use blend transitions or no transitions.
I also keep the ship persistent across rooms.

Lastly have you seen my Cwazy Fantasy Shootew 2 game? Old video.
Not a too much of a good example of 'smooth transition.' but...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSGW5hzkPls" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Some Unnamed Gradius Fangame

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:54 pm
by Evil_Nazgul0616
dracmeister wrote: I also keep the ship persistent across rooms.
well my ship is persistent, I just have it jump to the beginning of the room (it's a really long room with a scrolling view.)

Re: Some Unnamed Gradius Fangame

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 6:02 pm
by ShadowHunter
there needs to be more moais, what i mean is make infinite moais resulting in infinite vertical scrolling in level moai

Re: Some Unnamed Gradius Fangame

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 3:44 pm
by [][][][]
ShadowHunter wrote:there needs to be more moais, what i mean is make infinite moais resulting in infinite vertical scrolling in level moai
Vertical scrolling infinite loop, like Gradius 2 and 3 (and presumably others)? Gonna be hard to program.

Otherwise, yeah recommending at least one pixel allowance between sprite hitting and actual hitbox 'hit'. Also, if you're aiming for all-square hitboxes, the corners should touch the outer edge of the rings, not the sides themselves (to prevent cheap deaths).

Still haven't tested the game, but here are just my two cents, the second of which was based off drac's.

Protip for Crystal Core: Try to find a Tetran code. Try to move the arms themselves. There you go; arms.