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along with the senile old people we could have the moms with 5-10 kids all screaming and giving the mom a break down

The Every-Inventor is a manufacturing facility inside of Every-Mart. At first we toyed with the idea of it being a small portable machine that Mr. Every had stolen when he when into hiding, but making it an entire warehouse sized room makes more sense considering what we are say the machine can do. The facility uses a network of tunnels to transport the items to different parts of the store. This network could take the place of the idea of using the ventilation system. Mr. Every stole a key component of the machine to disable it. Something that is one of a kind and the Every-Inventor doesn't work without it. The scientist has his people damage the machine somehow to keep Mr. Every from using it. Act 1 has our main character facing 3 large main departments to gather the tools and parts needed to repair the machine.

Every-Inventor by bertincbertinc, 05 Apr 2008 16:23

In a design meeting it was decided that our main character will be able to engage in melee or ranged combat, if the player chooses not to flee instead. In combat, enemies are only rendered unconscious. In the event that an enemy is unconscious, perhaps the player can then pick pockets or drag the enemy around like in Hitman.

Combat by bertincbertinc, 03 Apr 2008 16:29

As discussed in the design meeting, we would like for our character to be able to climb on top of certain shelving units. Since it is a 2d game, it wouldn't make sense to be able to climb up on part way, so I will define the climbing sequence here.

  • character faces a climbable location
  • if location is climbable then a control hint may pop up to say press "A" to climb or something like that
  • the character will climb to the top of the object (no middle heights or player control during this animation)
  • the character will grow slightly in size to show perspective
  • the player can then walk around on top of the stocking shelf
  • if the character faces the edge of the shelf the player may press a control to climb down in certain locations
Climbing by bertincbertinc, 03 Apr 2008 16:19

List of ideas from the March 29th design meeting

  • Electronics (music, games, tvs, batteries)
  • Sporting goods
  • Senile Old People
  • Lost and Found
  • Big Stuff
  • Apparel
  • Food
  • Toys (prank isle)
  • Auto Department
  • Weapons Mass Destruction Department
  • Experimental Department (anti-gravity gun and other fun stuff)
  • Seasonal
  • Costumes
  • Hot air balloon
  • Pharmacy Drug Department
  • Kitchen and Bath
  • Home and Garden (riding lawn mowers)
  • Restrooms
  • Cult Supplies (poisoned punch, pentagrams)
  • Batteries
  • Hardware (key making kiosk)
  • Miniature Golf (mini-game in sporting goods)
  • Pets (mutated albino rat stuff)
  • Furniture
  • Painting
  • Arts and Crafts
  • Clearance Department
  • Hobo Supplies
  • Junk Mail
  • Food Court
  • Asian Gifts
  • Books maybe Music and Movies
  • Optical (x-ray glasses)
  • Music Separate
  • Mining Accessories
  • Greeting Cards
  • School and Office Supplies
  • Hobby Department
  • Psychiatric Supplies Department
Every-Mart Store Departments by bertincbertinc, 03 Apr 2008 16:07

I don't know if this goes here but, there isn't a game mechanics thread. Layers. Like alpha channel. Can we have three layers that the artwork goes on to give more depth to the view.

Layers by Kamris_AjelicoKamris_Ajelico, 29 Mar 2008 15:57

Ah, truckers. The backbone of America. Our favorite, reliable, dirty, foulmouthed, road soldiers. The one's we count on to get all of our necessary and less than necessary crap. They should be revered as heroes. We should pray for them before we go to bed. We should hold parades for them. But we shouldn't be making video games based on them.

18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker is a craptastic game for the Sega Dreamcast. It's boring as all get out, and makes you wonder what would compel a human being to even fathom the idea of making a game about "driving truck".

I mean, you drive around on a freeway, trying to beat your competitor to the destination point. You run into cars, killing innocent civilians to gain time so you can get through the level before the time runs out. And even though running into minivans and destroying family vacations sounds like fun….it really isn't. At least not in video game form.

You have a boss who talks to you over the CB saying things like "be careful not to have an accident". Reminds me of something my mom would say. Then your competitor talks to you over the CB saying things like "I'm the best trucker in the U.S.A.!!! AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT!!!!" Reminds me of something my dad would say. So you feel like a child driving a 2 ton killing machine while your parents are fighting on the phone.

So yeah, that's about all there is to it really. It's pretty damn shallow. Though I guess I should point out that while the levels aren't exactly exciting, graphically they look pretty good. Especially back when this game was created. And you really get the feeling that you are driving down an actual highway most of the time.

But that's not enough to fool you into enjoying this game…though maybe I'm being too hard. Maybe being a trucker really is a miserable existence that makes you regret getting up in the morning. If that's the case, then the developers of this game created an absolutely flawless simulation.

I give this game a 5.5 out of 10 for a "trucker radio station", useless cops, being told "don't get pulled over like I did", outracing a tornado, driving a rig off of a bridge with absolutely no damage accrued, parking challenges, and yes…getting a horn as an upgrade.

If you are going to play this game, might I suggest having some pork rinds, a couple 2 liters of Shasta cola, raw hot dogs, ding dongs, and a stack of porno magazines…this way you'll feel like a real trucker.

Airwolf
wiredscottywiredscotty 20 Mar 2008 03:24
in discussion Media Reviews / Games » Airwolf

Airwolf is an old arcade game based on the horrible television series which aired during the 80's. Most of you kids won't remember it. And in that, your generation is blessed. (In everything else your generation is cursed.)

Airwolf is your standard "I'm a flying vehicle moving to the right, and I need to shoot everything in my path" side scroller. And it's hard.

Really hard.

You get hit once and you're dead. This means you need to have skill to play this game. Of which I have none. But it's still fun to play. Maybe it's just nostalgia talking, but I found the game to be a low tech blast. You shoot anything that moves. And it's amazing how your ammo can take out anything. And I mean anything. People. Tents. Trucks. Tanks. Helicopters. Planes. Battleships. Even big fat nuclear missles.

So play the game if you want a quick, non-committal shoot em up romp.
If you don't want a quick non-committal shoot em up romp, play something else.

I give the game a 7 out of 10 for killing little army men with huge missles, being attacked with a phalanx of nukes, powerups that are parachuted to you, the Airwolf theme song, launching out of a volcano, and yes….a pixel portrait of Jan-Michael Vincent…the star of the old T.V. show.

This game is best enjoyed with some horrible tyson chicken patties with mayo on Rye bread…and some nestle quick…add milk if you want.

Airwolf by wiredscottywiredscotty, 20 Mar 2008 03:24
10,000 B.C.
bertincbertinc 19 Mar 2008 16:03
in discussion Media Reviews / Movies » 10,000 B.C.

My wife and I had the pleasure of going to this movie on opening weekend. We don't get to go out much due to the babies and the fact that we have four kids so we typically try to choose a movie that we know will entertain both of us and is worth seeing on the big screen. 10,000 B.C. fit all the requirements and it did not disappoint. At the time that we walked into that theater, neither of us had read any reviews or seen anything more than the previews on TV. I had no idea what it was about. From the start, you are forced to realize that the whole story is meant to tell the legend of a great hunter in some caveman tribe. If you can't accept that or you don't make that realization in the very beginning, I suppose it is likely that you will find the whole thing to be quite ridiculous.

You will see things in there that don't make any sense at all and you will see things that don't match up with any reputable theory on life 12,000 years ago. So here's a hint to help you enjoy the story if you haven't already seen it. When you see something impossible, remember that this is the story of a great hunter of some small tribe and anything goes when you are telling a legend. When you see object that logic says couldn't possibly have existed at that time, you have to assume that the writers chose to use symbols and objects that we as movie goers recognize rather than make up an entirely new world. Let's say they have some big object that is made of gold. You may look at that and say, "Yeah right." Or you could simply assume that if the writers had used something that maybe a guy from 12,000 years ago would find valuable, it wouldn't have the same effect. What if a tribesman valued a certain color of dirt or animal bones. Would you as a viewer look at that and place the right kind of value on it?

Anyway, I would never assume that I know what the writers or the director were thinking, but I can say that this movie was just plain stupid fun. It's the story of a prophecy come true. The legend of a great hunter. It's an outrageous tale told from the perspective of an ancient and primitive people, replacing certain objects and things so that a person of today can better understand the danger of certain situations and the value of certain objects. It was a good movie and well worth the dollars spent to see it.

10,000 B.C. by bertincbertinc, 19 Mar 2008 16:03

You could get items to help yourself with health, energy or temporary physical enhancements. There could be items to help you get past bad guys like sleeping pills or too much Nyquil.

Pharmacy possibilities by rosspalmerrosspalmer, 14 Mar 2008 06:52

So, here is another cool game programming concept – Procedural graphics. This could potentially open the doors for all kinds of things we've all been wishing for - everything from truly complete in-game customization to fully destructible/constructible environments (also note the size of the downloads - models and textures are defined mathematically, not by bulky resource files). Check out some of the other demos they have as well. Pretty cool stuff. If anyone has looked at Spore, this is similar in the technology used for that.

http://www.theprodukkt.com/kkrieger

Procedural Game Programming by popepope, 06 Mar 2008 21:37

Nice post! I really find it fascinating and I think this will definitely help lead us to create the kind of characters and balance we want throughout our game.

Re: Character Archetypes by RajixRajix, 26 Feb 2008 02:18

I really like this idea! I hadn't even thought about it. :)

Re: Fun to have an inventory by RajixRajix, 26 Feb 2008 02:14

An archetype is a prototype or model from which something is based. The character archetypes listed here derive from Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces and are deeply rooted in the myths and legends of many cultures. A significant character's role can often be associated with one of these archetypes, because storytelling is as old as these myths and legends and is how they were handed down to us. Archetypes connect your story to the rich heritage of all storytelling.

Hero

The essence of the hero is not bravery or nobility, but self-sacrifice. The mythic hero is one who will endure separation and hardship for the sake of his clan. The hero must pay a price to obtain his goal.

The hero's journey during a story is a path from the ego, the self, to a new identity which has grown to include the experiences of the story. This path often consists of a separation from family or group to a new, unfamiliar and challenging world (even if it's his own back yard), and finally a return to the ordinary, but now expanded, world.

The hero must learn in order to grow. Often the heart of a story is not the obstacles he faces, but the new wisdom he acquires, from a mentor, a lover, or even from the villain.

Other characters besides the protagonist can have heroic qualities. This can be especially true of the antagonist.

Heroes can be willing and adventurous, or reluctant. They may be group and family oriented, or loners. They may change and grow themselves, or act as catalysts for others to grow and act heroic. The hero can be an innocent, a wanderer, a martyr, a warrior, a vengeful destroyer, a ruler, or a fool. But the essence of the hero is the sacrifice he makes to achieve his goal.

Example: Star Wars…Luke Skywalker.

Mentor

The mentor is a character who aids or trains the hero. The essence of the mentor is the wise old man or woman. The mentor represents the wiser and more godlike qualities within us.

The mentor's role may be to teach the hero. These characters are often found in the roles of drill instructor, squad leader or sergeant, the older officer policeman, the aged warrior training the squire, a trail boss, parent or grandparent, etc. An effective teacher may be an otherwise inept or foolish character who possesses just the skill or wisdom the hero needs for his challenge.

The other major role of the mentor is to equip the hero by giving him a gift or gifts which are important in his quest. These gifts may be weapons, medicine or food, magic, or some important clue or piece of information. Frequently, the mentor requires the hero to have passed some sort of test before receiving the gift. The gift may be a seemingly insignificant object, the importance of which doesn't emerge until later.

The mentor may occasionally be the hero's conscience, returning him to the right path after he strays or strengthening him when he weakens. The hero doesn't always appreciate this assistance, of course.

Example: Star Wars…Obi Wan Kenobi

Threshold Guardian

The threshold guardian is the first obstacle to the hero in his journey. The threshold is the gateway to the new world the hero must enter to change and grow.

The threshold guardian is usually not the story's antagonist. Only after this initial test has been surpassed will the hero face the true contest and the arch-villain. Frequently the threshold guardian is a henchman or employee of the antagonist.

But the threshold guardian can also be an otherwise neutral character, or even a potential ally such as the police lieutenant who warns the hero private detective off the case, or the Cowardly Lion who first frightens and then joins Dorothy on her journey to Oz.

The role of the threshold guardian is to test the hero's mettle and worthiness to begin the story's journey, and to show that the journey will not be easy. The hero will encounter the guardian early in the story, usually right after he starts his quest.

Example: Star Wars….Death Star

Herald

The role of the herald is to announce the challenge which begins the hero on his story journey. The herald is the person or piece of information which upsets the sleepy equilibrium in which the hero has lived and starts the adventure.

The herald need not be a person. It can be an event or force: the start of a war, a drought or famine, or even an ad in a newspaper.

Example: Star Wars….R2-D2.

Shapeshifter

The shapeshifter changes role or personality, often in significant ways, and is hard to understand. That very changeability is the essence of this archetype. The shapeshifter's alliances and loyalty are uncertain, and the
sincerity of his claims is often questionable. This keeps the hero off guard.

The shapeshifter is often a person of the opposite sex, often the hero's romantic interest. In other stories the shapeshifter may be a friend or ally of the same sex, often a buddy figure, or in fantasies, a magical figure such as a shaman or wizard.

The shapeshifter is sometimes a catalyst whose changing nature forces changes in the hero, but the normal role is to bring suspense into a story by forcing the reader, along with the hero, to question beliefs and assumptions.

As with the other archetypes, any character, including the protagonist and antagonist, can take on attributes of the shapeshifter at different times in the story. The hero often assumes the role of shapeshifter to get past an obstacle. Mentors often appear as shapeshifters.

Example: Star Wars….Han Solo

Shadow

The Shadow archetype is a negative figure, representing things we don't like and would like to eliminate.

The shadow often takes the form of the antagonist in a story. But not all antagonists are villains; sometimes the antagonist is a good guy whose goals disagree with the protagonist's. If the antagonist is a villain, though, he's a shadow.

The shadow is the worthy opponent with whom the hero must struggle. In a conflict between hero and villain, the fight is to the end; one or the other must be destroyed or rendered impotent.

While the shadow is a negative force in the story, it's important to remember that no man is a villain in his own eyes. In fact, the shadow frequently sees himself as a hero, and the story's hero as his villain.

Trickster

The Trickster is a clown, a mischief maker. He provides the comedy relief that a story often needs to offset heavy dramatic tension. The trickster keeps things in proportion.

The trickster can be an ally or companion of the hero, or may work for the villain. In some instances the trickster may even be the hero or villain. In any role, the trickster usually represents the force of cunning, and is pitted against opponents who are stronger or more powerful.

Example: Star Wars….C-3PO

Character Archetypes by wiredscottywiredscotty, 23 Feb 2008 16:21

I was thinking about how be get to hard to reach places in the game, and I came up with this idea. Maybe we could use the duct work in the store to get to places that are otherwise blocked off. It would be much like traveling back and forth between the dark world and light world in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, where Link has to go between worlds due to slight differences that allow him to bypass obstacles. Our character could have a different set of moves or abilities in the ducts. Maybe he would have to rely on a flashlight to see anything. Maybe he has to avoid certain areas that could blow him around or suck him down some shaft. We could also have weak spots in the ducts where we might fall through. The enemies could consist of rodents and spiders that have been mutated by failed experiments in the research lab. It could be lots of fun. Kind of like a maze. We could introduce this ability in Act 2 where our hero could face some boss and gain a flashlight and access to the ducts upon defeating that boss.

The Every-Mart Duct Work by bertincbertinc, 22 Feb 2008 20:44

I thought this could be an interesting way to tie in with John's suggestion of Subliminal Messaging and Personalized Medication. This R&D department can be a great place to build on play mechanics and possibly add something unique to our game, like a device that can manufacture useful items based on what is needed. Maybe the head scientist decides to use the discoveries of the group for mind control as a means to become rich and powerful.

Mr. Every's dream was to build a store where every one loves to shop. He wanted a store where anyone could find every thing they needed at a fair price. With years of hard work, Mr. Every was getting closer to his dream. He noticed something was missing. He wanted people to even be able to find the things they imagined should exist but hadn't been invented yet, so he put his wealth into a Research and Development department where scientists would work around the clock to invent a way to read the minds of customers as they wondered the store to find what they were looking for. The idea was to find out what people wanted that still needed to be invented and manufactured and then to build that item and direct the customer to where he or she could find it. The scientist had made some amazing breakthroughs and Mr. Every was ready to finally see his dream come true. Suddenly, the store announces a massive lay off. The service goes to crap. The products are restocked with cheaply manufactured junk and nearly expired produce. The prices go up. The strange thing is, the people just continue to shop at Every-Mart and nobody in the store complains. Then, a few employees and customers start to go missing. All investigations fail as investigators leave the store with a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread and a box of cherry chocolates and no more interest in the missing person case. No one has seen Mr. Every in months. After some time, the community adjusts and begins to forget the dream of Mr. Every and simply accept Every-Mart the way it is.

Every-Mart R&D department by bertincbertinc, 22 Feb 2008 20:35

So after finding out what name we are likely going with, I started looking around at what domains were still available that fit with Lark. And lo and behold, the owners of lark.com are in the drug making business. Pharmacogenomics to be exact. From what I can gather it is basically making tailored drugs that are created to match specifically a patients genetic makeup - meaning customized medication for maximum effect and minimal side effects(i.e. personalized medicine). This site spawned a few ideas about the why/how behind Every-Mart's practices and motivations - I got a bit long winded, but it has some ideas that I thought would be good to look while we are fleshing out the rest of our story. I put it as a sub page for the game outline since it is a bit lengthy.

Subliminal Messaging and Personalized Medication

Again, just some ideas, let me know what you all think.

All of you should download these and try them out. You can learn a lot from the productions of other independent developers.

flOw
Samorost
Truck Dismount — (I hope my enjoyment with this one doesn't mean something about my character)
Aquaria

Some demos to try... by bertincbertinc, 16 Feb 2008 03:54

Good work John. We'll start using that very soon.

Re: subversion! by bertincbertinc, 16 Feb 2008 03:47

This is why I sent out the e-mail to check out that game Aquaria by Bit Blot. While wondering around in the underwater world, I could sense my mood change as the environments darkened, opened up, narrowed, or changed color schemes. I felt as though there was danger lurking in certain areas. Some areas gave me the impression they held memories for the main character. It's important to provoke feelings in the player with the environments and artistic style we choose. You may also want to check out Samorost by Amanita Design. The art style is great and the sound totally fits.

Re: Art Style -- Bright by bertincbertinc, 16 Feb 2008 03:46
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