LoGaP: a 2D platformer (08.04.2013 update - playable build v0.2)

WIP games, tools & toy projects Archived Projects
#1

I was going back and forth whether or not I should post what little I have of my game here, but I figured I should just go ahead and jump right in since there were no guidelines anyway regarding how far along a project should be before you could post it.

I’ve been studying how to program games in Java for the last three weeks, and I’m using this game as a vehicle to apply what I learn. It’s a 2D Platformer and I want it to come across as distinctly physics-based (it uses libgdx/Box2D). What else it’s going to be is up in the air… I put in a little experience bar there and some objects one can gather to gain experience, but I only have a vague idea of what I want to do with it so far. Also not sure if I want it to be action-based (like Cave Story for example) or puzzle-based (like LIMBO) or a little of both.

So far, at this point, I’m just winging it ;D

UPDATES:

Update 07.04.2013: — LINK

latest Update 08.04.2013:
I figured I’d try releasing updates on a monthly basis no matter what I’ve done up to that point; so, here’s playable build v0.2:

download link (6.20MB)

I wasn’t able to do much for July because coughsteamsummersalecough I was “a bit busy” coughsteamsummersalecough, but I think I made significant progress in some areas.

(1) I added gamepad support for the xbox360 controller. The input device detection is a bit crude for now, but it will have to do… for now. It simply selects gamepad as the input device if it detects one, and selects the keyboard otherwise. NOTE: I find that the game plays better with a gamepad, so I would recommend that if you have one, use that instead of the keyboard.

(2) I reworked the controls significantly in pursuit of “tighter” movement. So, compared to the version last month, I would say this new version features significantly tighter and much less floaty controls.

(3) And related to #2 above, the player can now double-jump and wall-jump.

(4) I played around with animations. So the enemies are now animated. It seems a bit amateurish, but I think I did more than I think I could, tbh.

(5) I increased the screen size to incorporate the status bar. So the game is now at 1280x720 (a relatively standard resolution) instead of the 1280x640 it previously was.

(6) Where the game took a step backwards is the mechanics. It’s not that I don’t have anything planned for the mechanics; but rather, I haven’t implemented it yet. Also hope to start adding a lot more new levels.

(7) The point of the game, just to explain, since the game doesn’t explain it yet:

[Goal] The goal of the game is in two parts: First is to control the gray circle and maneuver it around the level to find and come in contact with the pink circle. After you come in contact with the pink circle, you will meld into a single gray-and-pink circle. The second part of the goal is that once both circles have melded together, you must maneuver your way into the pink door. This ends the level and moves on to the next one.

Please try it out and kindly provide feedback if you feel that your suggestions would make the game better :slight_smile: Thanks!

#2

i like it, the control looks smooth and i think it would be more better if you make it a little bit faster, the scrolling is very good too, i just have a little question ::slight_smile:
was it “very” hard to implement box2D into your game ?
and is it Java2D only or you’re using another library ? (beside Box2D of course)

#3

^ Box2D was a bit challenging, especially the part where you have to convert meters-to-pixels and vice versa… it’s a bit tricky, but once I got a hang of it, applying it in the game got progressively easier.

I’m planning to start reading up on joints next, so I hope that will have some practical application in the game.

Sorry I didn’t make it clear in my OP: I’m using libgdx, which has Box2D included in it :slight_smile: Aside from that, I’m using JInput to handle the controls.

#4

Box2D is very simple to implement, you have a World, a Body, FixtureDef, and BodyDef for each physics object, just plug in values and it works magic. For Java2D there’s JBox2D but it’s not as good as libgdx’s box2d which draws directly from the original box2d.

#5

What does LoGaP mean? :slight_smile:

#6

I swear this is harder than it sounds for a newbie :stuck_out_tongue:

This is a well-guarded secret, lol :-X

#7

Why?
Why make a game and not tell what it’s called?
Why respond with an answer that tells us nothing?

WHY?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ;D

For now I’ll assume it’s “Legend of Greg and Pete” :stuck_out_tongue:

#8

Looks good so far. :slight_smile: I’m really interested in what “style” you decide to take as you continue progress!

#9

Looks good so far.

I especially like that exp bar. But for me it would be more sensical if the bar started black and would fill up with the pink block (or would recede (i.e. get more black) from the right).

#10

^ Thanks for the suggestion! It does look better that way.

I added some shooting mechanics and enemies to shoot at as well as expanded my “playground” for the time being.

Have barely started on level/world design.

As I was doing this, I discovered that there were some quirks with having a ball as one’s main character in terms of how to efficiently design the mechanics of movement and shooting :stuck_out_tongue:

DziM9kKutxY

#11

It looks very nice! I think your enemies look quite threatening.

#12

^ Thanks! I’m very artistically challenged so that means a lot :smiley:

#13

I ended up overhauling my game concept. Because if not, it’ll take me a year to get things done with everything I want to do now. There’s a lot of other game ideas I want to pursue that could only be done by starting other game projects, so I’d like to finish this and move on, which makes me realize that maybe there’s some wisdom in starting with making a lot of small games before moving to something bigger.

All the things I have done so far will be elements in the eventual final version of this game, but will likely work in a different way.

I’m hoping that something playable should be out within the month. For now, here’s a video of my latest progress (sorry if you’re not a fan of annotations since I put in quite a few):

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^ This is after the change in direction of the game, some significant tweaking of the AI, plus addition of item drops and slight change in shooting mechanics… So this will likely turn into a level/stage-based action platformer after all.

#14

Level design is srs bsns… :cranky:

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/lk/l/w/05f941cc32d734da7aec729657450ad3/4825628.jpg

#15

Your game is starting to look really good!
It would be cool if you were able to do something with the orientation of the ball, e.g. the projectile will fire in the direction that little black dot is facing.

#16

[quote=“NegativeZero,post:15,topic:41931”]
Thanks!

[quote=“NegativeZero,post:15,topic:41931”]
I know right??

I’ve been going back and forth regarding the shooting mechanics of my game. That’s just a vague idea of what I have in mind; but right now I’m leaning towards the outer layer of the ball and inner layer being disjointed, with the outer circle being more relevant to the movement and inner circle more relevant to the shooting.

#17

Almost gyroscopic? That would be cool!
It would also link back to your idea of a “Physics platformer”.

#18

not really smooth in a gyroscopic way :slight_smile: just that the outer circle will be rolling as the ball moves, but the inner circle will be fixed where the ball is facing, so that’s the direction the player shoots.

#19

I’m guessing you’d end up changing your sprite quite a bit, as currently the only thing that identifies if the object is rolling is the black dot.

#20

Hmmmm not sure exactly how, but I’ll play around with it over the weekend :slight_smile: