Shoot em up: data representation (levels, aliens)

Java 2D
#1

Hi,

I’ll start a Shoot Em Up in J2ME very soon.
I’m trying to figure out how to describe my level, and my alien behavior.
Maybe some of you had already done that, and would be willing to share ideas with me?

For the Aliens ships, I will build a top “wave” class, implementing movements patterns (except I dont know how to represent my movement pattern, straight line is easy but the other ones?), and referencing the “ships” inside the wave.
Questions:
-> How to represent my differents ships?
-> How to represent my movement patterns? Text file? Step by step relative loc?

For the level, I was thinking of 2 text files: 1 for the static/background gfx, maybe with the “first visible point” to stream the building of the level as the player reach the area, and 1 for the “events” stuff, using same type of first visible location to release enemy waves.
Questions:
-> Is there a better way to do that?

I really want my level to be designed (no random enemy), and my enemies to have various movements, so it’s not a case of “well, i’ll simplify and make it random” :slight_smile: And I also want the “data” to be soft-coded externally so I can build a version 2, and other games based on it.

Any ideas guy?

Thanks anyway,

Seb

#2

Sounds like you’ve got it pretty much sussed to me. The data model consists of

Entity - MovingEntity - Opponent
- Power up

Where a moving entity is controlled by a list of relative movements that each element must take.

Then a wave of aliens is a collection of MovingEntities who all share the same MovementPattern

The level design I suppose is an array of tiles + a bunch of description files defining at what location and time an AlienWave must be created and with what MovementPattern.

Kev

#3

Yep,

The class structure of my program is pretty much figured out, the only real problem is HOW do I represent my movement pattern and my level to make it fit in the smallest space as possible, and the quickest way as possible?

I have a idead that require script and bits manipulations, I’m posting a new topic around it.

Seb