Okay, more or less starting from scratch again as far as game development goes on the engine side – it does look like I’m going with Flashpunk this time around.

But, something did stick, and I’ll link it here:

http://active.tutsplus.com/tutorials/workflow/how-to-use-an-external-library-in-your-flash-projects/

This details how to use an external library in Flash, and it does appear to work, although the FlashPunk engine appears to want you to use it outside of the Flash CS3 environment. Currently waiting on a confirmation that I’ll need to leave it for this, although I’d like to stick within it if possible. I just have it already installed and know the system better, is all.

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In the meantime, I actually know more about the gameplay elements I want to use, and the plot of the game.

So, you’re on Pangea,  the supercontinent caused by merging all of the current continents, and a demonic meteor crashes down on the edge of the effectively one ocean, causing mass flooding, as well as melting the ice caps, thus causing extreme flooding of the world. Humans are nearly obliterated, everything up to the cockroachs are near extinction.

So clearly, it’s up to the ants to defeat the demonic presence in the meteor and restore the Earth’s natural order. So get ready to roleplay a worker ant.

A bit of Pikmin minus the Pikmin, I suppose, as you go about to various dungeons collecting materials to enhance your already super-strength and all that, until the colony can develop a boat with which you sail out and tackle the menance.

Planning to make the game at most an hour of gameplay, as the water will constantly rise and block off areas, and you need to strategically find ways to solve puzzles to get things like an ant-spear, a magnifying glass, and a piece of ant-chainmail, before you take off and fight a giant boss fight.

Mostly chose ants because of the idea that they can lift 20 times it’s weight, and wanted to make gameplay that focuses somewhat on that aspect. Either lifting rocks out of your way and/or using them to attack enemies, as well as the *completely un-researched* idea that because of this, they make great ninjas, and can jump over obstacles in their way during combat. Sort of emulating Jade Empire’s dodge mechanic in top-down form, allowing you to jump over enemies to get out of being cornered. Perhaps even tie this to the “Bonus Board” idea from Star Ocean: The Last Hope idea.

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Of course, to do this, I need to get started. But I’d thought I’d write this down for now, at least. I’ll probably start actual coding at around 10:00 a.m. PST, since I’m feeling that I may not be as productive today. But at least I have a plan, right?