Here is my idea for the Mini-LD this weekend. It is about equiping your flying fortress with different parts and weapons to fight an enemy fortress. One might say “where is the war in it, it’s just one battle.” The plan is to make this battle not last until destruction of one fortress but calculate the damage after some number of rounds and determine the influence of this results on an ongoing war. After that the next battle awaits.

So far I have a mockup of the battle screen:

The silhouettes in the background are other flying fortresses. Before the battle begins you can change the four segment with different hull strength and change weapon types. Then you choose which segments attacks which enemy segment and start the first round. After that round and each following you can change where each segment aims again.

In this mockup there are some examples of weapons: torpedo, big gun, small guns, some smoke device for defensive purpose and a hangar for attacking gliders.

Tools I will use:

• Python with pygame or pyglet (I’m not sure which lib to prefer. Just have tested pygame some time ago but pyglet looks slicker but lacks collision. Any advice?)
• Gimp or Paint.net
• Bfxr

So here comes a screenshot showing first progress. It’s still some steps apart from being a game. Just created basic class-structure and positioned sprites.

Next step is to add one round of fight with random/preset presets. After that the player interactions gets implemented. At the moment I’m unsure if I have enough time this weekend to really finish this game to a playable state. Btw, I figured out my project has a nice abbreviation: WotFF!

Looks like I am really out of practice. Some bug stopped my progress for like 1.5 hours. All the bullets just wanted to fly the same direction. Finally I found the issue and now it looks as intended. But still I’m not beyond some demo state. Probably I should quit for today after over 15 hours being awake with a lot of coding (I know… I’m getting old).

Yeah! Added explosions with fancy transparent scale effect. Next I need some visualisation of the damage taken per hull part.

Meh. Still not passed the demo/simulation state. Without some input of the player (except clicking the “fight” button) I am not going to call my project a game. As it’s quite late now and I have to get to office early tomorrow, I have to give up at this point.

Nevertheless it was a great experience trying to make a game for this miniLD which has been my first LD. I am still convinced that my basic idea could make a working game so I will proceed programming during the next days and post some update.

Just a quick post mortem of my MiniLD28 “War of the Flying Fortresses” entry before it gets more and more crowded with LD 21 posts in this place (which is indeed a great thing).

What went well:

• Recognizing that I’m not that much out of training after a 10 year break of developing games.
• Figuring out that python with pygame is a very convenient way to make games quickly.
• Finding an idea for the MiniLD. That was really easy, like first sudden inspiration
• Being motivated to make progress

What went not that well:

• Recognizing that I’m lacking over ten years of game developing experience.
• Suffering with stupid bugs (yeah, I know that’s the common developing issue).
• Make something to call a game within time restriction.

So the big question is: Will I make this “game” into something more satisfying? To be honest, I’m not sure at the moment. I have been fiddling with the code and removed some library based bugs like having an in place sprite rotation with pygame. But there still seems a lot of work to put into it even to test the basic game design. Actually I don’t feel like the basic idea will be that much fun when implemented. Nevertheless I have made a graphics update which I want to share: Different colors with added detail on the hull parts.

And by the way: LD21, yes I am in! Posting tool details later.

Tags: pygame

Definitely. My wife and child are out of town, so a very good premise to get something done. Unfortunately I couldn’t get my old webcam to work, which means no contribution to the keynote. Meh.

Tools I will use:

• python with pygame
• Gimp for the graphics
• bfxr, if I come to implemeting some sound effects
• musagi and/or inudge/audiotool and audacity for music, if there is still some spare time left

Really looking forward to my first real LD after my first MiniLD last month.

Just have to add one strictly necessary tool for the coming two days ;).

Moka pot! Espresso!

Tags: foodphoto

To fill the FoodPhoto tags for this LD even more, here is my last meal before LD starts tomorrow. It’s penne aglio, olio e peperoncino (out of spaghetti, I was)  with the peppers and herbs from my own balcony and olive oil from the region of Lake Garda. Easy to make, very delicious but also quite hot in taste.

Best preparation for LD, I guess.

Tags: foodphoto

…imho a rather uninspiring one, because most game design can be broken down to escape from (situation, poverty, unimportance) to something (better situation, wealth, heroism).

Nevertheless I already got three ideas in the last hour and am actually choosing the one with best chances to get finished in 48 hrs.

First classes getting defined, first sprites are painted and the first big cup of coffee is inserted. So far I’m happy with my chosen idea. Let’s see if it stands the prototype test later this day.

Also, deskphoto:

Tags: deskphoto, pygame, python

Rather unspectacular: Player, rooms, tunnels. Next to implement the mechanics.

Tags: screenshot

Progress is satisfying at the moment. Player interaction and collision check for digging works. New rooms can be found! Next to implement are screen borders for digging and the exit.

Some preview on the story:

• You have been jailed in a deserted valley with many seperated cages standing around
• You are sitting in a cage of medium size
• you found a powered shovel (enables fast digging of tunnels) hidden in the ground
• the sun has blinded you somewhat, so you can only spot very near cages
• You running out of food and hope. Maybe there can be found some food in other cages.

I will reveal the reason why the player has been arrested in a later post. I think I came up with a great story idea for LD ;).

Tags: pygame, python, screenshot

Just made a break from messing with the code and updated my graphics to look better and fit the story of my game.

Next milestone: Eat some Lunch!

Tags: pygame, python, screenshot

Bread rolls with Jamon Serrano (Spanish ham). Delicious.

Tags: foodphoto

Here is the newest screen of my game. Game mechanic is working now it’s time to add more features. I am still indecisive if to make fixed levels or randomized. Also my neck starts hurting (7 hours of coding with some breaks) so I think I will have some relaxing time at the balcony.

The new GUI elements are displaying actual food/hunger and hope state.

Tags: pygame, python, screenshot

…in the cages. Softdrink, burger, pork what else could a escaping person need.

Tags: pygame, python, screenshot

This day is going great. I feel like I could finish a satisfying game even today. So far minimum requirement for my game will be setting up a starting screen to explain the story, making the kill-condition more than just a print ‘died!’ in console and making the game replayable without restart. Everything else is in. Better graphics, more features, sound and music is optional for tomorrow.

After adding more cages and enforcing hunger and desperation on the player it looks like that:

Tags: pygame, python, screenshot

…for dinner.

Just a frozen food pizza with added mozzarella. ’twas okay.

Tags: foodphoto

Yeah! I am so happy. Just implemented the overall loop with reseting all instances to replay without quitting the game and it worked on first try without any bugs so far. This part had me quite daunted beforehand. Let’s check the current state of progress:

• Player can win
• Player can lose
• Player can quit anytime he likes
• Game has intro, win and death screen
• Game can be repeated

So theoretically I have a finished game. But nevertheless there are some important parts missing:

• Different levels (probably randomized)
• Sound effects
• Music
• Text for the static screens
• At least one additional feature to make it more interesting to play

Enough left for tomorrow but still quite far. I don’t have a bad conscience about getting to bed soon.