Project name:
Robotz
Screenshot
Brief description:
The game design is complete.
This will be a simple Windows application, turn-based, two-player, 2D board game playable over the internet.
This project is low-key, and for all levels of ability.
Each side will have the following "robotz":
Master Robot: The goal of the game is kill your opponent's Master Robot.
Engineer: Has the ability to push walls
Destroyer: Has the ability to attack other game pieces
Medic: Has the ability to heal other game pieces
Walls -- stationary obstacles that can be used strategically for defense or offense
That's it. I know - not very complex. This is on purpose. I want to get the basics of gameplay in place before adding complexity. My rationale is that once we get the basic game completely done -- then we can go back and start adding in the cool stuff -- more kinds of game pieces, powerups, or what have you.
Target aim:
The first release will be freeware.
Future releases my be for profit, we'll see how it goes.
Compensation:
Sorry, no pay.
Your name will be in the game credits.
Technology:
Windows XP Home or better (XP Home is what I have).
Visual Studio 2008.
C# only
Graphics: DirectX 9.0c
Talent needed:
We have a few people already involved, but what we lack is someone with leadership experience to manage this project and the members on the team effectively.
Team structure:
Team Lead: NOT FILLED
Game Concept: Tom Knowlton (me)
C# Programmers: TAANSTFAL, steu
Artists: Plasmana (Rod)
Sound: Nathan Madsen
Website:
Post here in this thread with any questions. We had an account on Source Forge for a few weeks, but it is not getting used much and is a bit of overkill for a project this small.
Contacts:
managebrinkster "at" yahoo.com or post here in this thread.
For quick questions, contact me on MSN Messenger:
whatnewdevilryisthis "at" hotmail "dot" com.
Additional Info:
One of the things I want to do is document the code. Maybe not every line, but atleast every method. I want to create a very detailed tutorial once we're done, such that other beginners can follow in our footsteps and re-create our efforts from the ground-up. That is part of the project, so plan on helping with this as well.
Feedback:
ANY
DESCRIPTION OF POTENTIAL PROJECTS:
Internet Support (Chat and internal game messages)
(Completion of this portion means, being able to have two clients communicate with each other over the internet. Being able to send a chat message from client A and have it be received by client B. Being able to make a game move on client A and have it be displayed on the game board on client B. I would want this piece to be written as a seperate DLL that the main application can hook into)
Save Game state (I need XML expertise for this, which I don't have)
Load Game state (I need XML expertise for this, which I don't have)
(Completion of this portion means I can load-in a new game board from an XML file. The XML file contents would be used to initialize 100 game objects. Save game would save the current game state out to an XML file. Part of this might involve the creation of a Game Board Editor of sorts, that would allow us to visually create the game board and would result in an XML file being created that the actual game could use.)
Game piece navigation (Represent the game piece in memory and where it is on the game board - that sort of thing)
Game piece interaction (Determining who is attacking whom and the result. Same goes for healing / pushing walls)
(Completion of this portion of the project would mean I can select a game piece and move it to another square. It would mean that I could also determine LEGAL moves, and carry-out the appropriate action. LEGAL moves would include determining what game piece was selected, and what action is being attempted, and is the action do-able. For example, a Destroyer or a Medic cannot push walls, only an Engineer can do that. Engineers and Destroyers cannot heal other game pieces, only Medics can do that. Medics and Engineers cannot attack other game pieces, only Destroyers can do that.)
FAQ:
Quote:How far can a piece move?
You have a total of 10 movement points to spend per turn. You do not have to spend all of them during your turn. Unused movement points are forfeited at the end of your turn.
Movement costs are as follows:
1 point to move to an empty square
2 points to do the following:
-Attack
-Heal
-Push walls
Master Robots remain stationary throughout the game. They really serve no purpose right now, except to provide a goal for your opponent in order to win the game. The Master Robot could just as easily be called the "Generator" or "Power Source" or "Master Computer". The Master Robot is like the "Flag" in the game Stratego.
Quote:Can a piece move diagonally?
Yes.
Quote:If a piece can move diagonally, can it move diagonally between two walls?
Yes.
Quote:Can an engineer push a wall into another robot? If so, what happens?
An Engineer cannot push a wall onto an occupied square. A wall cannot push anything, including other walls.
These are good ideas -- but in order to finish the game, for now, they will have to wait until later.
Quote:Can a destroyer attack a piece on his own team?
No. But that doesn't mean I'd go pushing them around ;)
Quote:Can a medic heal an opposing piece?
No. But they often wish they could. :(
Quote:What does a master robot do, other than sit there with a lot of hitpoints?
That's pretty much what they do. :)
Quote:Can an engineer push other robots, or only walls?
Only walls. (for now)
Quote:Can an engineer push a line of two or more walls?
Great idea -- but no. One wall at a time.
Quote:Can an engineer push a wall off of the board?
No, but this brings up a very important point. You will need to be careful with your wall pushing during the game. If you push a wall onto the edge of the board, that wall will be "stuck" on that edge for the rest of the game! Engineers can only push walls -- they cannot pull them. If you manage to push a wall into one of the two unoccupied corners during gameplay, then the wall is permantly stuck in that corner. Conceivably, you could push all the walls to the edges / corner during gameplay, rendering them useless for yourself as well as your opponent. This tactic could prove useful, depending on your strategy.
Quote:Does a destroyer attack at range? If so, what is that range?
No ranged attacks are allowed.
They must be right next to the piece they are attacking.
Quote:Can walls be destroyed/fixed as robots can? Can walls be created?
For now - walls are indestructible. They cannot be created. You get 8 of them to move around the board during gameplay.
Quote:How many pieces does a player move per turn?
That is up to the player, and how they want to spend their movement points.
Quote:Can an Engineer push walls diagonally?
Yes.
Quote:What happens if you completely enclose the Master Robot using walls?
The owner of that Master Robot loses the game.
[Edited by - Tom Knowlton on January 1, 2008 1:29:42 PM]
