Ok, this ones for all the teckies out there. Here is a game I plan on developing in the far future. I will give the basis of the engine, and you tell me what is needed on the programming side, in as much detail as possible. If your answer''s right, You''ll get a prize! Your answer will be checked by some pros so if your ready here goes. "The Mourning Star-game demo" A 2D fighter that opperates with 3D principles (no cell animation). The demo will have 2 characters that you can choose from, each with an large arsonal of moves. In fighting the normal view is a 2D background with 2D character sprites on it. Problem 1: The forground environment that the 2d fighters are directly fighting in is volital and changable, depending on the actions of the fight. For instance, if one character preformes a super move from the air and misses the player, the move damages the area of the ground hit. Pre-done animations will take care of the reaction, but the feild must change permenantly for the duration of the fight. Problem 2: The background envionment behind the fighters changes constantly. The level of animation is to be beyond that of any current game. The weather changes, grass sways, clouds roll and the sun moves changing the lighting. There are also a load of special events that take place in the background at any given time. A tornado occurs, affecting the forground, people act out events, mimic or temporarly mock fighters etc. Some of this will be in 2D, some will be in 3D. What way can you conserve memory and haul out extreme loading times? Problem 3: Some special moves in the game, move the camera in a veriety of angles and views ( all hand drawn 2D ). For instance, if a player grabs an opponant and launches him upwards in the air, the view changes to show the opponant flying into the sun ( all hand drawn again, like an animation). Stages are animated to have a 360 degree view around the foreground of the player. Hence the player is also animated to be seen or scrolled around from differnet sides. Minus the monolithic amount of hand animation needed, list and explain techniques for the immeditate variables in this rotation and include lighting, the already damaged ground, and the special events, such as the Tornado or characters in the background. Problem 4: Each character and background element will have realistic lighting, based on the location of a light source. For intance, there is only one stage on the demo, but the light sources are many. The sun moves in the background, changes the light source, hence the highlights and shades will change for all things, including the players. Not only does the light source affect the environment, but the players moves like fireballs and such create another light source that is brighter to the players, but has effects on the fore ground and close background. Now, without eluding to the fact of how difficult and expensive this demo would be to make, get down to the nitty griddy and cover all the aspects you can. The more detailed the better. winner gets a tootsi roll! peace -Sage13