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- Level Graphics -
Some precise valuations about game graphics data can't now be for sure.
I used a dedicated editor working on PC to assemble graphics into levels, coded for me by FatMan. In order to collect memory, a level is assembled by 200 3x3 chars blocks; I had to draw these blocks in the 3x3 editor (see figure on the left), then use blocks to compose screens in the map editor (see figure on the right).
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That's the 96 chars panel Mike consent me to draw : a 40x4 chars panel on the bottom, that will keep you informed about your ingame actual situation: ships left, score and coins you collected. We prefer to have single colour hires for alphabet (26) numbers (10) ships (1) and coins bar (4), because those are the indicators you'll read in the meantime a new wave comes.
On the left, you can see the shield bar, it takes in count how many hurts your shield can still afford before your ship would become dust in the space. On the right, the power bar indicates the state of your current weapon; see Gameplay page to know how important is its role in the game.
- Sprites -
They must be 16x16 (8x16 MCM) pixel sized, 167 in all per level. You guess it, a so sized sprite is a very little one, and, trust me, it's very difficult defining ships and other enemies with so few pixels!
Sprites are also pickups and sprite explosion. Here you can see the first effort, enough to build up a playable demo.
| Ship | Coin1 | Coin2 | Up | Down | Rear | Smart | Laser | Blade | Ball | Energy | Boom | Dude |
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Apart of back fire and lateral ones, I'd
chosen
frontal enhancing weapons only.
Soon, Mike understood that we can't manage in the code large bullets, hence I
had to reduce their dimensions. That's a real pity, I spent my effort when I
drew the big ones; moreover, we're still looking for some decisive variables
that can give different characteristics for any weapon (shooting frequency, high
power, background overlapping...). We shall see in the near future how the
weapons shall evolve, keep an eye on
Gameplay chapter to know more, but let me
show a quick index of all weapons.
- Final Enemies -
The bigger enemies in the game had been
originally thought to be chararcters'
based. After the project had begun a new life, the overall rewriting of the code
makes us wonder they will be made of sprites assembled together. This trashed
all the previously drawn enemies.
Hence, the final bosses will be drawn with sprites, you will find
at the end of level, ready to blast you away. Together with final bosses, ocasionally the player will find some
middle level's bosses, not less dangerous of the big ones. That's a preview of the 1st
level's armoured guy.
- Intro Presentation Ending -
They should be
done once the game is finished. Theorically, I would draw a short animated intro, a nice
piclogo (is a logo drawn in graphic mode, not by characters), and an animated final. The
pic you're watching on the left is the early one drawn for the game; it never will appear
in the game, 'coz Mike judged it too 'empty'.
