And now for my next trick...

[+Andrew Davie]

6) Don't write a game - finish your '2600 book!

7) Something else

 

 

Several people have suggested programming a game along with the tutorial sessions about programming the '2600. I think this is a splendid idea. It gives me the leeway to explore things and also help people see how a game comes together. If I don't finish it, there's really no pressure - the development will be an exercise and lesson for those interested in how it is done. And if I do finish it, another fortune amassed from the sales.

 

I know that many homebrew authors have tackled ports of existing games. I prefer, however, to try for something original. And so, having had a flash of inspiration a day or two back, I've decided to try to tackle a totally new game idea. Not sure what will come of it - early days yet. Probably fits into the shoot 'em up category, but it will have interesting differences.

 

My tentative title (the MOST important bit!) for the game is 'Primordial Ooze', and I've copied the "Genesis" conversation into the programming forum under the topic "Design #1 - Primordial Ooze". I welcome additions and suggestions.

 

A quick summary: slime dripping from the top of the screen, covering the whole playfield width. Different bits drop at different rates. Shoot/throw stuff to slow down or stop the bits of slime - but meanwhile other bits are accelerating. Any droplets (which break off when the leading edge is deep and narrow enough) which hit you will kill and/or effect you. Otherwise, they fall to the bottom of the screen and coat the surface you're moving over. Unevenly. You have to move back and forth over this to 'shoot' the bits of slime coming down from the top. As you go through the game, your shape changes (ie: you evolve). As you evolve, your methods of restricting the slime improve. you can get 'power-ups' to evolve quicker.

 

It's a bit odd. I think it will be fun, so I'll have a play with the design, think about how it might be implemented, and see how we go from there.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Funny, about 20 years ago I had a similar idea, just that instead of slime I was thinking of stalactides and stalacmites. But I never made a game of it, so I am very curious about your result.

[+Nathan Strum]

I started a rotating 3D cube demo about two years ago.

 

After realizing that it is possible' date=' but requires a [b']lot[/b] of work, I stopped working on it. The only thing that became ready is a demo showing one single side of the cube rotating around (use left difficulty for automatic animation).

 

That's pretty cool, even for 1/6th of a cube!

[+Nathan Strum]

Several people have suggested programming a game along with the tutorial sessions about programming the '2600.

 

I think this would be a great idea. (Are there enough 2600 programming tools out there for us Mac users?)

 

A quick summary: slime dripping from the top of the screen' date=' covering the whole playfield width. Otherwise' date=' they fall to the bottom of the screen and coat the surface you're moving over. Unevenly. You have to move back and forth over this to 'shoot' the bits of slime coming down from the top.[/quote'']

 

That sounds great! I had a game idea kind of like that many years ago, but with Space Invader-type characters dropping the, er... 'droppings'. I'd love to learn how to finally implement it.

[slapdash]

(Are there enough 2600 programming tools out there for us Mac users?)

 

Seeing how I haven't had the time or ambition to get going on anything' date=' I can't say with 100% certainty, but on the other hand Ruffin Bailey put together a page about 2600 dev on the Mac. I don't know the correct URL, but Google gave a couple:

 

http://www.angelfire.com/mac/mactari/mactari/mact.html

http://hometown.aol.com/mactari/index.html?f=fs

 

The top one looks more up to date...