Arcade game work in progress by Shanti

[+Philsan]

Incredible new work in progress game by Janusz.

 

https://youtu.be/iM1tvLmy3eU

 

[rdefabri]

I was going to post this!  This looks excellent - I know it's based on the Trax engine, hoping he's still working that one too!

[Beeblebrox]

Hey hey, I was hoping to see a progress video post of at least one of Shanti77's ongoing projects. Great to see the trax engine being developed as a side scroller platformer. Looks promising. 

 

Here's hoping soon we'll see a Trax progress update. I think I read they, (Shanti and Qdyn1ec), are mainly focusing on coding their other A8 title Bloody planet, (Alien Breed inspired); so I guess Trax is 2nd and this is 3rd in terms of priority, (the latter albeit likely just a test/proof of engine). 

 

Edit: great to see multiple colours on enemies (given they are on different levels from each other). Also like some of the platform physics (eg 45deg slippery slopes). You slide down them faster. Nice main sprite speed. 

Wonder how close this engine could come to something that could be a little Sonic inspired should it be used for other platformers?!

Edited December 12, 2023 by Beeblebrox

[Beeblebrox]

very cool update (thanks to James at zeropagehomebrew:

 

 

[+Philsan]

During the Atari Homebrew Awards and also in this video, the name of the game was revealed, but I didn't understand exactly what it is.

[Beeblebrox]

42 minutes ago, Philsan said:

During the Atari Homebrew Awards and also in this video, the name of the game was revealed, but I didn't understand exactly what it is.

Ruff'n (A8 Port) by Janusz Chabowski @shanti77 / Jarek "Odyn1ec" Wyszyński  

 

So it appears to have a working game title of Ruff'n I guess. A nod to the Amiga game Ruff n tumble perhaps? 

[+Philsan]

 

[shanti77]

@Beeblebrox I'm creating this game myself, Jarek and I are making Trax.

[Beeblebrox]

1 hour ago, shanti77 said:

@Beeblebrox I'm creating this game myself, Jarek and I are making Trax.

@shanti77  Great, thanks for clarifying. 

 

It looks fantastic and James' (Zero page's) - comments about it looking like the DOS Commander Keen games is spot on.

 

Hope you don't mind me saying the following, (and I am not asking you to devulge any secrets where you don't want to); but are there plans to have different weapons and other things in the Ruff'n engine?

I see there are the different keys to access barriered areas which is great. However, to elevate platformers beyond the usual "collect coins and shoot bad guys" as that can mean the game loses long term interest, where you have any one or more of the following as part of the gameplay always gives added dynamics and increases the appeal/longevity of the game:

 

• Weapons upgrades
• Puzzles
• Hidden areas, (either revealed when something is triggered., switched, collected, switches shot at which can only be triggered by a shot - makes the player think)
• Switches
• Teleporters
• Traps
• End of level bosses
• Enemies with varying degrees of difficulty to overcome. ie not all take the same amount of shots, or behave in a different way).
• Killing enemies to access areas blocked off, etc
• Quirky pause animations (leave the main character long enough and he get's bored (Rockford from Boulderdash taps his foot, blinks, etc etc)).
• Switches that turn the lights on and off in levels to reveal secrets, vary the level gameplay.
• Collecting special items, artefacts, weapons, etc other than just coins.

 

The Ruff'n engine, (which I know is augmented from the Trax engine), is truly fantastic. Massive kudos to you.

 

Fast vertical and horizontal scrolling, very fluid jumping between platforms/ladders. Multi directional shooting - which you could really make a feature of the gameplay (eg accessing/activating switches, etc etc), Graphics and sprites are amazing, as is animation. Love the colours you manage to squeeze into the engine, and the water pits and a great visual touch.

 

One of my favourite A8 games is Flob because aside the unique engine, the puzzle elements are great. Were ever possible in platformers that fit having a puzzle element top them, IMHO it always enhances the game.

 

Again, I am sure you have a plan for the game, but thought I'd mention these things.

Big fan of all your games. You really do push the limits of the A8.

 

I can't wait to see what happens with:

 

Ruff'n

Trax

Bloody planet

Kobo

 

Again, these are just my rambling ideas - feel free to ignore it all. I just think when I see such amazing WIP game engines, I see so much potential for elevating them, (and admitidly I get carried away in the process heh heh!)  

 

Of course I appreciate where coding within 128k or 64k limits, and cpu cycles, a lot of things I realise are a challenge/aren't possible. 

 

It's your game at the end of the day.

 

Can't wait.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 7 by Beeblebrox

[Beeblebrox]

 

[José Pereira]

Chaos Engine on C64:

And original explanation:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chaos_Engine

 

Seems that the original a 2player simultaneously so A8 could also? Maybe reducing colour on the hero (4PMGs on it -> 2PMGs on 1 x 2players?)... 

[Paul Westphal]

This is the most exciting homebrew to look forward to.

 

Thanks for all the hard work!

[GravityWorm]

First level!

 

[+MrFish]

ABBUC Contest Winner

 

[Beeblebrox]