[Java] Scrolling Shoot-'em-up
(Working title: Zephyr Echelon)
This was originally a 3-4 week collaborative effort with my best friend John. The demo and subsequent development drives have been conducted under an extreme-programming approach, and lately in small focus sessions using online SVN.
Features:
- Full screen mode graphics running at 640x480, 60fps.
- Prerendered 3D -> 2D graphics
- Ship control, firing and enemy collision detection/response.
- Unique enemies with distinct AI behaviours, such that players learn to deal with each type in specific ways.
- Multi-component boss encounter(s) with a higher-than-usual degree of changeable behaviour.
Planned features/work remaining:
- Mixed attack waves will provide complex situations to escape from.
- Damage and projectile behaviour tuning.
- Possible: different spin on usual 'upgradeable weapons' element: weapons may attack ground or air targets depending on situation.
- 'Time' themes running throughout actual game, possibly involving time-based weapons/attacks plus slow-down/speed up/reverse effects, or interaction with past/future selves.
- Anti-firing charge-gauge: a second possible (alpha) overarching gameplay mechanism - you gain boss-slaying superweapon energy gradually by refraining from firing your regular gun batteries. Coupled with intelligent level design and enemy placement, this could be a truly different approach to twitch-based Vshmups.
- Third possible (alpha) gameplay mechanism: one-ship, one-life-gauge. You get a large vertical life-gauge that cannot be refilled, and that has to last you throughout all stages to the end of the very game. Again, this will only be interesting if tuned to work with tricky and clever level & enemy design.
Some ship renders for Zephyr are in the gallery.
The demo is not currently finished, and is not exclusively mine to distribute.