Sdfgeoff is recruiting: A top down hot-seat space shooter

Fly your spacecraft in top-down combat against a human or AI opponents.

In 1993, a DOS game called splaymaster was released. It allowed players to enter a top-down space duel against either another player (sitting at the same computer), or an AI opponent. It is a great party game, as the controls are easy to pick up, and the whole game can be explained in about 30 seconds.

This game aims to take the core of the game experience and bring it to a modern audience.



✓ Choose from a range of ships
✓ Choose from a range of levels
✓ Up to four players on the same computer

  • AI opponents
  • Game modes including (“First to Four”, “Arena King”, and “Three Minute Massacre”)
  • Accepts keyboard and joystick controls

This game will be released under the GPL license, free for people to edit, redistribute and do what they want with.

The purpose of this game is to do a high-quality, completed game in a three month development schedule.
The first two months will be spent developing the gameplay and the assets. During this time, screenshots and videos may be released, but the actual game will not be available until a beta period in April. The aim of the beta is to get user feedback on the game, and to balance the player ships.

It has Load screens:

And modern menus (Placeholder art - obviously):


This project will be a small team. Team members are expected to
a) Produce useful work in accordance with specifications
b) Work autonomously on set tasks
c) Be able to dedicate several hours per week for the three month duration
d) Be aware of the issue of feature bloat in project development

Primary communication will be via email.
Project file management is done using git.

Artistic Lead

The primary role of this person will be the development of art assets for use in the game. This will include space-ships for the player to fly, an set of three levels, as well as various explosion effects. Some 2D art will also be required, such as menu buttons.

Sound Designer
Sound is a huge part of any game-playing experience, and is necessary to convey the game’s world and make it feel real. This game calls for 20-30 sound effects, from the sounds of shots landing on an enemies shield to the roar of an engine when you have engaged boost. The sounds need to have real impetus.

If you think you are suitable for either of these tasks, email me a sample of your work. My email can be found by clicking here. This is a non-commercial project, so the only reward for participating will be your own sense of satisfaction.

This sounds like a cool project and I’m looking forward to see where you can take it.
If I had a bit more time on my hand I would definitely join as Art Head. Maybe i could get some miniscule tasks done, but my week is usually very crowded.

I’m the same with CG sky on time limitations, but I’d be happy to provide some assets and UI elements I’ve built from previous games.

The question isn’t how much time you can devote, but rather whether you think you are able to complete part of the project within the timeline. The aim is for the game, all it’s art and assets to be done within the next month and a half. (This allows another month and a half for testing and tweaking).

A list of 3d assets is:

  • Missile projectile
  • Bullet projectile
  • Bullet impact (tiny)
  • Missile explosion (small)
  • Ship explosion (big)
  • 6-8 space ships (consider that they don’t have to be particularly highly detailed as the game is top-down). If I succeed in contacting the creator of the DOS game this is based on, then these may be based on (highly pixelated) existing 2D art.

So the real question is: Do you consider yourself to have the availability build these assets within a 1-2 month period?

Here is a ship I made today for you

Attachments

Stingit.blend (4.4 MB)

here is a final version using object color

Attachments

Stingit_Final.blend (4.44 MB)

I was thinking throttle could scroll a uv texture on the “blooming section” and emit noise based on the ship, and the pitch and volume is based on throttle.

Woob woob woob

Edit: the paint panel and edge wear mask texture generators for cycles should be included *

Addition 2:

Orbit view

Attachments

Stingit_Final_for_real.blend (4.46 MB)

I’m still learning the ropes of 3D modeling, but I’m good at menus, huds, interfaces, logos, that kinds of stuff. I’ve been a graphic designer professionally for the past two years, so I might have some skills I can add to the project.

@BPR: Yes, I like the model. I’ve sent you a PM.
Note: Please do not upload further models to this thread. This thread is reserved for announcements and PR purposes. Collaberation will be handled off-site (via email, slack and git)

@APilch: I’ve had a brief look at your facebook profile, and like what I see. If you could PM me your email address that would be fantastic. We can discuss things further there.

Is this like a LAN based game or does everyone play on the same computer? Because if everyone plays with the same keyboard you might run into issues regarding how many keys can be pressed at once.

The idea is so cool and I would love to join but I am already working on my own game at the moment and I do not want to lose motivation on it as so often I do.

nice project, is this licensed by GNU/GPL and CC?

i’ve been contributing a spacecraft for the Asteroid Mayhem! game on this forum, maybe you can use it for your game too:

…for download at blendswap: http://www.blendswap.com/blends/view/77217

cheerio

here is another - The great white

@Thatimster:
Networking is a kettle of fish I’d prefer not top open in a small project like this. So yes, it’s all one keyboard, and yes, keylock is an issue.
I have played 4-up on a keyboard (without numpad) before, and while it works, the keylock is annoying. I will be adding joystick support, and there is nothing to stop people plugging in extra keyboards.

@jester elly
Yup, GPL and CC-Zero
Nice model! I’d rather have just a single person doing all the models so the style is consistent.

Sdfgeoff, would you want to take a look at my Keymapper /local function caller thing for wrectified?

It’s designed with the ability to bind keys, and collect multiple input streams.

Keypress strings are called as a try/except and if valid are popped on a list if not already on it per frame.

You can do things like swap to acting, and ai and player control using a Action strip.

Quick Note: This project is nearly done. I anticipate a closed testing period beginning next week.

Any updates on this? How did the team teamwork on this project go?

Teamwork went poorly (as per normal), but the game is done - just needs some 2d artwork and more content, which I am slow/not good at creating.

This was a month or so ago:

It’s in a similar state now, but has an options menu. I got distracted with the BGMC (and changing side of the world) which didn’t help.

Do you want to improve on this top down spaceshooter? Can i submit an idea to make this better?

One of nine spacecraft. (six have concept art).

Texturing is incomplete. 400 verts, 700 faces (triangulated)
https://s8.postimg.org/uzqfkjg45/spin2.gif

@Lost Science:
You can always suggest things, I just may not do them…