Re: [Super-tux-devel] Ideas (maybe for Milestone 2 or 3) ?

[Ricardo C. <ri...@ae...>]

 Your ideas are welcome, but maybe it would be better to discuss them when 
everything is more calmed down.
 Anyway, that doesn't stop me from making a few comments. :)

Em Segunda, 3 de Maio de 2004 23:14, o C Ratchet escreveu:
> I have some ideas on how an inventory could work in Supertux, and some
> other ideas.
>
> Running: Tux should get tired after a while (maybe have a energy meter)
> and have to  recharge. He could also get headphones (since runners
> listen to music) to augment run energy/speed for a while.
>
 Well, I think I prefer the SM3 behavior where, when you run for a while, you 
start to running really fast and then you can do stuff like flying, in case 
you have the fox (or whatever that power is).

> Sizing: Tux should scale size smoothly instead of just getting big.
> Maybe he should catch and eat fish to get bigger, and maybe use a
> sardine tin as a super (get big instantly) powerup. Also maybe he could
> get too big and pop. And hitting badguys would make him get smaller.
>
> Pacman Power: Tux could get a speical powerup that allows him to eat
> badguys and get bigger.
>
 Just one thing; it seems to me that your opinion is that how bigger Tux is, 
better it is. i don't think I share the same opinion.
 Anyway, besides the technical issues, i don't think that would contribute 
much to the gaming experience...

> Fire flowers: Tux should have a certain amount of fireballs to spit
> (and the sounds need to be replaced when getting fireflower/spitting).
> He should have to reload once in a while.
>
 True, there should be more cons in using the fire powers, since it is so much 
powerfull.
 The only current limitation is that there can only be two bullets at maximum 
(can be changed) in the screen and the cons is that you don't get as much 
scores as if you would hit them. But there should be more cons and/or 
limitations.

> Ice flowers: Tux could spit snowflakes and freeze badguys for 10
> seconds. And this should have reloading too.
>
> Timestop (stopsign clock): Tux could get this to freeze all badguys for
> 30 seconds.
>
 Those sound like interesting features.

> Flying Carpet: would come out of a genie lamp and be used when in
> midair (that is, its meter would go down when in the air)
>
 We have already agreed that some sort of vehicle would be cool to have... 
That type of stuff is a must.

 Anyway, you remembered me about those mad carpert enemies that appear in SM2 
and that you could destroy them and use their carpet. That would be neat :)

> Boomerang: would act like iceblock (be able to hit multiple badguys and
> come back) but wouldn't hurt you.
>
 That sounds neat, but very destructive at the same time. Tux should not have 
such a powerfull weapon. Maybe, the boomerang should only have a maximum of a 
screen range and Tux should not be able to move until he got it back...

> XRay Vision: would show invisible blocks, checkpoints, and secret level
> entrances for 30 seconds
>
 Secret stuff is used to add a more repetitive playing value, that would 
destroy a bit of the fun for more advanced players, i think.

> The meters for these things could appear/disappear as needed at the
> bottom of the screen. The shift key could be used to switch between
> powers.
>
> Coins should be replaced by pebbles (maybe shiny or colored). They are
> something penguins actually collect for their mates.
>
 I guess I agree, but it is very odd to think how those should look like, 
since they are not perfectly rounded...

> Blocks should be able to crumble and/or fall like stalactites/icicles.
>
 Block bad guys, like in SM3, are a must have ;)

> Avalanches should be triggerable by buttjumps, bigtux bounces, or bomb
> explodes. Bombs should take out some of the platforms when exploding.
>
 I think that can be just a bit hard to implement ;)

> Killer whales, leopard seals, and sharks could be dangerous.
>
 We have agreed that we will not make use of animals in the game as enemies. 
There can be graphics that are inspired in an animal, but should not really 
give the feeling as if it was one.

> Fires and geysers could be interesting dangers too.
>
 Those sound like really good ideas and should be pretty easy to implement.

> Shoes could be colorized to indicate if badguys fall off platforms
> and/or climb ladders or not.
>
 There is just this detail; does every badguy use shoes? :D
 Have to check that. :)

> I want back scrolling and vertical scrolling!!!
>
 Back scrolling is already implemented, but it has to be enabled in the 
level... None of the current levels use it.

 Vertical scrolling can be a bit tricky, especially in the level files, but I 
will work on that.

> Last but not least, there should be some worlds that are in Nolok's
> fortresses (i.e. Nolok's Office, Nolok's Dungeons, Nolok's Private
> Airport, Nolok's Aquarium) each with new badguys. (i.e. staplers, bats,
> fighterplanes, sharks)
>
 It is currently trivial to add new badguys, the only problem is really the 
graphics.

 About bosses, we have already discussed about scripting a few times, but you 
can't expect that that soon. Maybe we should mark a meeting for that, but 
before we should all give suggestions about scripting languages and everybody 
should read about it before start bitching 'mine is better' :)

> Ratchet
>
> PS I have a picture, but too big for the list :(

 Send me, I can put it in the webpage to let people see it.

 To sum up, your ideas sound all right, but I think these should get priority, 
since they can make the game experience to improve a lot more:
- vertical scrolling and also allow levels to force horizontal scrolling, like 
in SM3;
- butt jumps (we still have to talk about how should they be triggered and if 
they should be a power...);
- moving platforms, flying bad guys and stuff;
- sliding - I think this is definitively a must, since it would make SuperTux 
to be really an unique game. Anyway, it can be a little hard to implement.

Ricardo Cruz

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