Space Devastation

[forthx]

Hi, after many hesitations, I have decided to make a 4k game... for my first try, the idea is to make a rail space shooter.




[Update] A new playable version is available here.


Since it's a work in progress game balance must be done but all levels must work.
I hope it run smoothly now. (it's too easy to finish, sorry)
Any comments or critique  will be appreciated.

[magnias]

*Click
Anyway i like the animation but the ultralaser is a bit op(overpowered).
Great work though.

-magnias

[StephR]

Quite a few interesting effects. It would be nice to wipe out crazily overwhelming swarms of weak enemies with this very cool ultralaser. A bit like in Galaga Legions DX : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHk-nTx14aI.

Or you may use it to blow up huge pixelated space stations. Ideally, both !

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[forthx]

Ok thanks for comments, I have updated the game (it is too easy, for testing purpose).

I'm looking to use the same bar for life AND energy, can it be a good idea? or not enough conventional?

[Grunnt]

Hey forthx, looks cool but it does not start  for me: I get an error "java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: c.class".

[forthx]

Strange bug ... 2 people have the same problem, but it works for 10 others who send me feedback.

I hate this kind of bug! Maybe it is the server or just a web cache problem.

[magnias]

Neat update, i like the new design.
Maybe add some timeout for the ultralaser(Wait some second before using it again)?

[Grunnt]

Nice, it works for me now. Cool special effects, and it works smoothly here. At the moment it gets boring quite quickly, but that is basically because it is too easy. Good luck!

[StephR]

Using the same bar for life AND energy is a very good idea in my own humble opinion. You may even consider using it for the shield too. It would be very original in such a game, for what I know.

You may add a mark at a low level on your energy bar, to indicate the functioning limit for the ultralaser.

Also, allow the player to use the ultralaser at the beginning of the game, for instant gratification while playing it. And you may reward her/him by increasing the energy bar upper limit at each stage.

[Groboclown]

Well done animation and special effects.

As for gameplay, I found that the normal bullets sprayed at the ship don't have to be avoided, because they do too little damage to the ship - the only real threats are the bullets from the bosses and colliding with the enemy.  The game would pose more of a challenge if the bullets did more damage.

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[forthx]

Ok, thanks for your help, game has been submitted, it fits in 4090Bytes  (with proguard, jshrink and Pack200) , and I finally had fun to play it. It's faster, harder, and achievable.

I name my code "Brain devastation" here is a chosen part:

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for (x = 1; x < 6; x++)     for (y = 10; y < 70; y++) {         j = 15 - ((y % 50 - 15) < 0 ? -(y % 50 - 15) : (y % 50 - 15));         k = 20 - ((y - 30) < 0 ? -(y - 30) : (y - 30));         l = 20 - ((y - 50) < 0 ? -(y - 50) : (y - 50));         j = j > 0 ? (j < 10 ? j : 10) : 0;         k = k > 0 ? (k < 10 ? k : 10) : 0;         l = l > 0 ? (l < 10 ? l : 10) : 0;         color[x - 1][y - 10] = new Color(25 * j, 25 * k, 25 * l, 51 * x);     }

[sproingie]

Doesn't look all that obfuscated, just looks like a lot of clamping ints to within some hardwired boundaries.

[StephR]

I tested briefly the last version on the java4k.com site. I will try it more extensively by the end of next week-end. However, I can already say that I found weird the energy bar stucked to the ship. I prefered the old version when it took almost the whole screen height. But a horizontal energy bar taking the whole screen width would be ok too.

[toasten]

Nice Firework in the End 

[forthx]

It is the destruction of the galaxy universe! 

[StephR]

I regret the game wasn't more difficult, especially in the first levels. More and faster enemies could make it more thrilling.

[forthx]

if you play 2 - 3 time it is too easy, but for the first time it let the player learn how to play. But it is an idea to offer a difficulty selection at start.

enemies have 2 moves : incoming and escape, if they are too fast you are less overwhelm.

If you want great challenge build the source with this values and good luck for level 10!

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private final int baselife = 12;//increase for harder start    private final int addlife = 4; //increase for harder end    private final int boss_dmg_div = 4;    private final int wave_multiplier = 2;    private final int foe_firerate_div = 40;

[forthx]

Ok I have updated the game with 3 difficulty , I cant access java4k now, so if you want challenge, check here:

http://forthx.free.fr/space_dev/

(You may have to refresh your cache)

[StephR]

forthx, your hardest difficulty setting gives shape to a very cool bullet hell. I wasn't able to go beyond level 8, yet I think it must be very possible.

[forthx]

Nice to have feedback, I'm stuck at lvl 3 in hard mode  In this conditions it's really hard to evaluate all the game.
Anyway, I want to thanks you all for your help, I'm pretty satisfied of my first 4k game. And I had great fun to code like that