Restart from the start or .....

Hello,

I'm doing a retro style game and don't know whether to restart a level when you die or to allow the player to select from where to restart?

I like the idea of allowing the player to choose a 'safe' position to restart from but it seems to be a lot of hastle.

I would need to take a copy of all the relevant variables and objects ready for the restore.

What do you think?

Happy new year
Marg

Couldn't you just respawn the player in the same spot and make them invincible for a few seconds so the player can get their bearings.

Most retro games used to do this and the player's character would flash while they were invincible. Doing this would save you the 'hassle' of having to save all those variables, and would save the player the hassle of having to start the level at the beginning.

Thanks Akira, but this wouldn't work for me as the player might 'muck' up the level and just respawning would leave the level unable to finish. Like in Repton where you cannot collect all the diamonds.

Looks like I'll have to save the variables or just restart the level.

Thanks
Marg

Depending on the length of the level. If it's a big level, restarting could be very frustraiting. If your gonna do restart from the beginning, make the larger levels slightly easier. :o) Or have points within the level, where u can respawn.

It depends on the game, and since you haven't even said what type of game it is, its nigh on impossible to answer.

Use checkpoints. :)