The Arena

Well, I finally finished my first BlitzMax game!

General Description:
It's a small 'arena' type game with some strategy (you can build buildings).

Making the Game:
The game took about six weeks to complete working on it a couple of hours each weekend. The nice part of the game is that the same code could be used for a real time strategy game or any other kind of game. This is due to the very modular nature. If anyone wants the code I'd be happy to upload it but its NOT COMMENTED and probably wont ever become commented.

More Description:
There are four teams: red, blue, green, and yellow. Each has a goal and a ship. There are two balls in the center of the screen (to start out with) and in order to get points you have to pick them up and shoot them into your goal.

There are also lots of different power ups (four) which you can pick up. You can also upgrade your ship's secondary weapon without going to a powerup by clicking on the buttons on the right hand side of your screen.


You can then build buildings on the red shaded region around your base using the mouse. (click on one of the left icons and then on the shaded region).

However, both of these things cost money. In order to get money you must have the money ball in your goal.

Controls:
Primary Fire: Space Bar
Secondary Fire: Left Control
Move Up: Up Key
Turn Left: Left Key
Turn Right: Right Key

Outstanding:
I havn't attempted multiplayer yet because i wanted to get something that I could show. If people think that they would enjoy a multiplayer mode i'd definately do one though.

Furthermore, I havnt implimented particle effects for the same reasons as above. However, I definately will as what's a fast paced game like this without particle effects.

Comments:
i'd really like to know what you think! also, forgive the programmer art.. it definately is not my strong point.

Image:


Download:
http://www.keepmyfile.com/download/d673e8220180

[edit] i changed it slightly.. use w/a/d to move but press TAB to change control styles [/edit]

The controls are a bit awkward - maybe if it was all mouse controlled it would be better.
Found a bug - I was playing for a bit and the points ball disappeared entirely. Not sure why.

thanks for your comments!

I agree completely about the controls. I've been thinking about how they might be better. One thing that I was thinking of was using the w/a/d keys so that it would play more like an fps. This way the player would have easier access to the mouse.

Also, thanks for letting me know about the bug.

I've uploaded a new version that allows you to switch between the control scheme that I gave above and the old one through use of the tab key. This version also solves the bug.

here's the link to the 'patch'. It only contains the exe so that people dont have to download it twice.
http://www.keepmyfile.com/download/7d8980220128

Very cool... I agree with the controls tho... was a little hard to get around.. I would like to play this online..As long as you make more then 1 map

I like it, but crashes randomly and it's frustrating :( graphics are simple but gameplay is good!

Whenever I picked up the star or money I kept going inside my goal to drop it, it took me a while to get used to 'fire it' using secondary fire x) but I think is OK this way

One thing I'd add is that when killing someone who is carrying a star/money, they drop it or it comes flying off him, rather than making it respawn in the center. Ah, another thing; items could have some kind of dynamic glowing surrounding so they can be seen when they're below the HUD. Sometimes I lost track of the star and found it was below one of the Secondary weapon items in the HUD - because the AI found it, not me, of course x)

Well, overall nice idea. Multiplayer would be cool :)

Thanks for all of the positive comments!

@Xzider:
I'm glad you liked it, Do you have any suggestions for the controls?

I'd have to think about making more than one map simply because I dont really see how it would work. I'll think about it though.

@Ferminho:
I'm sorry it crashes :S. I'll take a look to see where it might be. Does it happen after you do anything in particular or does it just happen? I'll take a look when I have some time.

I like your ideas, especially the glow surrounding the power ups. I might either do that or have them drawn over the HUD. I'll probably end up changing the spawning of the balls.

@all
I was wondering if you could tell me which control scheme you liked better? the w/a/s or arrow keys. Remember, press tab to switch between the two.


Thanks to everyone who has tried it so far.