This is the flight path for Stage 1, route A. Its a bit short at around 2 minutes, so I need to play with camera speed and angles. Eventually it should be 4 minutes in length from start to just before boss sequence. Seems short eh? Go check out all the great shmups, 3-4 minutes is pretty much standard for 1st level duration.
Wow… I love the feel of this, it adds a lot to the game. When you go into the tunnel at the end, will it just loop for the duration of the fight?
Yeah thats correct, that section loops during the boss fight.
Well, the background looks nice, but it doesn’t fit the foreground at all. The ship is obviously moving on a 2D plane like a sidescroller, yet the background makes sudden turns and changes in direction. Foreground and background just do not fit together.
Much more gradual turning or entirely sidescrolling background would be much better in my opinion
@Almost: You are absolutely correct. There are some things I can do about this though. I can pan the camera on sharp turns, so you get a front/rear angled view on the ship. That should help.
Before I started development I spent a considerable amount of time playing and watching shmups. Mainly to get in the mood for what I’m doing, but I noticed some things along the way. Gradius V does 2D on 3D allthough the turns are much more gradual. Other games like Rtype final and Thunderforce 5 &6 allow full rotation about the ship.
Still I do see what you mean, and intend to make it ‘look’ right, if not completely correct. As this is the opening stage I’ve got to get it perfect.
Almost must have never played Ikaruga…
I think it looks perfect.
Keep up the good work! I’m a long-time shmup fan, and the genre doesn’t get enough love these days IMHO.
Hey X-0ut, please don’t abandon this project!
Hi Mauro, its not abandoned. I’ve just been busy porting gravitron to the xbox 360.
And to be completely honest, while I pour a lot of effort into this game, I’m struggling for food. So yeah, I need to make some money to keep going.
But dont worry just yet, I fully plan to finish this game.
Release date is still planned for 2011. (As it allways was)
Don’t suppose you’re entering Ludum Dare this weekend?
Yeah, if the theme is good and I get no distractions I’m hoping to enter
I’ll be in #ludumdare on IRC, see you there.