Hi Dark, Ahem...I didn't mean to imply telegraphing attacks was only useful in fighting games. Just used that as a simple case example. I fully realize and am aware the concept works in many different styles and genres of games such as a classic Space Invaders type game. I agree with you that the concept is a good one. Particularly since it is a way in order to level the playing field between blind and sighted gamers.
Since you mentioned Space Invaders let's go with that as an example. I remember when I use to play the game that there were frequently bombs falling out of the sky and one of the biggest challenges of that game was to avoid the bombs while getting in some shots of my own to blow the invaders out of the sky. No audio game version has attempted to write one where you have to avoid falling bombs while shooting the invaders out of the sky. I can see having a sound of an invader launching a bomb and a second or two of sound as the bomb falls allowing you to move out of the bombs way. In a case like that telegraphing an attack and continuing to play a sound of the falling bomb would be entirely appropriate because it would in effect mirror what a person would see in that particular game. I do not think, however, that you would have to reduce the number of ships to about five, because in the classic Space Invaders only the ships on the lowest row were dropping bombs. Therefore the invaders in the higher rows were pretty much harmless while the invaders on the lowest row were trying their best to blow you up. So you were only concerned with four or five enemies at a time as the invaders higher up dropped down to fill the space where you vaporized their comrades. At any rate I do agree there has to be more to the game mechanics than here it hit it which is what many audio games seem to boil down to. Sadly many audio games are not much better than Bop It. It is this aspect we do need to seriously work on/. Cheers! On 5/19/14, dark <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Tom. > > I wouldn't say the rule book needs throwing out, so much as just rethinking. > > For example, you list the telegraphing of attacks as something for fighting > > games. While they could be used in that way, there is no reason not to use > them elsewhere. > > For example, suppose that you were creating a space invaders style game. > Thus far with a few exceptions, most audio space invaders style games > haven't given the invaders much chance to do you damage other than by flying > > into you. > > Well suppose you gave a sound for just before the invader fired, and a sound > > when the shot hit the ground, then, instead of having the player instantly > hit if he/she was under the ship when it fired, have the time the shot took > > to reach the ground dictated by how far the enemy was away from you. > > This would efectively mean that while the invaders would descend slowly, > your job as a player wasn't simply to knock them off as fast as possible, > but to dodge their bullets, either shooting them before they had a chance to > > fire, shooting them then dodging out of the way of the bullet, or even > waiting until the bullet hit the ground, then running in and taking the > invader out before the invader could fire again. > > Yes, you would have to reduce the number of invading ships on screen to at > most about five, but I'd much rather need to duck and dive and dodge shots > to evade five ships then have a hoard of 10 ships who I am just trying to > blast Asap. > > This is the sort of thing I mean, considdering not just how to replicate a > given game in audio, but how to replicate the mechanics of it's challenge > factor so that it becomes more than just a reaction test. > > Of course, this has been done to an extent. Alien outback is great with it's > > various ship types and even has a ship with a powered up shot, (it's a shame > > it still has lots of fairly easy to slay ships too but there you go). > > I'd say it's a matter of trying to make sure the player has to do more than > > just hear and react instantlywhile factors such as analogue movement and > randomness can help with that, given that audio has a limited view,it's a > matter of making that view as challenging as possible and requiring much > active participation from the player as possible. > > Beware the grue! > dark. > > SoBeware the grue! > > Dark. > > > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > [email protected]. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to [email protected]. > --- Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [email protected]. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to [email protected].
