Hi Dark, Yeah, I take your point, but you still haven't addressed the over riding problem of converting ideas or puzzles that are 3d into 2d ones.
Here is an example. Let's say there is a locked door ahead of you. On the floor is three stone tiles marked with a picture. You have to walk up to each of them and step on the pressure switches in the correct order to unlock the door. I can't really see how you could do that in a side-scroller. I could put the switches on the wall, but I don't want them on the wall I want them on the floor. You see the problem? My job as author and creator is being hampered by having to make exceptions or changes to my idea to suit the game's format not the game's format being changed to suit my ideas. Cheers! On 12/30/11, dark <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi tom. > > as you might guess, I'm afraid I rather disagree on your assertion about > side scrollers. > > it's possible that sinse you never played some of the later mega man or > metroid series, let alone mario, you've not seen some of the puzles > involved. > > For instance, the lava puzle you scribe is actually very much like a similar > puzle to get a bonus in frost man's stage of mega man 7. > > there are several icy ledges, some of which you closer than your actual jump > hight together, so that from the top of one ledge you can reach several > others, however some ledges may be too far away from the ledge with the > bonus item to reach it, and of course the ledges crumble under you weight > and disappear, meaning you need to plot a route much as you describe. > > the only difference is your moving vertically not horizontally. > > once again, remember that having a ful analogue jump system implies a ful > scale of movement arcs relative to the character's jumping hight, just as > even though you can only throw a ball a short maximum vertical distance, the > number of trajectories it can describe and even how far it flies can undergo > huge variation. > > while I agree that as yet the problem of representing vertical space around > characters in audio has not yet been solved to the point that such puzles > can be attempted, that's not to say that other complex puzles couldn't be > developed. > > For instance, super metroid had an item called a speed booster. This would > not just increase samas' running speed, but when up to enough speed, she'd > be surrounded by energy and would pass streight through enemies. > > also, hitting down in that state would store her power for a very short time > (perhaps two seconds), where upon she could perform a massive jump > vertically or diagonally upwards. > > The trick came in knowing when to stop running, and start storing power in > order to make the jump. > > one of the most difficult items to get in the game for example required you > to shoot open a gate in one room with a small tunnel, then use the tunnel to > build up enough speed to get the booster going and speed into the next room > (you'd need to kill all enemies in the tunnel first). > > in the next room, an energy tank was hidden high in the roof behind blocks > that only the speed booster could break, so you'd need to get it from below, > however there were also ledges scattered all over the room with only one > clear vertical path through them. > > thus, knowing when to stop running, start charging and jump took a lot of > practice, and this energy tank was thought of as the hardest to get in the > game. > > a puzle like that could be quite possible in audio I'd say. > > You only flew upwards in a streight line and could hit from below, so no > problems about crazy arcs, and of course the art was defigning by previous > attempts where the energy tank was, thus letting you know when to stop > running and start boosting. > > Then of course the controls and precision required to do this were soemthing > a player had to get good at. I took many many attempts my first go at this > tank, and even now that I've completed the game for 100 percent items more > times than I can count, I usually don't get it first time. > > This isn't to say that I wouldn't want a 3D game, only that clever hidden > items, complex routes etc are just as possible in 2D. > > I think once we have a side scroller not based just upon reactions, with a > true analogue jump system and some inervative use of audio positioning, > we'll be a good way to closing the gap on mainstream games. > > Beware 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://mail.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://mail.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].
