Mega Magnitude

This first post is edited to include new information.

Hey everyone, I guess it's time to start talking about my game Mega Magnitude - a physics based apocalyptic action survival game in which you must escape from a collapsing building.

http://vatigogames.com/blog/content/...nitude_0_o.png

The mega earthquake is coming in June.

You start the game at the top of a building that is starting to fall apart and your goal is to escape the collapsing building and survive.
The game progression is like in KnightmareTower - the game is basically a one looong level which you try (and fail) to beat many times, but you collect money to purchase various upgrades to help you.

If you're interested, you can follow me on twitter @MrVatigo or for the game specifically @MegaMagnitude

Sounds cool :) at first I thought it was gonna be about the movie tremors :P

Thanks! Yeah, I wasn't aware of the movie, it has nothing to do with it.

im see the game and im in love for your game

relesed quick i want to play lool

Thank you very much, I'm working on it right now!

Could you post a video or some gameplay screens? Sounds cool

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Originally Posted by Jakenut86

Sounds cool :) at first I thought it was gonna be about the movie tremors :P

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I loved the movies lol :)

This game sounds interesting enough! :3

You are right, this kind of game needs a video so I'll try to upload a gameplay video on youtube soon, for now, here are a couple of screenshots.

The game progression is like in KnightmareTower - the game is basically a one looong level which you try (and fail) to beat many times, but you collect coins (or whatever it ends up being in the final game) to purchase various upgrades to help you.

The game mechanics are like a more complicated Canabalt or Vector, since it's built for the controller from the start.

The graphics you see here will change,it's mostly placeholder stuff.
http://tremorsgame.com/wp-content/up...a-tremors1.jpg


http://tremorsgame.com/wp-content/up...a-tremors2.jpg

lookin interesting so far :)

I worked on some Menu and UI animations
http://i.imgur.com/FiZ7ujJ.gif

Meet the main character
http://i.imgur.com/uAdOLT6.gif

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Originally Posted by vatigo

Meet the main character
http://i.imgur.com/uAdOLT6.gif

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Hello :) Nice to meet ya **waves**

Time for a new screenshot :)
http://tremorsgame.com/wp-content/up...screenshot.jpg

A game over screen with some objectives:
http://tremorsgame.com/wp-content/up...1/gameover.jpg

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Originally Posted by vatigo

Meet the main character
http://i.imgur.com/uAdOLT6.gif

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You have really nailed the running animation, well done! I hate doing running and walking animations lol

Thank you! I don't like to do it either, It's a slow and painstaking process but results make it worthwhile even though I'm not much of an animator.
I'll let you in on a secret: I basically drew over this template:
http://libgdx.googlecode.com/svn/wik...n_frames_1.png

Work on Tremors continues... changes include:
- improved player sprite to make it more visible
- more light added to the scene
- new progress indicator at the top right
- dangerous cloud of dust coming from above :)
- various effects not visible in the screenshot (I'll make a gif for the next update)
- and more...

http://tremorsgame.com/wp-content/up...2401-thumb.jpg

Here's a short gameplay video of Tremors (alpha version), let me know what you think!
Background graphics will be changed soon BTW :)
http://youtu.be/ljVxxrOwGOE

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Originally Posted by vatigo

Here's a short gameplay video of Tremors (alpha version), let me know what you think!
Background graphics will be changed soon BTW :)
http://youtu.be/ljVxxrOwGOE

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It looks pretty good. Even though coins levitating is impossible I think it would look more realistic if the falling blocks knocked down the coins like the furniture and stuff instead of the blocks going right through them. Maybe, instead of spinning coins something spinning that you would use in an emergency like random loot like gas masks, fire extinguishers, etc. I think the blocks should have cracks in them like the walls you bust through when they land, all of them have that dust poof out of them when they land, and maybe if the things they fall onto would catch on fire would make it look more like a disaster. The two legged chairs and tables should have lines for four legs but touching so they look slightly angled. His feet look too flat. If you add a slight hump on the part of the shoe that is out of the pants then the thickness would look right and it would look like his pants are partially covering them. If you add more bass to the music it would sound more explosive and add to the intensity of the situation. I hope some of those suggestions help.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vatigo

Thank you! I don't like to do it either, It's a slow and painstaking process but results make it worthwhile even though I'm not much of an animator.
I'll let you in on a secret: I basically drew over this template:
http://libgdx.googlecode.com/svn/wik...n_frames_1.png

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that is awesome, I'm saving that for sure :)

Thanks.

Regarding the video posted, the action looks brilliant. Physics are really well done too.

Thank you for the feedback guys, I appreciate it immensely :)

Schizophretard, you make a lot of valid points, and I'll try to explain some of my decisions.

I agree that the music needs more bass to sound more dramatic and intense. I'm glad you mentioned falling blocks getting cracked, that is on my TODO list, as is making them break into smaller pieces if the hardware can take it because physics simulation is demanding and I want to keep the action running smoothly.

The code for things on fire is already in, so making things catch fire when hit is easy. I'll try it out, thanks for the suggestion.

I'm not sure I understood you about the feet part, are you referring to the little guy in the video or the one on the images posted earlier, because I changed him a bit, I added the outline which may have caused some loss of detail but it improved visibility.

The reason why only two legs of the table and chair are visible is because the entire graphic style is supposed to be using the orthographic projection which would hide the other two legs.
that's why walls and floors seemingly don't have any depth too. I tried using the perspective projection at first but it looked strange because things are flying around the screen and rotating and the sprite remains in the same perspective. I don't have the resources to create a rotated perspective for every sprite. If the game was 3d it would be easy to switch.

Now I'd like to talk a bit more about the flying coins. The coins represent virtual currency which is used to buy upgrades in the store (like in games like Knightmare Tower or Minigore 2).
They could be any shape really, but the simplest was to make them coins because their meaning is known to the player, assuming they played any 2d game in the last 20 years :D
The coins are floating because that requires some effort from the player (jump), they can't just move and collect everything. Trying to collect coins forces the player to make split-second decisions - will they get the coin or not. Greed is punished by death.
I like the metaphor that comes out of it all. The player escaping the bad situation needs to provide some effort in order to get the money they need to survive (buy upgrades and gear), but being greedy and going after every coin will waste their precious time and they'll lose everything.

My point is that the coins aren't really a part of the game's physical world, they are an idea (a reward that requires some risk and effort), which means that they can be huge, fly and not get destroyed by a falling block.
I realize that it may be in contrast with the rest of the game which is using semi-realistic proportions and physics, but i don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.
I'm still learning though :)

I thought about using other stuff instead of coins, but you can't really buy things with survival gear (unless you sell it first, but I'd like to keep things simple).
However, that's a good idea for power ups that could be placed in the level to temporarily boost the player's stats.

I like what you have done so far and the music had enough base for my taste, although i do have a sub with my speakers.
I too thought about the movie at first, i wonder if that will cause any confusion.

Since there was some confusion around the name I decided to change it to Mega Magnitude.
I updated the first post to reflect the changes.

Thanks for all the feedback so far.
Here's a new screenshot, the game is going to get new graphics soon and then it's release time.
I'm excited to see what you guys think of it :)
http://i.imgur.com/rFb9Qbl.jpg

Wow, I had always wondered what you were up to with that blue name of yours and I discover this. This project looks pretty sweet if I do say so myself and I'm surprised I didn't see before because I'm usually good with keeping up on Upcoming Games & Applications.

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Originally Posted by vatigo

Since there was some confusion around the name I decided to change it to Mega Magnitude.
I updated the first post to reflect the changes.

Thanks for all the feedback so far.
Here's a new screenshot, the game is going to get new graphics soon and then it's release time.
I'm excited to see what you guys think of it :)
http://i.imgur.com/rFb9Qbl.jpg

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I'll be checking it out. :)

Any updates, Vatigo?

Hi,
the game is as done as it's going to be... for some time now. But I feel, strike that, I know that it's kind of lame and I wouldn't want to push shitty stuff on the console. (I'm sure you'll appreciate that ;) )

I'm at the stage when I can recognise crap when I see it and I have the same standards for myself as I do for other developers.

I'm not happy with the game and it's beyond fixing at this point, so it's collecting digital dust.

That said, I am still happy that I worked on it because I learned a lot.

Since that last post, I've started a team with a colleague and we've been working hard on our new game which we hope to publish on the OUYA (among other platforms), but that's a topic for a new thread...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vatigo

Hi,
the game is as done as it's going to be... for some time now. But I feel, strike that, I know that it's kind of lame and I wouldn't want to push shitty stuff on the console. (I'm sure you'll appreciate that ;) )

I'm at the stage when I can recognise crap when I see it and I have the same standards for myself as I do for other developers.

I'm not happy with the game and it's beyond fixing at this point, so it's collecting digital dust.

That said, I am still happy that I worked on it because I learned a lot.

Since that last post, I've started a team with a colleague and we've been working hard on our new game which we hope to publish on the OUYA (among other platforms), but that's a topic for a new thread...

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Hmm, would you mind generating an APK so I could determine whether I should allow you to shelve the project for good or not?

Well you can look at it this way. It's a game to put in your portfolio as a released game, if you were to release it. The game that you think may not be good or worth it, might be to someone else.

:2c:

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Originally Posted by Killswitch

Well you can look at it this way. It's a game to put in your portfolio as a released game, if you were to release it. The game that you think may not be good or worth it, might be to someone else.

:2c:

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He's not bending to my every will, Killswitch. I may have to let you off your leash...

You might as well just give in man. She doesn't give up...trust me.

Sigh... I know, resisting Riot's will would be a very reckless thing to do.
I'll try to build the APK this week, I have to set up the project environment on a new PC and get the game working with a newly released version of the engine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vatigo

Sigh... I know, resisting Riot's will would be a very reckless thing to do.
I'll try to build the APK this week, I have to set up the project environment on a new PC and get the game working with a newly released version of the engine.

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Word, homie. Once I get the file I'll see if I can get the roommate all up on this bitch so she can have an opinion on its funky lyrics.

Thanks to RiotingSpectre and her feedback, the game is back on!
In fact, it's going to be released soon.

Here's a new screenshot
http://i.imgur.com/2uoTdQG.jpg

See I didn't even have to bring out the flaming pitchfor....I mean talk very harshly...yeah that's it. Didn't have to talk very harshly :ninja:

Good to see you plan to finish, if it's close to done, it doesn't make sense to just throw it out. Most people don't even reach the finish line.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vatigo

Thanks to RiotingSpectre and her feedback, the game is back on!
In fact, it's going to be released soon.

Here's a new screenshot

 

http://i.imgur.com/2uoTdQG.jpg

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You're welcome and so is everybody else. The game is pretty damn fun and you have to remember how hard it is for me to find enjoyment in any game. This fact alone goes to show that Vatigo really did have a shelved gem here.

Well, this looks fun.

Nice, looking forward to playing.

This will be on Discover when it gets approved from the Quality Assurance team at OUYA Incorporate.

Aaaand it's out! :)
Mods can lock this thread, new one is here: http://ouyaforum.com/showthread.php?15742