Panjoust - A New Simple Platformer

[MarkoeZ]

Since this project is growing well outside of PandoraPanic, i thought it deserved it's own topic.

Description: Panjoust is a horizontal flying platform game, inspired by Joust for the Atari St (the version i played, back in the old days). It was originally created as a Minigame for PandoraPanic (old video), but is evolving into a complete game of it's own.

It's currently still in an early stage, but basic gameplay works nicely. And since it is Penjin Powered, there is allready a menu and score system in place, and an achievement system is prepared.

EDIT:

Video!!! may And check last posts for more info


Most recent video! (10-1-2010) check later posts for more updates




Panjoust first Video




Updated since first vid:

* Ripped Panjoust from PandoraPanic framework and made it operate standalone
* Added menu
* Major code restructuring allowing for more enemytypes and multiple heroes (Yup, 2 player modes will be implemented)
* Scoring system
* Lives implemented
* Goal added
* everything file loaded

Todo:

* More enemies will have to be drawn (Dragons_Slayer is on most of the graphics side, but a bit busy so more input is welcome)
* More obstacles have to be drawn (Looking for Graphics Artists for those!)
* More music, since it currently only has the one ambient tune from the minigame (I will try when i have time, but tunes are welcome, let me know if you are interested)
* Decent levels will have to be made. I'm planning on a level editor, but i also want the platform/enemy positions to have a small element of randomness to keep the gameplay unpredictable
* Add some extra gameplay features

Everything is WIP, but i thought i'd share it anyway. And since it is heavily based on PandoraPanic (which is allready tested on actual Pandora hardware) i expect things to run on the Pandora without effort.

Cheers!

 

[Wally]

Cheers, I love simple platformers!


Added to Wiki.

 

[MarkoeZ]

Thanks for the reply! allmost 300 views, i was wondering if anyone actually read the whole thing

while im posting, new video with updated gameplay and working menu coming soon, still working on those levels.

Edit: And i need a Status bar (left or bottom) for overall score, score untill goal opens, lives, etc. Artists Welcome!

 

[darien]

I remember this game on the Atari ST. I was like "WTF is happening!?" There are flying camels or something.

 

[Tensuke]

Sweet! I loved Joust. This'll be great! Too bad I'll have no one to play with.

 

[Trip]

Good stuff. I love Joust, even though I find it really annoying and it bugs the hell out of me

 

[MarkoeZ]

I remember this game on the Atari ST. I was like "WTF is happening!?" There are flying camels or something.

It was kind of a weird game indeed, liked it a lot though

Sweet! I loved Joust. This'll be great! Too bad I'll have no one to play with.

Well eventually i might have to look into networked play then, not that much data to transmit, so might just be fast enough. Not anywhere in the near future though. And i would need help with that, never built anything network related.

Good stuff. I love Joust, even though I find it really annoying and it bugs the hell out of me

Get ready to be bugged some more then. I programmed those birds and even i am surprised by them somethimes

Although i have to state again that it will not be original joust (might leave in the PP! minigame somewhere though). It will have the movement style and enemy killing like joust, but levels will be MUCH larger, more killing methods will be added (bombing is most probably the first candidate) and different enemytypes (also platform walking ones probably).

Been thinking about the gameplay type for the one player adventure mode (name not official), and it will probably be: Score enough points by killing and collecting stars, coins, or whatever. then the goal at the end of the level opens and you can finish. After finishing, level score will be added to total score, with bonus points for leftover time (did i mention time allready? will be sufficient for most ppl though, more for scoring purposes) and points collected above the minimum number. Also (mini-)Bosses!!


Anyway, im happy to hear comments/tips/gameplay ideas/anything and i'm still looking for loads of graphics and music!!!!

Cheers

 

[Trip]

How about a game mode where you have to carry some sort of object from one side of the screen to the other past different obstacles. Different objects could effect your character in different ways; some could make you need to rest more, some could attract things or enemies to you or push them away, some could alter the way you fly etc., You get the idea

EDIT: Wrong quote :lol:

 

[MarkoeZ]

How about a game mode where you have to carry some sort of object from one side of the screen to the other past different obstacles. Different objects could effect your character in different ways; some could make you need to rest more, some could attract things or enemies to you or push them away, some could alter the way you fly etc., You get the idea

EDIT: Wrong quote :lol:

Hmmm carrying stuff, very interesting. Could even be useful in a bigger level, carry something from another place in the level to a gate to open it for instance.

Btw, i did not mention yet that some of the collectibles are also going to have powerups(or down?) in them. But i did not think about altering enemy behaviour yet, thanks!

 

[Tensuke]

If the PP! game isn't too long, maybe you could (optionally) play that between levels or something?

 

[MarkoeZ]

If the PP! game isn't too long, maybe you could (optionally) play that between levels or something?

I was thinking more about making it an easteregg, or maybe as a surprise bonus game on a collectible or something like that. i think the fun of it would go away if it comes around too often.

Anyway, thanks for the input!

 

[Dead1nside]

Cool, great to here.

 

[MarkoeZ]

thanks

Update: All objects (hero, platforms, goal, enemies, specials) are now loaded from level files, and again lots of restructuring (read: cleaning up mess ; ) Also made an ugly birdcage for the goal

Next to do: Program specials (level goal, collectibles, powerups, etc), create level editor and nice levels, and new video.

Wanted: ARTISTS!!! i really suck at the graphics, and i want the rest of the graphics to do justice to the sprites allready present. Music is welcome too, although i am going to give that a try myself soon

 

[MarkoeZ]

hmm, not much activity in the developers corner, i hope silence before the storm Anyway, a new video deserves a new post:

PanJoust: New Video!

This is only a technical preview, level is very small here. But everything is loaded from level files now. No collectibles(collectables?) yet, but those are essentially programmed in since the goal is using the same class they will. All kinds of statistics will also be displayed (levelscore/points remaining before goal open/total score/more probably) but i still need to decide on a proper stats setup that is not too intruding on the gameplay.

Cheers!!

Edit: Sound is edited in, sounds a bit different from the actual game. And more Music also still Wanted!. lastly i have an expensive connection atm, so compressed the vid pretty much, it shows...

Edit2: Platforms now have a variable width, it adds to the fun i must say, since now you really have to aim for a platform if it's small

Edit3: Now also a scrolling background, and collectibles

 

[MarkoeZ]

*** Update! ***

No i have not been partying all week, silently hard at work. Since most of this is new to me, i had to revert a lot and progress did not go that fast. But
It's time for:

A new Video!

With scrolling background, collectibles, and a majorly touchscreen/mouse controlled level editor. Nowhere near as nice as the Agapito one, but it works for now

If anyone is interested in making nice graphics for the menu items: please ; ) Also more enemies/platforms/etc are wanted, so graphic artists still needed.

Cheers!

Edit: i'm still on a mobile connection so i had to compress the video pretty much, some weird colors and frameskips are due to that. Showing and playing perfectly here

 

[bzar]

Nice! This is starting to look like a project that gets finished, good for you! Most projects start fast then wither away, but you seem to keep a good pace. I believe there are many people like I was that follow your progress even if they don't post. Keep on coding

 

[Trip]

Looking great Mark.
I'd give you a hand with the graphics but I suck at drawing. Maybe I can knock up some basic stuff in Pixel art?

EDIT: Maybe some feathers or wings would look good on the menu. Having the text normal and a feather next to it to show which one's highlighted

 

[fusion_power]

Nice. The new Background would also fit very well into the Pandora Panic version I think. ^^

Are the level Elements aligned onto a invisible grid or totaly free placable? A grid would make things more easy maybe.
Will there be more Game-elements besides Enemies and Pick ups? Objectives, Puzzles, Bosses *idontknow* ...?

 

[MarkoeZ]

Nice! This is starting to look like a project that gets finished, good for you! Most projects start fast then wither away, but you seem to keep a good pace. I believe there are many people like I was that follow your progress even if they don't post. Keep on coding

Thanks! and this project will definately get finished, i have just too weird working hours. When i get home at 3am i can't sleep, and everybody else is, so lots of time for coding. Also my girlfriend seems to like it and wants to play it, so that is extra motivation to get it done

The plan is to have one more platformtype and enemytype (or more if they are drawn), and to add some powerup/downs to some of the eggs, design proper levels, and get that release ready. After that development will probably just go on and updates will be released, adding 2 player adventure/battle modes, more enemies/levels, etc. All depending on my time and motivation ofcourse

Looking great Mark.
I'd give you a hand with the graphics but I suck at drawing. Maybe I can knock up some basic stuff in Pixel art?

EDIT: Maybe some feathers or wings would look good on the menu. Having the text normal and a feather next to it to show which one's highlighted

Be my guest! ANything that looks better than what i currently have is welcome! Same goes for new enemies/platforms/other ideas. If anyone draws something interesting, i'll make it work in-game.

Nice. The new Background would also fit very well into the Pandora Panic version I think. ^^

Are the level Elements aligned onto a invisible grid or totaly free placable? A grid would make things more easy maybe.
Will there be more Game-elements besides Enemies and Pick ups? Objectives, Puzzles, Bosses *idontknow* ...?

Thank you, and some features will be implemented back into the minigame, probably like the background. ALso hovering at the top of the screen is no longer possible, you bounce down at the same speed you came up, so if you flap too close to the top of the screen now, you will bounce down, fast

All items are freely placable. And since that is allready working pretty good, i see no reason to change to a grid based level now. It would only limit more in future level design. Just a bit more collision checking to be done now.

About extra gameplay features, they will come. Bosses will certainly be made, and objectives are highly likely. There is the idea of carrying stuff (limiting your speed/flapcount) to places, and i was thinking about sub games, did not really have time yet to think about those things properly though.
I did try to make the enemy and special classes, as well as the level editor, as general as possible to allow for easy future additions.


So going good on getting things playable, but still a lot will need to be done to make this the kind of game i have in mind.

Thanks for the feedback so far, and keep it coming!

Cheers!

p.s. im thinking about making a topic in the general section, looking for graphics artists, since more people read stuff there. That would not be too bad of a double post, right?

 

[Masterfurbix]

Okay, you seem to be in need of a graphic artist, a fairly active hobby of mine.

I might be overstepping myself here, but from all the info I've seen on this project so far, it really felt like a mountain game. In the interest of time, I have already thrown together a decent main menu for you to look over

In your youtube video, when you moused over a button, it highlighted

If this is done with two separate images that cycle based on cursor position, I will be able to easily provide mouseover images whenever you need them.

I am not sure what image types can work with whatever magical programming gobbledygook you work with, so I really need more info from you before we can churn out a finished product. If animated .GIFs are a viable format, I can make rudimentary glow animations for the text and a few other niceties that will look amazing in the finished product

Also, because I was unsure of the needed resolution, I went with 800x480, the resolution that pandora will run at. If you need a resolution smaller than this, we might have to change some major design elements, so I'm praying that I've done everything right so far.

Once I have some feedback from you, I can tweak the main menu and start on more work such as in-game backgrounds, improved sprites, and the interface for the level editor.

Hoping to hear from you soon

-Jay