Miner Prototype

[jasonpickering]

Latest Build
1/27/13

Controls:
Move = Arrows or WASD
R = Reset

so on weekends I usually goof around with small game prototypes and I made this. You basically drive around a vehicle collecting gems and mining. You have an energy meter and can refill the meter by buying more energy at the little green box with crystals. there is really nothing to it yet, you don't die at zero as you should and there is no other areas to explore (Use space to reload the level). Just thought I might ask what you guys think. I might extend it into a full game. Not sure yet.

if I do extend it you would probably go from asteroid to asteroid mining. each move costs 1 energy and each rock costs 3 and the asteroids would probably get larger and with scarcer gems. and maybe a shop to help the player.

[st33d]

quite like the mining mechanic

after playing Corrypt are you going to allow towing back tanks that get stranded?

[jasonpickering]

Not sure, but I did like the idea of moving the green base around, but then the balance of just always dragging it around vs leaving it is tough. Although dropping off discarded tanks randomly or even from past runs could be good if they held small bits of energy or crystals, Loot them for items.

I thought a little more about this and thought of maybe giving the payer a shop with upgrades but the player can only carry a few upgrades. Carry more energy, get more energy when recharging, carry more crystals, get a better price for crystals.

I was also thinking of allowing players to sell their crystals for money, money would effectively act as the players score. So basically they could turn in their crystals for upgrades, energy, or score.

[jasonpickering]

played around with this some more. Still not sure where to take it. I really liked the Resource management in games like Fuel, Desktop Dungeons (unexplored spaces) and the like.

I think the main theme I want is that feeling of driving around, low on fuel hoping to make it to the next station. before your machine dies in this god forsaken wasteland. How easy that will be to capture is another story. I also want it to be just survive as long and as far as you can.

[jasonpickering]

Updated with a store now. walk into the green battery thing to open it. You can select button one to recharge, Button two to increase Max Energy or the arrow to go to the next floor. The cost increases each floor, so be warned of that.

the map generation is super bad at the moment and needs to be redone. Its pretty poor. Many times there are crystals you can not get to and sometimes you might even be spawned in a bad spot.

Going to add Some Wrecks. they will be randomly placed and give you something like Crystals, Max Energy or a recharge.

you can hit R to reset

[jasonpickering]

More Fixes, Added Wrecks which will give random loot. I also added some screen effects to make the game look much older.

I am still playing with the idea of score. Originally it was going to be for how far you got, each floor being a point, but I have not decided how the player should go to the next floor. but the player basically starts at the stairs so I need to think of a reason for the player to venture out and then to return.

[jasonpickering]

Well after adding the wreckage I liked finding that and I think that helps with the mechanic of scoring too. so I am thinking of adding survivors and moving the game away theme wise from mining to saving these stranded people. So each level will have a number of people to save, and after saving them you can go to the next level. and save more people. You will still be plowing through rocks and collecting crystals, The people will just act as the key to the door to the next floor mechanically.

[guest509]

  I always liked the 'find the key get to the door' game flow. Gives you a good reason to explore around a bit.

[jasonpickering]

Updated with the survivors to rescue now. I changed the mechanics a bit so you drive into spaces now instead of just breaking the rocks. feels a little better now. Not sure if I will keep the symbol in the bottom corner when you rescue a guy. I need something to tell the player they have rescued the person but not sure if thats the best way to go about it. probably something in the top UI.

[st33d]

I quite like this. Scored 7.

Some keys to operate the shop would be nice - or responding to clicks for movement. Just so I don't have to switch from mouse to keys all the time.

Although having some fancy algorithm calculate how far you're from home would defeat the point, some coordinates would be helpful as well. It makes navigating home a little less confusing.

[jasonpickering]

Yeah, I need to add in mouse movements, I have the code written from other projects just need to copy it over. Maybe the next update will have that in.

I have been thinking about some extra stuff to add at the game. I think one thing that I will add will be some type of arrow system that points in the direction of the guy. it wont be exact, just like a north arrow. giving you an idea of where to go. and it will probably be a special that costs energy.

[jasonpickering]

Added in full mouse controls now. as well as changing the rock asset. I need to redo the timing situation now. it has a few problems now.

[jasonpickering]

still tweaking this. i kind of don't know what to add at the moment. I like all the mechanics I think I just need to fix it a bit to get the balance right. I was thinking of doing some different vehicles. maybe giving them some different special moves or something. Not sure. I feel like the player doesn't have many choices now with what to do with the crystals. buy more Max Energy then recharge. Repeat.

@st33d
some people have told me to turn this into a designed game of driving around saving people and destroying rocks. similar to your Turnament

[jasonpickering]

well went back to the drawing board and started planning this out more. I am so stuck at the moment beause I am afraid to throw anything out, so that has caused a bit of a mental block. some things I am thinking of on my new build through

1. Rocks are enemies - Rocks work similar to stationary enemies. they drain your HP (Energy) if you try and destroy them. I think with this in mind I can move forward and think of more interesting ways to remove "enemies".

2. Limit the amount of recharging - the initial levels are really not important, aside from building up your max energy. I think this can be changed. But I need to be more careful about what uses energy, so I will probably drop just driving around causing energy consumption. I am also thinking in terms of recharging like in Desktop dungeons. Perhaps adding gems which recharge you, but limit their amount on the landscape.

[Paul Jeffries]

I quite like it, but it seems like there's not a whole lot to it yet - there's a bit of challenge to the route planning but other than that I didn't feel like I was making too many difficult decisions.  Even the shop choice felt a bit obvious - upgrade if I have the spare cash, otherwise just refuel.

A couple of ideas:
- To add a layer more strategy, how about being able to buy droppable 'beacons' (or whatever) that act the same as the shop.  So, you can place them down at strategic locations as a kind of 'base camp' that lets you explore further afield.
- Explosive rocks, that when you mine them also take out all adjacent rocks 'for free'.
- Lava.  Slowly spreads out and will destroy crystals and kill people, but is contained by rocks - you have to be careful not to unleash it accidentally.
- Rival AI miners that you have to compete against.