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Game Sharing: [Fused, Sploded] Platformer Theory Guide

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
    • CommentTimeJun 2nd 2009 edited
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    _______________________________________Platformer Theory_______________________________________

    Well here it is, the most epic guide on the platformer you will see, or probably ever see in your life. I suggest you grab a bag of chips and a full can of soda before reading, its that long.

    NOTE: If I do not cover something you want to know, tell me and I will add it!

    ______________Table of Contents______________
    Part 1 |Basics|

    1) Introduction to Part 1
    2) Genres
    ---A) Action
    ---B) Puzzle
    ---C) Other
    3) Weapons, Equipment, and You
    ---A) The Sword and Armor
    ---B) Shooting and Grenades
    ---C) The Grapple and Glove
    4) Enemies
    ---A) Light Enemies
    ---B) Medium Enemies
    ---C) Heavy Enemies
    5) Scenery
    ---A) Importance
    ---B) Creating Scenery
    6) Obstacles
    ---A) Part 1
    ---B) Part 2
    7) Statistics
    ---A) Enemy Statistics
    ---B) Player Statistics

    Part 2 |Theory|

    1) Introduction to Part 2
    2) Understanding the concept of Theories
    3) Understanding Fun of Platformers
    ---A) Main Site vs Forums
    ---B) Difficulties
    4) Crouching Ninja, hidden Thor
    ---A) Enemy Placement
    ---B) Numbers
    5) Hook, Line, Sinker
    ---A) Understanding Weapons
    ---B) Understanding Equipment
    ---C) Understanding Your Character
    6) Where there's a Will, there's a way
    ---A) Unwanted glitches and bypassing
    ---B) Using them to your Will
    7) Creating the Game
    ---A) Where to Start
    ---B) Transmitting Knowledge
    8) Impact
    9) Naming Your Game
    10) Platformer Theories
    ---A) Proven Theories
    ---B) Un-Proven Theories
    11) Boss Theory
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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    1.______________________Introduction to Part 1______________________

    Right now, you are reading this guide and are expecting me to tell you how to create an awesome game that will dominate with a 10/10 rating. I am here to tell you this is wrong, this guide is meant to help you understand what it takes to make a good game on the platformer, and very important things you need to know before starting on your epic quest to become the top five game makers. If you don't think hard on platformers, now is the chance to start with the help of this guide. Now that that's out of the way, our next paragraph will tell you about Part 1 in Platformer Theory.

    Well, in order to create a game using Platformer Theory, you have to know a few things before you get started. You read the table of contents and probably said, "oh I already know about so and so enemies and such", but if you don't completely understand them, your a fish out of water. I will guide you through all the physical aspects of creating a game, not how to create it. If you think your a complete dominate master and know everything there is about the platformer, you can skip Part 1, but I highly suggest reading it once so you know how I will explain things.

    2._____________________Genres of the Platformer_____________________

    Well the very first thing you need to know before starting any game is to know what type of game you are doing. No, we are not talking about crystals and destroy all enemies, but the very way it is built. Depending on what you add, how long the game is, and about anything you add effects what Genre it will turn out to be. I will be listing them next.

    Action: By far the most popular game variant made in sploder. Action is the absolute basics of a game, if it is not anything else, it is to be considered action. Most of these games are mainly fighting your way to the crystal or destroying all of the enemies. Since this is the very basic variant, it is overly abused in many ways so that most action games are pitiful. You must put effort into making these or else it will may a bad game.

    Puzzles: The second most popular variant is the Puzzle game. In these games, thinking is involved into finishing the game. Puzzles must consist of at least one of the following; mazes, traps, switches, and any combination of "puzzling" ideas put into a game. Since the platformer is a newer game maker, many puzzle ideas have not yet been made, but awaiting their arrival in a game. These game generally take much thought into making if it is worth playing.

    Other: The "Other" variants are only made by forum members for they are a challenge to make. The three that will most likely be used by the platformer are Adventure, Stealth, and possibly Good and Evil. Adventure games take the Action variant and add several things. These include adding optional areas usually and a spread out area. Don't get me wrong, this one is a doosy to make. Stealth in the concept of avoiding all enemies at all costs, thus adding a new suspence to the game. Enemy placement is crucial in this variant. Good and Evil is when you are given the choice to do something that will help people, or harm them, all leading to different results.

    Seems you get the General idea on the Genres, now let's jump to our next subject of Weapons and Equipment.

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    3.____________________Weapons and Equipment____________________

    Another important feature it to know about the weapons in the game. If you have no idea on what they do and how they do it, then you can be left with an impossible battle or a walk in the park. I will be explaining them so that you understand how they work.

    NOTE: You will see a chart of the statistics of your character, do not worry if you don't how much damage each weapon can do.

    The Sword and Armor: The first weapon you get is the trusty sword and your favorite wooden shield. The sword has no ammo limit which is why it is the weapon of choice among 1v1 battles. While such advantages have weaknesses, for the sword can only attack up close and personal, thus making certain battles against Thors grueling. In most battles including the Thors, a Shield is with you at the very start. Of course it is basic wooden shield, but provides hefty protection at the price of speed. The better upgrades shield also reaps greater protection. See statistics on how much it protects. Now the new updates have brought armor into the equation. Each set of armor is better then the one before, thus making you resist more punishment. While having armor is nice, it can also make games way too easy.

    Shooting and Grenades: So the Sword is just not the weapon of your choice? Well you can grab a nice Gun and blast some enemies off their socks. This weapons is accurate, but if enemies are moving vertically a lot, you are bound to miss. In most cases, people just go John Wayne and run into a room full of enemies shooting like no tomorrow. Now of course if you grab the new Blast Gun going John Wayne is not a bad idea. Its three ubllet spread If you like the big boy weapons, better grab a Rail Gun and some Grenades. Rail Guns are very powerful, and usually takes 1-2 hits to kill something. But this has one drawback, ammo is very limited in most cases. The Grenade IS a one hit kill on most light and medium enemies, so don't hesitate to throw them. A couple of cons though is that you can slightly hurt yourself in the process, and the grenades to not blow up until about 5 seconds after throwing. Another weapon you come across is the Flamethrower, in which you spray flames in the direction you are facing. While it has limited range, its power is amazing and can kill most enemies in a matter of seconds. One major issue though is that ammo is limited and not visible, and will run out without you knowing.

    The Grapple, Glove, and Jetpack: The two pieces of equipment are the Grapple and Glove, and very useful always. The grapple can grab onto a tile of any kind and you can swing around and pull yourself toward or away from the object and still hang around. This has little effect in battles usually, unless you must use the grapple to get somewhere and enemies are along the way. The not commonly used Glove is very powerful but not in the damaging way. You can pick up any movable object and move it around using the arrow keys. You can drop enemies into oblivion, or maybe push a wheel into a switch that leads to a crystal. The jetpack is used to propel you into the air and maneuver your way around obstacles. That is basically all it can do.

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    4.________________________Enemies________________________

    Well if you don't know much about the enemies, then things can go wrong fast. If you do not want to end up with a game that is way too easy, or just plain impossible, you have to know your enemies like the back of your hand. This invaluable skill of knowing your thing sets into everything in the platformer, so let's start with some enemies!

    Light Enemies: The light enemies are those who are fast, agile, but offer less damage and have less health. These consist of the Bats and the Ninjas. While being small, the Bats are often hard to kill and while you try to kill them, they fly away. Being hard to kill, they have little health so one nice sword swing does the trick. These enemies are not recommended in fights with big battles. Ninjas are the most agile enemy, for the are always on the move and allows them to actually avoid some of your attacks. These ninjas are great for those "filler" areas where you want to place an enemy.

    Medium Enemies: The medium enemies are strong and have decent ammount of health, but lack speed and the ability to dodge most attacks. These include Thugs, Snarlies, and Thors. The Thug is actually in the middle of light and medium, but since these enemies carry shields, they can survive much longer and are placed here. These guys typically will run up next to you and start slashing, then crouch stabbing you with its defence raised. If you let the Thugs get too close, they may end up hard to kill. Snarlies are not very effective at fighting now, but they provide an almost constant stream of fire breath that takes down your health fast. They have a lot of health, but are easy to kill if alone, so they are best in groups of light enemies. The Thor is the big bad guy that will deck your health down extremely fast. Since Thors pack such a big punch, they are better left alone, or more effective in very small groups of light enemies.

    Heavy Enemies: The heavy enemies are the strongest of all, and are considered bosses in certain situations. They are extremely powerful, strong, but lack speed and jumping capabilities. These include George, Kikuchiyo, and the Fire Troll. The weakest one has to be George. While he is just as big as the Fire Troll is, he does not have as much health and his attacks are inaccurate. Next up is Kikuchiyo, who is basically an upgraded Ninja. This person is capable of dodging your attacks while keeping incredible power. These guys are dangerous with other people, but alone is not as much as a challenge. Finally is the Fire Troll, the hardest enemy on sploder. With the best armor and good weapons, this enemy is sure to drain your health down. Be careful placing these guys, because going over two is a near suicide mission.


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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    5.________________________Scenery________________________

    Well you are going to have to make scenery at least once in your life, so why not make it the best it can be? When you want to add scenery, you better know what your doing or else it could look like meatloaf, so this guide here is going to tell you the importance of scenery and how to make it! Now let's get started with why it is important.

    The Importance of Scenery: Now from the get go people are going to judge how your platformer looks. When you made original games, did you make them lopsided? How about uneven? The same goes with the platformer, you don't want these games looking like garbage even though it may be epic. So mark this one thing in your little notebook your carrying right now; people do judge how they look and scenery can help with that. In fact the main purpose of scenery it to portray what you are trying to show. Like lets say your plane crashes in a jungle, and you only use the stone backround, does that really look like a jungle? I think not, so I suggest you put some time and effort into adding a little something to make the game worth looking at.

    Creating Scenery: Its simple really, all scenery is basically your style to the game. Add a few different textures here and there, you got scenery. But of course, that is very basic stuff, we want to see some real good looking stuff out there! Well the main thing about scenery is BE CREATIVE! The way I do scenery is imagine the thing your trying to build, lets say a dark, scary dungeon. Do you think I will be using bright colors like pink, no. So we know its going to be dark, and scariness we will turn down the brightness and put underground so its even spookier. Now do you get the idea? Let the tiles, lighting, and other stuff represent what your building.

    Advanced scenery: Backgrounds to the game are the most important feature . First off, never use the same back wall in a single area for advanced scenery. This will make the area look more original, and probably more like what your are trying to build. Use objects that are similar to each other, like lava and ice usually don't mix well with scenery. When you are changing backgrounds over a period of blocks (Lets say you want a nice smooth hills to a volcano), you must slowly add textures and blend. If you simply put a wall of different tiles, it looks unnatural, but blended it looks more like a real ground area. Experimenting is the key to scenery. You must try new things that nobody else has tried. Put some objects together that seem awkward, put these styles of textures together and make a new area! This is the key to making scenery for your specific game. Another VERY important trick to use is pre-placing blocks. Right now you are wondering what the heck am I talking about, I will explain. It is placing tiles of every kind of tile you think or might use. To see a pictures, go to the following links listed below.

    Scenery Pictures!
    A crater!
    A waterway!
    An underground waterway!
    A factory!
    A swamp!
    Pre-Placed Blocks.
    _____________

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    6.________________________Obstacles________________________

    With most games, there is something blocking the way to the main goal. More than likely its a door but there are other traps and things that get in your way, along the way. So knowing what they do, and how they do it is important to know.

    Part One: There are quite a bit of obstacles to cover, so I split it up into two paragraphs. This part will include Lava, Energy Beams, Steamers, Water, and Ice. Lava is basically the same as a tile, except that it damages if you walk on it. Since you can jump high and easily avoid damage, it is best put in narrow corridors, or tight spaces. Energy beams are quite the same to, for they turn off and on so it is great for narrow corridors also. Steamers offer damage while pushing you up, which is invaluable for certain areas in puzzles or traps. Water is something you can travel through in every direction, but with speed reduced. The water tops are the same, except offers a distinct glow off the surface.

    Part Two: This paragraph includes Gears, Dynamo, Windmills, Logs, Bumpers, Elevators, and Sliders. Gears are meant to push you in a certain direction. Not only that, it can push any object that can move! The Windmills operate in the same way, except that there are four parts jetting out from the center. These can be made to permanently move you to one side, or an interesting way to move from platform to platform. The Dynamo is basically a windmill with more awkward pillars jetting out. The disadvantage is that it can only be moved in one direction. Logs are mainly built for bridges and are depressed under weight. These Logs can make battle seem more interesting. Another interesting obstacle is the bumper that makes you jump up from the platform. It can bounce you at varying levels.Elevators and Sliders are platforms that move vertically and horizontally. These are extremely slow, and are not recommended for long transport because of the long weight line.

    Part Three This paragraph includes all the updated items that are; Spike Blocks, Explosive Barrel, Crate, Rod, and Tri-Gear. The Spike Blocks will only hurt you if you LAND on them. That means walking across them will not hurt you at all, but only falling on them. Great for traps. The Explosive Barrel Explodes causing damage within its radius. Not very effective unless stacked up though. The Crate is a new basis of puzzles that allow you to push it, along with enemies and things you manipulate with the Glove. The Rod and Tri-Gear move by you pushing it, and continue to move and slowly stop moving. Interesting if put in hallways and enclosed spaces.

    Statistics:
    NOTE: Time intervals depend on how much you lag, or not!

    Lava Damage: 2.5 Damage Per Second
    Icicle Damage: 2.5 Damage per hit (About 5 hit per second)
    Energy Beam Damage: 1/3 HP per interval
    Energy Beam Times: 1.5 second intervals
    Steamer Damage: 6 HP per Interval
    Steamer Times: 2 second down time, 3 second running
    Gear Rotations: 7 seconds per rotation
    Windmill Rotations: 14 seconds per rotation
    Dynamo Rotations: 14 seconds per rotation
    Bumper Power: 2, 3, and 10 Tile jumps.
    Elevator/ Slider Movement: 2.5 seconds per tile
    Explosive Barrel Damage: 5 damage per barrel
    Spike Block Damage: About 5 per spike block.

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    ____________________Statistics____________________

    All statistics about Enemies, Equipment, and Weapons go here.

    ___ENEMIES___
    NOTE: Strengths are weapons ineffective, weaknesses are effective towards the enemy.

    -----LIGHT-----

    Bats: 10 HP
    Deals 2.5 deal damage: 1 hit per second
    Strengths: Sword, Grenades
    Weaknesses: Laser, Gun, Flamethrower, Blast Gun
    Flies.

    Mongol: 50 HP
    Deals 5 damage per hit: 1 hit per second
    Strengths: Sword, Grenades
    Weaknesses: Gun, Blast Gun, Ray Gun, Flamethrower
    Extremely Fast

    Ninjas: 40 HP
    Deals about 2.5 damage (Basic): 1 hit per second
    5 damage (Heavy): 1 hit per second
    5 damage (Thrown): 1 throw per second
    Range of Thrown: 10 tiles
    Strengths: Sword, Grenades, Flamethrower
    Weaknesses: Sword, Ray Gun, Blast Gun
    Jumps.

    -----MEDIUM------

    Thug: 70 HP
    Shield Protects 50% damage
    Deals 5 damage: 1 hit per second
    Deals 2.5 damage (When he crouches): 1 hit per second
    Strengths: Sword
    Weaknesses: Laser, Ray Gun, Grenade
    No agile moves.

    Probe: 25 HP
    Deals 2.5 Damage: 5 shots per second
    Strengths: Sword, Grenade, Gun
    Weaknesses: Flamethrower, Blast Gun, Ray Gun
    Extreme Agile Flying.

    Archer: 100 HP
    Shield Protects 0%
    Deals 10 HP per shot: 1 shot per second (can be blocked w/ shield)
    Strengths: Sword
    Weaknesses: Flamethrower, Blast Gun, Ray Gun, Grenade
    Moves away from you.

    Thor: 100 HP
    Deals 20 damage: 1 hit per second
    Deals 40 damage (Heavy): 1 hit per second
    Strengths: Sword, Blast Gun
    Weaknesses: Laser, Grenade, Gun, Flamethrower
    Waits until you are close.

    Snarly: 100 HP
    Deals about 10 damage per second
    Range of Attack: 3-4 tiles
    Strengths: Sword, Blast Gun
    Weaknesses: Laser, Grenades, Blast Gun
    Goes towards you.

    -----HEAVY-----

    Kikuchiyo: 200 HP
    Deals 20 damage: 1 hit per second
    Deals 40 damage (Heavy): 1 hit per second
    Strengths: Sword, Grenades
    Weaknesses: Gun, Blast Gun, Ray Gun, Flamethrower
    Jumps and runs towards you.

    George: 180 HP
    Deals 20 damage: 1 hit per second
    Deasl 40 damage (Heavy): 1 hit per second
    Strengths: Sword, Grenades, Gun
    Weaknesses: Blast Gun, Ray Gun, Flamethrower
    Runs straight to you.

    Fire Troll: 250 HP
    Deals 30 damage: 1 her per two seconds
    Strengths: Sword, Grenades, Gun
    Weaknesses: Blast Gun, Ray Gun, Flamethrower
    Keeps Distance from you but will get close.

    ___Statistics On You___


    STATS ON YOU
    Your health is 100
    You recieve DOUBLE damage when you crouch
    Basic Sword Swing: 10 damage
    Heavy Sword Swing: 20 damage
    Crouching Sword Stab: 5 damage
    Gun Damage: 5 damage per shot
    Gun Range: 15 Tiles
    Gun Energy: +50
    Blast Gun: Same as "Gun" but shoots 3 shots at a time. Each shot is 45 degrees apart.
    Rail Gun Damage: 50 Damage per shot
    Rail Gun Range: Within site/ random hits
    Rail Gun Energy: +20
    Grenade Damage: 100 Damage within 4 tiles---80 damage at exactly 5 tiles
    Grenade Self Damage: Depends on how close you are. Max self damage is 75, minimum is around 25.
    Grenade Explosion Radius: 5 Tiles
    Grenade Detonation: (about) 5 seconds after throwing
    Flamethrower Damage: About 25 damage per second (With single stream shot)
    Flamethrower Range: 5 Tiles
    Flamethrower Energy: +40% (?)


    EQUIPMENT
    Rate of Depletion: 4% per second
    Equipment Energy: +40%
    Starting Energy: 40%
    Grapple Range: 15 Tiles
    Glove Range: 5 tiles
    Jetpack Launch: 10 tiles per second (max speed)
    Torch Lighting: 5 tiles diminishing


    ARMOR PROTECTION
    Basic Shield protects 50% damage
    Better Shield protects 80% damage
    Level 1 Armor protects about 15% damage
    Level 2 Armor protects about 25% damage
    Level 3 Armor protects about 35% damage


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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    Well here is the first part of my guide! I bet you are exhausted from all those statistics, yes? Well prepare to grab your another soda and bag of chips, cause Part Two is coming your way!
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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    __________PART TWO__________


    1___________________Introduction to Part Two___________________

    So now that you know what is in the platformer and what it can do, it is time to take that knowledge and put it into a game. Of course, you are going to run into many questions as soon as you start thinking about the game. This is where Part Two of the guide comes in and saves you from the stress and hastle of these questions that pop up. In this part, we will be explaining many things that effect Gameplay and what contributes to it. And you will soon find some of my theories that actually can help you figure out how to make the game at its edge! So, get another bag of chips and soda and start reading on the quest to understand every last corner of the Platformer!


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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    2_____________________Understanding Theories_____________________

    Before we begin our journey into the corners of the platformer, you need to understand a few things. First off, most things I will be talking about are theoretical. This means (in our case) the process of applying knowledge and current logic into building something new. Right now, you are wanting to build a game, but do not understand what things take place in it. Since most of these things are not physical, it is hard to give pictures or example of it. Another term I will use often now is "variables" or different things that affect you. For example, you are doing a science project about plant growth. The variables that affect the growth of the plant are sunlight, water, temperature, and many others! Now you are doing a game project and you want to get more views. The things that effect it are the variables, and I bet you understand this now.

    It is difficult to grasp the ability to understand how a game is built, how people like the game, and predict several things about anything. Theories will help you predict the outcomes of these questions that cannot be answered without normal logic. Many variables effect each thing, so even the most minor tampering may throw off the entire balance of the game! Of course I will explain the most common variables and questions asked so that you can throw some of that weight off your shoulders. I will begin Theory Class with the most common asked question, what is fun?

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    3___________________Understanding Fun___________________

    Well one of the first things misunderstood is how the game is fun. What does make a game fun and how does it do it? Well you must consider the variables taking effect into fun. Even the lighting can alter someones opinion on the game, also backgrounds. From the game itself to the audience your pleasing, you must know how a game is fun in order for you to truly understand the platformer.

    Main Site vs Forums: Well this goes along with the audience you are trying to please, Main Site or Forums? There are major differences in each of these users and what they think is fun. Have you ever noticed that no matter how hard you try, you don't get many views? Since the Main Site consists of more little kids, they don't know a good game from a horrible game. For some reason, they like games that are extremely easy, or in their case, interesting. What interests the main site? The main things are; is it art, is it easy, and is it from someone popular. Main site people are crazy about art games and never seem to get past the fact that it is not a real game, and not fun to play. The easier the game, the more they play it, because little kids don't want to think about things if you have noticed. Another thing boosting what they like is your main site popularity. If your popular on the main site, then people will say your game are good, which is they say it all the time and is not useful advice.

    The forums on the other hand are extremely different. Most forum members flourish with intelligence into making new genres, puzzles, and new action scenes not seen by many other people. Because of this, the forums are generally are more strict into their criteria of what fun is. Not only that, the forums are extremely diverse in its people, for there are people that like art games, people that like puzzles, action, you name it! But if your want to become one of the top ten game makers here, you need to catch the attention of popular game makers here. I have noticed over time that they like challenges, something new they have never seen or something epic that blows their mind away. It will take time to get the attention of these popular game makers, but it is possible to get their reputation by making games with outstanding features.

    Difficulties: Another common factor of fun is how difficult it is. This is extremely hard to determine without testing, and alters what people think of it. Some things to take in mind are areas that are hard to complete. For example, if you put five thors in a room, people will see it from a different perspective then if you put a puzzle in their instead. You want to make sure you never make one area too hard, for if no one can get past it people will not see it as much fun. The only exception to this is if it is a puzzle, in which you usually have the time to complete it. If it is too easy, then people beat the game and think, wow, this was pretty boring. So you want a nice spread of peanut butter and jelly, or difficulty. So make some areas a breeze to keep them playing, and some areas a challenge to fulfill their cravings of puzzles and challenges.

    Mood: I am not talking about your mood, but the mood of the game. You need to make each game special, in its own way, and moods can help. Moods are the way your game is portrayed, is it scary? Is it happy? Well each one effects how people think of the game, so I will explain the most common moods. The basic one is plain, it is boring, and offers no disadvantages or advantages. The basic mood is best left for games with extreme variety, in which it is hard to please each area. Second, there is scary, in which many areas are darker, and offer more intense action. But a down side is that if it is dark, than how will people see clearly. Even with a torch, puzzles are still tricky to solve without site. Happy moods usually are never underground, bright, and gives a sense of hope. If you plan on going underground, forget this mood. Since there are several moods you can portray, I will not go into explaining each one of them, but hopefully you will understand how moods effect the audience with gameplay.

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    4___________________Crouching Ninja, hidden Thor___________________

    Now comes to time of Enemy Placement, in which you must place enemies in certain areas to heighten the gameplay. Many have tried, few have succeeded in the art of perfecting enemy placement. Another thing, this platformer is new and things are still being pieced together. I am still getting used to the platformer and all that it has to offer, so you must forgive me if I am not clear on certain things... so let's find out how to perfect enemy placement!

    Enemy Placement: Well it's kind of obvious, I will be talking about how and where to place enemies in the platformer. The main think you need to know is that every room is different. Every room needs different enemies, and each need to be placed in different areas to make each room at its fullest potential. The light enemies are best left for large or open areas, because you need them to dodge the attacks. Since they have lower health, they rely on dodging your attacks. If you place them in narrow corridors, they don't get to dodge and quickly die by your wrath. Medium and Heavy enemies often are great accompanied by light enemies in large/open areas. While the big guys are distracting you, the light enemies can come in quickly and do some damage while you are busy. But since heavy enemies are so strong, narrow corridors can be a good place, or a bad place, all depending on what your character has. To survive most encounters in narrow corridors, a ranged weapon is almost always needed to kill the heavy enemies before they get close enough to pound you. But in open terrain, you can easily avoid some heavy enemies and run away from them as they soon stand wondering what to do. Now another variable is the terrain, is it completely flat or a giant mountain? Since bats and probes fly, they can be used for steep terrain to keep up with your climbing. Ninjas might work on steep terrain, but it can be tricky for them to keep up with you. Since the heavy and medium enemies cannot move fast enough or keep up with you most of the time, keep them at gentle terrains, not too complex for they might just get stuck... Now more talk about the Heavies! These guys are the bosses of the platformers and are extraordinarily hard to beat. While some are easier like George, the other two will easily kill you. Terrain is key with the Heavies, because certain areas do effect the difficulty of the battle as well... But don't just read this and agree, try it out yourself and see great enemy combination you can get out of the terrain and areas!

    Numbers: Well another factor to consider is how many enemies to place. Depending on what enemy, how enclosed the area is, and how steep the terrain all effect on how many enemies to place. Let's start with the enemies. Light enemies don't go together very well, for they typically will avoid your attacks very well. So what I usually do is mix one or two light enemies with one or two medium enemies. These seems like a broad statement, and in reality it is extremely helpful. Once you get going past four enemies in a typical battle, things get hairy fast. I will talk about larger numbers than four in the theories section of bosses, so don't think I won't cover that. Thors, being strong, work well with two light enemies, or one medium one light. Now you are seeing this, experiment with the different combinations of one/two light and one/two medium. Heavies are difficult to combine with several other enemies, for they alone can kill you easily. Maybe a few light enemies, and possibly one or two medium could make a difficult scene. Just something you want to make sure of is give the player decent equipment. Facing a heavy without good armor can easily cripple you... There are several combinations to come up with, but I will not take the time to explain each one of them. Use what I have taught you to further your study in enemy placement!

    Larger numbers are often just a waste of time. The only time large numbers are half way reasonable is if you have a rail gun, in which you will need plenty of ammo, in which makes the game rather repetitive. So if you don't have a rail gun and you do manage to kill all the enemies, you are most likely low on health. I myself do not recommend putting enemies so close together, but if you are you should take some pre-cautions. One, make sure you give the player decent equipment. Trying to face an armada of enemies won't help if all you have is a sword... your character is not like jackie chan or anything. Next up, don't make too many objects that make the game lag near the enemies. Trust me, ultra lag will happen if you do put a bunch of Beams and Wheels nearby...

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    5______________________Hook, Line, and Sinker______________________

    Well now that you understand your enemies, it is time to understand your character and what you can do. Same goes along with the enemies, each weapon and piece of equipment have their pros and cons in several variables. Not much else to say...

    Understanding Weapons: As you well know by now, there are four weapons. How the weapons are used will effect what happens to your audience. Despite the fact on how good the sword is, many main site people do not like games that only feature the sword, for it is too challenging. Because the sword can only attack one person at a time, if you only provide just this weapon it is ill advisable to put too many enemies in one area. Trust me, it is hard to kill several people if you can only attack one at a time. The Pulse Gun is very efficient in killing enemies, but can become inaccurate the more you jump and move around. This kind of weapon is not great for steeper terrain, because you cannot shoot upwards, nor downwards, but only straight. Next up in the Ray Gun. This weapon is the best in the game, for it is either a one hit k.o. or two hit k.o. Never give a player too much ammo, for going past ten shots can lead to an easy game and provides no challenge. This weapon can be used almost anywhere though, for it has an auto aim feature. Grenades are the hardest to use weapon because of how it is thrown. You cannot control how far you throw it or where you throw it or grenade cook. So while grenades will kill anything within its radius, it is hard to aim and manage to kill them with it. So I suggest you either use these for areas that are narrow, or condensed so you might actually have a chance to kill them. Also, the grenade is glitched and has unlimited ammo, so be wary of that when you put this weapon in the game.

    Understanding Equipment: There are three pieces of equipment that are currently in the platformer; the jetpack, the grapple, and the glove. Each is majorly different from the other, so each will be talked about separately. To start out with, the jetpack is used for transport or a getaway. Although this is extremely useful, this one piece of equipment can ruin a game by bypassing. (bypassing in next chapter) Next up is the grapple. Since you have to hold the shift key the energy can deplete faster than expected if you do not supply them enough. Grapples are used to swing around, whether for the fun of it or to jump across a sea of lava. Attacking is very difficult while grappling, for you are swinging around, using the control keys, and trying to find what weapon to use. The laser becomes completely inaccurate, grenades seemingly worthless, and infinite sword swings with displeasing results. So enemies placed along the way of grappling can quickly become a nuisance and the only enemy that can keep up with you airborne is the bat, which is hard to hit in the first place. So I do not recommend placing enemies in the way of grappling. The glove is rarely used, for controlling an object is awkward, for you move when you move the object. For example, you are moving an object left, you too will move left. Using the glove is tricky for that reason and requires some practice to get right. Because the glove does no damage, it is worthless in fights unless there is something you can put the enemy into. If you can drop an enemy into a lava put with the glove, it would save time and health rather than fighting it. Since gloves move objects, these are prime for puzzles and switches. Just an example, there may be a switch out of reach, but if you move this wheel and touch it, the door opens free! Maybe you should start thinking of puzzles with the glove.

    Understanding Your Character: Well you character is pretty awesome by the way Geoff programmed it, but there are flaws I wish to discuss with you that your audience may not like when playing your game. Number one, the most bothersome, is the delayed controls. If there are too many objects or too many enemies crowded together you may experience lag, but that does not just effect frame rate now. You controls will probably be delayed by half a second, which can mean the matter of life or death in some situations. Delayed controls is when you press something, and it does it later than expected, like half a second in our example. To be more exact most delays are between a quarter and a half of a second. A minuscule number but effects gameplay a lot. Another thing I would like to mention is jumping and moving. Even though Geoff tightened the controls, the movement still seems "soft" and not reactive enough. It takes a while to accelerate and decelerate compared to Mario, in which the controls are completely reactive. This makes moving and especially jumping from platform to platform a challenge without falling.

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
    • CommentTimeJun 2nd 2009 edited
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    6______________________Where there's a Will, There's a Way______________________

    Geoff is not perfect, and neither is this program. There are glitches that can allow people to move by areas that normally you could not. Other mistakes, though, are mainly made by yourself. I will explain both of these and how to prevent them and use them to your liking.

    Unwanted glitches and bypassing: Your game can quickly become ruined by one little area that can be skipped, so to make sure it doesn't, I will explain to you the ways to avoid this. Now glitching is random in most cases, and you must either experiment or become lucky to find one. Of course if you do not want the glitch, I suggest that you take the following actions. First, delete the area you were working on and start fresh, maybe it was the way you built it. If the problem consists then I suggest forgetting the idea and move on. Experiment with it on a blank map, if you want to perfect it. Now bypassing is your own mistake, when someone can avoid an area because you left it open or gave something too early. Signs of bypassing are quick beating times... or if you see it in testing. The easiest way to solve this is just to simply block of the area or move the problem. If you placed a key to early, move it. If you have an obstacle that can be used to jump over so and so puzzle, delete it. It's quite simple and can be caught if you test the game, which is highly recommended.

    Using them to your will: Now if you find bypassing or glitching, the better thing to do is to incorporate it into the game. The best way to do it is to understand how and why it works. First, keep doing the bypass/glitch until you know how you can do it somewhere else or use it better than currently. This is how puzzles are born, so never simply delete it unless you think it hasn't been used before. So now that you know how it works, use it! Find out where you think it will be best in your game, maybe right before or after a major action sequence. Whatever seems best, make sure to use it somewhere you see fit.

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    7________________________Creating the Game________________________

    So you've read most of my guide and your ready to fly off your seat to make a game. Hold on though, there are a few key things that I need to explain before you start, especially where to start. When you start on your epic game, you WILL feel bewildered on where to start or what to put around. Read this and then you might want to make your game, but the rest of the guide is still useful!

    Where to Start: The hardest part of making a game is starting it. There are endless possibilities, so you better have an idea on what your going to make. I never have made a game not thinking about it. So ask yourself these questions before you start on the game... First, what genre is it? Depending on the genre, it can effect on how you start it. Puzzle games usually start with a stumping puzzle while action usually starts with some epic... well... action. The next question your going to want to ask yourself is how big is it? Depending on how big the game is, you are either going to cram as much as possible or spread it out over a nice piece of terrain. I honestly go for long spread out games because I enjoy taking the time to beat the game, but that is just my opinion. Moving on to question number three, who am I going to please? Depending on if you want people on the main site to aww, or people on the forum to notice you is all up to your choice. Although pleasing the forums is usually more rewarding in most cases, but not view wise. The final question you should ask before starting is will you follow through with the game? Most games I make lie waiting to be finished, so I have to dedicate myself to finish the ones I do. So if it is going to be epic, you better dedicate yourself into making it the way you want it to be.

    Transmitting Knowledge: Now when you are making the game, you are going to run into difficulties. There are a couple of solutions and I will represent the best ones. The easiest one and probably the quickest is to use what you already know and solve it yourself. Heck, you can use this guide for backup if you have difficulties. I bet you can find at least one answer to your question here. If you dig deep enough into your brain, you will find the answer. How do you think the greatest game makers get answers? They ask themselves of course and find it inside of them all along. Of course there is another option that I have referred to and that is to ask someone for help! Don't feel puny or embarrassed, a lot of people have questions and just aren't sure about some things. I ask tookewl and he is glad to help out, so if you think you know somebody who has their wits, ask them for some help.

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    8__________________________Impact__________________________

    Well when people play your game, you want to give them something to remember. I call this the impact of the game. Now some variables are more effective onto doing this than others, so I will start with the strongest to the weakest. Remember, the more you use each of these wisely, the more they get stronger with eachother. So keep that in mind as I start the next paragraph.

    The most common, and harder impacts to accomplish is the epic scene. Epic scenes are created when something new, big, and interesting happen in a game. This could mean a new boss or maybe some enemies put together made into an epic fight. To do this, you must use current knowledge of enemy placement, use of terrain and the environment to create something that people enjoy. Most of the time only people on the main site take these impacts seriously, but this is the only drawback to this impact.

    Another one used is the story plot. Of course you don't create a story over night, these things take time thinking and planning and pounding your head on the keyboard. I suggest you grab something to eat and drink and have fun with this, rather than spending hours groaning on a name to decide for your character. Each story plot must be original in order for it to be an effective impact, so take time planning things rather than a simple paragraph.

    The last one I will mention has to be the title of the game. While it is usually not important, it can alter what people think of it if it is too horrible. I will soon be explaining more about the title of the game next, so read on!

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    9_________________________Naming Your Game_________________________

    Well you may have just finished your game, but you are stumped with what to name it. Well luckily this guide will cover that too. There aren't variables effecting on what you name it, just on what people think of the name. So I suggest you read this or have people shrug off your game because of one little name.

    Well how do you name your game? Well what I always do is the name must portray the game. A game called "The Fiery Doom" featuring the first ever game using just ice usually won't cut it. So write that down, it should show the game in one or two words. I would also avoid long titles, or boring ones also. An example of this is "the easiest game in the world" is a horrible name for a game right along with "super mega awesome freaks that will kill you if you move". So now you know to limit the title, make sure your title is of interest. How to make a title interesting you say? If you find your title, find synonyms for the word and see if those fit your title better. Don't forget that a longer word can affect some audiences. Don't forget that some of the most epic games have included one word such as "Duck". But this can go both ways, so you need to be careful naming your name short unless you believe it truly has such an epic proportion to amaze people.

    Now I will explain how some titles effect your audience. This is included as an impact, so better find a good name! The first thing people look for is if they like it or not. The best way to see if people like it or not is to tell someone else the name of the title. If they immediately think it boring, I suggest a new title. If they think it could be better, than edit it onto something better. It is hard to explain much else on how people like it, but the main thing is that you like it.

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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    10_____________________Platformer Theories_____________________

    I only have one thing to say for the introduction, I am still coming up with theories as you read this!


    Theories: I have tested these theories myself and they work over half the time. They may not work for you or you may not like it, but it is worth trying out.

    ---1)The Room Theory: This is a way of building your game in a different perspective. In most cases, you build a game from beginning to end, usually improvising along the way. With this technique, you build each area seperate, and connect them like a puzzle. You can re-arrange them in several ways to alter gameplay, which is very effective if you test it out. Give it a try, build each are seperate and connect it when you finish.

    ---2) Length Time: This is a short name for this theory... this is the theory of boredom between action/puzzle scenes. It is recommended that you give an enemy every thirty seconds to keep a person interested in a game. Once you start stretching beyond that, things can go boring... even if there is an epic seen worth waiting for, they don't know it. Unless of course you are providing an adventure game.

    ---3) Terrain: The terrain effects everything you do. Steeper terrains offer distinct advantages and disadvantages from flat or sloped terrain. Remember, I am not talking about obstacles in the floating in air, just the basic layout of the ground.

    ---4) Bosses: A rather interesting thing to experiment with... a boss on a platformer is considered something that is challenging, action, and a rather epic scene of fighting. If you get those three well mixed you have just formed a boss. Now forming a boss is no easy manner, for there are several combinations of obstacles, tile placement, enemy placement, and so on so forth to get the true nature of a boss. What a boss is NOT is a large group of enemies. That is not original, and not very epic in most cases. What makes it epic is how it is played out, perhaps adding twenty wheels into the scene along with narrow beamed corridors... mixing together obstacles and combing them with difficult enemies will grant you your scene of a boss.


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      CommentAuthor7grant2
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    11________________________Bosses________________________

    I've noticed that bosses are very popular among platformers now and decided to create a theory section just on them! Of course bosses are tricky to make if you are new to it. Of course the first step is to find out what kind of boss you are building...

    Types of Bosses: Most bosses focus on one thing, whether it is an enemy or an object you need to find what you are focusing on in you boss. I'll list you the ones that are commonly used.

    ---Surroundings---
    Enemy: Based off of an enemy or several enemies and for you to kill them. The basic boss; usually one arena.
    Agility: Based off of your ability to maneuver around. Can involve enemies but more importantly you are trying to avoid something that is coming at you.
    Staged: Based off of your ability to keep fighting over a long period of time. These are usually fought over a large area that requires you to move throughout it to defeat the boss.
    ---Player---
    Weapon: Based off of a weapon you must use to defeat the boss. Can focus on several weapons...
    Equipment: Based off of a piece of equipment required to defeat the boss.

    Can be a combination of any of these as well! Once you know what type of boss you want to construct lets move on to the angle of attack.

    Angle of Attack: Well a boss can be fought in various ways and styles, all depending on where the boss is being fought. I will start off with a single arena style, and carry of from there.

    Lets say this is your arena, a simple figure for now...
    |||||||||||
    |||||||||||
    |||||||||||
    |||||||||||
    You will be represented as a 0... the area in which the boss fights is represented in / or \ or __.

    One Sided Attacks:
    |||||||\ \ \ \
    |||||||\ \ \ \
    |||||||\ \ \ \
    |0|||||\ \ \ \
    This style shows the boss will be coming from one side of the arena towards you, simple enough.

    Dual Sided Attacks:
    / /||||||\ \
    / /||||||\ \
    / /||||||\ \
    / /||0|||\ \
    This style shows the boss will be attacking from both sides. Usually you will enter through a teleporter or through one of the open sides.
    Tri Attacks:
    / /______\ \
    / /______\ \
    / /||||||\ \
    / /||0|||\ \
    Basically, your are surrounded on all fronts except on one side (botton in this example). You can only enter through the one opening or teleporter.

    Surrounded Attacks:
    / /______\ \
    / /______\ \
    / /|||0|||\ \
    / /______\ \
    Your screwed, they come in at every angle, only accessible by teleporter.

    Now through staged bosses you will most likely be seeing one or two sided attacks throughout the entire thing, while you will see tri and surrounded attacks for single arena battles.
    __________________

    If you have any further questions, feel free to send me a PM. I also will accept anyone who wants me to teach them ON A SPECIFIC SUBJECT. For those who want a general idea on how to create a platformer try re-reading this platformer guide. Scenery is a popular subject people like tutoring on...


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  20.  Report Post
    Id say something but I dont make sploder games.

    They never get views, whats the point.
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      CommentAuthor7grant2
    • CommentTimeJun 2nd 2009
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    Posted By: HypeInDisguiseId say something but I dont make sploder games.

    They never get views, whats the point.
    Look Hypersonic, some people do enjoy to make games, and some do take it seriously. This thread is for the serious folks.
    •  
      CommentAuthorblimpy
    • CommentTimeJun 2nd 2009
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    I've been having a bit of trouble, too. Seems like no matter how good of a game I make, no one ever sees it.
    •  
      CommentAuthor7grant2
    • CommentTimeJun 2nd 2009
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    Posted By: blimpyI've been having a bit of trouble, too. Seems like no matter how good of a game I make, no one ever sees it.
    The second part of the guide will cover that.
  24.  Report Post
    Posted By: 7grant2
    Posted By: HypeInDisguiseId say something but I dont make sploder games.

    They never get views, whats the point.
    Look Hypersonic, some people do enjoy to make games, and some do take it seriously. This thread is for the serious folks.


    Ok. Also... Please stop calling me hypersonic. The whole point I made this new account is because I wanted a fresh start and a new name.
    •  
      CommentAuthor7grant2
    • CommentTimeJun 2nd 2009
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    Posted By: HypeInDisguise
    Posted By: 7grant2
    Posted By: HypeInDisguiseId say something but I dont make sploder games.

    They never get views, whats the point.
    Look Hypersonic, some people do enjoy to make games, and some do take it seriously. This thread is for the serious folks.


    Ok. Also... Please stop calling me hypersonic. The whole point I made this new account is because I wanted a fresh start and a new game.
    Sorry, HypeInDisguise still sounds like your creeping around as Hypersonic...
  26.  Report Post
    Posted By: 7grant2
    Posted By: HypeInDisguise
    Posted By: 7grant2
    Posted By: HypeInDisguiseId say something but I dont make sploder games.

    They never get views, whats the point.
    Look Hypersonic, some people do enjoy to make games, and some do take it seriously. This thread is for the serious folks.


    Ok. Also... Please stop calling me hypersonic. The whole point I made this new account is because I wanted a fresh start and a new game.
    Sorry, HypeInDisguise still sounds like your creeping around as Hypersonic...


    lol.
    •  
      CommentAuthor7grant2
    • CommentTimeJun 3rd 2009
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    ...why did somebody close and sink this?
    •  
      CommentAuthorbgscurtis
    • CommentTimeJun 3rd 2009
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    This sounds like it's going to be big... Looking forward to Part 2!
    •  
      CommentAuthorwhtever
    • CommentTimeJun 3rd 2009
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    Posted By: bgscurtisThis sounds like it's going to be big... Looking forward to Part 2!

    So am I.
    •  
      CommentAuthorcheepshot
    • CommentTimeJun 3rd 2009
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    Posted By: 7grant2...why did somebody close and sink this?


    i know, right?
  31.  Report Post
    This took me like 1 hour to read but it was helpful
    •  
      CommentAuthorff2
    • CommentTimeJun 4th 2009
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    you must be a slow reader
    •  
      CommentAuthorblimpy
    • CommentTimeJun 5th 2009
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    Great guide, didn't think it'd be this elaborate. Awesome job, grant =)
    •  
      CommentAuthor7grant2
    • CommentTimeJun 5th 2009
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    Posted By: blimpyGreat guide, didn't think it'd be this elaborate. Awesome job, grant =)
    It's not even finished too ;)
  35.  Report Post
    Posted By: 7grant2
    Posted By: blimpyGreat guide, didn't think it'd be this elaborate. Awesome job, grant =)
    It's not even finished too ;)
    Are you doing a part of mixing puzzle with action? or How long you should work on your game?

    lol
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      CommentAuthor7grant2
    • CommentTimeJun 6th 2009
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    I will explain what need to be explained. Mixing action and puzzle is pretty simple also, because most of the time action is in most puzzle games anyway. But I will explain the room theory... and you will see what that is when time comes.
  37.  Report Post
    Posted By: 7grant2I will explain what need to be explained. Mixing action and puzzle is pretty simple also, because most of the time action is in most puzzle games anyway. But I will explain the room theory... and you will see what that is when time comes.
    k.
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      CommentAuthorsplatter
    • CommentTimeJun 6th 2009
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    The Rail Gun Range doesn't aim at the nearest enemy. I was playing my game Losing in War once, a Thor was breathing on my face and the Rail Gun was aiming at some splode bat or Snarley.

    Also, The Laser is called a Pulse Gun.
    •  
      CommentAuthor7grant2
    • CommentTimeJun 6th 2009
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    Posted By: splatterThe Rail Gun Range doesn't aim at the nearest enemy. I was playing my game Losing in War once, a Thor was breathing on my face and the Rail Gun was aiming at some splode bat or Snarley.

    Also, The Laser is called a Pulse Gun.
    Thanks, I will soon edit the guide!
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      CommentAuthor7grant2
    • CommentTimeJun 6th 2009
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    The guide is finished! Remember, if there is anything and you have a question, I will try my best to put it in the guide.
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