Homebrew Moth

[Bobbyloujo]

I posted this in the "You think you can do better?" contest thread but I wanted some opinions on it. Rather than derailing that thread, I made a new one. [Link to the previous post]

So, in the game you play as a moth. You can speed up by flapping your wings (A) and steer (L/R or Left/Right on the D-Pad). There is a light at the top of the screen. The moth will be attracted to the light. Flapping your wings while moving in the direction of the light will increase the score. Be careful though, touch the light and you'll die. You will be attacked by predators. Currently there is only a frog and a bat. The frog will enter from the top of the screen. Pass to close in front of the frog and you may get eaten. The bat will enter from whatever side of the screen you are closest to. If the bat catches you, you'll get eaten.

Link to the game on FileTrip

This is the first time I've posted a homebrew on GBAtemp so I'm curious how it will be received. So, tell me what you think! Is it too hard? Too easy? Fun or boring?

 

[Rydian]

Surprisingly-nice. Stylistic and musical.

The collision box for the bat seems way too large, I get hit by it well before the sprite makes visual contact.

It seems a little annoying needing to backtrack repeatedly.

 

[Bobbyloujo]

Surprisingly-nice. Stylistic and musical.

Thanks The graphics are all by me while the music is a cover of Moth by Audioslave done by vkgoeswild on Youtube.

The collision box for the bat seems way too large, I get hit by it well before the sprite makes visual contact.

Yeah, sorry about that. I used DS Game Maker to make this and the collision detection uses the entire sprite. The bat is a 64x64 sprite so the box is 64x64. I could either make my own collision detection by comparing the x and y coordinates of the bat and the moth or I could check the distance between the bat and the moth upon collision. Maybe I'll update it.

It seems a little annoying needing to backtrack repeatedly.

Could you explain this a little more? You mean going back to the start screen after dying?

 

[Rydian]

I mean needing to move down in order to move up more.

 

[Bobbyloujo]

I mean needing to move down in order to move up more.

Oh... uhm. I'm not really sure what I could do about that. I could try to give you something to do while moving down. Maybe add a new enemy that only attacks when moving down? Maybe some kind of obstacle followed by a reward?

 

[Rydian]

*shrug* Make the screen scroll up a bit faster so the player isn't required to move back down?

 

[assassinz]

I didn't like that if you move down to the bottom of the screen, the game is over. And when the credits roll you can't press a button to skip it and go back to the start screen.

 

[Bobbyloujo]

*shrug* Make the screen scroll up a bit faster so the player isn't required to move back down?

If I understand correct then you want the y position of the moth to stay the same, something like this game? http://www.java-gaming.com/game/12040/Galactic_Battle_RLW/
The only problem with that is that the player wouldn't be able to reach the light, which is the fundamental idea of the game. The player is being drawn towards what will ultimately get them killed.

I didn't like that if you move down to the bottom of the screen, the game is over. And when the credits roll you can't press a button to skip it and go back to the start screen.

Skip the credits by tapping the screen. The credits scene was kind of an easter egg. It was the only way to really "win" the game: to not go towards the light at all. The roses and the sunrise were supposed to represent life and good things and what not.

 

[Rydian]

If I understand correct then you want the y position of the moth to stay the same, something like this game? http://www.java-gaming.com/game/12040/Galactic_Battle_RLW/
The only problem with that is that the player wouldn't be able to reach the light, which is the fundamental idea of the game. The player is being drawn towards what will ultimately get them killed.

I mean how you need to go back in order to move forward. Like it doesn't autoscroll the level for you with you having to vary your speed and position to keep up while avoiding things.

 

[Bobbyloujo]

I mean how you need to go back in order to move forward. Like it doesn't autoscroll the level for you with you having to vary your speed and position to keep up while avoiding things.

Oh! Now I think I get it! Honestly stared at this for like 10 minutes and was just like "what the heck is he even saying". So, the level should continually scroll and the player must keep moving forward to keep up. If the player stops moving, he'll drift towards the bottom of the screen. Is that was you mean?

 

[Rydian]

Oh! Now I think I get it! Honestly stared at this for like 10 minutes and was just like "what the heck is he even saying". So, the level should continually scroll and the player must keep moving forward to keep up. If the player stops moving, he'll drift towards the bottom of the screen. Is that was you mean?

Yeah. Then the player focuses mainly on heading towards the light and avoiding the enemies, instead of going back and forth in the same area like an expecting father pacing back and forth outside the waiting room at a hospital, 'ya know?

 

[Bobbyloujo]

Yeah. Then the player focuses mainly on heading towards the light and avoiding the enemies, instead of going back and forth in the same area like an expecting father pacing back and forth outside the waiting room at a hospital, 'ya know?

Haha yeah now I get it. I'll see what I can do. Implementing that may be kind of difficult :/

EDIT: woo made the front page :]

 

[jayparadox]

It looks awesome, keep it up!

 

[MegaBassBX]

Respect Thats all I can say when I see a game with good graphics.

 

[Bobbyloujo]

Thanks guys the compliments mean a lot.

 

[Cyan]

I like the title menu graphics/FX.

I find the game too short:
- press A 10 times, and you reach the light.
- go down a little and you see the credit.

Bugs ?
If you scroll up, and fly back to the leave few times, you end up on the top screen and you can't go down to the bottom screen anymore.
After the credit starts, I got a freeze and the bottom screen is on white screen, top screen on black screen. I can't press button or touch the screen to go back to title screen.

improvement ideas?
currently it's very short.
Maybe you could make bigger levels, where you have to fly from leaves to leaves, tree to tree, etc. until you reach the light. Maybe even a side scrolling game.
Maybe you can stop on leave/tree, and make an exhausted bar? (if you are tired because you didn't stop on a leave, you fall and die). that's only ideas for a different gameplay with your game as base.


Can you make the blurriness effect while playing too? (the same as in the end screen, the butterfly is blurry and animation looks nice).