Pishtaco







Level 10 S.T.A.C.K.E.R. [FINISHED] [v1.1] « on: August 03, 2008, 11:20:11 AM »



Three years ago, in 1986, an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant scattered deadly radiation across Europe. 100000 people were hastily evacuated and a Zone of Alienation created around Chernobyl.



Soon stories began to leak out of the Zone - of mutated animals and men, of the earth and sky twisting into weird shapes, and of alien objects with wonderful powers that would drop out of thin air.



For these, people would pay well. So scavengers were drawn to the Zone. Men drifted there from across the USSR, to make a living gathering what they could from this lonely, hostile new world. These men became known as "Stackers".





Features



Loot, drink, smoke and fight your way through three levels of irradiated hell

Overcome dogs, soldiers, swamps and fanatics with rocket launchers

Discover the perverted secrets of Soviet science

Struggle with outdated 80s equipment

Have your wishes granted in the mysterious heart of the Zone



Download



Version 1.1:

from Google docs

from box.net



Version 1.1 for older graphics cards (mostly looks about the same):

from Google docs

from box.net





Instructions



Control objects with the cursor keys. UP, Z and X rotate objects. The SPACE and ENTER keys flip your inventory upside-down. P pauses the game and ESC quits it immediately. F4 switches between windowed and full-screen mode.



If you are having performance problems, try closing all other programs while running S.T.A.C.K.E.R.





Screenshots













Changes for version 1.1



Rebalanced all levels.

Tweaked sounds and some effects in level 3.

Did a version that will hopefully work better with some graphics cards.

Added one more page of instructions.

Small changes to sprites and text.



Original competition version, 1.0

Three years ago, in 1986, an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant scattered deadly radiation across Europe. 100000 people were hastily evacuated and a Zone of Alienation created around Chernobyl.Soon stories began to leak out of the Zone - of mutated animals and men, of the earth and sky twisting into weird shapes, and of alien objects with wonderful powers that would drop out of thin air.For these, people would pay well. So scavengers were drawn to the Zone. Men drifted there from across the USSR, to make a living gathering what they could from this lonely, hostile new world. These men became known as "Stackers".Version 1.1:Version 1.1 for older graphics cards (mostly looks about the same):Control objects with the cursor keys. UP, Z and X rotate objects. The SPACE and ENTER keys flip your inventory upside-down. P pauses the game and ESC quits it immediately. F4 switches between windowed and full-screen mode.If you are having performance problems, try closing all other programs while running S.T.A.C.K.E.R.Rebalanced all levels.Tweaked sounds and some effects in level 3.Did a version that will hopefully work better with some graphics cards.Added one more page of instructions.Small changes to sprites and text. « Last Edit: January 29, 2011, 10:08:49 AM by Pishtaco » Logged Theatrum Orbis Terrarum | S.T.A.C.K.E.R. | The Clatter of the Keys | Venus Patrol | Doodal

Pacian

Level 4









Text HeavyLevel 4 Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #1 on: August 03, 2008, 11:24:52 AM » A concept almost as awesome as your avatar. Logged (\ /)

(O.o) - Achtung, baby!

(> <)

Chris Whitman

Level 10







A master of karate and friendship for everyone.





Sepia TonedLevel 10A master of karate and friendship for everyone. Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #2 on: August 03, 2008, 11:30:13 AM » This is a fucking great idea and I wish I'd thought of it. Logged Formerly "I Like Cake."

Pishtaco







Level 10 Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #3 on: August 03, 2008, 11:41:05 AM » . This thread is basically about me learning to program. We'll see how far the game gets. So far I've got the mockup above, a version of Tetris which kind or works, and some ideas. The main thing is that for some objects, you get good or bad effects from having them in your inventory. For some other objects, you get effects when you consume them. You consume/sell things in the normal Tetris way, but they can also be damaged or destroyed by enemy attacks. Thanks. This thread is basically about me learning to program. We'll see how far the game gets. So far I've got the mockup above, a version of Tetris which kind or works, and some ideas. The main thing is that for some objects, you get good or bad effects from having them in your inventory. For some other objects, you get effects when you consume them. You consume/sell things in the normal Tetris way, but they can also be damaged or destroyed by enemy attacks. Logged Theatrum Orbis Terrarum | S.T.A.C.K.E.R. | The Clatter of the Keys | Venus Patrol | Doodal

OrR







Level 0 Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #4 on: August 03, 2008, 12:20:13 PM » That might just be one of the best puzzle games ever. That might just be one of the best puzzle games ever. Logged

moi







DILF SANTA





Level 10DILF SANTA Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #5 on: August 03, 2008, 12:22:42 PM » omg awesome Logged subsystems subsystems subsystems

BeamSplashX









Level 0 Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #6 on: August 03, 2008, 01:53:42 PM » Hopefully RU is short for Russian points. Logged

moi







DILF SANTA





Level 10DILF SANTA Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #7 on: August 03, 2008, 02:21:18 PM » I think it's for irradiation level Logged subsystems subsystems subsystems

BeamSplashX









Level 0 Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #9 on: August 03, 2008, 04:27:05 PM » I know, but it should stand for Russian Points in this game. Software pirates can make false assumptions, so why can't we? Logged

Pishtaco







Level 10 Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #12 on: August 07, 2008, 08:47:37 AM »





The tetris part is working reliably now, and it's reading in new pieces from a file nicely. Current plans:



-Lay out the structure of the main game loop properly

-Fix the timing of the controls

-Understand how gamemaker draws things on the screen, and display the score and readouts

-Try to mock up level 1 with placeholder art and no attacks. See if the game mechanics actually make any sense.

Progress so far:The tetris part is working reliably now, and it's reading in new pieces from a file nicely. Current plans:-Lay out the structure of the main game loop properly-Fix the timing of the controls-Understand how gamemaker draws things on the screen, and display the score and readouts-Try to mock up level 1 with placeholder art and no attacks. See if the game mechanics actually make any sense. Logged Theatrum Orbis Terrarum | S.T.A.C.K.E.R. | The Clatter of the Keys | Venus Patrol | Doodal

Pishtaco







Level 10 Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #13 on: August 09, 2008, 04:54:13 PM »



The interface needs work. The description of the game pieces, on the right, tells you what you get for each block of the piece that you use when completing a line, Tetris style. It also tells you what the piece gives you every turn, just from sitting in your inventory. So having the guitar is good for your psy score and having the mutant dog is bad for your life. (At the moment there's no penalty in the game for low life or psy). Okay, now I should get some sleep.



Here's a prototype: The interface needs work. The description of the game pieces, on the right, tells you what you get for each block of the piece that you use when completing a line, Tetris style. It also tells you what the piece gives you every turn, just from sitting in your inventory. So having the guitar is good for your psy score and having the mutant dog is bad for your life. (At the moment there's no penalty in the game for low life or psy). Okay, now I should get some sleep. Logged Theatrum Orbis Terrarum | S.T.A.C.K.E.R. | The Clatter of the Keys | Venus Patrol | Doodal

William Broom







formerly chutup





Level 10formerly chutup Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #14 on: August 09, 2008, 11:47:19 PM » That was extremely awesome. I especially loved the mutant dogs attacking. Will be great when you have a proper sprite for them. The radioactivity effect was really cool as well. Logged my website

Pishtaco







Level 10 Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. « Reply #15 on: August 10, 2008, 02:10:21 AM » Thanks very much for trying it. Any suggestions on what weapons should do? At the moment the game keeps track of your best gun and best armour. The armour limits the damage you take, but the gun doesn't do anything. The easiest thing would be just to add the firepower score to the armour score.



Another idea I had is that there is a time limit on the game (maybe you start knowing there will be a big blowout in three days). A certain amount of time passes in the game-world for each line you complete, and if you have a worse weapon you run out of time more quickly. But I can imagine this is something the player will have trouble keeping track of, and it would be very frustrating to be locked out of finishing the game if you lose your weapon, which could happen easily.



Otherwise, things to do:



-Fix an issue with the scoring

-Implement level structure. In theory there will be four levels, but I will concentrate on the first one for now. It will be divided into areas, each one a bit faster and with a different mix of pieces, and you advance to the next area by completing, say, 20 lines.

-Design pieces and distribute them through the first level. The player will be happy or unhappy to see them based both on their effects and on their shape. I guess getting this set up right will mostly be trial and error.

-Sprites

-Do some psy effects

-Death, and a front end with high scores etc.

-Art and words for the front end, and improving the interface

-Music. For level 1, I think it should be something that Stackers could play on guitars while huddled around a campfire. But it must have some movement to it or the player will be put off. I'm thinking something like



, which is actually one of the campfire tunes in Stalker.



Logged Theatrum Orbis Terrarum | S.T.A.C.K.E.R. | The Clatter of the Keys | Venus Patrol | Doodal

Pishtaco







Level 10 Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. -- update 18/8/08 « Reply #17 on: August 18, 2008, 02:47:01 PM » I just put an updated screenshot and demo in the first post. If you think you're getting attacked a lot, make sure you have a good weapon in your inventory. This has the effect now that it lowers the number of attacks. You can press space to flip your inventory upside down so that useful stuff can be kept safe at the bottom.



All the game mechanics are now basically in.

Things to do:

-Redo the look of the interface completely, so that the player can actually read some useful information off it. Simplify the scoring, to something like 100 roubles for artefacts and 10 for everything else. Draw attention to the score somehow. Show the next piece to come, or maybe the next couple.

-Set up the front end. Introductory screens, game over screen, high score table etc.

-Make some rocks and trees and whatnot to round out the level a bit

-Make the psy effects less crappy

-Add a few more mechanics to make the artefacts more interesting

-Do some kind of balancing

-Settle on a palette and reasonable art for the interface screens and overworld map :-)

-Polish sprite graphics and animate sprites that need it

-Put in more levels



I need some music; is there anyone out there who would can contribute some, for a credit? I'm interested in anything melancholy.



I could also do with any thoughts on psy effects. The idea is that if your psychological equilibrium is disturbed too much, you see weird things. In particular, you see fake hardware problems on the machine, and are distracted, annoyed, and maybe entertained by them. At the moment I've got some static effects and screen drifting, some lame screen jittering, and loss of a colour. My target machine is an 80s Soviet knock-off of an 8-bit system, more or less a NES. But I don't know a lot about how these behave, since I've never had one - I spent the 80s in the company of a commodore PET and an Amstrad PCW.



(edited to be less fussy about music) « Last Edit: August 19, 2008, 01:35:17 AM by Pishtaco » Logged Theatrum Orbis Terrarum | S.T.A.C.K.E.R. | The Clatter of the Keys | Venus Patrol | Doodal

Stargoat







Goat of the Stars





Level 2Goat of the Stars Re: S.T.A.C.K.E.R. -- update 18/8/08 « Reply #18 on: August 21, 2008, 05:32:31 PM » The Psi effects wern't really integral to the gameplay in STALKER.



What you should include, though, are anomalies... They would cause damage over time, but increase the number of artifacts that are generated (you could use the model of having weapons decreases enemy generation). This would create an extra strategic layer; The player could gain more points at the risk of dieing. « Last Edit: August 21, 2008, 05:38:05 PM by SlayerXL » Logged