Apocalypse Cow
by Jay Barnson · 03/19/2006 (12:43 am) · 14 comments
More bits from the game about flying cows. Tentative title: "Cutter Hawke In Apocalypse Cow." The graphics are all stand-in right now, but I think the screenshot conveys some of the action.
As you can see, it's kind of a 2D game with 3D graphics. I'm not going to say that it's wildly innovative, but so far it's very fun and funny. And it's got flying, exploding cows. What is NOT to like about that?
I'm using the Torque engine, version 1.4 plus the Torque Lighting Kit, which has it's own strengths and weaknesses. Since it's an arcade-style game, extremely responsive movement, collision detection, and camera movement in a single-player game is critical, and I've had to do some tricky work-arounds to make Torque responsive enough. On the plus side, much of the game logic can all be handled within TorqueScript, and of course Torque provides great support for 3D terrain, objects, animation, and particle systems.
Most of the interactive objects in the game (except for the weaponry) were created with a subclass of ITEM, of all things. I chose Item because it was a fairly lightweight object. The camera-code is all custom, client-based stuff.
The game still has quite a ways to go, but it's been coming along pretty nicely.
As you can see, it's kind of a 2D game with 3D graphics. I'm not going to say that it's wildly innovative, but so far it's very fun and funny. And it's got flying, exploding cows. What is NOT to like about that?
I'm using the Torque engine, version 1.4 plus the Torque Lighting Kit, which has it's own strengths and weaknesses. Since it's an arcade-style game, extremely responsive movement, collision detection, and camera movement in a single-player game is critical, and I've had to do some tricky work-arounds to make Torque responsive enough. On the plus side, much of the game logic can all be handled within TorqueScript, and of course Torque provides great support for 3D terrain, objects, animation, and particle systems.
Most of the interactive objects in the game (except for the weaponry) were created with a subclass of ITEM, of all things. I chose Item because it was a fairly lightweight object. The camera-code is all custom, client-based stuff.
The game still has quite a ways to go, but it's been coming along pretty nicely.
About the author
Jay has been a mainstream and indie game developer for a... uh, long time. His professional start came in 1994 developing titles for the then-unknown and upcoming Sony Playstation. He runs Rampant Games and blogs at Tales of the Rampant Coyote.
#3
03/19/2006 (5:07 am)
Yeah, Apocolypse Cow . . . If you can secure the rights for the name.
#5
03/19/2006 (6:17 am)
Cowpocalypse Now! 
#6
03/19/2006 (6:57 am)
Quote:The graphics are all stand-in right now, but I think the screenshot conveys some of the action.Well I would hope the McDonalds makes it to the final version.
#7
Great job Jay.
This is exactly what I love about indi games and the community. If making a game about exploding cows strikes your fancy, then you can make a game about expolding cows.
03/19/2006 (8:42 am)
Ha ha ha SWEET!Great job Jay.
This is exactly what I love about indi games and the community. If making a game about exploding cows strikes your fancy, then you can make a game about expolding cows.
#8
03/19/2006 (10:13 am)
what happens after the cow explodes? do dozens of little flamebroiled hamburgers fall to the ground?
#9
03/19/2006 (11:13 am)
Haha! Awesome!
#10
As to Apocalypse Cow - I liked the name, but it's been used in numerous jokes, parodies, and websites (after I did a bit of hunting). So in order to keep the name at all, I figured I had to re-brand it. Besides, Cutter Hawke should be an interesting character. And could appear in future games --- like the one about rampaging squirrels!
03/19/2006 (12:32 pm)
Well, it's actually "Old MacDonald's" Restaurant.As to Apocalypse Cow - I liked the name, but it's been used in numerous jokes, parodies, and websites (after I did a bit of hunting). So in order to keep the name at all, I figured I had to re-brand it. Besides, Cutter Hawke should be an interesting character. And could appear in future games --- like the one about rampaging squirrels!
#11
Any suggestions?
03/19/2006 (12:38 pm)
Not sure on the special effects on the explosion. The hamburgers would be amusing, but they also have to be clearly visible. I do have a special effect where the cow splats against the screen like a bird hitting a window, and then slides down. It looks very funny, but it obscures the screen and inhibits gameplay, so I probably won't keep it. It's too bad - it was a fun visual effect:Any suggestions?
#12
Well, it's good you posted a .plan so I can answer your mail (from a few week back). All the mail I sent got rejected by your spam protector. The answer is "nope sorry I don't have any spare time left" anyway ;)
Keep the great work!
03/19/2006 (1:47 pm)
Hehe sounds pretty fun. The cows hitting the screen remind me of some old SNES beat'em all. :)Well, it's good you posted a .plan so I can answer your mail (from a few week back). All the mail I sent got rejected by your spam protector. The answer is "nope sorry I don't have any spare time left" anyway ;)
Keep the great work!
#13
03/19/2006 (3:00 pm)
No problem, Ben. Thanks!
#14
03/20/2006 (2:22 am)
LOL!!! Cool!!! :-)
Torque Owner Geom
If I were you I'd consider going with just "Apocalypse Cow" for the name of the game.