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ICBM -- The Game Concept

by Ethan Groves · 02/13/2007 (9:09 am) · 6 comments

NYFTI GAMES is proud to present the concept for it's first game: ICBM "Island Cannon Blaster Mania"

img106.imageshack.us/img106/9816/icbmzc7.jpg
Game-play:
-3D clone of the classic game Scorch.
Players battle it out in a fast paced, turn based game of strategy, skill, and luck! The goal of the game is to use your cannon to blast the other players off the map! But wait; there is a new twist to a classic game! Do you aim your cannon at your opponents and start blasting at them right away? Or do you aim at the power-ups hanging in the air, hoping to give yourself more firepower in the next turn? ICBM features dozens of power-ups and upgrades to shoot at...

Weapons And *Upgrades:
-RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade)
-*Guided missile. (Upgrade to RPG: A maneuverable projectile.)
-*ICBM (Upgrade to Guided Missile: This is the most deadly weapon in the game!)
-Rifle (Very accurate and deadly.)
-*Sniper. (Upgrade to Rifle Shot: Small but extremely deadly.)
-Chain shot. (Spreads havoc and destruction where ever it goes.)
-*Skull and Bones (Upgrade to Chain shot: More deadly.)
-Double-shot (Fire two cannonballs in one shot.)
-*Quad-shot (Upgrade to Double-shot: Fire four cannonballs in one shot.)
-*Octa-Shot (Upgrade to Quad-Shot: Fire EIGHT cannon balls in one shot!)
-Wall-Shot (Builds a wall where ever it lands.)
-*Magic Wall (Upgrade to Wall-Shot: Builds a floating wall when you detonate it.)
-Tazer (If your shot comes within a certain distance of your opponent, it zaps him.)
-*Lightning Bolt (Upgrade to Tazer: Causes Lightning to strike where ever it lands.)
-Big ball (Makes your cannonball HUGE so that it's easier for you to hit you opponents.)
-Bouncy Ball (Explodes after bouncing a little ways.)
-Fireball (Fiery cannonball.)
-*Napalm (Upgrade to Fireball: Explodes and burns for a while where ever it lands.)
-*Lava Ball (Upgrade to napalm: More deadly.)

Cannon Power-ups:
-Health (Obvious...)
-Shield (Absorbs 75% of damage.)
-Cash (Use the cash you get to buy weapon power-ups for the next round.)
-Cash heap (Gives more money than "Cash.")
-Treasure Chest (Gives more money than "Cash Heap.")
-Invisibility (Makes your cannon invisible for one turn.)
-Immunity (Causes all opponents who hit you, to receive their own damage for one turn.)
-Drop Here (Hit this object to relocate your cannon.)
-Health Detector (Allows you to see your opponents health levels.)
-Multi-Shot (Shoot twice per turn. Hit another multi-shot to shoot 3 times per turn.)
-Knock Out (Sets all your opponent's aim and power to zero.)

ICBM will support:
-Single Player target practice.
-Multiple players playing on a single computer.
-LAN.
-Online multi player.

END GAME DESCRIPTION.




There is one phrase that I've heard repeated over and over in the game development community: "Start small and simple!" That's why my first game attempt is a basic "Scorch clone." Even now, I'm wondering if I've jumped in over my head. I began writing out a list of things needed to make this game halfway polished and the list is overwhelming! I can only imagine what bigger game projects demand. Don't get me wrong, this isn't the first time I've thought about this, but it is the first time I've actually attempted it. Reality brings perceptions into sharp focus...

Anyway, I'll take things a little at a time and hope for some help along the way. I'm actually rather excited about this project.


Here is my incomplete list of things needed.

Maps:
All maps are Islands!
I'm thinking about making 30-40 maps.
The maps should be fairly easy to make, once I get the models made.
And once I learn how to make them... :P

Models:
-Cannons - Various Colors
-Cannonballs - Missiles and all other projectiles.
-Trees
-Rocks
-Power-Ups and Upgrades

Particles:
-Cannons - Smoke
-Projectile trails
-Fire
-Explosions - Several different variations.
-Volcano - Smoke and Lava
-Dust

Scripting:
-Lots of scripting needed.
-Network
-GUI
-Physics
-Lot's of scripting

GUI:
-Splash Screen
-Start-up menu
-Options menu
-Any other menus

In-Game GUI:
-Power Indicator
-Compass
-Weapon selection

Music: (Don't know what to do about this category.)
-Menu Music
-In-game Music

Sound Effects:
-Explosions
-Burning Fire
-Thud
-Projectile whistling through the air.
-Cash register sound.
-Click-Chunk - Upgrade sound.
-GUI Button Click sound.
-Splash
-Bones clacking together
-Missile sound
-Health
-Rifle - Sniper
-Stretching sound - For Big Ball
-Electricity sound - For Tazer
-Lightning and Thunder
-Bouncing sound
-Ambient background sounds (e.g. Ocean waves)


If anyone is interested in this project, by all means, contact me. I won't refuse anyone's help. It may sound noobish of me to accept anyone onto my team, but it would be foolish of me not to.

Here are some screenshots of my progress so far.

img116.imageshack.us/img116/6587/cannon7dg2.jpgimg116.imageshack.us/img116/2079/cannon8qk7.jpgimg106.imageshack.us/img106/4048/cannon9ma2.jpgimg479.imageshack.us/img479/1546/screenshot00500003ui0.jpgimg159.imageshack.us/img159/4321/screenshot00500004ui1.jpgimg159.imageshack.us/img159/314/screenshot00500006qt7.jpgimg479.imageshack.us/img479/3148/screenshot00500007eq0.jpg
All comments, encouragements, criticisms, rude remarks, and offers to help are more than welcome.

~Ethan Groves

#1
02/13/2007 (9:42 am)
As seen from the last shot i guess u actually put the camera in the cannon itself but with this being true, u can see the hard edged borders of the polygons
so what u might be able to do is to is to either make a smooth round image but a little blur on the edged and put it in with GUI or u can add a face in the model itself straight crossing the barrel and give it a nice smooth circular edge texture
also as torque normally doesnt render objects 2 sided you wont be able to see it from the outside ;)
other than that, it looks pretty sweet :)
#2
02/13/2007 (10:02 am)
Inside of cannons looks like that sometimes ;)
#3
02/13/2007 (8:38 pm)
A 3D Scorch Earth using TGE... ambitious project, good luck ;)

#4
02/14/2007 (5:58 am)
If you havn't already done so, have a read through some of Joshua's previous plans, might be some useful bits of information you can apply to your project. Also have a look at the Shelled Postmortem

Good luck with the project :)
#5
02/14/2007 (7:56 am)
Dave has been inside many cannons, so he would know what the insides look like *wink*




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#6
02/14/2007 (9:16 am)
Awesome idea, I am a big fan of Scorch. Thats one sweet cannon too!