Art Forum Game [Discussion]

[BlackmarketKraig]

Greetings. We are going to be making a collaborative game for all Newgrounds Art Forum artists to participate in.

The game is going to be a scrolling shooter themed around imaginative dreaming. All possibilities may be explored (within reason) through this theme.

The project is still in the planning stages, but we are looking for an actionscripter.

This thread is for an open discussion about the Art Forum game collaborative project. Please stay on topic.

[MindChamber]

it could be a really fun game

artists submitting should be free to put in as much or as little as they want,
want to just do a minion? cool, a couple of minions? a sub-boss, boss, player character and backgrounds? even cooler.

Or you could wait till certain art is approved and add to that specific artist's style. anything should go,
definitely need a programmer first to hammer out the mechanics and details, then let the artists loose on those mechanics , and be creative as possible within those limitations.

[idiot-monarch]

Imo, Knocturne is over complicating this with the whole stages of sleep stuff.

I say we leave it at someone just dreaming. No waking up, just dreams (levels) that come one after another.

Also, why does everyone on the Art Forum like to procrastinate everything so much? Could someone (*chough*BMK*chough*) just create a template and some guidelines so we could get to work?

[MindChamber]

At 10/19/09 03:12 PM, idiot-monarch wrote:

Also, why does everyone on the Art Forum like to procrastinate everything so much? Could someone (*chough*BMK*chough*) just create a template and some guidelines so we could get to work?

I think everyone should be able to start drawing ideas now without a template just getting a feel on their aesthetics,

but if there are any plans to make the game play orginal or more complex, a template wouldn't be made for a while.

[big-jonny-13]

Going back to what Knocturne has said, it's true how people have multiple dreams in one sleep. At the end of each level after the boss is defeated, we could have a short cut scene where the dream transitions into a new dream.

[Homocidicle]

Wow I want to participate in this.

[Knocturne]

Those were ideas for levels,It may seem complicated but it's simple.

The idea of sleeping is that peoplle go from 1to4
One is like a beginning stage, four is the most intense and final stage. It's just a suggestion, I think it'd make the game more fun to look at.

I mean, it is just an idea, it'd help with coneptualizing the stages and give them a central theme instead of sheer randomness, which for me is what I like in games.

[BlackmarketKraig]

At 10/19/09 03:12 PM, idiot-monarch wrote:
Also, why does everyone on the Art Forum like to procrastinate everything so much? Could someone (*chough*BMK*chough*) just create a template and some guidelines so we could get to work?

Lol, well there are still some things I'd like to have settled before we get to actual creation of the game artwork, namely an ASer so we know what's possible and what isn't, but I'd love to see some level ideas and enemy designs and ship/player ideas and all that.

I'm pleased as punch that people are raring to go with this idea, but I do want things to go right.

[big-jonny-13]

At 10/19/09 04:31 PM, Knocturne wrote: The idea of sleeping is that peoplle go from 1to4
One is like a beginning stage, four is the most intense and final stage. It's just a suggestion, I think it'd make the game more fun to look at.

Well, we should probably make more than 4 levels, but I could see something coming from that. The first couple of levels could seem happy and fun, but as the game progresses it gets more dark and sinister, and the final level could be a nightmarish hell in which you would undoubtedly need to defeat the boss in order to wake up from the nightmare.

[zooominsh]

It is gone be like one big collab right ?
Like some artists are making backgrounds, some people character and enemies, right ?
It could be Awesome.

[Knocturne]

At 10/19/09 04:43 PM, big-jonny-13 wrote:

Well, we should probably make more than 4 levels, but I could see something coming from that. The first couple of levels could seem happy and fun, but as the game progresses it gets more dark and sinister, and the final level could be a nightmarish hell in which you would undoubtedly need to defeat the boss in order to wake up from the nightmare.

Yeah, well, it's four levels but there are different types of dreams each level, there's micro sleep in stage one for instance, wet dreams in 3, night terrors in 2 and nightmares in four. There could potentially be around eight or nine stages in that formula.

And like you said it's start off pleasant and then get off and become creepy and nightmare-ish

ANYWAY, 'm gonna work on some creatures, a few boss designs, a potential level design and some character designs this week, I guess I'll post em sporadically throughout the week, I'm super enthusiastic to participate in this huge project, and I think I found a person who'd like to make the music for the game, but I don't know if he does sound effects.

Though everything is up to BMK.

[havegum]

Based on how long it took to create the Street Fighters Collab, this is probably gonna take forever :P

Still i wish i was good enough of an artist to participate D: I kinda sux xD

[Kurofelis]

At 10/19/09 04:50 PM, Knocturne wrote:
Yeah, well, it's four levels but there are different types of dreams each level, there's micro sleep in stage one for instance, wet dreams in 3, night terrors in 2 and nightmares in four. There could potentially be around eight or nine stages in that formula.

That sounds good.

Except, you know, like how you get some dreams that are just like actual life, and then those ones that are constructed of absolute fantasy and have no bearing on memory or life procedure?

I think that could be incorporated, if it's a good idea. Start like something normal, boring dreaming, then gradually become more dreamlike and fantastic.

Of course, I wouldn't have the boring dream be a stage. Just the into to the first level or something.

[M-Vero]

At 10/19/09 05:14 PM, havegum wrote: Based on how long it took to create the Street Fighters Collab, this is probably gonna take forever :P

Still i wish i was good enough of an artist to participate D: I kinda sux xD

Better late than never

[havegum]

At 10/19/09 05:17 PM, M-Vero wrote:

Better late than never

woah! Sorry for being so negative guys :'( its just that i feel like im not worthy to create a part in this monster project..

By the way, what music/tracks/loops will you be using?

[ashman112]

ng fanatics sometimes dream about ng characters, could that be incorporated in the first few levels, tankman tutor in the training or something

[de-cider]

What about dividing the artists into teams? Each team having a team leader and being overall responsible for the end result and the micromanagement therein. Would take some of the organisational burden off of the main organisers.

[Endless-Psychoticism]

At 10/19/09 05:36 PM, de-cider wrote: What about dividing the artists into teams? Each team having a team leader and being overall responsible for the end result and the micromanagement therein. Would take some of the organisational burden off of the main organisers.

I believe that idea was first posted in the other thread. Dunno if we established that or not.
But since we somewhat established a plot, will this shooter be a mix of top-down and side-view shooters? It would greatly give some variety in it.
Also, is it strictly spaceship controlling or are there some "on-foot" levels as well?

[BlackmarketKraig]

At 10/19/09 05:36 PM, de-cider wrote: What about dividing the artists into teams? Each team having a team leader and being overall responsible for the end result and the micromanagement therein. Would take some of the organisational burden off of the main organisers.

I think that's a great way to do this, that way similar artists can work on a single theme together and can divy up tasks or work together on certain larger aspects like level graphics and bosses.

--

I think it's important to pick the themes for the levels as soon as possible so that people can get brainstorming on the types of elements that they want for those levels, from music and sounds to the graphics and special effects.

Also; does anyone have ideas for level selection and game flow? I think it would be cool if, after unlocking each level by playing through the one before, the players can decide what level they want to play and have status for the levels that they've already cleared displayed (high scores, kill percentage, accuracy?).

[J-qb]

At 10/19/09 06:45 PM, BlackmarketKraig wrote: I think that's a great way to do this, that way similar artists can work on a single theme together and can divy up tasks or work together on certain larger aspects like level graphics and bosses.

I agree

Also; does anyone have ideas for level selection and game flow? I think it would be cool if, after unlocking each level by playing through the one before, the players can decide what level they want to play and have status for the levels that they've already cleared displayed (high scores, kill percentage, accuracy?).

I think thats a good Idea, Additionally I think it would be a cool idea to have unlockable levels/upgrades which you can unlock after completing a stage/chapter for x percent.

[big-jonny-13]

Well, if we wanna do unlockable upgrades, we could have a shop where you can buy said upgrades. A perfect example of this would be Toss The Turtle.

[de-cider]

At 10/19/09 07:08 PM, big-jonny-13 wrote: Well, if we wanna do unlockable upgrades, we could have a shop where you can buy said upgrades. A perfect example of this would be Toss The Turtle.

It would be great if the upgrades made a noticable effect on the ship. Like if you buy bigger engines they look moar awesomer on the ship.

By the way, is this going to be a ship type shooter or otherwise, like a character? Either one could be good, I think.

[AwesomeSaurus]

At 10/19/09 06:45 PM, BlackmarketKraig wrote:

At 10/19/09 05:36 PM, de-cider wrote: What about dividing the artists into teams?

Thats probably the best way to go about it for sure. I think there would be much more to each level if there are multiple people working on one specifically.

I think it's important to pick the themes for the levels as soon as possible so that people can get brainstorming on the types of elements that they want for those levels, from music and sounds to the graphics and special effects.

I agree, I think the teams will have to agree on one subject, so the overall level makes sense. I mean we can have all the level ideas sorted out, then the teams assigned to each one too, if thats easier.

Also; does anyone have ideas for level selection and game flow?

Well, if it is totally random, and you don't need to progress to the next level to complete the story, then what about a "main stage" where the a character can choose from multiple doorways or something? Almost like Mario 64 style (but 2D of course)

[big-jonny-13]

At 10/19/09 07:40 PM, AwesomeSaurus wrote: Well, if it is totally random, and you don't need to progress to the next level to complete the story, then what about a "main stage" where the a character can choose from multiple doorways or something? Almost like Mario 64 style (but 2D of course)

So we want an overword map where you can unlock other areas then? Well then, we would need to determine how levels are unlocked. Is it if you beat one level, it unlocks one or two others, so it creates a branching pattern? Do you need to achieve a certain score in one level to unlock another level? Do you need a certain total score to unlock a level? Would you need a certain amount of experience before unlocking a level?
I think either the level branching pattern or the total score idea would work best. For the total score idea, your total score would be your high score from each level added together.

[Endless-Psychoticism]

At 10/19/09 07:44 PM, big-jonny-13 wrote: So we want an overword map where you can unlock other areas then? Well then, we would need to determine how levels are unlocked. Is it if you beat one level, it unlocks one or two others, so it creates a branching pattern? Do you need to achieve a certain score in one level to unlock another level? Do you need a certain total score to unlock a level? Would you need a certain amount of experience before unlocking a level?
I think either the level branching pattern or the total score idea would work best. For the total score idea, your total score would be your high score from each level added together.

WAIT, I HAS AN IDEA ABOUT LEVELS.
How about the levels in the main story line(unlocked by normal, level completion means), and also secret and extra levels?
Secret levels could be unlocked through finding hidden paths or destroying things to reveal wormholes that warp you to said levels.
Extra levels could be unlocked through doing something specific in certain levels(score at least a certain amount, destroy every enemy, don't even fire a shot in a level, etc.).
Also, upgrades are nice, considering it's a ship you're controlling.

[angryglacier]

Really I think having all members involved have a avatar represent them and have that avatar act through the story I mentioned each person gets a level and by beating each level you get the person's personalized ship for the level people can make more than level, and have there be teams based on their personal styles like I also mentioned.

artist level: one ship that the artists makes for their character each ship has different stats but you can purchase upgrades as well, these are like the side quests.

group level: ships not based on artists character, has multiple stats purchase upgrades, this is the main story type levels.

any thoughts.

[Lemmiwinks91]

I would definatly like to be a part of this collab. I can draw and design pretty good i guess, but im not my own judge. We dont have to present finished ideas do we? Like newgrounds double you could ahave a few artists workign on one concept?

[Kurofelis]

At 10/19/09 07:51 PM, Endless-Psychoticism wrote:
Extra levels could be unlocked through doing something specific in certain levels(score at least a certain amount, destroy every enemy, don't even fire a shot in a level, etc.).

I was thinking about bonus levels too. Maybe even a branching path that takes you to a different boss. You know, Star Fox style.

Also like Star Fox, I would make the branch path the 'hard mode'.

[M-Vero]

I think everyones getting a little too excited, everyones talking about branching levels secret levels, objectives, and bosses. Slow down a little guys, we hardly even have a story down.

[zrb]

At 10/19/09 08:01 PM, M-Vero wrote: Slow down a little guys, we hardly even have a story down.

Spaceship game ? With story ? It won't work, this isn't starfox and its a flash game. IMO in games like this, no one gives a shit about stories. People just wanna blast the hell out of other ships. It'd be a waste to try to integrate more of a story than "go save your galaxy" or something like that.