All right everyone. So, obviously I do not want to give everything away, but getting feedback on the ideas is a good idea; after all, I hope the community here will be eventually playing my game, so I intend to use this topic as a sort of hub for the discussion of my game and its progress. Chip in, by all means; I want you to enjoy the final product.
The AtmosphereThis is what I want to talk about next. Obviously, with most games, this is an integral part. I have to set the tone properly through
graphics,
gameplay, and
sound.
Looking at GameplayIf we are talking about ninjas, what can we expect? Well, when I consider ninjas, they have that interesting fusion of two seemingly opposite styles. They can avoid conflict (being sneaky) yet engage in direct combat (crazy ninja moves!). Capturing both of these effectively will be key to executing this game.
First off, I intend to infuse a sense of speed and urgency into the game. There will be no time limit to levels, per se; rather, I intend to have this meshed with a focus on "quick reflexes" gameplay. Blending enemy patterns, traps, and scene elements,-though simple individually-will come together to make for quick-witted situations.
You will have a wide array of tools at your disposal too: wall jumps, ninja stars, stealth mode, and power-ups... to name a few.
A group of enemies is closing in. Do you attack? Evade? Jam the stealth command? What about your power-ups and surroundings? What is most conducive to your situation?
The physics and movement of the ninja, programmed thus far, give you some pretty nice speed and air time. Combined with your offensive options, it leaves some potential room for creativity on the part of the player. Hopefully, the player will be able to have some of those "aha!" sensations of victory after navigating through a perilous situation. That sense of accomplishment with any level-based platformer is a must.
So to recap: urgency, fluidity, and creativity. Put together, that ability to have keen control over your ninja hero.
Looking at GraphicsI have selected a simple graphical style for my game. It's easier, for one. Especially for my first big project, I don't want to get to bogged down in fancy graphics beyond my skill level, but I don't think it sacrifices too much on the quality side either. It can be just like any older graphical style: good when used in the proper climate. So the question then becomes whether or not it really
is appropriate.
Essentially, the style utilizes bright color outlines. This is seen from the ninja to the enemy cannon displayed. It uses stark outlines to distinguish between objects or, as in the case of tiles, highlight boundaries. Furthermore, it gives this sort of neon-sign look to the game. This fits well with the style of the game. That bright, pop-out style lends to the energy I hope to convey. Secondly, that neon feel just looks cool, and what ninja hero doesn't want to look cool?

Simple but effective. But honestly, how do you guys feel about that direction?
Looking at SoundThis is perhaps one of my biggest snags right now. I am not void of musical ability, but finding the right sound for my game along with putting it altogether cohesively is going to be one of those challenges to tackle. Not one I am necessarily shying away from, but one I acknowledge will take some effort.
Obviously, an 8-bit style or some variant of it will be the name of the game here with the direction taken thus far. Do I try to sound totally 8-bit, or do I maybe fuse in some light instrumental elements too? I have to complement the game's style and keep the main goals in view: having fun and keeping the energy up. I will probably have to toy around with it, but I hope I can find the right sound.
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So, quite a bit there, hopefully giving you some more insight into how the game will play. Feedback is welcome, people. Thanks for reading!