Black: Pixel Ninja

Photon

  • Posts: 2691
Hello all. It's may have been awhile since I have really done much around here (and not that my presence was that noticeable to begin with anyway), but for about the last month, I have been working on what will hopefully be my first Stencyl game:

Black: Pixel Ninja

The Story
In Neobit, color is all the rage these days. Black and white is so old-fashioned and out of style... bad news for our ninja (if he wants to be fashionable, that is). Showing off your pixel prowess in color is the new norm.

But with the shifting in of the new tech, there is the shifting out of the old tech. Bad news for the good ol' Retroids, the old keepers and maintainers of the Neobit grid. And let me tell you, being sent to the Wasteland Bin is really not their idea of a good time. It's quite desolate, making it highly undesirable as a new home, livelihood, and all-around tourist attraction (it was ranked last place in best vacation spots by the Neobit Tourist Bereau).

Upset and highly discontent, the Retroids banded together and returned to Neobit to steal the powerful Pixel Cells that power the new color grid. After much struggle, pain, and snide remarks about being too old-school, they seized the seven Pixel Cells. They hurriedly retreated back to Wasteland Bin, thrilled with their victory, and began to build their own empire.

A turn of events not so swell for color lovers in Neobit. But without the Pixel Cells, all of their new-fangled equipment won't work. In other words, they are powerless to do much of anything in terms of what they had relied on before. Will the Retroids be the one's to live a life of ease while the Neobit denizens are forced to return to dull black-and-white?

Well, maybe it's not so dull after all. Remember the ninja? He's not phased at all. It's his time now to rise and show those Retroids a thing or two.

The Mission

As the ninja, travel to the Wasteland Bin, where the Retroids have constructed a sprawling pixel empire and accordingly decked themselves out, and take back all seven Pixel Cells (and look cool while doing it). Using your awesome ninja skills and other items you find along the way, you will battle to the very heart of the Retroid's new world.

The Details

So, what can you expect? Let's break it down:

  • Use your arsenal of acrobatics and ninja stars to traverse the perilous worlds.
  • Use your special "Stealth Mode" ability to temporarily disappear, gaining some nifty invulnerability.
  • Find powerful ninja upgrades like the Redwood Sword and Purple Jewel Claws to gain special attacks and modified abilities.
  • Battle powerful enemies and bosses with their newfound color powers.
  • And... well, if I told you everything, where would the fun be in that? Part of being a ninja is being prepared for the unexpected. Duh.

And finally, some screenshots. The pictures below are from the Ninja Training tutorial, so what you see is some basic level design that incorporates some of the game elements mentioned above. Hopefully, within the next month, I will have a playable demo ready. Until then though, hope you enjoyed the little preview!

GO NINJAS!
Do NOT PM me your questions, because I likely will not respond. If I have replied to your question on the forum, keep using that topic. Thanks!

coleislazy

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  • Posts: 2607
Sounds cool! I'm looking forward to it.

mvsprojects

  • Posts: 71
Hm! It does sound exciting. I like the backstory and the screenshots!
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jlsheriff

  • Posts: 34
I really like it.  And I do mean it!  It sounds like you are giving it a lot of thought, and who doesn't like ninjas?  I look forward to seeing more and hopefully the finished product.
Destiny Island - Work In Progress http://www.stencyl.com/game/play/15851

Photon

  • Posts: 2691
Thanks guys! It's good to know I have sparked some interest!
I really like it.  And I do mean it!  It sounds like you are giving it a lot of thought, and who doesn't like ninjas?  I look forward to seeing more and hopefully the finished product.

Ninjas for the win, right?

But on that note, I am sure we can agree the ninja thing has been done more than once. When contemplating the design of my game, though, I was looking for something that could get across one simple concept:

Fun.

Who doesn't aim for this? But I wanted to be careful. It's easy to get caught up in gimmicks and trying to force game elements, the potential result of which could end up being mediocre at best. Everyone and their brother seems to have some new revolutionary game mechanic, eh?

But I have seen it where games do not just get away with using simple game design, characters, and enemies, but excel because of it. Take the original Donkey Kong Country. There's a lot there, but they introduced it in spurts, kept it easy to understand, and the result was a phenominal gaming experience. I sat down and started playing the game again a couple months ago and was just floored at how much I was enjoying it. Frankly, it was rather easy to get through the game (or the earlier levels, at least  ;)), but that didn't matter. The bottom line was it was just at its core a fun game to play.

THAT'S what I want for this game. You sit down, start playing, and you're just having a good time. That's why I chose a ninja. Seriously, being a ninja can be a downright thrill when executed right. And I probably will not have to re-invent the wheel to do it. Hopefully I do ninjas justice in this game. :)

And of course, if you have any comments about what you want to see your ninja doing in this game, feel free to speak up. I make no guarantees, but who knows. Even if I don't use your idea, it may spark a brand new one.
Do NOT PM me your questions, because I likely will not respond. If I have replied to your question on the forum, keep using that topic. Thanks!

jlsheriff

  • Posts: 34
Ninja Stars.  Which I think I do see already in your pictures.  :D

Maybe you could think about having them become flaming ninja stars later in the game, or electric ones that shock the enemies. 

Maybe you press a button that makes your ninja's animation push up against the "back wall" like he's being sneaky and just show the eyes.  It could be useful for dodging traps, obstacles, enemies.  If you could only do that for like 2-3 seconds at a time, that would add the challenge of timing things just right to get through a tight hallway that has traps and such.

Just gettin' your head spinning here, I don't expect you to use any of these ideas ^_^

If you need a beta tester at some point let me know.  I'll look for bugs :)
Destiny Island - Work In Progress http://www.stencyl.com/game/play/15851

Photon

  • Posts: 2691
Maybe you press a button that makes your ninja's animation push up against the "back wall" like he's being sneaky and just show the eyes.  It could be useful for dodging traps, obstacles, enemies.  If you could only do that for like 2-3 seconds at a time, that would add the challenge of timing things just right to get through a tight hallway that has traps and such.
  • Use your special "Stealth Mode" ability to temporarily disappear, gaining some nifty invulnerability.
   :D
Do NOT PM me your questions, because I likely will not respond. If I have replied to your question on the forum, keep using that topic. Thanks!

jlsheriff

  • Posts: 34
Ok so I read that all way before I decided to give you ideas made of pure gold!!  My memory ain't what it used to be, but I guess great minds think alike. 

:P

Hey if you ever want to test my game or throw in ideas just let me know, pm me or whatever.  I like the way you think about games.

The gamer can have deep feelings of fun, build egos with their character, and even be passionate about the story, even when the game isn't flashy and full of the filler stuff we see fail often.
Destiny Island - Work In Progress http://www.stencyl.com/game/play/15851

Photon

  • Posts: 2691
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 Atmosphere

This 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 Gameplay

If 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 Graphics

I 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?  :P

Simple but effective. But honestly, how do you guys feel about that direction?

Looking at Sound

This 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!
Do NOT PM me your questions, because I likely will not respond. If I have replied to your question on the forum, keep using that topic. Thanks!

Photon

  • Posts: 2691
Hey everyone! Time for some more ninja-related goodness!

Well, besides some general details that apply outside of the intro, the intro is pretty much done. Recently, I have been working on the first level of the first world! Woohoo! It's a good feeling to be able to get into what is supposed to be the true down-to-it ninja gameplay.

World I: Redwood Woods

That's right! This place combines the wonders of the forest with an overwhelming amount of the color red. In case you hadn't guessed, this is where the Retroids are keeping the Red Pixel Cell. But hey, who doesn't love a woodland walk all the same?

Redwood Woods is complete with squirrel robots, lethal acorns, lots of insect mechs, and... *ahem* berserk bunnies. Take on navigating through the treetops, into the hollow trees, and around berserk bunnies. And if that wasn't enough, perhaps you'd like some more berserk bunnies thrown into the mix. I did mention those, right? Plan your vacation/ninja quest here today!

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Anyway, it's coming along quite well. Included are some screenshots of the first level, Nutty Buddy Bash. Let me know what you think!

Oh, and there's something else down there too...
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rojasstencylman

  • Posts: 198
Wow great idea :) can u tell me when u finish? That would be great!
Only the determined can even try to make a game!
If u get an answer to ur question, edit topic title to [Solved] by "modifying" ur first post on the topic
Also, if you want ur link to say something else like this one, which leads to the Stencyl Arcade, you do this:
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Photon

  • Posts: 2691
Wow great idea :) can u tell me when u finish? That would be great!

Thanks! Watch for it in the "Announce your Game!" section. I intend to post there when the demo is ready. It'll still be a little while, but I have been making progress. :)

If I may ask, what in particular about this game draws your attention? The gameplay snapshots? The graphics? I am interested to gain some feedback on how the game looks up to this point.
Do NOT PM me your questions, because I likely will not respond. If I have replied to your question on the forum, keep using that topic. Thanks!

rojasstencylman

  • Posts: 198
well i definitely like the quality of the graphics, but mostly the fact that all of the pics are completely different shows that u definitely spent alot of time on it. Also, their are so many different enemies and a lot of levels, too. BTW did u find the graphics somewhere or did u draw it urself? If u drew it urself, can u take requests for actors? U should also make a tutorial on how to make something similar if it is in fact similar. Also, the graphics reminded me of Balls in Space, which used too be my all time fav stencil game. :)
Only the determined can even try to make a game!
If u get an answer to ur question, edit topic title to [Solved] by "modifying" ur first post on the topic
Also, if you want ur link to say something else like this one, which leads to the Stencyl Arcade, you do this:
[ url=http://www.stencyl.com/play ]hello[/ url ]

rojasstencylman

  • Posts: 198
another thing is that you don't copy the characters or anything from any famous nonstencyl games and u actually spent time making a story and everything (most of the bad games out there copy something like Pokemon or Angry Birds so that signifies that they were too lazy to come up with their own stuff
Only the determined can even try to make a game!
If u get an answer to ur question, edit topic title to [Solved] by "modifying" ur first post on the topic
Also, if you want ur link to say something else like this one, which leads to the Stencyl Arcade, you do this:
[ url=http://www.stencyl.com/play ]hello[/ url ]

Photon

  • Posts: 2691
well i definitely like the quality of the graphics, but mostly the fact that all of the pics are completely different shows that u definitely spent alot of time on it. Also, their are so many different enemies and a lot of levels, too. BTW did u find the graphics somewhere or did u draw it urself? If u drew it urself, can u take requests for actors? U should also make a tutorial on how to make something similar if it is in fact similar. Also, the graphics reminded me of Balls in Space, which used too be my all time fav stencil game. :)

The graphics were all done by me. The idea was to keep it simple... I am no expert graphic designer, so I needed to stay within the bounds of my skill level. This also can help imporve my skills too, and as I highlighted above, simplicity does not have to take from quality. Glad that you like it!

As for how I do it, I suppose I could try to whip some kind of walkthrough up for a couple characters. I have never been asked to do a tutorial before, but if I find time this upcoming weekend I might give it a shot. Or I could at least give some general pointers on how I attack things.
Do NOT PM me your questions, because I likely will not respond. If I have replied to your question on the forum, keep using that topic. Thanks!