Exordium & Terminus

by Forum_account
Exordium & Terminus
An action-platform game based on exploration and evolution.

Exordium & Terminus: Playable Demo

ID:105486
 
Dec 9 2010, 5:09 am
After getting my Sidescroller library to a usable state I wanted to create something with it. I was going back and forth between a new idea and a remake of A Miner Adventure. I went with the new idea: Exordium & Terminus.

In each level of the game you control a different type of creature. Each creature can evolve to gain new abilities - run faster, jump higher, or something completely new. In the first level, which is the only one created so far, you control a bug.

Here's another link to the hub entry: http://www.byond.com/games/Forum_account/ExordiumTerminus

And here are some obligatory screenshots:






Some more technical development notes:

Due to a problem with using screen objects I used my Interface library to create browser-based menus and HUDs. Browser-created content cannot be displayed on the map quite the same way that screen objects are, but I am still pleased with the result.
Dec 9 2010, 5:43 am
Came across an issue with the boss battle which blocked further progress.


I was also surprised to see the +2 pellets respawning. I ended up doing circles for 5 minutes until collecting all I needed to upgrade which didn't feel right but it could be.

Neat game. I'll give it another go after work.

ts


Dec 9 2010, 5:52 am
Nifty. I like the graphics too. I grinded for my upgrades and then wasn't sure how to take on the boss.

I've been thinking of using a selectable upgrade system for my metroidvania/exploratory platformer/whatchamacallit. However, none of my collectibles would respawn so I'm guessing it wouldn't quite work.


[Edit: I'm not sure how I feel about having to use a mouse for certain parts of the interface. I think that's a mistake I made in Wrangle, Warp and Weep. While having options is nice, perhaps there should be a single device that works for everything.]
Dec 9 2010, 5:58 am
ACWraith wrote:
Nifty. I like the graphics too. I grinded for my upgrades and then wasn't sure how to take on the boss.

I was at a loss at first because of non-linear upgrade path and then randomly flying upward and all of a sudden, your fighting a boss.

As for the boss, it has a weakness in its pattern. That's as much of a spoiler as you get.

ts
Dec 9 2010, 6:09 am
I want to start by saying that for whatever reason these pixel based sidescrollers don't run while on my computer. Whenever I move with the arrow keys, the bug will decide to keep moving on it's on until it hits a wall or just decides to stop. There's also noticable lag when I try to jump as in I'll press the jump button and then it'll wait a few seconds then jump. I don't have a fancy graphics card and it seems like BYOND and pixel movement doesn't play nice with my cheapo, on-board graphics. Default movement games run just fine for me.

The game's premise reminds me of E.V.O.

From a game perspective, a few points:

1. I would have liked to see a controls editor from the get-go

2. When I saw the jump key sitting on the background, I was expecting a tutorial level that would show how the evolving worked. Might be nice to have that.

3. The initial level is gigantic and lacks any sort of personality. It's very sterile looking and there's just a sea of background blocks that makes it look cramped.

4. I like the save function picking up where you left off

It looks promising, but with it running slowly for me I was unable to progress very far, even though I wanted to at least finish the first level.
Dec 9 2010, 6:10 am (Edited on Dec 9 2010, 6:17 am)
After playing for too long the controls seem to 'stick' until I die. Like I keep moving to the right or can't stop flying, but after I die and respawn everything seems fine.

Edit: It seems to happen when too many enemies are on-screen at the same time.
Dec 9 2010, 6:39 am
When I got stuck between the ledge moving up and the ground above the controls went crazy. What ever buttons I pressed trying to get out it of being stuck it did the movements when I was free. I gained control after it completed my movements when I was stuck.
Dec 9 2010, 12:41 pm
Nice work!

tenkuu wrote:
The game's premise reminds me of E.V.O.
Dec 9 2010, 1:36 pm
Interesting and fun. I died fighting the boss and was locked out :'(. Mind explaining your Browser based HUD?
Dec 9 2010, 1:49 pm
These graphics look so neat..
Dec 9 2010, 4:04 pm (Edited on Dec 9 2010, 4:23 pm)
Tsfreaks wrote:
Came across an issue with the boss battle which blocked further progress. http://files.byondhome.com/Tsfreaks/bossbattle.PNG

Most of the testing I did was for the boss battle but I haven't seen that one yet. Any idea how it happened?

tenkuu wrote:
1. I would have liked to see a controls editor from the get-go
2. When I saw the jump key sitting on the background, I was expecting a tutorial level that would show how the evolving worked. Might be nice to have that.

The controls are pretty simple, there's not much to customize or explain. I tried to explain things as they come up. If you put this level in the context of a larger game then this is the tutorial level =)

3. The initial level is gigantic and lacks any sort of personality. It's very sterile looking and there's just a sea of background blocks that makes it look cramped.

I'm not sure what to do to improve it. I guess I've been looking at this map for so long that I've just gotten used to it. Edit: I also meant to say that this will just be the first level. The other levels will look different so hopefully you'll complete levels before you get bored of their tileset.

Vermolius wrote:
I died fighting the boss and was locked out :'(

I tried to avoid that situation. Did you defeat the boss, then die? I think that's possible (though it probably shouldn't be).

Mind explaining your Browser based HUD?

What would you like to know? You can use my forum (http://www.byond.com/members/Forumaccount/forum) to ask questions about it.

Edit:
Tsfreaks wrote:
I was at a loss at first because of non-linear upgrade path
I was also surprised to see the +2 pellets respawning

I made the +1 pellets non-respawning so you could only get 37 points and had to purchase the leg upgrade.

I'm not sure what direction I want to go in with the evolution. As other have guessed this was very much inspired by E.V.O.. It had many more upgrades and let you find different combinations that worked well together while having some choices that were obvious upgrades. I think I'll end up using the upgrades as a way to let players tailor the game to their preferences. Based on the upgrades you select you can play as a quick creature that evades its enemies or as a tough creature that beats the crap out of its enemies.
Dec 9 2010, 7:44 pm
Forum_account wrote:
Vermolius wrote:
I died fighting the boss and was locked out :'(
I tried to avoid that situation. Did you defeat the boss, then die? I think that's possible (though it probably shouldn't be).

Doubt it, I wasn't even sure how to hurt it.

I'm not sure what direction I want to go in with the evolution. As other have guessed this was very much inspired by E.V.O.. It had many more upgrades and let you find different combinations that worked well together while having some choices that were obvious upgrades. I think I'll end up using the upgrades as a way to let players tailor the game to their preferences. Based on the upgrades you select you can play as a quick creature that evades its enemies or as a tough creature that beats the crap out of its enemies.

Yeah, I forwent the large body so I could be awesome fast.

Dec 9 2010, 7:46 pm
Forum_account wrote:
Tsfreaks wrote:
Came across an issue with the boss battle which blocked further progress. http://files.byondhome.com/Tsfreaks/bossbattle.PNG

Most of the testing I did was for the boss battle but I haven't seen that one yet. Any idea how it happened?
The boss ended up flying into that corner after 1-2 minute battler and then it must have tried to fly NW.
Dec 10 2010, 2:32 am
Tsfreaks wrote:
The boss ended up flying into that corner after 1-2 minute battler and then it must have tried to fly NW.

When I started working on pixel movement awhile back, I found a few people were worried about the diagonal movement and suggested I do something special for it in terms of collision. I don't know if you do, but I've found nothing wrong with just checking vertical and horizontal collision separately since it would collide north and west on its own and you wouldn't need to worry about diagonals. If that's the problem, I dunno; if not, I'm just making conversation.
Dec 10 2010, 2:49 am
If a mob is inside a wall and tries to move it'll get pushed out in the direction opposite its movement. It looks like the boss somehow got inside the wall and tried to move down and right. Moving down and right would put it inside a wall (obviously, because it's already in the wall) so it denies the move and pushes it back in the opposite direction - up and left.

The engine should disallow movements that would put the mob inside the wall. Also, the boss's AI should prevent it from ever hitting a wall. It just transitions between left, middle, and right positions, never moving left if its already at the left position. I'll have to look into this.

Luckily there are other hazards in the boss's room so you can commit suicide to get out =)
Dec 10 2010, 12:30 pm
ACWraith wrote:
I'm not sure how I feel about having to use a mouse for certain parts of the interface. I think that's a mistake I made in Wrangle, Warp and Weep. While having options is nice, perhaps there should be a single device that works for everything.

I would like to do this but there's an issue with keyboard focus. When you open the evolution menu the map control retains keyboard focus. When you click on a link in the evolution menu the browser gets focus, processes the click, and calls a DM function which does some processing and restores focus to the map. If I used keystrokes for navigating the menu then you'd lose control of your character while the menu is open. It's a single player game so I could pause gameplay while the menu is open.

I am certainly considering this. Both methods have their benefits but I do agree that using a single input device would be ideal.
Dec 10 2010, 7:04 pm
Forum_account wrote:
I would like to do this but there's an issue with keyboard focus. When you open the evolution menu the map control retains keyboard focus. When you click on a link in the evolution menu the browser gets focus, processes the click, and calls a DM function which does some processing and restores focus to the map. If I used keystrokes for navigating the menu then you'd lose control of your character while the menu is open. It's a single player game so I could pause gameplay while the menu is open.

I am certainly considering this. Both methods have their benefits but I do agree that using a single input device would be ideal.

I take it you plan on this being single player. If that's the case, then a simple solution of actually getting screen objects might be to literally spawn objects and have them follow you. That's how I managed to project the image backgrounds that follow you in my Megaman game because of the way the camera moves with you. I just spawn one object that follows you, and it creates and outputs the image background to you and follows you. There was major lag with screen objects, but none with the object following you, obviously.
Dec 13 2010, 11:40 am
If I were a member, I would hit the "yea" button for you Forum_account. :)
Feb 1 2012, 6:28 am
I can never seem to pick up the pellets
Feb 3 2012, 4:15 pm
In response to Nykuri
Nykuri wrote:
I can never seem to pick up the pellets

I'm not sure when that stopped working, but something changed in BYOND that caused it to stop working. I'm aware of this and have been meaning to upload a new version but I haven't had the time.