Warhawk (a video history)

flash · **on:** March 11, 2009, 09:16:46 pm

This just proves why the music is so important to the game - well.... it works for me!

Gameplay video of the original C64 game!

A demo of the music (damn that music)

Well, Andrew "thief" Betts went it alone with the atari version. I do have 2 questions, Shrunk screen?, shit attack waves? WHY? (does that make 3?)

ST - Not sure who coded this monstrosity, but are we sure it is the same game? (music was done quite well though)

Lobo · **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2009, 11:57:06 pm

Holy shmuphistory Batman! That Atari version might just have the craziest enemy waves ever seen, just ships appear in the corner-blink-disappear-blink in the opposite corner-disappear technique that happens in a fraction of the second

On the other hand, the BPoint video is kickass which reminded me of something that I wanted to ask before but always forget. Well, in DS version, it seems like the player ship could have a bit faster movement? It might be just a *feeling* due to seeing the different versions but still a *feeling* that it could move faster without getting control out of hand. Does anyone else think so (maybe it's just me, dunno)?

BaDToaD · **Reply #2 on:** March 14, 2009, 08:41:43 pm

Makes me feel all nostalgic... Sniff

Those were great days. And yes lobo the ship needs to move faster IMHO too. I've mentioned a 3 phase powerup to flash. 1.4x 1.7x and finally 2.0x speed and firepower. May or may not work well. Only playtesting will tell.

Lobo · **Reply #3 on:** March 15, 2009, 01:11:57 am

Yeah, power ups, something there should be that is currently missing, something like those crazy laser beams, you know. Pick up something and if you have a rapid fire already then it turns into the beam WHAM!! Maybe even homing missiles?
Like this~

headkaze · **Reply #4 on:** March 15, 2009, 01:31:52 am

hehe I suggested the exact same thing lobo about the big fat laser beam. What we haven't implemented yet is sprite rotation/scaling but when we do we will be able to do a laser type weapon by stretching a single sprite in it's y axis. I like the idea of homing missiles too, we need some weapon for the B button.

Lobo · **Reply #5 on:** March 15, 2009, 06:40:07 am

YESS! Very sweet (haha, more work for Flash

). But yes, it would be quite nice even though these things are commonly found in many shmups they still kickass and B button is a good excuse as well.

Also, no shield kinda thing was planned, right? Just asking

.

Tempest · **Reply #6 on:** March 15, 2009, 09:19:16 am

I like the idea of the homing missiles, if not for any other reason than they'd be fun to watch. The only thing that would be better would be a superzap button! Oh, wait... I'm confused again.

BaDToaD · **Reply #7 on:** March 15, 2009, 05:45:43 pm

Remember this is a remake guys not a followup. We will lose the flavour of the original and what made it work so well if we add shedloads of extra firepower. In the days of Warhawk what got you through was skill with a joystick and applying the firepower where it was needed.

Too much in the way of powerups and you'll end up sitting near the bottom of the screen letting your massive aresenal do the work for you IMHO...

Just grab a c64 emu and play the original and you'll see what I mean. I was a wicked game and still remains fun to this day especially if you haven't played it. The main thing to remember is from level 4 onwards grab the little mine like powerups dropped from the little ship with the black wing markings. I so wish Firebird had mentioned those in the instructions apart from the cryptic "A surprise awaits you on level 4" Bloody idiots. Warhawk was he first c64 Shmup with a powerup and they didn't even mention it properly. 30 seconds of double speed and firepower. It was awesome... OK I'm biased but I balanced the gameplay on this game for months before I was happy with it.

Lobo · **Reply #8 on:** March 15, 2009, 08:12:33 pm

True but at the same time it is a follow up too because it has several additions. First is that the original ten levels are being revisited 20+ years later (thus the dirty, abandoned, destroyed look). Second, there is an addition of 6 more levels, completely new with probably tougher enemies and bosses. So it's the old world+new one.

It might be maybe good to separate the regular power ups from the original and keep them up to the level 10 then introduce the new ones (as mentioned above) from levels 11-16 as a sign that now you're playing in the new territories and almost a new game/follow up. Maybe it can work that way to satisfy both old and new gamers of a sort?

BaDToaD · **Reply #9 on:** March 15, 2009, 08:15:28 pm

That may well work

flash · **Reply #10 on:** March 15, 2009, 08:22:46 pm

Quote from: Lobo on March 15, 2009, 08:12:33 pm

True but at the same time it is a follow up too because it has several additions. First is that the original ten levels are being revisited 20+ years later (thus the dirty, abandoned, destroyed look). Second, there is an addition of 6 more levels, completely new with probably tougher enemies and bosses. So it's the old world+new one.

It might be maybe good to separate the regular power ups from the original and keep them up to the level 10 then introduce the new ones (as mentioned above) from levels 11-16 as a sign that now you're playing in the new territories and almost a new game/follow up. Maybe it can work that way to satisfy both old and new gamers of a sort?

I do like that idea - that is perhaps something worth thinking about - without going ott though

We do have a pretty good engine that could be ripped to bits to create a NEW shmup with all the additional firepower, so that can also be an option after another project (or 2) I wanna work on!

Lobo · **Reply #11 on:** March 15, 2009, 10:08:09 pm

Definitely, just small additions to the new levels without really straining the engine or making too much of a 'wtf just happened?' moments.
Oh..a new shmup? Hell Yeah!

What are the other 2 projects, DS related?

flash · **Reply #12 on:** March 15, 2009, 10:22:12 pm

One is something I wanna do with HK, pretty much an easy C64 conversion. And the second is something that BaDToaD talked about a while ago.

"without really straining the engine" - we are running around 20-40% of the DS's raw asm power - so, we cannot really strain it

Sadly, this has also made me a bit lazy with the code - but something I will tidy up later.... Honest!

You would be suprised what an ARM processor is really capable of when hit directly. A LOT... Suprised me!

A new shmup would be really nice - perhaps horizontal over both screens??? who knows! But one thing is sure - me and HK are gonna need a few weeks break after this to recharge...

Lobo · **Reply #13 on:** March 16, 2009, 01:38:55 am

Hehe, straining the engine of the soul, more than game engine

.
Hey, two screens..reminded me..hehehe...SANXION! What a perfect opportunity!
And yes, taking a break. I'm ordering some fresh plasma as we speak.

flash · **Reply #14 on:** March 16, 2009, 07:41:52 am

You really are a "creature of the night"

Lobo · **Reply #15 on:** March 16, 2009, 04:54:36 pm

"I am already DEAD"

First to guess the movie this quote comes from gets a year supply of fresh blood.
Arr..in related news, only level 16 left and all levels done YIPPEE!
Then I can tackle the sprites there.
While we're at it..every level can have their own sprites then and different *huge ship* thing as well?
I'm asking cause I've noticed that SpritesLev2 and Lev3 have only huge ship and those rockships but no small, regular ships?

flash · **Reply #16 on:** March 16, 2009, 05:32:56 pm

the spritesLevX files can be used for themed level sprites. The dropships and animated sprites remain the same for all levels.

Lobo · **Reply #17 on:** March 17, 2009, 01:41:18 am

Ok but which one is a dropship, that huge square made out of 12 blocks with a smiley on it?

flash · **Reply #18 on:** March 17, 2009, 07:19:53 am

Quote from: Lobo on March 17, 2009, 01:41:18 am

Ok but which one is a dropship, that huge square made out of 12 blocks with a smiley on it?

I sent you the sprites with a sheet explaining what they were? Have you lost it? is it under your bed?

If you play to level 3, you will see the dropship and powerup used in game

flash · **Reply #19 on:** March 17, 2009, 07:29:15 am

Quote from: Lobo on March 16, 2009, 04:54:36 pm

"I am already DEAD"

No idea??? Lost Boys???

I know that them words were used on my Wedding Certificate though?

Tempest · **Reply #20 on:** March 17, 2009, 08:58:18 am

Lobo · **Reply #21 on:** March 17, 2009, 04:45:15 pm

Quote from: Flash on March 17, 2009, 07:29:15 am

No idea??? Lost Boys???

I know that them words were used on my Wedding Certificate though?

Hah! Close, I mean your wedding certificate. It's from 'The Abominable Dr. Phibes' with Vincent Price.

Dropship is that small one that drops...hips..no, powerups. Now I know. I was thinking about that huge abomination that appears on level1 and a few others I think. That can probably be changed then just like the rest of the sprites per level.

flash · **Reply #22 on:** March 17, 2009, 05:41:58 pm

The big box thing on level one, was just a demo/test for the sprite and attack wave system and also a test for the ident system, this does not have to be used. In fact all attack waves will be deleted when we get onto the game propper

That does not mean that you cannot play with bigger aliens. We can easily have 2x4 sprites, 4x4, whatever, as long as the images fit into the spritelevX.png files. Keep to single sprites for level 1, but themed and with a themed 2x2 "rockship" (as in all levels we will use a single 2x2).

With level 1, I will copy the original attack waves that warhawk had, and "buff them up". Ie. have lots coming in instead of the few in the original. And then totally break away from that in level 2.

It will be a while till the "attack waves proper" are in the game at all, but the sprites will give me something to play with..

BaDToad has already sent a couple of nice ones, one being a wasp ship. This is a great idea for a themed level, insectoid??? I will send you BT's ship at some point and see what you can come up with to compliment it?

All the best!!!

Lobo · **Reply #23 on:** March 18, 2009, 07:10:26 pm

As usual, send what you got. I'm not so sure where to put anything except following the level theme and making sprites similar to that so I need to see first just what it is and where to fit it.

flash · **Reply #24 on:** March 18, 2009, 07:21:58 pm

For each level we have 22 sprites free.

The easiest way is to theme some sprites (non animated) to fit a "theme" for the level. These can be for single or multi-sprite aliens.
If you work on any, just name them spriteXXlevYY i.e. sprite01lev02 etc, so I have some idea, and I will put them into spruitelev.png.. Is that ok???

Lobo · **Reply #25 on:** March 18, 2009, 08:01:52 pm

I guess that can work but don't we have the option of doing this already since every 'SpriteLev' image has enemies that can be changed per level , as already done with level1 for example? Except, for what I've mentioned the other day that SpriteLev2 and 3 oddly are missing the enemy sprites (only 'rockship' and 'hugeship' are there).

flash · **Reply #26 on:** April 26, 2009, 09:47:58 pm

oops, i missed this one!!!

A strange CPC version! my god!

vapourmile · **Reply #27 on:** April 27, 2009, 09:04:47 am

Quote from: BaDToaD on March 15, 2009, 05:45:43 pm

Remember this is a remake guys not a followup. We will lose the flavour of the original and what made it work so well if we add shedloads of extra firepower. In the days of Warhawk what got you through was skill with a joystick and applying the firepower where it was needed.

Phew, saved by Big E, that's it children, we won't be having any fun if E and Flash have anything to do with it and that's final. So you can stop all your fantasies about great firepower and Warhawk having cool things in it.

flash · **Reply #28 on:** April 27, 2009, 09:44:45 am

There is tons of firepower! Much more than the original game.

What do you all want? Blood!