Cannon to be used in Plasmorg (Astrosmash Clone).

Community Forums/Graphic Chat/Cannon to be used in Plasmorg (Astrosmash Clone).

WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#1]
Anyone know that Plasmorg project I was planning to come up with? Well, believe it or not, I have decided to make this an "Astrosmash" clone (remember Astrosmash from Intellivision?). It's going to have that 3D element to it, and it will shoot two forms of bullets (the primary is the machine gun with Cyanide Bullets, and the secondary will be spinning star blades). I'll have screenies of the weapon bullets in a minute. For right now, here's the turret itself, I just got it done this morning. It's well shaded, and I did the best I could on the 3D elements of it. Corel's PSP X does a fairly decent job in doing the "Hollywood" effects on some of these.



Seems like a nice cannon for an "Astrosmash" clone, and hope the "Blue Sky Rangers" won't mind a clone of their flagship game. Of course, Plasmorg's going to take Astrosmash to the next level. If it were any better, I'd try an FPS turret-based version with crosshairs, and the asteroids would crack your windshield. That'll be my next version...


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#2]
I know, it might not be perfect, but I was on the right track. Usually space cannons are built like that to move left and right, and controlled by a space station, usually. Ground-to-space launchers are a little tough to create sometimes.

While I'm at it, here's the background, and the base will fit nicely on that purple ground of the planet "Plasmorg." Nice of the star to shine down on the planet, that adds to the "outer space" ambience nicely, I think. If it's too bright, lemme know (tried using the sunburst effect).




N(Posted 2006) [#3]
Mein Augen!


Paul Murray(Posted 2006) [#4]
You should use Terragen for the skyline, for a photorealistic look (though stil alien).

http://blitzstuff.awardspace.biz/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=38

Is this 2D or 3D?


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#5]
Well, the engine is 2D, but the graphics are going to be 3D. It's like a mish-mash. I just make 2D graphics look 3D. There will be a 3D version/360 degree version if this one goes well. I'm probably going to do a terrain render on the 3D version. For right now, I'm looking at almost a direct Astrosmash clone with 3D graphics, just hope those guys from Intellivision aren't taking too many notes. Hehe...


Ross C(Posted 2006) [#6]
Hey man, what about something like this? I'm not artist, but your above picture has alot of contrast and strange use of colours that don't go well :o) And you missing a bit off your hill ;o)




WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#7]
Well, green's nice, but Plasmorg is a fictional planet, and purple to Plasmorg is like red to Mars. The hills will look cool there, tho.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#8]
Yeah, I guess that green and purple are great as one blend, as opposed to separate blends. I was almost thinking of the original Astrosmash from Intellivision when I made that original picture: http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/games/credits/space.html#astrosmash


Ross C(Posted 2006) [#9]
I've uploaded a different one, with different colours.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#10]
I did take a mulligan on that backdrop design, it has an eclipse this time, and that shining star is behind you, instead of beaming you in the eyes... Let's see if this works, and it is a heck of a lot hillier, but I still needed that flat ledge for the turret cannon to move side to side on...




WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#11]
Looks a little stony, but mountains and hills are made of stone in some areas of the universe. Plasmorg's no exception. Come to think of it, yours may actually work. Just hope the asteroids won't burn up the wazoo...


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#12]
Maybe a stone wall, or steel wall would be better than the planet bed itself, I'll do that, thanks.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#13]
Okay, I stuck a stone ledge in there, should be a little better, since this was at a defense base for the planet against those "magnetic" asteroids...



The background is an eclipse over the closest moon to the planet, btw. Sort of something cool in the background to make it not look all boring black all over.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#14]
You should use Terragen for the skyline, for a photorealistic look (though stil alien).

blitzstuff.awardspace.biz/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=38

Is this 2D or 3D?


Okay, you win, I'll use TerraGen, I know how to do the sky and cloud color, but as for the water, and the hills, I'm probably gonna need something to change the color of that. Just as long as I keep the hills rather shallow, so you can see the black sky and the dark purple clouds. I believe that there is something like Martian grounds or something, that'll give it an alien-based ground color, possibly. Might as well see what I can do here.

Oh yeah, this looks far superior to anything else, and it's still "Plasmorg, the Purple Planet" It's purple, because the name Plasmorg is, well, obviously it's a planet made of plasma, lava, and all those metals and gases that make a planet purple... Plus, the temperatures can, well, the warmest temperature is like a summer in Siberia, and the winter is like Ross Point Antarctica, just by looking at the screenshot...

Oops, here's the screenie:




WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#15]
Well, looks like I got a screen from "inside the game" now. The turret actually floats on the liquid plasma, and seems to shoot the right graphics. Primary fire's that cyanide bullet, and the secondary fire's that shruiken/starblade. Both of which are powerful enough to crush any magnetic asteroid. Here's what it looks like in-game:



Let's see how this would pan out for the gaming market... This is far superior to Intellivision's quality, 25 years later, Plasmorg'll completely blow Astrosmash out of the water before too long...


Stevie G(Posted 2006) [#16]
The background looks much better now but that 'thing' at the bottom looks awful and out of place. I guess it's just a placeholder?


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#17]
Well, that's a floating turret cannon (which was the real reason I brought up this thread). That's the cannon that shoots the spinning star blades and the cyanide bullets. I guess that I was shooting for the Nintendo Gamecube graphics, but I was looking for an arcade game that used 3D graphics in a 2D engine. Look at the first post in this thread, that's what I was using here.

Actually, I moved the base of the cannon right to the very bottom of the screen, making it a little more like a weapon that's "bolted down" to the liquid plasma. You can move left and right, but since it is a defense ship, you really can't leave the liquid plasma and float into space.

The first pic was the background itself, but the second pic is from inside the game itself, that's where that turret cannon comes from (you are the cannon, that's what the player controls).


Paul Murray(Posted 2006) [#18]
Had a quick play around in Terragen cos I was bored...



I like the spinning stars.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#19]
Mine seems to have a more "arcade" feel to it. After all, this is based off an old arcade game from a 25 year old game console, and brought back to life as a 2D game with 3D graphics.

I guess that blood red water sort of fills in with the planet, after all, with the name "Plasmorg" you gotta expect some red-looking liquid somewhere along the line. Purple and red with a planet like that, well, it's gonna turn into a sci-fi based arcade game rather quick.


Ross C(Posted 2006) [#20]
Maybe you should hire an artist? No offence, but getting good game graphics is best left to people like artists, unless they are fairly simple. But, in saying that, there are alot of good tips and tuts for things like this. Something it's best to take a capture of a 3d model. That way, the modeller can apply the light evenly and properly to the model.

I'm not meaning any offensive by this, it's just the last few posts of yours have mostly consisted of the photoshop filters. But, good luck and keep trying man :o)


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#21]
Good thought. Of course, digital art's not nearly as strong as my handsketching. My landscape art in pencil and paper's far superior to doing anything like this. Of course, my scanner will only make it too grainy to render as a digital image. Of course, I am trying in the 3D modeling art myself, having just picked up a book on learning Maya 7. Of course, now that I base my polygons on the binary system, that does tend to make me do digital art in multiples of 4 or 8, which will make a 3D image, but having to shrink down a large image, that will tend to make the graphic lose quality. On top of that with Corel PSP X, their effects aren't exactly "Hollywood" quality, either. Wish that Corel would've never bought out Jasc like that. Either that, or I should've never bought Dell's version of PSP X, their downloads are too compelling anymore with their Download center.


Jimbob(Posted 2006) [#22]
Of course.
I use a subtle variation on Paint (GraphicsGale) to make my art. And it comes out quite nice. You don't always have to use the original sketch to make the image, you can always paint over the top by hand (gasp!) using layers (I'm sure Corel supports that). And I find making my own effects by changing the colour of pixels works quite well. I'm not sure Hollywood is looking for an Astrosmash remake, but I'd sure like an honest version.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#23]
Sure, at least Plasmorg may probably be far superior to Intellivision's "Bleep and Bloop" graphics and sound. For the sound, I'm looking at Dolby, maybe THX quality explosions, laser, and zapper effects. That'll really wow the wazoo out of ya.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#24]
Believe it or not, if you haven't heard already. I changed the name of the project from Plasmorg to TumBlocks. This is because it would be clever to make a hybrid game of Tetris and Space Invaders all in one game. It's going to be weird, but at least it'll feature most of the same art with the purple land masses made of solid plasma, the blood red waters, and I did make a revamp of the player cannon. Other than that, I did put Plasmorg in the subtitle, so now the game's called "TumBlocks/Operation: Plasmorg Defense." Should be interesting. Expect some great media content with this one.


Kuron(Posted 2006) [#25]
Wow I like some of these background images. Ross C's is great and the Terragen ones are great!


GfK(Posted 2006) [#26]
Eww.

Sorry but it looks like you just bought Paintshop and you're trawling through the Filters menu, trying to get as many in as you can. You've got the same problem with the cannon, too - it just doesn't work at all.

Corel's PSP X does a fairly decent job in doing the "Hollywood" effects on some of these
Tell me you don't really believe these are 'Hollywood effects'?!!


ashmantle(Posted 2006) [#27]
@Gfk: I agree, but it seems we all have to get the "filters? cool!" thing out of our systems before moving on to real stuff :D

The first few pictures look terrible. They scream emboss-filter and look very messy. The last shots with terrain rendered looks nice enough.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#28]
Yeah, right now I'm considering going with "Mario-style" tile graphics (trying to get the graphics to look Game Boy friendly, so I can port it when it's done). Just better hope that Miyamoto-san doesn't sue me for using that tile graphic to build my game... Of course, I'm probably wrong about this, but the GBA SP and GBA can probably only render 2D graphics (I'm sure the DS does, too). I haven't seen too many 3D games for the portable, handheld consoles (maybe PSP, but hey, Sony lives on 3D anyway).


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#29]
Looks like something like this may look sort of "Nintendoesque, " but hey, at least for a handheld game, this may be cool enough, as I said, hopefully Miyamoto won't see red at this (it looks a lot like something from a Mario or Zelda game):




WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#30]
I also came up with a title screen for the game, too. Looks a lot more like a Nintendo game every step of the way here:



Retro arcade, well, let's just say, the GBA may have a fun game outside of a Mario or Zelda game from the homebrew community.


GfK(Posted 2006) [#31]
as I said, hopefully Miyamoto won't see red at this
I think you're safe.
(it looks a lot like something from a Mario or Zelda game)
No offence but I think you should hire someone to do graphics for you.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#32]
Bah, it took me at least a couple of hours or more to "bricklay" if you will, that is, line drawing the tile bricks, and using those tile bricks to build the world screen that you see in that one screenshot. After all, it was tile bricking that made the original Mario Bros. popular, as well as some of Miyamoto's early works for the NES and original Game Boy. Tetris was another game that used tile shapes like these.


xlsior(Posted 2006) [#33]
I think my eyes just threw up...


GfK(Posted 2006) [#34]
After all, it was tile bricking that made the original Mario Bros. popular
I think gameplay possibly played a small part in the success of the early Mario games. Plus the graphics were far better than the above.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#35]
Yeah, okay, maybe I should go with the lava bit, I get it... Put some cool stuff in the background, I'll get to that in a minute...

Okay, maybe going back to this would be awesome... It's a lot like the original (gonna replace that bottom cyan block with a bomb that you bump into later).



For sure with this, Miyamoto might have my rear in a sling... I may have new ideas later...


GfK(Posted 2006) [#36]
For sure with this, Miyamoto might have my rear in a sling
The more you say things like that, the more I think this thread is a complete wind-up.


N(Posted 2006) [#37]
For sure with this, Miyamoto might have my rear in a sling.


Yep, because Miyamoto clearly invented colored blocks. Nevermind the great deal of colored brick walls that exist in real life.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#38]
Yeah, Miyamoto may have created colored blocks, but it was Alexey Pajitnov that used those blocks in a puzzle we know as Tetris. He just took four of those blocks, and clustered them into different shapes, and colored those blocks to make it different from the next. I guess Miyamoto was a good friend of Pajitnov, up until THQ bought the rights to Elorg's Tetris publishing. I guess that Tetris got too popular for Nintendo to handle alone...

Ahem, back on topic. Seems like my Plasmorg project has taken on different forms during the past few months. I thought I had a plan every time, trying to see what would make retro arcade gaming popular again, yet, having a concept that'll take and make a "hybrid" of different arcade classics, and turning it into an original classic. Whew, this is gonna take some thinking... Of course, here we have a hybrid of Tetris, Mario Bros. and Astrosmash (or Space Invaders, whatever the case may be), maybe a little Asteroids, too... Either way, it'll most certainly become more definitive as the days go along...

Don't worry, I can get around that legal loophole with the president of Nintendo soon enough, I built these tile graphics from the ground up, so I have good reason... As far as UFOs dropping from the sky, and trying to land-crash into a tank cannon firing bullets and grenades, well, it'll be something to consider in the next, who knows how long...


big10p(Posted 2006) [#39]
I'm REALLY enjoying this thread. :)


puki(Posted 2006) [#40]
I don't understand it - but it is interesting.

Keep it up "ThingyBob" person.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#41]
Yeah, I know, and I'm sorry that I got exagerated (sp?). It's just that I'm looking to revive retro arcade in a new way, and having something to port into my GBA (once the SDK and flash card get over here). I'm just not too sure whether or not the GBA can handle 3D renditions. Maybe it was the DS that can only handle 2D, and the GBA SP handles 3D? Not too sure to be honest with you. Well, whatever the case, this looks like it'll be something to consider simultaneously releasing for both GBA and Pocket PC formats. A game like this would be too boring for a home console or desktop PC. For a handheld, tho, this may be perfect...


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#42]
After some decision, I thought that going back to an RPG-shooter style-theme for my game would be the best move, atm. So, having said that, this would be the new title screen, and it seems like this would be definitive this time around:



This game would be based in the "Dark Ages" this time around. I may consider having this as a castle shooter where you have a catapult-type cannon, and you have to shoot down gargoyles or dragons (haven't decided) before they dive and crash into you. This may be perhaps the best theme for the moment. Designing space and military shooters sort of don't agree with me for some strange reason, it's just a good feeling to go with my gut, and do a theme I can be strong in...