Back with my first WIP of the year, and indeed the most promising and exciting: Behold, an actual game! This is a remake of the classic game Puyo-Puyo, or as I have always primarily known it, Dr. R's Mean Bean Machine. Wikipedia has some nice tips on how you play. Basically, the aim of the game is to chain puyo, avoid filling the grid, and increase your score.
Gameplay:
The idea of the game is to chain four or more puyo of the same colour to remove them from play and increase your score. Puyo can be chained horizontally and vertically, but not diagonally. Combo's, or chain reactions, can be induced as chained puyo allow those above to fall and join surrounding puyo to form new chains. A chain of four puyo will add 40 points to your score, a subsequent chain of four will add 40x8, another adds 40x16, then 40x24, etc. Here's a basic chain and a longer chain:
At the start of the game- and following any chains made- you are in control of two puyo, that you can move and spin to fit where you want on the grid, a la Tetris (to some degree). The two puyo will then land atop other puyo or on the grid floor. If one of the puyo lands in mid-air, it will fall and land below. The game ends if you fill the grid to the point of entry at the top, like so:
When playing against an opponent, chains and combos send "Ojama"- I'll refer to them here on in as Refugees, as in MBM- from you to them, and vice versa, to fill the receiver's grid faster, thus giving the other an advantage. These refugees are garbage that cannot be grouped together, but must escape with neighbouring puyo as they are chained.
Features:
Functioning, highly playable game
Original art, including puyo for all possible joinings
Lively puyo animation closely resembling that of MBM
Sounds from Mean Bean Machine for the time being
Correct method of scoring, and display of points from last chain
Clever AI
A variety of play settings you can mess with
Real loading progress bar
To Do List:
Menus, and integration of both menu and game
Completed Exercise Mode
Scenario Mode, or even Story Mode
Mission Mode
Possibly internet-based multiplayer. That's a maybe
Control configuration and pad support
Be Involved!
Now that I have a sturdy core game here, I want to expand on it in several ways, some I've planned, and some I'd like to bring in from your ideas and suggestions. It's by no means a way for me to sit back and do little to nothing: All the best ideas put forward, any number of them, will be worked into the game by me. And of course, demos shall spew forth once momentum is gained.
Youtube video:
Video 1 - 12/02/08 demonstrates some gameplay from points in development over the past few days
Video 2 - 16/02/08 mocks random guesswork before tittering at some basic AI
Video 3 - 18/02/08 foretold the coming of multiplayer. Also, slightly improved AI.
Video 4 - 20/02/08 real head-to-head multiplayer, introducing the refugee.
Video 5 - 23/02/08 Play options, including new flavours of refugee, colour themes, and other adjustables.
Video 6 - 25/02/08 Early video of new AI. Featuring rotation!
Video 7 - 28/02/08 Improved AI. Featuring competence!
Downsized Screens:
