I loved the original, didn't try my first Slush Puppy for a whole 5 days out because I was in the shop next door pumping 10p's into this.
This could be really great but it lacks playability. It's not the end of the world though as I think the solution is as simple as adding a 2D mouse.
It's lickely such a change will make it much easier to hit the missiles so you'll need to increase the speed of the gameplay too - but the original appeared much faster anyway and the biggest gripe I have with remakes is when the game plays worse than the original.
The new graphics should be possible because of new technology, not by sacrificing gameplay.
So how to put a 2D mouse in? You are half way there in that you have an object for the mouse. Given the choice i'd rather hide the object and position the actual mouse pointer where the object is - although I don't know if that will interfere with the mouse detection routine, if it does you could use a sprite instead.
Then adjust the objects movement not by detecting the mouses movement, but by following where the mouse has moved to during the last phase of the programs execution, this was in a recent thread, but you'll need to adapt it because you are moving on the x/z axis.
`* Find Hidden Mouse Object in 2D
x=object screen x(mouseObject)
z=object screen y(mouseObject)
`* Move Hidden Mouse Object
if changeAltitude=0
if mouseX()>x then ox=ox+1
if mouseX()<x then ox=ox-1
if mouseY()>z then oz=oz+1
if mouseY()<z then oz=oz-1
endIf
`* Update Position of Hidden Mouse Object
position object mouseObject,ox,oy,oz
`* Position Mouse at location of hidden mouse object
`* You may have to replace this with a sprite
mouseX()=object screen x(mouseObject)
mouseY()=object screen y(mouseObject)
`* Allow player to raise and lower altitude
if mouseClick()=2
changeAltitude=1
change#=mouseMoveY()/10
oy=oy+change#
else
changeAltitude=0
endIf
You'll need to play with sensitivity etc, I just typed that strait into this message box without trying it - but should explain the idea anyway - I don't know how well it would work, i'm just saying what I would try to do.
Good luck anyway.
Pneumatic Dryll, Outrageous epic cleric of EQ/Xev
God made the world in 7 days, but we're still waiting for the patch.