Dodge It Panoramic Adventure

[Mr SQL]

Dodge It Panoramic Adventure

 

DodgeIt_PA_RC1.bin

 

Basic Gameplay

Dodge an increasing number of blocks while competing head to head with KC Munchkin to catch fast moving dots in the arena of a large virtual world ten times the size of the screen!

• You have 10 minutes to collect as many dots as you can.
• You get a point for each dot collected and lose a point every time you are hit.
• If your score drops below zero you lose and the game goes into attract mode.
  

Unique Off Screen Interaction

 

All of the character sprites utilise soft collisions to interact in the distant planes of the virtual worlds; this adds an interesting depth of complexity and randomisation!

Game Changes over Time

Every two minutes the screen changes to “RF Blue”* and the blocks, previously restricted to the upper level, can traverse the level below. This lasts about 20 seconds and then things return to normal.

Every 15 seconds, sssnake will draw a Fort for you somewhere near the middle of the virtual world; this can give you temporary protection from the traveling blocks.

 

Further downwind, sssnake likes to draw a patch of alternating patterns of blocks (inspired by Archraxar Defense).

 

 

Cast of characters and the game changes driven by them:

The Blocks
The blocks can crush you, and they can grab KC and the dots and swing them around, changing their direction anywhere in the virtual world.

The Dots
The Dots are cool, they travel around the world and you and KC try to catch them.

KC
KC is bad; try to avoid him!

Sssnake
Sssnake draws stuff in lazy languid patterns while the fast action is going on; sssnake is activated to draw things by time driven events and also by other characters, like the Score.

The Score
Don’t underestimate the score as a character in this game! 50 foot high numerals that carve passages you can walk through to reach the lower level (sometimes) comprise the score. While sssnake draws the score and the scoreboard, the score in turn causes sssnake to draw and erase different maze elements in various parts of the virtual world that change as the score does.

 

Strategy

Try to collect as many dots as you can when the game first starts and there is still only one block on the screen – this can help keep you from losing the game.

 

When the second block joins in from below it often leaves a tunnel; even if this tunnel is just partial you can usually wait in it for a bit to either take refuge from the blocks until they start moving farther away, or it may align with the score passages, which you can use to enter the level below.

 

Until you get good at somersaulting around the blocks (360 degree Joystick move), you may want to reload the game rather than pressing reset – reset ups the difficulty level on all subsequent games, you start with two blocks right away.

 

Multiple Attract Modes

There are two attract modes, one if you lose the game and another more interesting adventure attract mode you are rewarded with when you win that can last up to several minutes and grows more interesting over time:

 

Adventure attract mode starts out showing the characters and scrolling down to display your score just like when you lose the game, only it does not keep resetting, instead the game slowly lowers your score point by point and the characters in the game eventually break free and begin to interact more and more as this happens. Your character cannot be controlled in attract mode but depending up on the attract adventure (it’s different every time!) you may even see your character break free of Master Control and start walking about catching dots on it's own.

 

The length and complexity of the attract mode adventure is dictated by how well you do in the game; bigger score = a bigger attract mode adventure!

Party Play

Dodge It PA is tremendous fun with one player or as a collaborative party game; the extended periods of both furious and lower paced action allow players of different skill levels to share in the adventure!

 

*About RF Blue: RF Blue is awesome – when the blocks rain down below you will feel as though you can see the fabric of the Matrix, the underlying gamegrid if you are playing on real hardware with a Radio Frequency connection to a tube Television

 

Note: If you play in Stella, install the glide wrappers for OpenGL for better graphics performance with this game!

***

...Older stuff with early prototype below:

 

 

Dodge It Panoramic Adventure

 

Dodge It on the Fairchild Channel F is an awesome addictive action game that has never been ported to the VCS; until now!

 

Dodge It Panoramic Adventure was inspired by themes from Dodge It, Berzerk, Pitfall, Adventure, Breakout and other classic video games

 

 

Basic Gameplay

 

Your Berzerk inspired character must dodge an increasing number of blocks and avoid the electrified walls while adventuring along the scrolling panoramic.

 

In the original Fairchild Dodge It the blocks created entry tunnels; in this version the blocks will eventually create exit tunnels for you at the far end of the panorama.

 

 

Goal

 

Enter the tunnels to reach the level below to find Treasures that must be returned to the Vaus; that’s your Spaceship, you start out next to it!

 

 

Pitfall style reset

 

If you hit a wall or get smashed by a block you will get fried and transported back to the beginning; if you’re carrying treasure with you you’ll have to retrieve it again.

 

 

Breakout is Happening

 

You’ll notice a giant Breakout game is going on all around you the whole time! Once you’ve returned all of the treasure to the Vaus it will power up for another round.

 

 

 

Under Development

 

Dodge It Panoramic Adventure is still under development but here is a release of the Prototype for now: DodgeIt_PanoramicAdventure.bin

 

You can use the Tunnels to explore the level below but there is no Treasure to retrieve yet.

 

This game uses a remix of the awesome soundtrack Der Luchs wrote for Scrollout with some additional effects filters. Additional soundtracks may be added for the different stages.

 

Looking forward to hearing ideas and feedback about the game!

 

Edited November 21, 2013 by Mr SQL

[accousticguitar]

My version was not quite as ambitious but Dodge It has been ported to the VCS.

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/146120-a-new-game-miss-it-high-score-list-in-post-1/

[fiddlepaddle]

OK. Game has enough moving parts to make it real fun. A couple of ideas:

 

The "breakout" part could maybe go quite a bit slower at first and speed up as the player gets better or gets a higher score. Also, it seems unfair to get hit by a moving brick that I don't see coming or can't move fast(er) enough to get out of the way. Maybe could run at a faster speed by stopping and starting in the same direction (like Mario in Donkey Kong on the ladders on Colecovision, if you know how that works).

 

Also, these moving breakout bricks always take the same path and always seem to travel at a 45 degree angle. Would make it much more interesting if the angle varied 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 degrees.

 

Sometimes I'm walking down and hit the wall before I even know its there because it comes up from the bottom (below the screen) too fast and I run in to it too easily. Maybe let me sizzle a second before I die when hitting a wall? so I can back away if I do it quickly...

 

I couldn't seem to figure out how to pick up a treasure...is that implemented yet? I didn't really try that hard because I kept getting killed by the fast moving bricks I couldn't outrun...

 

I like the mechanics; can see it becoming a good game!

[Mr SQL]

My version was not quite as ambitious but Dodge It has been ported to the VCS.

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/146120-a-new-game-miss-it-high-score-list-in-post-1/

Awesome classic port accousticguitar! MissIt is now present on my Harmony.

It took me several games to last past 20!

[Mr SQL]

OK. Game has enough moving parts to make it real fun. A couple of ideas:

 

The "breakout" part could maybe go quite a bit slower at first and speed up as the player gets better or gets a higher score. Also, it seems unfair to get hit by a moving brick that I don't see coming or can't move fast(er) enough to get out of the way. Maybe could run at a faster speed by stopping and starting in the same direction (like Mario in Donkey Kong on the ladders on Colecovision, if you know how that works).

 

Also, these moving breakout bricks always take the same path and always seem to travel at a 45 degree angle. Would make it much more interesting if the angle varied 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 degrees.

 

Sometimes I'm walking down and hit the wall before I even know its there because it comes up from the bottom (below the screen) too fast and I run in to it too easily. Maybe let me sizzle a second before I die when hitting a wall? so I can back away if I do it quickly...

 

I couldn't seem to figure out how to pick up a treasure...is that implemented yet? I didn't really try that hard because I kept getting killed by the fast moving bricks I couldn't outrun...

 

I like the mechanics; can see it becoming a good game!

 

Thanks FiddlePaddle! Your ideas are encouraging, I'm glad you like the game

 

The Treasure is not in yet...

 

Should I add a life meter so there is a limit to how many restarts before the board is reset? Right now you're not actually getting killed in that there is no penalty other than going back to the beginning and losing Treasure if you are carrying it.

 

Excellent point on the fast brick, it is obnoxiously fast - I will either slow it down or have it appear later after you've picked up the treasure to increase the difficulty for the return journey.

 

Looking into adding some changing angles as you've suggested as well, perhaps just for the slower bricks.

Edited October 19, 2013 by Mr SQL

[Impaler_26]

Let's not forget that Solar Plexus was the first Dodge It style game for the 2600.

 

On a side note i also thought about porting Dodge It to the 2600 back in 2008 but never got anywhere with it - check out the attached rom for a good laugh.

 

So the idea of porting this game to the 2600 isn't new but i'm looking forward to see how your version turns out, looks like it will become a very interesting variation.

 

Dodge It! Test (2008) (Christian Giegerich) (WIP).bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fiddlepaddle]

 

Thanks FiddlePaddle! Your ideas are encouraging, I'm glad you like the game

 

The Treasure is not in yet...

 

Should I add a life meter so there is a limit to how many restarts before the board is reset? Right now you're not actually getting killed in that there is no penalty other than going back to the beginning and losing Treasure if you are carrying it.

 

Excellent point on the fast brick, it is obnoxiously fast - I will either slow it down or have it appear later after you've picked up the treasure to increase the difficulty for the return journey.

 

Looking into adding some changing angles as you've suggested as well, perhaps just for the slower bricks.

I'm not a big fan of the life meter "nine lives" idea. Instant starting over is, I think, punishment enough (I'd be pressing reset right away if the game ended anyway, if I wanted to keep playing). If you're going to collect several treasures together, maybe just dropping the treasure where you were killed is fine motivation to keep playing...

[classiccollector]

Let's not forget that Solar Plexus was the first Dodge It style game for the 2600.

 

On a side note i also thought about porting Dodge It to the 2600 back in 2008 but never got anywhere with it - check out the attached rom for a good laugh.

 

So the idea of porting this game to the 2600 isn't new but i'm looking forward to see how your version turns out, looks like it will become a very interesting variation.

 

Dodge It! Test (2008) (Christian Giegerich) (WIP).bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's actually not too bad, It's a good start. In my opinion anyways if that means anything.

Edited October 21, 2013 by classiccollector

[+Nathan Strum]

Nice work! Looking forward to seeing this continue.

[Mr SQL]

Let's not forget that Solar Plexus was the first Dodge It style game for the 2600.

 

On a side note i also thought about porting Dodge It to the 2600 back in 2008 but never got anywhere with it - check out the attached rom for a good laugh.

 

So the idea of porting this game to the 2600 isn't new but i'm looking forward to see how your version turns out, looks like it will become a very interesting variation.

 

Dodge It! Test (2008) (Christian Giegerich) (WIP).bin

 

Impaler,

nice - your ROM looks like the classic, just need a few more blocks if you decide to finish it!

 

Jess Ragan's Solar Plexus is pretty awesome, I've put it on my Harmony

[Mr SQL]

It's actually not too bad, It's a good start. In my opinion anyways if that means anything.

 

 

Nice work! Looking forward to seeing this continue.

 

 

Thank you Nathan and ClassicCollector!!

 

I'm having a lot of fun working on this and appreciate the encouragement

[Mr SQL]

Here's the shaky but fun Beta release! Hope everyone enjoys!

DodgeIt_PanoramicAdventure_BETA1.bin

 

What's new:

 

Pacman is on the scene Avoid him when he's yellow. When he turns blue you catch him to remove the force field from the treasure - you'll find the treasure in the level below, going down deep enough activates a trap to reveal it (and it turns pacman blue) but it's initially covered with a force field.

You can go back up to reset the trap if you need to. Catch pac-man just right to reveal the treasure and you will hear an extended victory song much different than the short catch tune.

In the next release the treasure will appear next on the other side and so will pacman, obtaining it will advance you to the next board where more surprises await.

The music engine now flows through a sfx processor and mixer with game sfx for a more interesting feel.

 

About the design:

 

Dodge It is a main theme but many classics have inspired this game; here are the original blueprints:

[+Gemintronic]

There's a lot of sheer chaos going on My reflexes aren't old school enough. sigh

[Mr SQL]

I've just uploaded the latest version of the game! It's in the first post with instructions and a strategy guide

[killersquirel]

Is there any chance of getting an NTSC version of this game? It looks awesome and I would love to play it.

 

-mike

[Mr SQL]

Is there any chance of getting an NTSC version of this game? It looks awesome and I would love to play it.

 

-mike

Download the ROM from the first post, it's NTSC

[killersquirel]

I can play the game for a little bit, but then if I go to the bottom for too long I will get some screen problems where it looks like it is cut off and the top 1/5 of the screen is really the bottom and then there is a space and then the top of the screen starts from the top 2/5 and then goes down. I thought this was a PAL problem, but it might be a problem with the fact that I'm running my 2600 on an HDTV. Does this happen to the people that are playing this game on a standard def TV? I don't have a standard def TV at the moment as I just moved, but I'm on the hunt for one to play my old systems on.

 

-mike