Multicolored Player or Multicolored Enemies? Which Is More Important?

[+Random Terrain]

Multicolored player or multicolored enemies? Which is more important?

 

I'm turning this into a real game that will be called Watchdog 606:

 

atariage.com/forums/topic/283446-simple-horizontal-shooter-wip/

 

 

 

I can only have one sprite that is multicolored. In the work in progress above, I had the player sprite be the multicolored one.

 

Seems like players would spend most of their time looking at the enemies, not the player, so it would be more interesting to have multicolored enemies. Is that what you think too?

[+GoldLeader]

Looks Slick!

 

Just curious, is it a hardware limitation, Batari Basic, or 4K limit that means you can only have one multicolor sprite?

 

 

I voted for Enemies based on your logic, though either is a good answer. Almost wish I could see the 2 ideas side by side to compare.

 

The game looks very much like an 80's arcade game! Which, if you know me is a High compliment!

[carlsson]

If you have multicoloured enemies, they can represent different types: squadron leader that requires multiple shots, general enemy, unarmed ship that you either should avoid or could overtake. Of course you can have different shapes as well, but the combination of colours and shapes open for many variations, where a prettified ship of your own stays the same unless you would use different colours and shapes to indicate weapons level, shield etc.

 

I believe animation is a good alternative to make your own ship more interesting. I am partial to the rotating ships like in Delta and others.

 

[Nathan Strum]

If you have multicoloured enemies, they can represent different types

 

 

This.

[+Random Terrain]

Just curious, is it a hardware limitation, batari Basic, or 4K limit that means you can only have one multicolor sprite?

It's a batari Basic limitation. I'm using no_blank_lines to take advantage of a side effect that makes it look like the player is shooting thin lines, but that eliminates the option to have two sprites that are multicolored. When you look at the chart, there's almost always something you have to give up to get something else you want.

[Supergun]

The only thing that I can tell you is that when it comes to the 2600 & a side scrolling shooter, Imagics Subterranea has always been the perfect TEN. It was/is hands down the most impressive shooter for the system. Its also better then anything on Intellivision & ColecoVision. It wasnt until the NES that it was finallly surpassed.

[+Gemintronic]

With the VCS I generally pick a neat trick and build a game around that. So, whether the player gets multi color really depends on if the graphic kernel allows.

 

That being said I've gotten lucky sometimes like with Dead of Knight where the player is either buck naked or in full plate armor. So, they got the single colored sprite

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GwSfNGot0E

[TwentySixHundred]

I would say multicoloured enemies as like you said before the player spends more time looking at the enemy

[KevKelley]

I would also say multi colored enemies. Now would it be possible to utilize the ball or missiles when not in use to provide highlights to the player?

[+GoldLeader]

Just another random suggestion; Maybe for one level, instead of having the cool Laser, you make your ship have a single color beam, and then have both multicolor enemies and multicolor player ship...Maybe here the enemy ships require 2 hits or something...Either that or maybe you change the color palette in some way...

 

I was always kind of a fan of the color palette changing to show progress...

[+doctorclu]

Was going to say the player since you look at it all the time however...

 

.... more diversity in enemies kinda won me over.

[+Random Terrain]

I would also say multi colored enemies. Now would it be possible to utilize the ball or missiles when not in use to provide highlights to the player?

The kernel options I'm using for the standard kernel kill normal use of the missiles, but they can be brought back and used in a limited way:

 

randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-commands.html#reviving_lost_missiles

 

(I meant to add that info to the bB page years ago. I just added that section last night, so you might need to refresh the page.)

 

The ball is only visible on rows that aren't black, so its use is also limited.

 

 

 

Just another random suggestion; Maybe for one level, instead of having the cool Laser, you make your ship have a single color beam, and then have both multicolor enemies and multicolor player ship...Maybe here the enemy ships require 2 hits or something...Either that or maybe you change the color palette in some way...

 

I was always kind of a fan of the color palette changing to show progress...

That thin line that the ship is shooting can be any color. Maybe the player could upgrade his or her weapon and the color could graduate from blue to green to yellow, then to red.

 

Instead of forcing the player to fight through a set pattern of bad guys, then fighting a "boss," maybe the player could choose when to fight the boss. Maybe the player could fight enemies of a lower rank until the weapon is upgraded to red, then the player could go after the boss since that would give the player better odds. It might be possible to defeat the boss with a weapon that hasn't been upgraded to red, but it would be much harder.

 

None of this is written in stone. I'm just shooting balloons, bubbles, rainbow hard candy, and glitter out of my ass and seeing what sticks to the wall.

[carlsson]

I'm just shooting balloons, bubbles, rainbow hard candy, and glitter out of my ass and seeing what sticks to the wall.

 

While I understand that Nyan Cat already was implemented on the Atari 2600, I wonder if anyone has made a shoot 'em up game based on it.