Proposed Berzerk hack - would this be possible

[Loccy]

1) Get rid of Otto.

 

2) Get rid of maze exits. Perhaps even get rid of the maze itself, you won't need it (see 3).

 

3) Have robots rematerialise constantly as they're destroyed. Have the speed increase over time in terms of both the time between death and rematerialisation, and also the speed of bullets and the speed of robots walking. Build up to 100% high-speed mode, whereby robots re-materialise instantly, and are constantly at maximum walking and shooting speed.

 

I think this could lead to a pretty entertaining no-brainer-actioner, and a fun variation on one of (in my view) the classics.

 

I don't think I'm asking anything too technically challenging -- any takers? (I'm looking at YOU primarily, Nukey Shay! )

Edited December 21, 2006 by Loccy

[Atari-Jess]

Both Otto and Maze components are extremely easy.

 

The regenerating robots... not so easy.

 

The game is not fun without the maze.

 

All you're basically suggesting is some sort of Robotron 2084.

[Jerky]

All you're basically suggesting is some sort of Robotron 2084.

 

I thought it sounded like Tron Deadly Discs.

 

If the regenerations had a cool animated effect, then there may be a game here. If they just pop on the screen, it would sort of suck.

[Loccy]

Never played Robotron, couldn't get into Tron.

 

Back to Berzerk (and I freely admit, I've never done any 2600 coding), I don't think I'm asking anything that wouldn't essentially be reuse of existing code, just called in a different place. As for the regenerations, couldn't you just call the robot death sequence in a random location, then once it had finished, create a new robot in that position?

 

My original idea actually was to retain the mazes (but with no exits), and have them change every so often (you'd probably need some kind of visual or audible indicator so you could get to a safe location, otherwise the new maze might materialise in your head). Again, that could just be existing code reuse - whatever code that randomly generates a new maze when you move to a new level could be called. However, I think that might make the resultant game too much of a headf**k and take away from the shootfest I had in mind.

 

So, any takers among the hacking community? I think I might be asking too much for me to take it on as a first project!

[Feralstorm]

All you're basically suggesting is some sort of Robotron 2084.

 

I thought it sounded like Tron Deadly Discs.

 

If the regenerations had a cool animated effect, then there may be a game here. If they just pop on the screen, it would sort of suck.

 

I guess one way to do it would just be to reverse the explosion animation to 'form' a new robot.