Hi Dark, Right. All that makes sense, and is some good food for thought. I can see how having a level editor would make many games have unlimited game play.
For example, back in the early 90's ID Software's Doom game came with a way to create custom wad files, and sure enough people made their own wad files complete with custom graphics, sounds, and so on. One of my favorites was a Star Wars Doom expansion that converted the game to a Star Wars type universe and I never got tired of Doom because I could always download or buy a new expansion pack for it. In away we have already seen some of what you suggest right here in our own community. When Dan and Justin set out to write a Space Invaders clone they did so in a way that was new and unique. In Troopenum you have falling mediors, shields, different types of weapons, and several different ships coming down out of the sky. That's a new and different experience from the classic Space Invaders game I knew as a kid. Anyway, I see your point. If a game developer is going to repackage a classic game he or she should take some consideration how it can be improved, updated, and made new or fresh rather than cloning the original exactly as was produced way back in 1980 or whatever. That makes sense given that we have better technology than they had back then and so much more can be done today. Cheers! On 3/31/13, dark <d...@xgam.org> wrote: > Hi tom. > > I agree that repackaging old ideas is to an extent legitimate, however > equally I do appreciate innervation even in a classic title where one or two > > modern twists are added to the original game along with the original > gameplay. > > For instance, suppose I were to create a game with the same gameplay as the > > original asteroids but with updated sound and graphics. I would however, now > > that I have more time and processor power, perhaps want to add more elements > > to the original game as well as the improvements. > > I might for instance add a bounty system, where by destroying asteroids gave > > the player money, with which he/she could buy different weapons for your > ship and swap them during the game, say you could have your standard average > > weapon, or a close range but powerful laser which only hit close objects but > > packed a punch and could destroy even big asteroids in one go, or maybe a > scattershot type of weapon with a wide field of fire. i might also add > defense items, say shields for your ship that repelled asteroids at certain > > parts. This however would also mean I'd need some tougher enemies, maybe > some aliens who have setup gun turrets on the asteroids as well as those > alien ships, or perhaps black holes which sucked asteroid pieces towards > themselves and thus utterly changed the movement. > > A great accessible example of this is rebound, Gamevial's flash remake of > breakout. Very similar gameplay, even down to the sfx, but with enemies, > various power ups, different types of blocks to hit etc. > > thus, even with a classic game there are methods of expanding it, indeed > from a gameplay perspective this is why I'm a little wary of Robo E, since > in games like Igor or rocks n diamonds, while they have! the sokoban > elements and have many standard sokoban levels, they also have a huge number > > of other elements to add to the puzzles, falling stones, monsters, gemts to > > collect, doors and keys etc. > > this is why i tend to feel a little sad when I see a classic concept which > has just essentially been remodded without any additions for people who know > > the original. > > Of course, that being said that only applies to simple arcade style games. > Anything more complex and featuring exploration will automatically be a > different game even if the gameplay is the same simply by virtue of the > difference in it's level design, or in the enemies it contained, indeed back > > in the old days sequals or game expantions were often just like this (look > at the differences betwene original Super Mario brothers and it's japanese > only sequal, aka the lost levels), not to mention the six Nes mega man games > > which had very! similar gameplay albeit with different levels, music, > weapons, items and enemies. > > Btw, this is also why i am a huge fan of level editers for games. Suppose > David greenwood released an expantion to shades of doom that let people > create different mazes and mod their own enemies to populate them with. We'd > > have still the same game, but with lots of new teretory to explore and new > monsters to slay, and it wouldn't matter if the weapons, mechanics etc were > > the same. > > Beware the Grue! > > Dark. > > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
