Time: Game Maker Blog
Latest Active Project:
Octohead
Genre: Platformer
Started: April 1, 2010
Latest Download: Blog Post
Version: 0.1
2009-11-01

Minimalistic Zombies


I've started, as is not uncommon with me, a new game in my spare time which I've entitled "Minimalistic Zombies" (name to be improved later on).  I started it in the hopes of entering it into the Gamejolt November Competition which has the theme "minimal."  I'm still trying to work out the kinks on making it fit into the competition, but in the mean time I've made some of my favorites sprites of all time!  The zombies aren't too awesome, but I really like the main character, who is thus far named "The Exterminator."

      
I've got a basic engine going for the game, with two animations for the zombies dying, basic movement and the AI from my Platformer AI example.  It's not too far along and all-in-all a very boring game, but I'm working to make it better as much as I can.  I will have more time to work on my various projects over the winter months, luckily, so I will be able to update the blog more frequently (I previously had two jobs and two sports all running simultaneously, but one of my jobs and both sports will soon be ending).

8 comments:

Darren Poole said...

If I saw those graphics, I wouldn't think they were minimalistic.

Time said...

That is the main issue I'm having. What I'm attempting at this point is to minimize gameplay rather than graphics to include the "minimalist" element. The problem with that, though, is that suddenly the theme is just tacked onto the game, rather than focused on as a central concept that the game was founded on, similar to Canabalt (a great game, if you haven't tried it. It was also entered into a minimalist competition and achieved the effect greatly).

From there, I may just decide to take it out of the competition, or find another way of including a very simple concept. So far I've chosen to use either controls or gun selection. Right now, there's only one gun, which I'm thinking I'll stay with and find a way to make it special (like the gun in Portal) or I will try to keep the number of keys to a minimum (as of now there are only 4 buttons, but that isn't terribly "minimalistic").

NT said...

You can also haave a minimal story or instructions, if I recall correctly.

Good luck in the competition, Time, I'm entering it as well.

Time said...

You are? Cool! What are you planning on making?

I'm thinking about not entering this in the competition and just screwing around with it as a normal game, but then it just turns into Solanum with different graphics! I'm trying to think of a unique idea for the gun, and then have 5 keys for everything and only have one gun option. That seems pretty minimalistic, but I think it might still be too "tacked on."

Maybe my minimal part can be how I used the theme minimally :P

NT said...

I'm fairly far into the development of my entry. It's sort of a mix between tower defense and arcade shooter.

You play as a man with a machine gun and you wait outside your house shooting the kids that try to trick-or-treat at your house. :) Your house has health and you get money from killing the children and must use it to heal your house, upgrade your weapon, etc.

I'm going with "minimal storyline", although the graphics are really just outlines.

Time said...

haha if you'd like, I can try and help with graphics and put this one to the side for a while if you'd like (I haven't even got any ideas, and this competition is going to end too quickly XD). I can't promise I'll be terribly reliable for time, but I can try!

NT said...

I just have to add the finishing touches to my game, really, so I don't think your help will be needed. Thanks for the offer, though. :) I'd love to make something with you in the future! (Preferably one without time limits. :P)

Time said...

Yeah, the time limit is a bit of a downer. Just come up with an idea, and we can get to work! I'm thinking that we should try out an idea that I saw on the GMC for completing projects; it said that you should have a full game idea done before you start the project so you have clear goals and checkpoints. I'm thinking that I'll try this with my next project (so that you're just implementing and can't really get stuck).

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