Windows Asteroids Game Remake

Alexx

Member
This is remake of the 1979 game by Atari, Asteroids.

I've kept the basic game-play similar to the original, but added a few extras like a shop and multiple weapons.
It's part of my project to make 50 games in 50 days.

Here is screen shot of the remake:


http://www.gamemakerbook.com/exe/asteroids.exe

http://www.gamemakerbook.com/exe/asteroids.exe

The basic controls in game are arrow keys to move, Z to fire, and 1 2 3 4 to select weapon.

This game was based on a previous project that I worked on last year, made a few minor changes since then.

Edit: made some changes based on feedback received.
 
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chance

predictably random
Forum Staff
Moderator
Fun game. And funny too. I wouldn't call it an Asteroids remake. Although there is some similarity, I suppose. I mean, both games shoot asteroids. Or perhaps this is based on an Asteroids game I'm not familiar with. But that doesn't really matter -- this game stands well on its own merit.

I think the best aspects of this game are its graphics and sounds. The large rotating 3D asteroids are very well done. They add a nice sense of depth to this 2D game. Same for the ships and gold coins. And the explosions are VERY nice! Sort of like a blast of colored powder. What software and/or techniques did you use to create these? I'm a 3D modelers myself, so I'd love to learn more about how you made these.

The sounds are quite nice too (OK... we all know there's no sound in space). The explosion sounds, in particular, are well done. So are the rocket sounds for when the missiles are launched.

The gameplay is difficult, at first. Steering can only be done when the ship is moving forward. So players who are accustomed to just sitting in the middle and spinning while shooting, won't be able to use that technique. My approach was to put the ship into a tight loop near the center of the screen. I just held the up and right arrows. Then I didn't have to worry about navigation, and could focus my energy on shooting the various weapons. Bullets, rockets, and nukes, oh my!

I think I won the game... but I'm not sure sure. I completed the levels. But in the final level, once all the target were destroyed, I was just left. No messages about how clever I was. No congratulations. Nothing. Perhaps you expected that nobody would ever win this? hmm? taps foot...

All said, this is an excellent game. And well suited for HTML5. The gameplay is challenging, the controls work smoothly, and the graphics and sounds are very good. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

EDIT: forgot to mention the voice! "'That's gotta hurt." and "Warning, weather alert." Oh yeah, it rains in space.
 

Alexx

Member
Thanks for the feedback.

I think I won the game... but I'm not sure sure. I completed the levels. But in the final level, once all the target were destroyed, I was just left. No messages about how clever I was. No congratulations. Nothing. Perhaps you expected that nobody would ever win this? hmm? taps foot...[
This was down to a typo, now fixed.

And the explosions are VERY nice! Sort of like a blast of colored powder. What software and/or techniques did you use to create these?
This was down to GML, for example:
Code:
effect_create_above(ef_explosion,x,y,5,c_white);
 
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M

Marigio300X

Guest
I just played the HTML5 version and... it's good, to say the least. However, my monitor wasn't big enough to display the whole screen at once, so I'd consider making the game window a bit smaller.
 

Alexx

Member
Thanks.

Try holding CTRL and rotate the middle mouse button, to change zoom on your browser.
 
A

Aura

Guest
(Yay, review time! Initially I didn't think that I would ever review a remake, but here I am at your service. ^^")

Asteriods Remake

By:- Alexx

The game was not really bad, but it wasn't very good either. Judging from the duration of its development, it was not tested and polished much, so it had a lots of bugs and the mechanism wasn't smooth enough.

First and the most devastating bug was with the level lock-unlock system. As soon as you moved to the next level, the last levels were relocked preventing you from playing them again. Not really a very big deal, but yeah, something that shouldn't go unnoticed.

Second, the audio spamming. So many sounds were playing at once that I had to mute the volume. I couldn't understand a thing. It got worse in the purchase menu. It could have been better if you played the sound only once when the play button was pressed. But yeah, if you listened to the audio slowly going through each sound, voice acting was pretty good.

Third, the spaceship did not rotate unless it was being moved. Hugely affected the gameplay.

And the weirdest one, you could increase and decrease your health by pressing S and A keys (respectively) mid-game! Also bonus cash got stuck to the left corner of the screen at times. Also total cash seems to reset at every restart.

There were many other bugs, but they were minor, so I won't nitpick. It was a nice effort overall. But you should have fixed the bugs beforehand to make it more fun. Graphics were appealing. Good one for a game made in a day! If I had to give this game a score, I would have given it 4.5/10! Nice effort! ^____^

Review by:- Aura, Member of The GMC Rad Reviewers' Club
 

Alexx

Member
Thanks for the honest feedback.
Your points are all valid, and are things that can be easily changed.
I'll spend some time today to implement your suggestions.

Also great to see a review from the newly formed "The GMC Rad Reviewers' Club", I'm considering applying to join.

Edit: I made the following changes:

  • You can now rotate on the spot.
  • Sound effects drop off in volume based on distance to player
  • Sound effects do not overlap as much
  • Level system has been changed to allow playing previous levels
  • S and A keys left in for testing purposes

Personally I feed that the reduction in sounds loses something, like to know what you think.
 
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