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 Game graphics and quality

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lionheard

Guest
i have almost finished a game with asteroids, ufo and black holes but i have a problem i dont know what graphics or quality i should use. it is a simple game not very complicated but i wanted some help to choose the graphics and quality of the game. Is anyone?
 
Nocturne

Nocturne

Friendly Tyrant
Forum Staff
Admin
What do you mean by the graphics and the quality? The game resolution? The style of graphics? Or are you looking for help programing a quality setting or setting the window size? A bit more info would be a big help!
 
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lionheard

Guest
Nocturne said:
What do you mean by the graphics and the quality? The game resolution? The style of graphics? Or are you looking for help programing a quality setting or setting the window size? A bit more info would be a big help!
Click to expand...
yes for all you just maintiont
 
Rayek

Rayek

Member
Go with a 2d simple look:
https://kenney.nl/assets/space-shooter-redux

Or use 3d rendered sprites just like Super Stardust AGA:

Or an upgraded super retro-neon vector lines look like Gravitron2, Gravity Crash, or Pixeljunk SIdescroller

Personally, I love the look of those retro-classic neon vector graphics the best. And simple to make.
 
Rayek

Rayek

Member
Agreed! When you realize the hardware limits back then - just look at the smoothness of the play. Amazing. Asteroids 2600 was the first 2600 game with bank switching to increase the ROM from 4K to 8K.

For Asteroids the programmer had to use a trick to display that many objects on the screen: notice how the asteroids move vertically, and never cross the screen horizontally.
 
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Lonewolff

Guest
Rayek said:
For Asteroids the programmer had to use a trick to display that many objects on the screen: notice how the asteroids move vertically, and never cross the screen horizontally.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Never really noticed that.

Hardcore C64 coders used to do a similar thing, where they would draw the screen mid scan to effectively double the amount of available hardware sprites.

Another good one was where they would flicker between two colours (of similar brightness) in order to produce colours that weren't even in the palette.

Real coders back then!
 
Rayek

Rayek

Member
Ghost in the IDE said:
Interesting. Never really noticed that.

Hardcore C64 coders used to do a similar thing, where they would draw the screen mid scan to effectively double the amount of available hardware sprites.

Another good one was where they would flicker between two colours (of similar brightness) in order to produce colours that weren't even in the palette.

Real coders back then!
Click to expand...
Recall the old C64 trick to create high resolution coloured sprites? Overlay a multi-colour sprite with a one-colour high res sprite.
 
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Lonewolff

Guest
Yep! Been there.

I remember typing so much basic code on my C64 that it would corrupt itself once you got over about 10K.
 
Rayek

Rayek

Member
I remember typing the listing of a C64 game that was published in Compute! The screenshot looked amazing (I was quite naive).

A listing of 3 pages, double columns, consisting of assembly code (pure numbers) - page, after page, after page. And another listing had to be typed first to load up the assembly code.When I finally finished after a day of HOURS and HOURS of typing, I forgot to save the program to cassette, and just ran it.

My C64 decided to reset, and all was lost. Obviously I was besides myself, and I am still mad up to this day. I never attempted to type a magazine listing ever again after that aggravating experience!

Never got to play the damn game either.

BUT! I just checked the Compute! archive, and found it!
http://www.gamebase64.com/game.php?id=2109&d=42
Page 74

Amazing how the human brain has an almost photographic visual memory. I recognized the cover immediately!

Demons of Osiris was written entirely in
machine language using modular program
ming. The program consists of a series of
routines (modules) which are executed from
a main or "master" loop. This programming
technique allows you to test routines as indi
vidual units. Once you decide that one routine
works correctly, then you can start on the
next routine. Modules used within this pro
gram include a routine to detect collision
between sprites and other sprites, routines
to detect collision between characters and
sprites, and a routine to let any of the eight
sprites cross the notorious seam on the right
of the screen (sprite X-position 255).​

Amazing! MODULAR PROGRAMMING! Oh Boy!

I found it online here: http://www.gamebase64.com/game.php?id=2109&d=42
And finally got to play it in a c64 emulator tonight.



What an exciting moment in my life. I finally got to play it! Let's load it up!
.....

Meh, kinda sucked. I might remake it, though, just for kicks.

Well, one more item struck off the bucket list.
I am finally able to leave this dire episode in my life behind me. :D

...after 34 YEARS
 
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lionheard

Guest
4k is to much i think. MY game is in 2d and it is a limitless game with scores an arcade game and it only has asteroids and a space ship
I dont want to make its assets to real but in the same time not to unreal so ieed some examples of what assets and background should i use
 
RichHopefulComposer

RichHopefulComposer

Member
It sounds like you know what you want, @lionheard. Why not check out some other space/shooter games and decide what you like? DoDonPachi, R-Type, Gradius, Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, Star Fox, Asteroids, Galaga...there are tons of examples out there you can check out! Even just typing "shmup" into Google will give you lots of cool results. Good luck! =)
 
Toque

Toque

Member
lionheard said:
4k is to much i think. MY game is in 2d and it is a limitless game with scores an arcade game and it only has asteroids and a space ship
I dont want to make its assets to real but in the same time not to unreal so ieed some examples of what assets and background should i use
Click to expand...

NASA has a massive list of images of space. They are beautiful. Free to use or inspire a background.

I would google search space games and see what styles you like. It’s a start.
 
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the_dude_abides

Member
I think for the kind of games you mention, those graphical styles have been done to death. Maybe you should look at abstract representations?

Like:
1) Your ship is a photograph of a brain
2) Every time you fire a digitally scanned image of question mark made out of clay appears, and is accompanied by a farting noise
3) Your bullets are psychedelically rendered philosophical quotes about morality / mortality / spirituality and the likes
4) Your smart bomb could be Edvard Munch's 'The scream' - it appears, opens it's mouth to scream, and out fly a horde of stuffed cats that shoot laser beams from their eyes
5) The enemy types all represent existential crises, and are based on the works of Hieronymus Bosch and Salvador Dali

Sure - storywise it could be about you defending an invasion by brain sucking Zebulons from the planet 'Zebulon 53 and a third', but behind this seemingly sensible facade the deeper meta asks the question: "what does it mean to be human?"

Jeff Minter has had a long career out of making games like this :)
 
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sitebender

Member
Just give your game a good cohesive style. It doesn't need to be high quality art, but just make sure it looks good together and fits.
 
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