Save the Oceans - a fun blaster for PC and Mac - now with added source code!

A

ArcadeVeteran

Guest
Hi there GameMakers, I would be very grateful if you could check out my very first game, Save the Oceans!

Currently in Beta, it's available to download free for Windows and Mac
at : https://cullitech.itch.io/save-the-oceans


Story.

With the world gone to pot, and nobody giving a hoot about what they’re doing to the planet, it has been decreed that the only way to save the oceans is by piloting your weapon-sub through the depths of the sea, blasting away all the affected creatures and picking up the bits of plastic pollution. (We’ve checked with the scientists and it’s the only way.)


Gameplay.

Save The Oceans is an arcade-style blaster developed using GameMaker Studio 2. Use a joypad to pilot your sub, button A will fire the blaster. Destroy any plastic-riddled lifeforms that come your way. Once destroyed they’ll disperse their plastic fragments into the ocean, you must pick them up as they’re used to charge your Superweapon! Avoid hitting the nasties, they hurt you. If you so wish, you can fire your Superweapon with button B, spitting laser death all around you. You have five charges to begin with, collect fragments to power it up and get more. Some of the power-ups require the use of the right-hand stick on the controller.
Press start button to begin, if you wish to exit the game, press Escape on the title screen.


Occasionally a toxic waste canister will drop into the ocean, pick it up to gain points. We’re not sure who is dropping these canisters into the sea (probably some evil corporation) but one thing is for sure, if you manage to collect them in order, it makes your superiors very happy! There are usually ten per level, pick them up in numerical order for a Canister Collection bonus. If you pick any up in the wrong order, don’t worry, there’s always next time. Collect all the canisters to complete the level.


When the final canister drops, you’ll hear “alarm-like” music, this signifies that you should get a move on! You have around ten seconds to complete your mission (collect all the remaining canisters) Don’t hang around as NEMESIS will arrive and shoot at you! This vile creature will home in on your position too, and eventually destroy you. Collect the final canister if you see him and you’ll escape with your life!

The more baddies your shoot, the more chance you get of obtaining a bonus multiplier, pick this up to get more points. You start at x1 but you can get to a maximum of x9 points on everything you shoot or collect.

Once a level is cleared, you’ll be awarded your bonuses…
1000 points for every canister you collect in order, if you get all 10 in order you get 25,000 points.
A “survival bonus” is also awarded, based on the number of nasties you shoot without dying.
Skillful piloting of your sub also awards you a bonus, try not to hit anything as you scoot around.
To complete the perfect level you would need to get all the canisters in order, not die and pilot your sub skilfully and not hit anything. Easier said than done!

Keep on shooting the baddies, charge up your superweapon by collecting the plastic fragments and you’ll get the chance at a power globe! A power globe is a lootbox that appears after a time, and contain a mystery gift. They’re usually shielded when they appear, so blast away the protective shield to gain access to the contents. Once the shields are down, grab it for a (hopefully) decent gift! You may get more firepower, a points bonus, an extra life, or something completely different. Power globes decay after a while, so make haste to grab them when they appear. There’ll be a warning sound to alert you too, it may appear on another part of the level.

There are 50 levels, if you manage to get to level 50 you must destroy the evil NEMESIS! After that, you begin again in HARDCORE MODE!


Beta information...
It's all but finished, but so far the only person in the sea that's played it is me! It will available as a free download, please grab it and test thoroughly. There are a few issues I'm aware of, which I'll fix in the next release, if you encounter any problems, let me know through this thread, or twitter @stoarcade or email [email protected]

Other stuff...
I discovered GMS2 and initially used it as a quick method to prototype games I was going to write using XCode and the Apple dev tools. It quickly occurred to me that GMS2 is much more fun, quicker to develop and surprisingly powerful! After several aborted attempts at game ideas, I stuck with the Save The Oceans idea as it became (for me anyway!) a fun game to play. I just wanted a fast, smooth and simple arcade blaster with that feeling of, "ooh I could have done better on that level..."
The game will be released as a freebie, with maybe a donation via itch.io for my efforts, all the coding is mine, the music is me messing around with Logic loops and the graphics are all either bought or borrowed off the interwebs. I am giving full credit to all those designers that place there wares for free on the net.

UPDATE 31/12/18
Available now for PC or Mac and now with keyboard controls (although an xbox-style controller is recommended)
Movement - Cursor keys or WASD
Fire - Enter, Ctrl or Left Mouse Button
Superweapon - Shift or Right Mouse Button
Directional Fire - Mouse movement whilst firing.

Good luck out there and happy blasting! My high score is currently 3259950 (without the cheat mode!)
May your power globes be pleasant and may your superweapon be forever fully charged!

Mark.
Cullitech.
 
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Yrbiax

Member
Hey, i tried to play your game, but i dont have controller. Could you add controls for keyboard?
 
A

ArcadeVeteran

Guest
It’s a bit impossible with keyboard as there’s a dual stick part to it. I can add keyboard controls if you like but it’ll be rather difficult i would guess...
 

Smiechu

Member
It’s a bit impossible with keyboard as there’s a dual stick part to it. I can add keyboard controls if you like but it’ll be rather difficult i would guess...
Than do it for mouse and keyboard. Limiting control options to gamepad only will generate a lot of negative response from PC users...
 
A

ArcadeVeteran

Guest
I’ll add a MAME-like control set up for keyboard and see how we get on, cheers
 
A

ArcadeVeteran

Guest
Greetings Gamemakers!

Save the Oceans, Beta version 0.72 is here...
Now with added keyboard controls:
- Cursor keys or WASD to fly ship, to fire press Enter, Ctrl or Left mouse button
- To fire Superweapon, press Shift or Right mouse button
- To use directional fire, move mouse or trackpad whilst firing.
(Will add redefinable keys in the next update.)

Now supported for Mac:
- Any Mac that supports macOS Mojave (so around 2012 onwards) should handle it.
- Recommended: An Xbox controller, you install the Xbox 360 Controller driver 0.16.10 from 360Controller project on Github.
Alternatively you can use the keyboard and mouse or trackpad.

Download either version from cullitech.itch.io/save-the-oceans

Cheers, I'm off to get drunk - happy new year!

Mark
Cullitech
 

Yrbiax

Member
Hey, i tried your game.

Directional fire with mouse didnt seem to work, but I played to third level.
I think you could try to make enemy projectiles more visible, it was hard to see them coming when lots of things were exploding.
Also boss seemed to fire projectiles off screen while sometimes (I dont know if this is intentional).

Music was good and explosions were satisfying. :)
 
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A

ArcadeVeteran

Guest
Hey, i tried your game.

Directional fire with mouse didnt seem to work, but I played to third level.
I think you could try to make enemy projectiles more visible, it was hard to see them coming when lots of things were exploding.
Also boss seemed to fire projectiles off screen while sometimes (I dont know if this is intentional).

Music was good and explosions were satisfying. :)

Thank you,
Mouse directional fire should work with left mouse button, I'll check that.
I'll beef up the enemy twirly bullets a bit then, boss will fire directly at you, even whilst off-screen. If he comes it's basically time to 'hurry up' and get the last canister!
 
A

ArcadeVeteran

Guest
Happy new year! Happy new patch! Happy blasting!

0.73 Patch Notes…

- Enemy bullets now in a higher layer and easier to spot

- NEMESIS bullets are different colours leave a trail

- Can now choose from the first 9 levels to begin (or higher if you’ve reached them)
 
A

ArcadeVeteran

Guest
Get in your weapon-sub and blast the oceans clean! Can you beat the level 1 highscore!!?

0.74 Patch notes…

- Added a cursor so you could see the letter on the high score entry table.

- Added a Pause Mode that actually works (press Esc).

- More title screen transitions.

- Removed ‘clipping’ from adversaries near the edge of the screen.
 
A

ArcadeVeteran

Guest
Update! - Patch 0.75...

- Fixed a bug in the pause mode where the “Pang” nasties would go mental if you paused the game. Also noticed they may get trapped in “Pangland” – fixed it so they see your position… and investigate!

- Stopped the ‘Starfish’ becoming really agitated if they flew to a part of the scenery you had blasted away.

- Added more secrets.

- Found a feature I never knew existed… namely flip, rotate and mirror tiles - amazing!
 
A

ArcadeVeteran

Guest
Version 1.0 now available.
No real updates in this patch but I might as well release it!
Will upload the source code too if anyone's interested, just as soon as I edit out the swear words and rants!
 
A

ArcadeVeteran

Guest
Uploaded the GMS2 source code to this if anyone's interested. Removed the music files to make it a more manageable 80MB or so.
Why not have a fiddle - it's a full game!
 
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