For my DirectX programming subject at uni, our first assignment involves developing a 2D game that has been dubbed the
'Splatt' game. The basics of the
'Splatt' game are that the player is trapped in a scrolling maze-type environment (top-down view), with walls, pickups, hazards etc. The environment scrolls around of its own accord, and the player has to navigate the animated avatar (currently called
'Zippy') around the maze. If
'Zippy' eats
'Poison' he slows down, and if he eats
'Food' he speeds up. The main thrust of the game is to avoid having
'Zippy' fall down the hazardous holes, or getting caught between the edge of the screen and a wall as the maze scrolls, in which case he is
'Splatted'.
If you want to read more of the task set for us by our crazy lecturers, you do so can here...
http://clio.mit.csu.edu.au/subjects/itc320/02_assignments/assignment1.htmlAnyway, at the moment
'Zippy' is a platypus. This only came about when Jason (one of our lecturers) tried to draw a character for us to animate, and it came out looking like a platypus, so that's what it ended up as (shown below).
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We've been given pretty much free reign with this - we don't have to stick with a platypus if we don't want to, and can customise the particulars of the
'Splatt' game as we see fit. At present I'm not sure whether I want to stick with a platypus for mine (if I do I'd redraw it!) or go with a different character, since there are potentially marks for originality with this.
The only other ideas I had for the player critter was a lizard - like a gecko (I liked the groovy coloured patterns on GEX's back) or something unusual like a chameleon (he could 'cloak' to hide from nasties roaming the maze!) - or perhaps an ant (would be suited to the maze-type environment). Or else I could stick with the platypus (then I could implement swimming).
Anyone want to venture their ideas for a player character for my game? Splattability isn't necessarily a prerequisite, I just want something that would be fun (and maybe funny) to work with. Whatever, it should look good from a top-down perspective.
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If it's a good idea,
Phineus has probably already done it.