LDPhysics platform game

[litdev]

I'm going to have a go at a LDPhysics based game - I've never actually written a whole game using this, only demos, so fancy having a go.  I liked the approach AbsoluteBegginer took sharing the stages of his development of AI game so plan to do the same here.  LDPhysics uses the Box2D physics engine (as was used for Angry Birds and many other physics based games) and is very powerful, but does need a bit of physics knowledge.  When I added it to LD extension I wrote some documentation for it that you can see here.

I plan the game to be based on a platform system with some main game goal, with a player that can find stuff to help like bombs, arrows to shoot ropes to climb etc.  The player will pick things with left mouse and action things with right mouse button and move with arrow keys.  The physics engine works best with things happen roughly on the scale of 1m, which by default is set to 10 pixels.  Initially I will stick with this and make the game area 1000x800 pixels which corresponds to 100x80 m.  I will make my player 10*25 pixels which is quite small, but see how I get on.

The first challenge is to move the player nicely.  InBox2D you don't generally set position and velocity, you interact through forces, impulses and rotational torques.  This is so the player interacts nicely with the physics world and doesn't just 'teleport' about, get hit by things and can fall off ledges etc.  This may be be tricky, I haven't tried this so will see how it works out.

I will start with a blank game template - NJVR762.000 and will post as it develops - any ideas/suggestions along the way very welcome.

[z-s]

I never used LDPhysics.
Surely I will learn and understand it in this project.
Cool idea let's see how it goes.

[litdev]

First pass NJVR762.000-0, main idea was player movement - some refinement but basics working like keeping him upright!

I added a chunk of randowm stuff in as well mainly to check performance and test player.  Sometime later the game will revolve around collecting pieces for and solving a Tangram puzzle.

Next step will be allow player to grab things and shoot arrows to hang ropes and climb them.  Will also refactor to use LD arrays to store sprite details as necessary.

   

[eddylo]

So good!

Some ideas...

An excellent game can be an effective promotion for our forum, LDPhysics and Small Basic. No doubt. Itch may be a suitable place for introducing our forum, LDPhysics and Small Basic to the younger generation. Register at Itch with a cool name. For example, LitdevExt. Thus the URL will be LitdevExt.Itch.io. Uploading this game to Itch. Perhaps a lot of people will start learning Small Basic and become members of our forum because the high quality of your game. Joining a suitable game jam there is also a good idea. For example, the Basic Dialect jam. You can develop your game according to one of the three themes announced a few days later. Perhaps many BASIC hobbyists will be surprised by your entry. They will think, "I really don't know that MS Small Basic can be used to make such excellent game. I am so amazed. I decide to learn Small Basic tomorrow. Sure!"

I hope that your game will be very successful!

[AbsoluteBeginner]

(translated by Google translator)

What I like about physics engines is the UNKNOWN. 
As with the use of AI, processes in a world that is created by a physics engine are difficult to imagine.
The process can be too complex for the mind. 

[litdev]

Thanks AB, ZS and eddylo,

I've only just started this, not specifically for the Itch.io challenge.  I am sure I will be able to make the program work, but it may still be a rubbish game!  So as it gets going some feedback and help sourcing images, music and making the game play reasonable will be very helpful.

The main idea of this thread is to catalogue the process of making the game, rather than the end product, but we see how it goes...

[z-s]

Will the game be ragdoll physics.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragdoll_physics

[litdev]

No, but we did some challenge on it on old forum 2014.

See this blog about it - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/s...a-p/336850

And I found my original code, GKDV285.000

   

[eddylo]

Thanks AB, ZS and eddylo,

I've only just started this, not specifically for the Itch.io challenge.  I am sure I will be able to make the program work, but it may still be a rubbish game!  So as it gets going some feedback and help sourcing images, music and making the game play reasonable will be very helpful.

The main idea of this thread is to catalogue the process of making the game, rather than the end product, but we see how it goes...

Hello,
So you abandoned the BASIC language jam of Itch? I see. I am curious. May you make another game for the jam? If you abandon, other forum members will abandon as well.

Anyway, I look forward to an enjoyable finished platform game released by you.

[litdev]

I didn't abandon Jam - this project wasn't specifically for it and I don't intend to do Jam on my own - other members can't abandon if they don't start!  I'm very happy to contribute with others.

Next stage of physics program, with more images, pills to grow player, shoot arrows and explode mines. KSBR837.000.

Next bit is to have different modes for the player, walking, aiming, shooting/throwing, climbing.