I use Flash Develop as the main IDE, and Adobe Flash CS5 mostly for assets (vector graphics, UI elements and probably later movies).
While I'm learning the technical aspect, I'm also testing game ideas. Implementing a simple user interface is very easy in AS3 and drawing vector graphics is easy too. Great. Means I can write simple prototypes very quickly. In one month of Flash I'm much more productive than one month in C#, Java or C++/C.
Let's have a peek at some game prototypes I'm working on. Those are gameplay screens on the current versions.
I inserted a subtle "not final version!" text in the screens just to remind you guys the games will likely evolve in all aspects, gameplay and appearance.
ROUGHBALL : Turn based, sport.
A simplified BloodBowl with some twists.
I use a system of dolls for the characters appearance, like I do in Rogue Survivor.
I like the silly faces the characters have.
 | |
| "I haz teh ball dis makes me big grin :D" |
ANCIENT SOLDIERS : Turn based, strategy.
A miniature-based wargame with some original ideas on command and control and army design.
 |
| The AI fires on my skirmishers with archers :( |
STUPID FLASH GAMES...
There are too much of them.
I want my flash games to be interesting and original, while keeping them at the casual-game level of accessibility. You won't get Rogue Survivor complexity/depth... but you won't get the obtuse UI either :p
End of post.
Yeah, I agree that flash games are not that fun and while not "stupid", definitely not "clever" :).
ReplyDeleteAlso I agree that the main problem is their simplicity, they are fun for a one playthrough, but I've yet to see a single flash game which I want to play twice... While it probably took a lot of time for the game maker to make it, so IMHO it's an unfair business, because I feel like I make single-use plates when I do it.
Good luck to you and I wish you to be able to make a multi-use game which will attract users and keep them playing it multiple times :).
"stupid" was a bit strong, it should have said "simple". I'm sounding a bit pretentious :/
ReplyDelete"Single-use" nails it.
Flash games are usually casual games with limited (or non-existant) replay value.
I think it comes from various factors:
1) game portals paying policies to developpers -errr that doesn't sound proper English-, requieres them to produce a constant stream of games to earn a bit of money, so they have to be relatively simple to do;
2) the player community who wants straightforward and flashy(sic) games, and
3) most devs are inexperienced and starting game development in Flash.
At least that's the impression I've got, I might be wrong though.
Also the fact that they usually are not really good at saving your proggress (at least many of them), so you cannot play a complex game for a long time... It became a trend to make them for a single playthrough. Still it's possible to make a multi-mission strategy or RPG, so it's just a problem of the general development direction.
ReplyDeleteAh you're right, I forgot about saving games.
ReplyDeleteHow does Flash handles persistant data?
Does it work more like cookies or serialization?
I haven't look into that yet. Some games save your progress so I suppose its no big deal.
The best idea is to save the data on the server and use accounts. This way a random browser cleanup won't kill all your saves.
ReplyDeleteI see thanks.
ReplyDelete