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scrolling blaster goard game

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Fri, 09/04/2015 - 05:28
Midnight_Carnival
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I got this really epic idea for a retro-style scrolling blaster (computer)game in the shower. Sadly I can't program so I'll never be able to make it.

But it got me thinking how much fun everybody used to have with scrolling blasters back in the day. I was wondering if you could have a scrolling blaster boardgame?

It might work similar to a racing game, the objective being to be the first player to reach the end of level boss with sufficient firepower (stuff you'd collect along the way) to be able to defeat it.
There could be an optional cycling element so you can go round however many times until you build up enough power (so it could work kind of like Ludo?)

Personal preferences:
-It doesn't need to actually scroll, the scrolling element can be supplied by random or near random changes to the board.
-Any number from 2 to about 6 must be able to play it at once
-It musn't have any complex D&D style elements, you shouldn't have to consult extensive tomes on what a role of 19 means in such and such a context
-no funny dice please!
-it shouldn't requre a DM
-There should be room for players to choose the degree of co-operation and competition in their style of game play but in the end there should be only 1 clear winner.
-the board must be a reasonable size and not require any electric power to operate - preferably not any manual power either.
-the game must be stragegic
-obviously, it must be fun to play!

Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions on how a scrolling blaster boardgame could actually work?

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Fri, 09/04/2015 - 06:50
#1
andymakespasta
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Are you talking about

Are you talking about scrolling blaster as in contra or as in raiden?

Common elements of scrolling shooters are:

Enemies appear for a limited time, and killing certain enemies drops powerups.
Enemies appear in fixed patterns that you can memorize.

Staying in the back rows gives you more time to dodge, and allows stacking of bullets. (especially if you know where enemies are going to appear)

Moving to the front gets you power ups earlier, and boosts firepower

Weapon types spread/ focused/ auto-target, sometimes as temporary powerups, sometimes they last until you die.

Secondary weapon is powerful, but has limited uses

For multiplayer, the screen only moves if the player in the back moves too, keeping both players on the same screen
Either that, or the screen keeps moving, depend on which game you're talking about.

Probably abstract the moving screen with enemies appearing and disappearing. In multiple loops, be sure not to mess up the order of the deck.

I don't think simulating those elements won't be too hard, the main problem is if it will be fun to play, since those games rely on reflexes too.

Maybe use a stopwatch or a timer to force players to move on if they're taking too long.

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Fri, 09/04/2015 - 12:19
#2
wombat929
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It seems like some of the

It seems like some of the more action-focused dungeon crawlers and ameritrash games do this well. Perhaps look at Descent or Last Night on Earth?

It seems like the side-scrolling element would be the interesting bit here. I don't know how you'd simulate that.

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Mon, 09/07/2015 - 05:29
#3
Midnight_Carnival
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I'm talking about

Raiden style scrolling, although Contra style might be interesting.

I don't know how to simulate the reflexive fast pace.
I know that you could have groups of enemies which you move along as well as terrain, but that would make whoever plays it get sick of the game really quickly, I mean imagine a turn:

Ok, I'm (still) firing, not moving anywhere... Ok, move enemy bug type ship 1sidewasy, 1down, move enemy dart type ship 1 sideways, 3 down, move terrain block 1 down,move terrain block 1 down,move terrain block 1 down,move terrain block 1 down,etc...

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Mon, 09/07/2015 - 07:25
#4
Jarec
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andymakespasta wrote: Enemies

andymakespasta wrote:

Enemies appear in fixed patterns that you can memorize.

This got me thinking. Many video games rely on reflexes, so pattern memorization kinda lends itself well with turn based board games, since you have unlimited time to think about your move whenever enemies appear. Whereas with video games you had to have grind the level over and over again to make yourself remember the encounters. If you could see the enemies coming like a turn beforehand it'd like you've had memorized that level, but the bonus being that you can randomize the level for every play through.

First thing that came to mind was this scrolling Carcassonne with enemies and terrain formations as the tiles you'd place and shove from right to left.
Enemy shooting could be abstracted as such, that regular shooty enemies would force players to move vertically, and some bomber type enemies or ceiling mounted turrets would force players to move horizontally.
Added to this could be some torpedo type enemies which would move on their own on the board to further force the players to the check-mate situations of forced movement.

Player shooting could work like in Wings of War, so that when in range (in this case when in same row as an enemy) you'd shoot automatically. Each enemy or enemy formation would have basic defense and HP numbers to cross-reference with your weapon and powerups.
Whenever an enemy is destroyed, you'd flip the tile to show empty space.

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Mon, 09/07/2015 - 10:34
#5
andymakespasta
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Hey, hey, hey, how about

Hey, hey, hey, how about this:

You play this game on the floor. Each turn lay out four/ five enemy cards at the top of the grid. The last say 10 cards have no borders and make up the giant boss, with cannons on the wings and stuff.

Each turn, players must move forwards, but you can move diagonally or even two spaces forward. You also automatically fire your weapon. The weapon may or may not depend on how you moved. Each weapons has a pattern associated with it, so usually you'll be hitting multiple enemies.

Enemies will however throw down bullets, which players must avoid stepping on, or must reflect, or whatever.

So basically, the players are moving along this track that is being built in front of them as they play. It'll take a lot of floor space, but it'll be totally rad. Or they can play in a circle.

I feel the game would be more fun if you didn't have to track enemy health. So instead of wearing down the enemies, maybe the goal is to match colors, or cause chain reactions, or collect sets. The power up will drop, when a set, or a certain enemy is defeated. A player who has moved two spaces will be ahead a few rows, and could get power ups easier, but moving to the front is also hazardous. Also, you can't move back unless you get hit or something.

Just a thought.

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Mon, 09/07/2015 - 14:23
#6
let-off studios
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Kemble's Cascade

There's a game that emulates retro space shootemups: The Battle at Kemble's Cascade.

http://zmangames.com/product-details.php?id=1661

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/154301/battle-kembles-cascade

You may want to look at this as inspiration.

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Tue, 09/08/2015 - 04:49
#7
Midnight_Carnival
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worth considering

andymakespasta wrote:
Hey, hey, hey, how about this:

You play this game on the floor. Each turn lay out four/ five enemy cards at the top of the grid. The last say 10 cards have no borders and make up the giant boss, with cannons on the wings and stuff.

Each turn, players must move forwards, but you can move diagonally or even two spaces forward. You also automatically fire your weapon. The weapon may or may not depend on how you moved. Each weapons has a pattern associated with it, so usually you'll be hitting multiple enemies.

Enemies will however throw down bullets, which players must avoid stepping on, or must reflect, or whatever.

So basically, the players are moving along this track that is being built in front of them as they play. It'll take a lot of floor space, but it'll be totally rad. Or they can play in a circle.

I feel the game would be more fun if you didn't have to track enemy health. So instead of wearing down the enemies, maybe the goal is to match colors, or cause chain reactions, or collect sets. The power up will drop, when a set, or a certain enemy is defeated. A player who has moved two spaces will be ahead a few rows, and could get power ups easier, but moving to the front is also hazardous. Also, you can't move back unless you get hit or something.

Just a thought.

You know I posted this as a kind of vague notion to waste everybody's time and annoy them but I'm really impressed by the insight of most posts here.
This one in particular interests me (not to detract from the other ideas)
andymakespasta: since I was just playing with he idea and didn't really have much, I'm happy to either turn the project over to you if you have time and energy or, if you like I'd be delighted to get into a collaboration with as many as want to jump in.
It's just that I kind of want to play this game or similar one and hopefully develop it further now.

May suggest a few changes later on.
Also thanks for everyone else's contribution, as said I'm not ignoring that. That link to the cascade game was nice, the game looks intersting.

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Tue, 09/08/2015 - 09:23
#8
andymakespasta
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Thanks, but what exactly is

Thanks, but what exactly is the idea you had on scrolling games?

Since it turns out someone has already done something pretty similar(good info, let-off), unless there's a great leap forwards, it's not really viable.

Don't worry, we won't steal your idea and make millions.

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Tue, 09/22/2015 - 09:32
#9
Midnight_Carnival
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Please do if you can!

I'm all for freedom from intelectual property laws.
Not because I want to pirate, but becasue I want to share without having to "sell" stuff as "exclusively mine".

Please if you ever see me post anything here or elsewhere which you think you can "steal" and make millions, do so, you can buy me a beverage afterwards. If I thought I could make millions out of it, I'd do that instead of telling people about it.

So I'm going to look into these "similar games" and maybe devote my energies to other ventures if they do everything I needed to get out there; otherwise maybe I'll produce a really great game which has everything they don't. Who knows, I'm otherwise occupied at present.

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Tue, 09/22/2015 - 11:09
#10
TwentyPercent
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Side Scrolling Game

Check out Boss Monster. It's a competitive game in which players take on the role of a dungeon boss.

Each turn you add a new room to your dungeon in hopes to attract and kill heroes (to collect their souls).

The game has a style very similar to old-school Megaman, Metroid, and Contra games.

One possibility for your game would be for each player to pick a hero (maybe with unique abilities, equipment, stats). Each turn, as the hero passes through an area/room, a new area/room (represented by a card) is flipped over and added to the right. Each room could have an event and/or baddies, and they are making their ways to the final boss.

I see many opportunities for a coop or a competitive game, and the rooms can be as involved as you wish.

I'd DEFINITELY be interested in a game like this.

Good luck and keep us informed.

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