Marble Mania (W.I.P)

[Cyberninja]

Heya guys. Here's a game I've been working on. I originally intended to submit it for Comp 15 but couldn't finish it in time. This is the basic engine for the game. Please give it a go and let me know what you think. I intend to polish this game up, so any suggestions, comments, criticism with be really appreciative. :-) I will post updated versions of the game during the course of this month. Deadline for the final release, is scheduled later this year.

Description:
A mathematical puzzle game.

Gameplay:
Players are presented with a mathematical equation. You need to shoot the correct answer with the Cannon. If the player shoots the wrong answer then they will lose health and the marble will continue on it's destructive journey. Choosing the right answer will destroy the marble and keep you safe. Once all the marbles are destroyed you proceed to the next level.

Controls:
Mouse: moves player/arrow
Left mouse button: shoots

Notes:
- This game is aimed at learners between grades 2-5, so the equations are quite simple.
- Features addition, subtraction, multiplication and division equations. I will expand on this to include problem sums, fractions and measurements.
- Theres only five stages at the moment. This will be expanded to 20-30 levels in total.
- Everything is still very much in it's basic stage. So please forgive me for the horrible graphics. I'm leaving that part for last.
- The music is a midi of the Bubble Bobble game. This will be changed in the final version.
- My main focus at the moment is trying to make the game as fun as possible, while educating the player at the same time. So here ya go...

Version 1: http://www.mediafire.com/?7fxv21ywn0c (1.78mb)
Version 2: http://www.freefilehosting.net/download/MTQ5NDU= (2.86mb)

[Thaumaturge]

That's a nice game, Cyberninja.

The graphics and sounds, while simple, are for the most part nicely done and do the job reasonably well (although the background seems a little dark to me, given the feel of the rest of the graphics).

The game overall has a nice, slightly old-fashioned feel to it.

As a Competition 15 game, I'm a little concerned that it seems a little overt about the fact that it's teaching - but I think that it could work as a classroom game, to strengthen arithmetic skills in students of the grades that you mention.

[Cyberninja]

Thanks. Yeah, everything is still very much in it's basic stage so there's alot that needs to be added. I'm unsure whether to stick with this gameplay method or change the game altogether and start over. Which is why I was hoping for feedback on how to make the game more exciting for the player. So yeah, I'm still gonna weigh my options and see which direction would be best, then move on from there. Thanks for the feedback. :-)

Edit: I made a minor change to the graphics. Nothing final, just needed something other than the black
background to look at. I've also started implementing more particles into the game. :-)

[UntouchableOne]

This game is looking nice. Polished, colourful, If I was a little kid, I would like it alot...well we're all kids at heart...i guess...

[Cyberninja]

Thanks man. Yeah, it's gonna be very colourful when I'm done with it! ;-) This game is aimed at kids so I'm going to be including alot of child-like themes/elements to it.. I'm busy adding more equations to the engine at the moment. Then I'm gonna focus on getting the gameplay sorted out. The final game should be ready by the end of September. I'll be
releasing updated versions as time goes on. Watch this space!

[Gazza_N]

Woohoo! This is quite fun! Simple but effective. The only niggle I found (and it's not a big one) is that when aiming for bubbles at the far end of the screen when they're getting low, my shot tends not to reach it, instead getting blocked by the adjacent bubbles. It's not major though, just something to consider :).

[SkinkLizzard]

bad cyber :( you made'd me feel sad I cant even work out 28 - 6 under pressure
lol nice game I like the graphics and stuff :)

[Cyberninja]

bad cyber :( you made'd me feel sad I cant even work out 28 - 6 under pressure
lol nice game I like the graphics and stuff :)

Hehe. Thanks. :-) I'm actually toying with the idea of maybe including a "clue button" in each stage. The player with be able to use this for a maximum of 5 times in a stage. For when they are really stuck! ;-) Either that or I was thinking of changing the way the marbles move. Instead of having them constantly stream down, I'll make them move down one step, every 10-15 seconds. Nothing finalized, just throwing around some idea's :-)

On the main menu screen, I will include buttons for the player to access other rooms. These rooms will contain time tables, division, addition and subtraction sums (and answers)..etc. This is primarily for the player to brush up on their maths skills before playing the game. These rooms will be inaccessible once you enter the game, this is to make sure there's no cheating involved. ;-)

@Gazza_N. Thanks. (Sorry about the late reply btw) I'm assuming you're talking about the last stage, correct? My lil bro also complained about this. A relatively easy fix. ;-) I just add more marbles in the stage, in a vertical manner, instead of a horizontal one. That should keep all the marbles within reach. Let me know if this is still a problem when I release the next update. :-)

On another note.. How do you guys feel about Santa Claus? Hehehe, reason I'm asking is because I've decided to add a Christmas theme to this game. Next time you see the game, expect it to have a very "Christmasy feel" to it, along with a matching storyline.

Expect a updated version on the 24th August. :-)

[Cyberninja]

As promised, here is version 2 of Marble Mania. :)

Link:
http://www.freefilehosting.net/download/MTQ5NDU= (2.86mb)

Development is going good, and I should be completed with the game by the end of September. I've included particles in the game this time around. Also found a pretty nifty freeware song for the main theme which I am now using. :)

What I still have to include:

- Proper graphics
- Interface
- Cutscenes
- Story
- Sound Fx
- Menus
- Unlockables
- Characters: Each stage will contain a character that respond to what you are doing in that stage.


With appreciate feedback on the following: :)

- Do the marbles move too fast? Does the game run well on your PC?
- With you prefer I make the marbles move down at specific times (eg: every 30sec) instead of having them constantly stream down? If yes, would you like to see a clock that shows how much time you have left?
- Is the game fun or stressful? Or both! :D
- Is there any other function (gameplay-wise) you with like to see in the game?
- Do you picture yourself teaching your little brother/sister/child, basic maths skills through this game?
- What improvements with you like to see in the game?

That's about it! (for now! :D) Any comments, good, bad, or ugly, are always welcome. :)

Edit: This is only a single stage. The other stages will follow the exact same formula, but with different equations. Press the escape button to exit the game.

[Gazza_N]

Awe. Some. This is looking great! I really don't know what you mean by "proper" graphics, because the game looks pretty stylish as is! The particles, and the "Congratulations" banner in particular, are pure style. But on to your questions:

- Do the marbles move too fast? Does the game run well on your PC?
- With you prefer I make the marbles move down at specific times (eg: every 30sec) instead of having them constantly stream down? If yes, would you like to see a clock that shows how much time you have left?
- Is the game fun or stressful? Or both!
- Is there any other function (gameplay-wise) you with like to see in the game?
- Do you picture yourself teaching your little brother/sister/child, basic maths skills through this game?
- What improvements with you like to see in the game?

- Marble movement rate is fine - not too fast, not syrupy slow. I also got a good frame rate throughout.
- Constant marble movement works fine. I personally like it the way it is. A time delayed shift would feel disjointed, but maybe you could post a prototype so that we could try it out.
- Both. Definitely both :D
- No extra functions that I can think of right now, but if something comes up you'll be first to know! :)
- Sure. I see no reason why kids wouldn't enjoy this.
- See Question 4.

This is looking really good, Cyber. Keep it up!

[Cyberninja]

Thanks for the feedback Gazza. Appreciate it. :) Hehe. Trust me, these are the rough graphics! ;-) I'm almost done with programming the rest of the stages, so I'll be starting with the final graphics, sometime next week. Will post pics as I complete them. :-)

[Gazza_N]

*sniff* I wish I could draw... :(

And no problem. ;)

[Thaumaturge]

It looks very cool thus far, Cyberninja! ^_^

I love the particle effects for the player's shots, and the fading trail that they leave behind. I would suggest having the target balls explode when successfully hit, rather than simply disappearing.

Keep up the good work! ^_^

[Cyberninja]

It looks very cool thus far, Cyberninja! ^_^

I love the particle effects for the player's shots, and the fading trail that they leave behind. I would suggest having the target balls explode when successfully hit, rather than simply disappearing.

Keep up the good work! ^_^

Thanks. That's a very good idea Thaumaturge. Yes, I think I will do that. ;) Is there anything else you would like to see in the game?

[Thaumaturge]

It's my pleasure - I'm glad to have helped. ^_^

Is there anything else you would like to see in the game?

Hmm... *thinks about it, then goes to have another look at the game*

I notice that the balls seem to be able to descend indefinitely; perhaps it would be a good idea to institute a "kill level", which, when reached, causes the player to lose the game.

I would also suggest having levels of difficulty. When the player completes a level, have a new level, operating at a higher difficulty (perhaps both in terms of fall rate and mathematical difficulty) begin, perhaps with a different background (or, probably more economically, have a new art set every few levels). You might also allow these levels of difficulty to be accessed via a main menu once they have been unlocked.

[Cyberninja]

Dude, you must be a mind reader. That's exactly what I'm doing. ^_^ I haven't included the player destruction mechanic in this particular demo, but rest assured, it will be in the final game. ;)

You are correct again. :) I am using a 2 level system on all of the sums. Level 1: Being the easier sums, (such as the one in the demo) and level 2 being slighty harder. Once completed, the player will move onto a stage that contains a different equation (multiplication sums) for example.

Yes, each stage will have a completely different background, along with a specific character that helps move the story along. Unlockable content can be acessed, once the player completes the game. They will be available on the main menu. :)

[dislekcia]

I would love to see a more complex gameplay mode evolve out of this... Something like being given a total to reach and then firing white and black balls (LMB/RMB) to add or subtract the targeted number to your running total. You could hit the total exactly with one number and that would be ok, but if you hit something that wasn't the total, that ball would turn transparent and drop faster, giving you time to hit a second number and either add that to or take it away from the first number - repeat as needed.

So you could get given 17 as a total and then left click on 6, left click on 5, right click on 2 and then left click on 8. The game would keep a running indicator of your proposed sum in the same place as it gave you the total to reach (it could give you a current total on easy difficulties and take it away to make things harder). Then it would go utterly ape because you'd managed a 4 number combo ;)

That would allow for more entertaining gameplay as well as un-limit the numbers you have to generate for players. At the moment it's obvious that you pick a number out of the lowest row to give people as a target.

Other than that, nice style! I can see you've been really working on this :)

-D

[Cyberninja]

I would love to see a more complex gameplay mode evolve out of this... Something like being given a total to reach and then firing white and black balls (LMB/RMB) to add or subtract the targeted number to your running total. You could hit the total exactly with one number and that would be ok, but if you hit something that wasn't the total, that ball would turn transparent and drop faster, giving you time to hit a second number and either add that to or take it away from the first number - repeat as needed.

So you could get given 17 as a total and then left click on 6, left click on 5, right click on 2 and then left click on 8. The game would keep a running indicator of your proposed sum in the same place as it gave you the total to reach (it could give you a current total on easy difficulties and take it away to make things harder). Then it would go utterly ape because you'd managed a 4 number combo ;)

That would allow for more entertaining gameplay as well as un-limit the numbers you have to generate for players. At the moment it's obvious that you pick a number out of the lowest row to give people as a target.

Other than that, nice style! I can see you've been really working on this :)

-D

Hmmm...I'm trying to figure out how I would do this in "Drag n' drop" But yeah, you're right, it does allow for more exciting gameplay. Let me see what I can do....;)

Edit: By george! I think, I've found a way...mwhahahaha! Expect a demo soon. ;)

[dislekcia]

Edit: By george! I think, I've found a way...mwhahahaha! Expect a demo soon. ;)

I love it when a plan comes together B)

Now where'd I put that dinosaur suit?

-D

[Nandrew]

I hold thumbs for you. I've seen some very pretty stuff coming out so far. ^^