File sizes

Upon inserting the originally created objects in photoshop, I decided to put them into Flash and then re-size them. This didn't work out well, as it seemed to pixelate them by making them smaller, rather than keeping the quality, so I had to re-size them in photoshop and put them back in, which seemed to fix this better.

Here's a comparison shot;

I have now created specific object resolution sizes (in pixels) to ensure that I don't get this problem again;

• bar - 150x25
• background - 550x440
• box - 50x30
• ball - 25x25

Atleast this way I will know the size of the objects and already have them the size that I am wanting.

Re-dux of original plan

I realised that my design looked too simplistic so I decided to give it a re-dux to make it look nicer and be more appealing to play. I took the theme of battleships and decided to base upon it, but wit ha twist. Instead of attacking other ships, you are attacking a base, destroying their crates containing weapons and supplies!

Here's the new draft design;

Draft of idea

I've been able to create some graphics within photoshop and a quick animation to show how I would intend the game to work, here's a preview of what it should look like when I start coding;

Let's hope the coding turns out the same as the design!

Game idea

While looking around the internet at flash games I found one that someone had made which looked relatively simple to make;

a simple Brick Breaker game

You move with the directional keys, and have to avoid the falling rocks. As you get past a certain point score the rocks' speed increases, thus making it more difficult to survive. This reminded me of the classic ragdoll game where you have to avoid the spikes to survive, and achieve as high a score as you can.

Ragdoll Avalanche 2

Initial plans/schedule

Creating a flash game will be new to me, as I have no outside experience of creating one. This will be a big learning curve for me, but after making a website, i'm sure that the coding aspect will be familiar.

In terms of a plan for the steps to make it, this is what I initially think will need to be done;
Create graphics for planned game (objects, backgrounds, text)
Frame 1 = start/welcome screen
Frame 2 = the game itself
Frame 3 = game over screen/restart


If I add more than one level I would presume that each frame would display a new level, therefore there would be many frames being used to store each level's graphics and code. This theory could all be incorrect, but I will figure that out along the way as I create it.

Ideas for my own game

So what game do I want to make? The problem is that I don't know too much with how to actually code a flash game, therefore I would want to make it simple. But a simple game can always be difficult to create, or to play.

For example;

Tealy & Orangey

This game involves moving two balls across different levels by using the direction keys (left, right, up, down), but it gets difficult because there are hit marks on the spikes, so if you hit one of them, then you have to restart from the beginning with both balls. This is very fustrating as it is hard to focus on the position of both of the balls as the maps are different, it's easy to get confused.

For my game I think I want to either create a similar game to copter, or a racing game, given that I can figure out the code and find the right tips online. A game that I have always been keen of playing however is the brick breaker style games, where you have to shoot a ball to destroy bricks, and you gain powerups to help you such as multiball and rockets.

Here's an example of this;

Smashing

It looks like it might be one that I can possibly make, so here's a list of what I presume I will need to incorporate into the game;

• Boxes placed together in a shape/formation
• Board/shape which can be moved left & right by pressing keys
• Ball which will move around the stage, and when it hits; edges, board or boxes it will bounce back the other way
• Boxes will dissapear when hit, and a score will be added to the running total
• A set of lives, which when they dissapear it will be game over

Optional: Powerups, explosions, extra levels, restart button, level selector

Personally I think that this will be quite difficult for myself to create, but i'm interested in making it so this will be what I will create.The main reason for interest is due to playing 'brick breaker 3D' alot on my ipod touch. It's a very addictive game due to the graphics and the large number of levels that it has.

Brick Breaker 3D

Examples of games

I have played alot of these flash games over the years aswell as the mainstream games, due to boredom when at home and using them to help pass time by. In all honesty, I know that most of the flash games  that I have played will be impossible for me to create at this stage, due to lacking enough experience in making any flash games and knowing what i'm capeable of.

Flash games which I have enjoyed are the ones where you shoot/hit a target and have to then gain as large a distance travelled as possible.

Here's a few examples of those games;

Groundhog D-day

Toss the turtle

The nice things about these are that the graphics are really well made, you gain achievements, and you gain money from each time you shoot the creature, so that you can purchase items to enhance the game for you, and to make you travel further. This then allows you to want to play for longer so that you can gain the rewards and also the achievements, as having them there makes you want to get them before you stop playing.

Pingu throw (Bloody)

This one is much older, however just as fun as you get to hit a penguin with a club and see it get blown up when it lands on mines.

Games that seem relatively more simple include;

Copter

Curveball

Although even then I would still not fully know how to recreate them because they do have some features which seem difficult to create. For example, copter has a randomly generated map that you have to navigate through, and curveball has a set of levels which have increased speed as you progress through them.