Re: New Vector Games

Ok,

So far I've just seen variants on other vector games that already exist...4
player Space Wars, 2 player Tempest, 8 player Space Duel, 2 player Star Trek,
etc...but here's a chance to be inventive, people! Let's think of something
new, and not just re-hash the past (although that's probably easiest).

I just thought this one up.

Gun Slingers
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Ship and actions:

I think a fun game would be to have a ship which was controlled similar to how
Omega Race's or Zektors ship is controlled (with an optical encoder and
thrust). The other buttons would be drag/drop (similar to a mouse button) and
fire.
Your ship would be equiped with a tow cable which shot straight out of the back
of your ship.

The screen would be filled with random rocks/objects. The screen is enclosed
(like omega race).

You have a tow cable you could fire (press drag/drop) at certain things and
drag them around and you could "Sling" them (release drag/drop).

The Objects:

The screen starts with a bunch of these objects...

Red object - similar to a bouncy ball, when slung, whatever it hits get's
bounced. Round. Constant number, always exist.

Green objects - rocks...mine fuel from them later, can be slung at other
objects and explode/crumble on impact. These can destroy ships. As they are
destroyed, another one will "phase in"

Fuel - drag fuel back to base to continue playing. These phase in as they are
used, but phase in less and less often as the game progresses. Can be flung at
enemies to destroy them, too.

crystals - only appear in 1 player game. Dock or sling these into your base
for points. Can also be flung at enemies.

Power ups (some ideas):

laser gun parts - you must doc three gun pieces together to make a gun, then
fly over it to pick it up. You can now fire at other ships, but it depletes
your fuel twice as fast.

mining gun parts - you must doc two pieces together, then pick it up. You can
now mine fuel out of rocks.

cutters gun - you must doc two pieces together, then pick it up. You can cut
others tow cables now.

In two player games, you would compete against the other opponent, slinging
rocks and such at them and trying to bounce their fuel away from them, and in a
1 player game you'd have enemies which tried to steal fuel from you (similar to
RipOff in a way).

You would get unlimited ships until you ran out of fuel. When your ship is
destroyed, you loose whatever power ups you had.

So you'd be slinging stuff at your opponent, trying to snag fuel canisters and
get them back to your base while avoiding your opponent, and you'd be fighting
for valuable gun parts.

For some reason, I like not just shooting your opponent to death; you either
starve him of fuel or sling rocks at him. Some cool situations come into play
when you both grab the same object, or someone flings something at you and you
dodge it and snag it with your own tow cable, and maybe toss it back at them.
 Or someone is towing something and you have cutters; just cut their tow rope
and fly off with it. Or tow the enemy ship and fling him right into a rock!
:-)

If only I had a decent development platform to start writing this...maybe we
should develop a development platform first :-)

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Mark Jenison E-mail address: jenison@cig.mot.com
Cellular Infrastructure Group Motorola--Arlington Heights, IL
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Received on Fri Dec 18 13:40:07 1998