Maybe 2 of the same shield could result in a more powerful shield? For example 2 fire shields allow a further dash, and 2 electric shields could result in a higher double jump.
Figures. Now I'm imagining a dual fire shield conferring the ability to dash horizontally across an entire screen's distance (while leaving a burning trail) and the dual lightning shield creating a ridiculous jump height but also electrocuting all enemies on screen (a la Hyper Sonic). Lightning+fire = upward diagonal dash, absolutely has to be done. What could be done with lightning+bubble, though? Notwithstanding the somewhat antithetical nature of those elements (albeit less so than fire+water, which we've already seen) . . . Dropping a film of water on the ground and then electrocuting it - and hence any badniks therein - could be rather awesome. I could brainstorm for hours on this, I think!
You know our policy on steeling each others ideas. Stealing is caring I am debating on this. I feel this may over power things a bit too much. Also, these shields open the possibility of even more paths. Fire bubble shield leaves a trail of fire, which burns down bridges :P
I like the simplicity of how the "fire" half stays intact. To me you did a good job at keeping it from being overpowered.
Hah, I love those chunks of monitor flying off when you break one. Just noticed 'em. Graphically, this is one good looking game, Hez. EDIT: The gameplay looks good too, I mean. I'm still not sold on the character power-ups, but they might grow on me like the music did. Keep at it, you're doing great work.
I feel like they will. You guys act like they're going to be at every corner like the boost pads in sonic 4. They're not. There are at most 4 in a level. Those levels are huge too.
Just a few design decisions to think about: So how about the various effects of the shield? Fire and Lightning both prevent damage from their elemental sources, so would fire + lightning just protect from both or would it be more of a compromise or would it fail to protect from either? Then there's the other one to consider... when you have the water shield mixed with another shield and you enter water, would the whole shield go away, would it stay in tact, or would the non water half of the shield fall off? If you unequip one shield before going into the water, would you still lose it or is it considered as being in some kind of state where the presence of water doesn't matter?
[*]The downside to the combo is this. If you have, for example, fire+bubble. You aren't invulnerable to either fire or water anymore. If you jump into a pit of lava, the bubble portion of that shield will be lost. Same goes for entering water, the fire portion would be lost. [*]I think I answered the water one above, if you enter with bubble and electric, the electric goes. If you have a fire electric mix, both your shit is gone. [*]If it is unequipped, you're safe. Just don't be retarded and equip it under water.
Oh, and one last question before I think it's safe to close the book on the whole shield system design and leave the rest to your creative efforts... Can we jump, use a shield move, switch shields, and then use the other shield move all within the same jump... on the condition that we wouldn't be able to use the dual shield move with either of those actions? For my own level for level collab (project that's going on at SFGHQ right now for SAGE), I've implemented a little combo system where the player gets their shield action back whenever he bounces on an enemy and when changing shields (from a monitor, not from a more elaborate shield switching system like this), and this is one of those things that I personally find fun and worthwhile. Another one I'm perfectly willing to share is basically the antithesis of Sonic 4's unrolling from hills thing... if a player launches into the air with a spring, I allow them to regain their balance while falling from the apex (by regain their balance, I mean I have this odd spinning system in place where they actually spin depending on how their speed while springing and they have to be back to the normal surface angle (0) in order to be able to do any of this) and then enter an action depending on which character they are... if it's Sonic, he can press down to roll (which then can transition into shield actions), while Tails and Knuckles regain balance and can enter flight and glide modes respectively. That bit only loosely has anything to do with shields, but I think technical aspects to the movement that involve player input for purposes like that are good things and I like to promote that kind of thinking.
You know that powerup in Chaotix that changes the character who got it into someone else? Why can't you have it like that, Sonic hits the Tails/Knuckles monitor and he became that character as opposed to just having their powers.
I like the mutating into that character better. It kind of makes it clear you're still Sonic, and not swapping places. Like a warewolf transformation DW, you can switch mid jump if your fast enough, but I wouldn't suggest it. It's super tricky.
I wasn't asking if you could switch in mid-air, I just assumed you could. What I was asking was... If you switch after using a shield ability, would you be able to use the other shield's ability as well? As in, can I jump up, press jump to double jump with the lightning shield, quickly tap a+b/c to switch to the fireshield, and then use the fire dash all within a single jump? That sort of thing actually isn't nearly as tricky as it sounds by the way, it's all in how you position yourself.
You can, but it's really really tricky. I'm guessing some masters out there could do it better than I can.
LOL DOUBLE POST! Here is normal resolution Here is your classic on wide screen Here is your classic on wide screen and crack. Any opinions. I'm highly thinking about making it wide screen only. Because who the fuck owns a square piece of shit nowadays anyways?
