Hamster VS Hellcat

[Wampus]

My February entry for 1 Game a Month was Hamster VS Hellcat. I wanted to create a game where the game area rotates around the player character. Took a couple of days to code and an extra day to bug hunt, add audio, create some basic visual effects and other little things. Sound effects are actually the same as Porcupop. Didn't have time to create new sounds.

Click here to download the Windows version

I will add some Android controls soon. Should be OK for many Android devices. Runs at full speed on my Nexus 7 without issue.

Let me know what you think. Any feedback is appreciated.

[Marmor]

Wow ! Nice Gamesystem

[mentalthink]

The idea it's very innovate... nice game...

[erico]

I have played a cocoII and an appleII game a bit similar.
Love the way you improved it and boss and everything! I have no words, just too amazing 

[matchy]

That's simply great.

erico, which coco/apple2 game is that similar to?

[Kitty Hello]

Excellent. Very complex program.
Hellcat. Lol, what an idea.

[erico]

That's simply great.
erico, which coco/apple2 game is that similar to?

I can´t remember either game names at all, and the internet is not helping.
They were similar to Tunnels of Fahad, Car Wars and Head on. (added a pic of the last two)

The apple II version had circular mazes, your X goes one way while the enemies go the opposite.
You could change lanes on opening and IIRC you could control speed too, but never turn around.
The goal was to collect all dots pac-man way.

Maybe anyone remember those?
They were more of a racer then platformer. But the apple circular one was the one that I wanted to refer.
They share some similarities but are quite far away in game play.
Maybe it is only on my mind?

[Wampus]

Thanks for the feedback. 

Hah. I have no doubt there was a similar game on the Apple II. There are few original ideas. This one has probably been done more than a few times before. I'll have to go really crazy next time.

Funnily enough, when I posted my entry on the 1GAM irc channel someone said, "Oh, are you the person who made the Ludum Dare version?" I was taken aback and asked them what they meant. They couldn't remember the name so I did some digging. Found this...

Hamster Damn



and this one...

Cosmic Hamster Wheel



Never seen these before, though I wouldn't expect the idea of a hamster going round a wheel to not occur to others. Actually, there was a game I was ripping an idea from - the original Mario Bros! When you jump and hit the floor above you to kill enemies I thought that would be a great mechanic.

[erico]

And it is, you do have a nice set of features on your game, it is really great!
I can´t seem to think of how to do such a circular maze in code at all.

The ancient games I mentioned bear only a very root resemblance, if any. I kind of enjoy looking for references on games I like or do.
But on the hamster/ball thing, I played a marble madness type one called hamsterball hehe, was quite nice.

Again, you have a really great game and idea there!
The music helps a lot on the ´evil hell cat´ mood,
I wonder how you did the game through out 1 month, how hard was it?

EDIT:

...Actually, there was a game I was ripping an idea from...

Oh no, not ripping or anything, just reference and inspiration

[Wampus]

Thanks. 

I can´t seem to think of how to do such a circular maze in code at all.

Lots of Sin, Cos and Pi. Lots. Co-ordinates have a y value (distance from center), an x value (position in circumference of the circle its in) and an r value (angle of rotation). To move smoothly between the different rings while keeping the sprite sizes the same requires recalculating the values because of the changing circumference.

My first step was to work out the important numbers first. I saved them as a reference file. Whenever I got lost I could glance at that to re-orientate myself.

I wonder how you did the game through out 1 month, how hard was it?

Well, I left it very late before starting. The deadline for 1GAM is 96 hours after the end of the month. I started on the evening of March 1st, so was already a month behind! I worked all weekend, ending up totally exhausted. The math and mechanics weren't as difficult as I thought they'd be once I'd worked out what I needed to do first. The hardest part was fighting tiredness. By contrast my previous game Porcupop was a lot more complicated but easier because I could spread out the time it took to make it.

[matchy]

There was also an other thread discussion on rotating worlds, where the player move on the surface of the circle, and even jumping from circle to circle (such as planets) and switched is gravity center. 

erico, I see what (type of) game you are referring to and they are a little different because the player is restricted to a linear direction. Anyhow, I do remember that quite early in the arcades which I did enjoy but I was hoping for a coco game reference. 

[erico]

...
erico, I see what (type of) game you are referring to and they are a little different because the player is restricted to a linear direction. Anyhow, I do remember that quite early in the arcades which I did enjoy but I was hoping for a coco game reference. 

Yep, they are pretty different. I guess the only similarity has to do with the maze/playfield and just a bit. The apple II was circular and the openings rotated. The coco version, I think it wasen´t. It is really hard to find coco stuff around the net . I will give another try in looking for it.

[erico]

Oh damn ages ago and I can´t find the game...it was a basic game that came on a tape with lots of other stuff,,,I guess those basic games will be lost forever as the internet seems not to care for them I guess I just have memories...

...but then there is this for fun :

"the device that makes it possible...is called Wampus!"

[bigsofty]

Nice vid, now I understand how a differential gear works! 

[Wampus]

Hah. That is actually a fascinating video. Never occurred to me that wheels on a car might have to be driven by the engine at different speeds.