Tune Project Update #4.1

Bizahm!

I wrapped this up last week but was holding off posting it until I integrated it with the Mario-like prototype. Ah well, ended up doing fun board game prototypes today instead so I figured I’d post this. In its current form, this is more or less how I envisioned the interface for Tune working – less the screens for unlocking new UI elements (like sliders and text entry) and new parameters (like gravity or physics time.) Also, I need to put in some kind of number or point tracking system for buying new bits or leveling up or however I end up structuring it. It will be very important, I predict, to clamp down and limit the numbers (on either end of the slider for example) that players are allowed to tune between, if that makes sense. I can’t allow the player to go between 1000 and -1000 gravity; it’ll just make the physics go wonky and unstable.

As an addendum, I had an enjoyable conversation the other day with my friend Dan “Tabby” Tabar over at Data Realms about Tune, in which I explained the concept very simply and succinctly:

Crepusculum: http://www.steveswink.com/Tune/Info_Tune_Prototype_B_01.htm

Tabby: i suggest sticking with the WASD or arrow key ocnfig

Tabby: i can’t beleive how frustrated people get when they keys aren’t in obvious places

Crepusculum: Right on, will do

Crepusculum: The idea is to take a physics driven mechanic and environment, expose all the relevant physics variables, and make a gameplay progression around tuning those varibles to allow you to complete various tasks

Crepusculum: Have to defeat increasingly large/difficult creatures to get access to new parameters and buy new UI elements, something like that

Crepusculum: Upgrade how much you can alter existing ones

Crepusculum: Buy different UI elements

Crepusculum: If you check out the other proto here: http://www.steveswink.com/Tune/Info_Tune_Prototype_A_01.htm

Crepusculum: It has a slider at the top right that controls gravity

Crepusculum: Seems to point to a lot of neat gameplay possibilities

Crepusculum: Hit space, you can alter a lot of the gameplay variables as well

Crepusculum: (On prototype A)

Crepusculum: I think that one has EDSF controls as well, should switch it over

…and I think that explanation makes more sense than my previous, long-winded one. Either way, the first full progression protoype will speak for itself.

2 Responses to “Tune Project Update #4.1”

  1. Dosou
    July 5th, 2006 | 12:51 am

    Wonderful! Unlocking sliders and variables….sounds great! I can’t wait until you integrate this into the game.

  2. comment
    July 10th, 2006 | 10:10 pm

    Interactive GUI elements during gameplay (like the slider idea), aren’t very intuitive. It’d be cool if you could alter the same variables in a more gameplay friendly manner (i.e. through the same methods you interact with the world around you during play – to keep play simple and consistent).

    Just a thought!

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