Contra

[Deep Thought]

Spoiler for Original post:

I'm posting here to make myself keep working on this project. Basically, I'm working on a port of Contra to Axe (the actual NES Contra, not the BASIC version, though that was actually pretty good). Right now I'm still working on the sprites and basic movement, and I still can't find my calc cable, so I can't post anything I have down yet, but here're some stats if anyone's interested:

• Background sprites are all 9x9 and 3-level grayscale (I might change it to 4 later). This is perfect because the original Contra game has 7 blocks down, and 9*7=63 covers the screen nicely.
• Lance is 8x8 monochrome. It's faster to draw on the screen and takes up less memory. Besides, the Lance sprite in the original game was slightly smaller than the background blocks, which is perfect.
• It's only one-player. At least for now. But if I ever get this done, I might add linking So no Bill for now, unfortunately.
• Anything else that moves on its own will also be monochrome. Once again, it's faster and less messy.

Any other ideas?

Also, I'm going to try to make this as close to the original game as possible. Thankfully, Contra level maps aren't that big

Latest update:

http://ourl.ca/5173/223629/


The log so far:

Completed:

• First sprites - 11/03/10
• Planning tilemap - 11/03/10
• First tilemap engine - 11/04/10
• First main movement engine - 11/05/10
• First scrolling engine - 11/06/10
• Redoing movement engine - 11/10/10
• Redoing scrolling engine - 11/10/10
• Redoing sprites - 11/11/10
• First bullet array engine - 11/13/10
• Redoing tilemap engine - 12/18/10
• Redoing main movement engine - 12/21/10 (two years from apocalypse)
• Redoing drawing engine - 12/26/10
• First enemy engine - 12/28/10
• First enemy bullet engine - 12/28/10

Data loss 1/1/11-1/6/11

• Redoing enemy engine - 1/8/11
• First moving enemies - 1/15/11
• Redoing moving enemy engine - 2/13/11
• Redoing moving enemy engine - 2/23/11
• First diagonal and vertical firing - 2/25/11
• Redoing main movement engine - 2/26/11
• Re-planning tilemap - 3/4/11
• Redoing tilemap - 3/20/11
• Redoing moving enemy engine - 3/20/11

• First map of classic Contra level 1 - 3/23/11
• Redoing tilemap engine - 3/28/11
• First water engine - 4/4/11

To do (next few days):

• Redo diagonal and vertical firing
• Add death and invincibility sequences
• Add more enemies
• Add title screen
• Add in-game stats
• Test using actual Contra Level 1

To do (long term):

• Add power-ups
• Add bosses
• Add large enemies
• Add external level support
• Add level editor
• Redo scrolling engine
• Add end-of-level
• Redo enemy engine ??
• Add alternate levels (3D, vertical) ??
• Redo main movement engine ??

[/list]

[DJ Omnimaga]

That seems interesting I can't wait for screenshots

I assume since you say everything that moves will be monochrome that there won't be scrolling, right?

[AngelFish]

My suggestion: Use the speed of Axe to your advantage and make the AI intelligent, or able to deliver a lot of fire. Actually, shoot for both (pun intended).

[Deep Thought]

That seems interesting I can't wait for screenshots

I assume since you say everything that moves will be monochrome that there won't be scrolling, right?

Yeah, there's going to be scrolling. Just no grayscale in anything that moves by itself, like enemies and bullets. I'm trying to make this a clone if I can

My suggestion: Use the speed of Axe to your advantage and make the AI intelligent, or able to deliver a lot of fire.

Yeah, I'm going to try to make it as close as possible to the original

Actually, shoot for both (pun intended).

* Deep Thought stabs Qwerty.55

[DJ Omnimaga]

Ah cool to hear Deep Thought. Qwerty.55 I don't get the pun, though...

[qazz42]

Get it, shoot for both, go for both options

contra involves shooting

* qazz42 runs

[DJ Omnimaga]

AH ok right, lol.

[MRide]

Lol, Qwerty.
Sounds neat, Deep.  Good luck!

[Builderboy]

This sounds really awesome!  I cant wait until we get some eye candy

[Art_of_camelot]

I'm very interested to see how this progresses. I am a bit concerned about speed though, because Contra can have ALOT of objects on the screen at once.

[ASHBAD_ALVIN]

I tried something like this before.  I'd say if you're going for smooth scolling, do that FIRST after the sprites and stuff, that's a killer X.x

Cool idea though.  Good luck!

[Munchor]

YAY Contra for calculator, I used to play that in a browser NES emulator

[shmibs]

sounds fun!
how are you going to manage 9*9 tiles?

[squidgetx]

sounds fun!
how are you going to manage 9*9 tiles?

I was wondering that too.... Ash's 12x12 tiles are actually masked 16x16 where the extra parts are transparent, but I don't think that'll be practical for this

[Raylin]

BILL RIZER WILL JUMP ONTO A FLYING MISSILE JUST TO SHOOT THE GUY WHO FIRED IT

[/bytejacker]

Sounds good. Handling the guns and powerups should be fun.