uDevGame08: Maneuv'It!

Community Showcases
1

=== Updated: Feb, 26 2009 ===
Release Candidate 2 is up!

Some changes since RC1:

  • Added a new level.
  • Made mouse cursor smaller and less obtrusive.
  • The Orb now automatically follows the cursor (No need to “drag” it everywhere).
  • Re-did “How to Play” screen.
  • Jazzed up the title screen/Main Menu logo.

The link below has been updated to download RC2. So, if you’ve got the time take a look and let me know what you think! All comments are greatly appreciated

Well, with the uDevGames08 deadline drawing near and my entry being in a nearly completed state, I figured I’d show it off to my Unity forum brethren :slight_smile:

Here is a link to the most recent build:
Maneuv’It! Release Candidate 2 (Intel 8.5MB)

A link to a gameplay video:
Maneuv’It! GamePlay (16.8MB 00:34s)

And some (slightly outdated) screen shots:

As you see, this is a completely 2D game. It also make full use of the Unity physics engine for movement and collision detection/handling.

So, … have a look (or a play)! Any and all comments/feedback are welcome!

2

That’s fun - I am eager to have my kids try it. I found it difficult and wished I could move things tighter but I guess that’s an important part of the challenge. I found myself nearly crushing the mouse with the effort - clicking on the ball to start and then being able to release the button and have the ball follow the mouse would relieve stress on my hand and my mouse.
Best wishes for the final stretch.

3

Thanks for the feedback, Yangmeng :slight_smile:

If I take this game any farther, I do envision having different “models” of orbs you can choose from: Slower, but more controllable; Faster, but harder to control. With bonus points being subtracted/awarded respectively. This way players of different skill levels can enjoy/complete the game.

Holding down the mouse button all the time was also mentioned elsewhere as a not-so-great thing. My reasoning was if you wanted to access the Main Menu during play, and the orb always followed the mouse cursor, moving the cursor to click the “Main Menu” button could potentially mess up your game. As I think about it now, the decision to have to “drag” the orb everywhere was made when I envisioned the game as having longer levels, more methodical play and no timer. With the game in it’s current state of shorter, faster and timed levels, the “must-drag-everywhere” decision does not seem like a good one.

I made some quick code changes so the orb automatically follows the mouse cursor and it feels/plays really well! A few little tweaks, and everything should be good to go!

Again, thanks for the feedback

4

Release Candidate 2 is up!

Some changes since RC1:

  • Added a new level.
  • Made mouse cursor smaller and less obtrusive.
  • The Orb now automatically follows the cursor (No need to “drag” it everywhere).
  • Re-did “How to Play” screen.
  • Jazzed up the title screen/Main Menu logo.

The link in my first post has been updated to download RC2. So, if you’ve got the time take a look and let me know what you think! All comments are greatly appreciated! :smile:

5

Hi DGuy,

this is a very nice game. For my own opinion it is not easy to handle this game. I collided many times on the wall so i haven`t a bonus :(. But it is a great game and make some fun. And it is good to see, that the 2D game works fine. So i can create my two 2D games (Kniffy and Times Battle) to Unity too (when i found the right programmer g).

6

Good stuff. I like the controls. And I played with the MacBook trackpad :wink:

7

Much more relaxing with the new control system. My kids had fun with it and were excited to make it to the end (“I beat it, Daddy!”) but they want more levels!

8

Hey all, thanks for the comments! :slight_smile:

@Train
Yup, the controls will take some time to get used to: Consider it part of the challenge! :wink:

Unity is quite easy to setup for 2D games and, once it is, all the useful stuff available to your 3D game, is also available to your 2D one. Very cool! And just remember, when the entry submission deadline passes (in about two days) and the voting begins, the entire unity project (scripts, assets and all) will be available for download so you can poke around and see how I did things! :smile:

@Der Dude
The controls took some time to get right. I wanted some lag, but things still had to be responsive and, very importantly, when you stopped moving the mouse cursor, the orb had to smoothly come to a stop right at the cursor and not slide past. Even going just a few pixels passed could lead to a collision and a ruined run.

I’m actually using the drag property of the orb’s physics material to control its speed. The “pull” of the cursor on the orb is constant, but by dynamically adjusting the orbs’ drag based upon the cursors’ distance, I get more control over the orbs’ movement than with forces alone.

Also, I’m glad to hear it played well using a trackpad!

@Yangmeng
Yes, the new controls works well, thanks for bringing the issue up (Plus, if I had left things the way they were, it sounds like I would have wound up owing you a new mouse :wink: )

Great that your kids liked it (I’m very curious: what are their ages?) , and yes more levels would be nice. A game like this, to be ultimately worth while, needs many, many levels, but I knew I would not have time to create many so I just set out to get a handful done to give a sense of the type of gameplay I was going for and what a full game could be like.

Again, many, many thanks for the comments. I’m actually getting kinda’ nervous and anxious about everything so the kind words help!

9

My kids that played it are five and seven and they both were able to play to the end, though I think for them completion is king and high score is irrelevant.
I imagine Maneuv’it! will be coming to the iPhone with tilt control?
Anyway, best wishes for that last day’s sprint to the finish!

10

DGuy: Thats so great, perfect. A great help when i start in about 4 weeks. Very good!

11

Well, version 1.0.0 of Maneuv’It! has been uploaded!

Changes since RC2:

  • Added another level. Yea, I know I said I wouldn’t but seeing the way some of the other entries where shaping up I suddenly felt very inspired to sweat out another level!
  • The start-timer-line flashes white when crossed. Now there is a visible cue to go along with the audible one.
  • Red walls flash bright red on collision. Again, a visible cue to go along with the audible one.
  • Made orb-wall collisions bouncier. To give a little more “life” to the collisions.
  • Sped up scrolling of the credits. While I love seeing my name take 30 seconds to scroll across the screen, I’m sure others would not.

Here’s the link to my game page on uDevGames:
http://www.udevgames.com/games/entry/maneuvit/

Thanks to everyone who took the time to post comments: Every comment I received here and elsewhere led to making the game better!

Voting begins tomorrow, so if you have a moment, jump on over to www.uDevGames.com check out the entries (under “Games” on the menu strip)!!