Constructive Criticism?

Games
#1

There really should be a section of the forums for Game Ideas, but this is the best section to post in, so…

Hello,

I am currently developing a new iPhone game based around preventing soccer balls from scoring into the goal. You block them with a paddle and get points for doing so. You are allowed to let in 5 before you lose the game. Surprisingly there aren’t games like this one already on the app store and the ones that do exist don’t work very well, so I want to go above and beyond.

Basically I am asking if anybody has any ideas to make this game as unordinary as possible, because from the video which I have posted for you to see, it is looking quite ordinary.

Tell me what you think of these ideas:

(1) instead of blocking the soccer balls with a paddle, you have to swipe across the balls in the opposite direction as if you wer kicking them.

(2) Once you get to a certain point in terms of scoring, the game is flipped around and now you have to shoot soccer balls into the goal?

(3) what types of power ups should there be? Be as crazy and creative as possible :slight_smile:

LINK TO DEMO VIDEO: http://vimeo.com/25335019

Thanks in advance for any opinions and suggestions,
Alex G [import]uid: 7116 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 311434[/import]

#2

Hey :slight_smile:

1 sounds good.

2 sounds GREAT - people love that kind of thing, I think :slight_smile:

3 - if you were using a paddle you could make it bigger or if you were using a swipe instead, how about exploding the balls when the power up is active, as soon as they’re touched?

Peach :slight_smile: [import]uid: 52491 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 41473[/import]

#3

Thanks for the feedback :slight_smile:

Anyone else should feel free to share their thoughts as well! [import]uid: 7116 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 41555[/import]

#4

Good job. I like the swipe idea, as well as allowing the player to shoot.

I’d make the ball a little smaller and add a goal image with physics, so you can see the ball bounce around inside after a score.

Don’t know about power ups, but maybe add some wind to mix things up a bit. [import]uid: 58455 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 41575[/import]

#5

What you have is a solid foundation, but you need several other elements to address some shortcomings:

1 - You need to give a sense of progression, to help players feel that they are learning / mastering the system.

2 - You need to give players a goal, so that they can push themselves.

Here is one idea to provide both elements: Give us an opponent - someone who is kicking these balls at us. When the opponent runs out of balls, we win the level, and get a new opponent. Each opponent could have slightly different kicking styles - that gives a feeling of progress. [import]uid: 65996 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 41590[/import]

#6

double post. Please ignore. [import]uid: 65996 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 41591[/import]

#7

If I were you I would make the angle the balls bounce off depend upon where they hit the paddle, it’s not too difficult to do, it uses a bit of maths. I can give you the code in C sharp so you’ll have to convert it.

  
if (ballRectangle.Intersects(paddleRectangle))   
 {  
 ballYSpeed = -ballYSpeed; //stays the same  
  
 int ballCenterX = ballRectangle.X + ballRectangle.Width / 2;  
 int paddleCenterX = paddleRectangle.X + paddleRectangle.Width / 2;  
 //floats used for higher precision stops rounding up.  
 float X\_BOUNCE = 5;  
 float d = ballCenterX - paddleCenterX;  
 float w2 = paddleRectangle.Width / 2;  
 float percent = d / w2;  
 ballXSpeed = (int)(X\_BOUNCE \* percent); //casts the floats to int as ball speed is an int.  
 }

Lewis. [import]uid: 68741 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 41810[/import]

#8

How about at random times a seagull flies by and you get bonus points for hitting it with the ball?

The ball hits the seagull, he cries out “SQUAAAAAAAAAWKKKK!!!” and falls to the ground!

Brilliant! :slight_smile: [import]uid: 10389 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 41830[/import]

#9

TeeHee :stuck_out_tongue: I like that last one there. I like all of your ideas actually, keep them coming! [import]uid: 7116 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 41836[/import]

#10

Yeah! I’m full of ideas. It’s just making them a reality which takes time, but I’m on my way :slight_smile:

How about a drunken, abusive robot? No wait! That sounds familiar :wink: heh

You could have a gopher popping his head up and hit him in the head, some stars spin around his head and he falls back down into his hole.

If you kick the ball you could have it record the distance the ball is kicked or the speed and try to beat that next time. [import]uid: 10389 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 41839[/import]

#11

Would certainly think about ways to increase the challenge here to give the game a longer lifespan.

You could have a “league” of strikers so easy levels can be trainee/apprentice footballers and the better you get then variables such as speed of kick and general difficulty to block it increase.

Maybe hook in a a data feed so it corresponds to actual matches;) Not sure if this data is free anywhere [import]uid: 66324 topic_id: 11434 reply_id: 41860[/import]