Spectrum Computing

Hi all,

Is there anyone out there with a game idea and/or able to do Spectrum game graphics?

If so I would be interested to hear via this forum or private message.

I don't have any good game ideas and I am no good at graphics/animation, but I am able to bring things to life on screen with code (I don't claim to be an expert but I get by!).

D

If you lack ideas, you can always remake an existing game. Most of design process is skipped this way.

Do you have any previous experience or would it be your first game?

You know, most of artists won't risk doing work for a totally unknown man as it means a serious risk that their work could be wasted.

Graphics are specific for each case. You need to know things like how many animation frames are needed, sprite size, etc.

So you need to have it well defined before asking for art.
But you can always use temporary graphics from another project to get started

dwinters18 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 17, 2018 9:30 am Hi all,

Is there anyone out there with a game idea and/or able to do Spectrum game graphics?

If so I would be interested to hear via this forum or private message.

I don't have any good game ideas and I am no good at graphics/animation, but I am able to bring things to life on screen with code (I don't claim to be an expert but I get by!).

D

And right now there is a compo, the ZX Dev Missing in action & Remakes that fit very good to you, as it is a compo where you can submit a game which was Missing in action or Never released back in the day (with some freedom to do so) or a spectrum remake of an existing Spectrum game

http://zx-dev-mia-remakes.proboards.com/

I also commented this in some forums, so maybe there is people interested in graphics with you

If you can put in place some basic gameplay with some temporary graphics (however rough), then you'll get more responses of people willing to help out. You could also make a game engine and ask people to help out with puzzle or level design. That's worked well for a few games in the past.

But until you've got some code in place the artist won't know how big to make the graphics. There are all sorts of questions, like do the sprites need an empty pixel line around the edge for a mask? Do they move in character or pixel steps? How many directions and animation frames can they have? Do they need to be pre-shifted to 1/2/4 pixel-steps within the allowed size, and can that pre-shifting include the animation? Can they be coloured?

As for game ideas, there are a few in this very topic section.
There's also a similar section on WoS with many more suggestions as it's been around a bit longer:
https://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/ ... game-ideas

Including one of mine:
https://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/ ... ger#latest
Although the forum doesn't seem to be able to cope with "Schrödinger".

The idea is to have a crazy platform game of keys, doors and deadly traps, with flip/flop trapdoors or there/not-there platforms above spikes and flames, time limits, rising water or lava levels, etc. all in the top two thirds of the screen.
The bottom third of the screen simply contains a life-like animated cat that walks back and forth and randomly sits down for short pauses or to clean itself. But it's walking over large touch-sensitive floor tiles that are triggering off all the different traps in the game you're trying to play.

Some time next year I might make a start on an idea I've had for what I suppose would be described as an 'app' (I hate that term along with 'blog' and a few others). There's no way I'll ever have an idea for a game because I just don't think like that!

Okay, so what I want to have a bash at creating is a Spectrum powered town clock. A large clock face but with decorative touches and animated figures that change at each hour like those medieval clocks you can see in Switzerland and Germany. Thats all, just a clock but I think it would be a challenge and could look quite interesting.

I'll work up my design ideas on a sketchbook first and then see how much of it is possible. Since I no longer own the real hardware, it will be run on my PC using Fuse which is my all time favourite emulator.

llewelyn wrote: ↑Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:31 pm Okay, so what I want to have a bash at creating is a Spectrum powered town clock. A large clock face but with decorative touches and animated figures that change at each hour like those medieval clocks you can see in Switzerland and Germany.

Can you give it a ZX theme? Miner Willy and Horace coming out to chime the hour..?

dfzx wrote: ↑Sat Dec 29, 2018 3:49 pm

llewelyn wrote: ↑Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:31 pm Okay, so what I want to have a bash at creating is a Spectrum powered town clock. A large clock face but with decorative touches and animated figures that change at each hour like those medieval clocks you can see in Switzerland and Germany.

Can you give it a ZX theme? Miner Willy and Horace coming out to chime the hour..?

That's a good idea DFZX! I would have gone with a medieval theme but still its worth a thought of maybe combining themes. Dont hold yer breath though, I'm famously slow at getting started.