Escape From Skybase 17

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Escape From Skybase 17
Scott Keling and Gary Darby
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Game Summary

• Single player puzzle game
• Player uses a jump interface to jump at various
  heights and angles
• Must jump over obstacles and onto moving objects
  to reach level exit

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Story Abstract

• Main character is kidnapped and used for science
  experiments
• Given super jumping strength
• Is used to test the effectiveness of the
  procedure
• Told that if he can pass several obstacle
  courses, he will be free to go
• But is it true?

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Appearance

• Static screen for each level
• Simple sprites and backgrounds
• Simple coloring
• Interface consists of power meter, death counter,
  and mouse cursor
• Meter fills up as player charges jump strength
• Four midi songs in the game
• Title, story, game play, ending

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Interface

• Power meter in upper left
• Death count in upper right
• Red mouse cursor to set jump path

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Interface
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Player Actions

• Hold mouse button to charge a jump
• Release button and character will jump in the
  direction from the character to the mouse pointer
• Takes about two seconds to fully charge
• Can charge jumps in the air
• Jumps follow a parabolic path
• Player will have no air control
• Use jumps to avoid obstacles and reach (moving)
  platforms

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Strategies and Motivations

• Number of total deaths used for scoring
• Player goal to reach the door
• Lack of air control
• Causes player to plan ahead
• Puzzle solving skills
• Quick reaction moments
• Falling/Moving platforms the player needs to jump
  off of quickly
• Needs to time when to start the jumping to
  complete puzzles

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Level Summary

• Three different levels
• Players automatically transition to next level
  after completing one by stepping onto the door
• Levels get progressively harder

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Story Progression

• No story advancement aside from beginning and end
• Situation doesn't change from level to level
• Ending is open, lets the player decide how it ends

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Hardware Specification

• Had trouble running on the machines during the
  game fair (unsure of the exact problem)
• Has no trouble on an old Dell with 2Ghz single
  core processor, 512 MB of RAM and basic
  integrated graphics
• Needs minimal graphics acceleration

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Software Specification

• Designed using DirectX
• Machine needs DirectX installed to run the game

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Algorithm Style

• Physics
• Physics will work by using x and y velocity to
  move the sprites each frame.
• Gravity will be applied to the y velocity each
  frame, making it more negative each time
• Collision
• Collision check based on bounding boxes around
  the sprites/environment
• Floor done using color scan
• Checks made only when an object's x position (y
  position on vertical spikes) puts it in place to
  collide with the character.

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Changes Since Monday

• Fixed sound
• Added story slides into the game
• Added more detail to the controls screen
• Fixed the enter key skipping all of the beginning
  slides