Re:Here's a mad idea...
-
Hey boys and girls!
It's Skippy The Dreadnought, everyone's favourite bone-grinding mechanized killing machine. Since joining this community five days ago I've had my head fried with memories of long-lost Knightmare characters, obstacles and deaths. And yes, I have dreamt about it. I've even joined the Knightmare Roleplay board, marking the first time I've indulged in any kind of freeform RPG in a decade. Cool stuff.
I'm a graphic and web designer in my spare time, and I'm currently teaching myself Macromedia Flash MX. It was during one of my coding sessions that I had a mad idea. And it's this:
What would you say to a playable, completely Web-based, singleplayer Knightmare adventure?
You wouldn't need to download the game, you could just play it in the Web browser (hopefully). It would take the traditional TV show route, where you have to guide a lone dungeoneer (classic Helm Of Justice only, of course) through a perilous series of hazards and levels to complete the quest.
Gimme you views on the following:
-
Is it a good idea?
-
Would you play it?
-
How should the dungeoneer be controlled?
-
What kind of hazards would you like to see included?
-
Locations, characters, objects, puzzles, etc.
I'm prepared to invest a fair bit of time on this (between my other design projects, which unfortunately must take precedence in this case). Post up here with ANY ideas or opinions you might have.
Anyone interested?
Skip
-
-
Mad idea? Flippin awesome one if you ask me dude!!
I'd definitely play it - you could also have it as a download, and be able to update it directly when required! Dungeoneer could be controlled by a point and click method or keyboard? Hazards = causeways, riddles, play your cards right and CoB as definites! I'd base it on S1-3 but have it similar to series 6 in that you start off outside dungeon, and work your way in? Must have Lord F!
-
Glad you like the idea.
The download vs. online debate will revolve around theh graphics I use. I dunno if you guys know anything about Flash MX, but it's vector-based. The upshot is that the graphics drawn in Flash take up a very small amount of memory. If I use vector graphics I can fit the entire dungeon into a small amount of memory, and then it can be played direct from the site. The downside, if you will, is that I will have to draw all the dungeon locations from scratch myself.
The other way would be to use modified screenshots from the show itself. This will a) take up a very large amount of memory, and b) not be anywhere near as flexible as vectors. Plus, I dunno if I can get screenshots of a good enough quality, so this option's pretty much dead in the water already.
As for the control system, I was thinking of point-and-click, so that's obviously an option. But I want to stay as true to the spirit of the series as possible. So I was going to put the player in the role of an Advisor, who issues instructions to the dungeoneer on-screen. This would be effected via a small command console with buttons for walk, turn, run and step, as well as pick-up, spellcast and use actions etc. Clicking on one of the buttons will bring up a secondary context-specific menu (i.e. Left/Right, Forward/Backwards, Give/Use and so on.) That way, the user can string together two-word commands to the dungeoneer, just like the Advisors on the show.
Using this system would also mean that dexterity puzzles (The Corridor Of Blades, The Causeway etc) will be much more tense and difficult than if it was a real-time or point-and-click interface. Just like the advisors in the show, the player will have to keep calm at all times and issue the correct commands to the dungeoneer (who will, just like the show, carry out all actions asked of him without question, even if it results in his death).
What do ya think?
Skip
-
Definitely sounds cool!
I have an idea which may save you a bit of time! Is it not possible for us to create some dungeons for you and maybe email the pics to you, as it could be possible that your inspiration may wane slightly! This would solve some problems, maybe, and in the end you can pick and choose the best ones and modify them etc!
-
That's an excellent idea MPK, I was going to mention it myself. Even something as simple as a line drawing would suffice, I'll accept any format but .JPEG or .GIF would be the handiest.
Alright then kids, let's throw this one open. I would like anyone who is even remotely interested to start chucking ideas my way - in writing, a drawing, maps, anything at all. And whatever you do, don't dumb ANY of it down. Of course, we want to stay as true to the show as possible, and I'm certianly no miracle-worker, but I reckon we should start off big as possible, and then we can scale it down, re-work and generally screw with it until it works.
I'd also love to hear your ideas regarding any aspect of the game at all - format, control system, obstacles, character interaction, puzzles, locations, ANYTHING! Keep 'em coming, the more brainstorming we can do the better.
Spread the word. This could be the start of something big...
Skippy
-
By all means, though bear in mind that the conversation in the game will be extremely limited, just like in the show itself. Any character interaction will be done using speech bubbles, with each character basically acting as a foil for a puzzle or sub-quest. It would be very cool to see some of the KM Roleplay characters immortalized in code though, right?
Like I said, I'm not going to shoot down ANYTHING at this point, don't ask my permission - this is gonna be a group effort! Just throw it all at the wall and we'll see what sticks as we go along.
This time next week I'll have a one-room graphic treatment up and running, perhaps alongside a rough version of the command interface. It will all be completely malleable, though - nothing's set in stone!
Bring it on!
Skip
-
I know Edward, we've already met.
Yeah, that would be cool. He'd be a nice replacement for Scaramonger and the like. In fact, he could be quite pivotal in the game - selling the wrong stuff to dungeoneers (goblin horns, poison potions and suchlike)...
I warn ye all now, I'm going to make this game HARD. There will be no continues, no second chances, no forgiveness - just like the show. If you screw up on PATH causeway at the very end of the game, or run out of Life Force trying to redeem the Quest Object, tough luck - you're still going right back to the start. Mwa ha ha etc.
But I'm sure you guys wouldn't want it any other way, right?!
Skip
-
In all honesty, I can't remember the Block & Tackle. I'm sure I do, but I don't know what it was, if you see what I mean. I just need my memory jogged.
Anyway, I'm off to knock up a quick site for the game. Watch this space!
**Skip **
-
It was very nasty, that...
Exceedingly interested in all this online KM adventure idea...may even be able to scan in some piccies.
Well, I would if I wasn't going back to university this weekend...
![😕](https://www.knightmare.com/forum/assets/plugins/nodebb-plugin-emoji/emoji/android/1f615.png?v=cbb8c768457 ":-\")
-
Hey guys,
I did a graphics test in Flash the other night just to get a feel for it. I knocked up the classic siege mortar bomb from Series One, complete with fizzing fuse. It looked, dare I say it, the bomb - and best of all, it took up less than 1K of memory! I'll get it all uploaded to some webspace as soon as I have the time.
To clarify, and also to prevent you all from thinking I'm the next Hideo Kojima (sorry, that's an obscure videogame reference), let me just lay out my objectives for this rapidly-growing project.
-
To create an interactive one-player dungeon quest set in the Knightmare universe.
-
To remain as true to the spirit of the show as possible. This will not be an action game.
-
To incorporate all the elements that defined the show, such as: a level-based structure, traps, environmental puzzles, clue objects, mini-quests, character interaction, magical properties and dexterity challenges.
-
To provide the player with an intuitive control system with which they can guide their Dungeoneer.
-
To guide the player on a fairly linear path towards their goal, with occasional forks in the path to provide several routes to the end. The only way is onward, remember?
-
To create a league table that worthy dungeoneers can use to record their greatest quest attempts (or victories).
-
To allow for semi-random dungeon layouts, while incorporating key events or locations at specific points (such as The Corridor Of Blades).
-
To draw upon the many well-defined and colourful characters in the Knightmare Roleplay world to give the player a different perspective from that of the original show.
-
To make it as compact and streamlined as possible, so that it can be played directly in your Web browser without the need for a high-speed connection or broadband access.
-
To make it enough of a challenge that it will take considerable skill and concentration to get right through to the end.
-
To make it fun to work on and play!
Now that's been said, I wanna hear all the feedback you have. ANYTHING at all. And get yo' asses onto the Knightmare Roleplay board and get dungoneering til then!
Cheerio,
Skip
-
-
Hey boys and girls!
It's Skippy The Dreadnought, everyone's favourite bone-grinding mechanized killing machine. Since joining this community five days ago I've had my head fried with memories of long-lost Knightmare characters, obstacles and deaths. And yes, I have dreamt about it. I've even joined the Knightmare Roleplay board, marking the first time I've indulged in any kind of freeform RPG in a decade. Cool stuff.
I'm a graphic and web designer in my spare time, and I'm currently teaching myself Macromedia Flash MX. It was during one of my coding sessions that I had a mad idea. And it's this:
What would you say to a playable, completely Web-based, singleplayer Knightmare adventure?
You wouldn't need to download the game, you could just play it in the Web browser (hopefully). It would take the traditional TV show route, where you have to guide a lone dungeoneer (classic Helm Of Justice only, of course) through a perilous series of hazards and levels to complete the quest.
Gimme you views on the following:
-
Is it a good idea?
-
Would you play it?
-
How should the dungeoneer be controlled?
-
What kind of hazards would you like to see included?
-
Locations, characters, objects, puzzles, etc.
I'm prepared to invest a fair bit of time on this (between my other design projects, which unfortunately must take precedence in this case). Post up here with ANY ideas or opinions you might have.
Anyone interested?
Skip
Go for it.
-
-
Hey guys, it's your new favourite Dungeon Master.
I was indeed toying with the Spyglass sequence ideas, Lord Fear. I'm going to work this one in a fairly stark, almost comic-book graphical style - and before you all soil your pants in horror, I'm talking less Beano and more Akira. The harsh lighting and shadow and expressive characters would, I reckon, translate very well to a colourful, cel-shaded look. Imagine Lord Fear himself, eyes glowering and cloak billowing, in full Manga-esque glory.
With that said, the SpyGlass sequences - and, indeed, character interaction in general - will take place via speech bubbles, which the player will be able to navigate through with a mere click of their mouse. I've also had some pretty wild ideas for shillouetted death sequences. Picture, if you will, a player failing to give the password to The Dreadnought (for example). Then picture a blood-red background, upon which is superimposed the jet-black shillouette of The Dreadnought tearing the dungeoneer's limbs off, in freeze-frame. Then the bells toll, the Life Force Skull appears and crumbles away, eyes rolling.... Game Over.
If that doesn't get you excited, you must be dead.
Skip
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login