So, I'm making a platformer engine-type thingy in AGS...

[Khris]

Infinity Bit!

Great stuff, I added zombies like a maniac on three small platforms and there were hundreds of them before the frame rate started to drop (slowly).

[Snake]

Joystick support please and thanks!

[Ponch]

Joystick support please and thanks!

Also, can we get emulator support for the old Tiamat (TM) Home Entertainment System? I have some old ROMs I'd love to play. 

[Peder 🚀]

OMG!

PLEASE finish this! .

[Eggie]

Ooh, this is well. When this is finished we should have a MAGS style contest to see who can throw together the niftiest platform game based on it.

[straydogstrut]

Wow, this is mind-blowing quite frankly! Not sure if I fall into the right coding experience level you mentioned, but I definitely want to have a fiddle with this

On my feature wishlist would be:

- moveable blocks (elevators, push/pull-able crates etc)
- semi-solid blocks (liquids, crumbling platforms, platfoms that are non-solid from below)
- blocks that affect the player character*

*These could, for example, propel the player character in a given direction (conveyor belts), or could be invisible blocks that could be placed according to the layering you mentioned to work with other blocks to create an effect such as quicksand

I haven't  had a chance to play with this yet so may be missing the mark but this shows a lot of promise.

Good work!

[ShiverMeSideways]

UPDATE! (Check first post - you can kill stuff now)

Oh, wow, this is overwhelming! I wasn't expecting such interest, thank you so much for the support, you guys are awesome!!! Surely, this will get finished, and soon (not having exams might help )

Now, to address some stuff:

Dev-Blog

I'm sorry to disappoint, Darth, but I really don't have much to say at this time about the engine. Besides, I think it's better for me to yakk less and work more!

Parallax

I know, a side-scroller without parallax support is sooooo not '90s, so I'll look into it, it's on my to-do list, but for later.

Name

There IS a reason why I chose that name. Firstly, because it's a little weird and different, and secondly, because of the roots/what inspired me to make it (which should not be not obvious).

Awesome work... although you could crank out platformers thrice as quickly with Game Maker.
I'd love to see a bit more flashback/out of this world/prince of persia type of engine and elements, since mario clones we have more than enough, but Yahtzee already made such a platformer with AGS if I remember correctly.

I know Game Maker would be an obvious choice but a) I'm 0% skilled and knowledgeable in that b) making it in AGS is more special c) I like working in an environment where I'm comfortable d) I don't think making it in Game Maker will allow me to actually create an engine that other people can use and modify to the extent which will be available because of making it in AGS.

Mario clones? I don't think there are that many. And I think it's pretty obvious that Mario is not what I had in mind, although it would be one of the easiest types of platformers to make with the engine. I don't know if it will be EASY to make a Prince/Flashback type platformer with my engine, but I'm pretty sure that a person with sufficient scripting knowledge can twist around a few knobs to make it work. And I believe the Yahtzee game you're referring is 1213.

Metroidvaniaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Indeeeeeeeaeeedddd

Yup, that's the model I'm basing this whole shinding on.

Feature list

Well, it seems we share a list. Mine is called "to-do".

PS: I know this seems like it is really complicated and stuff, but really, it wasn't THAT much work - thankfully, Zombie Attack was a very powerful experience and I'm working pretty efficiently this time 'round. It all took just about 5 days to assemble what we have now, and I haven't reached the 1000 code line mark. But very soon!

Again, thanks a lot, everyone!

[Igor Hardy]

Impressive stuff! How will you save/export  finished levels?

[Stupot]

This looks fun!

How about adding in a customisable coin/ring collecting system?

Also, when you've got some of the obvious stuff nailed, why not consider adding in the capability for making 2P co-op games?

The topic of making 2-player adventures in AGS has come up from time to time, but I think the general concensus has been that adventures would make shit two-player games. But this platformer/arcadey approach could be a chance to really open AGS up to the two-player market.

Just a thought...  

[m0ds]

Very cool, well done! I'd definitely like to give it a go when, as Ascovel says, levels can be exported or what not. It's been a looong time since I made a platformer but this doesn't look too difficult to use & has got me interested in trying one again! I also agree on the ring/coin collecting thing Stupot mentioned.

[tzachs]

Like everything else you do, very impressive!

As for feature suggestions, how about:
- moving platforms where you can edit the path of movement
- appearing/disappearing platforms
- slippery/slow platforms
- platforms that moves you right/left
- multiple switchable characters a-la lost vikings
- ladders, ramps, ropes

[Monsieur OUXX]

Yeah, I'm shocked that never anybody gives a try at expanding abstauber's engine, which is actually pretty cool!  :'( The synergy could produce awesome results!

Shouldn't there be a sticky forum thread about "alternative gameplay engines created in AGS"?
There, you could list :
- abstauber's platformer sources,
- Radiant vectorial sources,
- Technocrat's wargamer sources,
- WHAM's side-scrolling gameplay,
- abstauber's shootém up sources, etc.

...and many others I've probably never heard about.