How hard is it to program something like this?

[Laladilya]

Make sure you watch the whole thing, it isn't the typical side scroller it first appears to be.

The only programming I'm familiar with is Flash/Actionscript. I was trying to wrap my head around how I could go about doing something like that. I know how to make a 2D tile engine using arrays or the built-in bitmap data objects Flash has. I also know how to make the basic 3D that would be required using Papervision3d, but I can't wrap my head around how to combine them in this way. Anyone have a clue?

It would be perfect to make a wacky Mytoss game where he climbs Mt. E naked.

[Millie]

Holy crap, that is cool looking. And it looks insanely difficult to design and play.

[Zuuljin]

Not that I have ever done anything that complex, but the concept doesnt seem too hard.

First off its most likely not built like a sprite based 2d side scroller. Its probably done as a complete 3d game, with a very restricted camera that just makes it appear 2d.

Then, whatever orientation your camera is pointing at, just ignore whatever axis ends up being the z-axis when doing collision detection. Few specific checks for when objects are in front/behind other objects and there you go.

[EmiliaEQ]

That would make a kickass platform game for Wii/360/PS3

[Blide]

Watch the next Paper Mario rip that off.

I'm no programmer but it seems to me you'd need to be able to warp to four+ 2D "levels" with the press of a button. Each step would have to be tied to a location in each "level." I have no idea how you'd go about doing the 3D aspect of it other than through animation which wouldn't flow as well as that.

[Millie]

Originally Posted by Blide

Watch the next Paper Mario rip that off.

Hasn't there already been a Paper Mario game that used that effect? I remember seeing commercials for at least some sort of Mario game that starts off as a 2D scroller but allows you to switch to a third dimension in mid-gameplay.

[Laladilya]

Well the part that confuses me is how they get it to pop back into 2d without any perspective distortions. I don't know if they're just modifying the z values on all the blocks when the camera locks back into place or what. It seems like there would still be some perspective distortion due to the way 3d cameras work. Sort of like a 3d side scrolling game doesn't appear to be flat tiles even though you don't ever move in z-space. My experience is very limited with 3d, as Flash itself is very limited so I could be way off here.

Even with the limited 3d required it may still be too much for Flash to handle very well anyway and I'd have to move to XNA or something. If thats the case I'm way too lazy and wouldn't bother learning it. =P

[Lenas]

That's likely what this was based off of, then taken to the next level.

[Zuuljin]

Originally Posted by Laladilya

Well the part that confuses me is how they get it to pop back into 2d without any perspective distortions. I don't know if they're just modifying the z values on all the blocks when the camera locks back into place or what. It seems like there would still be some perspective distortion due to the way 3d cameras work. Sort of like a 3d side scrolling game doesn't appear to be flat tiles even though you don't ever move in z-space. My experience is very limited with 3d, as Flash itself is very limited so I could be way off here.

Even with the limited 3d required it may still be too much for Flash to handle very well anyway and I'd have to move to XNA or something. If thats the case I'm way too lazy and wouldn't bother learning it. =P

Well, I get what your saying, and I tried to look for instances where the perspective should show, but I think it might be the fact that the screen is so close the perspective isnt noticable. Because while watching the video, nothing looked out of place when it went from 2d to 3d and back again.

That, or perhaps they just dont draw the rest of the shape behind the face your seeing when its locked into 2d mode.

[Froofy-D]

Originally Posted by Zuuljin

Then, whatever orientation your camera is pointing at, just ignore whatever axis ends up being the z-axis when doing collision detection.

Yeah that looks like what they are doing:

- character is a 2D billboard (sprite that always faces the camera)

- when you are in "2D mode" 1 axis is ignored for collision

- the change from "2D mode" to "3D mode" camera is a simple 1 call operation OpenGL/Direct, changing rendering from Orthogonal to Perspective. Notice there is a slight pop out when the free look mode starts. Also, it looks like the character cannot move in 3D camera mode.

Looks like the entire world is based on blocks which simplifies everything massively. Anyway, it isn't super complicated, but its a clever technique that I haven't seen before.

[Laladilya]

It sounds like it may be abit out of Flash's league then. It doesn't have OpenGL/Direct3d support. I'd have to look at Papervision3D's documentation to see if they support anything to assist in the view switches. They recently just released an update that I haven't really dug into much. Either way it sounds like it'd involve more time than I was willing to put into it, since I'm still mainly concentrating on my RPG Project. Oh well

Here's another kinda neat indie game in the works. Nintendo DS may have something similar to it though.

[bouhhan]

the crayon game blew my mind.

[Lenas]

Magic Pen by Alejandro Guillen

[Laladilya]

Haha nice. I wonder who copied who there. Crayon Physics Deluxe guy has had a prototype released that you can only draw squares for quite awhile now. I think Crayon Physics Deluxe beat out Fez (the first video) at some indie game conference, that'd be funny if it was a stolen idea. It's even been featured in magazines.

[Neph]

Originally Posted by Lenas

Magic Pen by Alejandro Guillen

Is anyone else horribly bad at this game?