[Prototype] Battle Arena Drones a.k.a. BAD
This post has been changed to keep up with the project as it moves forward.
Project History
We built an early prototype for Battle Arena Drones in a few evenings. We then messed around with it for a while. We have decided to push forward with this title as we were enjoying playing the prototype and feel it has potential.
About http://battlearenadrones.com
Battle Arena Drones is a future sport where you pilot Drones remotely in arenas as a sport. The game is very heavily inspired by the Decent II PvP with a few twists.
Video
Become a Tester
We running an extended early beta test program with South African's that are interested in the game. If you want to be part of the test program please email info@celestial-games.com
Some features still to come.
Project History
We built an early prototype for Battle Arena Drones in a few evenings. We then messed around with it for a while. We have decided to push forward with this title as we were enjoying playing the prototype and feel it has potential.
About http://battlearenadrones.com
Battle Arena Drones is a future sport where you pilot Drones remotely in arenas as a sport. The game is very heavily inspired by the Decent II PvP with a few twists.
Video
Become a Tester
We running an extended early beta test program with South African's that are interested in the game. If you want to be part of the test program please email info@celestial-games.com
Some features still to come.
- Unlock-able drones each with a different power and game play style.
- Customization of weapons, shields, generators and engines.
- Customization of the Colours and Decals on each drone.
- Team play modes.
- Bots.
Comments
Well to be fair its a game I have planned for years and all the art was pre-built so not that much work. :). Oh and Unity multilayer is really easy although there was one silly bug that wasted a day.
*EDIT* The issue is one with Unity's multiplayer API. The thread is here http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/81847-Receiving-NAT-punchthrough-attempt-from we looking at replacing it with uLink.
Just one thing - I ran it windowed, and my cursor kept drifting out the window, just like with Tuism. Easy enough to lock in Unity, fortunately. :D
Any chance of making an offline option - I tried to play it, but was blocked on my network (work).
Cheers.
Was thinking of putting a training driod option into the multiplayer so even with one player you would be able to experience the game. But now I realise the issue is bigger. Will need a full training mode without multiplayer. Ai for this is going to be really interesting to write.
If you keen to give the multiplayer a spin just let me know. Nick and I will be playing tomorrow eve we can arrange a time.
can't you add a build just to fly around in without Ai and multiplayer - I'd love to check it out.
[ ] Single player mode.
[ ] Training drones.
Of course short of blowing yourself up a LOT there is little to do there. Would be best to get something in there trying to kill you.
@farsicon no single player modes yet sorry, decals took most of Saturday.
There is a short blog here and the concept we toying with also the first change to see out new logo build for Celestial.
http://blog.celestial-games.com/2014/05/bad-battle-arena-drones-concept-video.html#gpluscomments
and a concept video here
Also, looking at the BAD gameplay, I'm feeling like your whole 6 degrees of freedom movement stuff isn't being used very much. Like, why would you flip the drones into a non-intuitive map orientation ever? In X-wing vs Tie Fighter it made a ton of sense to rotate a Tie so that you'd only ever be "turning" by using pitch controls, that way your profile was always an H shape instead of turning into an easier-to-hit O as you turned. Or if your maps were more 3D oriented, you'd have reasons to flip around and come at stuff from confusing/different angles of attack - the map in the demo video has 1 primary axis, so you're going to want to maximise how much of that is on your monitor at all times, meaning it turns into a "horizontal" level. And finally, the controls don't offer much in terms of incentive to do neat maneuvers - maybe if specific power shots or effects were enabled by pulling off neat moves, you'd have some neat emergent gameplay... If spinning a full 2 rotations around your roll axis enabled a rail shot, then you'd have people spinning like crazy AND trying to make accurately targeted shots while rolling (that's hard! and fun!) - if the same move in a different ship activated a shield while rolling, then players would be trying to get away from enemies through a crazily spinning level, again: fun (extra fun if the spin shield enabled ramming!). Or moving backwards could activate a shield, or charge a big forward boost, or charge up a special explosive bomb shot and when you stopped moving backwards it exploded?
Use the 3D. Don't just make a stand and bang deathmatch with extra controls nobody uses.
Also to comment on a previous issue you raised, we planning a some single player modes, mostly "training" drills to give players something to experience with or without a multilayer game on the go. Well not just something to do but a solo game show experience like the full multiplayer. With just them running a gauntlet.
Thanks for the feedback.
Speaking of playing with gravity, who remembers Blast Chamber? I LOVED that game. Some of the best use of gravity in a game. I think there's some inspiration that can be drawn from there :)
We have added the WASP in all its unbalanced glory. Stealth versus Missiles.
Additionally you can now select between a few of the starting weapons. These don't persist on your account so you will have to make those changes each time you play.
Credits!! So you are currently earning credits at 100 per kill. This will be adjusting latter but for now enjoy. The WASP costs 10000 credits but is at a 90% discount so 10 kills will unlock it on your account forever.
There are a few other balancing and gameplay tweaks.
For more details take a look at the trello board at https://trello.com/b/Bd3Jd5eI/battle-arena-drones
We look forward to seeing some of you online.
The issue we were struggling with was player burnout. People enjoyed playing but became tiered and after stopping were less motivated to return (there are other elements to this issue but for now just talking about the burnout). Even myself thought of the BAD Sundays as a chore sometimes. Knowing how tiered I would be after playing for just 2 hours.
Leaving the game like that would be unacceptable but at the time is was not absolutely clear what to change to make the difference.
After some research and some good advice from @EvanGreenwood regarding how the brain processes pleasure. We made some changes and tested them this year. The results are good and we happy to proceed with the game now. Still many hurdles to overcome especially being a multiplayer game.
Primarily the changes at a high level are as follows.
- Added ammunition in categories that need to be collected and managed.
- Moved the ability to place mines from being one of the drones skills to a general pickup.
- Removed the load out between deaths and replaced it with picking the drone only.
- Weapon types are now collected in game and from dead players (Only the set they had equipped).
- Swapping weapons in game between the ones you have collected.
- Extended the differences between the drone models.
We also added a new Drone and have the concept artwork for the next 5 designed and ready to start producing early next year.We have started replacing all the art assets placeholders with proper to spec assets now. We are aiming for a retro style almost like a futuristic play on 50's science fiction.
Some concept work from Paul
Some of the parts in progress from Geoff