The Daily Click

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Project Started:	10th February, 2011	Last Update:	19th February, 2011
Project Owner:	MongMaster	Project Members:
Project Type:	Shoot 'Em Up with a drop of RPG	Project Progress:

First!

Posted 10th Feb 11, by MongMaster

Hi, I'm MongMaster McClure. You may remember me from such projects as Ultimate Lame Ship Game and... um... anyway, moving on.

Since this is the first post, I'll just basically ask myself questions in an attempt to give you some more info on the game whilst maybe amusing you and possibly causing dents in your skull as you repeatedly let it drop onto your desk.

ANOTHER sh'mup? Do you want some originality juice?
Nah, I'm alright, thanks; I've got some Pepsi.

Okay, but why another sh'mup? Why not a platformer, or a racer, or an onion simulation?
I'd make a platformer, but I don't have a clue where to start, and there are plenty of people who can do those WAY better than I can. I'd make a racer, but I'd probably end up scrapping it because I'd mess it up and besides, Death Rally exists.

I'd make an onion simulation, but I don't really like onions.

Basically, I believe there's nothing like a good sh'mup, and they just seem like my strong point, hence why I'm making another. Which will hopefully be good. Otherwise I'll sound like an idiot.

Cool, so what about Dragon Storm? What's different?
Well, the biggest thing so far is the Mod system. It's not fully complete yet, but the basic idea exists. When you destroy an enemy, they have a small chance of dropping a Mod, or a 100% chance if you destroy a Mod storage crate or something. These Mods are randomly generated; their type, rarity, power, etc, is all random (of course, more powerful Mods will be rarer

). After a mission, you can then plug these Mods into weapons, utilities, shields or one of three global slots called "Dragon Mod Slots". Not every Mod fits into everything, for example, you can't put a "Damage +" Mod into a shield.

Right now, there are 24 types of Mod split into 3 categories; Weapon Mods, Dragon Mods and Cross Mods.

Ooooh. Does this system work?
Yes, actually, it does, and it works quite well so far! Check out the screenies at the left. Or right, if you've clicked on the post title.
Yep, fully insured myself there.

Hey, hang on, you said there were 86,000 trillion Mo...
Exaggeration. It's my middle name.

Really?
No.

Dragon Storm... "The storm is coming"... sounds pretty ominous to me. Is this gonna be a serious game?
Yes. Well... no. Of course not. I'm not currently capable of making a game totally serious. Dunno why, it's just me.

Sure, it's not gonna be totally ridiculous like Ultimate Lame Ship Game, but it'll have its moments. I'm mainly trying for a, for lack of (a) better word(s), "TOTALLY AWESOME" style, both in gameplay and in dialogue. Graphics, too, I guess. I'll pop in a spot of randomness every so often, probably in the form of a secret stage or easter egg, so don't you worry.

Knowing me, it'll probably end up being a LITERAL easter egg.
Hey, that's a really good idea! *notes it down*

So why dragons? Why not mutant flying fish?
Hell, I've always loved dragons, they're awesome! You rarely ever get to play as one in a game, and when you do, the game's usually completely terrible. I wanted to make dragons the stars of this game, while trying to make sure it doesn't fall flat on its face.

Besides, "Mutant Flying Fish Storm" doesn't really roll off the tongue.

What's the story gonna be like, then?
I haven't REALLY gotten that part figured out yet.

The basic idea is already in the project description; you're a dragon who defends Earth from various intergalactic threats. The game's story will be centered around fighting a particularly nasty person/alien/thing. I was throwing ideas around a while ago and an antagonist called "The Master Of Time And Space" somehow got stuck in my head, and I even put that on the main menu when you highlight Campaign Mode. It might change, because now that I think about it, it reminds me of Blinx 2, and that involves cats and pigs, neither of which are dragons. Or I might keep it. Who knows?

What I DO know is at the beginning of the story, your character's on the beach, chillin' out, maxxin', relaxin', all cool 'n' all (shootin' some b-ball outside of the school) when a (possible) couple of guys, they are up to no good and start makin' trouble in the neighbourhood. Your character gets in one big fight and achieves a Rank S and yells "HA-HA, THAT WAS AWESOME!" Then he whistles for a cab and when it comes near, the license plate says "Fresh" and there's a dice in the mirror. If anything your character could say that this cab was rare, but he thinks "Nah, forget it, yo holmes, to the Dragon Storm HQ!" He pulls up to the HQ about 7 or...

Grow up!
NEVER!

That IS the basic flow of the story I've got so far, though. Aside from the Fresh Prince references. And he especially won't get in a cab, cuz what's the point of that?

What about this character customisation?
Ah yes. It is fairly basic, admittedly, but I reckon it's quite cool; you can change your main scale colour, choose between a few different appearances, choose a perk, and choose between four elements, which all have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, Earth gives you less health, but you can regenerate health over time, and Ice gives you massive health, but less heat capacity. There're a few screenies over there.

How'd you get this idea, anyway?
Long story short, I was replaying Jets 'n' Guns one night. A couple weeks later, I found myself playing Dragon Spirit, and then I discovered Cyvern. At that moment, those games (mostly Cyvern and Jets 'n' Guns) must've merged together and caused a idea-spark in my brain, kinda like the start of a Big Bang.

Then, about six hours later, there was an EXPLOSION of ideas for a sh'mup. I opened Notepad immediately. I LOVE it when that happens.

As for the name, well, while I was messing around, trying to make a logo, the name "Dragon Storm" materialised out of nowhere. And that's odd, because it usually takes me 19 YEARS to come up with a name for something.

Freeware?
Knowing me, I'll probably end up adding something that will essentially make it unsellable, so it'll most likely be freeware. Unless a lightning bolt of AWESOME hits me and grants me limitless design, programming and artistic powerz.

That's all I can think of right now.

It may be early in development, but it's already got a bunch of features I wouldn't've been able to START coding about 5 years ago, and there've been those... y'know... "coding moments". For example, the Mods system has almost given me multiple brain hemmorhages already.

Oh, just one other thing: don't be expecting this to come out anytime soon.

I'm excited about it, no doubt, but looking ahead, I've noticed quite a few big hurdles. For example, the damn graphics, as usual. If it's not a menu/HUD item or a dragon, I simply can't do it. But, I'll nuke the mountains when they come along. Somehow.

Anyhoo, that's all for this post. Thanks for having a read; hopefully I've not bored you, hopefully your face isn't red from all the *facepalm*ing, and hopefully you're interested enough to keep an eye on Dragon Storm. If there're any other questions or any comments, feel free to throw them at me.

Bye for now!