Macross Eternal Love Song

[Roycommi]

Hi,

I am gonna take a stab at doing "Macross Eternal Love Song" in Flash using Actionscript. I dont really know either but really like ELS so I thought I would give it a shot. My aim is to emulate the turn based engine and recreate all the missions in ELS. Eventually I want to have an engine that anyone can use. Here is my first step in creating tiles and a moving Valkyrie.

First Step

(Once it loads, click on the Valkyrie and use the arrow keys to move it around. Thats all it does so far)

If anyone has any Actionscript or Flash hints, please feel free to share. If anyone would like to help, please let me know. I intend on GPL'ing it once its done, so no profit or proprietary or secrets stuff, just lots of turn based gaming fun with Macross!!

Roycommi

[the white drew carey]

Roycommi-

I've got a couple of questions, since I'm an idiot when it comes to technical stuff on computers.

1. Since it's a flash game, does that indicate there will be no way to "save" your progress?

2. I know your paying homage to the original, but is it possible to replace the old graphics with something newer? This is something I'd be willing to help out with if it involves photoshopping and hand-drawing images.

[the white drew carey]

It might also be easier if you're Valk (or whichever piece you're currently using) simply jumped from square to square instead of moving slowly across the screen.

[13strikevalkyrie13]

i have played flash games you can save your progress on so im sure thats no problem

[Roycommi]

1. Since it's a flash game, does that indicate there will be no way to "save" your progress?

Flash can export to an XML document (or txt I think). I dont think it should be hard to create a file that contains the stuff for the next level, like character experince and new mecha.

2. I know your paying homage to the original, but is it possible to replace the old graphics with something newer? This is something I'd be willing to help out with if it involves photoshopping and hand-drawing images.

Well the original game has a TON of levels with lots of different tiles and then there are the cutscenes. I dont see how entirely new graphics can be accomplished in a reasonable time unless there were a staff of animators. However, I intend to create a game engine that can be used by other game developers to create similar games or further missions, or entirely new scenarios. New graphics could certantly be incorporated at that point.

All that having been said, If you did wanna try doing that we could certantly experiment and see how it goes...

3. It might also be easier if you're Valk (or whichever piece you're currently using) simply jumped from square to square instead of moving slowly across the screen.

Duh' well if I could do that I would, but my skills in Actionscript are so far pretty limited.

I am gonna post a diary and put up all developments there. Here is a link

Macross ELS Diary

Ed

[13strikevalkyrie13]

i am really impressed with this project, now i have two games that im looking forward to els and screaming valkyries

[the white drew carey]

Lookin' good.

I can't wait to play. Are you going to try to include the cutscenes as well?

[Roycommi]

Lookin' good.

I can't wait to play. Are you going to try to include the cutscenes as well?

Definalty gonna have the cutscenes. Will all be translated too. A friend has tentativly agreed to translate them and I will subtitle them.

Here is an example of what I will do, again in flash. This example is rather basic, but the ELS cutscenes will be better as my skill increases.

The interface will be in english of course.

Edited March 2, 2004 by Roycommi

[the white drew carey]

Sweet!

Back to the graphics- Like I said, I'm completely unfamiliar with Flash. What type of image do you incorporate into it?

What I was hinting at earlier is that myself, or someone else, could take the exisiting graphics and clean them up a bit. I wouldn't mind volunteering for that.

Here's an idea of what I mean: The one on the left is the original, the one on the right is a cleaner version (I drew it really fast so it doesn't look very good). Could this type of thing be used to swap the graphics for something a little cleaner looking?

[the white drew carey]

Here's what it'll look like with the size your currently using (1" per square?):

[the white drew carey]

I realise now that I made a few errors with the box, but I'm sure you get the general idea.

[13strikevalkyrie13]

nice and not a bad idea... roycommi?

[13strikevalkyrie13]

btw do u have any guess when the game should be finished? and would there be a playable demo before it is fully completed?

[Roycommi]

Here's what it'll look like with the size your currently using (1" per square?):

Wow, I am impressed . Well switching graphics isnt really that hard in Flash, so I will tell you what. I will post the tiles I am using so far and if you like you can animate them in the same style as the nice valk above.

Here are most of the tiles for level 1 (attatched in zip file)

48x48 pixels is best I think. They are originally 24x24 pixels and I enlarge. Did 72x72 for the first 2 demos, thats the 1 inch scale.

If you do an inbetween transformations, I will add that in to so u can see the valk x-form. My art skills are non-existant otherwise I might give it a shot.

As for completion, I have no idea since I am no expert in Actionscript. I am happy to share my updates as they come. If you would like to help, just lemme know.

Ed

tiles.zip

Edited March 3, 2004 by Roycommi

[the white drew carey]

Roycommi- I'll DL the .zip file when I get home and fiddle around to see what I can do.

[the white drew carey]

Roycommi- I noticed that the VF from Map 1 is sporting Hikaru-type colors. Is that the only VF on the map, or is there more?

It won't be hard at all to do multiple VF's including Cannon Fodders (and other colors), but I'm not sure if using different images for the playing pieces would screw up the running of the game.

[Roycommi]

Roycommi- I noticed that the VF from Map 1 is sporting Hikaru-type colors. Is that the only VF on the map, or is there more?

It won't be hard at all to do multiple VF's including Cannon Fodders (and other colors), but I'm not sure if using different images for the playing pieces would screw up the running of the game.

There are basically three varieties of standard valks, The "hero" one, a high level NPC version that is blue like Max's, and the tan cannon fodder model for low level NPCs. All the "hero" valkyries sport Hikaru's paint scheme. As the Characters gain XP from kills and missions completion, they will promote to Super valkyrie and on and on to Strike Sirens. Level 1 primarilly has just the ones in the pack I uploaded.

If you can create a scheme that has interchangable colors, I dont think it would be hard to give each "hero" a seperate color.

[the white drew carey]

Roycommi- I noticed that the VF from Map 1 is sporting Hikaru-type colors. Is that the only VF on the map, or is there more?

It won't be hard at all to do multiple VF's including Cannon Fodders (and other colors), but I'm not sure if using different images for the playing pieces would screw up the running of the game.

There are basically three varieties of standard valks, The "hero" one, a high level NPC version that is blue like Max's, and the tan cannon fodder model for low level NPCs. All the "hero" valkyries sport Hikaru's paint scheme. As the Characters gain XP from kills and missions completion, they will promote to Super valkyrie and on and on to Strike Sirens. Level 1 primarilly has just the ones in the pack I uploaded.

If you can create a scheme that has interchangable colors, I dont think it would be hard to give each "hero" a seperate color.

Yeah, I'll generate a "blank" that can be adapted for the heroes.

BTW- Which Max scheme? TV -1A, TV -1J or movie -1A?

p.s.- Leave that .zip link up for a bit. I DL'ed it here at work, but have to re-DL it on my computer at home.

Do you want me to also work on the graphics for the Status window on the bottom, or should we just stick with the grid squares for now? I can re-draw the characters and mecha seen in those windows just as they are in the original, but cleaner looking.

[the white drew carey]

BTW- What's the limit on colors we can use?

[the white drew carey]

Here's a little update, as usual the original is on the left, new is on the right:

The first is, of course, the re-drawn and refined VF-1S Player piece. The second is the border tile. Third is a moon surface tile. The fourth is a pic of those moon tiles together. The fifth and final is another moon tile.

The moon surface tiles are simple the original tiles mixed with the blur tool.

Right now I'm working on a couple of the bases to get a feel for them.

It's going pretty quickly. The background tiles are really fast to finish. I'll keep you updated as things progress.

[the white drew carey]

Here are some samples of the base buildings. I've made two sets, one with lights on, and one with lights off. If needed, and if it doesn't require too much computing power, the lights can be animated to blink.

On...

and off.

[Roycommi]

Heya,

Blinking lights are very doable. I need seperate images of each and I will make them a movie clip inside the animation.

Here are the rest of the tiles for level 1 (attatched).

The bases tiles look really nice!

Looking to update with more programming today.

Roycommi

ELS_tiles_2.rar

Edited March 4, 2004 by Roycommi

[the white drew carey]

How big do we want this latest batch of tiles to be?

All of the ones I've done so far are saved as 72x72 pixels on my computer, but can easily be coverted down to the 48x48 you require.

Also, I'm going to fiddle with the coloring and shading of the playing pieces. The smaller they get, the less clear the image is. I think if I hold back on the shading and what not, and keep it very basic, it'll look much clearer in the smaller modes.

For the recent batch (status board images?), I'll do a bit more in the shading and detailing area. To make them look a bit better.

Does anyone know of a decent, free, flash animator for Mac? That'

ll really help me figure out the animation sequences before I finalize them.

I plan on trying a full conversion set from Fighter to GERWALK to Battroid and seeing how that works.

[Roycommi]

How big do we want this latest batch of tiles to be? .

All of the ones I've done so far are saved as 72x72 pixels on my computer, but can easily be coverted down to the 48x48 you require.

72 x 72 is fine

Also, I'm going to fiddle with the coloring and shading of the playing pieces. The smaller they get, the less clear the image is. I think if I hold back on the shading and what not, and keep it very basic, it'll look much clearer in the smaller modes.

For the recent batch (status board images?), I'll do a bit more in the shading and detailing area. To make them look a bit better.

Does anyone know of a decent, free, flash animator for Mac? That'

ll really help me figure out the animation sequences before I finalize them.

I plan on trying a full conversion set from Fighter to GERWALK to Battroid and seeing how that works.

I dunno of a mac version, but the way it works is you put static images in a timeline and it runs at 24 frames per second. I can throw the animations into the char if you like and show you what it will look like. All I will need is any intermediate animations

Ed

[the white drew carey]

How big do we want this latest batch of tiles to be? .

All of the ones I've done so far are saved as 72x72 pixels on my computer, but can easily be coverted down to the 48x48 you require.

72 x 72 is fine

Is that right? I thought the character picutres in the status bar at the bottom of the screen were larger than the map tiles.

See here:

They look to be about twice as high and about 1.5-1.75 times as wide as the map tiles.

[Roycommi]

I am sorry I thought you meant the ground tiles. the new ones from the Status bar can be kept in the same proportion.

The pilots face is 38 x 46 pixels so any multiple of that is fine. Same goes with the other pics. the ground tiles start off as 24 x 24 thats why 72 x 72 is fine.

Here is example 04 with the blinking lights on the small pad. I also think the boarder tiles lose something with the black boarder around them gone.

I think that the bases should have some lights that are always on and some that blink, the landing pads should have blinking lights.

Roycomi

[the white drew carey]

I'll fix the border tiles.

Should I choose which lights blink and which stay on? I was thinking of making the blinkers red, and the regular ones look like windows, yellowish white.

I can't view Example 4 here at work, I'll have to wait until I get home.

[the white drew carey]

I tried downloading the .rar file here at home but it doesn't seem to work on my mac. I should still have the images on my comp at work, so I'll see if I can grab them from there.

[Roycommi]

Should I choose which lights blink and which stay on? I was thinking of making the blinkers red, and the regular ones look like windows, yellowish white.QUOTE]

I think the lights on the buildings shoudl be static, yellowish white being great, with the little landing pads and the big landing pad being blinkers, red is cool. You might also put the odd blinker on a buiilding, like we hav on antenna here in the city or so.

Here is Example 5. It is quite large as it has music now. It also has scrolling mission briefing just like in the game.

Going forward there are a number of higher level programming concepts I am going to have to implement like turns, multiple PCs and menus. My progress might slow down a bit, but I will keep at it and post updates as I make them.

Roycommi

[Mondy]

This is starting to look really good guys. Keep up the great work.

[the white drew carey]

Roycommi- I'm not sure if this is a Mac-specific problem, but while trying Sample #5, after moving around a bit, it starts to fall apart. The map starts showing up outside of the border and sections of tile simply disappear.

[13strikevalkyrie13]

well it might be because its just a beta he just wanted us to see what it was like

[Roycommi]

well it might be because its just a beta he just wanted us to see what it was like

Thats correct. The idea is that I want the character to advance by 1 tile instead of 1 pixel (which is the default in Flash) and there is a problem. More than 1 tile is needing to be drawn at that speed and the algorithm I am using doesn't keep up properly. I am working on debugging that.

The next thing I wanna do is attatch a value to the tiles that will allow you to see the terrain movement difficulty as you scroll across them. Then add a second character and allow you to tab between them. My ultimate Aim is to copy the game as closely as possible.

If anyone would like to see my code, please let me know.

Roycommi

[the white drew carey]

A little progress update. I've fixed the boarder tiles, and also fiddled with the VF's. I think they look much better.

I'm still working on blending the Moon tiles so that they go together a little better.

Anyhow...

[the white drew carey]

Roycommi-

I was thinking, instead of sending you the map tiles, you could let me know how they are supposed to be placed on the map itself. That way I can drop them into place and clean up the seams, and then number the in some type of grid fashion (using X and Y coordinates).

That way, we'll have a nice happy map that'll look marvelous.

Let me know what you think.