Game
Rock Beyond Time
4 years ago

Why does this game need a game controller?


Hi. If you're new here, I'm making a game called Rock Beyond Time. It's designed with an XInput game controller in mind.

Why?

Well, first off, I was considering selling this for real consoles. I'll probably do that much later, but for now, the game will be a free HTML5 game.

Secondly, I didn't consider touchscreens.

However, I have the common courtesy of adding keyboard support, in the style of '90s Shareware games. That's why you move with the Arrow keys and use A/S/D/Shift/Z/X/C for the buttons.

whitecontroller.png

So... what are the controls?

Left Stick/Control Pad (Arrow keys) - Move Player

  • You know why. Players gotta move.

Right Stick (I/J/K/L) - Move second character

  • Since we can't guarantee two players with two controllers, I've made it possible to move your partner around if there's no Player 2.

Bottom Face Button (Z Key) - Jump

  • ...doesn't work over little rocks or other solid objects, but it's effective against bad guys.

Left Face Button (X Key) - Attack

  • You'll be using this one A LOT.

Right Face Button (C Key) - Talk/Run/Pick Up/Throw

  • Expect to talk to a LOT of NPCs.

  • If you want to throw certain objects, you must move while holding it over your head. If you want to set it down, DON'T MOVE.

  • You can only run if you're moving. If you want to run without throwing an item, push the Right Shoulder button.

Top Face Button (V Key) - Use Equipped Item

  • Heal, use magic, or do the time warp if you have the right item equipped.

Left Trigger/Right Trigger (A/S Keys) - Change Equipped Item

  • You can switch between healing items, magic rings, and even NO item to avoid any item misuse.

Left Shoulder Button (Shift) - AI Control

  • This is its own bag of worms. While holding the trigger down, push a direction to determine whether or not a character will follow, not follow, attack, or not attack.

  • Used for single-player, mostly.

  • Up/Down on Left Stick - Follow/Don't Follow

  • Left/Right on Left Stick - Attack/Don't Attack

  • You can just tap it to get your AI-controlled buddy to just follow you.

Right Shoulder Button (D Key) - Run

  • If you want to run without dropping something, use this.

Select Button (Spacebar) - Switch Characters

  • If you have a second controller, this lets the other player jump in/drop out of the play session.

Start Button (Enter) - Pause Menu

  • Contains Minimaps, stats, an item menu, options, and the Save feature.

7


0 comments

Loading...

Next up

What do you do when one enemy type you used before doesn't show up well on your new level's background?

Draw new graphics.

It's a good thing the previous variation was already skeletal, so I can just give it skin and swim trunks.

I think I now understand why that construction vehicle company is called Caterpillar.

...and that's just the wheels for this boss.

Too much?

There are only so many ways to draw starbases, and all of them require a window into space. This one happens to also be a factory.

I felt some mechanics were underutilized, so I'm making an expansion.

...more or less just a side quest and extra dungeon. No more than that here.

Coming who-knows-when.

If there's one thing I learned from looking at the graphics of NES Batman, it's that they put gray highlights with red shading to make metal look a little rusty.

I'll know if I did my job right when I get to actually making the level.

In my game, I programmed a robot to chop down trees in real time. Yes, I know what it looks like, but still, maybe I've gone too far in a few places.

...and I HAVE to specify "in my game". I'm not a monster.

Part of the debugging experience is making sure enemies don't spawn in walls.

...but this is a great way to show off the shotgun in action.

The next update may be full of bugs.

...moths, mostly.

I hope you appreciate what I go through for pointless details like this.

I don't plan on going this crazy too much, though.

I was considering releasing the expansion today, but then I found a lot of bugs I should've spotted in the original build, and I made the minimap do extra stuff for said expansion.

Don't worry, it'll be out by tomorrow night.