Ironclad Dash

NOTE: Ironclad Dash is currently unfinished and descriptions may represent later forms of the game.

Premise:

Ironclad Dash is an exhilarating, steampunk-themed vertical platformer which places you in a hostile environment, fighting against mechanical monsters that work to impede your advance into the core of The Machine. Aided by your trusty multikit, you possess unique abilities that help you to resist the enemy and use their own powers against them in uniquely unconventional ways.

Concept Overview:

Ironclad Dash is a unique spin off on the Steampunk genre filled with the challenging adventures of platformer progression. Players will stay engaged through thrilling, never-before-seen mechanics tailor-made for the genre. These features will test players in their ability to complete and overcome new challenges in order to advance through the game. Different levels and unique challenges will face the player as they progress, balanced by their advancement through the game. By clearing levels the fastest and with the least amount of damage, players will receive more experience points, allowing them to receive a temporary boost in the next level. Throughout the game, the player will be tasked with dismantling themed parts of the level to achieve the primary goal of destroying The Machine, the main antagonist. By progressing through the levels, new abilities will unlock with each goal passed. So, whether you are battling bots, discovering hidden secrets, or challenging the clock, Ironclad Dash is the game for you!

Character:

The main character is a rogue seeking revenge on The Machine. Not much is known about this outcast, but their toolkit allows them to traverse the winding corridors and stacking rooms with relative ease.  Tinkering with what the bots provide, the rouge only grows more powerful the more bots are downed.

Keybinds:

A - Left

D - Right

Space - Jump / Start

E - Grapple

R - Reset to spawn

Download Instructions:

Make sure you have a version of GameMaker installed on your machine. Download the .yyp file and open it. Choose a name and location for the project file. When it's finished extracting, click the play button at the top. Enjoy!

Post Mortem:

Reflecting on the development of Ironclad Dash, there were both positive and negative attributes to the development cycle.

Positives:

The mechanics currently implemented in Ironclad are satisfying to use and easy to work with. The bouncers were designed to be modified on a per-object basis, allowing variable modifications to make easy changes to launch angle and speed. This extensibility was also extended to grappling nodes. Level design is made easy through these features, which sped up level creation.

 

Negatives:

None of my other group members did their part in working on the game. As an acting producer, I had assigned roles early to kickstart the game and get people working, but no one else ever contributed to the game. When the first check in occurred, I was the only person who had contributed to the project. I was “reassured” by the 2 members that did come that they would contribute. Plans were made and when that point came, no one showed up or ever did anything to contribute. The game was submitted in an incomplete state due to lack of contributions from others. This whole situation was a huge bummer as I was really looking forward to creating a game with a passionate team of visionaries.

 

Reflecting on the Current State:

The art could have been better polished to reflect the intended art style of the game. This would have included a larger variety of tiles and more dynamic objects to breathe more life into the game. I ended up repurposing some tiles I have in the current build for other purposes outside of their intended use in the game. Unfortunately, as art is not my strong point, this was an issue I had to work around when adding objects.

 

Lessons Learned:

Working on this project has broadened my experience with game engines. In past personal projects, I’ve become accustomed to using 3D game engines to create games. With this project, using GameMaker has helped me to better understand the procedures for game development in other environments and mediums, such as the 2D environment of GameMaker. Additionally, my knowledge of state machines in game logic was another valuable skill strengthed through creating Ironclad Dash.