Enjoy this port of Omega Race. Another "let's see if I can make a game in an afternoon" joint.
Instructions:
UP = thrust
LEFT/RIGHT = rotate
FIRE = fire
OTHER FIRE = shield
Kill all enemies to advance to the next level. Use the shield to avoid enemy fire and the rotating lazers. Collect yellow coins for the bonus level.
Edit: Removed sarcasm and changed the game name since now it's pretty good game for a few days of work.
Really cool! I love the retro style and player's score in a the map
Thanks!
Yeah, I think it is a passable basis for a good game. Now it's just kinda boring.
A quick update. Added a sweeping laser that forces you to move and a shield that deflects enemy fire.
rofl there goes one of the ports I wanted to try to do. I think I'll take a look at this code and see what I can learn from it.
Seriously -- AMAZING work.
Thank you. Boring? pfffft. It's pretty damn good, if you ask me.
It's pretty damn good if you don't ask me.
:-)
Played this a lot last night trying to think if it needs anything more...
Short answer, no.
But...if you're looking to try some things and see how it feels...
What if the sweeping laser reversed direction when you destroyed a "major" enemy (not one of the little triangles)
Having a colorized version would be cool...maybe make it an option or an unlock. Something you can toggle with the menu or something.
And when it doubt...add power-ups! I never played the original game so it probably didn't have them either, but having a small set of alternate weapons would be neat. Like 3-way spread, 2-way, bounce shots...just something to try and get before it disappears; and power-up only lasts a few seconds.
Again, you could have different modes...original arcade mode that is more like the original, but then a "remaster" mode or something that adds the extras. Best of both worlds.
Hello again and thanks. Updated the game with new stuff. Starts to be less and less like Omega Race but kinda similar!
@morningtoast: An unlockable colorized deluxe version sounds hilarious, sort of opposite to the general PICO-8 style. :) I think I'll add the reverse rotating laser thing, I was also thinking about making it move back and forth. Definitely late game stuff though, you get used to the clockwise direction and if it changes midgame...
- played right here on the bbs, with keyboard. I really, really, suck at it.
- tried with my xbox one controller in pico exe (so left stick only). unplayable.
- played on scathe's page, xbox one controller, using the dpad: WAY better, but still a little awkward.
googled omega race, found out the arcade had a rotary controller and a separate thrust button. tried that, left/right to rotate, o to shoot, x to thrust (forfeit the shield): INSTANT FUN!! got to the triple laser & almost scored 5000 on my first try. I played with the controller on my desk, left/middle fingers on o/x.
maybe it's just me. but if it's not, you might want to offer a choice in the control scheme?
only downside, I couldn't cross the beams, so the coins in other sectors were lost for me (not sure why the lasers destroy them though, since they vaporize by themselves after a while anyway?). if it wasn't for the coins, I didn't feel the need of a shield.
about colors, it seems the arcade had a reflected background, and the vic20 version offered several color schemes to choose from...
really great revamp of an old arcade classic!
@ultrabrite: Thanks for your thoughts! I find using the keyboard works very well though I can see how it is not the case with a gamepad. Not sure if any worthwhile games use the gamepad up direction for critical stuff. Alternative control schemes sounds very reasonable, easy to add as well.
I have been meaning to build a simple rotary control with a pot and an Arduino (for encoding the value into a bunch of inputs for the C.H.I.P., sadly it/PICO-8 doesn't support analog inputs).
IMO the lasers killing coins it adds urgency and makes it more challenging to collect coins since you need to time your attacks so you are on the same side of the laser as the enemy, so that the coins won't get sweeped by the lasers. And of course in the bonus round it makes perfect sense.
Funny as I tried to recode some controls on this last night too. Playing on the PocketCHIP is rough given the need for Up all the time. I tried a "no thrust" where just going in a direction did thrust too, it was...alright. Not what I had hoped but not the worst - makes it a different game, really, so wasn't big on it.
I didn't try the button thrust option like UltraBrite made, I might do that too.
Double funny is that I was also looking at how to make a knob controller when I was killing time at work last week. I have a Griffin PowerMate that I thought might work but alas it doesn't register in Pico-8 at all. I think there's still hope in it but I just don't know enough about drivers and stuff to hack something.
Frankly, I'd love to see a Pico-8 handheld that is just a knob and buttons. With a little screen of some sort...like the old Microvision handheld...only awesome-er.
But regardless of all that...game rocks. Been a nightly play past couple of days.
If you die and leave the window open, the murder bar begins to move faster and faster until it more resembles a helicopter than anything else
I love this style of vector-based arcade games. I've no idea how faithful a remake this is, but it certainly feels very authentic, I love the look of the graphics and the sound effects. The gameplay is lovely and smooth too, I suppose in today's parlance you'd call this an arena shooter, and it works really well on Pico-8. I love how fast paced the game is, as soon as you clear a level it's straight onto the next one. Nice to see something like this getting featured on Splore!
I really enjoyed this, but then again, I'm a sucker for these old style arcade shooters. I also made a video for this linked below:
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