| Guns
and Butter
An
attempt (failed) to write a computer game
|
 |
| |
 |
| Old
website |
|
|
|
| |
| Guns and Butter
is a working title for a computer game that I, and some of
my friends, are working on. From the beginning this game was
designed for the computer, but always with the idea that play-testing
and -balancing could be performed on a board game version.
Years later, the board game was dug out, the rules
rediscovered, and a willing programmer found (in Michael Ciri.)
Currently, I'm busy designing mock screens so that he will
be able to create the fundamental
game. Eventually, we'll get to the "polish."
What's Guns and Butter all about?
Call it an "Accelerating Real Time Strategy" game
that draws influences from Axis
and Allies, GammaRauders,
Shogun,
Warcraft/Starcraft,
Empire
Deluxe, and an old Apple II game we used to play called
Galactic Conquest.
There's
still lots of work to do. If you're interested in helping
out on interface design, graphic content, backstory, or even
sound effects / music, let me know. If we're to finish with
a playable game, I can use all the help I can get!
Check back every once in awhile. I'll
keep this page updated with our progress... |
| |
| Updates
(First time readers, start at the bottom!) |
| |
| |
The latest update
is simply a work-in-progress screenshot of the very first game
screen. This is the Map
Creation Screen and we're finally getting into the gameplay
issues! For reference, here's the
old version. |
|
| |
Slow
going lately. After submitting the final versions of the setup
screens for programming, I've been taking a break from the break-neck
pace to figure out more of the comprehensive gameplay issues.
In the realm of updates, I've got only two things going right
now: An audio example
from Rob, and a cool
link on Arena.net to
check out about the hurdles of good multiplayer game design.
You know it's good because it's written by a Blizzard
employee!
Oh, and for the curious: Gamasutra.
Good resource, that. |
|
| |
Last
Friday I finished up the details
for the Serve a Network Game screen (finally!) I guess I'm ready
to move on to the meat of the game, but it's going to take quite
a bit of advance planning to get it all to come together...
In the meantime, Rob has agreed to help out on the sound
effects side. Armed with Sound Forge, his midi keyboard,
and a microphone, he'll be attempting to give G&B a distinctive
sound. We should see some results soon, I hope.
|
|
| |
I've been spending
a lot of time working out the final
details on the Join
a Network Game Screen. Michael has that in hand now, and
has actually got the TCP/IP handshaking done for the client
and server aspect of the game. It really connects!
After that, I jumped backwards for a moment and created the
buttons for the Main
Menu Screen...
...Before plugging along again on the
Serve a Network Game screen. I've got it done, but I'm
bogging down on some of the Load a Saved Game
details. We've decided to shelve that for awhile and wait
'til we actually have a game that's save-able...
Very soon now, I should be
able to post an executable that connects multiple players
and let's them at least use the chat window -- then the real
work begins!
By the way, anyone interested in working on the sound design? |
|
| |
Lots
of progress being made: First off, I've got a placeholder
for the game's Splash
Page (great quote idea, Joe!) and Game
Options Screen. From there you can get to the newest rendering
of the Join
a Network Game Screen (notice that the "inset computer
screen" motif is superceding "upraised panels"
from last week's interface example.) Other, minor gains are
the solidification of a To-Do
List, the creation of a Keyboard
Command List, and the selection of colors
for players.
I also added links (above,
opening paragraph) to two documents: My G&B proposal
to Michael and the unearthed paper-game
rules.
Oh, and let's not forget
Derek's first
prototype for a robotic unit. Evil,
I tells ya! Eeeeeeevil! |
| |
|
|
| February
15th, 2002 |
After a brainstorming
session with Joe and Karl on Wednesday night, we got a lot more
gameplay issues worked out on the Join a Game screen,
Game Server screen, Map
Creation screen, and Initial Placement screen. We
also discussed how to represent units on the map. Since then
I've been working on a coherent interface -- see the pics below.
|
Before
 |
After
|
|
|
Mockup screen examples
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
