Prince of Persia themed track - Trials of Persia | Forums

[rlmergeuser]

Hey guys,

I've had an idea for a new track based around Prince of Persia, the classic version. For those too young to know what I'm talking about, it looked like this:



I think this would work really well for a track or a skill game, and I'm just bouncing a few ideas around in my head and wondered if anyone else had any thoughts, such as;

- has anyone else already done this before I waste my time?
- should it be a skill game or a trials track?
- should I put a checkpoint in for each scene, or make it a test to see how far you can get without faulting. The latter would be more annoying but more true to the original game, which had you restart the level if you died. Or I could put in a 3 fault limit like the original game in which you had 3 life points before you died.

Obviously I can't put in the sword fights, or have the bike change direction, but all the other obstacles should be possible.

[luthanick]

If done well, this could be pretty sweet. Are you thinking of having the camera stationary and it only changes when you hit the edge of the screen? That would really help make it feel like classic POP. Also having jumps that require last second bunny hops would be kinda like the jumps in POP. Also, you can easily set up the bike to spin 180on button press, so you could go both left and right.
Not sure how the fights could be incorporated....

Edit: I don't think it should be a one life level. Those can be really frustrating.

[rlmergeuser]

Yes it would definately be a series of fixed cameras which would trigger as you enter each section. I think a skill game is the way to go on this, and have three lives available to get as far through as you can.

I may also put in some kind of extra life item as the original PoP had these. I don't think I can incorporate the fights in any meaningful way, so it will mainly involve puzzle solving and multiple routes, with triggers, timed gate closes, spiked pits and that sort of thing.

I'll post pics of my progress here as I want to do this justice and not rush it.

Edit: How would I make the bike spin 180? I didn't think this could be done.

[CuBNI]

For the fighting you could have a hinged pipe that swings with a button press attached to bike (make it visible when needed as it may get in the way for other stuff) then just have targets (or anything you like) that need to be hit by the pipe before they break/disappear and allow you past them

Was thinking of doing something like this myself for a second donkey kong themed track (ie the hammer power up !) so you could break barrels

Edit: for 180, check out a thread called project spin and prepare to be amazed !

[rlmergeuser]

I think having a swinging pipe on the front of the bike would look really strange. If there was a way of making the rider swing the pipe it would be worth looking into but I don't think you can detach one arm. I think it's best to just leave the fight scenes out of it altogether.

The 180 thing however, now that is interesting and definitely has promise and could work really well. I'll have to look into how that guy did it, but I wouldn't need the bike to turn fast or slow, I'd want an instant change of direction. It seems as though the bike has handling issues when going left though, and I'd need to resolve these before I used it or that could be a real game breaker.

[luthanick]

Actually, Sectus showed me what I was missing for the controls to work going left. It now controls exactly the same left as it does right, except of course that leaning left is leaning forward and leaning right is leaning backward.

I think the reverse controls have already been explained in my project spin thread, but let me know if that is unclear. Should probably put that info in the op for that thread.

Here's how to get the bike to spin 180. it's pretty simple, but here's what you need.
-Place a dummy object. make sure it has physics enabled and use a physics joint to connect it to the main body of the bike. Joint settings are point-to-point, hard, disable collision, strength 50 (might be adjustable).

-in editor settings choose snap x,y,z and select snap workplane target. Choose the bike body as the target so that the grid is centered on the center of the bike.

-put in an object info data source. It's target will be the dummy object and the type is angle x.

-Grab a controller - y. Set state to disabled and on press is sent to an impulse clamp.

-On the Impulse clamp change min impulses to 1 and max impulses to 1 and wait ticks to 60. Select event/filter is sent to a set value event

-set value event is set value of zero to a variable data source and the event/filter is passed on to an object position event

-object position event: modify position off, under rotation turn off local, turn on set rotation, choose the object info angle x as the data value for the yaw. Event/Filter is passed along to an impluse delay

-impulse delay I set to 12 ticks, but it will still work faster. Event/filter passed to a set value event.

-set value event (2nd one) is set value of 1 to the same variable data source as the other one.

-set the starting value of the variable data source as 1

-in the dummy object settings use the variable data source as the data value for the physics checkbox.

-snap the dummy object to the center of the bike/grid

-set the rider to be invincible.

So when you press Y the dummy object's physics are turned off. The object is rotated around 180 degrees and then after 12 ticks the physics are turned back on. The clamp prevents this from being used more than once per second. It would look better if you use a curved data source to make it turn smooth and it can still be pretty fast, but there it is. Let me know if that makes any sense.

[rlmergeuser]

Ah ok, I just didn't read far enough into the thread so didn't realise the control issue was resolved. Thank you for listing out the instructions, combined with that and the illustration in your thread I should be able to give it a go and implement this technique into the game.

Well done for working out how to do this, it will certainly open up some great new possibilities!

[rlmergeuser]

Just to let people know where I'm at, I have finished creating the initial starting "Room" in the game, ie:



I'll try and post a screenshot later although it will have to be a photo of the TV I'm afraid. I think it looks fairly accurate, and I got the portcullis to come down straight away with a very satisfying clang, also the wooden torches provided in the editor match very well with the theme.

There are a few slight issues so far, one is the original game was viewed in Isometric, and Trials cameras are Perspective, but I don't think there's a way around that so I'll have to live with it.

I'm having some issues with the wobbly plate that falls through the floor. There are no concrete slabs in the editor so I need to use something else. All the rock pieces are too large and they won't break, some of the metal objects look OK but again they won't smash on impact with the ground, so I may have to use wood, colour it grey and remove the sound when hit. Not a big issue just a bit fiddly.

Anyway, once I've done the first room, I have a decision to make. Do I:

1) Follow the exact layout of the original game, and add in ramps or lifts where some of the climbing is not feasible, or;
2) Keep with the general theme of the game, but make up my own puzzles?

I really wanted to go with option 1 but I want it to be playable and enjoyable, and I'm not sure a totally authentic remake would work well. Or I could use a combination of the puzzles from all levels in the original PoP and put them together into one game. Thoughts anyone?

[rlmergeuser]

I think it'd be best to use as many parts of the game that are best suited to trials, and have your own stuff mixed in

[rlmergeuser]

I think it'd be best to use as many parts of the game that are best suited to trials, and have your own stuff mixed in

I am leaning that way, in the meantime here's the screenshot I promised so that you can compare to the original. Sorry about the flare on the screen, damn sunshine!




All criticism and thoughts welcome