Abstract: Cruyk is a concept design within the Haven project . It is the first game design by Axel Ekström (6 years old). Availability: Public |
One evening as I was putting my son to bed, he said to me "Dad, I want us to make a game". He had it all thought out, though his vocabulary isn't exactly technical. What he started to describe sounded like a cross-over of Spyro and Diablo, featuring robots - a 3D shooter, with a platform-game-like linearity and yet some freedom.
So, what is a dad to do? Of course I listened closely and went right in and sat down to write it all down once he had fallen asleep. I was fairly sure he'd tire of the whole deal in less than 24 hours, once he understood it wouldn't be ready to play that same evening. About one week later, he's still very excited and talks of little else than this game we're making.
I fleshed out what he'd sketched for me, and he listens carefully to my ideas and usually approves immediately. He does not wish for "challenge" - I'll have to sneak that in. Not that it will be very hard, his understanding of game economy is limited at best. And while he can read a sentence or two, he certainly cannot read English, so this text should be safe for a few years yet.
Anyway, this is about Axel's game. Not mine. I'm just a guide and a code slave (and whatever other types of slave the day might require). When you see something that looks impossible for a 6-year-old to understand, perhaps you're right and it's really me speaking. Just understand, that while I may make suggestions and be the one actually writing things, Axel is in control of this project. Much of this, much more than one would guess, is really stright from his mouth.
I intend to keep it that way.
- Olof Ekström
The player proceeds to purchase all the equipment he can afford, and to name the robot, whereupon the robot journeys to the combat area.The interface at this stage consists of, to the left, a visual layout of the robot's available slots, each with symbols indicating what - if anything - is equipped in each slot. Optional slots not (yet) purchased are indicated with the color red and show labels indicating the cost to enable them. To the right is a sorted list of products for sale. At the bottom is the naming area, and the "done" and "cancel" command buttons, above this is an information area.
Clicking an item either on the left or right brings up item specifications in the information area. Clicking an unequipped slot causes the for sale list to highlight only items that fit in that slot. Clicking an optional slot similarly causes the appropriate items to be highlighted, and also shows information about that slot in the information area. In the slot layout (left) are also some data displays where statistics about a slot is shown (such as armor value and capacity of both slot and equipped items).
Damage is calculated by determining affected unit parts and
adjusting each for armor and countermeasures. Projectile and beam
attacks strike only one unit part, area effects may strike several unit
parts.
Each basic unit part has an intrinsic number of damage points. This
number is used for damage assessment.
Part |
Points |
---|---|
Head |
100 |
Ear |
50 |
Eye |
50 |
Mouth |
50 |
Chest |
500 |
Internal |
(special) |
Back |
400 |
Shoulder |
250 |
Arm |
200 |
Hand |
150 |
Torso |
350 |
Leg |
250 |
Foot |
150 |
Special: Wings |
300 |
Special: Jet pack |
400 |
Special: Antenna |
500 |
Special: Pod |
1000 |
Special parts are especially vulnerable to area attacks, and must
keep track of area attack damage separately.
When a unit reaches 30% damage, effectiveness starts to drop at a
rate of 2% effectiveness/1% damage. At 80% damage the unit is completely
uneffective. A unit reaching 100% damage is destroyed.
Effectiveness of legs determines movement ratio. A robot with no
effective legs cannot walk on the ground (it may still fly, provided it
can take off - ineffective legs will rule out jump take-off). Partially
ineffective walk/run will still consume full power consumption.
Note that flight generally disallows offensive missile armament (by
slot exclusion).
Power generators are detectable by most sensors.
Weapons use (beam, projectile, missile) is generally easily
detectable. Melee weapons use is generally only detectable by audio or
vision.
Direct downlink emission is less easy to intercept or detect. Solar
panels generate no emission of any type.
Concepts by Axel Ekström
Concept by Olof Ekström after LEGO model built by Axel Ekström & Olof Ekström
Concept by Olof Ekström after LEGO model built by Axel Ekström & Olof Ekström
Concept by Olof Ekström after LEGO model built by Axel Ekström & Olof Ekström
Concept by Olof Ekström after LEGO model built by Axel Ekström & Olof Ekström
Concept by Olof Ekström after LEGO model built by Axel Ekström & Olof Ekström
This text was written in its entirety by Olof Ekström from a concept idea by Axel Ekström. For more information about the author of this page, see Olof Ekström's personal information in the Project Profiles document.
Copyright © 2002 Olof Ekström/Extro System. All rights reserved.
Bälinge/Uppsala, Sweden, October 2002