"The First Invasion" is a simple space invaders clone, it's not a direct recreation of any particular version of space invaders version but instead a collection of space invaders games. As such it has three different game modes.
The game was written as a test, to check that I had everything I needed in terms of a tool chain to build a fairly complete game.Tools to be able to create graphics and sound for the SEGA 16-bit platform and also as a test of development libraries and programming techniques. The platform is not like programming a PC or a modern console and special consideration had to be given to the unusual hardware and design choices that SEGA put together.
The first mode of the game is based on my first test, which was a very simple space invaders clone. It now has some updated sprites, and it a little more colourful than the original.There's a different backdrop on each level from around the world.
Obviously there is a lot of shared code between the different versions of the game as they are basically the same but with different graphics. There are however a few functional differences many of which are behind the scenes and not really seen "in-game". The obvious things are that the first mode does not have bases to hide behind and also the bonus UFO ship gives some different bonus effects; it maybe a freeze bonus that pauses the enemies until you have shot 10 of them or a safety bonus which halts all of the enemy fire until you have shot 10 more.
The original classic mode is made to have the look and feel of the arcade invaders. Due to hardware limitations of the day, this was a monochrome game which used transparent coloured stickers on the monitor screen, a green sticker along the bottom for the ship and bases and a thin red strip across the top for the bonus ship. The screen was not viewed directly but hidden in the base of the arcade machine and projected on to a sheet of angled glass which have a colourful backdrop of a moon.
And finally we have the 2600 version, this is with great respect to the first home console version of the game that actually felt like you were playing space invaders! It's graphics may have been less sophisticated but it had all the essential elements that made the space invaders experience.
So that's it, a small test that ended up taking much longer than I expected but is hopefully something fun to play. This game is provided free of charge so if you paid to download it from another source please ask for your money back! I hope that I have got rid of all the bugs but if you find one please email me and let me know.
The game was written as a test, to check that I had everything I needed in terms of a tool chain to build a fairly complete game.Tools to be able to create graphics and sound for the SEGA 16-bit platform and also as a test of development libraries and programming techniques. The platform is not like programming a PC or a modern console and special consideration had to be given to the unusual hardware and design choices that SEGA put together.
The first mode of the game is based on my first test, which was a very simple space invaders clone. It now has some updated sprites, and it a little more colourful than the original.There's a different backdrop on each level from around the world.
Obviously there is a lot of shared code between the different versions of the game as they are basically the same but with different graphics. There are however a few functional differences many of which are behind the scenes and not really seen "in-game". The obvious things are that the first mode does not have bases to hide behind and also the bonus UFO ship gives some different bonus effects; it maybe a freeze bonus that pauses the enemies until you have shot 10 of them or a safety bonus which halts all of the enemy fire until you have shot 10 more.
The original classic mode is made to have the look and feel of the arcade invaders. Due to hardware limitations of the day, this was a monochrome game which used transparent coloured stickers on the monitor screen, a green sticker along the bottom for the ship and bases and a thin red strip across the top for the bonus ship. The screen was not viewed directly but hidden in the base of the arcade machine and projected on to a sheet of angled glass which have a colourful backdrop of a moon.
And finally we have the 2600 version, this is with great respect to the first home console version of the game that actually felt like you were playing space invaders! It's graphics may have been less sophisticated but it had all the essential elements that made the space invaders experience.
So that's it, a small test that ended up taking much longer than I expected but is hopefully something fun to play. This game is provided free of charge so if you paid to download it from another source please ask for your money back! I hope that I have got rid of all the bugs but if you find one please email me and let me know.
