louisbarcadegame

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Attract Mode on Arcade Machines

AN Attract mode is when an arcade game is not being played and pre-recorded footage is playing to show what the game is. It is called 'Attract Mode' because it is used to attract people to come and play the game. Normally it shows the most intense moments in a game to make the game seem exciting so the player puts money into the machine and plays your game.

The 'Attract Mode' is important for arcade machines because people are spending money to play and they want to spend their money on a good game and if you entice someone to play your game you get money and people are more likely to play and intense game.

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Researching Top-Down Arcade Games

Jail Break:

I like the style of this game and the camera angle works perfectly. Running and Shooting are the two mechanics in this game.

Commando:

The two main mechanics again are running and shooting and I like the war style of this game.

Escape from the planet of Robot Monsters:

I really like the camera angle in this game and the graphics are cool. The mechanics are again running and shooting.

Guerrilla War:

Again I really like the war style of this game and the screen is very limited. The mechanics are running and shooting.

Shock Troopers 2nd Squad:

The mechanics are the same as the other games but you are in a tank so it is driving and shooting.

All of these games are shooter games and they are very basic and all follow the same base of random enemies run at you and shoot you but you have to shoot them before they shoot you.

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Changing Camera Perspectives

This code makes it so that you can switch between 2 different cameras. Top-Down and at an angle.

If I didn't have a top-down camera then you might be able to see the marble in specific areas and it was mostly because people have different preferences.

Boris and the Dark Survival uses the same kind of camera angle.

The First GTA uses the top-down angle.

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Movement for My Game

This is the code for my 8 directional movement. I wasn't able to make it 8 directional on the code but when using the arcade joystick it will be 8 directional. The 8 directional movement will make my game harder because my game is made to be 360 degree movement but 8 directional won't effect it to the point of it being unplayable it will just make it much harder.

Games such as Undertale, Stardew Valley, Hotline Miami, etc. have 8 directional movement.

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Working on my Game (Timer)

This is the code for a timer in my game. This makes it so the time carries over levels so it can be saved at the end for high scores.

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Working on my Game (Controls)

I made the controls work on the arcade machines, although when I did the sensitivity of the board rotating was very low so I had to change that.

I bound the camera switching to the X button and to help with the sensitivity I made the Y button change the sensitivity.

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Working on my Game (Improvement)

I've now made 5 unique levels.

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Working on my Game (Visuals)

I added a simple blur effect to the game to make it seem like an arcade game.

I just made a widget, but a blur effect over the canvas and added it to the worlds viewport.

I also added this bodycam material that I used in my last game, this makes the game have a kind of fish eye lens effect. And I added this to a 'PostProcessVolume' cube in my world and surrounded the board and cameras with it.

This is with:

This is without:

I personally prefer with.

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Working on my Game (Goal)

To make my goal I used this code:

This basically makes the marble levitate on collision by activating the levitate code, and opens the second level for the player.

A problem that I don't know how to fix is having to copy and paste this goal and change the 'open level by name' code to the next level. I don't know how to fix this but it is not that big of a problem so it is fine.

I also made the goal green and flicker in and out of being transparent.

This code for the material made it possible.

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Working on my Game (Cameras)

At first I only had one camera and that was the default view. And it did work perfectly until I tried to do another camera angle, then it didn't work at all so I decided to make the camera a separate thing and then connect the camera and the board through code and arrays.

This is the code I had to use. I made an actor for one of the cameras then copied and pasted it. The code adds 1 onto the integer and that switches the camera. If the number is over a certain amount then it resets it and so switches back to the other camera.

I did try and add a camera to the marble so you could get a close up of it while you play but I couldn't figure out how to make the camera not rotate with the marble so I scrapped the idea.

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Working on my Game (Marble)

To begin making the marble I first made a new actor.

After I made this code so that the marble would start at the position it is placed in the world.

And due to the ball being able to fall off of the board I had to make some sort of restart or killing system for the ball. All I did was make a new variable and make it the kill height for the marble, I then had to make it just lower than how far the board can rotate so that if the player rotated the board enough the ball wouldn't just disappear and be killed. And that was a problem I had at one point.

This code is for when the player finishes the level/board, the marble will levitate in the air then move on to the next level. I wanted to do this because when you start a level or die in a level the marble will come from the sky (almost like a different marble is being dropped onto the board and I really like this idea so I wanted to do the same for the ending, but one problem I had was what height to make the ball go up to but it was an easy fix by just changing the number in the code.

There was a problem in which the ball was too bouncy and not like a marble at all and I was very confused on how to fix this, I first tried to change the marbles mass but that didn't do anything and so I tried the world gravity and that seemed to have worked perfectly.

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Working on my Game (Boards)

To start my game I used the Modeling tool and made a board by making a 22x22 grid and pulling blocks up, I continued to put walls and holes on the board to make it more of a challenge.

I then made the board a pawn, I made it a pawn and not an actor because I wanted the board to take control of the player so that it could take control of the player so the player can move the board around. At first the board was moving around too much and you could make the board go upside-down, obviously I didn't want this to be a part of my game so I added this code to stop the board from rotating as much.

This made sure the board could only move so much.

And another problem I had was that the board would move from its original position because of the rotating and it would eventually move off of the screen.

So instead of making the mouse x and y move the world rotation, I made the mouse x move the local rotation and the mouse y move the world rotation and this sorted the problem of the board moving around on the screen instead of just rotating.

To the board I also wanted to add another camera just incase the player wanted a different view or if the marble was in a place in which the player couldn't see. And by pressing one of the buttons (Q on keyboard) the player can switch camera to a top-down position.

I then copy and paste the code from the original one onto the others that I make and the only thing I change is the material and the position of the walls and holes.

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Arcade Game Research 3

Brawler Games:

-Double Dragon

Double Dragon is an old arcade brawler game from 1987. You play as martial artist brothers trying to rescue a kidnapped girlfriend from a gang. You fight through levels, punching, kicking, and using weapons. It's known for its two-player cooperative gameplay and is a classic in the beat 'em up genre.

-Final Fight

Final Fight is an old arcade game from 1989. You pick a character and fight through the city to rescue a kidnapped girl from a gang. Using punches and kicks, you battle enemies in side-scrolling levels. It's known for its fun gameplay and memorable characters in the beat 'em up genre.

-Streets of Rage

Streets of Rage is an arcade game from 1991 where you pick a character to clean up city streets full of bad guys. In side-scrolling levels, you use punches and kicks to fight through thugs and bosses. It's known for its fun multiplayer and cool graphics and music in the beat 'em up genre.

Interactive Games:

-Dance Dance Revolution

Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) is a dance game in arcades. Players step on arrows on a dance pad, matching their moves to on-screen cues and the music. It's fun and energetic, offering different songs and difficulty levels.

-Guitar Hero

Guitar Hero is an arcade game where you use a guitar-shaped controller to play along with songs. Hit buttons on the guitar neck as notes come down the screen to feel like you're playing a real guitar. It's a fun way to enjoy different music.

-Time Crisis

Time Crisis is an arcade shooting game where you use a gun to take down bad guys on the screen. You can take cover with a pedal and need to shoot strategically to progress through the levels. It's fast-paced and has a story that unfolds as you play.

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Arcade Game Research 2

Racing Games:

-Out Run

Out Run is an old racing arcade game by Sega where you drive a sports car through scenic routes, choosing different paths along the way. It's known for its cool graphics and music.

-Daytona USA

Daytona USA is an arcade racing game by Sega from 1993. You pick a car, race on fast tracks, and it was known for its realistic graphics and exciting multiplayer.

-Cruis'n USA

Cruis'n USA is a 1994 arcade racing game by Midway where you pick a car and race through different U.S. locations. It's known for its vibrant graphics and simple, enjoyable gameplay.

Fighting Games:

-Street Fighter

Street Fighter is an old arcade fighting game by Capcom. You pick a character and fight one-on-one with special moves and martial arts. It's famous for its competitive play and iconic characters like Ryu and Chun-Li.

-Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat is an old arcade fighting game by Midway. You pick a character and fight one-on-one using unique moves. It's famous for its realistic graphics, violent finisher moves called "Fatalities," and impactful gameplay.

-Tekken

Tekken is an arcade fighting game where you pick characters with different fighting styles and battle one-on-one. The game has a strategic fighting system, 3D environments, and a diverse cast of characters. It's been popular since the early '90s.

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Arcade Game Research

Classic 'High Score' Games:

-Tetris

Tetris is a classic puzzle video game where different-shaped blocks fall from the top, and players need to arrange them to form complete horizontal lines. When a line is made, it disappears, and players earn points. The game gets faster over time, requiring quick thinking to prevent the blocks from stacking up to the top. Tetris is a widely popular and enduring game.

-Space Invaders

Space Invaders is an old video game where you control a spaceship shooting at descending alien invaders. The goal is to eliminate them before they reach the bottom. The aliens get faster as you play. It's a classic and influential game in the video game world.

-Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong is an arcade game where a character named Mario tries to rescue his girlfriend from a giant ape, Donkey Kong. Players navigate through levels, avoiding obstacles like barrels and fireballs. It's known for introducing the character Mario and is the start of a popular video game series.

Shooter Games:

-Galaga

Galaga is an old arcade game where you control a spaceship shooting down insect-like aliens called Galaga. You can capture your spaceship if it gets taken, giving you more firepower. It's a classic and well-loved game.

-Asteroids

Asteroids is an old arcade game where you pilot a spaceship and shoot asteroids, avoiding collisions. The more asteroids you destroy, the harder it gets. It's a classic game known for its simple but challenging gameplay.

-Centipede

Centipede is an old arcade game where you shoot a centipede descending from the top of the screen. You control a character at the bottom, trying to eliminate the centipede and other obstacles while avoiding collisions. The game is known for its colourful graphics and fast-paced action.

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History of Arcade Games

Arcade Machines have been used since 1971 and some of the earliest games are games like Pong and Space Invaders.

They quickly became extremely popular and competitions for money soon became a thing, with games such as Sonic and Donkey-Kong.

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What is an Arcade Game

Arcade games are typically games that are in public that you pay money for and get one turn at that specific game. Fighting games are the most popular and frequent arcade games. Games such as, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Tekken are perfect examples, and the most famous. But there are also platformer games such as Mario Bros and Sonic.

They are played on these machines.