Mech Inferno Feature List

Okay, so maybe not quite a feature list but more of a proposal. This is basically what I started with when Mech Inferno was first developed. I don't try to list every feature at first. I like to pull out three or four features that I think make the game unique and then kind layout the big picture as far as the concept goes. Oh and I want to keep it brief so I limit it to one page.

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Game Title: Mech Inferno             Genre: Sci-fi/Horror top-down shooter

Setting: Gomorrah (Dark Earth)       Similar Titles: Castlevania/Smash TV

Description

After the fall of civilization, evil inherits the Earth and it is renamed Gomorrah. There is one safe haven for humans, Paradiso, but it costs a fortune to buy your way in. Sydney and Adelaide plan to do just that with the use of their homemade mech. The quickest way to make money in Gomorrah is to take it from the demons, but they soon learn there is hell to pay when they steal from Gomorrah's richest demon, Mammon.

Concept

Mech Inferno is a top-down shooter similar in gameplay to Smash TV and Gain Ground, but with a setting that merges Castlevania with Contra. In it the player will progress in a typical level structure. The game uses a mixture of 2D and 3D graphics and is designed to be played with a Super NES style gamepad.

Format

Mech Inferno will be created using the Unity3D game engine and will be released on PC. Console will also be considered as they become plausible options. A free demo will be released first and then additional funding will be sought to finish the game.

Key Features

Mech Inferno offers players some unique features such as a post-apocalyptic horror themed world, shared energy weapon/boost and charge style bullets.

Post-apocalyptic Horror Themed World
The world of Gomorrah is to be a well-developed setting that can be used for many future projects. It combines a post-apocalyptic setting-as seen in movies like Mad Max-with gothic horror creatures and races inspired by classical horror stories/movies like Dracula.

Shared Energy Weapon/Boost
The mech in Gomorrah has an energy bar that is used to power the mech's weapons and boost ability. This bar is self-generating, but as the player boosts and/or charges bullets the energy is depleted. Once the energy is reduced to zero, the player will not be able to boost of shoot until the bar completely refills.

Charge Style Bullets
The player can hold down the shoot button and charge their bullets similar to R-type. This produces larger bullets that do more damage and go through more enemies. Some enemies can also have armor which must be knocked off by a fully charged bullet before the enemies can be harmed.

Mech Concept WIP

Mech Inferno on Indie DB

Check out the new and improved Mech Inferno page on Indie DB.  It is a WIP but its a start.  Also it may or may not feature some concept images that no one has ever seen yet.  For your eyes only.

Also I am just going to throw this out there - if something is new how can it be improved.

What's in a Name?

Okay, so I think this is it.  After much thought and careful deliberation I may have come to a decision on the name for my project.  Perhaps I will call it Mech Inferno.  This title has beaten out the former project title of Gomorrah: Hell to Pay.  Maybe I will still work the subtitle Hell to Pay in there somewhere, who knows.

And just in case I feel like changing my mind and flip-flopping back and forth I went ahead and registered www.mechinferno.com.  Oh and I spent some time coming up with this thing here:

So now if I change my mind I will have wasted all that time working on the above logo. So take that indecisive brain of mine.

Meet My New Project

Here, have a cigar and take a look at my bouncing, baby, top-down shooter.  Isn't it so cute?

Hmmmm, well I guess I can see that.  Yes you're right.  No, no, I agree.  It has graphics that only a mother could love (or father in this case) but that is because THIS IS A PROTOTYPE AND ALL IMAGERY IS ONLY PLACEHOLDER GRAPHICS AKA don't judge.  This is simply a proof of concept to see how the gameplay feels.  If you need help using your imagination, please refer to the flavor text found below the video.

The hulk of miscellaneous metal stood there looking all Mad Max in style. It was a mech built from scraps and made for one purpose - demon hunting.  Before it laid a wasteland of salt and bone, populated with some of the nastiest hell-spawn imaginable.  The air crackled with electricity as its blasters began to charge.

So now let's talk shop.  For my first game I decided to make something kind of simple but hopefully with some unique mechanics.  I want to do something arcade like with a retro feel but modern 3D graphics.  I love 2D stuff but my talents lie in 3D modelling so that is what I'll stick with (for now).  The idea is to not bite of more than I can chew as I am doing this by myself (for now).  I am using Unity for the game engine and fumbling my way through coding it in C#.

So far so good.

Controls are made for a controller but function on keyboard as well.  If you can imagine a Super NES controller, the D-pad moves your mech and each of the face buttons (A, B, X, and Y) shoot in a given direction (left, down, up and right). Holding down a button will charge up your shot a-la R-type.  Holding one of the shoulder buttons will boost your mech around at a faster speed.  In addition to a health gauge there is an energy bar.  Shooting and boosting uses up the energy bar which regenerates over time.  If the player completely depletes the energy bar the mech will discharge and cannot boost or shoot until the energy bar fills back up again.

So that is it in a nut shell.  I'll be posting more info soon.  See you then.