Tile Based Games
Introduction
Tile Based Games provides a series of "topics" or tutorials to develop a tile based platform game in Flash.
Every topic is provided as a source file to download (with full comments) and a video explanation of what has been added.
A full text of an explanation, along with a video if available, and commented source files to download is the best way to understand what the code is doing and why it's doing it!
Graphics for use are also provided so if you're graphically challenged, you don't have to spend unnecessary time developing graphics and images.
What do I need?
The development uses Flash CS4. Why? Because it uses ActionScript 3. There are many excellent websites that demonstrate development in ActionScript 2, including the development of tile based games. However, AS3 is a new language, and if you use other modern development languages, you will appreciate it. A trial version of Flash CS4 is available via www.adobe.com.
What will I develop?
Okay, so the demo below isn't going to win awards - but yours might! You'll end up with a game "engine" where you can change anything from the graphics to the gravity, from the power of the bullets to the items you can pick up, from the transports to the springboards, everything!
With different graphics and game elements you can do anything from a blood-fest to a cute and cuddly game - the choice is yours. You can place game graphics behind, in line or in front of your characters, adding "depth"... again, if you want.
Will your game be set in a castle, or a dungeon? Perhaps it will be outside, or based on different rooms in a house? With the ability to overlay graphics on top of your tiles, you could design levels to look like they are hand drawn, or use clipart to represent the inside of a computer? The choices are limited only by your imagination!
You can have moving platforms, switches for moving platforms, water, ropes, doors to new levels, keys, speed boost, jump boost, sounds - and you can change all aspects of every feature or item (and whether to use them).
Do you want hi-res game characters and smooth animation (a bit like below), or do you want retro style like the early Super Mario when characters were "blocky" and animation was much simplier?
By the time you've finished, you'll also see how simple it is to expand on the engine with your own ideas! What about walking through mud, or fire? Different bullets perhaps? Or weapons to pick up?
Use arrow keys to move below, up and down arrows to climb ladders and ropes, SPACE to jump and Z to fire... (oh, and jump on the bad guys to kill them if you have no bullets!)
All sounds used in the above game are for demonstration purposes, and all copyright owners duly acknowledged.
Can I distribute any games I make?
So long as all the artwork and sounds are yours or free of copyright, you have permission to distribute your final games. All you have to do is include a mention of www.tilebasedgames.com on the screen shown before the player starts each game.