Galixanar – like fish from space

 

We're diving back into the retro theme. It's 320x240 resolution. And the 64-color palette is from MS DOS. It's a game like Space Invaders or Galaga. The idea is simple: you move left and right and shoot. And it's all done in a certain style. And there are enemies above. You score points. There are several levels. At least one lane with enemies. There are 10 per lane.

I remember I loved trying out different games on MS DOS, what I called VGA graphics. Or maybe it was SVGA graphics. But that's what I called it. And I tried different games. Completely unfamiliar to me. And sometimes I came across something strange, sometimes something interesting. There were some weird arcade games like that. I really liked them. They captured my imagination.

And all sorts of colorful shooters, with large, colorful sprites. The movement on the screen. It was all very interesting to me. I've long dreamed of creating my own weird arcade games. And this game is just that. I've had this image in my mind for a long time. A dark blue background. Like underwater. Or maybe space. And something like Galaga. Some kind of unique creatures. Monsters, probably.

 

I think it will be space. Or a huge underwater world. I haven't decided yet. And there are these monsters. And you're weird too. Such strange graphics. But at least they're unique. Their own look. And simple gameplay. For me, these games are more like games and art. That is, they're art. Their own visuals and their own dynamics. That's probably why I don't make games with great dynamics. They're art and you have to take it slowly.

 

Another source of inspiration here are dungeon and dragon adventures. They have all sorts of labyrinths and monsters. Typically, like Lord of the Rings or typical fantasy. So I decided to create something of my own. Sometimes, something very strange lives in the depths of a dungeon. Or like deep underwater. An angler fish. Well, no, that's too creepy. So, I created my fantasy.

 

So far, you can move left and right. And this is the first demonstration. The idea itself. The graphics are basically ready. The visual style is there. Along the way, I happened to draw sprites for another game. Also in the style of a space shooter like Galaga. But more fun. It's about a fly. And I even have two modifications in mind. And this game is the starting point. And this one is done in a dark tone. Like in the shadows. Underwater. In dark black. Or not black. But a dark tone. Dark purple.

 

It's great to be an artist and a programmer. And to bring ideas to life. I remember someone said that it's bad to make games based on pictures from your head. Well, like, it's better to think everything through, it's more reliable that way. Maybe. But for simple games. Like Galaga, it's perfectly possible to pull themes and ideas from your head, some pictures from your head, pictures from your imagination. That's totally possible. It's more about drawing and even more about programming.

 

So far, I have a picture of the idea itself. And of course, I still have some details to think through. But I think it will be a simple game. Probably with slow gameplay again. And several levels, maybe 8. And the main thing is the dark tone. And some of my own sprites. Creatures like deep-sea fish. Or something from another planet. From the depths of space, like in Lovecraft.

 

In theory, they're like strange fish, but that's only part of the idea. The starting point. In the game Space Invaders, for example, in the version for the first PlayStation, something strange flew in from space. Like nuts and bolts. Things like that. In the game for the Dendy and MSX computer, there are things like bugs and flies. Something funny and interesting. I decided to give it a try too.

Like fish from outer space, deep underwater. And the name of the game: Galixanar. A combination of the words "Galaga." Like a clone of this game. And "xanar" is something fantastic. Or sonar that helps with underwater navigation.

Basic Pascal version 1.20 "Lagushka" – most newest version. In this version there are 4 new games! Udochka, Parohod, Auto Car Stop, Lagushka. And even more retro games! It is a pack of retro games with modern versions of Basic and Pascal.

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