I have been working on the Atari 8bit version of 8bit-Strike this week-end: optimizing the sprite engine (to reduce flicker), improving the tilesets, making the game fun! Check out these screenies from the “Aztec” and “Desert” maps!

I have posted a detailed Atari Lynx Gameplay preview on YouTube, which I am sharing here. 

Things were a bit quiet over the summer, but finally we can unveil the first “tropical” themed map:

de_aztec

Head over to the map section to take a look at the complete roster so far! 🙂

We have added 2 more maps to the line-up:

de_desert

de_mirage

Head over to the map section to take a look at the complete roster so far! 🙂

We have added a second map to our line-up:

de_dust

Head over to the map section to take a look at the complete roster so far! 🙂

Overview of Progress

I had been sitting for a good couple of years on the idea of producing an 8bit port of CS2D. With the upcoming release 0.4 of 8bit-Unity, the technical side (tilemaps, sprites, decent perf.) was getting close. But getting started in earnest required an artist who could bring the vision to life, 8bit limitations notwithstanding…

… and so about 6 months ago, my good friend Fil. San. (an 8bit-Slicks fan) connected me with TIX, whom he recommended as a hot pixel artist on Atariage. That sealed the deal!

Over the past half-year, TIX produced awesome (3 colors, no more!) sets of animation that gave the inspiration for the game’s direction. Just check out this grenade animation! Ain’t it just frigging cool?

And so it takes 2 to dance: whenever the artist cranks out cool pixels, the coder gets a motivation boost that takes things to the next level (and vice/versa). So we went from a bitmap background to a proper charmap in just a few days. And it was… great??

Hmmm, not quite. You see, there were a few limitations with 8bit-Unity at that specific time…. First of all, I was endlessly recycling the quedex charset for any project that came along. And secondly, the sprite engine was not up to the task (a mere 10 single color sprite on Atari 8bit).

But the dream was so close, that it was worth chasing it! A few hundred lines of code modifications later, we had multiplexed sprites on the Atari 8bit, and a proper tileset from TIX!

So where do we stand right now? Let’s put it down as a list of features already implemented:

• The server side is fully operational. It is a Python script that emulates Bots, and supports features like in-game chat and stats (kills, wins, etc).
• The client side is mostly operational. We already have all weapons (guns, rifles, items) and game objectives working.
• In terms of game contents, there is only 1 fully playable map so far (dust2). But the good news is that the engine can run any map TIX is going to spew out… I’m waiting for aztec right now!

So when will the game make it to proper release? WHEN IT IS READY! You see, it is important to get the game balance right before we get this thing out. That’s where proper beta testing plays an essential role.

If you are interested in joining the beta test period, please check the forum. Otherwise, please wait a few months. It is going to be totally worth it, you have our word! 😉

Website Launch

This is the start of a new 8bit adventure: producing a CS inspired online multiplayer shooter for 8bit computers and console.

8bit-Strike is a game for the Atari 8bit, Atari Lynx and C64 currently in development using the 8bit-Unity SDK. The online play is compatible with the 8bit-Hub and IP65 cards (RR-Net, DragonCard).

Stay tuned for more reports on the development progress and announcements of beta testing!