Prototype of a Flash game like GearTaker

Do you know Tony Pa‘s GearTaker game?

GearTaker

You have a buddy jumping around rotating gears. As most Tony Pa’s games, it’s easier to play than to explain, and it’s hard to link… from this page select “GearTaker” and play.

I made a Flash prototype using two objects, the cog and the hero

The prototype has the following features:

1) Commented code
2) (virtually) unlimited fully customizable gears
3) Player starting gear and offset

Do you want more?

The only feature I am not showing you at the moment is how to determine the angle offset when the hero jumps from a cog to another. In my prototype, the hero always places himself at the top of the gear.

Also, if the hero files out of the stage, you’ll have to reload the page.

Can you improve the prototype?

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// constant to convert degrees to radians
degrees_to_radians = 0.0174532925;
// constant to convert radians to degrees
radians_to_degrees = 57.2957795;
// arrays storing cogs information: x position, y position and diameter
cog_x_position = Array(100, 400);
cog_y_position = Array(200, 200);
cog_diameter = Array(100, 100);
// diameter of the hero
hero_diameter = 24;
// speed of the hero, when he'll fly
hero_speed = 5;
// flag to determine if the hero has to rotate attached to the cog (true) or not (false)
rotate = true;
// cog where the hero will rotate. The starting one
cog_to_rotate = 0;
// offset to align the hero to the top of the inner circle of the cog
angle_offset = -Math.PI/2;
// cycle scanning through all cogs
for (x=0; x<cog_x_position.length; x++) {
	// attaching the cog
	wheel = _root.attachMovie("cog", "cog_"+x, x, {_x:cog_x_position[x], _y:cog_y_position[x], _width:cog_diameter[x], _height:cog_diameter[x]});
	// setting a random rotation speed for the cogs
	wheel.speed = Math.random()*20-10;
	wheel.onEnterFrame = function() {
		// update cog rotation according to its speed
		this._rotation += this.speed;
	};
}
// placing the hero on the screen
_root.attachMovie("hero", "hero", _root.getNextHighestDepth());
// function the hero will execute every frame
hero.onEnterFrame = function() {
	// if the hero is supposed to rotate sticked to the cog...
	if (rotate) {
		// determining hero's angle
		angle = (_root["cog_"+cog_to_rotate]._rotation)*degrees_to_radians+angle_offset;
		x = _root["cog_"+cog_to_rotate]._x;
		y = _root["cog_"+cog_to_rotate]._y;
		// no!!! this wont work
		//radius = (_root["cog_0"]._width+hero_diameter)/2;
		// yes !!
		radius = (cog_diameter[0]+hero_diameter)/2;
		// updating hero position
		this._x = x+Math.cos(angle)*radius;
		this._y = y+Math.sin(angle)*radius;
		// if the hero is flying
	} else {
		// updating hero's x and y position
		this._x += hero_speed*Math.cos(shooting_angle);
		this._y += hero_speed*Math.sin(shooting_angle);
		// scanning all cogs
		for (x=0; x<cog_x_position.length; x++) {
			// if it's not the cog the hero just left...
			if (x != cog_to_rotate) {
				// checking the distance bewteen the hero and the cog
				dist_x = _root["cog_"+x]._x-this._x;
				dist_y = _root["cog_"+x]._y-this._y;
				distance = Math.sqrt(dist_x*dist_x+dist_y*dist_y);
				// if the hero hits a cog
				if (distance<(cog_diameter[x]+hero_diameter)/2) {
					// time to calculate a new angle offset if you want
					// stick the hero to the cog
					cog_to_rotate = x;
					// make the hero rotate around the cog
					rotate = true;
				}
			}
		}
	}
};
// if the player presses the mouse
onMouseDown = function () {
	// checking hero's angle
	dist_x = hero._x-_root["cog_"+cog_to_rotate]._x;
	dist_y = hero._y-_root["cog_"+cog_to_rotate]._y;
	shooting_angle = Math.atan2(dist_y, dist_x);
	// dont' make the hero rotate sticked to the cog anymore
	rotate = false;
};

Mouse button to play. Happy jumping. Yes, this is a one-button game, and I have a next-to-be-published incredible game based upon this prototype.

Prototypes are the most interesting ways to make a game, remember what I was able to make from this to this

And this is the source code, just in case you need it…

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9 Responses

  1. JDog says:

    Its good, can’t wait to see what you are going to do with this !

  2. Jack Hopkisn says:

    I forsee an awesome game coming out of this :D

  3. Galaxian says:

    I’ve seen an awesome game like this. Miniclip’s Wheels of Salvation.

  4. Andre says:

    In between lines 62-63 add…

    *************************************************
    angle = Math.atan2(dist_y, dist_x);
    angle_offset = angle – _root["cog_"+x]._rotation;
    *************************************************

    This will make the hero stick to the place where it hit the cog.

  5. Emanuele Feronato says:

    Wrong!

    you’re mixing degrees with radians…

  6. JDog says:

    Don’t you just correct it using radians ? the code could stil have some use….I imagine ?

  7. Xavi says:

    ya, I played wheels of salvatin too.
    What’s different though is that the guy doesn’t automatically go to a predefined point.
    it just continues from the point where it hit the wheel/gear.

  8. Emanuele Feronato says:

    No, it would attach at the opposite side of the wheel

    the correct angle_offset is determined by

    *************************
    angle_offset = angle-_root["cog_"+x]._rotation*degrees_to_radians+Math.PI;
    *************************

  9. Fernando says:

    explain the actions please i want know more about the codes and u dont explain

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