Description:
Big Dumb (Papier–mâché) Robot’s Ridiculously Difficult Music Challenge (BDR Music Challenge) is (as the preposterous name implies) to be a music game. The idea is the topology of the level changes in time with the music. As the guest runs along, stacks of colorful construction paper come zooming out of the ground at varying rates depending on the state of the music at that point in time. Whenever an instrument is soloing the stacks track with that instrument, however when all instruments are working in harmony the stacks track with the main beat and the loudness.
Should the guest fail to run and jump in perfect time with the music they will run into the side off a rising stack, or get caught in between stacks and become trapped. In a case where they run into the side of a stack (while running or trying to escape being trapped) they will explode as soon as they touch the side and have to restart the level. If they become trapped, fail to escape, and decide to wait out the song, they will explode at the end of the song and have to restart the level.
If I were to take this game further I would add obstacles like falling wads of paper and other papier-mâché creatures into the game. However, for this first prototype level I believe it will be challenging enough just to get the mechanic done.
For the prototype of BDR Music Challenge I plan to make a using Vanessa Mae’s rendition of Toccata And Fugue in D Minor. I have mapped out a rough level design sketch to give a sense of how the level will progress. I have also created a sprite sheet and loading screen to give an idea of what the art in the game will look like. You can listen to the MP3 I have uploaded to see just how “ridiculously difficult” playing such a level would really be. Hey, no one ever bought Super Meat Boy expecting it to be easy.
The Music:
I had to compress it down to 1600 HZ to upload it, so there has been some quality loss vMae_ToccataAndFugue_InDMinor_01
Level Design Sketch:
The guest should learn quickly that they will have to run from the very beginning to reach the first stack in time for it to rise. Then they will basically be holding forward most of the time and jamming on jump in time with the music for the rest of the level. Any mistakes and they will die. I’m considering using XNA rather than Game Maker or Unity because it will allow me to generate the stacks procedural with the music. However, I may not wish to do this as it will require giving up some control over what instruments to track (it is a question of expediency vs finesse).
Sprite Sheet:
