Fan Games!

Yeah, that's true! As you progress through making the game, inspiration strikes, leads to the making of new elements, and leads to more engine tweaking.

So far I'm working on stage 4 of the project I call "Gamma's Quest". (GQ)
I'm actually making some pretty interesting bosses, IMO.

Well, it shouldn't be too hard. The actual code can't be to bad. It's getting it not to lag.
It would be something like this:

If Character.location.x > (whever I want the screen to start scrolling) Then
    Objects.all.location.x = objects.all.location.x - 1
End If

The problem? That code moves every object 1 pixel over when the Character passes the line. That take a long while for the computer to loop and causes lag. There's got to be a more efficient way of doing it, but I'm still figuring that out.

Add in the fact that I'm going to put in actual physics (as in the characters accelerate and still run for a bit after releasing the arrow key while they decelerate) and, well, it all gets that much harder.

Years? Only if I don't put much work into it. I know pretty much what I want to do and how to do it. It's just working around and debugging things.

Again, it depends. I do have a team working with me, I just have to teach them how to program first :P

But while I'm writing the engine, they're working on level design.

And I have discovered side-scrolling is much harder than originally anticipated...

However, while I'm wallowing in my misery and woe that is making my head explode from trying to figure this out (though I'm sure I'll feel like a genius when I'm done) here's the information on Chaos Powers!

In addition to the standard fare of RPG items that can be equipped to characters, there are multiple slots on each character for a "chaos item". Why do I say item instead of emerald? Because there's more chaos then just the emeralds, and some chaos items don't have the word "chaos" in them.

Each type of chaos item affects each character differently. It can be access to a new power, a huge stat boost, or a passive ability. Note that exposure to chaos power can have detrimental effects as well, however, so use them in moderation!

Equipping more than one chaos item to a character increases both the positives and negatives. A few examples of how Chaos Emeralds affect certain characters:

Kyson: Kyson receives a random amounts of energy from the emerald at regular intervals, giving him a constant supply of power to use special attacks. The downside? If Kyson takes in to much energy, the excess is given off in an overload which damages him and others nearby. More emeralds = bigger doses of energy.

Sonic: Sonic receives a large speed boost equal to a sizable fraction of his speed stat. The disadvantage is that too much speed can make things too hard to control and reduces accuracy, though the speed benefits are larger than the accuracy penalty.

Brien (one of the 3 new characters, one of which is Kyson): Brien activates what he calls "DOUBLE PWNAGE!" with an emerald. He can duplicate himself, creating two separate characters each with the same stats as the original. The downside is that the HP is not split between the two, and when one takes damage the overall damage taken from Brien's HP is increased by 1.5. More emeralds = more Briens, but more damage.

Shadow: Special abilities gain significant improvements in areas such as attack damage and target range and require less energy to use. However, something about Shadow makes handing him an emerald very risky for the rest of the characters' well beings )this is thanks to events that happen in the storyline).

Wow, I hope know how you're going to do all of this. However, multiple programmers, this'll take much less time.

Right now, I've gotta come up with a boss for stage 4.

Well, I wish you and your team the best of luck on that! :)
Anyway, time for some more... uh, stuff.

My friend is doing concept art for my game and finally finished her portriat of one of the two playable humans, Sparky

Her power is the abilit to manipulate magnetic fields, which initially means control over electriciy but eventually evolves into the control of other elements, such as water and metals.

Yes, I know it's very anime-style. It's all she knows how to draw. When I shrink and "spritify" (made up word meaning make into a sprite) I'll probably add a little bit of color into the hair. The blue intertwining bracelets runnig up from her wrists will glow when charging an attack.

I've decided to change programming languages from Visual Basic to C#. The reason? Well, C# works on any computer, not just Microsoft windows (in theory), it runs much mroe efficiently than Visual Basic, requires only typing about half as many words, and takes up less space on teh hard drive. The disadvantage? It's more confusing to read. Which is easier to you?

Visual Basic:

Dim x as new integer
Dim random as new random
x = random.next()
If x = 2 Then
    Sonic.color = Green
Else
    Sonic.color = Blue
End if 

or C#:

{
    int x;
    random random;
    x = random.next()
    if (x==2)
    {
        Sonic.color = Green
    }
    Else
    {
        Sonic.color = Blue
    }
}

Visual Basic reads like a sentence. C#, well, doesn't.

One of my fave fangames is SRB2(www.srb2.org)

And my online name on it is OnagaMeta or HyperVirus.

Figured while I'm still fighting with my computer to figure out sidescrolling I'd post a little bit of my game's story.

Location: Sky Sanctuary Zone
    Sonic stares out ahead. Knuckles is on the ground, weak, tired, and slipping into unconsciousness. He hands Sonic a final plea. "Sonic, get back the Mater Emerald. Who knows what that villian who shocked me could do with it!" Knuckles passes out.
    There is a loud humming. Sonic turns around to see the Death Egg floating up in the background. "I think I have a pretty good idea."

[Tutorial Level 1: Sky Sanctuary]
[Boss Battle 1: Metal Sonic V2]

    The Sky Sanctuary begins to crumble. Sonic runs up a pillar towards the Death Egg. The entire place begins to break apart. Metal Sonic looks as though he'll be destroyed in the fall, but in the crumbling of the ruins a small altar is broken. A black swarm of particles come out of it and fly into Metal Sonic. The machine is reactivated and flies off...

Not quite. It starts off with the events of S3&K to provide tutorial and background, but then jumps ahead to SA2.

Here's some more of my game:

Setting: High tech lab. There is a hedgehog suspended in a tube of ice in the background.

Female Voice (Over Intercom): Attention! Emergency! All projects on hold. Mobilize all units. Divert all power to emergency supply!

A few scientists come running over. The leader is obviously not happy. He runs over and turns on a monitor. A picture of a general appears on screen.

Scientist Leader (Incredibly pissed off): WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?

The general shows no sign of frustration or surprise at the scientists reaction.

General (matter-of-factly): We understand the importance of your research here, Doctor Nafllm, but if the world ceases to exist than all this research goes to waste, yes? You don't get cable down here, so obviously you haven't seen the latest emergency. In 24 hours Doctor Eggman plans to blow up out planet with the Eclipse Cannon built by Professor Gerald decades ago. Your project can wait, as we know you won't be finishing in 24 hours. We are transferring you and your staff to another base to work on rapid tech production aid to help fight this off. Good day.

Nafilm turns to his staff and gestures somewhat reluctantly for them to follow him out. The staff is just as reluctant as he is, but they all follow suit. Screen blacks out. 12 hours later. Shows prison cell in high tech base. Teenage human prisoner is inside. He is holding a rudimentary crossbow made from the poles and springs that support his bed. A beetle robot flies by. The teenager shoots it down. His cell opens. He runs over to the nearest computer.

Teenager: I'll make them pay for this. I am, after all, a fairly good hacker. Now lets see what I need to do here. (Gasp of astonishment, and then laughter). Oh wow. This is just too good. They don't even keep it password protected! Wait... (Pauses) I don't speak Spanish, German, or French. This is going to be harder than I thought... Oh well.

The teenager begins pushing buttons randomly until he gets to a warning screen of some sort. He clicks "si" and another screen shows up. He clicks "oui." and yet another one. It reads "ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE??????"

Teenager: Ah, so I HAVE found the delete all files action. Alright!

He clicks "yes." An alarms sounds. He grins and then runs off, trying to find the exit. Screen blacks. Fades back in on scene with frozen hedgehog. The ice holding him shatters.

Hedgehog: Wha... what? Where am I? How did I get here? (Looks at self in reflection of a metal panel) What the heck happened to my quills? (He feels his metal tips) And, most importantly why am I not dead? No matter. I've got to get out of here first. Whoever did this to me probably wants to keep me pinned down. I may not have any special powers, but that doesn't mean I can't fight!

[Start Tutorial Level 2: Techno Base*]
[Boss Fight 2: K7Q9 Bimodal Intruder Oblitration Device (B.I.O.D.)]

Cool, I'll do that. Thanks for the advice, if you want, I saw that you needed 2 gamma phrases ("mission compleate" and "mission failed" if I'm not mistaken) I have Sonic DX and a friend has a recording device so I could get them for you.GaleaTH