Abstract
The program, titled Free Radical, is a video game that utilizes multiple List implementations to simulate a space shooter program in the vein of Space Invaders and Galaga. All enemies in this game are given a unique ArrayList that specifies their spots and the speed at which they move. Each enemy is given their own bullet, governed by the same list that “ghosts” the ship and becomes visible at a predetermined point, where it becomes visible and fires. Elements are shifted off-screen and “deleted” when the player’s weapons intersect with an enemy. A specially scripted enemy known as the “overlord” is found at the end of each level, governed by its own list and its own methods and behaves differently compared to other enemies. Different MP3 music also plays in the background, which was made possible by clever manipulation of the bits of the music fed into the sound card using a byte array. The goals of this program were: to see if manipulation of lists and representation of manipulated lists by a pre-rendered image could provide enough illusion to simulate a retro arcade game, to see if rectangle collision was an adequate tool for hit detection, and to see if manipulation of array and byte values could send MP3 data files to a sound card.
Recommended Citation
Davila, Marcos
(2012)
"Free Radical - Interactive Game Design,"
Proceedings of GREAT Day: Vol. 2011, Article 6.
Available at:
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/proceedings-of-great-day/vol2011/iss1/6