I need help. I'm creating a game similar to street fighter for the iPhone but my problem is the number of buttons needed and I don't wait to take up most of the screen with a virtual control pad. Wanted to know if any developers or anyone know of a similar game that makes it work or any control scheme that would?
thanks for the reply, No not like BOF since I believe it has only a couple of buttons the game I'm planning on would have around 6 and a dpad.
why dont you do something like mvc2. Four buttons O1 O3 O2 O4 O1, lp, tap again to do mp O2, lk, tap again to do mk O3, hp O4, hk. maybe the four buttons placed diagonally on lower right, i think that would work. Also have one button on top right to activate all 3 punches and one button on middle bottom to do all kicks.
I am a very hard core 2d-fighter fan. I've played a lot of them. Street fighter 1,2,3, alpha1, alpha 2, alpha 3. 3rd strike, sf4, Many of the vs series. Marvel vs capcom, marvel vs street fighter, marvel vs capcom 2, guilty gear, etc. If you need any more tips, advice, idea, please pm me, I'll be glad to help in any way.
Please, for the sake of the holy gods of portable gaming, GET RID OF THE ONSCREEN BUTTONS. If you want to make a button masher, then move to a platform that has buttons. Otherwise, rethink the controls into a more dynamic and fluid system.
I doubt if 6 buttons pad would work out. It will flood the screen and there won't be visual for the players.
+1 I totally agree with this... from all of the Iphone games I've played, generally speaking the less onscreen buttons (that are directly involved in gameplay) the better. I can only imagine this would be made even more prominent when playing a fighting game, or any game that involves quick response, 'button mashing' gameplay. I think the idea for fighting games on the Iphone is great. Some game genres translate better to the Iphone due to their control mechanisms. I think it would be tough to have a great fighting game without someone coming up with some new control mechanics that work more fluidly with the Iphone's inherent layout. Good luck with your game though, trying to do what your doing will only help refine these types of games!
I'd have to agree, six buttons on screen would just clutter the gameplay. I suggest that you also look into swipe mechanics.
I beg to disagree. If you think about it, you could definitely cram four buttons on button right corner. Since your character is on the left side, you dont need that space as much. The button on the middle-bottom and right on top of the 4 buttons can serve as the 3p/3k. Meaning, you only use them for certani moves so the far to reach places make sense since you dont need to use them in a lighting fast move. And also, the timing of the game makes a huge difference. timing like games for mvc2 and 3rd strike would probably not translate well since you need very precise movements but for slower games like street fighter 1&2 and even some vs games like marvel vs street fighter, this control scheme would work great. I just tried blades of fury again and if you notice there's 3 buttons on the bottom left , you can easily add one more on the top. And the magic button a little further up can be the 3p button i've been talking about. I think it can totally work.
i dont think swipe mechanics would work well with a game like "street fighter" it takes away from the gameplay. I think any hardcore 2d fighter game will tell you that. But then there's blades of fury whose swipe mechanics work well. But then again, this isnt a "street fighter" game. It's more a tekken game, yea there's a difference..
You have a point there. I was just giving an alternate suggestion and it could work out though a button scheme would be more traditional Also I mentioned 6 would feel crammed and yes I have played quite a few games on the idevice with 6 button implemented and they don't work well. I never said that 4 buttons wouldn't work. If you can do 6, by all means do it but you will most likely have to sacrifice something for it.
Swipe mechanic take away from the gameplay, but somehow buttons ADD to it? Sorry, I don't buy it. Swipe mechanics would not only allow you to provide direction, but also velocity. Can your button mashing do that? Swipe mechanics are natural for a fighting game, assuming it is done properly.
Yes, in most fighting games you can press all three punches to dash. WHich is essential for many combos. You have it in 3rd strike and on all of the vs series. EDIT: forgot to say that double tapping forward or back also has a dash for fighting games. This will work especially well with a d-pad Go look at blades of fury, Like i said, you have 3 buttons on the botton right (have i been saying left the whole time??? i meant right). A fourth is easily add-able. Move the magic button farther up(for 3p button) and add a button on the botton middle (for 3k button). So essentially you have 4 buttons on lower right corner. that you use for gameplay. to dash press 3p button to super jump press 3k button or down then up quickly. Yes buttons allow more executable moves. I agree that swipes work to a degree, but to have greater control buttons are needed (in my opinion) With my suggestions you can easily (assuming joystick is a good one) jump with a character dash down with 3p button, lk, d.hp for a throw press up for an air combo, and then include a wide variety of combos. You could do the usual lp, lk, mp,mk, hp/hk or lp,mp,hp/hk. Depending on the gameplay you can continue that combo with on OTG (off the ground) combo with either lp,lk, hp, hk or do a super combo to end, d.f.3p. ...more variety. WIth swipe controls i just dont see all this happeneing. EDIT:in other words, an air combo with the ability to select your finishing move. And to be able to follow it up with any button you want in just the right timing. Of course this is all assuming its a street fighter-like game. If its a tekken-like game or Samurai way of the warrior obviously its different. But coming from playing 2d fighter for almost...17 years, i think i know what i'm talking about. (regarding 2d fighters like street fighter that is) EDIT 2: i just realized you called gamplay button smashing. While this is the case for the average user, for more experienced players, its hardly ever button smashing. Its precise combos that we do. FOr the average user, an "easy mode" is easily added to where pressing 2 buttons or something will yield an average zigzag combo. With a wide character range this can be very fun too. i.e. look at marvel vs capcom 1 to see what im talkinga bout. all you do is press lp,lk to do very nice looking combos and press 3p and 3k for super combos.
I think everyone's misunderstanding my 6 button layout. I cant upload a picture but just imagine right now the controld for blades of fury. now put them diagonally on bottom right of the screen EDIT: damn doesnt show spaces properly. will have to upload image when i get home thats essentially all you're using. to play with. The other 2 buttons are located on the middle bottom and the top right or middle right of the screen and are used only for dashing/super movies and the kicks are used for super jumping/super moves.
Im looking to make a game kinda like this too and this thread has been helpful I was thinking about having too many buttons on screen too and how to resolve it... I might try swipe mechanics, but if anyone else has any more ways to solve this problem then you should definetly tell us. Kicking, punching, jumping, ducking, gun buttons = too much. to onewithchaos. Maybe use tilting for movement? that frees up two thumbs then,
So how is your game mechanic more intuitive than a simple swipe? A vertical swipe causes your character to jump (which whatever velocity the swipe records) and a swipe right will kick (again, at the velocity that is swiped). If you exclude the vertical jump, then the right swipe will simply be a punch. You only need 4 swipe combinations (up, down, left, right), which would all have variable velocity based on swipe length. Any combination of these will result in a different attack/defense. I fail to see why a button scheme would be the better alternative.
Not trying to be rude but I could care less that your a "pro" at 2D fighters. I understand your control scheme better now but still it is still going to clutter up the screen, you also have to accommodate the fat finger customers as to not make them to small, this is the idevice you are dealing with. I find that both would work fine but [personally] find the swipe more intuitive. You can disagree with me but not everyone is a hardcore 2D fighter gamer like you. I just wanted to suggest that they could incorporate 2 types of control schemes.
