I really am very open to any ideas for what kind of gameplay you could implement using the blobby objects - since this is something very experimental and, dare I say, pioneering for me, I think there's a lot of potential and possibilities that I haven't even imagined. Take Lenn's ideas for example, tying in the effect to music, or having gameplay to do with proximity to the border limits. I'm open to any other ideas for what you think could be done with this kind of engine or would like to see done with it.
The blob perimeters can be moved in any way desired. For example by placing another blob object, say a basic sphere field, near the edge of the existing perimeter, it will cause the perimeter to bulge out. I thought of using this with some kind of physics thing to show the `impact` of a collision or explosion or whatever. I was also thinking of tying a group of blob objects together with some kind of elastic/spring physics structure. It should be possible to make the blob perimeter seem elastic by adding further objects in the right place and size.
There are other certain effects that I know are achievable by tweaking some variables... for example you can raise and lower the threshold at which a blob perimter is formed which can cause the whole blob areas to shrink or expand - can expand to the point of all perimeters disappearing for example, or to close in.
Also the width of the perimeter effect can be altered by doing fewer/more render passes - although increasing the width softens the edges of the internal area.
I'm thinking for example rainbow island, where you could jump on platforms and shoot rainbows wherever you like to make bridges - could easily shoot rainbows to make bridges between blob areas.
Also should it be top-down or sideways on? Should it be a puzzle game like lemmings where you manipulate the blobs with the mouse, stretching out pathways or adjusting the shape?
It's early days yet so I'd love to hear how you think this should evolve.
The blob perimeters can be moved in any way desired. For example by placing another blob object, say a basic sphere field, near the edge of the existing perimeter, it will cause the perimeter to bulge out. I thought of using this with some kind of physics thing to show the `impact` of a collision or explosion or whatever. I was also thinking of tying a group of blob objects together with some kind of elastic/spring physics structure. It should be possible to make the blob perimeter seem elastic by adding further objects in the right place and size.
There are other certain effects that I know are achievable by tweaking some variables... for example you can raise and lower the threshold at which a blob perimter is formed which can cause the whole blob areas to shrink or expand - can expand to the point of all perimeters disappearing for example, or to close in.
Also the width of the perimeter effect can be altered by doing fewer/more render passes - although increasing the width softens the edges of the internal area.
I'm thinking for example rainbow island, where you could jump on platforms and shoot rainbows wherever you like to make bridges - could easily shoot rainbows to make bridges between blob areas.
Also should it be top-down or sideways on? Should it be a puzzle game like lemmings where you manipulate the blobs with the mouse, stretching out pathways or adjusting the shape?
It's early days yet so I'd love to hear how you think this should evolve.