Atari 2600 Warlords Remake CS169  Spring 2000
UC Berkeley
Professor D. Tygar
TA: Samuel Madden

Game Group's Project Proposal

Group Number:  4

Members:
        Michael Delp            (mdelp@uclink4.berkeley.edu)
        Bryan Musson            (niteravn@uclink4.berkeley.edu)
        Brian Fischer           (thorvald@uclink4.berkeley.edu)
        Devin Shanthikumar      (dev@uclink4.berkeley.edu)
        Stacy Tang              (sttang@uclink4.berkeley.edu)
        Mark Beazley            (mbeazley@uclink4.berkeley.edu)

Theme: 
        Our project is a remake and enhancement of the Atari 2600 video game, Warlords, for the Windows platform.

Tools & Special Development Needs:
        Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 for Windows 95/98/NT
        Source Control (either CVS or Visual Source Safe)
        A Server machine (to handle network games)

Platform: 
Windows 95/98 with DirectX 7.0

Description:
        The original Warlords was a Pong-like game with some extra complexities.  The game takes place in a rectangular arena, where each player is assigned a corner to defend.  In each corner is a castle consisting of three layers of walls.  In the center of the castle is the playerís King, which must be defended at all costs.  To defend the castle, each player controls a ìpaddleî with which to knock away a bouncing ball that destroys a block from the wall on contact.  The paddle can also be used to ìcatchî the ball, reposition, and launch it off in a new direction.  Any player that allows the ball to break through their walls and kill the King loses.  The objective is to be the last player with a living King. 
        In our remake of the game, we will faithfully reproduce the original Warlords look-and-feel, but we will also create some additional features.  In brief, we will implement: a realistic collision model, AI for computer controlled opponents, sound effects, networking, 3D, and power-ups.
Everything is to be rendered in 3D, using DirectX/Direct3d technology on the Windows 95/98 platform.  In the ìOriginalî mode, the game will play exactly like the original Warlords, which means a top-down view of the arena described above.  The four players will have to crowd around the same computer to take control of their playerís paddle.  To reduce the crowding effect, we plan to support multiple input devices including but necessarily limited too:  Keyboard, Joysticks, and the Mouse.  We also intend to support networking so that players can join a game without having to be on the same computer.  In addition, we will allow players to be computer controlled so you can even play without the need for friends.
        We will also provide a 3d version that will add a feel of height to the game.  This basically means that everything is extended by one dimension:  The castle walls will have height, the paddle will move in two dimensions (up-down, and left-right), and the ball will bounce around in all three dimensions.  To make this mode playable, the game will be viewed from behind the playerís paddle.  This also means that the game will either have to be played across a network or with a ìsplit-screen.î  To help retain the fast-pace of the original, the blocks above one that is hit directly will also be destroyed (hence it becomes especially crucial to defend the lower sections of wall).
        One of the biggest enhancements to the original is that each mode will support the option of ìpower-ups.î  Power-ups will be generated when the ball hits a designated object in the arena, or sometimes they will appear when a player looses a block from his wall.  This will give a player that is losing the first opportunity at the power-up, which will hopefully extend the life of the game and make it more competitive.  The power-ups will bounce around the arena and can be affected by collisions with the ball.  To gain a power-up the player must collect it with the paddle.  Some of the power-ups we will include are:  Elongation (makes your paddle bigger), Shrink (your paddle will get smaller, watch out!), Slow-others (slows down movement of your opponentís paddles), Rebuild (a layer of wall will be rebuilt), Reverse (reverse controls for all players), Chaos (causes the ballís bounce to no longer respect the laws of physics),  Speed (ball speed is increased), and Multi-ball (ball splits into multiple balls).

Back to [Project List | 169 Home]