2D fighter - What do I need to know to do it?

[Garyuu]

hey.

I decided I'd make a 2d style fighter. Something like Marvel vs. Capcom or Snk vs. Capcom, only smoother and with more fluid strikes and long running combos. I need to know what I'll need to know to build the engine in such a way that I'll I'll need to do once its programmed is program new attacks and add in characters. I want to have something like a stand alone engine where all the basic movements (i.e. jump, dash, backdash, punch, high punch, kick, high kick, etc.) are more or less outlined.

If that doesn't make sense. Basically I just need a list of the skills I'll need to learn to make the game. I want it to be really good, so I'm up for all kinds of recommendations on programming strategies and such.

I might not be able to make it back to this forum anytime soon, so if you could email me at hapuiazerox@yahoo.com it would be really useful. Thanks.

[Skinny_T]

one question, have you made a game before?

[dreeft]

That's a very large task you've set yourself there. Good luck with it.

[Dr Warm]

i don't know what u mean by like programming stategies and such, basically u'll have to learn them the best to suit u i'm sorry to say. You just need to start small, work on him doing all the moves and such, beating ur way through actionscript, and then maybe u'll start to see how u can do it. Also downloading all example flas u can find, there's squillions out there (unfortunately there's very few for fighting games).

I really hate questions like this, because there's no way to answer them, to my knowledge.

[Dr Warm]

I'm not really a fan of fighting games, i've got a few questions to ask:
Does 2D fighter mean that ur char only moves back and forwards, not up and down the screen, and jumps?
Does the screen scroll?
What happens when u get close to the enemy, do u push him around, or does he block you, or can u stand inside him (assumming he's not attacking u of course).

I'm going to post a fla here tommorow or the day after of making a simple fighting game, oh and also does anyone know a good way to code combo moves (assuming u want them?).

cos what i'm going to do (for combos) is try and put the keystrokes in an array, and every few frames delete the first part of the array, but this might not be included

[Dr Warm]

i've started making the 2D fighter u can get the source here (drwarm.freeserverhost.net/stuff/little%20fighter%202.zip) (post back if the link doesn't work) cos it was too big to upload, i haven't got a lot of time at the moment to make changes but i will when i can

[Drexegar]

heh heh thats a lot man especially if you want to do a Marvel versus capcom game if I were you ill start something simple but still effective.
-Start with maybe 3-6 characters and a boss.
-one on one for now
-try for only two attacks one kick and one punch
-have a character standing and jump and walk forget dashing,crouching for now.
-now for the controls ^^
character would be able to move left and right, jump and have a standing punch and kick attack and air punch and kick attack.
now instead of putting a super jump just alreay make the regular jump a mid-super jump heh heh. and for the air lauchers you can have the characters hold down and punch that would make the characters fly up in the air. All the characters should have these same controls.
-to make the attacks seem different just animate them differently for each character and then you can give them each 2 super moves If its projectiles or hit base attacks. and then one flashy special move for each character. they should be super projectiles or a whole bunch for you first game since doing it combo based would be a little complex.
-now for the combos all you got to do is programm them your self by pressing a sequence of punches and kicks which is simple but very effective Or just do it like you would do easy mode in marvel versus capcom.
Thats about it thats how ill start off with that alone will take you a while to do. yeah its kind of cheap but if you put in the graphics and sound and story in there it will become a very fun game. I hope this will help ya to start off ^^ If you get the hang of that then you can do anything! ^^