Chef Rastogi's Development Progress

A good set of tools is priceless for any game development, it streamlines and eases out the entire process.
So i decided to start off the project by making a level editor for Fight Arena. I am trying to make it as simple as possible for anyone to make good clean levels, place enemies, traps and play test it there and then. The test can be paused, things can be edited at run time and the AI and game codes will update themselves accordingly.

Here is a screenshot of the Chef Builder (Work Under Progress)

(Fullscreen)

Thanks to Amit's Game Programming Pages I also implemented A* algorithm for pathfinding, right now i am using Manhattan distance (Heuristic) for it, this is the simplest of all. Later i will modify it to accomodate moving obsticals and planned huntdowns.

I plan to have a alpha build ready soon, and i will post the executable on the website.

Next Steps for the editor:

1. Movable Objects in the Editor
2. Realtime level updation
3. Power-up/ingredients placements
4. Some UI thingis
5. Documentations

Next Steps for the game:

1. Collecting data on popular dishes and their ingredients.
2. Designing the FSM for the AIEater

So till the next update, cheers and have a nice time

Food for Aliens

Food for thought Aliens

Couple of week’s back I was playing a game called Diner Dash. This - a very simple game with cute art and good sounds really kept me engrossed. I always liked the idea of owning a restaurant. I am a food lover, the shear idea of going out to a restaurant makes my mouth water, besides the love for food a lot of time me and my friends have discussed this idea of opening up a restaurant of our own. Every time the discussion starts seriously and after couple of rounds of beer, we end up blowing up the chef and waiters with a bazooka.

But this time, at my friend’s place we landed up talking about how fun will it be to make a game on restaurant simulation with a prospect of some bad guys to be blown away. We all are die hard fans of Bomberman; I even designed and programmed - Bomberbabe a 3d make over of this game for my company around a year back.

Anyways so we decided that I will start putting up a design document on a game which has both the core fun of bomberman and a reasonably extensive toon restaurant simulation.

Chef Rastogi and The Food Stealing Aliens

Story: Aliens from planet ME-HA-RA invade and they steal all the food from planet earth (Dhuh! Don’t ask why please!). A group of earthlings develop a teleporter that can be used to travel back I forth between Earth and ME-HA-RA.

Mr. Rastogi thinks of a bright idea to use this teleporter. Steal back the food ingredients from the Alien planet and set up a restaurant in Khau-Gali (Slang for Eating Lane).

Yeah I know I am terrible story writer :(

So that’s the story for the time being, if you think that you can help me a bit more to develop this story please email me, though this story has nothing in practical to do with how the game will be played. But its always nice to have a good story.

So, what will be the game play you might ask?

• Buy space for your restaurant at Khau-Gali.
• But tables and chairs to start it all up.
• Invade ME-HA-RA, bomb their place to find hidden food ingredients, example find cheese, buns, and chicken.
• Unlock dishes from the existing menu, example Chicken Cheese Burger.
• Hire Chefs, waiters, bar tenders, valet parkers etc.
• Upgrade restaurant for better tables, chairs, lighting, music, ADD interesting DISHES.
• Buy bomb powers from the local arms shop.
• Control your won money the way you want.
• Get more ingredients to unlock different cuisines.
• Make your own dishes.

And yes competing with other restaurant owners in matching price, variety and quantity.

Who will come and eat food?

AIEaters – Computer controlled characters, they will have their own set of moods and taste buds.

I can keep on going with lots of crazy ideas, but I think its now time to write up a proper document and start planning and coding.

If you love food or if you love bomberman and would like to comment on this please mail me.