Mat@MDickie.com
Sure Shot 3D














 


After releasing the 3 biggest games of my career, I'm desperate to blow off some steam with a simple concept. Few are more simple than Sure Shot - which harks back to the good old days when games were nonsensical, addictive fun (and so hard that you could barely get past the first level!). However, all nostalgia stops at the concept - because the game is about to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century...


3D Or Not 3D

One of the biggest developments is that the menu system has been implemented - and it boasts the most graphical buttons and fonts yet! Plus the logo has been slightly updated, and the screens now boast a camouflage background (as opposed to the plain green that plagued the original!). All in all, it makes the game feel like the professional, arcade experience that it's meant to be. A theme tune has emerged too. It's not my best work, but the original didn't even have one - so at least it's a step forward...


Intelligence Reports

Speaking of presentation, the quality has even extended to the game itself. A bold military font sits at the bottom of the screen, telling you how many enemies are remaining. A similar layout is also used for reporting changes in the camera angle, and so on. All in all, it helps to keep the military theme consistent - and again, makes everything look more professional than ever before... 


A Bridge Too Far

Underneath the charming new presentation, the biggest development is that the various stages are flowing in. The opening "Woodlands" setting has been padded out with aesthetic treats such as a river scene (that actually flows) - complete with a bridge extending into the distance! The game is set to repeat the same 25-stage journey from the original game, but every effort has been made to make it a more enjoyable experience... 


Tour Of Duty

In fact, the whole first 2 areas have been done. After 5 stages in the "Woodlands", our heroes then progress to the "Plains" - where they struggle with more hostile conditions. It's not the most inspiring location, but it has been padded out with plenty of rocks, dying trees, and even roadblocks. Upon approaching the base, you're even treated to huge steel gates in the distance... 


Dying In The Moonlight

Wherever you are, you can rely on the atmosphere effects to breathe new life into a scene. The story mode is set to have a real-time clock that changes the atmosphere depending on the time of day. Not only does that give you a good sense of adventure, but it also ensures that even repeating the same level feels different. It's especially cool at night, because the action is lit up by a searching spotlight effect!


Stand Up For Yourself

The new standing stance has also been used to introduce some variety to the journey. Some levels have you peering over a barrier or stack of crates, which is a little more plausible than the constant kneeling! I was hoping to have a stage where the soldiers are peering through the windows of a busy barracks, but I suspect that's going to cause problems with the camera. We'll know for sure soon enough, because the "Base" is the next area on the agenda...


Shock And Awe

As promised, the electric variation of the rope bomb has made it into the game. The effect is a little uglier than I'd like, but the impact is perfectly satisfying! As you'd expect, it destroys everybody in your line of sight - rather than the few people in a cluster. However, it's actually harder to master because you've got to pay attention to the whole line at all times. It does ensure that the 2 different smart bombs are suitably unique though...


General Chaos

Another development that's bringing the game closer to completion is that the preset enemy ranges and sequences are being implemented. Up until now they had been random, but now the more interesting formations (such as "2 by 2") are available to enjoy. The enemies themselves continue to evolve here and there. The officers, for instance, are more significant because their death now catches the attention of all the other characters! They all clamour over to their fallen leader - which is a quirk that tactical players will enjoy taking advantage of... 


Blast From The Past

Love it or hate it, Sure Shot is one of my oldest and most enduring creations. Although it shot to fame in 2002, the concept was actually conceived way back in December 2000. The idea of 2 soldiers sandwiching enemies in a blaze of machinegun fire was the product of a random doodling session - and I couldn't wait to see if it would translate to a game. Unfortunately, the first outing was a woefully crude attempt that didn't do the idea justice. It wasn't until the Spring of 2002 that the game got the treatment it deserved - and the recognition too, as it was praised as a "gem" by PC Utilities magazine! Since then, it has divided my fans like no other game. My wrestling fans sit on one side of the battlefield and wonder what all the fuss is about, while the more traditional players sit on the other and hail it as a retro classic. It's time for the 2 tribes to go to war all over again...


Hanging Gardens Of Bedlam

The most noticeable change is that the game now takes place in a fully 3D world. Fortunately, it's benefiting from the quality control that was afforded to Popscene - as I'm taking my time to perfect everything from the character models to the landscapes. The result is that it's actually one of my most impressive games yet - boasting decent visuals and super smooth gameplay. The controls are brilliantly responsive, which ensures that the fast and frantic gameplay translates well to a 3D environment. The look of the game has translated well too. It boasts a well lit, cartoony colour scheme that harks back to the 2D original - and makes everything feel pleasantly familiar...


Snap Shot

Thankfully, the 3D setting hasn't ruined the game's simple premise. Although you can enjoy the usual collection of strange camera angles, the default one is as easy to work from as the 2D game ever was. Easier, in fact, because you can have a raised variation that makes the battlefield clear to see. You can even play in a first person perspective if you want to feel the pressure! 


Line Of Sight

You'll be thankful of the choice of camera angles, because the game is a lot more "challenging" now that the enemies are wreaking havoc in a 3D world. It does make it a lot more interesting though. In addition to ducking and diving, the enemies can now wander in and out of your line of sight. Until you get used to it, you need Jedi reflexes to cope! Fortunately, help is at hand with the optional "Learning Line". This transparent line clearly indicates your joint line of sight - and even lights up when an enemy is vulnerable. You've always got your rope bomb too (more on that later), which is another good indicator... 


Familiar Faces

The enemies have already been finalized - and they'll be familiar to players of the original game. Call me lazy, but I quite liked the original characterization and enjoyed bringing them back in 3D. The standard troopers are immediately recognizable, returning under their masked helmets. The armoured variations look even cooler, thanks to a menacing Darth Vader style outfit...


Evolution Of The Empire

Not all of the enemies are exact replicas of their 2D counterparts though. I've exploited my improved texturing skills to give many of them a new look. The officers now look more distinctive than their lowly soldiers - boasting a pristine suit and cap. And the muscleman now looks more like Steve Austin than Scott Steiner! His chunky new 3D model is more formidable too. Above all else, the enemies are now enjoying the best animation in any game yet. The running animation is particularly smooth, so it's a joy to see them trotting around. Mind you, they look equally cool when standing still. Their pensive stance soon evolves into a "Where are they?!" look, as they try to plot their next move...


The Lost Patrol

The way the enemies act has improved as much as their costumes. They boast cunning artificial intelligence to help them survive your onslaught - flirting with the line of sight to force a mistake on your part! They can crawl too, so they often relocate whilst avoiding bullets. Another key difference that affects the gameplay is that they stagger backwards when hit - which could very easily push them OUT of the line of sight. It means you have to be more careful about how many bullets you sink into them, because you could miss before they're even dead. The enemies also benefit from collision detection, which stops them from melting into one vulnerable target (a severe flaw in the 2D game). Now you can rarely hit more than 2 characters at the same time, so the waves of enemies are harder to work through...


Killer Instinct

The enemies are more formidable opponents too. For some reason, they're finding it easier to sneak over to your position and deliver some "sure shots" of their own! It's especially easy for the gun-wielding enemies, because they don't have to be quite so close in this version. As soon as they clock you in close proximity, you could be fighting for your life. These sequences are much more satisfying too. In the 2D game they were a last minute addition, but now they boast quality animations - whether it's a gunshot or a punch. This all makes the game much more substantial than before, because it's not just about your bullets...


Fighting Fit

A welcome new feature is that there are in-game health meters for the players, so you can see how much damage these sneak attacks are doing. They're not the disjointed 2D bars from Wrestling MPire either, but a proper 3D sprite display that sits with the player! It might not sound like much, but that was quite difficult to pull off in 3D. That's why it never appeared in the earlier fighting games, but I've mastered it now - so it should be on the cards for future projects (see how I learn new tricks for my wrestling comeback?). In any case, another great indicator of your fitness is that the characters start to keel over and look tired when their health is low. I don't think that appeared in the 2D game, but it's a good reminder of how much damage they've taken...


Deep Impact

Some fairly decent effects have been employed to bring the pain to life in 3D. Particle effects have never been my strongpoint, but your shots do carry a satisfying impact explosion. The tip of your gun blazes quite well too. Fans of my gore-laden fighting games will be dismayed to find that none of these shots produce blood - or even impact damage. Out of sensitivity to real world events, I wanted to keep the focus on the game as a concept - so it's barely more violent than a round of Space Invaders. Between that, the fictitious setting, and the cartoony graphics, there's very little reason to take offence at this game. Anybody that does can safely be dismissed as melodramatic and intensely paranoid...


Life Of Fright

The bomb on a rope makes a welcome return too - although it's currently suffering with the same dubious explosion graphic that I used in Wrestling MPire. I'd like to develop a better one if I can get my head around it. In the meantime, the rope itself is impressive enough to carry the gimmick. It sways beautifully as you shuffle the bomb from one side to the other. The animations that the players use to tug at it are equally smooth too. Best of all, the 3D world now gives the bomb a slightly new edge. You have to look out for enemies that are beyond the line of sight, as well as those to the sides, in order to cause 360 degrees of damage! All in all, a great feature that's translated well to the 3D setting. So well, in fact, that I'm hoping to introduce an alternative smart bomb: an electricity cable that electrocutes all in its path...


Lying Bastards

An interesting new development in this game is that there are now 3 different stances that the soldiers can adopt. In addition to the standard kneeling position, you can also deliver the same bullets standing up or lying down! It's a realistic little twist, which makes even the most familiar level feel different. A nice touch is that it affects all the other animations, such as fiddling with the rope - which is done with your feet if you're standing up! Between these different stances, and the many stages and enemy types, no two games are ever going to be the same...


Caught In The Ropes

Of all the characters that wander onto the battlefield, the most dangerous are actually the harmless hostages. They're the only ones that you're not supposed to kill, so it's a game in itself trying to shoot around them! Like everybody else, they're looking quite good in this game too. Their arms are now shackled behind their backs (which makes crawling look painful!), and they walk with a weary stagger...


Hostage Negotiations

As ever, the hostages also come in various different forms. In addition to the recognizable hostages, there are "decoy" hostages that are dressed in enemy clothes. To make matters worse, the traitors have also returned - ready to kill anybody that shows them mercy! Fortunately, the warning messages have returned to help you make sense of the situation. They're looking great in graphical form too. A hostage is indicated by the "Help Me!" line, which changes to "Don't Shoot!" if you accidentally hit him - and eventually "Hostage Down!" if you go too far! The one you're looking for is "Thank You!", which materializes once they finally stumble over to your position...


Space Invaders

As I hoped, the benefits of a simple concept are already beginning to speak for themselves. Even on a low spec 800mHz processor, and despite the improved models from Popscene, the game can easily handle up to 20 characters on screen. That's approximately 5 times better than the wrestling games perform! I had feared that the 3D setting would make the world quite empty, but it's positively brimming with action. Better yet, the breakthrough has given me more resources to spend on the locations. I seem to be able to throw anything in there without ruining the frame rate - from hundreds of trees to all manner of military structures. Even if this game bombs, it'll leave a whole range of decent locations to use in other games...

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