Deadly Discs

Download the latest version of Deadly Discs here.

News

1/1/2008

Deadly Discs is back! 5 years after making the game, I've blown the dust off and put it up for download again. I even made a change and a new release since it was difficult to see the discs on my new computer. The game is still fun 5 years later. Get the newest version on the Downloads Page.

1/19/2003

UPDATE: New version 1.0c includes improved joystick support with 3 configurable control schemes. Get it at my Downloads Page.

You can now choose from the following control schemes:

Keyboard and Mouse Mode: The original scheme where you used the Arrow Keys to Run, the Left Mouse Button to Shoot, and the Right Mouse Button to block.

2-Button Joystick Mode: This scheme allows you to select one joystick button for shooting and one joystick button for blocking. In this mode, you can only shoot in the direction you are facing.

5-Button Joystick Mode: This is the SmashTV scheme where you choose 4 buttons on the front of a gamepad for 8-directional shooting. You can also choose a 5th button for blocking.

11/21/2002

NEW SCREENSHOTS: One cool feature of GameMaker is that I can add code to take screenshots automatically. Go to my screenshots page to see some of the shots generated while playing one game.

UPDATE - I've fixed a bug where the type of enemies that appear is not reset when you start a new game. This newest version is still called Release 1.0b and is available on my Downloads Page.

FAQ - I added a FAQ to this page last time I updated it and forgot to mention it in the News, so I'll promote it now. Check out the FAQ

11/18/2002

NEW FREEWARE RELEASE 1.0! Visit the Downloads page now. This new release is so complete that I decided to skip from version 0.003 to 1.0. However, there is still much more to do.

New features include:

- Doors: These appear with the bad guys and can be opened by shooting them.
- Items: These will appear in a door and can be picked up by going through it. Some items improve your discs and have a limited number of shots while others improve your defences.
- Score: You can now get points by killing enemies, blocking discs, opening and entering doors, and getting items.
- High Score List: The top 10 scores can be recorded. You must start from the beginning and never continue to get on the high score list.
- New Enemies: There are 4 different types of enemies. Enemies differ by their color, speed, hit points, and types of discs they throw.
- Pause: Something simple that I should have added a long time ago.
- Menus: I put in simple functional menus to choose options and continue
- Joystick/Gamepad Support: This new feature can be turned on in the menus. Playing with a gamepad is considerably more difficult since you can only throw discs in the direction you are facing. I recommend playing with the keyboard and mouse first.

DEMO UPDATE. For the new web-page, I've also put out a new Demo. Release 0.003 can be downloaded here: Downloads . The only improvements are in the AI of the enemies. The slightly dumber normal enemies are easier to hit and the Boss is even more difficult with better reaction time.

10/8/2002

NEW DEMO - Release 0.002 is out. There are four levels: Three levels with 1-3 enemies runing around a boss to fight at the end. I've tried to make the enemies challenging and will continue to tweak their AI. Don't be discouraged if you can't beat the boss. I intentionally made him damn near impossible since there is nothing after you beat him.

The Game

Deadly Discs is a remake of the Intellivision game Tron Deadly Discs . Basically the game involved running around on a single screen, fighting opponents by throwing discs at them and blocking their discs. This simple, old game had a surprising amount of depth and replay value. I intend to capture the fun of the original game while adding several updates and improvements. The biggest improvement will be the play control. Instead of fumbling with the 10+ button Intellivision controller, this verison will allow players to run around the screen with arrow keys while aiming their disc throws 360 degrees with a mouse. Other improvements will include disc power-ups, new enemies, and hopefully multiplayer support