gimbal

README

Gimbal

Gimbal is a simple, fun game built using the Ebiten game library and the Ebitengine input library in Go. The game is a clone of Gyruss.

Technologies

This project uses the following technologies:

• Go: The programming language used to develop the game. Version: 1.21
• Ebitengine: An open-source game engine for the Go programming language. Version: v2.6
• Makefile: Used for building and running the game.
• HTML: Contains the index.html file for the game for WASM.

Running the Game

To run the game, navigate to the directory where this repository is cloned and run the following command:

make run

Controls

The game is controlled using the left and right arrow keys or the 'A' and 'D' keys. Pressing the left arrow key or 'A' moves the player to the left, and pressing the right arrow key or 'D' moves the player to the right.

Installation Instructions

Follow these steps to set up the project on your local machine:

1. Install Go

   • Visit the Go downloads page and download the latest version for your operating system.
   • Install Go by following the prompts.

2. Set Up Go Environment

   • Open a terminal or command prompt.
   • Check that Go has been installed correctly by typing go version. You should see the Go version you installed.

3. Clone the Repository

   • Navigate to the directory where you want to clone the repository.
   • Run git clone https://github.com/jonesrussell/gimbal.git to clone the repository.

4. Install Dependencies

   • Navigate to the cloned repository's directory.
   • Run go mod download to download the necessary Go modules.

You should now have the game set up and ready to run on your local machine. To run the game, use the command make run.

Building the Game

The game can be built for Linux, Windows (Win32), and WebAssembly. To build the game, navigate to the directory where the game is installed and run the following commands:

• For Linux:

  make build/linux
  

• For Windows (Win32):

  make build/win32
  

• For WebAssembly:

  make build/web
  

Development Roadmap

Research and Planning

• Play the original Gyruss game to understand its mechanics, controls, and aesthetics
• Document the features and behaviors you observe for future reference

Design

• Sketch out the game's levels, enemies, power-ups, and other elements
• Plan the user interface, including menus, score displays, and control schemes

Development Environment Setup

• Choose a game engine or programming language that suits your needs and skills
• Set up your development environment, including any necessary software and tools

Gameplay Mechanics

• Implement player movement
• Implement shooting mechanics
• Implement enemy behavior
• Implement level progression
• Implement Entity Component System

Collision Detection

• Implement collision detection between the player's ship and enemy ships
• Implement collision detection between the player's shots and enemy ships

Scoring

• Develop a scoring system
• Define the points for shooting down enemy ships
• Implement bonus points for meeting certain conditions

Player Lives

• Implement a system to track the player's lives
• Define the conditions for losing a life
• Implement game over condition when player has no more lives

User Interface (UI)

• Design the UI layout
• Implement the player's score display
• Implement the display for the number of lives remaining

Sound Effects and Music

• Choose or create sound effects for shooting, explosions, and other game events
• Choose or create background music

Intro Screen

• Design the intro screen layout
• Implement options to start the game, view high scores, and exit the game

High Score Screen

• Design the high score screen layout
• Implement a system to track and display the highest scores

End Game

• Define what happens when the game ends
• Implement a game over screen
• Implement a system to return to the intro screen after the game ends

Testing

• Playtest the game regularly, both yourself and with others
• Use feedback to refine and improve the game
• Test the game on different platforms and systems to ensure compatibility

Release

• Prepare the game for release
• Create promotional materials, set up a website, and submit the game to different platforms
• Release the game and monitor for feedback

License

Gimbal is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for more information.