Launch Fighters – Part 1: Creating a Game for the iRiver U10

Game Overview

The objective of Launch Fighters is to shoot the enemies that fall from the top of the screen before they reach the earth at the bottom. You have to watch out, however, because the earth's shield can only take five hits from falling enemies before it's destroyed and the game is over. The game is divided into seven levels, called "waves"—where each level becomes longer and more difficult. If the player survives all seven levels, the earth is saved and the game ends.

These are the basic graphic elements of the game during play:

• Figure 1 shows the spaceship that the player controls. You can make the ship fly left or right by pressing the <Left> and <Right> keys on the device, or shoot its weapons by pressing <Down> on the device.

  

  Figure 1. Player's spaceship

• Figure 2 shows an enemy ship that falls from the top of the screen. All of the enemy designs are in a single movie clip. A new enemy is selected at random, based on the current level, each time a new enemy ship is launched from the top of the screen.

  

  Figure 2. Enemy ship

• Figure 3 shows the earth with its glowing shield, which is at the bottom of the screen. The shield is vulnerable to enemy ships hitting it and can only sustain five hits.

  

  Figure 3. Earth's shield

• Figure 4 shows the main game screen with all its graphical elements. The HUD (heads-up display) surrounds the game screen and provides the player with the score, current level, navigation guides, and earth shield information.

  

  Figure 4. Game screen

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