Sequel: what would you like?

[TroyHepfner]

Dirk Dashing fans: this is your chance to contribute to Dirk Dashing 2 while we are still designing it! What new features and/or changes would you like to see in the sequel?

[Steven]

More gadgets! I like the current ones, so don't remove them, but make some new ones too. James Bond had a jetpack in one movie, that might be kinda cool, so you can go anywhere you want.

[AlleyCat]

Dirk Dashing 2! HOO-RAY!!!

I love the first game, tho I do lose a lot of lives. It would be nice if I didn't die immediately when I get hit, which happens alot. I remember Super Mario Bros, where you get the mushroom and turn into Big Mario, and then you can get hit but not die, you just shrink back to Little Mario. Maybe you can pick up a gadget or something like protects you like that.

[TroyHepfner]

I love the first game, tho I do lose a lot of lives. It would be nice if I didn't die immediately when I get hit, which happens alot.

We're looking into the possibility of adding a health system in the sequel, or some sort of protective gadget Dirk can pick up and carry with him. Taking a hit would cause you to lose a health point or the protective gadget. This way, Dirk wouldn't necessarily die the instant you touched something bad, though some hazards may still be lethal to touch. This would also allow us to create some more challenging enemies.

If folks have a particular preference for how this new system should work (for example, allow Dirk to take only one hit or 2-3 hits before dying), let us know. We haven't nailed anything down yet.

[sirdude]

Just some additional random brainstorming....

You could have a submarine scene and or a remote car/sub

Thinking of the old dos game In Search of Dr Riptide....

http://takegame.com/arcade/htm/riptide.htm

Just some other ideas to shake it up...
You could have a Pizza Delivery costume and while your in the costume you have to sneak through the bad guys by answering questions correctly.

A gadget idea is a personal tow rope to climb up or down a building.
(from his belt or maybe a crosbow thing he shoots and then attaches to his belt)

[TroyHepfner]

Thanks a lot for your input!

[TroyHepfner]

Hi Ajuk999,

Good question, thanks for asking! Having vehicles in the sequel is a strong possibility. I would really like to do this. We're investigating several options to see what might be possible and relatively easy to implement, without having to build a whole new engine for the driving portion of the game.

At this point, I'm leaning toward something similar to Archibald's Adventures or the old 2D side-scrolling Duke Nukem games, where Dirk would hop into a vehicle but the game would stay in the 2D side-scrolling mode and not switch to a special driving mode. The main issue I'm trying to deal with is speed - when Dirk is in a vehicle he should probably be able to move faster, but I can't speed him up too much or you can't see far enough ahead to avoid obstacles.

So I'm still in the experimental stage, and haven't really decided on how it is going to work yet. But stay tuned!

[surfingpenguin]

I had an idea yesterday. How about a level editor, so we can make our own levels for the game?

[TroyHepfner]

I've thought about that. But I think it would be a lot of work to build one. So it probably won't make it into Dirk 2.

[Duchess]

James Bond had "Little Nellie" in one of his movies, so if Pique Pockette shows up again in a helicopter, Dirk will be ready for a great chase!

How about a fingerprint gadget to open certain doors?

I would also like to have ways to get more lives.