GOONBOAT

goal:

Get Goonboat, seen on the horizon, to depart in the least amount of levels. It moves right-to-left ( loops below for explanation.) A game won screen is presented upon successful completion.

gameplay:

Joystick left-right for gun movement. 

Goons are best dealt using strafing (immobile approach won't necessarily score a hit, depends goon type).

Joystick Up for Mid Zone targeting, Up again for Far Zone targeting, Up again (or Down) to resume Near Zone targeting.

Joystick Down for Punt Speed. 

loops:

Hitting Near Zone goon precisely ('hot hits' - aim for its centre) eventually generates Far Zone supply crate.

Hitting supply crate illuminates current bonus.

Bonus is immediately applied.

Achieving required goons advances a level and restores fuel, health and required within a random range. Any bonuses are reset.

Goonboat departs when positioned far left of screen, winning the game. 

Goonboat progressively moves on Mid Zone clearances—these only  when the next wave is of a different type. 

If Mid Zone waves aren't changing type quickly enough, shooting the Near Zone goon eventually stirs a difference when strikes register brightest red, i.e., direct hits.

To force Mid Zone type swaps, Lever Back for a random duration, release. Back, release, etc. Cost is fuel and time.

Some Mid Zone types are easier to hit than others. Managing types assist  in lvl crosses when low on fuel / health.

objects:

boat on the horizon = goonboat

goon on jet ski firing towards you

other creatures, stuff, fire towards you

player controls a punt

lever controls speed

gun provides shots

crates supply bonuses

symbols:

LVL: Current level.

R: Goons Required this level.

Fuel bowser for fuel remaining.

Heart for health remaining.

Shield protects against deck goons.

helpers:

Deck turns red on poor health.

Beep high on health low.

Beep higher on health critical.

Beep low on Mid Zone goon refresh = no type swap.

Beep high on MId Zone goon refresh = type swap.

Mid Zone goons flash indicating type swap process commenced, intensifies color on flash indicating duration until change near complete.

Gun flashes and immobilises when a goon is on deck.

Engine sputters when low on fuel.

gameover:

Carousel UI defines what ended your game and shows highest level obtained.

notes:

GAME - NTSC

WIP 09f - NTSC | rubber-banding enemy variations; one-into-two mid zone swaps; mid zone type swaps move boat, flashing; game balancing.

WIP 09e - NTSC | immediate start post intro; flashing UI on lvl transit.

WIP 09d - NTSC | scaling hardships; passing a level also moves the boat; secondary critical health beep alert; engine sputters when low on fuel.

WIP 09c - NTSC | gun flashes on deck goon - pull lever to 'lose a goon' and restore gun functionality; faux 3d gunfire from mid zone; punt-bump at end indicating game over ... may remove?

WIP 09b - NTSC | game won screen, boat moves left with cycled flashes, deco lines to horizon also hides one MOVE line.

WIP 09a - NTSC | intro added, most loops and beeps.

WIP 07 -   NTSC | game loops, scenes and sounds; removed artifacts over deck; timing gun movement.

WIP 05f  - NTSC | bonus icon highlights; game over on empty fuel or health, UI shows reason; critical health warned through changed lever color.

WIP 05e  - NTSC | bonus icon flashes on supply crate threshold hit depends near goon threshold hits; game over on empty fuel.

WIP 05d - NTSC | game loops added.

WIP 05c  - NTSC | game loops added; removal health rotation UI intends show elsewhere; notion of game over on empty fuel.

WIP 05b  - NTSC | deck goon slugs health, focuses UI depends context.

WIP 05a  - NTSC | deck goon - pull lever back to partially or fully lose. 

WIP 05    - NTSC | mid zone goon swaps on respawn - uses some provisional glyphs; flashing light effect on near zone goon.

WIP 04c  - NTSC | alternate colors goon zones firing.

WIP 04b  - NTSC | notion of  mid zone goons firing.

WIP 04a  - NTSC | mid zone water decal; snug decking, decal; reset switch.

WIP 04    - NTSC | near zone goon movement; twinkling stars.

WIP 03e - NTSC | remaining mid zone goons speed up; night's star field increased, coloured.

WIP 03d - NTSC | wipeout mid zone goons to respawn; darkness sky; humble star field. 

WIP 03c - NTSC | day-to-dusk cycle; alternate rotating gun on gun movement left_right.

WIP 03b - NTSC | sky effects using timed themes.

WIP 03a - NTSC | modest muzzle flash; ‘difficult box, I mean why not?’ and, ‘box-go-blue’ like everything else on a lever speed event; also, foam.

WIP 03   - NTSC | far zone targeting; hit detection all zones; contextual UI upgraded; playing around with gunshot visuals.

WIP 02g - NTSC | mid zone targeting; 'playing for' icon; shield demo.

WIP 02f  - NTSC | mid zone goons; mid zone, near zone move patterns.

WIP 02e - NTSC | pseudo 3d firing.

WIP 02d - NTSC | notion of a goon firing; additional goon.

WIP 02c - NTSC | distant movement (box sprites); backwash goon's color change; lose-a-goon when speeding up your punt.

WIP 02b - NTSC | partially submerged goon in the backwash; de-tethered animation between goons; distant goons (box sprites).

WIP 02a - NTSC | positive/negative sea patterns; readouts; color theory on gunfire; gun sprite.

WIP 01_ - NTSC | coding 'inside-out' using Roll Play, a previously released game.

WIP 00_ - NTSC | Goonboat follows on from Goon Nights released in 2019 - the first game in the series.