You can play the prototype from the link below (keep in mind, it's pretty hard >:D... you've been warned)
(Dl.dropboxusercontent.com)
The initial concept of the game was Simon the skeleton driving a coffin, as we have now, and we did not plan to change it. However, while making a prototype I decided to experiment with a different setting and made a flying craft, gliding through the post-apocalyptic scenery :D
The vision in my head for Charge was something like this:
There was a war between aliens and humans. The former came to earth to drain it of its life force. They installed massive towers that went deep underground and extracted energy from the planet. These towers were inter-connected into a massive network by metallic rail-like things.
Humans were fighting a loosing battle since all of the gasoline was evaporated by the invaders once they realized that almost all of mankind's heavy tech ran on it. In this dire situation, humans came up with flying machines which could draw energy from alien structures and fly perpetually as long as they were charged enough. Those were used in the last stand against the aliens and turned out to be quite a nuisance for them. As a response, bombs and other counter measures were installed on these rails.
Eventually, Aliens mined enough energy and left earth. The war was over. Few humans survived but there was enough to repopulate. The problem was that the towers were still active and draining the planet to its doom.
Now, the flying crafts are up in the air again, and it's up to them to destroy the remaining towers and give mankind another chance.
While Simon the skeleton (Story of whom you'll find out in my future posts :P) was brought back as soon as we transitioned to 3D and started working on the game, I personally like the Mad Max-ish setting with a flying craft and might continue this concept once we're done with Coffin Rush.
The difference between these two is not only the setting, but the difficulty as well. Charge is a very straightforward and punishing game, without in game currency, upgrades or much additional stuff besides the core gameplay. While Coffin Rush is a game where we want to have a shop, various characters, upgrades, collectibles, adaptive difficulty, and a dungeon which players will be able to decorate and craft stuff in.
I'd be very happy to hear your thoughts on this concept! (and gameplay too if you followed the link). I'll be writing more about Coffin Rush so you can compare the two as well and say which one you'd like more :P
Stay tuned for more!
Yours truly,
~Sanders
