wiki/Rejected-Ideas.md

Below you can find a list of ideas that have already been discussed and rejected, reasons for rejections should be included where available:

Contents

1. Characters
2. Badguys
3. Mechanics
4. World Themes
5. Miscellaneous

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Characters

Beastie

We won't include Beastie or any other FOSS mascot. SuperTux is meant as a good jump'n run, not as a showcase of walking FOSS logos. The use of Tux is because he makes a good starting point, one that other people can agree on, to create a world around him and less because he is the Linux mascot.

Konqui (Other Playable Characters)

It would be cool if you could play other characters than Tux like Konqui the KDE Dragon. If possible he could jump higher than Tux but run slower. In the story Konqui could be Tux friend who helps him to find Penny.

"No Beastie."

"I agree that Penny should be the only other playable character. However, Super Tux Smash would allow stuff like that."

GNU

"Perhaps Tux could ride a Gnu?" - kcfelix

"Rejected ideas lists “no FOSS mascots”. I also don't think SuperTux' target audience would understand just why SuperTux would feature a penguin riding a gnu. Let's leave Tux the only reference to anything geeky."

"Perhaps we could make just this exception, since it is kind of a major character. We could tell it like “Tux went to Grass(???) world and met Gnu, who joined Tux against Nolok because ”." - tuxdev

Yeah. The gnu's almost as much of a figurehead as Tux. He needs to make some appearance. (...maybe he could be in the shops, or an Easter egg) - Julius_Freezer 23:58, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

"Hey, if you wanna see a possible NPC, look at Salsa." - Penguin Man 00:55, 19 March 2007 (UTC)

"I once used Mr. Fluffy (Pinkish version of Mr. Snowball) as a friendly NPC in my own level - you control him with levers (I might replace them with script triggers)"

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Story

Crystal Cave

Tux will go into the mountain to the crystal cave. Tux will go trough miscelaneous lifts and mineshafts and cave rooms still deeper and deeper to the cave. There will be dark, so magic blocks and lanterns won't be rare. Then will Tux enter a big room with Nolok's castle. Tux will only pass trough the castle, because Penny is in the Lavaland castle. After that Tux will defeat a crystal boss and then Tux will take a lift leading on the surface of Lavaland.

The game is currently set to only feature one large crystal cave level which is 'The Crystal Mine'. Also, lanterns will be saved for the corrupted forest and a lava themed world is not planned to be added based on our current story roadmap.

Shadow Penguin

As Nolok dies (or whatever), a shade floats out of him and solidifies. The shade is in the general shape of a penguin, but is all black. Not even the eyes are visible. If you have lighting effects going by that time, the “Shadow Penguin” literally darkens any light sources he's near, more and more as the game goes on. The Shadow Penguin escapes. At the very end of the game, now you've tracked the Shadow Penguin down, and you've tracked him to some sort of landscape far removed from the world we know. All backgrounds are black, and the world is sort of a cyber, glowing green (or blue) on black, final showdown kind of thing. You finally find the Shadow Penguin, you fight. The Shadow Penguin has a strong shield, then once that's broken down, the fun REALLY begins. The Shadow Penguin is invulnerable unless you jump on him 3 times... then you can damage him. Once he is defeated... LIGHT! The penguin's “aura”, that was causing darkness to take over, vanishes, the blackness (and glowing green, or blue, or whatever) falls away, blue sky and the world we know reasserts itself, and you are revealed to be back in Antarctica, where you started! Tux embracing Penny, happy ending cutscenes, etc. the end.

"Nolok is set as the final encounter for the game. After his defeate the story is done. Though the idea of a shadow penguin will be repurposed as a potential mini boss, Shadow Tux."

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Badguys

BillBoss

There's probably a good reason, but why doesn't Microsoft play a greater role as an enemy of Tux? Couldn't Nolok be Bill or one of his minions?

Updated: Perhaps Nolok could ultimately be defeated by manoeuvring him into Redmond and getting “embraced, extended and extinguished” by Bill. :)

No. Similar reasons as with Beastie.

Someone suggested this on the mailing list, and Marek came up with a concept: An easter egg that makes Nolok look like Bill or Steve (Ballmer, not Jobs). I figure it's at least worth a try, but a complete storyline revision would be imprudent in keeping with this game's general philosophy to be a Mario homage, only. If you want to frag Gates, go play XTux." - DJ Wings 03:08, 28 Jul 2006 (BST)

What about replacing the powerups by Apples?

Mr. Windows

Mr windows sometimes stays and sometimes walks around one place.

• Mr windows is squishable.
• When Tux approaches a distance of two tiles, they will turn the shield and become invincible and stay put. Once again, get into a longer distance than two tiles, it will turn back.
• I can kill him at a distance or it can kill other object.

Yet another Logo. See Beastie.

Sasquatch

I now propose a forest boss . He would function like the [Yeti](), except have more of a roar than a gna. As Sasquatches and Yeti are very similar (both mythical creatures of the same family), I think that this would be a fun addition to the forest.

Perhaps he could be the forest boss, not the ghost tree (or the ghost tree could be the ghost forest boss, and the Sasquatch be the normal forest boss).

We want all bosses to differ from one another. Sasquatch being just a yeti with slight changes does not fit this requirement.

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Mechanics

No Magic System

There was a discussion on the mailing list shortly after the release of milestone 1 about introducing some kind of magic system that all of Tux' abilities are based on. Although details were never worked out, the general idea was to replace all powerups and some level objects by “spells” Tux could learn and cast using mana energy that needed to be refilled by collecting specific items. The idea was rejected because it would make the gameplay go in a completely different direction, and properly implementing and adjusting it could theoretically be a whole milestone in itself.

Power meter

A system supplementing the current power-ups, this is basically a way to allow large and powerful effects without letting the player use them all the time. The meter could be increased by collecting coins, killing enemies, or getting points. When the meter is full the player can enter a specific control sequence (this is so the player can still use the power normally when the meter is full) to use a super-powerful attack, which would usually wipe out all the normal enemies onscreen and might have other effects as well (such as opening secret areas in the level).

"Rejected: ammo/mana makes it just complicated - you have to do too much "tactics"..."

No useless items/actions/enemies

Any enemy, action or item added to the game should serve a specific purpose, thus allow something not doable by other items, enemies or actions. Different looking actions that serve the same purpose are most of the time just confusing and add unnecessary bloat to the game. There is of course a little need to have a variety of enemies, but even with them variety in behaviour is much more important then variety in look. Different looking enemies might make pretty screenshots, but different behaviour makes a better game.

Sonic Spin Dash

How about something like Sonic the Hedgehog's rev up spin dash? A rev up sliding move. Or, a Sonic Clone as a project. Slide dash away. Also would be cool to have loops. Maybe Tux can destroy things with his beak when sliding. I like the sliding idea as all penguins do it.

Slam

"Big Tux can slam the badguys. If Big Tux gets so close to badguy press Action and he can slam it from left to right. like in most beat'em up games. sample of this can be viewed here" - 89.251.107.53 15:37, 30 October 2011 (UTC)

Pay for restart at reset point, not for dying

This has been proposed as Issue 141. It would mean that Tux doesn't have to pay 25 coins as a penalty for dying. Instead he buys the ability to restart at a reset point. In practice, it would mean that Tux doesn't have to pay when he hasn't activated a reset point yet. It would make the cost seem less like a penalty and more like a trade-off. (Plus, restarting from the beginning is always possible from the worldmap.)

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World Themes

Computer/glitch world

• A Glitch world one put somewhere hard to find
  • Glitches aren't done on purpose, they are programming mistakes, so we can't do a glitch world on purpose.
• Geeky computer/circuit board world - “Tux decided that the only way to get Penny back would be to hack into Nolok's computer...” well, worth a try.

"No. Not another so called “geek game”. Kill evil Bill G. won't work with the existing storyline."

"Great idea. And because Nolok uses M$-Software it is super easy."

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Technical

Vector (SVG) Graphics

Some bits from the mailing list discussion:

• SVG only knows about plain lines, filled polygons and a handfull of fill-patterns, it doesn't know anything about smooth brushes or smudge lines, but without them you will never get away from this vectorish look.
• for artists, SVG tools are also immature, especially Linux ones.
• If you want to think of a good way to slow down our development cycle, making a transition to SVG is a good way of accomplishing that :P Not only that, but I've recently been working quite a bit with SVG for a project I got hired in. It takes a hell of a lot longer than making sprites does, and on top of that, the hand drawn feel of the game will be completely lost.

Also note that you can scale up supertux with the -g WIDTHxHEIGHT switch!

Choose Audio output

In options menu let player choose a sound output like OSS, aRts and so on.

It isn't a good idea for SuperTux to be playing with this. If you need to change sound drivers, use the SDL environments variables: sdldoc.csn.ul.ie/sdlenvvars.php.

The right place to change those settings would probally in a launcher application that starts before SuperTux itself and allows setting of sound driver, video resolution and other stuff, its a very common thing in Windows and might be a good idea under Linux as well, especially since those SDL environment variables are not exactly easy to find. -- Grumbel 07:47, 1 Aug 2006 (BST)

Ipod touch

What about a version for iPod touch/iPhone. I have no idea if this is possible, just a suggestion.

GPLed software is not compatible with the app store http://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more-about-the-app-store-gpl-enforcement

Super Tux Smash

Super Tux Smash would be a mod of the Super Tux Engine for Multiplayer, loosely based on Super Smash Brothers Melee but with some completely different gameplay.

More Details

Features Needed In The Engine

Multiplayer support (having more than one controllable player, eventually maybe network support?)

Colorization of players (so that players could have a red vs blue penguin battle), or a variety of playable characters.

All-way scrolling. (Already in Milestone 2)

Destructible blocks by fireballs. (Already in Milestone 2)

Intro, Winners podium extro.

Unlimited lives.

Mini-viewport (ala Smash Bros) to show where players have gone offscreen

Game Modes

Eventual network play team info included.

Deathmatch - Knock the other player(s) off the platforms. Whoever has the least falls wins when time is up. Free for all.

Coin Collect - Collect as many coins as possible while avoiding/harrasing the other player(s). Whoever has the most coins wins when time is up. <4 teams, multiple players or free for all.

Capture the Flag - Get the flag of the other player(s)/team(s) to your flag. Whoever has the most touches wins when time is up. <4 teams, multiple players.

Zone Control - Touch platforms to “paint” them. Whoever has the most platforms of their color wins when time is up. <4 teams, multiple players.

Soccer - Use a Bouncy Snowball as a soccer ball and have goals at either side of the (closed) level. Still have platforms and powerups. Whoever has the most goals wins when time is up. 2 teams, multiple players

Powerups

Instead of having Question Blocks, have balloons which occasionally float up from the bottom of the screen. Powerups include:

Grow - break thru platforms from side or bottom when grown. Also less vulnerable to jump attack.

Fire flower - instant death (respawn) to opponent when hit, break platforms.

Ice flower - freeze opponent for 5 seconds.

Umbrella - float farther, slower.

Rocket pack - WASD movement for 15 seconds, fireflower ability.

Balloon - some balloons would be empty but allow you to float. All balloons would pop when hitting a platform or player. There might also be tied balloons which don't pop but you have to jump across fast due to jiggling.

Magnet - allows you to grab onto the bottom of platforms and move along them.

Spiky shell - invulnerability for 30 seconds

Characters

• Tux
• Penny
• Other penguins (colorized, EvilPenguin, Albino, Magellenic, Macaroni)
• Nolok
• Snowball (Bouncing/Walking/Spiky combination)
• Walking Flame
• Mr. Bomb
• Mr. IceBlock
• Polar Bear
• Seal
• Yeti
• Poison Ivy
• Spider
• Mr. Tree
• Mr. Totem
• Zeekling
• Ghost
• Dillo
• Sushi
• Skirpy
• Beastie (BSD logo)
• Platypus (Hexley, Darwin logo)
• Other OSS logos, e.g. Puffy (OpenBSD) and Glenda (Plan9)

Attacks

Peck - run up to opponents to peck them - this can knock them off the platform.

Jump attack - instant death to non-grown opponents.

Spin attack - instant death to all opponents.

Powerups - above.

Specials - per character.

Design Issues

• Need vertical, multi platform based levels.
• Physics-based platforms (ala Gish) would be nice.
• Underwater levels would be nice.
• Seesaws and Trampolines could be important.
• Could use some enemies like the jumpy spiky, fish etc.
• Would be nice to have some new ones like:
• Anvils (drop from the sky once in a while, break platforms)
• Arrows, Rockets, or Chompers (come from the sides if you get too close to edges)
• Rockets could also launch from the bottom once in a while.
• For big (scrolling) levels, teleports (w/ directional arrows and random ones) and/or a minimap would be nice.
• Bottoms of levels should be water, lava, spikes, or void.

"Sounds great, can't wait. Just please keep hexley out of it." - Julius_Freezer 00:24, 18 June 2009 (UTC)

STORY IDEAS! MY idea is we could have CPU characters (with AI! WOOT!) and have two single-player modes. Classic (a map of a colloseum with every other character in a straight line) and an Adventure mode (like only as big as one supertux world.) The story for adventure is Tux and Penny were on a walk when meanwhile, Nolok is hiding underground. EvilTux knocks on his door and Nolok opens it. EvilTux says he wants to help Nolok destroy Tux. Then EvilTux shows up with Tux and Penny. You can change between Tux and Penny between levels. Anyway, Tux goes through 1 antarctica level. Boss is EvilTux (an easy version). Then EvilTux goes back to Nolok. Nolok puts him in a cloning machine. The next level is Forest level. You fight EvilTux clones at every quarter of the level. Then EvilTux is really destroyed. Meanwhile Nolok puts forest DNA in the Yeti. Next level is Tropical Island. Boss is Sasquatch. Finally, Tux gets back to Antarctica and Nolok appears to fight, but Gown (yes I'm including her for some reason) jumps on Nolok's head (similar to Sonic jumping on Tabuu from smash bros.) Then Nolok zaps Gown. You fight Gown hypnotized. Then Nolok pulls you all into a portal. You fight several bosses.

1. Yeti
2. Mr. Totem
3. Haunted Tree
4. Sasquatch (harder)
5. EvilTux (harder)
6. Warty Hand (giant nolok hand)
7. Nolok with wings and magic (FINAL BOSS)

Then the portal spits Tux Penny and Gown out onto the ground. Credits roll.

IDEA: special moves you can learn at dojos. A_key is arrow key. Advantage defines a little bonus to player “advantaged” in the stage. PoWER is abbreviated for “Pwnage of Weird Enemies Robotechnics”(EvilTux's Helmetron made by PoWER)

LOCATIONS: Icyisland (advantage to Tux), The Forest, Penguinos Island (advantge to Pingu, how to unlock: Destroy Tux statue at Icyisland and jump into secret passage under it), Antarctica Meltdown (unlock all special moves)[ Boss:Fry, a fireball with eyes. Intro boss cutscene: Player jumps onto a half-sunk stone platform. Fry appears. “This place is only for one!” PLAYER:"And this “one” is me!"(puts on ice cap) CONTROLS CHANGE: |1| is to shoot iceball. Phase 1. Flying around Fry is equipped with wand shooting fire and with sphrere-shaped shield. To hurt him, shoot his wand with iceball. Phase 2. Fry loses his stuff and starts to jump. If he lands near player, player gets hurt. Shoot him with iceball. Phase 3. Fry splits to some amount of little fireballs, acting like Fry in Phase 2. Shoot them all with iceballs.] Nolok's Castle (Advantage to Nolok and Eviltux (from supertuxkart))[ Boss:Nolok] Grand Finale (accessible only with Tux)[ Boss: Eviltux]

       TUX

DESCRIPTION:Our hero, cool as usual. QUOTES TO GAME:“Here I am, Tux!”, “Woot! I won!”

   COMMON MOVES:

A_left, A-right - move A_up - jump A_down - duck (makes Tux invincible, and stand-on-able for 5 seconds, then, if anybody stands on him, gives them shot in air) |2| - punch |2| in midair - sky kick |1| repeatedly in midair - air spin (throws enemies who touch him back to hell they came from and falls slower) A_up while ducking - backflip (jumps back and makes enemy landed on unable to move(stomped)) |1| repeatedly while ducking - spring jump (very high spinjump) |1| repeatedly - spin (throws enemies who touch him back to hell they came from)

   SPECIAL MOVES:

|2| while moving - ram (rams at enemy, shooting him up and in moving direction a bit) - available at level 1 dojo |2| and A_left/A_right while ducking - power ram (rams at enemy at very high speed, shooting him up and in moving direction) - available at level 2 dojo |2| while ducking - power bomb (strikes enemies nearby) - avaible at level 3 dojo |2| and |1| repeatedly - rage (makes Tux run fast and strikes enemies on his way) - available at level 4 dojo |2| and |1| repeatedly while ducking - rampage (makes Tux run very fast and pwns enemies on his way) - available at level 5 dojo A_up in midair - Penguin punch (Tux jumps in midair, striking enemies touching him) - available at level 6 dojo

       PINGU

UNLOCK:Beat Penguinos island with Tux. CUTSCENE: Some penguin (Pingu) runs into Tux. “HI! NOW I FOUND YOU!I...” TUX:“Wait a bit, who are you?” “I AM YOUR BROTHER!!” Tux feels like WTF? PENGUIN:“I will explain it. Sit down just here... I remember you when I was young. We were taking a vacation at Icyisland. Then, returned to home, we noticed that you were lost... *sniff* BUT NOW I GLAD TO SEE YOU BRO!!!” DESCRIPTION:Tux's brother, has his own cool moves. QUOTES TO GAME:“It's action time for Pingu!”, “WOW! I am so cool!”

   COMMON MOVES:

A_left, A-right - move A_up - jump A_down - focus (makes Pingu unable to move for 2 seconds, then decreases knockback rate for 10 seconds. Then can't do this move for 1 minute) |2| - punch |2| in midair - sky kick |1| repeatedly in midair - air spin (throws enemies who touch him back to hell they came from and falls slower) A_up while ducking - backflip (jumps back and makes enemy landed on unable to move(stomped)) |1| repeatedly while ducking - spin spell (same as spin, but with wider range) |1| repeatedly - spin (throws enemies who touch him back to hell they came from)

   SPECIAL MOVES:

|2| while moving - dodge (makes Pingu walkthroughable for 30 seconds, recharge for 1 minute) - available at level 1 dojo |2| and A_left/A_right while ducking - action dodge (makes Pingu walkthroughable for 30 seconds, pressing |2| will attack touching player, recharge for 2 minutes) - available at level 2 dojo |2| while ducking - raging soul (must be >99 damage to do this - everybody (and Pingu) receives 1/20 of Pingu's damage, Pingu's unable to move for 10 seconds) - available at level 3 dojo |2| and |1| repeatedly - fireball (a flying fireball appears, striking first enemy touched) - available at level 4 dojo |2| and |1| repeatedly while ducking - thunderball (a flying thunderball appears, striking all enemies on his way) - available at level 5 dojo A_up in midair - Teleport (Pingu teleports up a bit, damaging all enemies on his vertical coordinates and near these) - available at level 6 dojo