Alright, so the other day I was messing around and decided to try making a “Mario Volleyball” game. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be, but it was a fun project. Let me tell you about the whole process.
First off, I had to figure out what platform to use. I ended up going with a simple game development tool, the one everyone’s talking about, just to keep things straightforward. Once I got that set up, I started with the basics – creating the environment. I made a basic volleyball court, nothing fancy, just a rectangle with a net in the middle. I mean, it’s just like any other volleyball court.
Then came the characters. I sketched out a rough version of Mario and made him jump around a bit. This was tougher than I expected! Getting the jumping and moving just right took some time. I also added a simple opponent, a Goomba, just to have something to play against. And I really spent a lot of time making sure Mario could hit the ball, I mean it’s not very interesting if Mario can’t do anything in a volleyball game!
Next up was making the ball move properly. I wrote some code to make the ball bounce off the ground and the net. It was pretty tricky to get the physics right, but after a lot of trial and error, it started to look like a real volleyball game. I think the most difficult part is to simulate the ball’s path according to the real world physics.
After that, I worked on the gameplay. I wanted to make it a 2-on-2 game, so I duplicated Mario and the Goomba. Then I set up some basic rules – the ball can only be hit three times per side, and the first team to get 5 points wins. It’s a super basic rule but essential to the game. I had to keep everything simple because I was just starting out.
Here’s the fun part – multiplayer! I wanted to play with my friends, so I added a cooperative mode. It took a while to get it working smoothly, but it was worth it. We had a blast playing together, trying to beat the computer team. I spent a whole day on this feature and finally figured it out.
Key tips from my experience
- Start simple: Don’t try to make everything perfect from the get-go. Build the basic elements first and then add more features. Just like what I did in the beginning.
- Get the movement right: Spend time making sure your characters move realistically. It makes a huge difference in how the game feels. I didn’t make it at first, but after several tests, it looked better.
- Test, test, test: Play your game a lot, and get your friends to play it too. It’s the best way to find bugs and improve the gameplay. I even found a bug when I was presenting my game to my friends and they just laughed out loudly.
- Have fun with it: Remember, you’re making a game! It should be a fun process. Enjoy the challenges and celebrate the small victories. I think game is just for fun, so I really enjoyed the whole process.
In the end, I had a working “Mario Volleyball” game. It wasn’t perfect, but it was playable and fun. I learned a lot along the way, and it inspired me to keep making games. If you’re thinking about making your own game, I say go for it! It’s a rewarding experience, and you might surprise yourself with what you can create.
