Quick Info

• Created with GameMaker (2022) – 1920×1080 windowed/full screen
• Project work time: April 30, 2022 – September 9, 2022

Description

HT3DR is a modern remake of Hover Tank 3D, a game I created with GameMaker 6.1 in 2006. This a single-level demo/prototype of what I envision for an entirely new game, more fully realized by modern technology and my own personal advances in skill and knowledge since then.

Features

• Action-packed gameplay. Master the tank controls to zip around the battlefield and avoid being overwhelmed by enemy forces.
• Graphics inspired by retro 3D games. Heavily influenced by games such as Starfox, Cyber Sled, S.T.U.N. Runner, and Virtua Racing. Modeled and baked in Blender.
• Music by Timothy Lamb/Trash80, whose retro beats fit the aesthetic perfectly.
• Sound effects built from professional libraries. In just one level, HT3DR contains more – and better – sound effects than the entire original game.
• Better storytelling through an enhanced radio system, animated character portraits, and light voicework. Under the hood, a custom scripting system and game director guide you through the twists and turns of each level.
• Physics-based collisions. A huge improvement over the original game, you can feel the heft of the tank as it glides around, and the weight of crates when you tether them.

Controls

W & S	Forward/reverse thrusters
A & D	Rotate
Mouse 1	Weapon (blaster)
Mouse 2	Utility (tether)
SPACE	Brakes
P	Pause game
F1	Show controls
F4	Toggle fullscreen
ESC	Exit game

Tips

• The blaster’s projectiles take time to travel to their targets. Try to lead your shots when enemies are far away.
• The radar shows the positions of enemies (red), explosive crates (yellow), and goals (green). If you’re not sure where to go, check there!
• You only get a set number of lives to pass the level, but there are two health packs hidden around, if you need help.
• If the mouse sensitivity is too high by default, you can adjust it by editing [game folder]/config/config.ini. There are other options for video and sound there as well.
• This is a demo/prototype, so there might be some bugs!

What’s Next?

I started this project to see how I could improve the original Hover Tank 3D, and to challenge myself to do better with GameMaker’s native 3D and shader support. I’m happy with the results, and I will probably continue to tinker with it. There’s always some little thing I want to add and play around with!

I have ideas for a full HT3DR game, but the time it would take to complete such a project, even with this solid foundation in place, is daunting. For now, this demo is the legacy of Hover Tank 3D.