Big Update: Version 3.5

 Here’s the link to play it: https://triganov.itch.io/thunder-force-heaven

Yes, I know, I promised you Version 4 of my game. But since this Version 3.5 concludes the first campaign of my game, I had to share this new update with you.

For your information, the final version of my game will include three campaigns: 

• The campaign of Dr. Lelighter (which is now complete)
• The campaign of Marshall Triganov (currently in development)
• The campaign of General Victoria (not started yet)

Let’s dive into the details of what’s new in this version.

What's new in this update ?

A brand-new boss with multiple parts

 Until now, the game only had two bosses:

• The first boss was vulnerable everywhere and consisted of just one part.
• The second boss was a bit more complex in terms of code, as it had a vulnerable part (its head) while the rest of its body was invulnerable.

This third boss not only has vulnerable and invulnerable parts but is also made up of multiple sections. This means the player must destroy each of these parts to defeat it.

It’s a heavy warship you’ll have to face. Will you be able to overcome it? :)

2 new cutscenes

 These new scenes precede and follow the boss battle I just described. As I mentioned earlier, the final scene concludes the story of Dr. Lelighter.

In short, during the boss battle, Slyana is in the midst of a civil war. One of the four sons of the late Empress sees a strange opportunity in this chaos: He puts an entire city under quarantine so the planet’s elite can freely bet on the outcomes of the battles taking place there. (This might remind you of Running Man with Schwarzenegger!)

Credits Page (Available in Menu Interface)

I’ve also added a Credits page to honor my work and give recognition to all the creators of the graphic elements I’ve used.

Thank you guys for all you great creations that helps me in my adventure :)

Name of characters in the DialogBox 

Finaly, I’ve added the names of the characters above the dialogue bubbles during the cutscenes.

As you can see on the screenshot above, The name of the caracter is displayed just above the dialog box

Oh and maybe you noticed it but in the screenshot above, you can observe that the player does not control R-Type ship anymore. It's FireLeo2 from ThunderForce II :).

When is the next big update 

I’m planning to release a major update (Version 4) before the end of the month. 

This Version 4 will include: 

• 1 additional playable levels which introduce Triganov's campaign
• 2 new cinematic scenes
• Adding the Claws gameplay mechanic. In Thunder Force IV, there’s a Claws power-up that allows two small satellites to orbit your ship, adding extra firepower.
• And lots of other updates, fixes, etc.

Medium Update: Version 3.1 of my Prototype is now available! Here’s the link to play it: https://triganov.itch.io/thunder-force-heaven

What’s new in this update?

3 new cutscenes 

 In the previous version, there were only two scenes that didn’t really explain why there’s a galactic war. I’ve added 3 new scenes to give more background to the universe I’m creating.

Why add cutscenes? Isn’t the point of a sidescroller just to blow everything up without thinking? Yeah… But when I was a kid, I used to really enjoy playing Thunder Force IV. Even though I was convinced there was a grand story behind the game, the game itself didn’t really show it. It’s only when you finish the game that you get an explanation of the incredible feat you just achieved.

Many Planets, many different cultures 

Fixes for several annoying bugs 

• The most important one for me is the fix for a bug that prevented me from applying a fade-out effect to the music before a boss fight. This is crucial because it amplifies the tension when the music stops, and everything goes quiet just before the appearance of a terrifying boss. 
• Improved dialogue boxes: When no character is speaking in a cutscene, there’s no longer a large black rectangle awkwardly displaying dialogue boxes. 
• And many other small bugs have been fixed! :)

When is the next big update 

I’m planning to release a major update (Version 4) before the end of the month. 

This Version 4 will include: 

• 2 additional playable levels (one of which features a boss)
• 3 new cinematic scenes
• Replacing the R-Type ship with the Fire Leo 2 from Thunder Force 2 
• And lots of other updates, fixes, etc.

Thank you so much for your message! Indeed, this type of shooter was quite popular on our old phones :)

I’d love to enable donations, but I’m not sure if I can... In fact, 80% of the assets used come from assets I purchased on itch.io (and other websites), but a few assets (notably the sprites for the player’s ship) and the music come from old games on the Genesis.

So, do you know if I’m allowed to enable donations?

Hi there!

I’ve only published one game because my other creations are still in their early stages. I’m currently looking for feedback on my game, but it hasn’t been played much yet.

Would it be possible for me to join this amazing family of chosen creators, please? :)

Hello there !

I’m Triganov. I’m a professional backend developer. In my free time, I’m passionate about developing retro 2D video games.

I mainly develop in JavaScript and C#.

Right now, I’ve given myself a month and a half off from work to focus on my game and truly feel like a real video game developer. Why, you ask? Besides the fact that I enjoy creating video games, there’s also the lingering memory of being told as a teenager that I’d never be able to develop a video game... Let’s see if I can silence that demon from the past. ^^

Strengths:

• I’m pretty skilled at debugging.
• I have solid knowledge of TechnoSoft games.

Weaknesses:

• I struggle to create my own sprite sheets.

Thunder Force Heaven

Last Update: Version 3 of my prototype is now playable !

Here is the link to play it : https://triganov.itch.io/thunder-force-heaven

What's new in this update ?

Translation

The first thing I updated in my game was the translation. All the text was originally in French. But the rule is: if anyone in the world might be interested in the Thunder Force story I want to tell, I need to translate my scenario into the most widely spoken language.

Texts are now translated in english

Diagonal Collision

After that, I was stuck on a very tricky issue: diagonal collisions. Of course, I asked ChatGPT for guidance, but every time I tried to implement it, I got discouraged by the math involved (vector projections). During my vacation, however, I had a 4-hour jet lag (in the wrong direction). One night, I finally decided to sit down and study vectors. It was 4 a.m. when I finally got it working. Lord... it’s no big deal in hindsight, but I was so proud of myself!

Diagonal collisions are now handled 

Improve Level Design and Ennemy pattern

Third, the time had come to improve the level design for the 3 existing levels. Sure, I still need help from a level designer, but now the execution of the levels is decent. Each level now features at least 4 different enemies (not counting the boss)

If this scene, 3 ennemies with very specific fire and movement patterns

If you take a look at the screenshot above for example. You will find :

-Two tanks. Theses tanks go simply from left to right or right to left but the fire pattern is quite interesting : I added a raycasting mechanic that allows tanks to fire only when the player’s ship crosses the red line.

-Two Spaceship. For the enemy ships in the upper left corner of the screen, they initially move from left to right or right to left, but they also try to get as close to the player's height as possible. In the second phase, they perform a small up-and-down maneuver during which they fire multiple missiles. After that, they accelerate and exit the screen.

-Many spikes. Finally, there’s an enemy I call the TechnoLizard. In the screenshot, it has just exploded (you can see the spikes in the bottom right scattering in all directions). The TechnoLizard is dropped by ships that speed across the upper part of the playable area. Once deployed, it moves along the ground, trying to get as close to the player as possible on the X-axis. Then, it explodes, releasing a barrage of spikes.

Dangerous Events

Finally, saving the best for last—I’ve added event-based elements to the levels. At certain points during the game, a visible event in the background can occur (for example, a volcano erupting or, as you can see in the screenshot below, a missile being launched from the enemy’s base).

They are very tiny, but there are 3 missiles launched in the background in the sky

When an event like this happens, the UI displays messages and plays a “DANGER, DANGER” alert sound to warn that a threat is coming from above. I think it’s pretty cool because it encourages the player to pay more attention to what’s happening in the background.

And for the next Update ?

For the next update, I don’t want to add the 4th level just yet. There are several things I need to do first:

• Add cutscenes for Level 2
• Create a mini-level for both Levels 1 and 2 (necessary for the story progression)
• Design the boss for Level 3
• Add cutscenes for Level 3

I'm posting this here to share the latest updates on my project and, who knows, maybe get some help from a Level Designer or a Design Artist. For now, this project’s main goal is to revive a franchise I truly enjoy: Thunder Force.

Here is the link to play the game :
https://triganov.itch.io/thunder-force-heaven

Since I was a kid, I've been a huge fan of the Thunder Force series. I started with what many consider the best in the series: Thunder Force IV. The soundtrack, the monster designs, and the various planets we visit made me want to learn more about this universe. .. Good news : The series has actually a rich universe and coherent storyline.

That's why I set out to develop a Thunder Force fan game: Thunder Force Heaven (notice the play on words when pronounced – Thunder Force Heaven = Thunder Force Seven :)).

So far, I've created three small levels. I relied on assets from Animuz (who, by the way, is excellent at mastering the Genesis design style).

Below, you can see some Screeshots of my project : 

Level 1, Planet Mystic. The planet where we discover that our ship is an exact replica of an ancient alien vessel that once fought against a mysterious empire known as the "ORN Empire."

Level 2, Planet Cosma. On a planet located on the outer edge of the galaxy, we want to meet Triganov, an old Mystic Marshal who has exiled himself to this remote world.

Level 3, Planet Slyana. We return to our own planet, where, following the death of the empress, a bloody fratricidal war is raging between her three children.

Level 4, Planet Amond. A planet where all those sentenced to death and enemies of the empire were sent.
Coming soon

Thank you :)