Dodge games
AI dodge game maker: one rule, one score, one more try
Updated
Quick answer
A dodger is a game where you stay alive while things come at you, and the score is how long you lasted. It is the smallest complete game there is, so it is a sensible first thing to make on Teleplay: one short sentence, and about half an hour later you are playing it in the browser. Making a new game needs Pro or Extreme.
Dodge games to try first
Why it suits a first attempt
Most failed first games ask for too much: a story, an inventory and three modes. A dodger asks for almost nothing, which leaves all the attention for the feel. Whether it is fun comes down to a few numbers, and those are exactly the numbers you can change with a slider while it runs.
| Slider or setting | Too low | Too high |
|---|---|---|
| How fast things fall | You can read a book between dodges | A run ends before you learn anything |
| How often they appear | Empty screen, no tension | No gap exists, so skill stops mattering |
| Your speed | You always arrive late | You overshoot every gap |
| How fast it ramps up | A run never ends | Everyone dies at the same second |
A prompt to start from
This one is a little more than a pure dodger, because it adds pickups to reach for. Reaching for something is the cheapest way to make dodging interesting: every bubble is a small risk you choose to take.
Tap to puff up Pip the puffer fish, rise and sink through endless coral towers, grab bubbles and dodge jellyfish for a new best score.
This prompt made Puffbelly Reef
Three changes worth asking for next
- "Add a near-miss bonus": points for passing close to danger, which turns caution into a choice.
- "Make the hazards arrive in patterns": patterns can be learned, and learning is what brings people back.
- "Add a shield that lasts one hit": a single forgiving moment makes long runs less cruel.
Questions
What counts as a dodge game?
Any game where avoiding things is the main verb and survival is the score. Falling-object games, bullet dodgers and lane dodgers all qualify.
Will it work on a phone?
Games made with the code engine draw their own touch controls, and a dodger needs very few of them. For making games, a computer is recommended.
Can I change the theme after it's built?
Yes, if you made it: describe the change in the editor, and you can redraw a picture in the game's own style.
Does it keep a high score?
Ask for a best score in your sentence. Each game's page says what it has once it is built, so read the plan before pressing Create.