Tower Defense Themes

I’m working on a tower defense. Spent over 200 hours on the pathfinding code alone; hope to have it done in a month or so. It’s currently pretty much artless and has no real “theme” to it though. So…I’d like ideas for themes in which the towers (and perhaps the creeps) being translucent is plausible. (The opacity level isn’t necessary, but it’d be helpful; not explaining why until after release).

3 quick ideas for translucent creeps:

Belltower defense: Prevent the ghosts from escaping the graveyard.
Shower defense: Plug all leaks in the pipes, don’t let the droplets get out.
Power defense: Use your lasers to explode all glass golems before they pass you by.

200 hours at minimum wage is 1450 dollars. That pathfinding better be pretty amazing.

As for the theme, I think Ace_Blue’s suggestions are pretty nifty. Or do you mean more “gameplay elements” than an actual theme?

Originally posted by Drakim:

200 hours at minimum wage is 1450 dollars. That pathfinding better be pretty amazing.

As for the theme, I think Ace_Blue’s suggestions are pretty nifty. Or do you mean more “gameplay elements” than an actual theme?

Your minimum wage sure is low! Here it would be around $2050

The ghosts in the graveyard theme is a really good idea.

How did you manage to spend 200 hours on pathfinding alone? Unless you were writing your own rival to A*?

200 hours at minimum wage is 1450 dollars.

But 200 hours at indie gamedev wage is about $50, so your argument is moot.

Originally posted by jerimo:

Originally posted by Drakim:

200 hours at minimum wage is 1450 dollars. That pathfinding better be pretty amazing.

As for the theme, I think Ace_Blue’s suggestions are pretty nifty. Or do you mean more “gameplay elements” than an actual theme?

Your minimum wage sure is low! Here it would be around $2050

Hah, here it would be $3290!! Highest minimum wage in the world

- eat the jelly / jello enemies
- Clean up the Slimes
- Destroy the nightmares or bad spirits so they don’t reach a sleeping child
- Smash the crystals and collect their pieces for profit
- Kill the skeletons (see-through though admittedly not translucent)