Canvas Rider
October 11, 2010 1:52 PM Subscribe
Canvas Rider is an addictive game where you ride a bike on thousands of tracks drawn by other players. It's written only in JavaScript & HTML5, using the most of the new <canvas> element.
Script Sunday?
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 2:03 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 2:03 PM on October 11, 2010
No, wait, it's Monday.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 2:03 PM on October 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 2:03 PM on October 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
I thought it was pretty impressive for what it is. I played until I crashed a few times. It's kind of like having my Mac Classic back. Next: HTML5 Stunt Copter!
posted by cjorgensen at 2:06 PM on October 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by cjorgensen at 2:06 PM on October 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
HTML5 will have arrived when we no longer give a shit that something is made in HTML5.
Well, we're climbing up to peak new-thing enthusiasm, and probably crossing a certain inflection point where the curve for early adopter contempt for the crowd is going to rise right about now, as your comment is indicating, so I'd say the future is promising.
posted by namespan at 2:12 PM on October 11, 2010 [4 favorites]
Well, we're climbing up to peak new-thing enthusiasm, and probably crossing a certain inflection point where the curve for early adopter contempt for the crowd is going to rise right about now, as your comment is indicating, so I'd say the future is promising.
posted by namespan at 2:12 PM on October 11, 2010 [4 favorites]
It would be better if I could just get back on the bike and keep going.
posted by chillmost at 2:24 PM on October 11, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by chillmost at 2:24 PM on October 11, 2010 [5 favorites]
This game is loads of fun. Thanks. I really like the user-submission-ness of it all.
posted by captaincrouton at 2:25 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by captaincrouton at 2:25 PM on October 11, 2010
Addictive? You mean so annoying that I gave up after 2 minutes worth of retries.
posted by sunshinesky at 2:57 PM on October 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by sunshinesky at 2:57 PM on October 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Tried out a lot of the maps, then, did you, sunshinesky?
Some of them are punishingly difficult for no apparent reason. Others are kind of inspired.
posted by gurple at 2:59 PM on October 11, 2010
Some of them are punishingly difficult for no apparent reason. Others are kind of inspired.
posted by gurple at 2:59 PM on October 11, 2010
Fun idea, but goddammit, bicycle riders do not pop freaking wheelies.
posted by Malor at 3:47 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by Malor at 3:47 PM on October 11, 2010
I've loved this game for several years now. Used to be called Free Rider 2 and was (I think) Java based. Used to slow down my computer something fierce on the larger levels but I didn't care. Who needs to study for law school when I can be racing through someone's imagination?
posted by friendlyjuan at 4:05 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by friendlyjuan at 4:05 PM on October 11, 2010
empath, there are checkpoints on certain levels if the designer has included them. Look for little blue dots. Once you go through them, if you crash and hit return you start over at that spot. Hitting delete will start you all over again at the beginning of the level.
posted by friendlyjuan at 4:13 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by friendlyjuan at 4:13 PM on October 11, 2010
I love the idea of this, and the fact that it can be done with CANVAS/Javascript... but the controls just feel waaaaaay too touchy. It's just too easy to hit a tiny bump wrong on an otherwise flat section of track and wind up on your head. It's just as well in a way, the other games of this type I've tried are enough of an addictive timesink without an infinite supply of levels.
posted by arto at 4:27 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by arto at 4:27 PM on October 11, 2010
Some things are just better in Flash. HTML5 is interesting, but it kinda sucks for games.
posted by monospace at 4:28 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by monospace at 4:28 PM on October 11, 2010
I'm waiting for an HTML5 version of Doom before I'll say its jumped the shark. I'll also consider Castle Wolfenstein.
posted by cftarnas at 4:31 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by cftarnas at 4:31 PM on October 11, 2010
OK, Quake II in HTML5 counts and raises Doom. Shark jumped, more games just for the novelty of HTML5 won't cut it. Except games like Kick Ass, that is actually using taking advantage of what HTML5 is to make a better game, and to remove ads.
posted by cftarnas at 4:37 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by cftarnas at 4:37 PM on October 11, 2010
Too damn unforgiving. Dude gets nudged in the head and he crumples into a heap.
posted by KChasm at 4:44 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by KChasm at 4:44 PM on October 11, 2010
God I hate you. I just wasted an hour.
posted by azarbayejani at 4:47 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by azarbayejani at 4:47 PM on October 11, 2010
Kick Ass is awesome and deserving of a post of it's own.
posted by pashdown at 5:57 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by pashdown at 5:57 PM on October 11, 2010
It did have a post of its own: Kick Ass on the blue.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:27 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by cjorgensen at 6:27 PM on October 11, 2010
That's rather well done- the first game I've seen in HTML5 that makes me think "Hm, this could be neat"! Though it's super hard, it's also lovely and fluid for a browser game- something that I'm used to only seeing in Flash. So that's really cool.
posted by BungaDunga at 6:37 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by BungaDunga at 6:37 PM on October 11, 2010
Pretty nifty. Irony points, too, for having a big Flash ad to the right of the spiffy new HTML5 game...
posted by menschlich at 6:41 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by menschlich at 6:41 PM on October 11, 2010
Cannot wait until there's an HTML5 game maker available.
As a plugin for my favorite CMS.
posted by circular at 8:14 PM on October 11, 2010
As a plugin for my favorite CMS.
posted by circular at 8:14 PM on October 11, 2010
So I gave it another chance, and it has a lot more to offer than I had previously thought. Great game!
I apologise for me dissent.
posted by sunshinesky at 8:20 PM on October 11, 2010
I apologise for me dissent.
posted by sunshinesky at 8:20 PM on October 11, 2010
I dunno if there's some genetic deficiency I have, but I found this game to be incredibly difficult.
posted by !Jim at 11:38 PM on October 11, 2010
posted by !Jim at 11:38 PM on October 11, 2010
I find the picky physics is what makes this game great. Also, switch to the smaller bike by pressing "b" and you may find it more forgiving. The user-made tracks are a curse and a blessing. Find a good one and it is challenging without being too frustrating. A lot of the tracks are just garbage.
posted by Brodiggitty at 5:52 AM on October 12, 2010
posted by Brodiggitty at 5:52 AM on October 12, 2010
Missing from the help popup: hit Z to change direction. This is required for some tracks.
posted by joshwa at 6:04 AM on October 12, 2010
posted by joshwa at 6:04 AM on October 12, 2010
Looks like HTML is getting some of the tools it needs... Adobe Illustrator to CANVAS exporter.
posted by Artw at 2:07 PM on October 12, 2010
posted by Artw at 2:07 PM on October 12, 2010
My favorite track I've come across. Seems to be the exact correct amount of difficult and fun.
posted by davidjmcgee at 11:50 AM on October 15, 2010
posted by davidjmcgee at 11:50 AM on October 15, 2010
And this guy has made a boatload of good tracks. Good on 'im.
posted by davidjmcgee at 1:32 PM on October 20, 2010
posted by davidjmcgee at 1:32 PM on October 20, 2010
« Older Give me some more....okay! | McRib : 'a conglomeration of pork waste.' Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by Artw at 1:54 PM on October 11, 2010 [4 favorites]