It's the topic resurrection time!
First of all, I think that it would be the best to just keep the game in the same style and shape like the Gruntz 1, except that it would make use of 3D graphicz and some other modern stuff - still bird's-eye view, still a "flat" level divided into tilez, only improved graphicz (they really allow on much more thingz than 2D) and some additional thingz that weren't possible before. Like, for example, a possibility of making a custom shape of islandz, hillz and so on, by "drawing" their shape on the level; the game would automatically state where are clear tilez, where are solid et cetera. Or various possible resolutionz with possibility of zooming in and out. The game would be made in such a way that it would have a backward compatibility with Gruntz 1, allowing the conversion of the CLz! Also, it would have an in-game connection with worldwide base containing all CLz good enough to be listed; such a connection would allow to easily download and update all levelz, see their statz (difficulty, size, etc.), add a comment and vote, and more.
Other improvementz:
* Scriptz: basically, a script could be attached to just anything in the CL and cause a specific, unusual result that wouldn't be possible with regular toolz. You want to make the grunt say a specific line when attacking or killing a specific grunt? You want to cause a bunch of enemy gruntz with ranged weaponz to act like static hazardz, repeatedly shooting at the desired spot? Or maybe you want to make the specific Rolling Ballz to disappear when the specific grunt comes close and reappear when he goes away? That's what a script could do.
* Custom Help Boxez, toolz, toyz, tilesetz, voicez etc.;
* Unlimited amount of enemy teamz and gruntz that can be placed on the level!
* Modificationz: does anyone played The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind or TES 4: Oblivion with modz? Because this is an example of how modz for Gruntz 2 would work. You do some change to the game itself or to any level, you save it as a file which remembers what changez to make, and you activate it by marking the mod on the list. Nothing simpler! Want to make the tool or toy act differently, or to do some improvementz to the interface? You can do it easily with by using the editor.
New Toolz:
* Lazer Rifle: A ranged, powerful weapon, and also the only tool capable of handling a new type of puzzle - light bulb mazez. Basically, the Lazer Rifle shoots a beam of energy which flies forward until finding a solid obstacle (not counting the gruntz!)... if this obstacle is a mirror, the beam is reflected in the proper direction; if it's a light bulb, then it's lighted or extiguished depending on its current state. If a specific type of pyramid requires certain amount of light bulbz to be lighted in order to change its state... then we need to properly move the mirrorz and shoot the beam from a right spot in order to light the light bulbz and keep progressing through the level!
* Portal Gun: If anyone played the game "Portal" (BTW, there will be "Portal 2" soon), then you know what this tool is supposed to do. Basically, it's an unusual tool which can't be used as a regular weapon; it doesn't make any kind of damage to anyone. Instead, it shoots two typez of projectile which can create two kindz of portalz - blue and orange. When the grunt enters one of them, he's teleported to the second one and vice versa, stepping one tile forward - in the same direction he was going when entering previous portal. If there's an obstacle in front of the second portal, then the grunt will walk into it anyway... and be killed, if it's a lethal obstacle!
* Magic Wand (black): basically, a black magic wand is capable of killing everyone in the range.
* Woodman's Kit: works pretty much like bricklayer, but instead of brickz, it allows you to set plantz in the specified placez. Plantz act like guardianz and can use ranged attackz on anyone within the range - and there are various typez of plantz to use, just like brickz! Based on Plants vs. Zombies.
* Vaulting Pole: a very poor weapon (in combat, it's not any different from bare handz), but its strong suit is that it allows to jump over every possible single obstacle (including pyramidz, hillz and so on!), unlike Springz which allows only to jump over holez, spikez and static hazardz.
* Target: this specific "tool" is intended for the puzzlez where we have to protect a defenseless grunt from being killed, what would cause the game over. It acts pretty much like the warpstone piece - grunt carries a big target, walks slowly, cannot attack, and his death causes game over. Additionally, this tool cannot be obtained in any other way than being received directly from the designer, and bringing it to the King will not complete the level. What makes it worthwhile, then? It can be carried by an enemy. Which can follow us around the entire level, cannot attack, and can be attacked and killed by other enemiez, causing a game over. If there's a limited amount of gruntz the solver can get, the puzzlez require more than that, and there's only this guy with target in the area... then the solver has to protect him and lure around, using as a fragile assistant!
New brickz:
* Violet: givez random toyz to everyone in the range when destroyed.
* White: freezes everyone in the range when destroyed.
* Green: heals everyone in the range when destroyed.
* Orange: resurrects every goo puddle in the range when destroyed.
* Cyan: randomly replaces tilez or brickz within the range... making it possible to create a hole, spikez, rockz or static hazard where the gauntletz grunt is currently standing!
New pyramidz and switchez:First of all, I would like to add more variety to how the switchez can work. A few examplez: a blue switch with BOTS-like "1" and a timer, indicating that the bridgez will be raised/hidden for a limited amount of time and only once. Or a black switch with regular curved arrow. Or a switch with an electronic screen that shows how many timez the switch can be pressed.
* White switch: does something magical... dedicated for all the thingz that are currently done by the TileSecretTriggerz!
* Glowing pyramidz: with the appearance similar to the insect-killing lampz, these pyramidz are triggered by lighting all related light-bulbz (see Lazer Rifle).
Standard thingz that I would like to change:
* Appearance of Suicide Bomberz: Just think about it. The bombz they carry doesn't work like in theory they should; it shouldn't explode of the slightest poke, and after igniting the fuse, the bomb should explode after a certain amount of time instead of when a grunt meets an obstacle (and it's somehow instantly extinguished when meeting a toy box). Plus, why the grunt HAS to explode with the bomb, rather than ignite the fuse, leave it where necessary and run away? That is why I would like to do two thingz. First, replace the bomb with a TNT box. A sensitive TNT box makes much more sense in how the Suicide Bomber is designed - it can explode of the slightest poke, it explodes only when the grunt bashes into something (considering it as just another possible "poke"), and it doesn't have any lit that would suggest a limited working time. Second, replace the grunt's default helmet with a stereotypical kamikaze belt (white with a big red spot). In such version, the Suicide Bomber would not only make much more sense, but his task would also become much more understandable.
That's everything what comes to my mind right now. Do you have any ideaz and thingz you would like to see in Gruntz 2?