...as I thought over how I would make the amazing, grand, and eternally GLORIOUS SHMUPSpace, I ran into one, insanely huge show stopping issue. I have no clue how I would get the game to scroll like it were a shmup in the first place, because even if I were to make a static camera and have it scroll, the player ship would move out of view. Not only that, I have no clue how to keep the player on the screen. Any ideas to work around this somehow?
You can do what you're talking about, but it takes a fair amount of patience with FRED's cut scene sexps. I never tried doing this in 2d so it might not work...
Step1: create a camera that is not the player's using set-camera
Step2: Use the set-position to position the camera directly on top of the player ship in FRED.
Step3: Use the set-facing to point the camera straight down
Step4: use a second set-position sexp which will run for the duration of the level. Set the movement time to the amount of time the level will be and set the acceleration to 0. If you play with it enough, it should give you a camera that moves along the level, showing the player's position.
Step4: Assign 2 variables, one called FrontBound and one called BackBound. These variables represent the position of the edge of the camera (which should be measured) as it moves. A counter sexp should increment these values to simulate movement.
Step 5: assign 2 hardcoded numbers to check if the player has gone too far up or down. A sample sexp
If (get-position-x > hardcoded value) , then do step 6
Step 6: If the player goes 'out of bounds' you can set the player into the middle of the screen, wrap the player to the opposite side of the screen or kill the player.