[Comp G] Deeper Darker
About
A decrepit, crumbling castle. The mystery of a centuries old curse.
Descend into darkness to discover what has been haunting a proud family for generations...
Download (Final competition build)
https://hypnotic.itch.io/deeperdarker
or direct link: DeeperDarker-v0.06-PC (63MB)
Deeper Darker
A decrepit, crumbling castle. The mystery of a centuries old curse.
Descend into darkness to discover what has been haunting a proud family for generations...
Download (Final competition build)
https://hypnotic.itch.io/deeperdarker
or direct link: DeeperDarker-v0.06-PC (63MB)
Deeper Darker
Comments
Level Source
Level Result
Player
Beam
Candle
Flame
Skull
Hole
Ladder (wood)
Evil Sign
Crate - source: Chris Hildenbrand (http://2dgameartforfree.blogspot.co.za)
Wooden Plank - source: Chris Hildenbrand (http://2dgameartforfree.blogspot.co.za)
Crosshair
Speech Bubble
Menu Window
NPC 1
Title
Chat Anim source: modified a Humble GameDev bundle image)
Acid
Lava
Star
Blood
Key
Door
Gun
UI
UI Button
UI Health
UI Torch On
UI Torch Off
Snake
Switch
Title Music: Quinn's Song: A New Man - source: Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Background ambient - source: Humble GameDev Bundle 2015 Asset, modernsurvivaldlcpack_degica_bundle - Dungeon_-_Rotting_Cellar.mp3
Background ambient 2 - source: (Shockwave-Sound.com) Extended License purchased 26th Jun 2014, LYN033: Horror Sounds, Set 1 - Horror dark soundscape: The Dungeon Cave
5 Game Over Tracks (when you die) -source: Humble GameDev Bundle 2015 assets:
(Modern-Day-Music-Mega-Pack) ME_-_gameover_01.wav
(Modern-Day-Music-Mega-Pack) ME_-_gameover_02.wav
(Modern-Day-Music-Mega-Pack) ME_-_gameover_03.wav
(Modern-Day-Music-Mega-Pack) ME_-_gameover_05.wav
(Modern-Day-Music-Mega-Pack) ME_-_gameover_06.wav
Gun .38 - source: www.sonniss.com (GDC2015 pack, Coll Anderson - Guns "EFX EXT .38 Plus Power Shots 04 B.wav"
All other sounds sourced from www.sonniss.com (GDC2015/2016) as well as from the recent Humble CRYENGINE Bundle.
NPC Chat: Twine 2.0.11...
Level Design: Tiled & AutoTileGen
Font (Beta Dance v1.0 by Ben McGehee)
2D Dynamic Lights and Shadows
SpriteLamp shader
GamePad support: XInput
I can hook you up with some sound=ambience once you got some gameplay in...interested to see how you will execute this!
To give you and example of the primitive art I had in mind, for a candle I want to use a red circle as the base and a yellow/orange triangle that rapidly moves left to right as the flame...
As light/darkness is a key theme in this proto, I want to use shaders and lights along with the primitive shaped sprites. It should make the primitive sprite pixel edges light up when a light is near and I have a cool method in mind for casting real time shadows around the primitive polygons. Hopefully the effect is creepy.
Thank you for offering some sound, that would be awesome! I won't hold you to it. Wait for a demo before you commit, it might just be crap, LOL :-P
Edit: I lied. There shall be 7.
New features:
1) NPC Chats using twine_2.0.11 (This time I am keeping the damn twine install. Each new version I have to rework the XML parser, grrrr)
2) Added some ambient sound (from Humble GameDev Bundle a while back)
3) Player can now jump over holes.
4) Can push plank over hole to make it walk-able.
5) NPC can also follow player. They are now YOUR responsibility. Make sure they are safe :)
I'll publish a demo once I have the pop-up in-game menu working this weekend.
Edit: I am also planning on implementing a revolver. You have 6 shots. Then clip empty. Your bullets will ricochet off walls and objects. Like an intricate pool/billiards shot you will need to align your shot. Try and hit switches in hard to reach places. Hitting the switch will perhaps open secret doors.This might be a bridge too far for this prototype though... maybe.
I am a Pisces after-all... promise you the world, deliver nothing ;-P
New stuff added this weekend.
Health and damage is now a thing: circular blood decals, red flash and screen shake (yay!)
3 traps added: travelling blade, lava/acid and my personal fav, "a-breath-o-foul-air".
This is the last update for a bit.
Next week I want to maybe add more traps/objects and experiment with a ricochet mechanic.
I am dreading the level design phase. Not my forte.
All objects (bar walls) are manually placed in the scene currently. I still need to add all objects to Tiled if I am ever going to make 13 levels.
I'm going to go watch something comical now...
All weekend trapped in that gloomy bottomless pit is affecting my mental health :)
See first post for download...
Updated:
1) Revolver: Ricochet, BULLET TIME... OMG, first camera shake, now this gimmick too!
2) Doors and keys... a means to control player movement in dungeon (eventually)
Now don't go shooting any innocent bystanders, yourself included, okay? :-O
Updated:
1) Game objectives clarified.
2) New UI.
3) Health pickup added.
4) New creature: Snake
5) More Traps: Spitter / Lazer beams.
6) Sandbox level expanded to accommodate new traps.
7) Various bug fixes.
Next week is level design. Following week will focus on sounds, polish and wrap-up.
This is probably the last playable demo until 31st March.
If you haven't guessed, the main game mechanics so far are exploration, survival, delivery mission (key->door) and escort mission (npc->destination)... I have yet to determine a reason, in a Lovecraftion-fashion, why an NPC would follow me to a specific destination. I feel I need to read some more Lovecraftian stories to pull some ideas creatively.
Also I have managed to get to a point where I can construct levels now by painting props/traps in the Tiled editor which should allow me to create new levels far more rapidly.
I am torn currently between adding more unique traps and starting the thought processes around creating the puzzle level elements. I realise building fun puzzle levels by using the limited props available is a skill in its own...one I doubt I have.
I need to do some more research on puzzle games that utilize obstructing/unobstructing mechanisms as currently deployed for some ideas, but time is running out. :-D
Added:
1) The story (by H.P Lovecraft)
2) A switch object that triggers a door from a distance.
3) Auto-save after level complete with resume feature on title screen
4) All Audio
5) Created levels 1-4 as well as the end level, level 7 (in case I ran out of time).
Currently crunching to get levels 5 and 6 done then some spit, polish and bug hunting if time permits.
Will upload the demo tomorrow at 23:59:59.
Final compo build ready for download: Deeper Darker v0.06 for PC (63 MB). See first post for links.
It feels good to get a project done. :)
Well done and good luck to all contestants, I look forward to playing your creations.
I still need to do a mini post-mortem and remove those unnecessary .pdb files from the zip at some point.
What worked well?
This is a top-down, 2D game very similar to other prototypes I've done previously.
Development was accelerated by using code snippets from those prototypes as well as using productivity enhancing tools like: AutoTileGen/Tiled/Twine etc
I am pretty pleased that the game has an actual ending/conclusion.
My first prototype ever that does, short as it may be. (+-30 minute playtime/7 levels)
What didn't work?
I hoped to collaborate with others on this project for sound/art/level design/story/game design etc...
There just was no interest, which was disappointing.
Story/Context-wise I also had to back-track a bit. I initially introduce too much story that could potentially
sidetrack the project and alienate an audience... the whole Revelations theme and story in general... I think the game feels better for going the H.P. Lovecraft route instead of the religious context planned.
What would I do differently or change?
I need to design/plan more on paper instead of in my head...
As usual, when I started out, I envisaged a game much larger in scope than the final compo build...
More fun mechanics, more levels, more enemies, more traps etc :)
I somehow need to engage the community more too, by attending events etc if I want collaborate in the future.
Scope versus time is still something I need to get to grips with properly in order to grow as a game designer/developer.
I am a total novice when it comes to game jams. Not sure I like a time constraint/deadline, even if it is a month.
Also don't know how I'd fare in a team.
Final thoughts:
Unsure if I'll spend more time improving this game. Interest seemed luke warm which is also good feedback.
I have since started resuming experiments on another, older prototype that is fun to spend time with right now.
Overall I am humbled by being a part of something like this. Sharing something I love doing along-side my peers.
The different perspectives and talent visible in this community is amazing and very inspirational.
This compo was hugely educational and I hope to see many more like it on MGSA.
Stats: itch.io
Earnings: $0.00 Purchases: 0 Views: 57 Downloads: 6