[Project] ORB
Hey guys,
Let me introduce myself: Name is Robert aka Psyinx, and I am starting up an independent indie game development studio by the name of Devil's Peek Games (Website still under development, it's coming!)
I'm currently a full time project lead for my day job, and in the little time I have between my wife, friends, admin and work I - I dedicate to O-R-B.
A classic 2D top down block puzzle game, with a twist.
Guide Orb on his journey to the center of a legendary shrine which is said to reward the entity with eternal light.
Collect all the orbs in each level, in as little moves and as little time as possible.
Progress your skills through increasingly difficult puzzles and unlock new elements along the way.
More info and some older game play screenshots and videos can be found on my Indie DB profile:
Or O-R-B's website: orbgame.net
You can also download the pre-alpha concepts demo from Itch.io:
Itch.Io
I am more than open to discuss the many many other puzzle elements that are currently in the game (as the demo only shows a you few).
So guys... How am I doing? Comments and suggestions more than welcome!
Facebook: Devil's Peek
Let me introduce myself: Name is Robert aka Psyinx, and I am starting up an independent indie game development studio by the name of Devil's Peek Games (Website still under development, it's coming!)
I'm currently a full time project lead for my day job, and in the little time I have between my wife, friends, admin and work I - I dedicate to O-R-B.
A classic 2D top down block puzzle game, with a twist.
Guide Orb on his journey to the center of a legendary shrine which is said to reward the entity with eternal light.
Collect all the orbs in each level, in as little moves and as little time as possible.
Progress your skills through increasingly difficult puzzles and unlock new elements along the way.
More info and some older game play screenshots and videos can be found on my Indie DB profile:
Or O-R-B's website: orbgame.net
You can also download the pre-alpha concepts demo from Itch.io:
Itch.Io
I am more than open to discuss the many many other puzzle elements that are currently in the game (as the demo only shows a you few).
So guys... How am I doing? Comments and suggestions more than welcome!
Facebook: Devil's Peek
Orb Teaser 2.png
688 x 470 - 394K
Thanked by 1Fengol
Comments
However, as far as comments and suggestions go, it's really hard to give those without an actual game to play. If you would like to get some feedback on how to improve your game, what elements work and which don't, post a link to an alpha build. I'd be keen to give it a go.
The music is nice and mysterious, and the art style has a certain charm to it. The video unfortunately doesn't give me enough information about the gameplay to give meaningful feedback.
Thanks for your initial interest. An alpha build is most certainly on its way - I'm busy setting up my itch.io profile and getting the game into a somewhat steady state. As soon as it up i'll be sure to post a link this side! :)
Thanks for checking out the video! I should be releasing a playable demo to this forum within the next few days or so - however I can't guarantee the state that the project will be in, and a few of the newer puzzle elements and mechanics (especially switches, view rotation, element rotation, island rotation and co-op) may not be included (gulp) - With that said, It is becoming critical at this point for me to start obtaining some general feedback, so I can't hold the demo back for much longer - and... it is just a demo after all.. right... :D
I'll start compiling some release notes, known issues, omitted elements and perhaps a few notes on some of the ideas that I have had regarding certain puzzle elements, level/game progression and the game in general.
Till then!
Ciao :)
So I realize that my timing is a little off given the current game jam session going on - but I thought I'd post this anyway.
O-R-B Pre-Alpha Concepts Demo is available for download through my Itch.io profile:
Itch.Io
Please refer to Orbgame.net for more details on the release. Looking forward to hearing your feedback!
Psyinx
Just a quick update on my progress - super excited to announce that over the weekend I managed to get O-R-B up and running on Android! There are one or two performance issues and tweaks that I still need to do, but overall i'm genuinely surprised at how well the game is running :D
I have to fix up my menus as they are a little finicky at the moment - once done i'll upload an apk for those of you who would like to give it a test run.
Ciao.
O-R-B for Android v0.1.1
There are still a few things that I need to correct on this version - however this list is not comprehensive and there are still many items on my backlog to get through!
1. Text sizing on intro and tutorials
2. The music information popup does not take zoom level into consideration
3. Zoom in and out could be a little faster
4. Panning does not take zoom level into consideration
5. The buttons x, y, b and a will be replaced with a graphical counterpart of their actual action
6. Slight performance niggles when pushing blocks closer to light sources
7. Options menu does not work - so don't click on it or you will most probably have to restart the app
8. Level select has no back button
If come across any issues, or have some suggestions please don't hesitate to drop me a comment - I will appreciate all the feedback that I can get!
Cheers
O-R-B for Android v0.1.4
Fixes in v0.1.4:
1. Game menu has been adjusted to fit mobile slightly better
2. Enlarged fonts all round
3. Grates have a tad more polish - and are now discernible from run-of-the-mill killzones when not closed.
4. Smoother Orb movement - allowing for a much smoother game play experience.
5. TNT explosions now leave scorch marks
6. Many behind the scenes fixes and tweaks
Known Issues of the many others :(
1.The lighting layer does not "refresh" correctly after the game has been put to sleep.
2. Level 'The Chase' is a bit buggy
3. No 'Back Button' on Level Select
4. Zooming in and out could be a little faster
5. Panning does not adjust its speed according to zoom level
6. Pause menu should ignore zoom level
7. Still missing a lot of polish - getting there slowly but surely
Runs well under the following:
Galaxy S7
Galaxy Note 5
Galaxy S6
Anything below S6 appears to run a little poorly.
I have also not tested any tablets yet.
One last thing: Please note that this is a concept demo so the tutorials progress very quickly - in the full game each element is
introduced at a slower pace allowing the player to master the rules.
Psyinx
I had removed v0.1.1 and had forgotten to update the post.
v0.1.4 should be available now as per my previous comment.
Just thought I'd drop a teaser / update on my progress of ORB.
I've recently been busy with Orb's intro scene, which will cut into the first "wormhole" challenge that Orb is presented with.
Along Orb's journey, he will take worm holes from one constellation of puzzles to another. When Orb has completed all the puzzles in a constellation, he will unlock an ability which will provide aid for him to travel through these wormholes. (Abilities such as pulses, bash charge, additional shields etc).
In the video, I show a rough cut of how the game will start - the scene after the explosion is Orb emerging being sucked backwards into a black hole (the background art is not mine unfortunately so this will have to change - but it does give some indication of the direction I will be taking with these "boss levels").
Orb has to brave his way through the asteroid fields to catch up to the star in front of him - when he does he will have successfully completed the challenge and reach the next constellation.
The audio is also a rough cut and I will need to spend a little more time on it (it is actually a little tune that my wife wrote / recorded almost a year back - the recording is not perfect as we don't have studio quality equipment but its an awesome start!)
Just some thoughts. There is a voice telling the player that the explosion is a kind of lift-off from a space-travel agency (it sounds like a liftoff for a NASA rocket). This doesn't imply that there will be a blackhole that Orb needs to evade, the graphics suggest that Orb might be evading a supernova, though it's hard to imagine that voice coming from the centre of a supernova.
And it's super rad that there is a horizontal scrolling challenge level before Orb gets to the mission. It doesn't look like Orb is chasing a star though, the object in front is smaller than the asteroids. And at the moment the gameplay looks like the star is clearing a path in front of Orb (making the level easy)... Though I'm certain this is something you'll be working on still.
In any case, thanks for sharing! It's really rad seeing WIP videos and seeing how the project grows and improves over time!
I am also wanting to shatter the asteroids into smaller ones, and set them on a diagonal / spiraling course - which will also increase the difficulty of the challenge. Many thoughts and ideas here that I'll be playing around with for sure!
Over the last month or so I've been putting a lot of focus into the theme of Orb. I'm quite happy with the results so far and eager to share it with the community!
I also captured a playthrough video of Pulses:
Hope a few of you like the new look and feel as much as I do!
Haven't posted updates to this forum for a while! I am super excited to share with you my first teaser trailer for the upcoming alpha demo of ORB!
Check out some of the other teaser vids as well :)
A playthrough video of the teaser level welcome:
A short Wormhole Challenge Teaser (Back Blast Unlock Ability)
ORB Colour Swap Teaser:
ORB Through a different lens: The in-game editor
In this little time lapse video we get to see a basic puzzle being constructed by the rather primitive, yet quite useful in-game editor. The focus here was on the colour swap mechanic and puzzle elements:
I am thinking of expanding these development videos where I talk a little more in-depth about the game, what its really about and how it works - I just need to get over the fear of my hearing my own voice! X-)
Why not keep up to date with the development of ORB, check out my web page:
orbgame.net
For more details and all links to all social media, presskit etc.
Hope to see you guys around!
Rob