2D Fighting game (WIP)

Jurgen

Hi :)
I am working on a fighting game at the moment and I am building up to its first prototype.
To get a feel for the direction I want to go, I made these:




For a setting / theme I'm thinking African tribes in like an alternate history. Where only the strongest warrior of each tribe can compete / fight for glory to be King.

Jurgen

Here are some progress GIF's:





These are for a rough estimate of moves and actions, just to get something playable going :)

Jurgen

Here is like a move sheet:



and here are more progress GIF's:

Jurgen

Here is a short vid of my first combo :)

Jurgen

I'm trying out a different angle :)

Tuism

That does look interesting, but try to figure out some gameplay? :) The only feedback I can give on this right now is that the walking feels slow.

Jurgen

Hi @Tuism, thanx :) Yeah, I updated the walking speed and the punching bag has a bit of interaction now:)
Here is a video of it:


I'm thinking giving the player character some shurikens to throw at the punching bag :)

Tuism

Well... Still not much to feedback on. Try and get some actual interactions and systems going? :)

Jurgen

Here is another update video:


I've added a healthbar for the punching bag and it takes damage for punches and a shuriken throw.
I've updated the size of the player character relative to his movement.

I'm planning more interaction with updating the punching bag to a multi-attack-receive-doll type thing and eventually an AI controlled opponent :)

Tuism

So... All you've added are scripted, straightforward things, there's still not much in terms of mechanics for a player to figure out, to create emergent behaviour, to surprise, to find interesting. That's what I'm encouraging you to make. Does that make sense?

Unless your goal is to focus on animations, presentation and polish. Then okay :)

Jurgen

Hi @Tuism, it makes sense :) Thankyou :) Yeah, I have to ask myself some questions:
1. Other games that share a similar viewpoint, what makes them successful? Perhaps I can draw inspiration from them to aid the player to be more engaged and interested in what happens?

2. A fighting game brings a good measure of unpredictability to the table and forces the player to react to unforeseen circumstances. How can I do that here?

Answers:
1. The latest God of War game has a really good combat system, where enemies move around and attack in various ways. It also has a viewpoint that changes in accordance with what is happening around the player. The Leviathan axe has some great mechanics, both melee and ranged.
So, I should look at alternating the viewing angle in terms of dodging and attacking from different angles for a start. Variety of attacks, even with weapons could be cool :), ranged or not.

2. To surprise the player there could be something visual that quickly ques them that an attack is coming (from outside the view) to the left or right or even above them somewhere. Then adjusting the view to act on the attacks is key.
Multiple enemies attacking the player could be cool.

Come to think of it, the game, Dragon's Lair had the player react to situations like quick time events type of thing.
This could be a game where one can change the viewing angle and interact with oncoming events.

Tuism

Ideas are all good and well and you can talk about incorporating ideas from ALL your favourite games, it could be an RPG too with stats, it could also have a dragon you can ride, with lasers....

All you're actually doing though, is overscoping for yourself. Start with something simple, something playable. See where that goes.

konman

@Jurgen OMW! When I saw the video I almost posted about a Dragon's Lair vibe and now that you mentioned it, it is uncanny! I didn't do so at the time, because I thought I might be misinterpreting what you were making and did not want to offend or seem stupid. Now that you mentioned DL too, I think I was 'getting' what you are aiming for here in the first place... :D Nice!

Jurgen

Thanx @Tuism :) ,I've started to re-think my approach to the development of the game quite a bit :)

Here is a video of my latest progress:


The main character is now a Necromancer :)

Thanx @konman :) ,in the video the game starts with three like doorways / monoliths / glyphs in front of the player. They can be selected and the screen centers on the selected doorway. When a doorway is clicked on the player goes to the next level where three lizardmen appear.

What I'm thinking is to have scenes like Dragon's Lair play out where one navigates traps and puzzles ,and enemy confrontations to be turn based battles :)

konman

@Jurgen I have recently played quite a bit of the Metro series. A lot of players on the forums seem to be adverse to the older quick time event / mash the 'E' key to progress mechanic, although I don't mind it myself. It is interesting to note that it is still being used regardless, in many AAA games... see the very recent Metro Exodus. If you can find a way to make that mechanic unique somehow (I won't pretend I know how!), you could have something interesting on your hands. Your great art combined with story telling could enhance the game, but as @Tuism said, finding even more interesting mechanics would elevate the whole experience even more.

Tuism

I don't hate quicktime events, the thing with them is that the main driving force to playing those games with them isn't the QTE themselves but the story and everything around the QTE. So just saying "hey I'm going to make a game where you push buttons in the direction of the dodge" really isn't going to interest anyone. Look at Dragon's Lair, God of War, any number of games with QTE and you'll see that's true.

Heck, BEAT SABER is the ultimate QTE game. The whole game is literally QTE. So's all rhythm games. But the interest there is never in the mechanic but the music and the composure of the string of arrows to make the body move in ways that feel amazing.

So again, try and find something interesting. Something with a hook. It's not "because I press punch and it does a punch" or "because there are lizard men after I open the door". What is it?

Jurgen

Thanx for the awesome feedback :) @Tuism and @konman :)

I've started to work on the story and motivation for the Necromancer as main character :)

Here is a work in progress background / test scene:


For story, I'm planning around a nemesis Sorcerer to the Necromancer who casts a time-teleportation spell on him and sends the Necromancer to an ancient and dangerous (trap filled and with lurking enemies) temple where time forgot.

The Necromancer must find his way through the temple and ultimately defeat the Sorcerer.

For game-play I'm planning QTE events which can / may be affected by inventory items such as talismans and potions etc.
The player will have to activate something like a "active" ability on set inventory item, so when a QTE happens the item is available for use.

I also like the idea of "choose your own adventure", so with interactive fiction there may be multiple endings or paths in the story, here I would like to have multiple outcomes for QTE events too :)

I'll hopefully have something playable soon :)