3rd Person Stealth Platformer

edited in Projects
Tidying up some old folders I found a 3rd person stealth platformer @Gazza_N and I worked on a couple of years ago.
I've learnt a lot more about Unity3D since these early days so I'm keen to pick up this project again and build something fun. I'd like to show it off as a showcase at 2013 AMaze or rAge.

Old version v0.11
(Old game prototype from a 48 hour competition on Game.Dev)

Lastest Download v0.20
(This isn't a proper level, just a test area demonstrating ladders, ropes and enemies.)

Castle modelling
(I'm using basic cubes to layout the 1st level for the game. You can follow the progress by downloading Castle modelling)

Directions
WASD - Running
Space - Jump
(Aiming at wooden planks) Left-click - Shoot rope arrow

The Game
A combination of stealth and 3rd person platforming; Thief meets Ratchet & Clank. The player has a vast city to explore and must steal as much loot as possible in a limited time (Midnight to day break). Scattered around the city are clues to the whereabouts of safes and combinations and events set off by the player in one part of the city can affect another part. The player will start with and find gadgets that help him navigate the city and evade capture as he won't have many weapons to defend himself or aggressively attack others.

TODO
* Remove SpriteManager and replace with NGui
* Exit menu and fullscreen
* Create "trap" prefab
* Steal coin from guard
* Implement damage from guards
* Implement falling damage
* Teleport chasing guard after he's lost the player
* Thief walk
* Noise detection for guards
* Heard noise guard voices
* Noise particles for player
* Transparency shader for detection box
* Improve guard visual detection
* Make player invincible after taking damage
* Layout tutorial level
* Guard "redirect movement" trigger
* Get player death and restart working
* Create "hurt" box"
* Player takes damage function
* Fix player facing
* Show hearts in UI
* Add SpriteManager to game

Comments

  • edited
    We did this as an entry to a 48 hour comp, as I recall. It'll be rad to get some input into what there is.

    In a total about-face, I was on asset duty on this particular project. All the crappy models, textures and animations are mine, following the idea that we needed "cute" models with simplistic animations. I also play the illustrious part of Suspicious Guard 1. I'd welcome feedback on all of these bits and pieces, amateurish though they may be. ;)
  • Here's a test build for anyone interested, just trying out my new models running around on the rooftops. Already I can see I'm going to have to work on the jumping and I suspect the problem lies with whether the character is "grounded" and can jump.

    What Dishonored got totally right was making it easy to navigate the play area. They primarily used the blink teleport but if you mess around you'll see unlike other FPS games Dishonored is very generous helping players jump and climb up edges, I want to do the same for my game and have gadgets like the rope arrow and zip-line for further vertical and horizontal movement.
  • I need your feedback!

    Here is a mobility test build that allows you to adjust the jump height, walk speed and camera distance. Please download, play around and let me know what jump height, walk speed and camera distance you find suitable.

    I'm rewriting my thief controller to incorporate the camera so all the animations are broken. WASD to move around and SPACE to jump. You can also move the mouse to look.
  • Minor update to the build in the above post re-adding ladders
  • I've got the rope arrow from Thief working!

    Well, sort of... Check out the mobility build on the first post.

    So I took at leaf out of Ratchet & Clank's book how when you aim close to an enemy, switch or grappling point it gets highlighted and the weapon snaps to that. For my game it means the rope arrow will always be in a convenient position for the thief to climb up properly (it was a pain if you weren't precise enough in Thief) and as a level designer I can determine where you can and can't climb up.

    Unfortunately at the moment there's precision required to aim at the hitbox, I need to figure out how to highlight points that at close to the raycast without actually being hit.

    To play with the rope arrow in the latest build you have to aim just above the thief's head and you'll see a little red/orange box highlight. Click the left-mouse button to create a rope (aka ladder) that you can then use.

    I'm very excited about this build although it'll probably upset @Gazza_N that I didn't work on stealth this morning.

    Feedback and suggestions wanted!
  • SUCH UNBRIDLED RAGE! ALLCAPS, ETC!

    Couldn't you use two hit boxes with collision layer filters to get your approximate locking? One oversized hitbox on one layer for cursor raycasting and rope selection, and a second to which Cute McThief actually snaps?
  • done, I didn't need 2 boxes, I just made the collision box for the mesh bigger. Mobility test on the first post updated.

    This does, of course, add extra effort to the level design but I feel it's better to have good contact points than build a generic system that only works some of the time or causes unexpected events because the player got somewhere they weren't supposed to.
  • edited
    Latest build available on the first post.

    I've updated the rope arrow to only work on wood. This'll help guide the player where they can and can't shoot.

    I've got a guard running around trying to attack you, and I've built a shadow block that you'll eventually be able to hide in when the guard becomes observant and tries to find you.

    A special shout out to @Gazza_N for being awesome making all the animations for the thief and the guard.
  • I learnt at Luma Arcade the importance of drawing on paper the level and blocking it out roughly in Unity3D to make sure: 1) it works with your game mechanics; 2) the dimensions of set pieces are right; and 3) to find draw distance and occlusion problems.

    So I've drawn up my level (which I'll re-trace in Paint.NET to upload) and begun modelling using basic cubes in Unity3D. You can follow along by downloading the Castle modelling download on the first post.

    Feedback and suggestions welcome!
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