There is now a crude, playable build that I showed off at this week's MGSA meetup! (March)
Use wisely, graciously, and with the utmost hope that it doesn't break on you because I keep wrecking stuff while fiddling with other stuff.
STOIC / COLD FOCUS / FIGHT FLOW / WHATEVERNAME BUILD (27 Mar '14)
https://app.box.com/s/tugia3mhv69ecnrsrol2
(First Video)
(Extended video with voiceover explanation)
So over at QCF we're trying to get regular jamming, side projects and whatnot going as a more formal part of the office schedule. Similar to what Free Lives does, but with fewer genitals / explosions and a little more blood.
Something that I've recently been using Jam Time to polish up is a re-re-re-rework of a general idea called FienDASH that you may have seen me post prototypes of from time to time (like the one here: http://www.makegamessa.com/discussion/1159/turn-based-slashy-monster-prototype ).
We wanna start posting the results of these sessions more broadly (generate attention, convince our detractors we aren't dead, set up a culture of transparency and community interest projects, etc). That said, posting a video publically is a different kettle of fish to posting for fellow developers, so it's coming here first. Hooray!
And yeah, I think this is the first time I've ever posted a game video without an accompanying game download. I feel slightly weird. But hey, wanna tell me how this makes you feel? Share your emotions!
Use wisely, graciously, and with the utmost hope that it doesn't break on you because I keep wrecking stuff while fiddling with other stuff.
STOIC / COLD FOCUS / FIGHT FLOW / WHATEVERNAME BUILD (27 Mar '14)
https://app.box.com/s/tugia3mhv69ecnrsrol2
(First Video)
(Extended video with voiceover explanation)
So over at QCF we're trying to get regular jamming, side projects and whatnot going as a more formal part of the office schedule. Similar to what Free Lives does, but with fewer genitals / explosions and a little more blood.
Something that I've recently been using Jam Time to polish up is a re-re-re-rework of a general idea called FienDASH that you may have seen me post prototypes of from time to time (like the one here: http://www.makegamessa.com/discussion/1159/turn-based-slashy-monster-prototype ).
We wanna start posting the results of these sessions more broadly (generate attention, convince our detractors we aren't dead, set up a culture of transparency and community interest projects, etc). That said, posting a video publically is a different kettle of fish to posting for fellow developers, so it's coming here first. Hooray!
And yeah, I think this is the first time I've ever posted a game video without an accompanying game download. I feel slightly weird. But hey, wanna tell me how this makes you feel? Share your emotions!
Comments
Also, that is really cool! I want to play that asap! :P
One thing though about the video - they planning phase is very confusing to watch and understand until you see the final product. You might want to clear it up a little/ make it clearer what's happening :).
Or you could just leave it like it is and have people's minds explode when they see the final product :D.
random thoughts:
I want to play this. Where is the camera shake? Also I think the general action can be sped up with little time slowdowns whenever an enemy is hit. You do it in some places and it works great, but I think it can be on every impact. Hard to give more feedback without having played it, but the idea still seems like it has tons of promise, moreso now that i has some graphics to go with it.
I may tweak a playable version some time within the next week. If that's done, I'll post it here for the people who want to try it out. The game is very functional but is extremely difficult to use without a little UI revision.
@raithza And regarding camera shake ... you've reminded me that I actually have functionality built in for that. It's hanging out in my code and not doin' anything so I'll attach it to a tasteful event or two. :)
If you guys like turn-based fighting games, I recommend checking out Toribash: http://www.toribash.com/
Here's some over-achiever showing off moves:
I went back and edited the video. It's similar to the one up top, but now comes with a slightly extended voiceover explaining the gameplay.
I know you want to keep this only for MGSA now, but please let me know when I can write about this - I think people will go crazy over this -_-. (Or can I write about it now? :D)
An aesthetic effect that I'm quite proud-ish of is the gradual fade of normal environmental colours to a scheme I'm fond of calling "bloody sepia". Basically, I desaturate and / or red-tinge different categories of the environment in different ways. The intensity of this reddish greyout depends on the intensity of your killing spree and shifts somewhat gradually as the game session intensifies.
Two things to take note of:
1. Weapons have been given their own visual language since this screenshot. They now stand out slightly more as a visual group.
2. Motion is actually a lot clearer than the still pictures I've tried to take would suggest. Chaos only becomes overwhelming at the worst points of a violence streak, and I hope to pat that out.
On another note, I've posted the build from last night's meetup here and at the top of the thread. Presented as-is. Beware. There's not much to "learn", per se, you'll get all the basic controls of the game by just putzing around with a mouse.
STOIC / COLD FOCUS / FIGHT FLOW / WHATEVERNAME BUILD (27 Mar '14)
https://app.box.com/s/tugia3mhv69ecnrsrol2
At first the game was crashing with an error ("FATAL ERROR in Vertex Shader compilation"). I had to download and install the DirectX End-User Runtime (I could have sworn I did it a few months ago as well), and then it all worked.
Also, at first I assumed enemies were just spawning randomly, but I'm not sure if I reached the end of the game after beating a guy with a spear that takes 3 hits to kill..
There is currently a way to save and load replays locked in code but severed from players. I am unable to remove a distressing trend for these replays to break more frequently for some reason (I say "more" frequently because you'll notice occasional bunked feedback on regular playbacks). I didn't want to raise false hopes, so I'd rather limit playtime until I've improved the game a bit more.
In short: if you had a good time playing it but didn't play for that long, no worries. I've got a few incentives waiting in the wings but I do just need first impressions feedback atm.
I feel like I want a "parry" move - but I'm guessing the right offensive move equals parrying? It kinda feels like it but again, it seems guessworky.
The secondary weapons are a really nice touch. Love that. Hadn't got to use the spear, which is kinda disappointing :P
Pacifism run sounds like fun, but then all the enemies will end up chasing you, right?
<idea dump>
<donno if these are good ideas>
Otherwise, for the record, I'm a big fan of wanting more control over what each attack type does. They all feel very similar except the backstep and thrust (and even the thrust felt like a swing because of the momentum carrying you, maybe that's the point, but then it shouldn't be called thrust, maybe something like extend... which doesn't sound as exciting so I'll stop with this train of thought now...). Maybe have the 180 slash that only moderately affects the turning momentum and a 720 spin where the player does a massive momentum injecting whirling spin.
I also would like more control points, so like 12 instead of 6. I understand 6 were locked down originally since the game had full 360 degree control but then people would go pixel hunting for the exact right spot, but 6 feels too limiting.
I'm also would like to have a additional dodge move which flings you in a desired direction (even against the momentum) to escape tight situations (also smoke bomb, maybe). It would make for close exciting escapes and a cooler vid in the end (I think)
I've said many times, the control points that will result in death should be high-lit, since in tight situations I end up just looking for that one attack-type/control point combo that won't result in death, which is more tedious rather than "planning my next coldly focused/stoic tactical move"
I didn't say it, but someone mentioned cutting down the amount of time per turn and making an object pickup a turn rather than automatic. I would certainly like object pickups to be manual somehow... maybe. I might just be playing with the pickup mechanic counter to the desired vision, but I never really noticed them, they were always a "oh, cool I have a <item> now, *use*"
</donno if these are good ideas>
</idea dump>
Will probably stop thinking about technical problems with the GM build soon ... Unity do-over feels more and more certain.
I'll use the reset to make one last system adjustment based on the commentary here. I think I've got a nice bit o' idea :P
I'm not sure what 3D will add to it as I really love the top down look. It makes the floaty player feel like he is performing a feat of technical footwork without it being explicitly shown.
I don't like that the enemies are knocked back by sword blows. With the amount of blood coming out of them, it would be nicer to feel like I'm slicing my way through, rather than bashing them around.
I'm not sure if it's intentional or not, but the player bounces off the enemies and the walls quite violently. It makes for an interesting strategy against the last enemy - to bounce off him every time you hit him - it gives you a ton of backwards momentum to avoid his spear and hit him again.
Seriously it'll be amazing in 3D, though the moves will be even less distinguishable in 3D space - or less understandable. I can understand it in 2D space that things go towards or away, or more to the left or right, wider arc, tighter stab, etc, but 3D...
It's like my mind just refused to work going from starcraft to homeworld :P
But damn it'll LOOK amazing.
I find BUILD (27 Mar '14) fun to play.
The main trouble at this point, which is the delicate balancing act I've tried pulling so far, is getting the right level of fudge versus flow vs realism. Moving to 3D is exciting AND intimidating because I'll lose some valuable fudge points. More camera angles and 3D models offer a lot of opportunity while also opening the game up to additional scrutiny.
Things like Thaum mentions -- the abstraction of the footwork, etc -- will be lost, and will have to be replaced by either rigid / explicit systems or I'll need to make a conscious decision to abstract / handwave that stuff. Not gonna be easy.
Still gonna be attempted, though.
Guess that's the inconsistency when re-simulating with data creeping in.
[ Diffuse ] [ Specular ] [ Normal ]
You'll need more than that to get them looking nice (e.g. some lights and/or a reflection cube) though, and I have a feeling you'd be better off with more of a hand-painted look, but whatever! XD If you do decide on something like this, let me know. (I want to get rid of that long rock in there, because it makes the tiling kind of obvious. Otherwise I've been keen to go back to doing hand-painted-looking stuff again too, so I'll try something like that later this week maybe, depending on how quickly I fight off this flu.)