[Concept WIP] Tales - The Unwritten pages

Sup everyone.

Building a working prototype for this concept. Regarding story and Ideas. I just want to pitch this. See if this sparks any feedback. What I seen around here is share and grow the concept and not try to post a final product here. Get feedback early.

Imagine Nuclear Throne meets Broforce ( Or some part of it)

Story
Tales of the world has been forgotten. But there is a reason for it. They all have been captured and only a few left. When the last story characters has been captured the offering will start and the BAD ENEMY WARLORD NAME HERE will cross the tales realm to our realm to enslave all mankind.

Player enters this lost library. First he find a open book. ( Tutorial mission ). Player enters and start going thru levels like Nuclear throne. Every enemy you kill gives you some part of the missing pages in the book ( XP ) until your player Transforms into the Character of the Tale he is in ( Acting as a second live ). If the player looses a life he will transform back into a normal character. Save the Librarian who is actually a Wizzard tasked to protect the Tales. ( Or Is he )

Player is tasked to save some of the key Tales. as Follow.

Player enters Robin Hoods Book. When gaining XP he will turn into the HOOD for the second life and for a 3rd Live the player can randomly turn into any of the unlocked characters. Final boss for area ( The Sherrif ). Beat him and the HOOD is unlocked and in the Library.

Then player enters Wonderland. Enough XP and Player turn into ALICE....

Got some more level ideas. But you get the flow of things.

Each Character has some kind of unique ranged and Melee attack. Special Ability when Charged.
Each level start with 1 life and you can gain lives if you get enough "XP". You can loose lives and gain them all the way to the boss area.

Crap... hope this makes sense..... Let me have it in the comments. Would you play this?

Comments

  • edited
    I like this idea but - and as a writer I hate to say this - for most games (action-oriented games, anyway, and some puzzle games) the story, like art, is just the skin around great gameplay and/or mechanics. If the game isn't fun to play and the challenge isn't balanced then it doesn't matter what the story is or what the game looks like. That's why game devs prototype with cubes and spheres - and some really good final games end up just being cubes and spheres (although in that case the story can be quite compelling too). However, if the game is fun and well balanced then the story and art can make a huge difference.

    With a game like this the different characters won't be equal - some will always be better to use than others (and it might be different for different players) - so if it comes to a point past the books or wherever where the player can pick a favourite character to do something (or it's randomly assigned) then the characters really need to be balanced. (Think of Broforce, for example - you get some bros and you go "Oh, no!" and you sort of slug it out with difficulty but are relieved when you die and (hopefully) get someone better but at the same time you still have to try and master them all because you may not get someone better for a while.)

    (Edit: typo.)
  • My thoughts on making a game prototype.

    NB: This seems to be what is preached, but I don't practice it myself! Maybe I should?

    What is my reason/inspiration for making this prototype?
    What genre games do I like to play and therefore want to make/imitate? Let's say: Valheim, Terraria, Rust

    Decide the basic game loop (in words):

    1) protect me and my stuff
    2) combine/craft things to better protect me and my stuff against ever increasing threats (customise my experience, my way, so I feel clever)
    3) collect things to craft better things and make exploring safer/more efficient
    4) explore further, while protecting myself, to collect things to craft to better protect me and my stuff
    5) Why? Don't care yet. Setting? Not important now.

    That's it. Done. Now I can make a prototype with squares and circles to prove above game loop could be fun or not.
    Enemies don't yet have to move, neither does the player. Exploration also could happen in later prototype.
    Collect? Nah, maybe just give player all items as a choice for now.

    If prototype is fun and actions are engaging/fun with only 2 minutes of gameplay/basic mechanics only, expand and add a bit more variety, then re-test basic prototype. Rinse and repeat.

    If not fun, abandon prototype and retry another concept.

    At this point, what should I not do? Jump ahead and make AI, pathfinding, dynamic lighting, story, animations, art, procedural generation, difficulty curves, etc etc, however technically enticing those are and impatient I am. Those could detract from finding the fun game-loop as quickly and effortlessly as possible and I would therefore, hopefully, not waste my own time.

    Your thoughts?
    Thanked by 1watman
  • This thread has inspired me to attempt a short game-loop prototype as discussed above. (I might post it as a separate thread if it works out)

    What I realised while doing so, is that by "concept" @dark_seth did not mean an actual full blown "story" with tons of lore etc.

    One cannot build an abstract prototype without a rough concept/idea in the first place, to give the player some context about the world and parameters in which the prototype happens, else it just won't make sense for why they're there and what it all means.
  • That's not always true, if you look at how Francois van Niekerk's puzzle game Streamline became Jetstream, for example, although it's not so much a story as a theme. However it started out as a mechanic (Streamline) and he experimented with multiple theme ideas long after that, with the Jetstream one ultimately being the choice.
    Thanked by 1konman
  • Yah. Concept like mentioned @konman I have short gameplay prototype that is 99% ready. Can I send you a build.?
  • edited
    @dark_set Yes please! Maybe it's best to keep "Tales - The Unwritten pages" posts to a single thread as well?

    I am also doing a prototype on the above game-loop I mentioned. It's going really well.
    Theme: Hellish, 9 levels already, bump enemies to attack for now (attack/defense stats only).
    I got loot to drop from drop tables configured per level to control that better, now just need to pick it up into inventory and then be able to craft items from raw resources picked up.

    I might use the spawn script you posted for enemy spawns to get to the end result quicker if that's ok? :D

    Cheers,
    K
  • konman said:
    @dark_set Yes please! Maybe it's best to keep "Tales - The Unwritten pages" posts to a single thread as well?

    I am also doing a prototype on the above game-loop I mentioned. It's going really well.
    Theme: Hellish, 9 levels already, bump enemies to attack for now (attack/defense stats only).
    I got loot to drop from drop tables configured per level to control that better, now just need to pick it up into inventory and then be able to craft items from raw resources picked up.

    I might use the spawn script you posted for enemy spawns to get to the end result quicker if that's ok? :D

    Cheers,
    K
    Please go ahead and use it. Your loot system sound great. I will send you a link to the download for the build.
  • @konman Here is a playable build. It is rough but why not post it here for all to test.

    Download

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/kvbz3wgvd7rcpgb/Tales.rar?dl=0


    Boss level is level 4.
    gain 10 XP turn into Hood.
    For every level the world scales in size and enemies.


    Liitle sneek peak of transforming into HOOD
    image

    Let me have it :)

    Enjoy Guys

    Thanked by 1konman
  • @dark_seth Looking good so far. I got to Nottingham 4 and faced-off with the Sheriff. Got his HP down to 0... :D
    I like the feel of the controls. Nice and smooth.
  • konman said:
    @dark_seth Looking good so far. I got to Nottingham 4 and faced-off with the Sheriff. Got his HP down to 0... :D
    I like the feel of the controls. Nice and smooth.
    Thanks for testing it.

    I damn. I see. your suppose to go back to the main screen with Hood now also in the main menu..

    Worked a lot on the controls and the camera to fit it. Thanks! For me the wizard character you start with feels a bit meh ( Generic and almost the same as HOOD but slower ) Need to change the range attack on it or something.



  • I like this look more.

    image
    Thanked by 1konman
  • IMHO, the previous level art seemed a bit more organic (less blocky). I liked that more, but that's me. Maybe the way the edges were drawn? I'm not an artist, so my opinion should be disregarded :-P
    Thanked by 1dark_seth

  • I think it is the sides and the top of the wall that bugged me. Made some changes. But also this is just for the prototype.


    image
    Thanked by 1konman
  • Due to the lack of inspiration. I just needed to break away a it and create rain!.
    LOL Does not look to bad.

    image
    Thanked by 1konman
  • edited
    @dark_seth what is the white block for? I noticed it on my play-through? That rapid fire is awesome.
  • edited
    konman said:
    @dark_seth what is the white block for? I noticed it on my play-through? That rapid fire is awesome.
    Part of the word generator. Just tested to see how easy it was to add a random resource. Should be pickups for the player or something.

    Want to use the same logic to spawn nice environment items. Well that is the plan.

    Yeah. I love that rapid fire too :).
  • Improvement on the rain. Longer drops makes it look better. Also Those splashes!!!!! Now it feels that it actually hit the world.

    image

    Thanked by 1konman
  • edited
    @dark_seth Lovely! It's amazing how attention to a slight detail can have such a big effect. (2D becomes 3d etc.). I like it a lot.

    Speaking about hitting the world, I looked up at the stars last might and thought an alien invasion was happening, you know those triangular shaped lights were incoming everywhere...I then realized I probably need to have my eyes tested because the invasion force seemed impossibly large, even for aliens, maybe... and there were no further reports in the news, so we're good :-P
    Thanked by 1dark_seth
  • Something I always wanted to do is create 2d grass that the player interacts with. Never took the time but I feel this should do for this project.

    Windy area, player pushes grass a bit.


    Hope you guys like it!

    image
  • With the rains falling, I am not surprised the grass is growing so rapidly and beautifully. Faster than humanly seems possible :-P
  • Need some Ideas. Everyone please let me here you in here!
    @konman Please feel free to add here :)


    World

    Nuclear throne Level system. As current go thru loops to get to the boss.
    Multiple Areas to choose from at main menu? ( Or ) After each level you have to choose from 4 random areas next.

    Alternative.

    Open Generated word where each section you choose to visit


    Characters and Weapons

    Start with one Character. Weapons can be picked up and carry 2 at most.
    Unlock characters that has a perk and a disadvantage. Like
    One is faster but has lower health. Better at long range shooting
    One is Slower normal health but gains more ammo etc.
    Or something like that.

    Alternative.

    Each character has static weapon set.

    Story and aim of the game loop,

    This can be build around the World characters and Game Loop.
    Well as above. Set in fantasy world in Tales. Story books. Alice in Wonderland etc.
    Else
    Any other idea please post here!

    Art Style

    Well. Like you seeing above what I am Aiming for. And yes like always it might change slightly.
  • Does Anybody know how this water was done ?
    image
  • Not the same but my concept worked out not to bad I feel. Can still improved later on if I use it in level Design.

    image

  • edited
    O you guys should now me by now. I don't like leaving a challenge!

    Making some additions to Unity tilemap code.


    Default animation tile ( or in my case the animation part in the rule tile. ) Works on Both

    I need some Help here please!

    Normal

    image

    CheckBox ( Random Start )That per Tile checks frame length and picks a starting frame.

    Amazing. ( This I will use for Fires and Flags! )

    image

    Inspector

    image

    Water using Random
    image









    Now to get the wave effect running over the screen what I need for the water ( Wave CheckBox )

    My Idea is to do the following Let say the the following
    Frame Count = 4 frames per animation. ( 0 to 3 in Code)
    X position of all tiles example above

    Each Flag on X axis
    -2,-1,0,1,2,3

    So now I have to go. Lets say always use x=0 as starting frame 0 ?
    -2,-1,0,1,2,3
    F2,F3,F0,F1,F2,F3

    How the hell do I calculate that???

    Pseudocode

    totalframes = rule.m_AnimatedSprites.Length; ( example 4 ( 0 to 3 ) )
    locationvar = location.x ; ( example 2 )

    starttileindex = ??????? ( should be 2)

    Example 2

    totalframes = rule.m_AnimatedSprites.Length; ( example 4 ( 0 to 3 ) )
    locationvar = location.x ; ( example 13 )

    starttileindex = ??????? ( should be 1)

    -2,-1,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14
    F2,F3,F0,F1,F2,F3,F0,F1,F2,F3,F0,F1,F2,F3,F0,F1,F2,F3







  • edited

    WAVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Got it. I feel silly now. Old Classic Modulo function. C# only has remainder So I had to make my own.

    int Mod(int a, int n) => (a % n + n) % n;

    Results.

    image

    Will update this post when I update the Rule tile. This was just the Animated Tile as Standalone
    Thanked by 1konman
  • I need some input here. Not that the forum is very active.....


    I need to decide which way to go.

    Tales Story - Like first post ...takes place in fairy tales books idea.

    Wild West - Everytime you die you spawn as a new sherrif to go Safe x or get X back for the town. Old guy at the gate saying "You must be the new Sherrif ". Each Sherrif has diff perks / weakness, One can't see that good at night. One is faster but reloads slower. Permadeath but with the upgrades done to the sherrif badge is what caries over to the new run.

    I would love some ideas here.

    Regards
  • Something that might help you decide could be to think about which version of the game is something you can better imagine as a final product with its hooks, or which offers you the most immediate ideas for how to make it a satisfying experience.

    I think that sometimes some of the better ideas kind of "write themselves", so that even though you might still have to do some prototyping or experimentation, it's more of a case of having too many choices and having to choose which ones to cull, rather than having to squeeze ideas out of a rock. :P I think some developers are more inspired by fantasy and a sense of world/narrative progress, and others are more inspired by roguelike systems. While it may be good to consider the size of audience they'd be targeting, I think it matters more that you're making the game you're inspired to make.

    Unrelated, but I like how snappy and juicy your fx are!
    Thanked by 1dark_seth
  • So another thing I always wanted to make was nice bouncing loot from a enemy or a chest.

    Thinks this effect will work.

    image


    Ha ha . What if a chest can give you more chests!!!!!!



    image

    Thanked by 2konman Elyaradine
  • Ah juicy loot! I like that 3d effect you get as the chest explodes its contents onto the ground. Very nice ;P
    Thanked by 1dark_seth
  • Why not just use the same system for leafs falling. Just add a slight sway on the way down. Easy enough. Just a quick expand of a module that I can use again.

    image

    Thanked by 1Tuism
  • Some Character Redesign. Starting to like my look.

    image
    Thanked by 1konman
  • Hi All. It has been a while. Hope everyone is good.

    Made something for Dark Areas. 2D Light is never that perfect for Unity so made this shader that caters for my Needs.

    image
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