My First Project In Progress: Into the Dark

[AimlessZealot]

Working Name of Game: Into the Dark
Maker: Custom Engine built on JGE++
Level: Experienced C/C++ programmer (mostly MUDs and academic work) with scripting background, but little independent game design experience.

Description:
Into the Dark will be both a pet project to play with and a gradually evolving concept/design. Currently I'm aiming to hone my (game) application development, graphical and specifically mobile (PSP, Android, etc.) deployment skills. I figure starting with a fun, edgy concept will go a long way in helping me finish with something interesting. I also figured that starting a thread here would allow me to force some accountability on myself instead of risking laziness...

The initial design I'm aiming for will be a small-scale puzzle/action-RPG sort of game. As far as feel goes, I'm going to be aiming for something that plays with a top-down isometric view, likely sprite-based. Light will be a major element in the design of the game partially because I think it will be fun to make a game where darkness is both the norm and hostile and partially because I think it will allow me to have my lackluster artistic ability less of a focal point.

Plotwise, this is a story that's meant to be part whimsical humor, part horror with a definite ESRB-T vibe to it as there will be blood, dark happenings and thrills. You will take the role of Penny, a little girl in the town of Charterville left in the dark when the entire town's lights go out. Your parents, like the rest of the town's adults, scoffed at their children's fear of the dark and stepped fearlessly into the shadows in search of circuitbreakers and candles. The screams and sounds that followed confirmed every child's worst nightmares: The shadows are alive and out to get you. With every clock in town mysteriously stopped and dawn moving no closer, all that stands between you and the things that hide in the shadows are your quick wits and the dim glow of a flashlight slowly dying in your hands.

I'll be looking to release various demos of the project, pre-compiled, for homebrew PSP (eboot.pbp format) and windows as I progress.

Demo:
None yet, just a bit of concept art to tide you over. Bear with my inadequacies as an artist... I just wanted to capture some of the vibe of the project.

Screenshot(s):

 

[Eventing_Guy]

I think it's an interesting Idea for a game...
- I like the Screen shot...
- LOL, Time has Stopped...
- LOL, dying flashlight...
- LOL, every childs worst nightmare...

 

[Toams]

yo cool stuff, i hope you're able to pull this off
you seem to know what you're talking about, and what you're starting
so i can only hope that you will complete it

if you have some more stuff in the (maybe not so) near future,
just give me a heads up, and i'll place this in project development for you..
this section of the forum is really just for REAL beginners.

but we'll see how it goes
if you need help with stuff, dont hesitate to ask around on the forums,
and btw, nice screenshot, though the type could've been nicer
i like that it's animated though, adds an extra dimension

 

[AimlessZealot]

Ah, thank you :grin:

I had initially put this in Casual because I intend to be very relaxed with my pace etc, but I can see why maybe it may not be fair to frequent the same area as real beginners Thanks for the comments on the screenshot, I just wanted to try and capture some of the 'vibe' of the project.

 

[AimlessZealot]

For those curious, I have not abandoned this project, my comp is just on its last leg and I'm waiting for the new one. In the meantime, I'm patiently working on the artistic direction and core ideas.

 

[AimlessZealot]

Welp, school blew up in my face with a load of stuff, ontop of a new job.. and I ended up shelving this as a newer idea just seemed worth my limited time. I'll be starting a thread about that instead.