What are you working on? (Game Making Thread)

[coyotecraft]

Probably going to be another week without a computer or much internet. That's what I get for helping my dad.

 

[BizarreMonkey]

After implementing a shit-ton of ingame fixes, Pjcr popped in and was all HEY BIZ HEY BIZ GUESS WHAT! I GOT SOME FILES... So then I had to go and implement those, but we'll get to such a thing later... for now- I wish to show you all a Promotional Poster I just finished working on.
Poster No. 10 XOR

Release Date cited may not be official.*
Now you'll probably notice a few things after looking at this downsized jpeg for a few moments, for one- the three stalks leading to the centre are comprised from silhouettes of our protagonists, refered to sparsely in the game as the Angels of Hope.

There's also the VAHNUS PROPHECY in the center, and every icon you will collect is shown around it's sides.

Then of course, there's silhouettes- illuminated slightly by a glowing edges effect- of The Twins. This is the first poster or promotional artwork to date to show both Twins in one place, sans a single Wallpaper which had them and several other characters present.

I think myself it's very striking, but I'd like to hear what you fellas think, too~

Once I know the Actual release date*, I will get a bunch of these printed at a print shop and hang them around the city in legal spaces. When it comes time for that, i will call upon some aid within my collective to do the same in other countries around the world. On the release date cited on the final image, the website will get a new homepage alike how it did during 3/14 and a subsequent few months after- This will contain a trailer about the game's story and premise, as well as a live action thank you for visiting, and that I will so hope that your day will be made just that bit more awesome by this project!

On the day itself I will be announcing it live in the Queen Street Plaza of my glorious city. Committed with a stall containing posters, and "Demo Disks" in game cases, similar to how i did it during the end of year event at "The Edge" Library for Demo 1.

Hope those download links will work! Or I may look quite silly! nevertheless the "disks" may be an illusion, but the cases will also contain a download link for the game. I was thinking of putting the games on some CD roms or DVD's as well- But that begs the question if anyone even has a working CD/DVD player these days in their PC's.

May as well for a bonus bit of support for those who have poor download speeds (common in Australia) and who have working CDrom/DVD boot drives in their computer.

As for a progress report, I'ma gonna have to tell you to wait- mostly because PJ has only half filled his work order and I feel it may be more impressive and less repeitive if I did it in another post.

 

[coyotecraft]

Downloading Adobe Media Encoder 2018 to see if I can get better compression with webms. I had an old version on my old laptop but it required a plug-in. But since moving my crap over, the format isn't available for some reason. Actually, I can plug in my old HDD and it'll work but that's a pain.
But Nu- Adobe is also a pain because they want to you log-in all the time.
Time will tell if it's worth it.

 

[BizarreMonkey]

Downloading Adobe Media Encoder 2018 to see if I can get better compression with webms. I had an old version on my old laptop but it required a plug-in. But since moving my crap over, the format isn't available for some reason. Actually, I can plug in my old HDD and it'll work but that's a pain.
But Nu- Adobe is also a pain because they want to you log-in all the time.
Time will tell if it's worth it.

If you can find a way to do so losslessly- I'm all ears.

Likely I'll release demo 2 on the 30th of october. Give me and my marketing efforts some breathing room.

 

[ZenVirZan]

Downloading Adobe Media Encoder 2018 to see if I can get better compression with webms. I had an old version on my old laptop but it required a plug-in. But since moving my crap over, the format isn't available for some reason. Actually, I can plug in my old HDD and it'll work but that's a pain.
But Nu- Adobe is also a pain because they want to you log-in all the time.
Time will tell if it's worth it.

you can probably use ffmpeg which saves having to use any adobe stuff and its probably faster

 

[coyotecraft]

So it took a day to install properly. I kept having to restart. And what I ended up with wasn't the Free 2018 version but a 7-day trial for 2019, gee thank's adobe.

I'm not sure why, but I keep getting compile errors for most of BizMonkey's videos.
According to what I read, it's better to used a variable bitrate method for downloaded videos, and constant bitrates for streaming videos. With Variable bitrate, the algorithm tries to compress as much data as it can when the video has little motion. I'm getting a pretty significant file size reduction. Although, like I said, half of the videos won't render for some reason.
With the videos I have compressed, I'm not noticing any drop in quality. But there's some audio hiccups towards the end of playback of a few videos. It could just be the video player. I'm still working on it.

 

[coyotecraft]

Not 100% satisfied but this is the best I can get done right now. Fantasia's movie folder was 1.17gb and after compressing I got it down to 303mb.

There were some videos that failed to compile. And others compiled but they had audio problems at the end, which I couldn't fix. There were some that "failed" but I was able to get a usable file from - the quality is slightly diminished I think.
Biz, I'll send you a PM with a DL, and you can decide for yourself if it's usable.

 

[coyotecraft]

Goodbye weekend. I'll bring lube next time and try not to cry afterwards.

 

[LaDestitute]

I've been working on a Spelunky mod for Minecraft 1.12.2 on the side, and I've got a lot implemented already (tons of blocks, items, etc) and I recently decided to fiddle with Blockbench for the Golden Idol model I'm making:

 

[Xilef]

Had never seen block bench before. It looks very good - might use it myself for some stuff.

 

[coyotecraft]

I've been on the road a lot lately. The other monday I was in a truck all freakn' day. I thought about pulling out my laptop to distract me. But it's hard to get in that frame of mind when you're in an uncertain environment. Once in a while my thoughts would drift to my project which I haven't touched in weeks because I've been doing other things.
But I feel like my mind is in a good place to meditate, uh, relationships. So I'm going to attempt to type some dialogues this morning.

 

[LaDestitute]

I finally got the model into the mod for Minecraft I'm working on (it's a mod that implements a lot of Spelunky stuff):

I've been trying to figure out a better trap to build for the structure it gens in but eh whatever

 

[Nathaniel3W]

I added zombies to the game. Steam is getting a lot more strict about the formatting of posts and you have to make images that fit their desired dimensions.

I guess my posts do look better now, but my latest post ended up taking a lot more time than my usual imageless patch notes.

 

[coyotecraft]

I should get time to myself in a few days to work on my project. In the mean time, I'm trying to warm myself up.

 

[LaDestitute]

I took a break for a while but implemented a bunch of stuff:

Unique behaviors (idols give slowness when picked up, flareboxes destroy themselves in water without dropping contents)

More unique behaviors (mattocks dropping heads when breaking, pots with random loot)

Rope (can be launched as a projectile, projectile spawns a climbable gravity-effected rope block, said block drops the projectile for reuse)

Dynamic handheld lighting (togglable, works for vanilla light sources and mod items like the flare)

 

[BizarreMonkey]

awesome MC additions.

Also sorry for the lack of word from me in a while, been busy as all buggery- if you don't believe me? well--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6bIAVV3_Nw
I've a video to dispell your doubt, uhuhu~!

At this point i won't bother with further progress reports on Fantasia.

 

[LaDestitute]

Also, it's a mod based on Spelunky and I'm pretty close to the first stable release (tomorrow or tonight, assuming the fiveish things I have to finish is the only todo list I have, assuming nothing unexpected pops up like bugs)

 

[coyotecraft]

I've been anticipating your announcement, monkey. Because I had a dream where you reinvented Sven's character by giving him sunglasses and making him out to be something like poochie (see: the simpsons) or rad talkn wolfthorn (see: old spice commercial )
So in my dream I was convincing myself it was time to give up that fangame because I didn't want anything to do with the character anymore. Lol.

I'm working on it right now. I'm trying to marry the story's narrative beats with visual metaphors. Like when a character is faced with an ultimatum, they're infront of a literal giant fork in the road. Sounds easy, right? Problem is that a short story doesn't have that many beats. So the super mario land world map I invisioned only has like 2 nodes. I'd prefer 5 or 6. And really, this map only exists to give the player a sense of progression. Like, playing bejeweled stars, every stage is a star in a superficial constellation. Sven is interacting with dream characters, but not the environment,. Honestly he could stand still and let the projections he "fights" come to him.
Working in reverse, to add a story beat based on some relevant imagery is just as challenging. Like a gingerbread house in a candyland is appropriate, but I'm asking myself "what's the parallel? "

 

[BizarreMonkey]

I've been anticipating your announcement, monkey. Because I had a dream where you reinvented Sven's character by giving him sunglasses and making him out to be something like poochie (see: the simpsons) or rad talkn wolfthorn (see: old spice commercial )
So in my dream I was convincing myself it was time to give up that fangame because I didn't want anything to do with the character anymore. Lol.

Well I mean that's pretty much Pep. He ever wore shades in an old cinematic. But unlike Poochie who was developed by senile old fucks who thought they knew what appealed to kids, Pep is designed, acted and written by a kid- me, because I may be legally 31 but mentally im like a teenager at most.

A pair of shades about to land elegantly over Pep's eyes- making him feel slightly more cool as he and his accomplice approach the sty, 2101 (Deprecated)

If I did make Sven like that it would entirely kill the brother to brother dynamic, where one's a skittish energetic smartass and one is calm reserved and super smart but tries not to slow his other down.

It's not as if Sven can't do fighting, he usually does so at the cost of injury though- like in PFC this is shown a lot through show, don't tell. Them arriving at the citadel was the most obvious showing of Sven's ability to fight, several gravestone markers were around him specifically, and he was clenching a thankfully minor bullet wound that he said he'll shrugg off. It likely just skipped through the fabric on his coat and a bit of skin.

Sven HATES fighting though, and will only do it in lieu of words when words will no longer reach those who oppose what he loves and in likewise- to help out his family and respect his father's legacy. Like even in the really COOL THING HE DID in PFC, where he essentially gave Pep a chance at freeing the people, he didn't have to be violent, he subtly gave Nola some directions through ear-twitches, that Nola obeyed, and then when asked she passed it to him. All he did was apply cigaratte lighter to dark stone tablet.

Sven is also shown to like honesty, as he calls out both his brother and his mother when he knows they are lying. Two examples are obvious when Nola first meets the reds.

On note of the announcements anticipation, I'm glad you were looking forward to it, it was a lot of work. Three trailers and a pre-recording playing to a silent live action recording in a day or two is OOF. I was awake for 38 hours and yes it was all on me wanting to get that all done..

I'm working on it right now. I'm trying to marry the story's narrative beats with visual metaphors. Like when a character is faced with an ultimatum, they're infront of a literal giant fork in the road. Sounds easy, right? Problem is that a short story doesn't have that many beats. So the super mario land world map I invisioned only has like 2 nodes. I'd prefer 5 or 6. And really, this map only exists to give the player a sense of progression. Like, playing bejeweled stars, every stage is a star in a superficial constellation. Sven is interacting with dream characters, but not the environment,. Honestly he could stand still and let the projections he "fights" come to him.
Working in reverse, to add a story beat based on some relevant imagery is just as challenging. Like a gingerbread house in a candyland is appropriate, but I'm asking myself "what's the parallel? "

The main thing I do is just "don't overthink it unless its a part of the mechanical or plot structure of your game, like the grass roots shit.

A lot of people think I'm a pagemaster who writes these intriquite over-symbolic stories that all tie together, all planned out n stuff

Nah.

I just keep small details vague, like the name of Tiramisa's husband, Tristy's origins (for a long time), the relevance of a witch hunter and what they really are designed to do. Pep even in earlier versions of intel kept his past brief, stating merely that he was a con-artist that ended up ruining Britain for everyone. At that point I had no idea his backstory beyond just that, much like Rolly worked for a mafia in new jersey. Tristy's past was a bit more lucid in places given consideration to her relevance for the plot- but the reveals like that she was an experiment created like most all of the proto-roos we know about is why her kind became so quickly extinct. In her early 20's there were quite a few proto-roo's still around, some which helped her out of an unpleasant situation she'd landed herself in, this includes her girlfriend, the only person she felt genuine love for, who sadly died as a result of a curse Tristy didn't know about until it was too late.

Now with Fantasia we have some very VAGUE insight into where the witch hunters at least began- since Akra Olna is titled as the first, but of their actual powers we don't yet, know, though I have discovered the purpose of a witch hunter, but since that is kind of a big reveal, I'll put it in spoilers.

Spoiler

Akra Olna is a good friend of the Insidious Architect, and she was taught how to hunt down the "Black Witch"... otherwise known as Xali. Akra Olna passed this gift on to some of her subjects, including Nola's grandparents and Nola herself when she was very very young.

Xali is IA's nemesis. and in general just a nasty piece of work.

Witch Hunter's are essentially a job created by Yi. Given Akra Olna's age it's possibly she was taught during the age of the empirians and was responsible for capturing many of the empirians until --save one-- they were captured and then erased into extinction.

IA hates them, and she has valid reason to do so. Empirian's are creatures who find joy in the torment and suffering of others, even their own kind.

Xali was exceptionally crafty and made it her goal to piss Yi off, a goal most would never DARE to think of, let alone entertain. She has been pretty successful, and so Xali nicknamed her "Black Witch" due to her slick black hair and her witch-like nature.

I think that's most of what you need to know.

The plot behind Tristy's means of being was never made explicit or clear until I worked it out, it also fit with Tristy's consistent lack of evidence supporting she ever had parents at all.

I was stuck for ages on how to make the stakes of Fantasia feel more horrifying than those in Intelligence 314th clash. So I spent time on it- then finally after watching all of gravity falls and some other shit, I saw the solutions immediately. This was when I discovered Dimensional matrix theory] as well.

Also, not progress but I think it's still relevant, here's an idea of all the inspiration that goes into one character, many samples available- Keeping in mind both of these are HECKA dated.

That'll be all from me for now, best o' luck!

 

[coyotecraft]

I guess the reason I'm compelled to explore Sven's character is because it feels incomplete and underused. From a strictly archetypal viewpoint, there aren't that many examples in cartoons. I see it more in Anime, but even then, their introspection will be overwritten by secondary emotional drivers. Because without that, they'd just be standing still.

Brock in Pokemon is insightful and supportive, but his defining trait is chasing after Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. There's something to be said about his rock pokemon. But to be honest, I don't know what Brock's character is like in the recent series.

I think Shikamaru in Naruto is a more completed form of this archetype. Instead of being a satellite character, He managed to be the center of a few episodes. He's insightful and strategic, but also doesn't want to take action unless it's necessary, because "it's troublesome" or "what a drag" - his catchphrase depending on which language you watch it in.

And then there's Ling from FMA:Brotherhood. Without getting too deep into plot analysis, there's an excellent Hanged Man / The Emperor dynamic going on. And he too has an overriding emotional driver, or a literal split personality, when he gives his body over to Greed. I like that.

They all have a kind of endurance and self-sacrificing nature, which I think would be exemplified in Sven as part of the Perseverance resistance and representing the Hanged Man tarot. But that passiveness is also what makes it difficult to put this type of character into a lead role. And because this archetype demonstrates a strong sense of knowing, any self-doubt or identity crisis would be out-of-character. The situations you can put them in aren't that intuitive.

And ofcourse, the challenge only exists because I'm trying to be authentic and aim for a bull's-eye through flaming loops of specifications.