Other progress:
* Added tile tint control to the background scrollers - now I can add even more color variation to the areas with the same tileset... I am physically restraining myself from adding some sort of a weather/day-night system to the game now.
* Finally added functional game saving and loading. Still need to make the feature more robust, but the basic file handling is there. At the moment the game saves its data in plain text with a file footprint of only 3k.
* Designed another enemy. Must animate him still.
* Close to be done with the second boss fight. Needs more animations and visual effects. Also - cleaner scripting.
* Worked more on the start area screen (which is a giant pixel painting)
* Started several new Iya animations - such as one for climbing onto knee-high steps, and one for hopping over small obstacles. The animation for looking up had to be temporarily disabled, as it messed up some of the attacks.
* Did more room texturing.
* Started another set-piece room near the beginning of the game.
...Gahh - too many holes to plug for one person: )
well im really glad you're coming along. I know it will be a very long time till the game is actually done,but when it is I'll gladly pay for it.
ReplyDeleteRestrain yourself. It is way better to release the game with less features you wanted than not release it at all because you were busy adding stuff.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a few minutes to spare, read this text by Derek Yu on this very subject:
http://makegames.tumblr.com/post/1136623767/finishing-a-game
@Barts: I guess everyone learns from their own mistakes. What Derek said is something I came to understand through my own experiences with the process. In fact - I made Maziac as a proof to myself that I can finish a project, and then I somehow lapsed again: ) I guess the switch to DS felt like such an alluring promise, that I have rebooted the project against my better judgment. As it is right now - there are indeed some major features I am looking at cutting as they just never became an integral part of the gameplay, and its a heartbreaking, and in many ways - perplexing process, as then I will need to stitch the game back up over the missing parts.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you actually have completed a project. That is good. I understand that cutting things out hurts, but I am being selfish on this one, because I would really like to see your game completed. Perhaps would even shell out a few coins, if it turns out to be as pretty and fun as it looked on that trailer thingy a while back.
ReplyDeleteOh, man - this is just a bit depressing - since I have implemented the save-game system, I can now track the percentage of map exploration. So now I see that all implemented game rooms amount to about 20% of the total map - and that includes lots of empty, untextured rooms!
ReplyDeleteCrap!
One step at a time :)
ReplyDeleteHey DarkFalzX, I just wanted to say that your work has really inspired me. As someone who's always trying to make overly ambitious metroidvania rpgs, its cool to see someone who thinks big and actually follows through.
ReplyDeleteSimply put, your attention to detail is amazing, and your pixel art and the way you implement it in your game has really put things into perspective for me. "good enough" just isn't good enough anymore, because I'll always have your level of quality to shoot for.
Keep up the great work.
Hey I really like how your game is looking! I'm a web/graphics guy by trade, so if you want any (free) help with anything please feel free to let me know. I can do character design, pixel art, and anything web related.
ReplyDelete-Roman --- inferium@gmail.com
Here's a random idea for your look-up handler,
ReplyDeleteput a variable case tester in place that tracks
which animation is playing and as a result locks other movements/animations.
...Then again, I may just be stupid as it's been awhile since I last programmed a game. :P
@Icelink256: You see - Iya has moves that require the Up button to be held in conjunction with a jump or an action button. I thought of resolving that conflict by putting a delay on the look up, but it still doesn't eliminate the problem for a situation when the player is holding back for, say an uppercut at a specific moment...
ReplyDeleteHmm... Why don't you try adding a per-case handler to the moves system? It would likely help, hard as hell to program.(time-wise)
ReplyDeleteBut quite efficient... To my knowledge, that is. Perhaps I should dig out Gamemaker and try hashing out a script example...?
I suck at explanations.
Demo please . . .
ReplyDelete