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[PompiPompi]

Edit:




Sumerian Blood is done and has been released for the Android.
Check more details at:
http://www.SumerianBlood.com/


Hi,

Edit: Meta Server Alpha(2012.01.05)
A new alpha of the game is ready but I don't put the link publicly yet. I would like you to test and play a bit if you can.
A meta server is a server that keeps a list of hosts, so someone connecting to a meta server might find some stranger to play with. Instead of having to find them on their own.
You will need to download the alpha from http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8025882/Sumerian/SumerianBlood_2012_01_05.zip
You will need to extract it, and run the exe. You navigate the menus using the arrow keys and enter. Then youneed to select Meta and then Join.
The controls in game are arrows and left control or WASD and B for action.
When connected to the meta server, you type /nick <something> to change the nick(without the <>). /host to host a game. And /join <nick> to join a hosted game.
Even if you don't have time to play, please just try to test the meta server works. If you have time to play, I would greatly appreaciate gameplay feedback, since the gameplay is still being formed.


This is my new 2D Archon like(Rip Of?) game. I made the first game called Fatal Wars like ten years ago. It had very nice 3D pre-rendered 2D animation, and big beautiful characters which also made it hard to play. In addition it had tons of bugs, so it got off the shleves soon after it was released.
This is my second attempt at making an Archon like game. The spiritual succesor of Fatal Wars.

For this game I am abandoning my old faithful bloated base code, and I am developing a new slim and lean framework. I feel really good about this framework and I already have something Demoable(no gameplay yet).

I have some design questions yet to be answered, such as, how fast should characters move. I guess I will find that out with playtesting.
I also not sure about the artwork, but decide to make a compromise between something easy to create and something that is not plain place holders. It's more fun to see real artwork, but it's also not wise to create super good artwork when you don't know how the game will be like at the end.

In Archon there is the light and dark side. In Fatal Wars 2, there is the Hukans(Light) and The Pact(Dark). In the first Fatal Wars the game was quite different from Archon in terms of unit capabilities. Also, each unit had two capabilities in battle.
In this game I am not sure if I am going to have two capabilities or just one.

Here is the first video(I am not sure about the grass color either, I am not too expert with color theory):

[PompiPompi]

Worked on "The Pact" pawn, an Orc.
Here is the orc compared to the Hukans' solider.


I am not sure the axe is visible enough. Or not sure it's too clear in general.

And here is the "time lapse" of creating the orc.

[PompiPompi]

A video of collision detection. With the orc and solider walk cycles.

[Shazer2]

You remind me of myself. I do exactly what you do, get the simplest things working (in everyone elses opinion) but think the world of it.

Keep going and good work!

Shannon

[kamac]

I thought the orc will look pretty ugly, but on the vid it looks pretty nice 

And what is it being made/programmed in? (I am just curious, cause no one tells it )

[Mikademus]

Ok, so we're basically seeing the battle phase of Archon in your demo videos? That makes sense. I think it is too early to give any feedback other than encouragement. I really like Archon, and any game in the spirit of it it has my support! Keep us posted!

[JWK5]

Something about this project appeals to me, not sure what (since I am not seeing a whole lot of game play yet) but I think I'll keep my eye on it.

[PompiPompi]

Thank you guys for the support! It means a lot!
Regarding the Orc, I didn't like how he looks as well so I updated him.
I chose a game with relatively smaller scope since I can't invest a lot of time in game making. I thought an Archon like is the perfect game for this purpose.
And yes, I know this isn't amazing, but I got to start from something.
I will post more stuff as I advance.

[PompiPompi]

Another baby steps were taken.
I have made a snake unit, I think it's pretty nice. I also implemented attacking. Both projectile and melee(use the same code, pratically).
The solider attacks vertically even when his sword looks diagonal, I need to fix that.
Here is the video:

[Mikademus]

Watched the video. With the snake it is coming together and it looks decidedly Archon. So since you are on the way, what twists to make it your own game are you planning?

[PompiPompi]

Hmm, I have thought about this question quite a bit...
I think I will make "two games". One classic mode, which is a lot more closer to the original Archon. With only one attack per unit and mostly projectiles.
The second will be more of like the original Fatal Wars. With two abillities per unit and all kind of cool and weird abilities.
There will also be multiplayr, local and online. Hmm, I havn't thought about it that much.
I think I am trying to not go over the top of my head. I try to keep development simple.
I can always change things later.
One of the reasons I want to also keep the "classic" mode is because tweaking and balancing is very difficult. With the classic mode that would be easier, but with the "wacko" mode that might be harder and maybe even unsuccessful. Although it can always be settled that the better player choose the weaker army.

I have limited scope for this game, but I also keep an open mind as to what I will make out of it. Or, I will see as I go.

[PompiPompi]

Strategy board screenshot. With some new pieces. Still WIP of course.
I already have animations for all the pieces, except for the ghost's attack.

[PompiPompi]

Another update, I made sprites and their animations mostly.
Currently I am developing the "Classic mode" which will be quite similar to Archon. I am thinking of implementing local multipleyr+network multiplayer then start selling alpha\preorder.
After that I will add computer AI for single player. And then the "Reniessance" mode, which is what I ment to do in the first place.
There might be more modes for more than 2 players.
Here is the screenshot of the strategy board with the pieces I already made:

[PompiPompi]

Made quite some progress.
I am thinking of doing both a free version and a paid version. The paid version will have ranked matchs and more modes, while the free version will only have unranked, one mode.
Both will have single player + multi player.

Here is a video showing my progress.

[kamac]

Lawl.

Nice 

Think of some power-ups maybe 

[PompiPompi]

In the last two days I have "ported" my network code from my old bloated base code, to my new slim and lean framework.
I have made and tested multiplayer for the startegy board. So you can now play against someone, but only the chess board is controled online. When two pieces meet on the same space, the battles occur localy. Don't worry, it won't stay like this forever, it is just WIP.
I hope to have something playable available as soon as possible, so stay tuned.

[PompiPompi]

I have just several things I need to do before I can release an alpha to the public.
There is both local multiplayer and online multiplayer.
I have played against someone in online multiplayer and it was fun, but online multiplayer has more performance\tweaking that are not needed in local multiplayer.
So here is the list of things I need to do(mmore or less):

• Abomination shape shiftting
• Angel light area attack
• Area attack in online multiplayer
• The pact sign
• Make the controls in the strategy board work properly(hold down as oppsed to clicking)
• Alternative attributes file
• First step bug in online multiplayer
• Multiplayer pulse rates from config.txt
• Basic play tested attributes file
• Configurable collision square
• Two game pad support(as oppose to only one supported, I am using raw input so there is some research needed to be done)

I think that is about it. I hope there will be enough people willing to play the alpha once it's released.
By the way, I am doing the free vs paid "buissnes model", so you will be able to play the alpha version for free. Currently there is no difference between the paid and free version.

[PompiPompi]

Deving:
Well, I completed that list and more.
I have a nice playable alpha. It's pretty solid in local but there are a lot of performance issues in online that I am being aware of.
Also, I would need to refactor a portion of the code and add more abstraction.
At first I wrote the framework modules, which are bite sized modules that support Networking\Input\Graphics and are independant of each other and of the game logic.
When I started developing the online code, I couldn't get a hold of it. I just couldn't make all the different types of communications.
The reason was because the communication was mixed with the game logic, so I added an abstraction layer. That helped a lot.
I know realize I need more abstraction for my game logic, because the game logic code is still pretty ugly.

Drawing Challange and Alpha
The drawing challange is more or less complete, and those attended have won the full version.
I intend to release an early stage alpha for a limited number of people. The drawing challange winnders will have access to this alpha.
Here is the thread if you are interested: http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=21874.0
A PM with download details will be sent to the winners! :D

Fatal Wars 2 Alpha 2011.10.02
The alpha features local multiplayer and online multiplayer.
In the Config.txt file you can set the Type of game.
Type = Local for local multiplayer.
Type = Server for a server player.
Type = Client for a client player.
If you set Type to Client you need to set the ip to the server's public ip. If you need help setting up an online game with your friend, PM me.
Then there is Controls1.txt and Controls2.txt. Controls1.txt are the controls for the left side(Hukans) and Controls2.txt are the controls for the right side(The Pact).
When you play as a client you are always The Pact, so your controls are Controls2.txt.
Server gets to play Hukans.
You can look at Keys.txt for a hint of what possible keyboard keys can be set in the controls.
You can also play with(one) gamepad, and set the controls to the gamepad.
The default controls for Controls2.txt is gamepad, so look at it and change it if you need to.

After setting those things up you are ready to run the game.

How to play
The game is divided into two parts. The chess like board, and the battle areana.
In the chess like board the game is turn based. You select your piece and move it to a desired location.
When a Hukans piece lands on The Pact piece, or vice versa the two characters battle in the battle areana.
I hope this is enough for now to get started playing. I might add more later, but these are the basics.

[PompiPompi]

A new version is available to the "early adopters" drawing challange attenders. You can find it at the same place the previous version was.

I have made some progress with Fatal Wars 2, although a lot of it was refactoring, adding SFML support(optional alternative to DX9) and fixing some bugs.
I also added a lot of other little things, balancing a bit the pieces(although not extensive) and the game plays nicer. Especially online.

I have made a list of things to do, not sure it's such an accurate list but it will guide in the following days.

• Fixing (0, 0) start bug in online mode
• Improving Area attacks, without stalling
• Damage persist after the battle
• 6 different areas for 6 different colors
• Changing colors of the "middle" squares
• Life bonouses according to square color
• Maybe tweaking walking speeds of pieces
• Power points
• Power points healing
• Obstacles in battle area
• x360 controller support
• Sound FX

That's enough.

Also, take a look at an online game I played against a friend.

[Christian Knudsen]

Do you plan on having a death animation when a character is killed? When combat ends, the jump back to the game board is pretty abrupt.