next »

[happymonster]

Traditionally, I'm bad at drawing robots and machinery, so it's good practice.

bad? BAD? Are you mad??! That's a great drawing!

I think the lobber sprite does look quite different than the rest of the simple sprites / gfx in your screenshot.

[rek]

Argh. Agonizing over the lobber sprite. I like it, but it doesn't fit, at all, with the rest of the graphics so I'm thinking I'll rework it. I'm shooting, like I said, for a certain level of simplicity and abstraction, and this doesn't make the cut. Here's a screen for your collective consideration:

It doesn't fit because it has far more detail than any other sprite. Simplify it by filling in most of the black lines with blue.

I preferred the industrial/mechanical setting of the previous screenshots. The organic rock fragments in this one doesn't mesh well, in my mind, with the über-retro look.

[Kevin]

I've been goofing off lately, sort of picking away at this halfheartedly, but progress is being made! I've implemented some new enemy and hazard types (and refined some of the existing enemies' behaviours), designed and mostly-balanced some new maps, and played around with some of the player's settings. Previously, the delay between shots was limited only by how fast the player could push the 'fire' key, and it was making things a bit too easy on the combat front. Since there was essentially no limit on firing speed, it was possible to just spam bullets and kill most enemies before they got anywhere near you. I've now limited the shooting by allowing only four bullets on screen at any given time. I've played games that use this system effectively, but I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I may try to come up with some other way of limiting the player's power, because the original system is definitely not balanced.

I've been working on sprites for a new area. Here's a WIP screen of the 'terraformed surface' tile set. Also, revamped HUD:


The new HUD still shows health on the left hand side, but now displays score in the middle (obviously), and weapon info to the right. The four arrows will light up in different ways depending on your weapon, indicating charge power for the charge gun, risk of over heating for the automatic, and number of shots available (as per the four bullet limit) for the standard gun, and whatever else I come up with. The olive, tumory-thing is a hive that spawns those tiny green guys, which travel in a wave pattern (like Castlevania's Medusa heads).

Rek: I see what you're saying and I agree, mostly. This definitely doesn't maintain the obviously tiled look of the earlier screens. I don't know how I feel about this, now that you mention it. Generally, I like this look better. The overly-blocky look makes some of the maps pretty visually uninteresting, but at the same time the ultra retro look is kind of the point. I'm playing around with it, trying to find a happy medium. I tried to keep this in mind when designing the new tile set.

happymonster:I spent a lot of time reworking the sprite in question, and I think I managed to come up with something that's... suggestive of the concept, but still fits with everything else. It wasn't super easy, or fun haha.

[Hempuli‽]

I absolutely adore the looks of this, and I find it nice that instead of just posting mockups, you did what had to be done and started working on a game! I sure hope you get this finished for there can never be too many solid metroidvanias.

Also

Behold the glory of MSpaint.

[Armageddon]

If that's mspaint I'm a toad.

[oyog]

Ribbit.

[happymonster]

Hi Kevin,

Looking good, but I don't think you've pasted the screenshot with the new lobber sprite?

One thing you've done so far is use black and a colour for each of the 8 x 8 tiles. Quite a few games on the spectrum used another a dark colour + light colour combination for the 8 x 8 tiles. Have you tried this? It might give you more options while staying true to the limitations.

[Oddball]

The title screen in the video is awesome-sauce. If you add attribute clash to the game then I'll get a nostalgia overload.

[JMickle]

I think attribute clash will make this game's style.

[baconman]

If that's the size the lobber is supposed to be, then it kinda does work. On the other hand, you could try simply using the negative outlining to only seperate the upper from the lower body, and outline the cyclops head of it. You can also try recoloring the cannon part to the blue hue the rest of him is (being 2 colors to me makes it stand out more than the scope or detail does).

Also, I agree on the "bad" robot drawing. Unless you're being artsyfartsy about proper shading and crap, you're being way too modest now. The fingers, feet, and knees alone suggest you're more well-versed than you claim to be.

[Kevin]

Holy shit. If someone could figure out a way to (relatively easily) implement an attribute clash effect in game maker, I would pee joy right into my pants.

Looking good, but I don't think you've pasted the screenshot with the new lobber sprite?

Indeed I had not. Prepare to be underwhelmed  :

It's now monochromatic (obviously) and uses the same broken perspective (with legs at 3/4 view, upper body in profile) as the rest of the sprites. Art wise it's worse but I think, stylistically, it's a lot better suited to the game. It also bears mentioning that this screen shows the switches that have replaced keys as a means of opening colored doors.

One thing you've done so far is use black and a colour for each of the 8 x 8 tiles.

Yeah, I was looking at some Speccy screen and noticed this, but I'm a little reluctant to go down this path 'cause I'm afraid it would break the current aesthetic. Also, I'm not really basing this on the Speccy's limitations. The similarity was more coincidental than anything. Given that it's so close already, I might change my mind and go full-on spectrum at some point, but if I do that I'll be revamping a few things (like the random particles, for one).

Also, I agree on the "bad" robot drawing.

Maybe I should clarify haha. I'm actually way too pleased with how that drawing came out, looking like an actual robotic thing as it does. It took me a few days of studying stuff (mostly action figure joints) and an embarrassing amount of concentration to get the desired results. All I really meant was that prior to this, all of my attempts at drawing robots ended in frustration and failure. So thanks for the compliment!

[JMickle]

maybe something like this would work better?

not perfect, but i prefer it to the completely filled one you have now (no offence. the original was tooo cool to just get rid of)

[rek]

[Kevin]

Those are both more suggestive of the design. Thanks guys, gives me something to work off.

Also, I forgot to say "AAAAAARGHILOVEIT!" to Hempuli!

Coincidentally, I watched "Wrath of Khan" for the first time a couple days ago and really liked the space-suitiness of the space suits. I revamped the hero design as a result:



Also, girls now because why not? This is an early draft, but shows the basic intention. Hempuli's interpretation was... pretty close, actually. Hooray!

[jmac]

Awesome concept.  I actually like the new sprite... the original looks great but seems too detailed for this particular game with the two colours.