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[Claw]

Chro·ma/ˈkrōmə/
Noun: Purity or intensity of color.

Genre: Puzzle Platformer/exploration

Sup Tigs.

I've been working on something recently, but I've been holding off on a devlog until I got more of the core of the game coded (basic engine). There's still a shit tonne to do in that regard, but it's coming along. This will be a longer term project, since it's in my spare time and I work hefty hours as a programmer elsewhere.

It's a concept I've thought about for a long while now, twisted and warped over time and it all seemed to become a lot clearer in my mind recently - so I thought "hell just go for it".

I feel the game is/will be a cross between Limbo and Fez, it's a puzzle platformer/exploration game, with a darker vibe to it. I want to make something fun and immersive for players, and as a way of me sort of reaching out and saying "hey, this is how I think about stuff". I think it's core is basically a journey through loneliness and darker emotions, emerging through a more positive outlook towards the end. These aspects are often classically represented through light and shadow - so I'm playing with these concepts a lot in the game; hopefully I can pull it off!

Technical Details:
Using C++ and OpenGL, OpenAL for Sounds. All code just my own sort of 'engine' (not really as advanced as a full engine :p) that I've been building up for a while, and I use SDL to draw the window so should be fully portable for at least Windows and Mac.
It's not pixel locked at the moment so rendering is sometimes a pixel out which can look horrid but it's on the back burner for now. I'm also drawing all sprites the same pixel resolution but effects are higher resolution.

Click to Zoom:

It's pixel art graphics primarily because I've always wanted to use the techniques that I'm currently employing to see what it looked like + it really fits with this theme, turned out it looks pretty cool.

Any critique/questions please shoot. Best reason for a devlog is getting input from a vast range of talented people such as yourselves. Also, I'm not sure if the name is good or terrible but it'll do for now.

Alright, LET THE GREAT EXPERIMENT, BEGIN!

03/06/12


08/08/12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIR6L9FTvlc

[seagaia]

I think it's pretty. I like the sense of depth from the pillars in the foreground of the second picture. Good luck with getting more progress done.

[jmcmorris]

I have seen this in the last one or two Screenshot Saturdays. Definitely digging the visuals. I'm a huge fan of puzzle/exploration platformers. I'm adding this to my devlog follow list. Good luck!

[Indecom]

I think it looks pretty good so far, visually at least. My only gripe is that it's not true pixel art because it's rendered at such a high resolution, you get pixels with slash marks through them from the lighting. I personally would play it at a 1-1 pixel ratio.

[ShinnyMetal]

I personally don't care that it isn't "true" pixel art because it's so vibrant (even with the limited colors) the look is pretty unique because of it high resolution. I would love to see this in motion. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what the music would be like fr the screens and description (since music is my shtick) it would be, for the most part, purely atmospheric? Iunno haha but this looks great and it's definitely making my wheels turn! I'm very excited to see this as it grows

[Claw]

Thanks guys

I think it looks pretty good so far, visually at least. My only gripe is that it's not true pixel art because it's rendered at such a high resolution, you get pixels with slash marks through them from the lighting. I personally would play it at a 1-1 pixel ratio.

It's not true pixel art by any means, when a video comes along you'll see what I mean I realised as I was working on the rendering that pixel resolution stuff may be an issue for some people, but I'll tweak it as I go. It's using the basics of pixel art but with a lot of modern twists - shaders etc.

I personally don't care that it isn't "true" pixel art because it's so vibrant (even with the limited colors) the look is pretty unique because of it high resolution. I would love to see this in motion. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what the music would be like fr the screens and description (since music is my shtick) it would be, for the most part, purely atmospheric? Iunno haha but this looks great and it's definitely making my wheels turn! I'm very excited to see this as it grows

I'm actually planning to go very light on music, as in - pretty much none at all. Yet I want it to have a heavy link to audio, dynamic sound effects and ambient noise being present throughout. At a later stage in development I do want to involve audio in some puzzles in a musical manner - depends if I can pull it off! 

[Indecom]

I like the fact that you are combining shaders with pixel art though, i was actually using that for my game Hyperion and loved the results

[Schrompf]

... and it DOES look cool. It really gives a sense of depth to the scene. Good luck!

[Claw]

I like the fact that you are combining shaders with pixel art though, i was actually using that for my game Hyperion and loved the results

Yeah it's seriously fun mixing it up and seeing what it looks like, you can create some really interesting effects with simple combinations.

[Jasper Byrne]

Looks very beautiful, I'd love to see how the light ng / shaders plays out in motion.

My only criticism would be that the protagonist is a little generic and similar to the Fez characters, to me anyway... The rest of it is totally unique!

[SolarLune]

Looks very beautiful, I'd love to see how the light ng / shaders plays out in motion.

My only criticism would be that the protagonist is a little generic and similar to the Fez characters, to me anyway... The rest of it is totally unique!

I saw this in the Screenshot Saturday thread, too. I really like the light shaders - I was wondering myself if normal maps and larger-scale pixel art worked well together - are you using normal maps, or something similar for the effect? In any case, it looks really awesome!

[Franklins Ghost]

This is great, like the style you have going on and looking forward to seeing it in motion.

[ponchou]

Lovely style you've got there. Looks delightfully atmospheric and haunting.

[Claw]

Looks very beautiful, I'd love to see how the light ng / shaders plays out in motion.

My only criticism would be that the protagonist is a little generic and similar to the Fez characters, to me anyway... The rest of it is totally unique!

Thanks, yeah I was concerned about the parallels with Fez and was afraid I might be drawing too much direct inspiration from it (because man I love that game). My dilemma in this regard is that the gameplay is based on the character being essentially, a giant light bulb, so that's why he's a pure white colour. I've played around with it for a while but I can't find anything else I like; but hopefully when people see it in motion it won't be so fez'ish but it's certainly something I need to keep an eye on and get feedback over

I saw this in the Screenshot Saturday thread, too. I really like the light shaders - I was wondering myself if normal maps and larger-scale pixel art worked well together - are you using normal maps, or something similar for the effect? In any case, it looks really awesome!

Pretty much spot on there SolarLune It was a bit of a challenge at first to work out what I was doing with textures and stuff but I've got the technique under wraps now and I can't wait to push it in weird directions

I'm going to polish some things up and hopefully upload a video within say... a week. Bank holiday weekend should help me here 

[eddietree]

Nice lighting. Are you doing 2d bumpmaps? I am curious how to plan to cast shadows like in the concept images