next »

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

hmm -- i don't really see that many indies making games for popularity rather than because it's the game they want to make. could someone name some examples? the closest i can think of would be intentionally controversial games like muslim massacre and stuff like that. but those are pretty rare

i think the biggest reason an indie wouldn't be making the game of their dreams is more likely that they feel they can't handle it yet, and that it'd be overambitious to make a game that has all the features they'd want in their dream game. and usually that's true: dream games take a lot of time compared to more limited games

[Manuel Magalhães]

You're spot on on your second paragraph. The reason why there isn't more dream games being made is due to the developer's limitation, either of time, money, or skill.
For instance the game I'm making, Sea Air, is one of my dream games (I've some of them, but some require some of the problems I explained above).
It doesn't mean I've done my other games for getting solely for getting popularity/money (they are extras), I wanted to do something that other people would enjoy and that I would enjoy making too. But if I woke up in an universe where I had infinite amounts of money, skills or time I would have created my dream games over these other games I've done.

[sb3dgraph]

hmm -- i don't really see that many indies making games for popularity rather than because it's the game they want to make.

No, not rather. Indie games always consist both of these factors, I think.
And I think, that any game author like popularity. And this affects the game in any way. More or less.

Less in case of the game of this thread. 

[oyog]

The game seems to run fine for me.

First my Great Hero died falling out of a tree into a deep cave.  Then my Great Hero died fighting a small lizard. Then he died fighting a lizard as he was falling into a deep cave.

I kind of like the explosive growth of the trees when the world generates.

I had quite a few worlds generate with a layer of dirt over an empty cave. It was amusing at first but eventually making a mad dash across unstable ground only to wind up dead on the floor of a cave got old. Would it be possible to start playing after the Hero's surroundings are stable?

I like that the creatures consist of different components. I look forward to finding shadow/riddle creatures or light/mechanical creatures.

I'm not entirely clear on what some of your sprites are. On the other hand, the benefit of having the descriptive tooltip is that the player will see what the tooltip describes. For example, if the tooltip said the second sprite was a rabbit, I'd see it as a rabbit.

That shouldn't stop you from seeking constructive criticism, I just can't offer anything more valuable since I'm not much of an artist.

...I plan to introduce a lot of complex mechanics. Many creatures. If I start draw graphics with animations for they all, it will be hard for me.

I'll happily play a game that sacrifices sprite animation in favor of simulating the world.  Dwarf Fortress and Sim Earth both make me very happy.

[sb3dgraph]

First my Great Hero died falling out of a tree into a deep cave.  Then my Great Hero died fighting a small lizard. Then he died fighting a lizard as he was falling into a deep cave.

Good start!

Would it be possible to start playing after the Hero's surroundings are stable?

The Hero always can run away from falling dirt. And do not forget, the hero may dig and put wooden blocks. So, he always can survive.

Thanks for detailed gameplay comment! I will think about you game experience.

It doesn't mean I've done my other games for getting solely for getting popularity/money (they are extras), I wanted to do something that other people would enjoy and that I would enjoy making too. But if I woke up in an universe where I had infinite amounts of money, skills or time I would have created my dream games over these other games I've done.

Yes, that is exactly, what I mean.

-------------

Meantime, I did a throwing bombs, barrels of powder and explosives. This is all for second game world. I want to different gameplay in the second map, so, I go away from first world's mechanics.

-------------

[sb3dgraph]

Gentlemen, here I have a question. This game will consist of many worlds. The question is this:
a) whether to do in each world its own set of features, or
b) make a full set of features in any world?

If a), we obtain a more unique worlds, but with little features done in each.
If b), we obtain many feature-saturated worlds, but with similar gameplay in each of them.

What do you think about this?

[Ant]

Or you could go down the Minecraft route of having multiple worlds that can each be easily travelled to and all interact with each other?

[mrj1nx]

Wow this looks really good, keep it up! What tech is it based on ? I usually dont download games, is there a youtube for this ?

[sb3dgraph]

Or you could go down the Minecraft route of having multiple worlds that can each be easily travelled to and all interact with each other?

Minecraft way - is part b) of my previous post. Three worlds with similar mechanics in each.
Thanks you for your opinion!

By the way, Minecraft have some gameplay failures. Minecraft is too easy! Remember, what was more interesting: to search an iron ore, or diamonds? And was interesting to craft a wooden pick? Or again and again stone pick crafting? I am a 33 years dude, and I feel self like a baby, playing Minecraft.

So, this project I want to make with a hardcore gameplay.

Wow this looks really good, keep it up! What tech is it based on ? I usually dont download games, is there a youtube for this ?

Thanks! No, I do not recorded a video yet. This game is based on my software engine, written on c++. I polish this engine several years, and now it mostly free from bugs. And, more importantly, I know my tech very well!

[JobLeonard]

Gentlemen, here I have a question. This game will consist of many worlds. The question is this:
a) whether to do in each world its own set of features, or
b) make a full set of features in any world?

If a), we obtain a more unique worlds, but with little features done in each.
If b), we obtain many feature-saturated worlds, but with similar gameplay in each of them.

What do you think about this?

Well, what kind of worlds did you have in mind?

You probably want some basic consistency across different worlds, for two reasons: to not make the player feel like they switch games when they cross worlds (like a poor racing level in what's supposed to be a shooter), and to make what is different stand out more.

For example: if you would make one world the plain one, another world of caverns with no sky, and the last a sky worlds with floating platforms where you have to watch out not to fall to your death, that already would immediatly make all of them very different. Tweak the physics a little bit per world (less gravity in the sky world? Other lighting physics in the cave world). I just took these from minecraft by the way (the Nether and that abandoned sky realm).

So I think option (b) would be most intuitive.

Of course, you could also go the multiverse route, and maybe even try to auto-generate tweaks to the physics systems if you go hopping from universe to universe.

[sb3dgraph]

JobLeonard, the reason of basic consistency across worlds also are numerous features.

Look, for example, I have ten gameplay features.
If ten features in each of ten worlds (variant b) - the gameplay is reach, various, complex. But if in each of ten worlds only one gameplay feature (variant a), the gameplay will empty, primitive and dull.

And you arguments for variant b. Yes, I also hope, that another generation of the landscape and some enemies and physics tuning - is the better choice.

Thanks!

[Ashkin]

WHY HAVE YOU HIDDEN THIS FROM ME.
Also: It seems you need a name for this.
What about 'Wilderness'?

[sb3dgraph]

Ashkin, yes, this game have no name yet. But I think, the name is not so important. Player will playing in game, not in game name.

But, the name selection is not so easy. What will the Google shows, if we search "Wilderness"? Millions of sites, products and some already existed games.

[Ashkin]

Ashkin, yes, this game have no name yet. But I think, the name is not so important. Player will playing in game, not in game name.

But, the name selection is not so easy. What will the Google shows, if we search "Wilderness"? Millions of sites, products and some already existed games.

You're right that it wouldn't really be very googleable. But I still think the word Wilderness might fit in well somewhere, because that seems to be what this is about- striking out into the wilderness and enjoying its beauty.
However, I think that you should take the time and think up your own name for the game. Inspiration will arrive eventually.

[Claw]

By the way, Minecraft have some gameplay failures. Minecraft is too easy! Remember, what was more interesting: to search an iron ore, or diamonds? And was interesting to craft a wooden pick? Or again and again stone pick crafting? I am a 33 years dude, and I feel self like a baby, playing Minecraft.

So, this project I want to make with a hardcore gameplay.

Thanks! No, I do not recorded a video yet. This game is based on my software engine, written on c++. I polish this engine several years, and now it mostly free from bugs. And, more importantly, I know my tech very well!

Game looks fantastic so far, I like your style and I like the way you think. Really interested to see how you approach the game's design - looks like it's going to be a unique experience. 

googleable

New favourite word.

[sb3dgraph]

Ashkin, yes, you're right. Later I will think about the game name. But now I prefer to add gameplay features: this is much more interesting, I want to say!


Claw, hi! That's cool to see you in my devlog! By the way, underground light calculation in my game I did, inspired by you old screenshot in the "screenshot saturday" thread.


-------------

This weekend I made an enemy, that throws bombs. Battle with him are usually brings down part of the near cave.

-------------

[sb3dgraph]

Polished creatures pics. I'll be glad to hear your tips!

[SolarLune]

I have to keep up with this - it's looking awesome! The sprites aren't bad, but I think they're too dark. Try upping the value on some of them.

Anyway, the game's looking stupendous from what I've seen!

[Graham-]

Gentlemen, here I have a question. This game will consist of many worlds. The question is this:
a) whether to do in each world its own set of features, or
b) make a full set of features in any world?

If a), we obtain a more unique worlds, but with little features done in each.
If b), we obtain many feature-saturated worlds, but with similar gameplay in each of them.

What do you think about this?

B is almost always the better choice. Features tend to define spaces for probable game-play experiences. If your features combine well, then the number of play opportunities compound. If they combine perfectly (and are of equal depth), the play opportunities expand exponentially.

Ehm... If you'd like "different worlds," maybe just because that's unique - Minecraft was partially dull because it lacked this - then I'd recommend building a single solid feature set, then tweaking them for each world. You could have a "main" world, or group of worlds, that implement the standard feature set, then "side" worlds that emphasize certain aspects of play. This way, even if a player is in a "side" world, and engaging in what is probably a slightly smaller space of possible experiences, they are still mastering and learning (about) the core mechanics. That way your main world won't feel artificially weak, and all your worlds will synergize.

All of your worlds would be deep, indepedent, and complementary. I think that's kind of a holy grail there.

I'd love some more Minecraft stuff that was a little more demanding, maybe requiring more intense planning.

Just as an aside... when I played Minecraft, my biggest criticism was the lack of variety in environment. Once I had dug to the bottom of the earth, built the major objects, then gone to the Nether, I had done everything. What you can build is entirely up to you. You have to set your own goals. At the beginning of the game, when you still have very few resources and are weak and uneducated, I felt like I had to build certain things out of necessity. That was exciting. But soon after, the only urge to build was one that came from within me. I would have preferred to have travelled to different locations and be put into situations where I was required to build interesting things. The cool part is, making that change to the game would've produced far more gameplay opportunities for the amount of effort it would've taken to implement, relative to the input/output ratio of most of the other features. Variety in a generated environment is almost free.

That's kind of related to your question.

I look forward to your game.

[sb3dgraph]

The sprites aren't bad, but I think they're too dark. Try upping the value on some of them.

Yes, you're right. But the game will increase their brightness, and they will look on a par with the brightness of the environment.

I'd recommend building a single solid feature set, then tweaking them for each world.

This variant looking good. Not all features are easily possible to tweak, but I think, this is optimal variant.

And yes, some of players still may say on this: each world is similar to previous. But this problem is simply in the number of gameplay features, I think.

Thanks!

I would have preferred to have travelled to different locations and be put into situations where I was required to build interesting things.

Yes, when I played in Minecraft, I feel same things. And so, my project has different challenges. And the basis of the gameplay - is the search and survive. Not build or craft.

And no, mine challenges is not similar to Minecraft ones. I hope, that in my game they are more complex and more difficult!


I hope, at least.

-------------

Today added to the game:
1. Craft and the use of the "resonator". When you install it, it brings down a nearby cave.
2. Craft and the use of the "hare wand". When use, all evil enemies will surround by hares, giving you time to escape.

-------------