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TIGSource ForumsCommunityDevLogsDrake: The Golden Hind Story (patformer / like Flashback + minor rpg elements)
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Weilard
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« on: July 01, 2013, 01:11:59 PM »


Hello all Browncoats.

Want introduce to you our new game Drake (early stage of development). Previously we work on some independent games, but still not reaching success (more previously worked for 12 years in the industry). Now we change a course on a way of one game ". What i mean. Now we do not focus on game fashion anymore, and do not think about who will be play in this when we release a game. Because, roughly speaking, 14 years we think about "who will be play?", "How we can sell it?", "How we can grab more players? " but we still dont think about game. We affraid making games. Because we think about future, about players, and about cash. After this years i can say - wrong way. Good way to reach cash, and good way to sell your soul. So, holy Schafer, i'm started (clasped hands).

If be short Drake is platformer game. Our predecessors and fathers (maybe even grandfathers) great games of the past Flashback, Prince of Persia, Zeliard and Legend of Kyrandia. Currently we work on movement controller like in Flashback. He is very specific for present times, but we don't care about it. Just want made game. What will be will be. If all the time to be afraid - we can immediately go to the grave. The sector of game industry where we have worked - so far is afraid and makes only casual and social games. There was a time when we were working on shooters, racing games and on just a games. And then the world changed. And so it was.. until from the sky not come saintly Schafer. He show the way.

"Features"
Genre: Platform arcade with the little RPG elements.
Style: Non-realistic
Art and color style: Old games by Westwood Studios
Setting: medeival + a few pieces of steam-punk
Time Period: 1563 AD
Counts of Levels: 7 big levels and 6 cities (or village).
One main quest and at least 12 sub-quests
No slow-motion or bullet time
No rolling time back
No checkpoints (classic save/load system)
No casual modes
Funny Achievements


Sample of Concept Art (more in links follow):
Art and Concept-art on IndieDB

Sample of early game content:




"Present day" game content:
Some people ask "why you do this strong animations?" (see follow). I have a little answer. Previous animation be cool, but i find a way to make this more softly and increase level of quality. But... this is a lot of work. Game development is iterative process. Each iteration give to us experience to "gain next level". When we done previous list of animations (based on 6-12 frames), we understand that our camera works not correctly.

We do not want make a cut levels or "window-levels" (in classic games developers use non-scrolling screens) on many different static screens (like in old games like FlashBack and Prince of Persia), and because we want make world without many cuts - we need make targeted on player dynamic camera.

Currently our game-camera work not correctly, because camera linked to player. Because our player have a limited number of frames (in previous version of Drake - 8 frames). We have a twitching scrolling artefacts. This is no right way to make a good immersion. For the soft camera panning we need animation which be good work with pixel-perfected camera. For soft moving we need a more frames. I make this. Now our Drake have a number of frames more than legendary Flashback. In Flashback developers made 20 frames for running. We made 24. For really soft movements.

We want make a Game but not a game. If you understand what i mean. And i want that all part of these be made on maximum level of quality. In life of each people time limited. I can't lose my time on half decision and medium level of quality.


(In our work we oriented on experience of our grandfathers. We often look at best games ever.
But be sure we made game with self style, art and story.
If you want to be good - copy isn't good way to entertain gamer.)



(Double size hero - Zoom-mode)


(real size hero)


(Vertical slice from art content of level)

Big Sorry Header
- Sorry for this version of scrap-language (not native)
- Sorry for lot of images in thread
- Sorry for fact that we touch a holy things


P.S. and Links
Drake on IndieDB
My blog (sorry, only on russian)
My portfolio (old) - (if you love pictures)
My portfolio 2 - (if you love more pictures and moreover post-nuclear art especially Wasteland 2)
Deviant Art page
Site of our studio site.

Thanks for Your time.


« Last Edit: July 02, 2013, 01:27:59 AM by Weilard » Logged

CDLegasse
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« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2013, 03:37:03 PM »

Man i am really enjoying your artwork. This is the kind of project that i personally would love to be involved with.
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BleakProspects
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« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2013, 03:41:15 PM »

Love those smooth animations.
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MrPlosion1243
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« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2013, 05:32:23 PM »

Wow those animations are incredible! And the character sprite in general is awesome, I just wanna slash off some heads with that sword.

Please implement head slashing  Beg
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Weilard
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« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2013, 06:39:33 PM »

Thanks guys!

And Mister Plosion, how i can made header more smaller? On Tigsource have a cut options? Or maybe good way remove all images? Wink I threw some images out from thread. Be better?

Quote
I just wanna slash off some heads with that sword.
I will try to make some types of enemies which die by the sword... via slashing heads
« Last Edit: July 01, 2013, 08:21:07 PM by Weilard » Logged

Weilard
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« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2013, 01:39:39 AM »

Behind the scene of each project you can find incredible mountains of content. When game released you eat a good sandwich and have no idea how many ingridients screw up by cook. Cook can be professional but each cook every day try to find something special. You can try take ten tomatoes, onions, meat and mayonnaise or others sauce and try prepare different food. Niam-niam.





If you try to search recipe - this take a time and resources. Maybe after that on Sandwich paty you choose one of these recipes, other versions of your sandwiches be save in the trash, or maybe on shelter of your soul... i mean, belly. No one from your friends never know how many tears you fall when cut onions, how many versions of your foods throwing to the trash.

This is my sandwiches behind Drake. I don't know about this art - to be included in game or not. But i want show you the whole kitchen.

And bonus for gourmets - another sketch-animation from my work-bench. Buy the way, on the top of my today sandwich i put a big blue cutlet. She hide my mess with other parts.

...Wait a moment, if in this place come real cook - do not read this news please, you know all about sandwiches. Perhaps better it had to write at the beginning of...
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matriax
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« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2013, 02:00:40 AM »

Wow! the animations are really smooth :O ¿What program are you using? is all made pixel-by-pixel ?
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Weilard
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« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2013, 02:17:27 AM »

Thanks!
M-m-m... After writing answer me need to enable specific skill "tomato dodge" i suppose. My colleagues every month and every year told that i must use another soft for animation, more comfortable than Photoshop (prepared to dodge).

I paint frame by frame, pixel by pixel. It's a hell but i know that for me it's a best way to reach my goals. Just in Photoshop. Maybe because old dog like me too old for this shit. © Danny Glover "Lethal Weapon".
In past i already trying to learn Flash, but for me more comfortable prepare sequences in PS and give it to our coder with a comments.

To be honest in hard cases i look at animation made in 3D Studio Max. Bones. Skeleton. I don't like use models in character animation. And don't do models for this task. But i often look at examples, on real people and off course i look at old games. It's a main source of inspiration.

In past times i trying to use 3D in animation. But i fast understand that i need hand maded practice, because i need feel my characters. Mistakes, wrong places and etc.

Between game developers have a point of view that if you want learn something you must start from deep. As god you must take basic structures and start build the world. And i sure that if animator can't know classic animation - 3D be wrong. As evil, distorting reality. If you reach the skills of classic animation - can use 3D. But not vice versa.

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is all made pixel-by-pixel ?
I use Photoshop in all cases. But digital painting is not a pixel art. In pixel art style i made characters and dynamic objects. For other structures i use 3D-sketches and made over-paint (i told about level structures: stones, houses, devices). Sketches + art + pixel-art + overpaint work in Photoshop.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2013, 02:36:46 AM by Weilard » Logged

oyog
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« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2013, 04:29:38 PM »

Your environments are incredible! Can't wait to see more.  Beer!
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eobet
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« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2013, 08:33:22 AM »

Well, you certainly have graphics and animation going for you. Now it's just that tiny bit about the gameplay... Wink
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mindbrk;
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« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2013, 09:28:21 AM »

Graphics look nice  Wink
So, for the music I'll just assume you'll be blasting rap ?  Cheesy
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aberrantmind
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« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2013, 01:51:07 PM »

das some niceass lookin trees. title's weird, but whatevs
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Weilard
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« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2013, 07:16:59 AM »

oyog
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Your environments are incredible! Can't wait to see more.
I'm working on that (laughing)

eobet
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Well, you certainly have graphics and animation going for you. Now it's just that tiny bit about the gameplay...
I think about gameplay everyday and every night. Each free moment of my existence. This is main fear of our development. Because we sure that we can and do good graphical content, music and sound. We do good visual effects and after long work good animation and maybe good movies, but...

Our pervious projects in big gamedev teach us. We always know what we do wrong. But have no answers and guaranties that what we do now - a right way to right direction. Always easier find mistakes in different works of another people, but not easy find self problems. Rather, finding mistakes - easy, fixing mistakes - hard work.

tnch
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So, for the music I'll just assume you'll be blasting rap ?
Ha-ha... not. Not a rap, but on this moment of time i'm not ready speaking about music. All i know that this direction take one good man and professional sound-designer. He is too from big gamedev and also he is my friend. I have a one direction. When i complete major part of concept-art - i give them all for him and cut the ropes on him hands. Because many of us tired from stamps of big gamedev. I want that this guy break free, breathe of wind of freedom in full chest. And... just this guy will make a creative work like he saw world of Hind.

ALL
Thanks all for your feedback. It's really important for me. Very-very. Even in case when i cannot understand what you will try to say me. This is a my language barrier.
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eobet
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« Reply #13 on: July 08, 2013, 08:49:11 AM »

eobet
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Well, you certainly have graphics and animation going for you. Now it's just that tiny bit about the gameplay...
I think about gameplay everyday and every night. Each free moment of my existence. This is main fear of our development.

Hey, I didn't mean to get you nervous about that. I was just curious as to what you may have planned. Wink

Also, while your super smooth animations look awesome, I hope you continually put them in the game to try them out, because you mentioned Flashback, and the big drawback of that game, imo, was that you had to wait for those smooth animations to complete until the character accepted your next joystick input, so while the character looked smooth, it felt like moving through jelly because it was so slow.

A fun thing to compare for you might be the classic Pirates! which also had very slow animations in its swordplay, which made for quite slow and tactical fights, while the much newer Pirates! Gold had far fewer frames of animation, which enabled lightning quick swordplay that was more realistic (but also more difficult).

PS. Love, love, love the way the character switches weapon hand when he turns, so you can just mirror the sprites. Awesome detail.
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Weilard
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« Reply #14 on: July 08, 2013, 09:25:39 AM »

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Hey, I didn't mean to get you nervous about that. I was just curious as to what you may have planned.

No-no... it's okay. I think that is "work" of my language barrier. Too hard to understand what someone say to me. Even if understand all words. Sorry. It's a my mistake (laughing) not Yours.

I really worried about gameplay. Because i know this is always way to dark wood. Only careful searcher find a true way. All actions what we do in this forest "falling shadows" on other different things. You just change a jump speed, for example, and game logic has changed. You move fast, move along scripts, recieve advantage over the enemy, and now quick get away if something go wrong. Game make easy. What happened? You just make speed of jump animation more faster.

And for now i work only on Drake controller and on scenario. Plus - on objects, and levels. Basic structures. Without specific details. I want to tell you more, but too want make my steps carefully. Without wrong promises. I want to be a honest with a gamer. In all details of my work.

First stage of our work basic movement controller. I want make a good fight on sabers with guns and daggers. But i'm not sure that i have a clear way. Because i want make controller like a river. You jump to the water and move with her. Softly. With a feelings of comfort. And if i cannot research part of controller dedicated to good hand fight - i cut them. Because better do nothing than make something wrong. I mean... in case of game controller.

In real life i do mistakes every day and... i'm happy. It's funny.

Thanks for Your detailed feedback!
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Chromanoid
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« Reply #15 on: July 08, 2013, 09:56:03 AM »

Wonderful visuals!
PS. Love, love, love the way the character switches weapon hand when he turns, so you can just mirror the sprites. Awesome detail.
this
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Weilard
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« Reply #16 on: October 08, 2013, 11:05:28 AM »

Grettings. We have a little update for you.

First of all - thoughts about feeling of Drake (more remind cinematic shot), and thoughts about game assets of lower levels of Hind.





Secondly. We launch two pages in support of Drake game. Official site of Drake and Facebook page.

Thirdly. We are really appreciate all your letters for us. Because this is very important for us. This letters is real reason for this news block. Now we hardly work under second iteration of movement controller demo. That is why we so silent in net.

Thank you for your Time. See You soon.
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Weilard
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« Reply #17 on: October 17, 2013, 05:07:59 AM »

Maybe cross-posting is good for some people, but i fear annoying ad. I hate banners, splash ad posters and etc. That is why I be short here. We public regular update on indie DB. Have a lot images, thoughts, make vote. Because we still thinks about art style of game. For demo-version we choose pixel-art direction. In article you can find many additional info. Well... what i can say more. Pictures. Source as usually you can find at www.drakethegame.com





See ya. And Thanks.
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« Reply #18 on: October 17, 2013, 10:54:59 AM »

What is the estimated timeline for this project? I'm not talking release date... just how long you expect this game to take to finish.

Currently sitting at 0% (unless you just haven't bothered updating it?) and the amount of detail in the animations is scary.

I'm just wondering if you plan to kickstart this (it really seems that way) at some point or what.
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Weilard
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« Reply #19 on: October 17, 2013, 09:49:27 PM »

Konidias
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What is the estimated timeline for this project? I'm not talking release date... just how long you expect this game to take to finish.

Good time of day.
This depend from situation with funds. Currently we need to work as freelancers to recieve cash for develope. Usually this is very disturb and decrease count of free-time. I forget even the word - free-time (smile). That is why i can't voiced date of release. Even if we speak about date of release of first demo.

Quote
Currently sitting at 0% (unless you just haven't bothered updating it?) And the amount of detail in the animations is scary.

Well. After Drake movement controller demo i promise moving progress bar of status. About animation... is just a tip of iceberg. I'll try to scare you and other gamers else more.
 
Quote
I'm just wondering if you plan to kickstart this (it really seems that way) at some point or what.

We are not citizens of United States of America. This give us little problem with start Kickstarter project. Also we have no community. Without community - KS waste of time. When I look progress in case of community - I think about KS. Until this not happen - i just work.
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