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TIGSource ForumsCommunityDevLogsMissing Translation [FREE][Best Original Idea - hoPLAY award][Greenlight]
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Author Topic: Missing Translation [FREE][Best Original Idea - hoPLAY award][Greenlight]  (Read 24105 times)
Ludipe
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« Reply #20 on: July 23, 2014, 11:11:18 AM »





And here's something from Gustavo's Tumblr:

Quote
"Missing Translation" is a video game being developed by ludipe, Albert and me, that now has the lucky chance to be showcased at the Madrid Games Week. However, for this to happen, the team has to rent the booth stand, which, unfortunately, isn’t cheap…

With this, just in a couple of hours, a crowd funding campaign in IndieGoGo was created, to see if we can meet the necessary budget for this to happen. It may not be an “uber-awesome” campaign page, but it was the best we could do with the little time available to produce it.

Please visit the DEVLOG PAGE for more information on the game and the INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN PAGE to help us getting closer on being represented at the Madrid Games Week. Also, don’t forget to view the raw alpha video gameplay above to get a feel of what we are creating for you!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Please spread the work! Thank you.
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Ludipe
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« Reply #21 on: July 24, 2014, 08:47:48 AM »

Update:

We just reached 140$; all thanks to the spanish community. "Games Made in Spain", "Indie-o-Rama", "Teku Studios", "Beautifun Games", "A crowd of monsters" and other studios have been extremely helpful.

We couldn't be prouder of being part of this community :D
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Ludipe
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« Reply #22 on: July 27, 2014, 03:10:12 AM »

Update:

We got a few more dollars and we're getting more and more exposure on Twitter and Facebook, which is quite nice. We still have a couple of days ahead, so you can still support 'Missing Translation' here.
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Ludipe
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« Reply #23 on: July 29, 2014, 06:21:30 AM »

Update:

195$ collected so far, here's a preview of the updated town map:



Click here to support our crowdfunding campaign.
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Ludipe
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« Reply #24 on: August 13, 2014, 03:49:54 AM »

Thanks to our crowdfunding campaign and some external support we'll be able to rent a booth at Madrid Games Week :D

Here's the latest version of the main hub(still work in progress). We'd like to get some feedback from you. What do you like and what would you change?

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Ludipe
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« Reply #25 on: August 27, 2014, 02:55:28 AM »

We are going to release a new build for backers,press and testers this week. The next two months are going to be really demanding, getting the game ready for Madrid Games Week requires a lot of energy, showcasing the game in a show like that it's great but we're also under a lot of pressure.

This was just one of those "Still alive and working" posts. We'll write new devlogs entries during September :D
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« Reply #26 on: August 27, 2014, 04:44:23 AM »

Looks like a great game, good luck for October! I can test on Android if needs be Smiley
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latest release: 13th March 2015
Ludipe
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« Reply #27 on: August 27, 2014, 04:57:38 AM »

@oodavid: Good to know, we may contact you later. Right now we're just testing the game on PC, we don't have much time before the show and Android takes more time to develop and test; we'll focus on the Android build after Madrid Games Week. We want to take some time preparing the game for each platform (different input, optimization,etc).
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Ludipe
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« Reply #28 on: September 06, 2014, 10:45:51 AM »

Devlog Entry #5: A look at the language

Hi everyone! Long time since we published our last devlog entry. Today I'm here to talk you about "the language" in "Missing Translation". In our game the player arrives to a strange town where everything is in a weird language; which you can learn(up to a basic level) and use it to communicate with the villagers. But this doesn't sound new at all,right? I mean, you must have played games with fake languages. Fez is a modern example of that.


(fez alphabet)

What most games do is create a code(not a language); they replace our alphabet with a different one, but words are spelled in the same way and the grammar remains. We wanted to do something different, so I spent some time trying to design a fake language that the player could use(even if it was a simple one).

(quick recap)We created this mechanic for our game:


It's similar to the pattern lock from Android devices, you've got a bunch of nodes and you join them to create a pattern. The character will say whatever you draw. Now that's something new and interesting, but we still need patterns for the words, what could we do? The easiest thing would be to randomly create patterns and assign them to words, but that is a lame solution and was quickly discarded.

I did a lot of research about the origin of numbers, languages and even learnt a few things about sign language(also re-played "Loom", "FEZ" and "Myst" Tongue). When I felt ready I took a notebook and prepared to create a bunch of rules for it. First thing was to create limitations and boundaries for it, why would I do that? Because it's a fake language for a game. Let's get real, creating whole sentences with a subject, a verb and a noun is way too complicated for a pattern made out of 9 nodes. I was looking for something to say things like "Hi", "I like", "Cat?", "I don't know"; that's a reasonable goal.

So I drew a bunch of patterns and assigned them personal pronouns, then I drew a new pattern for the verb "like" ... and when I tried to drew both on the same grid to say "I like" I realized they were overlapping each other  Facepalm

Ok... Keep calm! Let's look for a solution.

So I thought I could use the inclined lines for "special" things(such as personal pronouns) and non-inclined lines for verbs and nouns. Yeah, you can't say "The cat swims" but you can say "It swims", I'm OK with that.


I also wanted to include modifiers for negative sentences and questions, so I used a few more of the inclined lines for that.


Ok... let's see how it works ...






And those are the basis of our fake language, we're trying to add some logic and structure to it ... but you can always be like those tourists who ignore the local language, there's still plenty of puzzles which don't use this mechanic.

Our next challenge is to find a way to teach this language to the player and to include some suitable puzzles for it.

We're getting closer to Madrid Games Week, lots of things to finish this month. We hope you liked this entry, keep an eye on us Wink
« Last Edit: September 06, 2014, 10:54:56 AM by Ludipe » Logged

valrus
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« Reply #29 on: September 06, 2014, 06:49:32 PM »

The language looks great; I like seeing a language really be a language rather than a code. 

A thought for further structure, which can be the basis for a neat puzzle or two: you can get more pronouns by combining your basic ones, the way Tok Pisin has "yumi" (you+me) for 1st person plural inclusive.

  • 1st + 2nd = 1st person plural inclusive ("we" meaning "you and me")
  • 1st + 3rd = 1st person plural exclusive ("we" meaning "me and someone else, not you")
  • 2nd + 3rd = 2nd person plural
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Ludipe
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« Reply #30 on: September 07, 2014, 02:35:40 AM »

The language looks great; I like seeing a language really be a language rather than a code. 

A thought for further structure, which can be the basis for a neat puzzle or two: you can get more pronouns by combining your basic ones, the way Tok Pisin has "yumi" (you+me) for 1st person plural inclusive.

  • 1st + 2nd = 1st person plural inclusive ("we" meaning "you and me")
  • 1st + 3rd = 1st person plural exclusive ("we" meaning "me and someone else, not you")
  • 2nd + 3rd = 2nd person plural


That's a pretty cool suggestion, we'll definitely be using that. Thanks! :D
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Ludipe
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« Reply #31 on: September 11, 2014, 09:37:06 AM »


I added some visual tips on how to interact with each puzzle today. Tice is also working on the sounds, which really enhance the whole game.
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Ludipe
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« Reply #32 on: September 12, 2014, 03:17:33 AM »

Tice is already working on some sounds for the game.

.
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« Reply #33 on: September 12, 2014, 03:58:27 AM »

Quote
Developing a game for a long time it's always hard, emotionally speaking, at least for me. Somedays I'll wake up, launch the game and think "The puzzles are too easy, people are going to get bored fast", "People are going to think it's silly" or "Why bother?". Luckily most days I just launch the game again and say "Hey, I'd enjoy these puzzles" and "Huh, the art and the music are so beautiful that I'm enjoying just walking around". So I guess that at the end of the day the most important thing is to keep calm, carry on and finish your game.

That's what we're doing here after all, creating games and sharing them with others :D
True words! I genuinely have the same feelings on a day to day basis... If it sends a tiny spark of motivation your way: your game looks REALLY interesting and unique! Smiley
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Ludipe
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« Reply #34 on: September 13, 2014, 10:27:47 AM »

@maxl: Thanks a lot! Let's hope people find it as fun as beautiful :D
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Ludipe
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« Reply #35 on: September 15, 2014, 03:11:58 AM »

Here's a preview of the intro Gustavo is making for "Missing Translation":


It will be a short animated comic(just 4 frames) that will be shown before arriving to the main hub.
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Ludipe
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« Reply #36 on: September 19, 2014, 06:28:31 AM »

Devlog Entry #6: Production, Team management and other stuff nobody cares about. Tips for Successful Team Work

I was going to post an entry about how I'm making a basic but randomized AI for the villagers, but I thought it could be good to talk about some inner team stuff, which I think is a very interesting topic.

Yesterday, @themeatly, a mysterious gentleman who writes about dev issues, published this comic:


I talked to some friends about it and I found out that a lot of people(more than I thought) have issues when it comes to working as part of a team, which is a shame, because it's a very important part of gamedev. Some people can handle design, code, audio and art on their own; but even then, working with a team is often better and tends to get better results.

Disclaimer: I'm not saying you should never create games on your own, I do it from time to time and many great games were made by a single dev.

So I'm gonna give you 5 tips that have worked for us while developing "Missing Translation", they're not universal so feel free to ignore them if you wish:


1.- You need a producer/director. This doesn't mean there's a person who rules above the rest, not at all. But there MUST be someone who pays attention to what everyone is doing, distributes tasks and sets deadlines. It's not fun and it takes some time, but somebody has to do it. I'm the designer in "Missing Translation", so I also coordinate the rest of the team as I have a more general insight of where the game is going.

I speak privately with every other member of the team (to avoid flooding the rest with little details they don't have to worry about) and then send general e-mails with information for everyone.


2.- Each member should have freedom. An artist(or a composer or a coder) knows what he's doing, as long as it doesn't interfere with the rest he should be able to do as he pleases. The game will be more personal for them, they'll be happier and give their best. When I assign a task to a team member I just explain the code restrictions and add some ideas, the rest is up to them. I guarantee you'll get better results than being a bossy person and asking them to make exactly what you had in mind.


3.- Assets and game builds MUST be shared. The designer creates an idea, the artists draws a visual representation and the composer adds the final touch; when you're sharing everything each one uses what the rest is doing as inspiration, making the game a richer experience. Yeah, it takes some time, but it's worthy, trust me. Before starting a average night of work I listen to the music Albert composed or watch the drawings made by Gustavo.

I try to share a build with the team when I add something new, that way they're able to tell me if I didn't implement their work right; and they also see how the game is progressing.


4.- Trust. I mentioned "freedom" earlier, this one is pretty similar. I wish we could work together in the same space, so everyone could check what the rest is doing whenever they want, but we work during our spare time (which can be limited sometimes) and huge distance separate us. I can do a checking from time to time and ask each one how he is doing, but that's not possible all the time. You must trust the rest to do their tasks, if you can't do that then that team isn't working as it should.


5.- Talk to them. We're people after all, most issues are due to the lack of communication, when it comes to teamwork, almost every issue can be solved with a meeting or a few e-mails.


(I had a killer idea for #5, but I didn't write it down and I forgot it while writing the entry Tongue )

I hope you learnt something from our experience, go and find a team now! and make great games!

Here's a little reward for standing all this nonsense, it's another preview from the intro Gustavo is drawing:


We'll be releasing the game soon, so be sure to check this devlog or the gamejolt profile.
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Ludipe
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« Reply #37 on: October 01, 2014, 02:37:43 AM »



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Ludipe
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« Reply #38 on: October 22, 2014, 01:11:31 AM »


We showcased "Missing Translation" at Madrid Games Week just a few days ago. There was always somebody playing the game, most of them played for more than 20 minutes(which is quite unsual in a big show with a lot of games) and they loved it.

The project was featured on "El Pais"(an important Spanish newspaper) and I was interviewed several times.

I wasn't expecting this project to have such a successful showcase, being there was great. The game is almost finished so we're aiming to publish it at Christmas, as a little gift from us.

It has been a great experience. You'll be hearing more from us soon :D

 

Regards

Luis
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Ludipe
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« Reply #39 on: October 31, 2014, 02:21:19 AM »

We just got the news! "Missing Translation" has been selected as a finalist in 2 out of 4 categories for hoPlay 2014.

There'll be 25.000€ in prizes, foreign press(like Kotaku) and the rest of the finalist are huge games like "Transistor". We still can't believe we'll be there showcasing our project in a month. It's huge.

I'll keep you posted :D
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