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[Panurge]

I was really pleased with the response to my LD30 entry, The Veiled World (playable here: http://gamejolt.com/games/arcade/the-veiled-world/34777/) so I'm expanding the game's arena mode into a full game.

The original arena mode from The Veiled World

It will be a gleefully inaccurate gladiatorial combat and management game set in ancient Rome. Expect sweat, blood, muscles, shouting, massive axes, leather mankinis, decapitations, sexual tension and eternal glory...

Character customisation options...

I've just put a little teaser trailer up here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iLSi9hJZ08&feature=youtu.be



Playable build of the introduction here (F to fullscreen):

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/91016307/Gladiatorius%20win32.zip

As ever, feedback will be cherished.

[Panurge]

The poor frame rate of this gif doesn't really do justice to the gently balletic grace and delicacy of 'berserk mode':

Floaty demon things soon to be replaced by proper gladiator opponents.

[Julien]

I usually love everything with a bit of screenshake (and use it a lot). But isn't it too much ? :p Or is it the gif the displays the game faster than it actually is ?

[Panurge]

You're absolutely right, that does look like too much screenshake even for the most hardcore of gladiators! In my defense, however, I must say that:

A) The gif is terrible and the poor framerate makes things look much worse. I'll do a new one soon.

B) I intentionally waited until a heap of enemies were onscreen before activating berserk mode so the amount of kills (and therefore also the frequency and magnitude of shake) in such a short space is not typical.

The screenshake setting is actually the same as for the original game (http://gamejolt.com/games/arcade/the-veiled-world/34777/) and I think it seems about right there. I'm always happy to get more opinions though.

[Panurge]

I'm currently redoing all the relevant animations from The Veiled World. I rushed them for Ludum Dare but now I can go back over them at leisure and pretty them up a bit.

I'm also working on something for the player to do in between fights. As well as the usual training and shopping, I'd like the game to have a social aspect and monitor your relationships with the other gladiators in your stable. To this end, I've developed a sort of mini-game which uses the game's core mechanic while remaining 100% historically accurate:


TOWEL FIGHTS!

[Panurge]

The special abilities are all pretty powerful and it might be a bit much to activate more than one of them at a time so I've decided they'll be granted as gifts from the gods. The player can dedicate their victories to Mars, Neptune, Venus, Mercury, Diana or Pluto and enjoy the badass benefits of their patronage.

Pluto is particularly cool because he'll also waive the ferry fare if you get killed. Here are a few quick ideas for how he might look - anyone have a favourite?

[Panurge]

I'm currently on the scrounge for cod-Roman names. I want them to be kind of goofy but I don't really want to fall back on puns, wordplay or anything overtly comedic (like Monty Python's Biggus Dickus, for example). I'd just like them to sound faintly ridiculous and I'm not bothered if they're real Roman names, Latin words, other words, made-up names, whatever. Just so long as they end with -us because everyone knows that all Roman names end with -us.

Some examples so far: Mauritius, Rumpus, Nimbus, Prius, Rhombus, Alumnus, Citrus, Bogus, Hibiscus, Hummus, Wampus, Coitus.

I'll be very grateful if anyone can throw some more into the pot - I need as many as I can get for generating random opponents.

[dvoid]

 

[Panurge]

 

Roughing out some character generation with random birthplaces, character types, names, pets and pastimes. My calculations tell me that there are already 4320 possible backstories! Impressive, no? (Please don't answer that - it's a rhetorical question...)

[eldog]

That is some top notch character backstory there, I read it thinking it was handwritten first. I like that the graphics correspond to the text (also he does look very smooth of skin).

[Panurge]

Thanks! There's no shortcut to achieve that sort of smoothness effect, by the way. I had to work pixel-by-pixel to get it just right. 

[NinthPower]

haha I love everything about this. TOWEL FIGHTS!

[Panurge]

Thank you! Feature creep means the towel fights are actually threatening to outdo the 'real' fights. I've now included towels in the list of things you can buy from the market - they range from small handcloths which are standard issue for new gladiators to beach towels with devastating range and absorbancy...

[Panurge]

Opening set-piece is now complete - a thrilling battle between hordes of Celts and Romans using authentic period tactics (ie. throwing stuff at each other).

[Panurge]

Now also in video form:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht4nD9j2Ixo&feature=youtu.be

[Panurge]

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/91016307/Gladiatorius%20win32.zip

Follow the link above for a zipped build of the very start of the game. At the moment, it only consists of the introduction and first level, which is more or less for cinematic purposes only - the actual arena levels will be far less chaotic. It's still a bit rough but it should give an idea of the general feel.

All feedback much appreciated!

IMPORTANT NOTE: F to fullscreen, WASD and mouse to play.

[crusty]

i need this

[Panurge]

If you need it, it will come.

[Panurge]

New gameplay video:

[Panurge]

Trying to nicen up the look a little.