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[rickardwestman]

I absolutely love all the referential material you have for this game. And your karma system is an interesting thing. I might have to backtrack a bit if you already told us, but how will the karma affect things in the game?

Great stuff, keep it up!

[happymonster]

I think if you are going to throw in Rider-Waite Tarot cards symbolism then the rest of the graphics should reflect that style. It looks a bit odd at the moment as the rest of the graphics are in a very different style.

[Bones]

Your karma system is an interesting thing. I might have to backtrack a bit if you already told us, but how will the karma affect things in the game?

The karma system I am using is Dungeon & Dragons alignment system.
The things in game that karma affect are monster interactions, item drops, determines storyline quotations that appear throughout the game, and possibly decide what music to play.

If you are evil or chaotic, you will be able to meditate on these actions, and get your karma to return to neutral status.

BTW, nice avatar - little guy looks like my main character.

I think if you are going to throw in Rider-Waite Tarot cards symbolism then the rest of the graphics should reflect that style. It looks a bit odd at the moment as the rest of the graphics are in a very different style.

Well I'm throwing in a lot more symbolism than just Rider-Waite's cards, since tarot is all about interpretation.

As for trying to get the graphics to be a similar style - I don't quite see what you mean.
I figured the game is starting to look more polished, rather than things are starting to clash or stick out.
But your saying it seems out of place? Care to elaborate on what exactly sticks out to you?

[happymonster]

You have detailed textures on some parts and very flat section on others (such as the outlined mountains, pillars, sky, etc..). Are they not done yet, or is this the final style? (which I thought it was)

[Bones]

Consider all current graphics work in progress.
The only background even close to being "rendered" is the big skeleton statue background.
That's why I had an indie-gogo so I could try to get paid to do this.
With my old full-time job I didn't have time to really work on much.

But since I quit my job recently these next two weeks are to be full-time gamedev.
The graphics that will be shown in the released demo will not be representative of the final draft.

Your getting to see everything get made including huge pixel art pieces.
I just have so many of them to do + animations + programming and finishing the game... xD
So yeah it's a slow process, especially at the scale I'm using - I'm fighting against pixel art at this point.
Most artists just say to use non-pixel art backgrounds at this scale, it's just logical.

But I'm illogical, which is why nearly everything in this game has been drawn in msPaint so it's taking me probably 100x longer than it would if I used a more appropriate pixeling application. Or at least something with layers.
Although now that I have some cash from the indie-gogo I should purchase a legit copy of Promotion.
That will making tiling 100% easier for me.

[happymonster]

Oh I see, sorry I thought that most of the backgrounds were finished.

[rickardwestman]

Your karma system is an interesting thing. I might have to backtrack a bit if you already told us, but how will the karma affect things in the game?

The karma system I am using is Dungeon & Dragons alignment system.
The things in game that karma affect are monster interactions, item drops, determines storyline quotations that appear throughout the game, and possibly decide what music to play.

If you are evil or chaotic, you will be able to meditate on these actions, and get your karma to return to neutral status.

BTW, nice avatar - little guy looks like my main character.

Cool, I'll read up on that D&D alignment system, thanks for giving me the link.

Yeah, now that you mentioned it the small character in my avatar image looks kind of exactly like your main character, haha. The image is a couple of years old though.
Lets see it as a common good taste 

I love the Beksinski references too. I worked on a movie project a year ago where Beksinski's dark imagery was a huge inspiration, though the project got cancelled a couple of months later.

Cool to hear that you have some more time on your hands now too. Really want to see this finished someday!

[Bones]

Oh I see, sorry I thought that most of the backgrounds were finished.

I'd say far from, I should infact change the percentage bar.
It's certainly not accurate as to how far I am into the graphics for the game which is why it's sat at 60% for a while.
It's that last half of development things have been conceptualized, now it's time to make them.

Most the backgrounds are still very rough sketches at most.

Here is about 10 minutes of rendering.

[Bones]

Good evening ladies and gentlemen,

As of tomorrow I have only one week remaining until Dec 21st, I will be releasing the demo for The Walled Garden during the end of the world.

Here is a to-do list for myself

• Finish the first 10-12 levels.
• Get the music system back in and working 100%
• Change save system to three save slots.
• Change some of the sound effects so they aren't so annoying.
• Get the Hidden_Hand at least working on a basic level.
• Implement crafting in inventory.

I've also solved the grenade distribution issue I was having.
I will be placing more less the equivalent of Mario coins around the levels aka Atoms.

You will be able to create basic grenades from the Atoms you collect.

[gimymblert]

I think this is the most successful end of world conspiracy ever, should be a brand of its own.

[Swaggermuffin]

The karma system I am using is Dungeon & Dragons alignment system.
The things in game that karma affect are monster interactions, item drops, determines storyline quotations that appear throughout the game, and possibly decide what music to play.

If you are evil or chaotic, you will be able to meditate on these actions, and get your karma to return to neutral status.

You've got my attention. This whole project reminds me a little bit of the Shin Megami Tensei games. And Persona.

Will your alignment affect the ending, and if it does, how? Like, is it going to be a simple 'good ending for good alignment, bad ending for evil,' or will Law and Chaos factor in?

Or am I digging too much into spoiler territory.



Also, I was wondering about what you're doing with the Tarot: are you going through all 22 major arcana? I remember Persona 3 based its plot on the Tarot, but it stopped after the 13th arcanum, Death. Iirc, the reason (or one of them) was that the ones after Death were just too obtuse and abstract to really be able to write a plot around.

[Bones]

You've got my attention. This whole project reminds me a little bit of the Shin Megami Tensei games. And Persona.

Will your alignment affect the ending, and if it does, how? Like, is it going to be a simple 'good ending for good alignment, bad ending for evil,' or will Law and Chaos factor in?

Or am I digging too much into spoiler territory.



Also, I was wondering about what you're doing with the Tarot: are you going through all 22 major arcana? I remember Persona 3 based its plot on the Tarot, but it stopped after the 13th arcanum, Death. Iirc, the reason (or one of them) was that the ones after Death were just too obtuse and abstract to really be able to write a plot around.

I don't believe the alignment will affect the ending, there is ultimately only one very vague open-ended ending.
It's kind of been the keystone highlight of the entire game like "The moral of the story is..."
Karma plays more influence with in-game interactions than post-game results otherwise people will play a certain way just to get that particular ending rather than play how they want to play.

Atom ultimately has just one goal and objective in the game and that is to find Eve at all costs. I could perhaps think of one or two more endings, but they don't quite fit with the main ending that I have already have in place.

The 8 tarot cards after Death-13 are still quite important within the tree of life, so of course they will find their way in.
If Alan Moore can do it in Promethea, I should be able to do it with TWG.
I will also be trying to incorporate the lower arcana into this if I can find a good way how to, although that may be too much for me to try and include.


In other news...

I've been doing some soul searching lately and have been coming up with some interesting things that point to me making this video game - I'll share them with any of those who are interested in the things I'm beginning to notice.
Or perhaps it's simply a case of the number 24, seeing connections to things that aren't really there.

Adding my birth month, day, and year - then add the total digits together to get your "fate" card.
11+25+1988=2+0+2+4=8

8 =  Strength

Attributed to the card Strength is
"Intelligence of the Secret of All Spiritual Activities"

• Without my mother I wouldn't have become an artist, or had such interest in the Tarot.
• My grandmother introduced me to Mario and video games as a kid.
• My uncle and my dad's girlfriends were both very encouraging in my game creations.
• The four most influential figures in my life have all passed away.
• Since making this game I've noticed a lot of synchronicity in my life.
• Coincidences stacking up placing me to where I am now.
• The people I'm meeting, it feels like I was supposed to meet them.
• I've noticed that when people with the same energies or ideas come together in the same place magic happens.
• Our experiences from the past play a larger roll on the present moment than meets the eye
• I started pixel art when I lived in the same Group Home my mother lived in up until she met my Dad.
• Until attending Art College this game had no context or storyline.
• Since deciding upon the story of Atom and Eve, everything has sort of fallen into place.

Piecemeal Growth used to be considered bad by many of those who thought about software development. It was a sign of not planning ahead. But now most people acknowledge that iterative development and phased delivery are good. Piecemeal Growth is not nearly as controversial as it used to be, though many large organizations still try to develop software with a Master Plan.

[gimymblert]

Your bullet point list as 8 consecutive bullets, then a sentence is long enough to separate the the next four and the final paragraphe is four line long, 8!!

therefore 24 is the ultimate question to the ultimate answer 42, 24<>42

[Bones]

Yesterday after I had posted the 320th post, there was 32323 views with 22 pages.
I would have been royally mind fucked if it was the 323rd post on the 23rd page with 32323 views.

420 is a very important number to me.

I have used then number 42 often in random chances and variables within the game.

Four people, four tarot suits.
4+4=8

8x3(the holy trinity)=24 <> 42
It's all there.

[Bones]

Today's updates

• 9 Levels are now mostly finished!
  Although not aesthetically polished, they are each different enough and teach the player new things about the game.
  
  
  
  
• Hopefully without telling the player what to do in any of the levels they learn it on their own.
• I will have to get these first levels play tested before I release them to public this up-coming Friday
• If you would like to play test this demo please let me know so I can directly send you a link.

[namragog]

According to your method, I am the sage, or hermit.
 

[Bones]

On the contrary, this isn't my method, it was one provided by Mary Katherine Greer in her introduction to Amber Jayanti's book I've been reading "Living the Qabalistic Tarot"

The Hermit eh?
Spiritual values, Guidance, Mystery quest

This formula can apparently be done to every day of life as well by attributing a card to each particular day from using this formula.
Although it doesn't say what to do if the number is above 22.

Today would be... 6
The Lovers.

Wholeness, Union, Harmonious interaction

[happymonster]

The graphics look better with the shading and detail work.

[Nate_G]

You know I'm a fan but this is really coming on now Bones, I'm really looking forward to playing the demo!

I you're still working on it when I finish uni in April I'd love to contribute some more sound or music if you need it.

[Bones]

Yeah I feel it starting to actually come together as a game finally.
There will be lots of tile appearance issues in the demo, bare with them until I can manage to make a nice working tileset.


@happymonster Okay good, glad that it's only the WIP graphics that are clashing.