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[superflat]

I'm sorry, I can't actually read Japanese  - I can speak it okish, but I had to get my wife to type my last reply!

Quick progress report:

- Added 8 new rooms in the apartment basement area.  Been painting in a much dirtier, darker style (using actual black, so the lighting system will never light it.)  At first I thought I should go back over the earlier work and ditry it up, but after sitting with it, it feels really nice to descend gradually into darkness and filth.
- Added new cutscene with the new antagonist.
- Added lots of animation for the new antagonist.
- Wrote some new music for the antagonist - lots of backwards chanting and silly things like that.
- Did the antagonist's sample set, bassy, frightening sounds.
- Made it so that you don't exit weapon mode when attacked (following lots of feedback on this from friends.)

Getting really close to finishing the first world now!  I'll post a screenie on sat.

[superflat]

Here are my #screenshotsaturday images...

Been doing some very different environments this week!



HEAVEN



HELL

[superflat]

Thanks man... So does your game (been meaning to comment for a while there.)  I'll try and make sure mine doesn't disappoint in the flesh!!

Also, for anyone who's interested, I wrote a little about LS on my blog yesterday.

[superflat]

Woah I've done it!  I've just finished the indiecade build!  Whew...

[superflat]

Here's a little teaser trailer I did for the Indiecade submission today.

Good news is it was all on time and finished!

[Cosr]

Those graphics effects are looking excellent in motion.
And good job reaching the Indiecade deadline. Hope that goes well for you.

[Bood_war]

 

Do want.

[WelcomeToAwesomeness]

I'm really liking how this is turning out.

[superflat]

Let's make this happen!

[oyog]

Man I'm looking forward to playin' this.

The music is awesome, by the way.

[superflat]

Time to give this devlog some love.  For some reason I didn't log into TIGs for ages.

I'm now in full crunch for IGF, the game has been through a short hiatus, as well as a couple more big pushes.

I dunno if I put the trailer up here, so here is a link to it: Official Trailer

I've done a lot of work on the mechanics and the overall look (lighting, effects and so on, as well as doing a second pass on all the art, with a lot more detail.)  Here's a current shot:



Have decided to use TIGs as a motivating thing for IGF, and the finished product, so I'll be posting small updates here regularly, as well as more in-depth ones on my blog.  It's been a long, long process, getting this bastard in shape, but I just played it after a week off and I'm suddenly surprised at how far it's come!

I think it's on the verge of working mechanically... I don't want to give too much away, but the decision to make combat, or rather killing, optional but difficult to avoid has worked out well I think.  It requires a lot of careful balancing and planning, but I'm just now boiling it down to the essence, and I'll probably come away with two or three main mechanics for doing this.

I guess I'm trying to solve (or at least lessen) the age old problem in survival horror of either being too powerful and not scared, or limiting the power and opening up the design to dead-end scenarios (classic example being having no ammo!)  That and 'seeing the monster too much weakens it.'  I'm trying to use the lighting system to my advantage here, as well as the 1D nature of the game.  I'm being vague I know, but it's the kind of game where the less you know, the more you'll get out of it I think.

Leading up to IGF I'd love to get a couple of very, very private testers (would probably help if I know you as I'm pretty paranoid about my baby getting leaked at this late point.)  If you're interested, and would be prepared to give some fairly detailed feedback, PM me, and I'll let you know.  It's not time yet, I'm thinking in a couple of weeks or so...  but something to bear in mind.

Also, if you have any thoughts or suggestions about:

- foods you'd eat in a zombie apocalypse (can include combination foods, in-game example being 'rice pudding + fruit salad')
- ways of avoiding or disabling fleshy monstrosities
- classic adventure game puzzles in a world that's falling apart

I'd love to hear them!

[oyog]

- foods you'd eat in a zombie apocalypse (can include combination foods, in-game example being 'rice pudding + fruit salad')

Dog Food, Mad Max style.  Canned anything, really, after you find the Can Opener.

[leonelc29]

Dog Food, Mad Max style.  Canned anything, really, after you find the Can Opener.

this, and maybe use a knife to open a can would be nice. or maybe some dried food(like biscuit or cookie), a pot of edible veggie(which can be pluck and eaten, which somehow people plant it), those pill that give energy(like people take in for diet purpose. give the needed nutrient, but still hungry(or maybe not? i don't know))

- classic adventure game puzzles in a world that's falling apart

lock picking to get to the room?

[Theophilus]

This looks incredible!

[superflat]

Thanks guys.  I was considering the can opener, and you've convinced me it's necessary!

Dog & cat food is great too.  Biscuits too...  Do you get those Carr's Water Biscuits in the US? They last forever! (The game's not set in a particular country, or it is but isn't revealed)... but I'm basing the foods on those from USA.   That reminds me someone suggested Twinkies - we don't have them here in the UK, but I hear they would survive several apocalypses.

[Happy Shabby Games]

Vienna sausages are a well known canned food here. They're like mini hotdogs in water but have a very distinct taste. They're actually pretty tasty! Can't say I've heard of Carr's Water Biscuits...

[JoGribbs]

Corned Beef Hash!

[superflat]

I'll see if I can squeeze it in - I already have spam on the cards.  As it stands, every food item is unique in the game, which is totally pointless, and that's why I'm doing it. 

[oyog]

- ways of avoiding or disabling fleshy monstrosities

I've been trying to come up with ideas for this category but I just keep coming back to survival-horror cliches.

Basic, underpowered weapons with poor ammo supply like in Silent Hill (except in the Police Station, of course.)

Hiding anytime you hear something threatening like Clocktower (of which I've only played half an hour of a translated hack for the SNES sidescroller.)

How 'bout a camera?  I hear cameras are an excellent way to get rid of enemies.

You could take the Dead Rising route and simply focus on what's available in whatever environment you're in.  Hunting lodge?  The hunting rifle, of course.  Oh there's only seven rounds left in the whole place.  Well what about that bear trap?  You'd have to scale down the scope of weapons drastically, of course.  Maybe have one "common" weapon with with ammo being relatively common throughout the game, one "rare" weapon with only a few uses, and the super powerful "unique" weapon with one use and some kind of adventure game puzzle to unlock.  If you applied that, or something like it to each area, with each tier of weapons slightly harder to access, the player would have a small range of weapons and some extra reward for solving puzzles.

'Course that's assuming it'd all be easy to implement and well balanced but it's getting away from survival-horror cliches a little (sort of.)

[Eldboll]

I've always been a big fan of 2D horror games and their ability to scare people shitless if done right. So I'm really looking forward to this, I think it looks solid all in all. You've really nailed the pixel graphics to go with the genre and create a good mood, something other 2D horror games seem to fall flat on in many cases!