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[Knightmare]

Dumle, you're making me look terrible.   :D

[Mr Dumle]

No no no, I could never make an image like this on my own. I'm just a rendering monkey. Glad you guys liked it 

[ChevyRay]

 

YES.

Oh god, I spent so much time on this.. sleeeep
I hope this is ok, MetaKnightmaregirl.

YES.

Oh how I love working on this game. Thanks for the awesome pictures, folks! MAN that was inspiring to come back to!

I can't wait for Skullboy, it's gonna be soooo hardcore. *flails around*

You bet! 

Also, I did this for fun today.

Its not mixed or anything, and its not very good, but I had fun. 

Spelldust - Acoustic Guitar Version
 

STUPID LIBRARY PC. I can't listen to it

Art's awesome, guys. I've been using my internet downtime to brush up on my own drawing skills, and things are coming along a LOT better than I'd expected, so expect some more art from yours truly as well to add to the ever-growing Skullboy catalogue.

Oh, and definitely more work on the game. Still working on getting my computer fixed. Gotta order a new adapter and battery pack from Lenovo. Progress will once again pick up. Especially since 'rager and I shortened the scope of the game a whole lot to increase the overall quality.

Also, 'rager and I have a non-game secret project that may take some serious headway come 2009, but that's all I'll share for now.

Other than that, my pixel-hand is hurting to get clicking and I promise a shitload update when I get back into the game here. It will rain pixels from the internet sky.

[Nate Kling]

welcome back Chevy, Can't wait to see some updates!

[The-Imp]

 

YES.

Oh god, I spent so much time on this.. sleeeep
I hope this is ok, MetaKnightmaregirl.

YES.

Oh how I love working on this game. Thanks for the awesome pictures, folks! MAN that was inspiring to come back to!

I can't wait for Skullboy, it's gonna be soooo hardcore. *flails around*

You bet! 

Also, I did this for fun today.

Its not mixed or anything, and its not very good, but I had fun. 

Spelldust - Acoustic Guitar Version
 

STUPID LIBRARY PC. I can't listen to it

Art's awesome, guys. I've been using my internet downtime to brush up on my own drawing skills, and things are coming along a LOT better than I'd expected, so expect some more art from yours truly as well to add to the ever-growing Skullboy catalogue.

Oh, and definitely more work on the game. Still working on getting my computer fixed. Gotta order a new adapter and battery pack from Lenovo. Progress will once again pick up. Especially since 'rager and I shortened the scope of the game a whole lot to increase the overall quality.

Also, 'rager and I have a non-game secret project that may take some serious headway come 2009, but that's all I'll share for now.

Other than that, my pixel-hand is hurting to get clicking and I promise a shitload update when I get back into the game here. It will rain pixels from the internet sky.

Rain, on MY internet?
FABULOUS

[Ishi]

What's going down in groove town then? Hope the game is still going.

[battlerager]

What's going down in groove town then? Hope the game is still going.

Nice bump 



Yes, yes, it's being worked on. Unfortunately, it will probably still take quite a while. 

[Knightmare]

Ya, definitely still going.  Waiting for Chevy's return.   

[Gainsworthy]

Sweet, and good to hear! I figured it'd still be going, but confirmation is ace.

 

[ChevyRay]

My return which MAY come soon.

Brother offered to lend me his computer until I am able to finish saving to get myself a brand-spankin' new one.

Actually, I had a Skullboy-rush today, meaning the game revived itself in my mind and I had an inrush of new ideas/alterations to make to the game. The fact that this happened out of nowhere whilst I was choking on pounds of dust installing ceiling fans in an attic indicates that Skullboy has embedded itself into that part of my brain that won't allow me to ever let the game go.

There WILL be immense amounts of Skullboy progress done this year, and that will include some new features. One of my favorites being the ability to knock out enemies and then pick them up/throw them super mario world style. The other major change will be that we are taking away Skullboy's tools (the bow & arrow and the lantern) and leaving him with just the grappling hook for normal use. BUT, 'rager and I decided we like the feel of the bow, so such items will be reserved for mid-level "minigames" in which for a short period of time you will be given a change of controls, until you beat the minigame and can move on.

Other than that, I'll just hint that we are considering the possibility of adding as much re-playability into the difficulty settings of the game. We've decided to really, really shorten the game, and are going for a "quality over quantity" approach to the design of the levels and minigames. This meaning trying to avoid any too much repetition (eg. not killing same enemy OVER and OVER), avoiding tedious gameplay (not having to re-do things, no repetition of puzzles) and a difficulty curve that agrees as much as possible with this approach

Anyhow... sorry to keep everybody waiting so long for updates, but this project is by no means abandoned (LIKE 'rager, mkg, and carn would EVER let me abandon it even if i wanted to XD). It's just that every time I come back to it, there are a MILLION little things I want to change about the game to make it even better, and I really want to make it worth our while.

Basically, I want this to be a game that we not just made, but a game we will be extremely proud of.

[Nate Kling]

ah yes, skull boy 2: the return of chevy!  I've waited my whole life for this moment.

[ChevyRay]

:D

MAJOR improvements being discussed right now in the Proper Undead Lounge (aka. MSN Messenger)

One being the fact that we're going to try to avoid as many cases of player-punishment as possible, and instead use rewards for accomplishments in the game. By this, I mean that the game will be forgiving as far as deaths are concerned: you will just go back to a recent checkpoint (which will be between major sections of levels) and you'll have unlimited lives. That way, they won't be redoing things all the time.

Cutscenes will be skippable (and won't even show after you've already seen them once, though they can be viewed if you desire to see them again). Higher difficulty levels will not only show a change in the physical shape of the level, but also in the placement and actions of the enemies and bosses. Also, higher difficulties will have higher requirements for rankings and more accomplishments available in the levels; basically, weaker players may still be able to beat the harder difficulties, but they won't be able to rank high (you must beat a difficult to unlock the next rank up).

Basically, anything and everything that makes players go "RRAAARRRGG!" will be put up for severe questioning, alterations/enhancements, and subsequently toyed with until said "RRAAARRRGG!" is no longer... said.

What I'm aiming for is a game that weaker players will be able to enjoy and complete, but will also cater to hardcore players by presenting a lot of optional challenges and insanely difficult achievements. I want to make this worth it not by rewarding them with redundant unlockables (TROPHIES, anybody? ) but by making higher difficulty settings really change up the levels and present the player with new and fresh obstacles, and with a non-number-crunching ranking system that makes it very evident what is required to do better but only hinting at how you might possibly do that.

Anyhow... I wish I had something visual to show you guys, this being the Art forum, but that'll come once we really get settled with the redesigning of the game.

[Noel Berry]

Sounds good. Although, make sure you don't make it too easy. Sometimes it is good to have the "AAARGH!" in a game. If it's too easy, it's just as boring as it is when it's too hard.

Since cutscenes are skippable, I really don't see any point in making them only happen once. If someone already views them, they can just skip them quickly anyway.

[Valter]

So, you're saying separate distinct difficulties? That's cool. I'm actually a pretty big fan of the "AAARGH" school of game design philosophy myself, but I'd like to see more games that can be hard or easy, as the player chooses.

[Inanimate]

I love the idea of making it optional difficulty, and some accomplishments and such being optional too. Fantastic work, Chevy.

[GregWS]

Good to see you back Chevy! 

All of those changes sound really good, and definitely well thought out.  Quality over Quantity especially; I'm hugely in favor of that kind of thing. 

Oh, and on a (possibly) different note, I'd been checking out that platform engine you'd posted, and I seemed to experience slowdown.  At first I thought that maybe I hadn't, but then someone else in the thread confirmed it.  I'm not quite sure what's causing it, but I noticed some for loops in the code, so I guess that could be it? (I'm running it on a pretty good laptop, and haven't had any GM slowdown elsewhere).  Yeah, I don't know if that's the same engine that you're using for this, but if so, then that's probably something to check out.

[ChevyRay]

Sounds good. Although, make sure you don't make it too easy. Sometimes it is good to have the "AAARGH!" in a game. If it's too easy, it's just as boring as it is when it's too hard.

Since cutscenes are skippable, I really don't see any point in making them only happen once. If someone already views them, they can just skip them quickly anyway.

Point 1: I get your gist, it's just that I'm going to try to make difficult parts so that they are hard, but they won't take 50 tries to beat. Basically, you'll be dying because you're not doing it right, or aren't doing it quick enough... not because you didn't press the button 0.5 milliseconds later.

Meaning avoiding things like jumps your character can just, JUST barely make, and traps that you can get through but have only enough room for your character mask to fit through when you jump at the right trajectory. Basically, challenges that are presented and accomplished through gameplay and visual storytelling, not overly technical challenges.

It's still hard to explain, but basically I don't want the game to be tedious. Even if tedious can be fun because it presents you with a challenge, that's not the direction I want to go with this game. I want to see if I can find other ways to really challenge the player.

As for cutscenes, why should I make them skip it every time? I think after once, they shouldn't need to skip it anymore. It's just a bother that they can easily be rid of, especially if the boss takes them a few tries.

I love the idea of making it optional difficulty, and some accomplishments and such being optional too. Fantastic work, Chevy.

It's not only that they will be optional, but they'll be implemented in the flow of the stages as well. For example, if you come across a large group of enemies all at once, you'll get a major bonus, say, if you dispose of them in one major blow instead of one-by-one, etc. So the manner in which you complete the level, meaning how efficient, stylish, and in-control you are, will also be a part of your ranking and rewarding.

Amongst these will be special bonuses for doing things such as completing a level in set time, killing all the enemies and beating it in set time, beating a level pacifist-style, finding all 5 "secret maneuvers" in a level and then completing it. Etc.

I'd like to see more games that can be hard or easy, as the player chooses.

You've got the idea basically, when it comes down to the suicidal difficulty levels, the game WILL be "AAARRGH!". But an inexperienced player will be able to play and enjoy the full game without ever having to play that mode if s/he so chooses. Also, for those who prefer to challenge themselves with gameplay accomplishments rather than obscenely hard obstacles, they'll be more suited to the medium-difficulties, which will have a good range of special tasks that can be optionally performed in the levels with a certain amount of skill.

[PlasmaMan]

The theory goes that at any second my future self will pop in with a time machine and give me the keys.

...

Nope, guess I'll just have to wait for this game. 

Put in a Dullahan! They are beheaded knights that shoot FIRE out of their heads! Badass!

[Inanimate]

I love the idea of making it optional difficulty, and some accomplishments and such being optional too. Fantastic work, Chevy.

It's not only that they will be optional, but they'll be implemented in the flow of the stages as well. For example, if you come across a large group of enemies all at once, you'll get a major bonus, say, if you dispose of them in one major blow instead of one-by-one, etc. So the manner in which you complete the level, meaning how efficient, stylish, and in-control you are, will also be a part of your ranking and rewarding.

Amongst these will be special bonuses for doing things such as completing a level in set time, killing all the enemies and beating it in set time, beating a level pacifist-style, finding all 5 "secret maneuvers" in a level and then completing it. Etc.

I figured that out, that is what I meant!   

And I still think this is awesome. Maybe you could do it Wario Land: Shake It style? It lists the achievement things, but you don't have to do it. It just gives you a better rank, and some treasure. I would suggest checking that out! 

[battlerager]

HUGE UPDATE
(Post courtesy of ChevyRay)

New Title Screen


We have an undead-pig problem... whose idea was it to put the pig pens next to the cemetary?


You can attack, uppercut, trip, smash, slam, jump on, and even pick up & toss enemies.


Sometimes I sit for half an hour just throwing pigs into eachother and watching them explode into a delightful mess of bones. Here I am whacking one with my bone club.


Skullboy can long-jump, wall-kick, grab onto ledges and flip himself up... He can even roll around, and perform quick-dashes to quickly avoid dangers from above. So if you're really good with the controls, you can get to all sorts of places (and OUT OF).


Uh-oh. He saw me. Time for plan B.


Some other tidbits...




And there will also be a whole myriad of game options. You'll be able to completely customize the controls, the music and sound, and you'll even have a bunch of graphics options. Here's Scanlines on a 2x scaled screen (i cropped the shot).


And here's a taste of what you'll be listening to while playing!

CERBERUS
ROOFTOPS