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[Savick]

PROGRESS UPDATE 5/11/12

Hello again!
Not many people have been commenting in the thread for the past week or so. So! Update time.

The new name of the game is "Found" since were no longer doing 16 colors and this fits better. Let me explain a bit. Boom (the main character) is a lost robotic dog with a cannon for a head. Wanted posters for lost dogs have that title of found when that pet is found. You will found new neighborhoods in the game. And you will find many things along your way in space.

Here's a second mock up to show off stuff.

Next some news.

We're staying with custom 30 color palette not 56.

We're doing the sound track and sfx as not total acapella but beeps and boops with some voices.

The ring menu system is coming along nicely.

We have an item and level editor almost ready.

EDIT: Oh crap! I forgot to add that were making it so you can pilot the planets around like giant planet/spaceships too!

That's all for now!

---> UPDATE V0.1 <---

WOOO

Implemented Features:
  - 4-Sided planet gravity
  - Block placement/removal
  - Automatic camera rotation
  - Parallax starfield

Upcoming in V0.2:
  - UI  
  - More blocks!
  - Music and SFX

New screen shot and video of v0.1!

Video ->





Comments and Critiques ought to be sent here -> [email protected]

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I'll let the pixels do the talking first -


So, Animal Crossing meets Mario Galaxy is what inspired this. Let me give you some more details.

You start off as a lonely robotic dog with a cannon for a head in the depths of space. You are then given special Earth ammo that let's you build Earth blocks. You can construct a 20x20 square block limit planet and alter the blocks however you want. I have thoughts of making it 30x30 or even 50x50, but I wanted it to start small As your planet grows in size and complexity you start attracting things from space. Monsters, Chests, other things,but most importantly Neighbors. You will be able to build them houses so they can live with you on the planet. This is where the story starts. I have plans for bosses that will wreck your shit and other interesting things.

The planet probably needs to rotate with the player. I plan to have a square ring menu system and square ring crafting system as you can see in the left side. I'm not that great of a pixel artist, but I enjoy this form of art a lot.

I told myself I would learn programming and make music for this game myself, but I have my doubts in my own abilities. What I'm saying is I may want to find a couple programmers, another pixel artist, and a music maker. I have absolutely no money to hire anyone so there's that difficulty. If you want to work on this project and I think you can help then maybe we'll go somewhere.

I hope to get some feedback about this idea of mine in the process of making it a reality.

[Armageddon]

Awesome idea! If you pull it off properly could be very fun. I love the idea of the planet getting larger and larger as time goes on.

[knotty spine]

This looks really cool and sounds like a lot of fun. Will be following your progress.

(I might give pointers on animation or even animate some sprites, if you'd like.)

[Savick]

This looks really cool and sounds like a lot of fun. Will be following your progress.

(I might give pointers on animation or even animate some sprites, if you'd like.)

Thanks for your comments guys!

@knotty spine I've taken like 2 classes on animation and have a few books about it. I also made the graphical style of the pixels simple so it would be easy to animate. Sooooo yes! I would like some help animating things in the future.

[knotty spine]

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic.

[Savick]

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic.

I apologize if it sounded that way. Maybe I'm just excited. I meant to state I have some experience with animating but I would love some help as well. I meant no disrespect.

[knotty spine]

Oh, cool. I'm also excited. 

[Savick]

Oh, cool. I'm also excited. 

Knotty Spine check your PMs. I must say I am also excite.

[Savick]

Here's a link to a full sized screen shot in case anyone wanted it.
http://i.imgur.com/emtNx.png

[Savick]

So I did some Googlin' and found this game maker game with the basic idea I want to use.
http://gmc.yoyogames.com/index.php?showtopic=351438
Then I opened game maker and swapped all the sprites out for mine.
Suddenly I have a buggy as hell bare bones version of the game I want!
All credit for engine design and concept goes to $pecter on the Game Maker forums!

Here's the file.
http://www.4shared.com/file/ANoh53bQ/Modified_SMG_Game_this_time_fo.html?

It was made in game maker 6, but it works fine in the latest version or at least it does for me. Okay now that I've got this very basic demo maybe someone can help me make this run better?

Thanks guys!

EDIT - here's a better link for the first demo.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/yw7cpy

[unsilentwill]

Looks like a simple and fun game to play. Keep it up!

[Savick]

Looks like a simple and fun game to play. Keep it up!

Hey thanks! I plan for it to be complex eventually, but starting simple is best I think.

[Ashkin]

I am interested.

[petra]

What a fantastic idea! I'm really looking forward to seeing this progress.

[Savick]

Thanks you two! 
I plan to do some simple animations or some concept art next of what I want the game to be like to get across some key visual information/ideas. I'm still working at organizing my notes and making a game design document as well. 

[Quarry]

Mite b cool, will it be gridlocked?

[Savick]

Mite b cool, will it be gridlocked?

I'm not sure I understand the term within a game design context. Do you mean like there will always be a grid of some kind? I plan to have the blocks be placed in a grid when the player places them by firing their ammo types. I also plan to have the planet's block distance limit to be limited by an invisible square border you can't build beyond. This is to prevent completely wacky planet shapes and so the player will always be able to get around the planet with ease ( most of the time ). These ideas are still subject to change but that's what I've got right now. If I didn't answer your question then please explain it better 

[SolarLune]

Heh, sounds like an interesting game. Keep it up. So the Animal Crossing aspect will be having conversations with your neighbors, swapping sweaters and shirts and stuff like that?

[Quarry]

I meant if the movement is like a roguelike, locked to tile positions

[Ashkin]

I just read the actual design stuff instead of looking at the pretties. Whoa.
I especially like the idea of new stuff being attracted to your planet because of its mass.