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[HyMyNameIsMatt]

If that's the case, that's not really enough information to determine what to do.  The mechanics and consequences of failure + what qualifies as failure in this state is what should determine how you handle that.

[UP_Kevin]

This is now my most anticipated game release, surpassing Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe.

Don't you dare take out the collectible candy corns.

The ghost glow effect is awesome and I think you could do some really neat puzzles using the ghost ability. Like walls or ground that can only be travelled through via the ghost form.

I request daily screenshot posts lest I go mad.

[impulse9]

Alright, I redid the last mockup in order to experiment with a bigger screen size to allow for more area for puzzles:
...

This is absolutely beautiful. I love the owl, too!

[s_l_m]

I as well have so much want for this game, what are you planning on coding it in?

[Skull]

@HyMyNameIsMatt & DustyDrake
Alright, I'll try to explain the effect I'm trying to achieve in a bit more depth so it's easier for everyone to critique it as objectively as possible.

The following things are supposed to happen when you go in ghost-mode:

• The screen stops scrolling according to player position and gets locked to its current location;
• The player becomes bound to the screen limits;
• The filter overlay is applied over the screen, but behind anything ghostly;
• Standard collision no longer applies.

So, once you are in ghost-mode, you can float around anywhere on the screen, but are limited to what was on the screen right before you went into ghost-mode. From then on, a possession mechanic is possible, and you can take over the body of anything that's unconscious, as I tried to illustrate with this mockup:

 

The screen restrictions remain while you're in control of another body, and only go away once you return to yours.

So, basically, what I want to achieve with the overlay is a ghostly visual representation of how the game went from being a side scrolling platformer to a single screen puzzle.

@UP_Kevin Sorry man, no new mockups today :/ - Not like that would stop you from going mad - but look forward to them! I promise more is coming!

@impulse9 Thank you very much. I'll update with more animations as soon as I get them done.

@s_l_m I'm currently building prototypes using Flash (Flixel, to be specific). But I'm contemplating moving to XNA.

Well, since I'm closing this post with no new actual game graphics, here's a quick sketch I made for how that owl screen puzzle would play out:


P.S.: The 'unconscious victim' restriction for the possession mechanic wasn't thought of at the time, so that part of the puzzle is not in the sketch, but will be in the game.

Please keep that feedback juices flowing!

[HyMyNameIsMatt]

Now that's a neat mechanic.  Something I could see working out just fine.  In that case though the filter is fine considering the screen restriction.  Maybe you could try saturating the hue with some sort of color?  Just to experiment a bit.  Other than this it's all good.  Looking forward to more mockups.

[Blodyavenger]

I LOVE EVERYTHING! 

[s_l_m]

This would kick so much ass on the Xbox if you did go with Xna. That is all 

[Skull]

Hey people! It's been some time since I last updated this thread, and I'm sorta feeling guilty. Anyways, I have good news!

I've found a fine programmer for this project: Mr Tokinsom! He's being really helpful and we're driving this thing forward at full speed, so expect a devlog thread soon!

@HyMyNameIsMatt: I have been trying out different kinds of filters, but saturating the screen too much usually proves to be more of a nuisance than a cool aesthetic effect. Will keep trying to improve, though.

@Blodyavenger: I am very glad!

@s_l_m: Actually, we ended up going with Construct 2. I was originally thinking XNA 'cause the game is going to be submitted to a Windows Phone game compo, and since Construct 2 can export to mobile just fine using phonegap, it seemed like a more reasonable choice given our limited time. But I don't think we can do Xbox now, tough D: Sorry.

In other news, I'm making a second possession puzzle for my game:

Mockup


Sketch (SPOILERS)

(sorry for the crappy jpeg compression)

[HyMyNameIsMatt]

Looks interesting but fairly obvious.  I mean, there are only 2 other objects in the room.  This is however, a great puzzle if it's one of the first few, as it has alot of teaching elements strewn about it.  Art wise, the foreground needs something in the right half of the image.  Maybe plant growing out of the water, idk.  But it's just plain and your eye just goes straight off of it.

[UP_Kevin]

Awesome croc is awesome, except his head looks a bit like a dog's.

[Skull]

@HyMyNameIsMatt: You're right, it is a fairly simple puzzle. It is supposed to be, though, it's meant to help the player get familiar with the mechanics early in the game. But I'll be sure to make the right side of the screen more aesthetically interesting when I actually get to implementing it into the game.

@UP_Kevin: Thanks! I might still refine it a bit when I animate it.

[Quarry]

The nose kinda makes it look like a dog

[DustyDrake]

Seems a little fat to me.
Aren't crocs more flat than fat?

[devMidgard]

It seems really neat and I love the graphic style! Keep the good work :D

[Skull]

Hey! I've working a bit on the overall design and story, and haven't had much time to come up with new art, but here's two things I think you guys might like:

Our first alpha gameplay video:



And a screenshot of how the level select screen is coming along:

Hope you guys like it!

[Pixelulsar]

That level select screen looks great, and so did the video.

Are there only there levels on that map? (That is what it looks like based on the red dots.)

[Skull]

Yes, we want to have at least three levels for this first iteration of the game (something like a demo), but more later on.

The current levels are the Cemetery, the Fores and the Castle,

[Skull]

My concern was that, since this is supposed to function like the Super Mario World overworld map, if the red dot was located at the beginning of the first level, once you've crossed the whole cemetery stage in the actual game, you'd be taken to the map screen and your overworld sprite would have to cross it again, and I think that migh look confusing.

The swamp area is probably going to be part of more than one puzzle in more than one stage, and it's just on that specific part of the map to make it look more interesting. I intend to do something similar with that huge bland piece of road connecting the forest to the castle with another reference to an in-game puzzle.

The rest of the blank areas on the map are going to be more scattered references to ingame moments, enemies and puzzles, but I'm not sure exactly what's going to be there yet.

[Ashkin]

I like this and its pixels.