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[QOG]

Sorry for the lack of updates. The computer I was working on had a bit of a meltdown, from which it hasn't really recovered. I have a copy of the game backed up (I think I may have lost an hour or two of work but nothing too serious), but currently don't have access to a computer with the software I need to work on it. In any case, between that and starting up school, this project will not be making much in the way of progress for a while, I'm afraid. Still, it is something I really want to make, so hopefully in a week or two I'll be able to at least show some of what I'd been working on pre-meltdown.

[QOG]

Update #9:
Sorry it's been so long. I've been doing a little work on this project, but nothing much to show. I recently revamped the colors (took it from c64 to some variant of arne's palette, I think).



I think it looks a lot nicer. Now I'm trying to decide if I should just scrap the dialogue system I have and go with cutscenes.

[QOG]

Update #10:

Work is still underway and should be gearing up. More information:
http://quiteoddgames.blogspot.com/2015/08/am-i-dead.html

[Zaphos]

Glad you're still moving forward!

[QOG]

Glad you're still moving forward!

Thanks, glad people are still interested.

[QOG]

Update #11:
Trying to get the dialogue looking a little less bad. Probably too much grey in this particular shot.

I'll try to come up with a video or gifs to show off some actual gameplay later this week.

[QOG]

Update #12:




One of the more recently added areas in the game is the Cave. There are two distinct sections of it, as seen above. The first one leans more towards traditional platforming, the second is more puzzles, but there's a bit of each in each. At this point, though, I'm just trying to create some interesting environments, so any critiques would be much appreciated.

[Zaphos]

Re the environments -- not a lot there to critique?  But they look fine to me ...

Trying to get the dialogue looking a little less bad. Probably too much grey in this particular shot.

I'll try to come up with a video or gifs to show off some actual gameplay later this week.

The font for dialog is kind of painful to look at.  I think the blue/black on white of "Dr. Jefferson" makes it worse than usual, but it's generally harsh on the eyes.

[QOG]

Yeah, I'm thinking of doing a full overhaul of the dialogue system, but it's not a priority right now.

Update #13:


Instead I'm working on a simple lighting system for the cave levels.

[Quicksand-T]

Nice lighting effect.

I think your font could work if you stuck to the white and black version, not the blue one, and you put a pixel of white between each letter.

[diegzumillo]

Love the main character! so many teeth.

[QOG]

Love the main character! so many teeth.

Yeah, I specifically searched through some old files to find the sprite because I really liked the design. I'm trying to get some of the other characters looking more interesting. Right now a lot of them have a pretty similar design, and I'd like to switch it up (hence the experimentation going on with the old man character).

Update #14:

Nice lighting effect.

I think your font could work if you stuck to the white and black version, not the blue one, and you put a pixel of white between each letter.

Based on the feedback I've gotten (from you and Zaphos), I decided to switch out the font and, for now, remove the outlines, although they or a shadow will likely return. Pay no attention to the player displaying lower than it should or the mismatch between sprite and portrait for the old man:

[QOG]

Update #15:
Working on some actual gameplay for the second underground area.

You'll have to work with / strategically kill your mirror self a number of times.

[SunWuKong]

Love the art style, really nice.

Good job and keep on keeping on!

-Tim

[christopf]

uh, this lightning made me curious, somehow sad i missed the project earlier. i really like your art style, especially the teal/pink crazy level and in general that you don't seem to be frightened of much color use. i like that.

the typography made me puke first but then i somehow appreciated it. it got this special look, a little punky, a little creepy. that you can't read it well, well, that's fine! you still can do it if you try. but the new typo is shit imo. she has no spirit as the last one had. maybe you find something inbetween, something more readable with spirit.

[QOG]

Love the art style, really nice.

Good job and keep on keeping on!

-Tim

uh, this lightning made me curious, somehow sad i missed the project earlier. i really like your art style, especially the teal/pink crazy level and in general that you don't seem to be frightened of much color use. i like that.

Thanks for the kind words
I don't consider myself much of an artist and it's taking me a long time to come up with art I'm happy with, so it's gratifying to hear that people like it.

the typography made me puke first but then i somehow appreciated it. it got this special look, a little punky, a little creepy. that you can't read it well, well, that's fine! you still can do it if you try. but the new typo is shit imo. she has no spirit as the last one had. maybe you find something inbetween, something more readable with spirit.

Yeah, as I mentioned earlier in the thread, I'm probably going to completely change the dialogue system. I'd gotten used to the previous font and sort of forgotten that it was a placeholder and not too readable. While I don't have quite as low an opinion as the new font as you seem to, it does have some problems (it's probably too large relative to the game window, and might work better for stuff that isn't the actual diolague). I may end up mking my own font. Thanks for your feedback, I think I'm going to have to hold off on working it like I said earlier to figure out a good solution.

On an unrelated note, I found some graph paper I'd lost track of with the cave sections sketched out, which has sped up development of those areas a lot, I'll try to show off a bit more of them soon.

[QOG]

Update #16:
Second cave area is a bit plain since I haven't worked on backgrounds really since mocking them up, but there's a little more foreground tile variety:


The first area, meanwhile, is getting closer to its finished look.


Quick question: Verumsomnex+ is a bit of an awkward, Psychosomnium wannabe name, and the game has expanded quite a bit past the old game of mine it was based on. I've been thinking about a new name. So far my thoughts are:
-Lo-Fi Dreaming
-V. Ultra
-Neurotica
Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

[Quicksand-T]

What about just Somnex?

[QOG]

What about just Somnex?

That could work, it would certainly be simpler. I'll have to keep thinking about it. Luckily the title screen I had needs an overhaul anyway, so changing the name won't really add any work.

[QOG]

Update #17:
Didn't update on Saturday like I was planning to due to not making much visible progress. But I've gotten together a sort of world map for the game, which will help a lot directing what I'll be doing in the future.

There's some minor redesign: the Trip, Weindeer, will act as sort of "path" areas, which must be completed in sequence to unlock the larger levels. Completing the larger levels will unlock new paths to explore, etc. Each "path" level will be a single screen, and generally introduce some new mechanic.

Here's an example of one of the newer "path" areas I started working on. The art will likely change, at least in terms of palette, but this should give you an idea of the gameplay:

Ignore the random warping to the Cave level at the end there.