Devlog update #1: 07-17-14
Hey guys! I'm back with some new developments:
ForumsI implemented some forums on our site to discuss the game now, which you can find here:
http://foursidedfantasy.com/forumsThere are already fans signing up, and we've even got a moderator!
Backer surveysI had been putting this off for a little while, since you only get once chance to send a survey out to each tier, so I wanted to make sure that I thought of everything. I finally just decided that, as long as I have an email address section in the survey, I can contact backers directly if I forgot anything. I sent out the surveys, and backers have been surprisingly quick about responding!
Ground tilesWe are having trouble building decals to go in the ground tiles, (twigs, dried up bushes, other rocks, etc), so we are working on toning down contrast on the summer ground tile to allow for decals without looking too busy. Here is the original tile:
Our first attempt at lowering the contrast:
We decided that the path needed to stand out, while the tile shouldn't, so we decided on a good mix between the two. I think it still needs some work, but we are getting closer to a solution.
Main menu experimentationWe're also working on figuring out what we should do for a main menu. So far, the main menu has been a splash screen with no text or buttons (which I liked), but if we are going to have 2 player split screen, we will need a way for players to choose that option. I am working with David on this (our UI/marketing materials design guy), but here are some quick ideas I whipped up:
I made this mainly to get across the idea of building screen wrap into the menu. Most menu controls wrap (if you press up on the top button, in most games it will move to the bottom button), so why not incorporate that visually? I'm thinking I will try something similar, but horizontal, so that the camera can move with the selection and it can wrap infinitely.
I took some pieces of concept art and thought I could incorporate them into the menu. I figured out pretty quickly that this idea looks better in my head than in execution
Cloud ceilingThe cloud ceiling came out of needing a way to diversify the environments. Due to the nature of the mechanic, most levels need to have a ceiling so that the player can't climb infinitely and get out of the level. But, most of the environments are outside in open areas, so ceilings everywhere doesn't make much sense. As a result, I built a cloud wall object. The cloud wall stops the camera from moving up, but not the player. I think this will make levels feel more natural and less restricted, but I have yet to playtest it.
Single player split screenI'm finally delving into the more complicated features that I haven't fully developed! My first step is to start with single player split screen, since I figure that it will be a good stepping stone to 2 player split screen. I rewrote the character controller after the kickstarter, so even though I already built these features, they have to be partially redone. That, and some of the features were hacked together so I could show them in time for the kickstarter
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I have been making it so that the screen wrapping into land tiles will stop the player's movement. This is working in the normal screen mode, but it requires a bunch of new code to do for split screen. I got this all working today, so I can start building levels for it and playtesting
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I will need to decide at some point if I want to do normal top-bottom wrap in split screen, or the samurai gunn style (I posted a gif earlier, wraps bottom of screen 1 - bottom of screen 2 and top of screen 1 - top of screen 2, which is why the player is standing on "nothing" in the above gif).
PodcastSome friends and I also started a podcast! It's not directly related to the game, but I thought it might be of interest, since we discuss games we've been playing and game design.
http://goodenoughforvideogames.blogspot.com/Thanks for reading!