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[Clint Kilmer]

occlusion

a game about light, darkness, and death (lots and lots of death )

website | twitter | fb | indieDB | itch.io

• difficult walljumping platformer
• levels are completely dark, with only the player, door, and light pets giving off light
• as you collect the light pets, they will help light your way
• many, many spikes of all kinds
• falling into the void

introduction

Hi everyone, I'm Clint; twenty-something, web dev for money, aspiring game dev for fulfillment.
Eat/drinks/breathes all things code/procedural generation/summoning shader gods/nice chunky pixels yum.
Nice to meet you.

I've been programming since forever, and found games and graphics dev enthralling. I've always wanted to make games, but they always just turned into tech demos, screensavers, and just nice looking things, but never a game.

Recently, I was inspired by Daniel Linssen's (@managore) small, focused, technically-pleasing games, and began working on something my friends can actually "play". And it went well.

I've finally made something that I'm proud enough to want to show people! Thanks for reading.

progress

Completed:

• windows/linux
• platformer physics
• art style, fun graphics and shader stuff
• keyboard, xbox and ps controller support
• death ghosts (quite pleasing, makes all those deaths worth it )
• opt-out-able death/win tracking
• pause menu, save/load player settings
• colour blind mode
• in-game version update notification
• launcher (for updates)
• sounds
• borderless window with custom pixel-y draggable title bar with buttons

Working on:

• 18 levels so far
• in-game level editor
• death ghosts from other players
• mac build

To do:

• music
• ps3/4/vita platforms

I plan on posting a few write-ups about how I've implemented things, and post new stuff as I go.

press

Alpha Beta Gamer (@gameralphabeta) wrote an article here: http://www.alphabetagamer.com/occlusion-pre-alpha-sign-up/

MichaelTheWegian (@MichaelWegian) posted a youtube playthrough here:

Future Beta Gamer (@FutureBetaGamer) wrote an article here: http://www.futurebetagamer.com/occlusion-pre-alpha-sign-up/

gifs

screenshots

[Clint Kilmer]

all gifs

[Clint Kilmer]

all screenshots

[rj]

ok im into this

[jamesprimate]

ohhhh good vibe 

[Clint Kilmer]

ok im into this

ohhhh good vibe 

@rj™ @jamesprimate Thanks guys! Honestly, this has been terrifying showing this to people

death ghosts

Here's something I've been polishing for a while. I'm nearly happy with it!

Right now, these just represent where you have died, but I'd also like to have other players ghosts show up too.

I currently have opt-out-able death tracking, so that part's done. Not too sure how to pull it off visually yet, maybe a different colour? Or show up in the level while you're playing (helping illuminate the level)?

Here's a recent playsession, my friend nearly killed me

[TonyManfredonia]

Wow o_o.

The overall art style/aesthetic is wonderful. I like how everything is noticeably pixelated, but not so much that it's overbearingly or even remotely "old school."

You've mastered the art of pixels, here, in your own way. It works well. So, so well!

[Clint Kilmer]

Wow o_o.

The overall art style/aesthetic is wonderful. I like how everything is noticeably pixelated, but not so much that it's overbearingly or even remotely "old school."

You've mastered the art of pixels, here, in your own way. It works well. So, so well!

@amanfr01 Thank you for those very kind words :D


Today I was just messing around with some shaders. Made tons of bugs, and accidentally made an inversion shader, so I figured I should just throw it in.

[Clint Kilmer]

I've started working on a level select screen. I'm thinking an unlock system not unlike FFXII's license board.

Here's my progress so far...

A couple more playtesters also added a few hundred more deaths; over 1000 and rising!

[jambri]

Without seeing too far ahead this seems frustratingly impossible, can't wait to rage!

[TonyManfredonia]

Interesting you mention FFXII. It makes sense (one of my favorite FF combat systems...don't get me started on the story, though). I think having an unlock system like that would be a unique addition, for sure!

[AntonTesh]

Just from looking at the gifs I want the spikes to really show that they're dangerous. Maybe a different color? They looked like grass or random scenery to me until the character died by touching them. That would be really frustrating for me to keep dying when I couldn't tell why I was dying.
I am loving the TV fuzz look to it though! Very unique.

[Rachma334]

I see you need some music to be done, check out my portofolio (Electro genre: https://soundcloud.com/rachma-kenneth), it'll be a pleasure to work with you. 

PS: I live in France (GMT+1)

[rj]

I've started working on a level select screen. I'm thinking an unlock system not unlike FFXII's license board.

Here's my progress so far...

A couple more playtesters also added a few hundred more deaths; over 1000 and rising!

definitely play the sun and moon if you haven't yet

[Clint Kilmer]

Without seeing too far ahead this seems frustratingly impossible, can't wait to rage!

@jambri And rage you most likely will! Watching my friends play(fail) is hilarious :D I am trying to make the game as fair as possible though, so that when you die, it will feel like your fault, and not bad controls.

Interesting you mention FFXII. It makes sense (one of my favorite FF combat systems...don't get me started on the story, though). I think having an unlock system like that would be a unique addition, for sure!

@amanfr01 Definitely an excellent game (come on, story wasn't that bad). I'm almost done with the unlock system, more on that when I think it's good enough.

Just from looking at the gifs I want the spikes to really show that they're dangerous. Maybe a different color? They looked like grass or random scenery to me until the character died by touching them. That would be really frustrating for me to keep dying when I couldn't tell why I was dying.
I am loving the TV fuzz look to it though! Very unique.

@AntonTesh Thanks for the useful feedback! I've been so close to this project that it's impossible for me to see things like that. I'll play around with colors or something.

I see you need some music to be done, check out my portofolio (Electro genre: https://soundcloud.com/rachma-kenneth), it'll be a pleasure to work with you.  

PS: I live in France (GMT+1)

@Rachma334 Thank you for your interest, gives me motivation+1.

definitely play the sun and moon if you haven't yet

@rj™ Much love for that game, I take inspiration from anything Daniel makes. Although, I was hoping not to tread too closely with my level select screen :D




looking for playtesters

I'm starting to look for playtesters! Please let me know if you'd be interested in helping me out.

Those of you who already reached out to me, you're on the list :D




progress since last post:

one way platforms

After much deliberation, I decided to include one way platforms in occlusion. Here's what they look like right now.

level unlock/select

Getting closer, almost dialed this in...

[TonyManfredonia]

Looking great! Can never go wrong with one way platforms. Platformer classic!

[Clint Kilmer]

Looking great! Can never go wrong with one way platforms. Platformer classic!

@amanfr01 Thanks, it's been fun making levels with them (and revisiting old ones too).




playtesters

Please help me out with playtesting! Let me know if you want to help :D




background dust

I added some subtle "background dust" for ambiance/atmosphere, hopefully it's not distracting at all...

[AnaGuillenFdez]

I've fallen for this art. I love how you used the noise effect to make a very special style.
Gameplay seems funny too, but art is amazing.

playtesters

Please help me out with playtesting! Let me know if you want to help :D

I don't have much spare time but I volunteer as a tribute. I hope to see this becoming a great game, I will be glad to help.

[Clint Kilmer]

I've fallen for this art. I love how you used the noise effect to make a very special style.
Gameplay seems funny too, but art is amazing.

I don't have much spare time but I volunteer as a tribute. I hope to see this becoming a great game, I will be glad to help.

@AnaGuillenFdez Added you to the list, you'll be hearing from me shortly. Thanks for the kind words! I'm excited to see your papercraft-lowpoly art style in action on Afterglow 20.51 :D

[Anton]

being someone who work on a meatboyesque game myself I'de interested to try your game.
It does look really good from what you've shown :D