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[Pehesse]

Just wow!
Wonderful animations, really a work of art.
Looking forward to see how the game will look like!

Many thanks :-)
I'm leaving the background and extra art until later, as I'd like the systems to feel tight and fun even without the added graphical overlays - but even then, the game will most likely look kind of like this... except, with more color, and more temple bricks :-D Cleaned/colored character animation will be my main focus in the coming months, though, and most likely for a good part of the year, so there'll be that to look forward to!

[Pehesse]

Here's 2017's first screenshot saturday, and this week has seen some pretty significant changes! In order:



First are mobile and collapsable platforms, along with mobile edgegrab points, as detailed in the last post. A few bugfixes since last time, but for now, it seems to be working well enough!



Newest addition: falling platforms! Those wait for the player's contact to fall, and then can either remain static, or revert back to their position after an instance variabl'd time, through instant or vertical translation with an instance variabl'd speed. Basically: customization options!



Falling blocks can also attack a player walking underneath and attempt to crush them! ...and mostly succeed. Still have a few issues to figure out, as some cases don't result in crushing, but I also don't want to make it a simple case of "touch bottom of block=death" as that leads to jumping into it and dying and.. yeah, not that.



Another usage of falling blocks, tied to the previous destructible ones! With those combinations I'm able to fake environmental destruction, even though there's actually very little physics involved beyond simple gravity pull (not even positional, the angle fall is instance variabl'd) - most of those situations will be hand placed and tuned through those instance variables to create a reproducible and predictable result every time.



Another addition: the Acrobat can now interact with/destroy collapsable walls, most notably using her wall kicks, allowing for some vertical ascension in collapsing environments. This was one of the very first things I wanted to do with this game, and I'm glad it's finally working :-D



Here's an example of some of the QoL modifications thanks to the prototype feedback: entering/exiting a low ceiling space will now auto/exit crouch accordingly! This also allows me to have a defined state for "resting against a wall", for which I'll make a new animation to create some visual environmental interaction - putting hands on walls, and such. Small thing, but should hopefully add a little character!






Lastly: combat! It's now possible to attack more than walls, even though the enemies don't currently do much. They activate/deactivate their AI based on distance with player, and then are able to be wailed on and react to contact with the player: they'll pushback (or not) when met from the side, offer rebound or damage scenarios when collided with from the top, and be displaced by players hits.
The warrior is able to combo them for a while depending on their weight: the lighter the enemy, the more displacement, and the harder it is to keep them in range of a juggle, but I've landed a few 10+ hits chains already, and I hope with added graphical feedback layers and actual enemy animation, this will prove to be a satisfying combat system,as it's already quite fun to send blocks of jelly flying :-D


That's it for now, though that actually covers most of the core systems I intended. Most of the challenges and level design pieces I have in mind use combinations of those elements, so I'll be able to start piecing together actual test levels sooner than later.

I still have a few extra mechanics in mind I'd like to try out, see if they work/add anything significant, so I'll still work on systems for a few weeks, but after that, it's back to animation, for quite a while!

[kkairos]

This game looks really good. The concept/sketch versions of the animations are good enough to make me want a "sketchbook" mode when the game is done.

[Pehesse]

This game looks really good. The concept/sketch versions of the animations are good enough to make me want a "sketchbook" mode when the game is done.

Many thanks!
Regarding the sketchbook aesthetic, it's something I've been asked a number of times, enough to make me want to try something about it!
 
I'm planning to crowdfund/kickstart the game down the line (hopefully late 2017-early 2018, when it'll be "presentable" and much more playable, though economic circumstances might force my hand much sooner), and I'm definitely thinking about making a "sketchbook version" of the game available for backers of a specific tier (and only them), to gauge interest (possibly for a full game done in this aesthetic sometime later?) and make sure the extra amount of work it'll entail will be worth it, as it'll basically require me to maintain two versions of the game at the same time (it won't be a toggle to switch from one aesthetic to the other as I'll have to keep all frames in memory somehow, so it'll have to be two completely distinct versions of the game if it's to be able to run at all).

Alternatively I also plan to release flipbooks/artbooks with the sketched/final animations stuff - not as interactive, but should still hopefully be interesting to see!

Are any of the above interesting to you, or do you have any other suggestions?

[kkairos]

They are -- whether I'd join that backer tier probably depends on what the exact cost would be, but if you made it available as a DLC at some point, there's a solid likelihood I'd go for it. I realize that's a lot more work than it might seem from the outside, though. DLC is a more solid prediction for me because at this point because my game spending habits are on somewhat of a budget and tend to ebb and flow a little besides.

I want to take a moment to acknowledge that I have no real industry experience or game-development XP outside of a hobbyist level, so I have no idea how inconsiderate I might sound, and I don't mean to.

Sketchbook things definitely would be interesting to see.

[Pehesse]

They are -- whether I'd join that backer tier probably depends on what the exact cost would be, but if you made it available as a DLC at some point, there's a solid likelihood I'd go for it. I realize that's a lot more work than it might seem from the outside, though. DLC is a more solid prediction for me because at this point because my game spending habits are on somewhat of a budget and tend to ebb and flow a little besides.

I want to take a moment to acknowledge that I have no real industry experience or game-development XP outside of a hobbyist level, so I have no idea how inconsiderate I might sound, and I don't mean to.

Sketchbook things definitely would be interesting to see.

No worries, and I very much appreciate your thoughts!

In general, I'm kind of wary of "exclusive content" of any kind myself and I'd love for my content be unrestricted in access for everyone, but because of my prior experience attempting to make things as open/accessible as possible and reading a little more about psychology and mechanisms of choice, I kind of fear I've been going at it wrong. Ideally, I'd like the crowdfunding campaign to work towards "making the game free for everyone": ie. if it succeeds, I'd then release the game using a (modified) version of my previous PWYL model, if not, I'd have to revert to a more traditional model - if I can make the game at all.

To entice potential backers to support the crowdfunding effort, though, I need some form of individual-level compensation, in addition to the "good for others" layer, which is where this "only for backers" idea comes from - it wouldn't be a huge piece of content others would be missing in their play experience, as it'd fundamentally be the same game (and they could still appreciate it from videos to some extent), but for backers of that yet undetermined price tier, there would be a tangible reward: access to that playable aesthetic that no one else would get. (As a side question: assuming a KS takes place and there is a reward tier for that aesthetic and without further context regarding my other planned tiers/pledges but with regards to other crowdfunding campaigns out there, what would be the amount you'd be willing to pledge for it? What would be too much?)

Going for DLC would certainly make it more accessible after the game's release and make everyone able to get it, but would also diminish its value for KS backers: think of it as a limited print run - if it's freely available whenever one wants, most won't be willing to get it at all, effectively removing all of its potential help towards driving a KS numbers, which is when I'd need it the most.

Still, this is all very much theories at this stage, and I'm writing all of your thoughts down for future reference when it'll be time to make actual decisions! Thanks a lot!

[kkairos]

Can't speak for others, but (and this is difficult for me to say as someone who hasn't gotten in the Kickstarter-backing game just yet, because the first time I really wanted to I was involved with the soundtrack and we weren't sure about the rules) but I'd probably pledge at least what I would spend, which for the game you're describing would probably be at least $10-$15 if my gaming wallet's feeling fat.

[Pehesse]

Can't speak for others, but (and this is difficult for me to say as someone who hasn't gotten in the Kickstarter-backing game just yet, because the first time I really wanted to I was involved with the soundtrack and we weren't sure about the rules) but I'd probably pledge at least what I would spend, which for the game you're describing would probably be at least $10-$15 if my gaming wallet's feeling fat.

I see! Thanks for the input :-) I had unfortunately planned for higher numbers, as it'd be basically a second game to make/maintain for me (10/15 would likely be a "base pledge" level without additional extras, as is standard for most KS campaigns I know), but that's definitely something to keep in mind moving forward. Thanks, and I hope when the time comes we'll pick up this discussion and see what can actually be done so everybody has what they want/need!

[kkairos]

Oh@ Sorry, base pledge was absolutely my thinking there. Either I got my wires crossed or I didn't process something correctly. Of course something like that backer tier would be different. Even for something like the sketchbook you describe I'd expect to front $30 or maybe even $40/$50, much moreso if it was basically a second skin of the game.

[Pehesse]

Oh@ Sorry, base pledge was absolutely my thinking there. Either I got my wires crossed or I didn't process something correctly. Of course something like that backer tier would be different. Even for something like the sketchbook you describe I'd expect to front $30 or maybe even $40/$50, much moreso if it was basically a second skin of the game.

Ah, no worries at all! But I'm glad, that means I'm not too far off in my current planning then. Again: this is still quite some time off (or at least it should), so some stuff might change before I need to make a decision regarding all of this. I'm monitoring the current Kickstarter practices closely, we'll see where we are when it's appropriate :-)

Again, thanks a lot for all of this food for thought!

[Pehesse]

Just whipped up a rapid test level to try out all of the latest mechanics: wind, water... and adaptive level layout!





The level design actually contains both possible variants to start, and crossing the trigger will destroy the one that doesn't meet right condition. The effect for the player is that parts of the level will change based on who they're playing as, either when they cross the trigger, or measured over the course of the game. Hopefully this will make for some different playthroughs upon replays and some interesting happenings during speedruns!

(I don't go into details for the wind and water, as they work pretty much as you'd expect :-D)

[TheArtistJiii]

Wait, so the level adapts to the players character?

[Pehesse]

Wait, so the level adapts to the players character?

Yes! It's why there's "modular" in the project title :-D

It's one of the core ideas behind the project since the start (see the OP!): I'll be tracking which of the two forms you use, and adapt some of the coming layouts to your style of play. Some of those picked modules will be based on your preference, to offer the kind of challenges you prefer, while some of them will be there to throw you for a loop and pit you against traps you're not used to.

In the video, the trigger is a simple check of what form I'm currently playing as, but it also works based on time tracked (you probably can't see it from the video, but the debug display currently shows said time tracked - though the final game won't, at least not in its default mode/presentation). That's the more interesting type of trigger, as it adds a layer of strategy over the whole game for people interested in speedrunning: is it faster to play as X or Y in a defined segment? Will it be faster in the long run to play as X at a given point, even though it'd be faster to play as Y for this specific segment, because more time spent as X overall will allow access to a shorter/easier segment later on? Etc.

The intent is for the modules/segments/layouts/however you call them to be seamless and imperceptible on first time play (cf video, the triggers themselves won't be visible), so they all offer a satisfying experience on their own - but if a player comes back to the game or a speedrunner attempts to deconstruct and plan routes, there's additional depth to consider and strategies to make beyond the simple act of replaying what you just did.

[Pehesse]

I'm planning to make a few illustrations to have at hand when I need to present/accompany the game (say, for a kickstarter campaign, for example) - I kind of struggle with the exact style to go for, as it turns out I'm not very good at anything not related to lines. I might still try different techniques going forward, but here's a first pic/attempt using my usual approach. Thoughts?

[Pehesse]

I'm back to animation, adding the last remaining (for now) moves and extra things I had in mind before moving on to the first cleaning/coloring phase.



This showcases the transformation animations to switch between each form, along with the associated slow-motion effect. It's not just for looks, either - since the animation takes a little time, it's possible otherwise to simply hang in the air by mashing RT and wait until moving platforms are where we want to be. With slow-mo, not so (or at least not if you want to keep your fingers), and it looks cool to boot!




Water isn't new, but water anims are! Both forms now have "walk in water" and "dry on land" animations to better illustrate what's going on when entering the murky deeps. Water is going to play a very minimal role in the game (no swimming mechanics and very, very punctual use), but that's no reason not to make it look fun!



A small change based on player feedback from december: the "fall" animation for the third acrobat jump is now an air flip!



Same as water, here's a "walk vs. wind" animation, that way we can now actually tell there's wind! (I'll have to work on other effects of course, leaves flying over the screen+visibile gusts of wind, but that'll be for much later).



And since I'm squarely into "this serves no practical purpose anymore" territory, why not have animations for resting against walls?

That's it for this week - next week should see even more gratuitous animation, possibly even the week after than, and then we move on to cleaning and coloring. This will be long, and updates will drop sharply, but I'll still show what I can when I can!

[Pehesse]

A smaller update this week, as I tried a number of things that didn't pan out. Still got some new motions out of it!



I'll be starting now on the cleaning/coloring process for all Inti animations so far, as it's going to be the biggest chunk of content needed for the game and I'd like to get a look at the "final" (or final v1) main character ASAP, in the most unpolished environment possible, to see if she can hold on her own and bring the level of "visual fun" I'm aiming for, and polish the mechanics based on her animations.

The general roadmap for the game at this stage is this:
-clean/color Inti
-polish current play systems
-add missing play systems (this should make up to the end of 2017)
-make enemies v1 (animations+AI behaviors)
-build levels v1
-get levels v1 playtested while I work on environments v1 (hopefully v.early 2018)
-(Kickstarter?)

After that will be an iteration cycle of "build/update levels based on feedback" and "work on assets (environments, enemies, bosses) while levels are playtested". There might be punctual new mechanics added/polished, we'll see how that goes. And of course, the menus and other important shell systems (save/load, user config, etc) will have to fit somewhere in there too. All in all, enough work for a few years, and with the Kickstarter/Fig/whatever probably after I have the first environment drafts so I can have proper "screenshots", a demo, and a whole lot more illustrations!

(In case you're wondering: I'm not doing environments now, as I'm fairly certain they can only add to the game, not cause problems on their own at a play level, and I don't want their presence to detract from my and other testers analysis of the mechanics. For this reason, I'm leaving them until the core mechanics are firmly in place, unlike the main character, where her visual feedback/animation IS part of their functionality - also, if I were to sketch placeholder background stuff now, it'd take up a lot of memory and add a lot of compile time on preview, which is something I don't need right now :-D So backgrounds will definitely come, but still expect screenshots of green and orange blocks for a long while ahead!)

And to finish this update, here's a sketch for the next planned illustration:

[fireboy]

Very cool.
Perfect animations.

Waiting for more to play

[benjkers]

You (and your daunting work ethic) are here, of course! You know I'll be following along.

[Pehesse]

Very cool.
Perfect animations.

Waiting for more to play

Thanks a lot, Fireboy :-)

You (and your daunting work ethic) are here, of course! You know I'll be following along.

Haha, much appreciated, Ben, and glad to see you here as well :-) Hoping that work ethic will carry me through the coming months without going mad, we'll see! :-D

[EneLime]

Beautiful animations!!!!!!!!
I hope to see more of your game!!!