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[mystic_swamp]

https://mysticswamp.itch.io/halloween-night-redux
I remastered this over the last couple of days, check it out ^

With the release of the 10mg collection and nice conversation with @droqen I was inspired to take a break from my current project to make some very short games, this first one I’m hoping will be released in time for Halloween.

   

OUT right NOW on PC & Linux! Version 1.2 on Itch.io! for the small fee of $1.00
(Mac version hopefully some day soon)

version 1.2
play it NOW, pls thx : )

Please contact me about any bugs or issues as soon as you can : )

[email protected]

itch.io / twitter

“On The Last Night Of October” is a short, cute, and silly narrative-driven trick or treat simulator.

“On the last night of October you were handing out candy, but now it’s getting late and the children have all gone home, so . . . who is that knocking at your door?”

*NEW* Development Timeline - FOCUS MODE ACTIVATE HYAAAA -

Monday:

fix dynamic speech progression issue
fix dynamic speech box extending x-axis to have no fractional position

character y-axis sinusoidal walk animation

light switch integration with progression

highlighted text integration viability(post 1.0)

Make Itch.io page

Tuesday:

writing and converting into useable array data:

-Jack
-Cat
-Bogsweetie
-[REDACTED]
-[REDACTED]

Integration into progression

Wednesday:

writing and converting into useable array data:

-Doug
-[REDACTED]
-[REDACTED]

Integration into progression

Thursday:

writing and converting into useable array data:

-Creep
-[REDACTED]
-[REDACTED][/i]

Integration into progression

updated title screen intro
character particles script
weather / environment effects

playtest for anyone

add credits / special thanks

Friday:

playtest for anyone
polish

Saturday:

polish
release 1.0

Old Week 1 Timeline:
Monday:
        Create Devlog
Sprite asset creation
Sprite preparation for use
Dynamic option labels (Horizontal minimum width modified by dynamic width)
Text display over time
Title Screen (start, options, exit)
Options Menu (separate volume music/sfx controls, text speed, windowed/full) (rolled over to Tuesday)
Realtime Clock (start @ October 31st 9:00pm)
        Devlog progress update

Tuesday: (all rolled over to Wednesday)
Door function
Pre-Encounter options function (utilize dynamic labels, lights off, start progress, wait)
Dynamic door knocking script
Dynamic speech box (vertical / horizontal)
Keyword within text script
Encounter writing
   Devlog progress update

Wednesday:
Candy giving buttons
Candy giving effects (Saturday roll over)
Sfx creation & Implementation (Sunday roll over)
Music creation & Implementation (Sunday roll over)
Encounter progression & scripting (Saturday roll over)
   Devlog progress update

Thursday:
Rollover day /
Encounter progression & scripting (Sunday roll over)
   Devlog progress update

Friday:
Polish
Encounter particles (Sunday roll over)
Environment effects (Sunday roll over)
   Devlog progress update

Saturday:
Polish
   Devlog progress update

Sunday: (lol)
Polish
Itch.io Release 1.0
       Devlog progress update

[mystic_swamp]

Progress Update for Monday [10/19/20]

Sprite asset creation
Sprite preparation for use
Dynamic option labels (Horizontal minimum width modified by dynamic width)
Text display over time
Title Screen (start, options, exit)
Realtime Clock (start @ October 31st 9:00pm)

Checked everything off as scheduled other than the settings menu itself ( SFX/Music volume control, Fullscreen/Windowed, etc)

Here's a look at the dynamic labels:



And them functioning in the start menu:



numbered options correspond to the number keys, pressing selects, and holding fills up the heart > then releasing executes the selection.

[droqen]

I like how organized everything is! Also, the raggedy outline on the mockup in the first post is so good

[mystic_swamp]

I like how organized everything is! Also, the raggedy outline on the mockup in the first post is so good

Really appreciate that, thank you! Also I'm glad it appears organized, It feels as such and I'm hoping that continues until it's done.

[droqen]

Good luck with this organization scheme coming together I'm following, so I look forward to seeing it go well for you! <3

[mystic_swamp]

Progress Update for Tuesday[10/20/20]

Options Menu (separate volume music/sfx controls, text speed, windowed/full)

All of Tuesday is rolled over to Wednesday

Did not get "as much" done today as I would have hoped. "as much" is in quotes because I definitely did much more work than yesterday, but It was not as immediately satisfying, that's for sure. However, what I did is certainly part of the 80% of what I'm going to end up producing for the final product and would make the game feel very incomplete if it ended up in the 20% of stuff I will never end up doing. So, check the settings menu off the list.

I also made a short looping theme and some sound effects to test the volume control settings menu when I was taking a bit of a break from programming: https://soundcloud.com/animal-conversation-farm/elegiac-signal

I'm quite tired actually, so lets hope I have a little more energy tomorrow. Fortunately I am looking forward to it. I have a lot of fun programming ahead of me, as opposed to the tedium of GUI programming.

Well here is the result of todays work anyway:





 

[mystic_swamp]

Progress Update for Wednesday[10/21/20]

Door function
Dynamic door knocking script
Keyword within text script
Encounter writing* (1/13 completed)

I was incredibly busy today, outside of this project (that's why I'm posting at 1:50 am rip).

All I really had time to do today in terms of major elements was finish the dynamic/modular door knocking module.

I can now call a function to create a knock at the door in whatever way I need.

I have dynamic control over the size of the knock particles, their decay, the location of the knock pattern, the kind of pattern of the knock, the time in-between each knock, the time in between each knock pattern, etc.

This is one of those things I pictured in my head and had an idea in mind of exactly how I would code it and it is one of those unique times where it came out exactly how I imagined it and is as effective as I imagined it–a really good feeling.

Each line is actually drawn dynamically, no sprites here.


This makes for some fun stuff!

[droqen]

Ahh the differences between those knocks!!
When I was reading the description of the knock module I was not expecting much but then those gifs... haha, they make such an impact.
Will there be different sounds too? (Pitch/volume?)

[mystic_swamp]

Ahh the differences between those knocks!!
When I was reading the description of the knock module I was not expecting much but then those gifs... haha, they make such an impact.
Will there be different sounds too? (Pitch/volume?)

I plan on having part of a day where I go walking around my apartment with my phone recording various sounds I need, one of which will be 3 or 4 different knocking variations of 4 different types (small, medium, large, and on a window pane). Those would just be used discretely for different knock size thresholds based on size. As for dynamic in-engine pitch bending it crossed my mind for sure. Honestly I'm playing it by ear based on if I'm satisfied with the depth and force behind the deeper/larger knocks. The most likely answer is I'll pitch bend to my liking separate from the engine in 3 distinct levels of force/size of knocks: small, medium, large. Additionally I'm editing my effects to lower their bit-rate, frequency, etc all to emulate the C64's SID, so pitch bending in the same editor will save me a lot of time just incase the in-engine pitch bending doesn't mesh well with the bit-crushed sound effects / I can control dB exactly / I can cut out any unwanted artifacts revealed by the pitch bend. There is a lot to think about here with the sound design, but I think I'm on the right track for the scope I've given myself. (Hopefully)

[droqen]

Ooh, what's the engine you're using? Love the sound of recording apartment knocks. Thank you for describing your planned process in such detail and I hope I haven't made you overthink it! I'm sure it'll be great, it sounds very reasonably scoped. I think the 'knock' effect seems like it'll be a big part of the experience so it's nice you're giving it a decent amount of attention ^^

(Although... I guess if there was just one sound... hmm. Maybe you really only need a couple sounds? I don't know what you're planning to do, but you don't need to go overboard. I can imagine a game that would only need a simple basic knock that the player can get used to & a very heavy one to surprise the player? But if the point is to really differentiate every individual visitor, different knocks is a wonderful way to do that.)

[mystic_swamp]

Ooh, what's the engine you're using? Love the sound of recording apartment knocks. Thank you for describing your planned process in such detail and I hope I haven't made you overthink it! I'm sure it'll be great, it sounds very reasonably scoped. I think the 'knock' effect seems like it'll be a big part of the experience so it's nice you're giving it a decent amount of attention ^^

(Although... I guess if there was just one sound... hmm. Maybe you really only need a couple sounds? I don't know what you're planning to do, but you don't need to go overboard. I can imagine a game that would only need a simple basic knock that the player can get used to & a very heavy one to surprise the player? But if the point is to really differentiate every individual visitor, different knocks is a wonderful way to do that.)

Just using GameMaker. Also the knocks are a big part of the experience in that the entire game takes place in front of a door, and the main method of progression is answering the door, so just by that nature the knocks must have some depth to give the experience some substance/texture, at least in my opinion.

Also haha don't worry, you haven't made me overthink it, I'm forcing myself to stick exactly to my design document which is strictly linked to a big checklist, and I'm going to leave all the overthinking/notes/improvements I've written down to the days dedicated to polish. Good news is at this rate I WILL ship this video game before Halloween.

[mystic_swamp]

Progress Update for Thursday [10/22/20]

Dynamic speech box (vertical / horizontal)

Another very busy day outside of development. Only have gotten to work for about 2 hours or so which gave me time to get the progression logic coded as well as the dynamic textbox / speech bubble.

Could use a bit of refining, but I am happy for now : )

[mystic_swamp]

Progress Update for Friday [10/23/20]

Pre-Encounter options function (utilize dynamic labels, lights off, start progress, wait)
Encounter writing
Candy giving buttons
Dynamic speech box (vertical / horizontal)(fixed)

Today I refined the speech bubble a bit and mostly worked on setting up an easy system for storing and accessing dialog through arrays.

starting to have a game here


and it's very exciting


I seem to be maintaining a good pace still (despite behind "behind" schedule)

[droqen]

I like your animations! So wobbly and nice. For the text, as well as for the bobbing figure in the door...

[mystic_swamp]

I like your animations! So wobbly and nice. For the text, as well as for the bobbing figure in the door...

Hey thanks! This is actually me trying something a bit new in that all of these animations are done in engine, almost nothing in this game is hand animated which is like the complete opposite of normal for me, BUT I love how it's coming out and it saves so much time. I think I've spent more time in aseprite making gifs than I have animating on this project, which is a great indicator of actually getting shit done! So unlike me haha.

[mystic_swamp]

Progress Update for Saturday [10/24/20]

Candy giving buttons
Candy giving effects
Encounter progression & scripting


I spend most of my day cleaning my apartment and then the second half trying to program while being super tired, so I ate some chocolate and that fixed everything.

I'm 100% sure this game will not be released on tomorrow : )
And that's okay! Before Halloween is obtainable.
Tomorrow I will create a new and highly focused timeline, aiming for an October 30th release.

once prompted to offer your visitor candy, you ought to give them what they want!


if you feel like you made a mistake, don't be afraid to grab your selection from the air : )

[mystic_swamp]

Progress Update for Sunday [10/25/20]

Sfx creation & Implementation (Sunday roll over)
Music creation & Implementation (Sunday roll over)

Hmm...it seems that the game is not out. However I did walk around my apartment and make a bunch of sound effects, as well as some nice music that has layers of instruments that activate and deactivate based upon the game state.

[qMopey]

Cute! posting for follow

[mystic_swamp]

Cute! posting for follow

<3 thank u! : )

[mystic_swamp]

Progress Update for Monday [10/27/20]
fix dynamic speech progression issue
fix dynamic speech box extending x-axis to have no fractional position
character y-axis sinusoidal walk animation
Make Itch.io page


fixed some very critical bugs today, and did some very awesome organizational things to make the way I integrate writing into arrays super efficient for me.
also,

a fancy new itch page is up:
https://mysticswamp.itch.io/on-the-last-night-of-october

a fancy new twitter page is up:
https://twitter.com/ot_ln_oo