12/29/2014 - Recommended Listening

I found a cool seminar for those who have iPhones. In your free app, iTunes U, there are free classes on almost every subject. So, this morning I was messing around with it and searched for 'Video Games', and sure enough, I found one course on Creating Video Games by an MIT Course. It's audio, but it's very interesting on professional, step by step on setting goals, prototyping and, in particularly, how to work in teams (which can be a struggle for most of us ... well, maybe just me.) lol.

I can't post links here yet, so I'll have re-posted this same recommendation on my site at appsotight (dot) com with the itunes link information.

Progress Report: 12/28/2014

Trying to figure out if I should update the initial posting or just 'add a reply' and after looking around I think progress reports should be just a swift reply and keep it moving.

That said, the appsotight website is up and running to keep an ongoing development Journal of the game progress, in harmony with this one. I also scored the jugspy domain name today too! It would have killed me if someone already snatched it. lol

There is a difficulty in splitting attention on game functionality while working at the day job. I just can't dig deep into Event Sheet Code while dealing with customer issues so while I'm working, I usually satisfy the graphical end of the project and website details. This way, like a juggler, I keep a few things in motion at the same time. When I'm off from work, and no customers digging into my consciousness about very stupid issues, I focus on the coding.

It's a shame really. Because I was really digging my teeth into the whole pathfinding tutorial by Wrangler. I'll pick it up when I'm off work and in the morning.

Meanwhile, during art-time, I've finished a sample of one of the other six characters, "Miso Round".

She, like the other five juggling main characters, has her own personality in the game play. She always fights while looking at her cellphone, texting and generally never paying attention with her headphones on.

Its important to me that each of the characters has a defined personality in game play. I mean, all the best fighting games and adventure games I ever played had characters that had their own 'life'.

Awesome work!!!!!! You seemed to conquer some areas in movement that Im still struggling with. Great work and I can't wait to see more. There are some days I personally feel like putting down the keyboard and stepping away from the screen. Watching your progress encourages me to keep moving

On no! Really? I see them on my end..and another computer. They might just be too big. Ill reduce them. My apologies. Meanwhile, I'll attach a zip of the same files for you to look at separately. [attachment=0:189nhiil][/attachment:189nhiil]

About me and what I'm doing:

I have spent a portion of my career as an author, animator and worked on a couple of film projects. I currently work for Apple as an iOS Technical Adviser. This is my first game currently in development with an ETC (estimated time of completion) of February 2015-ish. I'm considering posting a crowd funding offering to help with completion, but I want to have a demo ready to go before I entertain that concept. Ii would like to first release this game through Facebook's Gaming site and then onto Android. I can't develop for iOS while working at Apple (legally). If the game is successful, I would take my leave of the company and spend my life creating games. If not, Apple will have an employee for a little while longer.

Thanks to Scirra and Construct 2 for making it possible for me to get as far as I have in this game development. I've attempted earlier on other tools. Not that they were complicated. They just kept CRASHING! Cheers to Construct 2 for being the one thing that matters: STABLE SOFTWARE!

The game:

JugSpy: Golden Peaks is a platform game designed to be irreverently fun, sexy and with kick-ass female characters with an element of puzzles to figure out with loads of innuendo.

The short of it:

You play one of six female jugglers from the International Traveling Circus that are stranded on an island on a mission to rescue a king held captured in his own castle on top of Golden Peaks by his arch nemesis. Before his capture, you were given 'The Family Jewels', a magical set of balls that enhance your already impressive juggling skills. Make it through numerous villages and towns (e.g., levels) on your way up to the castle, defeat killer wasps, save villagers before they turn into zombies, beat various bosses, save the king and get off the island.

What's Next?

I'll post updates through this thread as I move along. Once I get past a few finished levels, I'll post a demo. The website will come around once I am sure this is going well and it's on the right track. I sincerely encourage any and all comments and feedback.

Will I Post Capx?

I think I will. Right now, I'm currently living off of tutorials and what I read here on the site so you could probably be better served by looking at much more professional developers since that's where I'm getting my education from also.

Will I create a tutorial?

I would love to. However, again, I'm way too novice to offer any new thoughts right now. I would love to do something on art, but I'm not using Construct 2 for the art development and that might not be cool to post tutorials about other software. Then again, I'm not too sure and I'd be happy to answer any questions.

The following images are of the first character out of the six, TEETEE NIPS. Showcasing her moves, running, punching, rolling, crouching, etc.

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12/24/2014 - Merry Christmas! For every 100,000 mile journey, there is the first step. Ultra-early screenshot of level 1 start position.

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12/25/2014 - Whenever I get stumped on some event coding, I'll put the game play functionality aside and focus on GUI and character art. Last night, while catching up with episodes of "The Affair" (Showtime), I worked on the opening Menu Screen graphic. I'm trying to create an even balance of estrogen and testosterone. Nothing too frilly to turn off the hardcore gamers and still keep the 'girl power she'll kick your ass in high heels and a Coach bag.' motif. I want the game to be sexy enough to interest male game players and female alike. In my experience, if I focus on telling a good story and game play, everything will fall into place.

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12/28/2014 - Shout out to Wrangler which I'm using as the basis of my enemy pathfinding: Pathfinding with line of sight You got to love a concise and well-commented tutorial. It shows Wrangler took the time to really care about what he's talking about and help noobs like me. You can be sure DNA of Wrangler's tutorial is all over my game. Thanks!