Enemies, Desert - Just a quick 5/15 update

So I have one enemy fully working (so check one off of my list), and I have some good progress in the desert world. I hope to post a shot or two next week, but in the meantime, here's a single frame from one of the enemies:

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/CubedOCR/Project%20C7/gshot.png">

Character mechanics - 4/26 Update

So I've gone through a lot of different ideas for what the player would be able to do. One idea in particular seemed like a great idea and would lead to some neat level stuff and enemy uses. And then in-game it wasn't much fun. I did not want to just give the player double-jumping or something. That seems done very often and, to me, I wanted the single jump to be the big focus for the platforming. I also like having objects visible, but not immediately reachable. A double jump would allow the player to traverse the majority of the screen with the current physics I'm using, so that would ruin stuff to me. I wanted there to be a fun aspect of the jumping, perhaps a bit of forgiveness, and I didn't want to give the character fireball equivalents. Weapons wouldn't have been the right way to go to me (partially because I want the game a little more peaceful, partially to cut back on my own animating time). So at the start of the game, a water nymph (Maila) helps you out and gives you a pendant from her kingdom which allows you wield a bit of magic

-The player can semi-float.

-The player can cast a 'shield' barrier in front with light offensive abilities (close-range).

While in the air, you cast the magic ability below you to keep you in the air, but on-ground you cast it in front to repel projectiles, block stuff from hitting you, and destroy lower-class enemies. It's all pretty and blueish and floats all around everywhere, so I'll have a video of it up some time.

Naming - 4/26 Update

So I currently plan on not naming the main character. I'm not really pulling anything rpg-styled with a name input. I'm just simply writing the dialogue to omit sentences that would use his name. I think that without a name to call the character--including fallback default names, players will end up saying "I did this" and "it happened to me." And they'll believe it more, probably. Putting in names in RPGs always seems artificial because everbody knows that's Link, that's Tifa, that's whoever. And then seeing my own name in dialogue seems sorta funky, too. But no name at all and no reference to one would make, to me at least, someone substitute themselves subconsciously.

Or I'm crazy. I'm okay with either, but I believe the former at the moment.

Pretty Picture - Of an area you've seen

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/CubedOCR/Project%20C7/float.jpg">

I like it, deadeye. The dude sort of scares me but it's a neat way to build a platformer. It really makes me think of Chip's Challenge a lot (that old dos game).

Oh, thanks Ing!

Lookin' good, pyteo!

Here's a trailer I cut of my platformer, "Blight."

<--HD (be sure to pick 720p)

<--SD (Not HD)

damn thats some awesome style but why everyone making 8bit style games on construct?

It's a pretty large trend everywhere, it seems. I'm not making one and there are some who aren't, but a lot of people like it now.

I really like how it looks! Very clean and detailed pixel work. I would hope for maybe some better end tiles (or whatever) for some of the edges, but it's still very cool looking!

So I cut a trailer showing some of the current locales. It is sans enemies, proper ui, etc but is a simple demonstration of some aspects of the levels. It is using music of my own as well as graphics entirely my own. Check it out!

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It has has been added to the first post. I'll be uploading an HD version in the near future, too.

Looks nice, original graphics style. Will you make a playable demo before the release? I'm bit afraid if I could run it on stable 60fps. Core2Duo 2GHz, 9300M 256MB

I wouldn't worry too much. You have a better computer than I do! But yes, I'll make a playable demo before release!

So I got through testing this on my old laptop to see performance on lesser machines. Running it in low-res (480p), it's playable but not silky by any means.

So for:

Intel T2400 (1.83 GHz)

2 GB of RAM

Mobile Intel 945 Express (integrated crappy video card)

It runs decently at 480.

And for:

Intel Penitum D (3.2 GHz)

4 GB RAM

Geforce 7900 GS

It runs close to constant 60 fps at 720.

I don't have a stellar rig by any means and it's about 5 years old. Even with that, I'm glad performance is about where it needs to be for a pretty graphics-heavy 2D game. On tests I've run on computers with any sort of a better GPU, the whole game runs flawlessly. I'm toying with getting lower-res textures working (via a menu switch), but I'm going to keep building the game with the current detail level as the focus.

<font size="5">Blight</font>

Creator: Adam Prack

IRC Name: C7

Genre: Platformer

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Alpha Release on Desura! Blight is available now as an alpha release. Early supporters get the rest of the game free as it is completed!

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[TUBE]sZFBn10qy7E?hd=1[/TUBE]

Story

A young elf drew the short stick and was left on guard duty during the yearly Forest Guardian celebration. He was charged with watching over the Forest Kingdom's Guardian Stone, an ancient relic said to protect the purity and focus of the Forest's Guardian. He grew jealous and neglected his duties to watch some of the festivities from afar and fell asleep at his post. The Guardian Stone was taken and the young elf was imprisoned for his negligence and possible conspiracy (or trickery).

While in his cell, a water nymph appears to him begging for his help saving the four Grand Kingdoms from an evil race spreading their influence like a plague and taking control of each kingdom's Guardians. The kings would not believe her cries for help, but she's found a young elf who just might. She aids in your escape in exchange for your help.

The journey spans the four Grand Kingdoms (Forest, Desert, Peaks, and Lakes) to restore the Guardians to their noble posts and stop the threat to all life around.

Screenshots

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/CubedOCR/Blight/trees.png" border="0">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/CubedOCR/Blight/shot.png" border="0">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/CubedOCR/Blight/leap.png" border="0">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/CubedOCR/Blight/rain.png" border="0">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/CubedOCR/Blight/bowls.png" border="0">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/CubedOCR/Blight/boom.png" border="0">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/CubedOCR/Blight/block.png" border="0">

Form

The game world is made up of four worlds with four stages each (broken into two segments). Currently the game supports Keyboard and Xbox 360 controller. General gamepads will be added. The game is single player.

Preorder it now on Desura!

the 5 is lives and the number on the top-right is 'orbs' collected. I'll make it prettier eventually, but for now the plain text works

Thought I'd go ahead and give a post

<img src="http://www.adamprack.com/elf/grass.jpg">