BluePhaze I have 9 layers set up per level as a rule. I don't use them all, I just have them there in case I decide to do any strange effects. For the most part I only use 3-4 layers.

As a rule of thumb, my top layer usually contains full screen effects. In this case my 320x240 pixel effect is on this layer. Next one down is typically text/hud. In this games case I dont use 6 at all as far as I remember, in go!go!Maddi! I use it for full screen effects like rain or fog. Layer 5 is the sprite play field. Layer 4 is the map. Layer 3 is multi layered scroll back drop if used. Layer 2 and 1 aren't used here and 0 would be a static background of 320x240 if I need it.

At the start of every layout I have always>system>start of layout>set layer scale 1.25.

Joannesalfa I do most of the graphics right in constuct 2's sprite editor. I'm used to working in that sort of environment from the c64 days of Gary Kitchen's Game Maker and Shoot Em Up Construction kit... That puts a nice age on me ;)

The bigger graphics I partially hand draw and then scan. In the case of the big bosses in this game they are entirely drawn in black and white, scanned taken into photoshop and resized then I go to web export and save as a 4 colour png. Any edits I do in the sprite/graphic editor in construct 2/ classic.

I actually use the sprite editor in CC to adjust the colour and then save and reload in C2. CC has the change color to option in the editor and I really need that feature. So I always have CC and C2 open at the same time when doing gfx. I have a gif of the NES palette loaded in every level layout so I can grab colors quick. And also in CC so I can correct anything I've scanned in quickly.

But yeah for the most part everything I do is pixel by pixel in the sprite editor.

I use that pixel effect because the warp effect for example works at the screen resolution and not the window res. So on my screen everything will look correct until I get to the water section and the water is warping at a way higher res and looks pretty bad against the pixel art.

BluePhaze Thanks! I am using a few different tricks to get the look. Window size is 320x240. Layout Scale is 1.25. I have a pixelation mask on a top level to make rotated sprites and warp effects appear at the right res.

I haven't tried handheld devices extensively yet. In mobile browsers it runs like crap. Nexus 7 might get 30fps tops. IOS isn't even worth looking at in a browser and that's with an iPhone5 and an iPad mini. I tried a few different exporters and none of them ran very well. I've tried many tricks to get speed but it's just not there to be had. I used tiled backgrounds for everything and to save cpu, gravity is shut off on any sprite using them until they are on the screen. It hits cpu performance pretty bad.

I've also completely rebuilt the 2nd stage to be much smaller and wall jump focused. Doesn't make a difference how big the layout is, it still performs the same so far.

RandomFellow - Thanks! A mix of too many Capcom arcade games growing up and my comic book art :) It's fun to bring it all to life in it's own little world so to speak!

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This is looking fun! I'd be screaming all the way through from falling in holes :D

Colors look fine now. 8-bit-ish so you'll hear no complaints from me :)

Whenever I get stuck for a color palette I seek out the past for inspiration! I'm having a wonderful time learning to use the NES color palette to it's full extent right now. Everything is a learning experience no matter how much you already know!

Keep up the excellent work!

Absolutely love the art style! Lookin good!

procrastinator: Thanks! We've actually gone back and completely rebuilt the entire second stage. Since I had made wall jumping an addition after the first 3 stages had been built I felt it wasn't being used enough. So the second stage, which was long and kinda boring has been made into this ninja bouncing forest full of wild animals.

Fixed the store up so money works. Mostly clean up left to do before a public demo release. Removed enemy knock back when enemies are hit by the projectile weapon, only punching them knocks them back now.

That's a nice looking game! I am going for a similar style on the sword weapon you get later in the game (probably a little more towards the Strider style sword. The sword in our game is pretty big.)Originally I was thinking of giving the player other main weapons instead of just punching but it breaks the character in the story. He's a very hands on guy so the secondary weapon is already over kill.

One of our later levels is going to be similar to the one in that video where the fire is coming from the bottom and you have to climb. I believe it's the very last level I have that sketched out for. But you are no longer playing as the main character at that point.

The speed of our game is similar although the hero walks, he doesn't run. The secondary weapon in the game gives it a bit of a shooter feel as you no longer punch enemies past the level 1 point. But seeing this video makes me want to have the secondary weapon something you can pick up, so not just daggers but axes or spears... etc etc. I had the idea after I did the 2nd stage boss (not in the pictures) to give the player a boomerang axe. It's already coded for the enemy so it's a bit of cut and paste to make it a player weapon as well. Ahh we'll see. The secondary weapon makes it so easy to peg the enemies now ha ha!

I should also say that Rastan and Magic Sword are influences as well. Another idea that is up in the air and is also in the comic book I wrote is the the main characters' fits of rage where he becomes possessed and mangles everything he comes into contact with.

Thanks for the video aside of being inspirational, it jogged my memory for things I wanted to do and had already forgotten about. The fifth stage is completely occupying my brain... so many ideas... argh. A black plague village full of undead. Way to excited to get started on that one.

Thanks for the extremely kind comments all!

Whiteclaws - Hoping to have a demo by months end, depending on real job/real life events haha!

Dave Hailwood - It's kind of a mix of Black Tiger, Castlevania and Batman. Anyone who's played Black Tiger before may notice that the cave stage is sort of a tribute to Black Tiger - at least in color and style.

pixel perfick & rosareven - You're tempting me to put in a randomly generated garbage screen at the start like the old NES games where you had to take out the cart and blow on the contacts lol!

Here are some details I had forgotten:

• Around 6 hours of game play I'm hoping, the levels are pretty huge and some of them have bits where you have to find an item to progress. If you miss the item there will be back tracking.
• Most levels have two routes to the ending: the Quick way (more money) and the hard way (more XP).
• tons of enemies to fight and a huge variety. There are only a few occasions where an enemy is used in more than one level. There are already 15 for the first 3 stages and I may add one or two more.
• You start off in stage one with the ability to punch only, upon leveling up you begin to throw daggers. As you level up the strength of the punch and throw increases. You four flavors of dagger in the store, 3 way, 5 way, 3 way magic and 5 way magic.

Again, thanks for the kind comments!

Chris

Welcome to the Insanity's Blade dev log!

[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzmLmNBH7D4[/tube]

causalbitgames.com

Thanks guys!

*Android Music: I'd love to put puzzle bits in, but it's for my daughter who will probably only be 4 years old by the time I'm finished lol!

The levels will be broken up so it wont be repetitive. I'm not even sure what demo I have up for ppl to download - every section has a theme. The first part is wild west/haunted forest/crab cave - then a bonus level which is that pseudo 3d flying part. The next level which I haven't even made a pixel for is the Winter level - which has platforming, down hill sled/shooter bits, then the robodaddy level with a shoot out at the end. Then another 3d bonus level. Then there will be cloud kingdom where daddy changes into a birdman - it's entirely side scrolling shooter. Back to platform for the second part of the cloud kingdom and then a boss fight on a floating sky island.

The bonus 3d level again, and the nightmare level which I've only sketched out the boss fight for.

I've been trying to keep in the mindset of "it's for a kid". Otherwise I'd be putting huge maps full of action rpg bits in...But thats another project I'll post soon haha!

Thanks for the input guys!!

If anyone has played the demo, is there any feedback?

Worked perfectly thank you!!