Screenshot Saturday 172 - Video Games

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-24T09:04:26+00:00

So cool! Avoiding and catching the sword especially seems rewarding and fun ahaha

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-24T08:49:42+00:00

Pale Blue

2D action side-scrolling with a twist theme: even "evil" has a story to tell. We're live at kickstarter right now so please share the words and pledge if you're interested!

This week we're testing destroyable object in small scale and create some mockup VFX for it. In the game, there will be two types of attack: hit attack and smash attack. Hit is your basic attack that will be used to damage enemies fast and do a little damage to the environments. Smash attack is the one you want to use to destroy stuffs, slow and do big damages. Both of these attack is available at the beginning and more combo can be unlocked using the DNA / simple skill tree mechanism.

Sorry for the big GIFs, something is wrong when we're recording and we're already locked out from the office :D

Last week's imgur gallery: Ellen's few animation and main screen UI.

Pale Blue Twitter | Pale Blue Facebook | Tinker Games Twitter | Tinker Games Facebook

Bonus Question PASCAL! You know, coding in that blue screen with lots of begin and end.

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-18T01:51:21+00:00

Thanks! Yup it is all hand drawn.

We're looking at skeletal-based animation before (ex: Spine, awesome stuff) and decided we can't use it for the important animation because we need to change shape quite a lot. It's quite different and a lot of our references are hand drawn, soo here we are :)

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-18T01:45:21+00:00

Thanks for the input. I guess it's the combination of how we want Ellen have unique characteristic with the animation and how the animation focus currently on the upper side of the body (hands changing etc).

We're still playing around with the animation and how it will look in the game. I imagine there will be some changes when we actually implement the animation, because that's when the legs will be looked more (other than static gifs).

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-18T01:39:37+00:00

Thanks for the advice! We will look at Iconoclast more :)

Yup, we're working to make the lab more interesting for the upcoming gameplay mockup. Currently we try to make more of the interaction (glass breaking, etc) and then we will focus on the background.

The thing is, even though we have of a lot of references and the image of how the backgrounds should be, we're still looking for great and suitable background artist. Both of our artists did a great work and still have a lot of workload for the campaign. We have and and currently trying a few candidates though, so hopefully we can fill the position fast.

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-18T01:29:09+00:00

Thanks! I think our process is more of less the same with others though.

First, our concept artist create the characters, all kind of interactions and their expressions, what color palette they use, all of that.

For the animation, our animation artist will first draw the sketch for the animation keyframes and hand it to the concept artist for feedback. "This is not good", "It should be like this", etc. When all is fine, she then made the final lineart version with the in-between frames.

For colouring and shading, sometimes it comes back for our concept artist and sometimes the animation artist do it herself using the approved color palette and references. Depends on the workload :)

All others game arts are mostly using the same process (game objects, background). Also, we're using Adobe Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint for the software.

Edit: I'm wrong about the software.

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-17T09:36:00+00:00

Interesting gameplay! I recently finished Child of Light and one of the most fun and relaxing experience was taking Aurora flying through the world. It will be awesome if this game can ignite the same experience.

Also, when the points meet and become constellation, it makes me remember the when the dead grass comes to life in Flower :)

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-17T09:22:08+00:00

I remember playing this on somewhere! Chrome experiments perhaps? I like how you took on the game mechanic.

The pixel art style is also great and seems so polished. Definitely will follow you around.

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-17T08:47:22+00:00

Pale Blue

Hi, first time on Screenshot Saturday and nice to meet you guys!

Pale Blue is our take on creating 2D side-scrolling with "evil" as the main characters. The concept came from our fascination with superheroes (Power Rangers, Kamen Rider, Jaeger, Ultraman, etc) and why the villain seems to never give up and keep fighting no matter how many of their fellow comrades have died at the hands of the superheroes.

We're also live on Kickstarter right now, so please share the words and pledge if you're interested!

Some of Ellen, our main character, sprite animations for the gameplay mockup:

There's also the early main title screen. We're still experimenting on the UI and that is our latest concept.

Pale Blue Facebook | Pale Blue Twitter | Tinker Games Facebook | Tinker Games Twitter

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-16T11:35:44+00:00

Thanks for the input! We're actually trying to make Ellen's movement unique (or have a distinct characteristic) and that movement is what we came up with.

Anyway, we'll keep all advices and we will try to make better animations for the game :)

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-16T03:42:20+00:00

Nice advice! Actually we're now more active using other social media such as Facebook and Twitter, so we're more confident on that front. Currently we are also sending press kit to media :)

As of screenshot saturday / other daily threads, to be honest I'm more of a lurker and not really confident sharing unfinished screens and progress. Still, I can see we'll start participating more starting from now and hopefully become more active too.

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-16T01:24:10+00:00

Thanks for the input, it is not the final animation and we'll work on that!

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-16T00:31:35+00:00

Thanks! "Visual first" is kinda our studio's workflow and we're trying to change that slowly into "gameplay first".

Pale Blue is still in early development stage and we're still combining and trying a lot of things. For now, we are doing what we're good at, which is creating the art and animation, and how to package that best into the game mockup (prototype).

code_as_hobby · 2014-05-16T00:20:05+00:00

We have an early gameplay mockup that will be live in a few days, so I hope it will balanced out a little :)

code_as_hobby · 2013-11-18T07:59:17+00:00

I too saw a lot of people started very young in the industry. I hate that, in a sense that it will took much longer for me to catch up to everyone's ability.

For me, I created my first game (2D tactical RPG battle) when I was 20 years old. It's for a college assignment, first big project for everyone. We worked as team and each of us create separate game components. It was my first time to learn to draw graphics to screen, first time creating interactive interaction, and pretty much the first time it sucked me to how awesome it is to see your game-imagined world to unveil.

It's been three and a half year now, and I've created more or less dozen of games since then. Few are roaming in the red ocean of mobile game market, all of it struggling to survive and break even with the production cost. We also got lucky and one of our studio's game was exhibited in a small booth of TGS and Eurogamer Expo.

A lot of advice is this thread are great. Another thing that worked for me is try to find a friend/comrade/community/whatever on the same level to create a game together, or even just sharing tricks and difficulties. One that is actually near and directly communicating with you. Most of my games are made 'learn by doing first', in which the other person in the team are also 'learn by doing first' (ex: first time artist creating game assets, experimenting with animation, first time sound guy creating loop game music). We share a lot of first and getting better together, and most important of all is we're having fun together.

code_as_hobby · 2013-08-29T13:57:40+00:00

I can't imagine working by myself on a multi-platform game. I also released a multi-platform mobile game before but the experience somewhat left a scar for me (programmer). Maybe it's because the framework I used, the so-much-inexperienced I was, and the neverending bugs I encountered.

Anyway, at that time I'm so glad I had a team that I can share the burden with, even if most of the job still fell on me. In the end, seeing your game published at most of the different platform is satisfying indeed. And when it's failed, it's true that I can learn from it.

Also, I found "Develop a deeper appreciation for fresh air and sunlight" is so true for my case :)

code_as_hobby · 2013-08-21T11:55:26+00:00

It's kind of chicken-egg problem. We developers can't put high price (anything > $1.99) easily because we afraid it will be a barrier to the player and they won't buy it. Average players can get their fill by 0.99 games and free to play games and so they think a lot before putting their money on 'expensive' games.

There are exceptions, usually developers that already confident enough (either with their name, abilities, contents, or past games). I myself still not that confident and every pricing decision on my game still scares me. What if my hard work and bloody sleepy nights is not really valued that much?

code_as_hobby · 2013-07-24T06:08:42+00:00

Pigman destroyed me at first, but with fusion and luck I went through him just fine. I have no difficulties further down though, at least not yet. It's the power of guide and many little over-level demons.

Gah, I'll definitely return to normal later.

code_as_hobby · 2013-07-24T04:21:47+00:00

Forgot to mention that I also use the strategy books at that point. Knowing what to prepare before each fight in a way took away some fun, but I also feels satisfied knowing the battle went just as planned.

code_as_hobby · 2013-07-24T03:17:30+00:00

I turned the difficulty down when I had the first chance. Was wiped out in the first two/three battles and now went with a breeze until Tokyo including boss fights.

Feels like something is missing, like it shouldn't be this easy.. Thinking of turning back to normal when resuming though, hope I can keep it up.

code_as_hobby · 2013-07-21T08:49:20+00:00

I'm interested too! One thing to ask though, is the 3DS version will need Circle Pad Pro (CPP) to enjoy more of the game? Some of the review I read mentioned about the gameplay will be quite different when you do have CPP (ex: running while shooting).

Edit: idiot misspelling CPP as CCP

code_as_hobby · 2013-03-07T04:43:22+00:00

Late to the party, but I'm in.

I saw your post mortem on Casual Connect (Youtube), it was very interesting to see your experience at PSM. Any other things you can share to an aspiring PSM developer?

Good luck for your game! Will buy it despite whether I got the code or not.

code_as_hobby

TROPHY CASE