Killer 2017 - Entry Eighteen

Target selection now kinda properly works! In a sad twist of fate, I was just coding how to pick the closest target to the mouse wrong. Oh well, this kind of things happen. This morning I've also started coding what happens when you pull the trigger on your enemies. Doesn't work properly yet, but it should be done soon. 

I also have to make it so you can repeat last turn's action if you want by just shooting at the same target. It'll help battles go faster!

• Time spent on the project so far: 41 hours
• Currently working on: The battle system

Killer 2017 - Entry Fifteen

Not much to talk about today; I've mostly worked on continuing to implement the battle system, more specifically regarding how it connects to the tutorial. I didn't want to have to connect a bunch of tutorial-related code into my battle system, so I figured a way around it.

• Time spent on the project so far: 38 hours
• Currently working on: The battle system

Killer 2017 - Entry Twelve

Didn't have much time to work on K2017 today but I've made it so you can walk between rooms by using the compass. There's a proper fade in/out between rooms, and the second room is almost done. I'm still unsure if I want to user to click on a verb (LOOK/TALK/USE) and then click on something on-screen to interact, or just present a list, or just have one look-able/talk-able/use-able thing per room. I'm leaning towards the first idea, but I'll have to work it out.

• Time spent on the project so far: 30 hours
• Currently working on: Tutorial area

Killer 2017 - Entry Ten

This morning I started working on the first tutorial area of the game and wondered how I would take screenshots of the game without anything else cluttering the screen - UI, characters, etc. - then I fell into a hole and discovered Dolphin's FIFO player abilities. Basically, you can record gameplay and then play it back while keeping the camera movement capabilities and also being able to render only certain layers, which will help greatly.

I'm also still working on the structure of game rooms, specific rooms have certain event triggers when you first enter them, or when certain conditions are not met, and I have to deal with all that in a way that isn't going to hurt me down the line. Still believe that gameplay might be atteignable this week!

• Time spent on the project so far: 27 hours
• Currently working on: Tutorial area

Killer 2017 - Entry Eight

Still working on that first cutscene because I lost some work. For some reason, my intro prefab got reset and all the values I had added in disappeared. That made me a bit frustrated because I had to redo the whole thing almost from scratch. That prompted me to use versioning so that I can rollback if that error occurs again. Hope it doesn't tho!

I had started to work on the gunshot scene after the intro cutscene, but I couldn't manage it. Shame.

• Time spent on the project so far: 24 hours
• Currently working on: Core game systems, first intro cutscene

Killer 2017 - Entry Six

The first intro cutscene is going well and it's helping me figure out how the rest of them are going to go. Decisions have to be made correctly the first time, but after that it's smooth sailing. I think that the first cutscene and tutorial intro will be done by tomorrow, and I'll have some more screenshots to share!

I also have to think about the background of the main game screen, I'm not sure if I want fake code or static or what not there.

• Time spent on the project so far: 20 hours
• Currently working on: Core game systems, first intro cutscene

Killer 2017 - Entry Five

After completing the game flow up to the first level, I felt a bit overwhelmed. I still do. What comes next? I've build the framework of my UI, that's simple enough, and then...

What should come next is the intro cutscene for the first target. Garcian meeting with Mills. How do I go about that? What kind of game object structure do I need in order to make proper cutscenes that I'll be able to re-use later? How does this kind of thing fit in the grand scheme of the game?

There are multiple cutscenes and I have to be able to work with them all with the same structure. I'll go about it with the way the game progresses, so right now I just have to concentrate on that one part, but at the same time I don't want to mess up core concepts that will come and bite me in the ass later. Overwhelming indeed...

• Time spent on the project so far: 19 hours
• Currently working on: Core game systems, first intro cutscene

Killer 2017 - Entry Three

Yesterday evening I've went through the sound effects to find the ones I needed for the intro and title screen and worked on that a bit, I've also made it so you can skip past the intro quickly by mashing the mouse, which will be useful both for me and for players. Next up is the title screen, followed by the target select screen, then I'll be able to get into the game proper, with the intro for the first mission -Angel- followed by the tutorial.

• Time spent on the project so far: 5 hours
• Currently working on: Sorting through audio, title screen

Killer 2017 - Entry One

After waiting about one day since my last project, here I am, starting another one! This time, the focus is to make a polished and balanced product that I don't just burn through, creating mechanic after mechanic without caring on how good everything works together. Most of my games are neat and have some redeeming qualities, that I'm certain, but the overall end product feels more slapped together than crafted, especially when numbers are involved. I've you've played Griddrill, Gear Link, Legend of Loadaia, Tarot Trials, 100 Reasons To Break Down, Magic Darts or the most recent The Proton Orders, you would have noticed that balance is completely nonexistent. Skills and spells are either too strong or too weak and the game is either stupidly easy, or really difficult.

With this new project, the number one goal is to make something balanced and enjoyable. The secondary goals are for me to make an adventure game and a turn-based RPG, which I haven't done entirely yet. My third goal is to make a Killer 7 fangame; taking Killer 7 and remaking it as such is a daunting task, there are large differences between having a turn-based battle system where you take your actions from a menu and a first-person system where enemies blow themselves up to attack you. I think that accomplishing these three goals will be difficult and take a lot of work, both on the programming, game design and asset generation front, but I also know that it's doable for me. Killer 7 isn't that huge of a game, and I'm not remaking it from scratch.

I know I won't be able to sell this one either, but I'll make sure to pour my passion into it to make a good game. I'll try to get more playtesters after I'm done with certain core components so I can tweak them if needed, and I'm really looking forward to showing you guys how things are going via this here development log!

• Time spent on the project so far: 45 minutes
• Currently working on: Writing the GDD

The Proton Orders - Part Four

Here's the second to last release of The Proton Orders. I have cut some corners short from my original vision, but I do not wish for this to become another endless struggle. Here is everything new in this version:

• Three new enemy types
  • Lambda enemies are flying robots that heal their allies
  • Mu enemies are huge tanks that only take damage on specific weak points
  • Omicron enemies are flying summoners
• Thirty seven maps in total, only twelve remain
• Three more tiers of the weapon skill tree
• Boost skills for each weapon type
• Three more tier of frame skill tree
• Active skills for each frame type

After 200 hours of work, more or less, I can see the end for this project. Please stay tuned for the 'complete' and 'final' version that might be released in less than a month!

The Proton Orders - Part Three

Here is, without much fanfare, the third release of The Proton Orders. Here is everything new in this version:

• Two new enemy types; Digamma and Theta. One fires bullets all around with a spinning turret, the other pulses waves on the ground and is protected by a shield.
• Twenty one maps in total, twenty eight maps still remain
• Three more tiers of the weapon skill tree
• Active skills for each weapon type
• Three more tier of frame skill tree
• The ability to change frame models

I'm about halfway there! Maybe 150 hours of work in? I hope I'm done with this project before the end of summer ;)

The Proton Orders - Part Two

Here it is! My second release of The Proton Orders. Here is everything new in this version:

• Options, allowing players to change their input systems (work in progress)
• An encyclopedia with info on all enemies, guns, mechanics and some world building
• Nine maps in total, forty maps still remain to be made
• A new enemy, the Epsilon, a flying enemy that dashes at the player
• Two more tiers of weapon skill trees
• The frame skill tree
• Music and sound effects

Your save from previous versions might not work, and there are about 110 hours of work into this version of the game. Please check if out if you can!