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[Razlo]

I've been working on this game for about half the year now, It's sort of like Jet Set Radio if it were a metroidvania.

It's slooowly getting there.

Other than it looking a little too dark, I love the art of your game. Sounds awesome from your description too.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Any of you going to PSX?

 

[Lathentar]

I'm doing some experimenting with the camera. Every system seems to have its ups and downs. I don't know if that's endemic to camera design, if my tastes are obtuse, or if I'm still just doing it wrong. That said, here are three candidates:

https://youtu.be/LI2zpmQ7TV4
https://youtu.be/irDruefqRlg
https://youtu.be/6hJ_qHtKHC8

Hopefully one of these is closer to ideal.

Here is a great resource on 2D camera design, I'm not sure you've seen before. It covers a lot https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iNSQIyNpVGHeak6isbP6AHdHD50gs8MNXF1GCf08efg/pub?embedded=true Hopefully the information in there helps a bit.

 

[Insolitus]

Other than it looking a little too dark, I love the art of your game. Sounds awesome from your description too.

Thanks for the feedback people! As for it looking a little dark, the game has a night and day cycle and these were actually captured moments before the player's flashlight turns on. This is how it looks at night:

I wanted it to look very dark in order to add to the atmosphere, there might even be some creepy moments.

 

[Situacao]

Grats!!!!!!!!!

Golf claps.

Thanks again you guys

With this I'm begining to think propertly about releasing the game on consoles.. Has anyone here released (or is planning to release) his/her game on consoles? What are your opinions about indie games on PS4 and Xbox One? Should one go full/timed exclusive on either?

I'm doing some experimenting with the camera. Every system seems to have its ups and downs. I don't know if that's endemic to camera design, if my tastes are obtuse, or if I'm still just doing it wrong. That said, here are three candidates:

https://youtu.be/LI2zpmQ7TV4
https://youtu.be/irDruefqRlg
https://youtu.be/6hJ_qHtKHC8

Hopefully one of these is closer to ideal.




Oh, I must have missed you saying that. Sorry.

First one, definetly!

 

[TheHollowNight]

Memento System is all hooked up and almost complete! Depending on how much your DNA integrity remains (i.e how mutated you are) the memories of found objects will change, meaning item descriptions will alter over time. Here's a dumb placeholder.

http://gfycat.com/InbornEverlastingFlies

 

[asa]

Memento System is all hooked up and almost complete! Depending on how much your DNA integrity remains (i.e how mutated you are) the memories of found objects will change, meaning item descriptions will alter over time. Here's a dumb placeholder.

http://gfycat.com/InbornEverlastingFlies

Woah, the game looks great, which platforms are you looking at? Is that a dumb and dumber poster?

 

[Razlo]

Memento System is all hooked up and almost complete! Depending on how much your DNA integrity remains (i.e how mutated you are) the memories of found objects will change, meaning item descriptions will alter over time. Here's a dumb placeholder.

http://gfycat.com/InbornEverlastingFlies

Ha ha, love the Wayne and Jan Skylar photo. If only it could stay!

Great looking game!

 

[cbox]

Memento System is all hooked up and almost complete! Depending on how much your DNA integrity remains (i.e how mutated you are) the memories of found objects will change, meaning item descriptions will alter over time. Here's a dumb placeholder.

http://gfycat.com/InbornEverlastingFlies

You nailed the atmospheric effects, nice work.

 

[TheHollowNight]

Woah, the game looks great, which platforms are you looking at? Is that a dumb and dumber poster?

Thanks! PC primarily, though we've also been approved for Xbone recently. It's a big deal but we haven't really announced much since we just want to concentrate on our vertical slice and trailer. We'd love to bring it to PS4 also, but one step at a time

Ha ha, love the Wayne and Jan Skylar photo. If only it could stay!

Great looking game!

Haha, I'm sure we'll work some sort of Tim & Eric reference into the final game! Maybe Freja will have some space Spagett! ration treats in her ship.

You nailed the atmospheric effects, nice work.

Thank you! I haven't posted much, update-wise about the game for a while. I would very much like 1 day to just be able to compile a big bunch of new content to show, instead of throwing out a random gif every now and then. Ah wellll

Like I said, it's going to be challenging to figure out a way to make it work for every sound, and certainly require a creative solution. But at very least I can use it on voices.

Voices are what prompted me to come up with it. In the cases where you are able to run freely while someone speaks, their voice not changing as you run far away is distracting and odd. This will at least address that.

From what you said previously, I'm not sure if this will be possible in Stencyl, but if you can setup Sends and Receives (like you do in most DAWs), you could just have the one effect channel - with reverb/LPF - acting as the wet signal. This way, all your regular dry audio signals that require the effect can just be routed (Sent) to the same channel (the Receive) and you could control the dry/wet blend between the two based on the distance falloff. This would be an ideal solution that doesn't mean you're doubling up every single sound clip.

 

[bkw]

With this I'm begining to think propertly about releasing the game on consoles.. Has anyone here released (or is planning to release) his/her game on consoles? What are your opinions about indie games on PS4 and Xbox One? Should one go full/timed exclusive on either?

It probably depends on what you get for being full/timed exclusive. Is it funding? Maybe some sort of marking push? Ask and see what's offered. Might be a little early to say if you should or shouldn't.

You may only have time or money to go one platform, or maybe run into trouble getting access to the platforms. If you get nothing for declaring that you're exclusive to one platform, I wouldn't go exclusive at all. Keep your options open.

 

[Jobbs]

I've been suffering with this problem ever since I upgraded from CS6 to Photoshop CC.

When drawing with my wacom tablet, any time a hotkey or hot button is pressed (for instance, shift on the keyboard, or if I hit the button on the stylus that I mapped to undo [control Z]), little tooltips pop up over the cursor.

This may not sound like a big deal to some of you, but for me it's distracting to the point that I'm actually mildly filled with rage every time it happens, and since I push buttons a lot, I'm filled with rage over and over, and it actually affects my ability to work. (The undo one is even worse because it not only makes "ctrl" pop up when I hit undo, but it actually changes my cursor from the brush to the arrow)

I've scoured every setting in photoshop and the wacom drivers. Can anyone tell me how to finally make this stop? I almost have to laugh at how stupid this problem is, which, in a way, makes the rage even worse.

Disabling windows ink stops the pop ups, so it must be related to that. The problem with this, though, is if I disable windows ink, all of my pressure sensitivity goes away.

 

[superNESjoe]

Thanks again you guys

With this I'm begining to think propertly about releasing the game on consoles.. Has anyone here released (or is planning to release) his/her game on consoles? What are your opinions about indie games on PS4 and Xbox One? Should one go full/timed exclusive on either?



First one, definetly!

I'm about to release my 2nd game on Xbox One and Microsoft has been an awesome partner. Helpful, attentive, and quick to respond. They're willing to work with you regarding what's best for your game.

My 2 cents, but Microsoft gets an unfair rep regarding indies.

 

[Blizzard]

I've been suffering with this problem ever since I upgraded from CS6 to Photoshop CC.

When drawing with my wacom tablet, any time a hotkey or hot button is pressed (for instance, shift on the keyboard, or if I hit the button on the stylus that I mapped to undo [control Z]), little tooltips pop up over the cursor.

This may not sound like a big deal to some of you, but for me it's distracting to the point that I'm actually mildly filled with rage every time it happens, and since I push buttons a lot, I'm filled with rage over and over, and it actually affects my ability to work. (The undo one is even worse because it not only makes "ctrl" pop up when I hit undo, but it actually changes my cursor from the brush to the arrow)

I've scoured every setting in photoshop and the wacom drivers. Can anyone tell me how to finally make this stop? I almost have to laugh at how stupid this problem is, which, in a way, makes the rage even worse.

Disabling windows ink stops the pop ups, so it must be related to that. The problem with this, though, is if I disable windows ink, all of my pressure sensitivity goes away.

Give this a shot, but backup your registry first:

Disabling the metioned service is not viable for me since I need fast access to virtual keyboard and writing recognition and using gpedit.msc isn't working since I have Windows 7 Home Premium.

The solution involves registry editing so please make a backup before doing it!

Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe from Start menu)

Go to HKEY CURRENT USER → Software → Microsoft → Wisp-Pen-SysEventParameters

Locate UIButtonMode and edit value to 0

In the same place create new DWORD (right click on blank space, New → DWORD (32bit))

Name it UIModKeyMode and edit value to 0

Restart PC

From http://superuser.com/questions/5981...-that-pops-up-on-windows-7-around/81586#81586

 

[Jobbs]

Give this a shot, but backup your registry first:

Thanks, but someone on twitter figured it out.

https://twitter.com/Webfly_2/status/671608768887656448

So relieved the nightmare is over.

 

[Feep]

Today, in Adventures in Technology

 

[Jacksinthe]

Today, in Adventures in Technology

That's... not my fetish.

 

[missile]

Today, in Adventures in Technology

I think I will never deal with humans for games. xD

 

[Razlo]

I'm about to release my 2nd game on Xbox One and Microsoft has been an awesome partner. Helpful, attentive, and quick to respond. They're willing to work with you regarding what's best for your game.

My 2 cents, but Microsoft gets an unfair rep regarding indies.

Not exactly unfair, just based on how they were near the end of last gen. They definitely seem to have gotten a lot better though.

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

Today, in Adventures in Technology

New game feep?

 

[Jobbs]

spent the night working on effects and doors and flowers and stuff.

http://www.gfycat.com/SecondhandSlimyBlackfootedferret

http://www.gfycat.com/HarmlessMaleFrillneckedlizard

 

[superNESjoe]

Not exactly unfair, just based on how they were near the end of last gen. They definitely seem to have gotten a lot better though.

I guess I should establish that I meant that within the vacuum of the last yearish. There's this ongoing narrative that Microsoft is a lot more strict about indie partners and has more restrictions/rules about how you play with them versus other platforms. I have encountered none of that, and found them to be far easier to work with and more attentive than the average forum poster lets on.

Then again, that's pretty much all just hear-say being spread around by people that don't actually work with Microsoft. Like many of Microsoft's old/outdated policies, it's a narrative they are having a hard time escaping.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

Does anyone have experience with rom hacking? If so, could you recommend a noob a resource on how to start hacking?

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

Does anyone have experience with rom hacking? If so, could you recommend a noob a resource on how to start hacking?

Hopefully this link is kosher. I don't see why not, given GAF has had repositories on how to install custom firmware on consoles, etc. and this site only hosts patches.

Anyway, here:

http://www.romhacking.net/start/

romhacking.net's "Getting Started" guide. Points out documents on the site that are the most useful for beginners.

 

[missile]

New game feep?

She tries to pronounce Feep's new game. Seems to be a tough one. xD

Does anyone have experience with rom hacking? If so, could you recommend a noob a resource on how to start hacking?

ROM hacking? Well, perhaps not the best place to talk about here (off-topic).
But at a quick glance; you better know and understand the op-codes
(instruction set) of the machine the ROM runs on. And secondly; many code
fragments have reoccurring patterns such that you can identify or search for
stuff in your ROM.

 

[Razlo]

I guess I should establish that I meant that within the vacuum of the last yearish. There's this ongoing narrative that Microsoft is a lot more strict about indie partners and has more restrictions/rules about how you play with them versus other platforms. I have encountered none of that, and found them to be far easier to work with and more attentive than the average forum poster lets on.

Then again, that's pretty much all just hear-say being spread around by people that don't actually work with Microsoft. Like many of Microsoft's old/outdated policies, it's a narrative they are having a hard time escaping.

Yeah the only policy they currently have that's stupid is potentially blocking your release on their console if you release elsewhere first. I know they make exceptions, but just shouldn't be a policy ever.

 

[superNESjoe]

Yeah the only policy they currently have that's stupid is potentially blocking your release on their console if you release elsewhere first. I know they make exceptions, but just shouldn't be a policy ever.

That's the policy that never came up for me. I had a rep tell me they prefer if the Xbox version gets unique content to make up for that player base having to wait, but they didn't prevent me.

I agree though, that's an odd policy but I don't know if it's still enforced.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

Hopefully this link is kosher. I don't see why not, given GAF has had repositories on how to install custom firmware on consoles, etc. and this site only hosts patches.

Anyway, here:

http://www.romhacking.net/start/

romhacking.net's "Getting Started" guide. Points out documents on the site that are the most useful for beginners.

You're the best.

 

[Blizzard]

The December Ludum Dare's theme slaughter is in progress now: http://theme.ludumdare.com/

 

[dancrane212]

I think I'm going to try and actually going to try and make an actual little game. Previously I would work on a small project or system I was interested in and then, when I finished it, decide to not take the work any further for whatever reason (usually looking at the scope of making a full project like that).

I'm looking to keep this game small but it's still going to be a lot more to keep track of than the relatively simple systems I've made before and tracked in Excel. Any recommended reading out there on making a design document or something in that vein that will help map everything out beforehand to get my ducks in a row?

 

[Water]

I think I'm going to try and actually going to try and make an actual little game. Previously I would work on a small project or system I was interested in and then, when I finished it, decide to not take the work any further for whatever reason (usually looking at the scope of making a full project like that).

I'm looking to keep this game small but it's still going to be a lot more to keep track of than the relatively simple systems I've made before and tracked in Excel. Any recommended reading out there on making a design document or something in that vein that will help map everything out beforehand to get my ducks in a row?

If you explain a bit what kind of game it is, and what you consider the main "hooks" or unique selling points in the design, it'll be easier to say something specific.

In general I can say at least this: the important thing is to put actual time and sweat into the design work of the key things that really matter in that particular game, not into documentation. Some people are tempted to skip over design and just start building something, and that's bad, but even worse is believing you are doing valuable design when you're just writing down stuff that happens to be easy to write down, generating documentation you're never going to need.

If I see my students messing with paper prototypes, and their entire documentation is a couple of pencil diagrams and scribbles about the main game mechanics and an abstract map of a level space with bunch of post-its with 2-word descriptions of events/encounters, I'm optimistic. If I see them push out 10 pages of word processor documents listing characters, skills, items, backstory, etc. I'm worried.

 

[Chris Murphy]

I've made the decision to sell my house and move back with my Mum for a couple of years whilst I put my game together. She's happy because she never sees me usually and it means that my costs will be low as I work on it.

So this thread will be more and more useful for me as development gets closer to kickstarter territory. The OP is seriously useful.

It's a action adventure in a metroid style. The story is pretty complicated but essentially you roam around the memories of dead people that were turned in to AI at the point of death and have subsequently been made dormant by the antagonist of the game. You are trying to re-start them in an effort to combine their forces to defeat the big bad one that has basically destroyed future earth.

So essentially Metroid Psychonauts that controls like a cross between Zelda and an FPS with a low poly no textured style.

There's a few pictures up at https://www.facebook.com/Cozen-Servo-593947187408137/ to give people an idea.

And I've been working on the intro cinematic which is unfinished up till about the 2:30 mark but it looks good from that point. Here it is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eOKF09fjno

 

[bkw]

I've made the decision to sell my house and move back with my Mum for a couple of years whilst I put my game together. She's happy because she never sees me usually and it means that my costs will be low as I work on it.

Wow, you sold your house to go into indie dev? That's quite the commitment. Best of luck to you!

 

[dancrane212]

If you explain a bit what kind of game it is, and what you consider the main "hooks" or unique selling points in the design, it'll be easier to say something specific.

In general I can say at least this: the important thing is to put actual time and sweat into the design work of the key things that really matter in that particular game, not into documentation. Some people are tempted to skip over design and just start building something, and that's bad, but even worse is believing you are doing valuable design when you're just writing down stuff that happens to be easy to write down, generating documentation you're never going to need.

If I see my students messing with paper prototypes, and their entire documentation is a couple of pencil diagrams and scribbles about the main game mechanics and an abstract map of a level space with bunch of post-its with 2-word descriptions of events/encounters, I'm optimistic. If I see them push out 10 pages of word processor documents listing characters, skills, items, backstory, etc. I'm worried.

I'm not looking to spec out things like story and other things of the sort - I'm wondering the best way to spec out systems ahead of time. Writing out what systems I think I'll need to build and the best way to do so is something I usually do in Excel but I'm aiming for something a bit more complex where Excel might not be the best tool for the job anymore.

Maybe I'll pick up a notepad, it's been ages since I've written out pseudocode.

 

[bkw]

GameMaker Q:
What's is the equivalent of "null"? I have a variable to should point to an object instance, or no instance. Do I set it to noone? Set it to undefined? Or maybe it doesn't really matter so long as it's a negative number and I'm consistent? (And I don't pass it willy nilly into GM functions)

 

[liliththepale]

GameMaker Q:
What's is the equivalent of "null"? I have a variable to should point to an object instance, or no instance. Do I set it to noone? Set it to undefined? Or maybe it doesn't really matter so long as it's a negative number and I'm consistent? (And I don't pass it willy nilly into GM functions)

noone = -4
self = -1
other = -2

noone is the safest bet. Don't just pass a random negative number and expect it to work

 

[bkw]

noone = -4
self = -1
other = -2

noone is the safest bet. Don't just pass a random negative number and expect it to work

Yeah, I guess consistency is the key. I'm just used to null or 0 being nothing for almost everything in other languages.

It seems like in GM, null for variables pointing to instances is noone, variables pointing to surfaces is -1 (like view_surface_id[1] = -1), and I don't know what variables pointing to objects should be... (probably any negative?)

 

[liliththepale]

Yeah, I guess consistency is the key. I'm just used to null or 0 being nothing for almost everything in other languages.

It seems like in GM, null for variables pointing to instances is noone, variables pointing to surfaces is -1 (like view_surface_id[1] = -1), and I don't know what variables pointing to objects should be... (probably any negative?)

Same rules as instances thanks to singletons. IIRC object indices start at 0 and go to whatever number of objects you have, whereas instance numbers start at like a billion or something quite high like that.

 

[bkw]

Same rules as instances thanks to singletons. IIRC object indices start at 0 and go to whatever number of objects you have, whereas instance numbers start at like a billion or something quite high like that.

Oh awesome. So everything object, rooms, and instances all share the same set of numbers? Just that they occupy different ranges? That's good to know. noone for everything it is then.

 

[Tricktale]

WIP of an alien looking gateway I'm working on. I think I've got the look of the structural stuff pretty much how I'm imagining it should look, apart from the lighting/colouring. I can finally start mass producing all of the crazy looking stuff I've got in my head. Just need to unleash my inner Giger

 

[asa]

We just released a new trailer of Power Hover, I think it took me three and half days to cut this, so many little things that just take time. But here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHUDlZ9sgJQ

BTW. The game is officially ready! Release should be before Christmas!

 

[Water]

I'm not looking to spec out things like story and other things of the sort - I'm wondering the best way to spec out systems ahead of time. Writing out what systems I think I'll need to build and the best way to do so is something I usually do in Excel but I'm aiming for something a bit more complex where Excel might not be the best tool for the job anymore.

Maybe I'll pick up a notepad, it's been ages since I've written out pseudocode.

Again, it really depends on what kind of game it is and what kind of systems you're designing. A paper prototype, flowcharts on paper, a simulation in Excel, a simulation in Machinations, etc.

 

[Kalentan]

Hey guys!

I've been wondering. What do you guys use when it comes to working on a game between multiple devices? Cloud, USB?

I've been using OneDrive but sometimes it acts weird and it will be a case that one computer has all of the files updated and synced, while the other one
will claim to be synced but show nothing.

 

[JeffG]

Hey guys!

I've been wondering. What do you guys use when it comes to working on a game between multiple devices? Cloud, USB?

I've been using OneDrive but sometimes it acts weird and it will be a case that one computer has all of the files updated and synced, while the other one
will claim to be synced but show nothing.

I use a combination of usb and OneDrive.

My proof of Concept app with all the assets is 7 G, so I use an USB when I copy it between work/home

If I export just my scripts, I use Onedrive to move it.

 

[Kalentan]

I use a combination of usb and OneDrive.

My proof of Concept app with all the assets is 7 G, so I use an USB when I copy it between work/home

If I export just my scripts, I use Onedrive to move it.

Alright, I think I shall do a mix as well.

Also does anyone know how to make it so in GameMaker, that you can use both keyboard and mouse controls? Cause for some reason, if I have it so the cursor in my game follows the mouse, the keyboard no longer works as it's always detecting the mouse being there.

So if I tell it to go left with the arrow keys, it will attempt it but then realize the mouse is to the right and stay put.

 

[neko.works]

1st post about one of my upcoming games: Super Night Riders, a 3D arcade racing game inspired by 80's classics, mostly Hang-On from SEGA. My goal is to have a similar gameplay with modern visuals. The game is currently on Steam Greenlight.

Hey guys!

I've published a new video on YouTube featuring the recent changes:
youtube.com/watch?v=v3xldhT9t_A

I've also made a (non public) version in stereoscopic 3D (1080p60 - half side by side). Check it out if you have a 3D display:
youtube.com/watch?v=wSuHUurb64o

Any thoughts?

 

[Pixels]

I'm looking for a way to put clothes pieces and animate 2D pixel characters. I've yet to find anything acceptable.

 

[Jacksinthe]

I'm looking for a way to put clothes pieces and animate 2D pixel characters. I've yet to find anything acceptable.

As in character equipment variants? Like swap the jacket, pants, etc? Have everything animate and playable with costume swaps?

 

[Jacksinthe]

Hey guys!

I've been wondering. What do you guys use when it comes to working on a game between multiple devices? Cloud, USB?

I've been using OneDrive but sometimes it acts weird and it will be a case that one computer has all of the files updated and synced, while the other one
will claim to be synced but show nothing.

Bitbucket - Info in the OP

Edit: Dammit - meant to combine the posts.

 

[superNESjoe]

I'm looking for a way to put clothes pieces and animate 2D pixel characters. I've yet to find anything acceptable.

What I did for GunWorld 2 was separate my main character into three different sprites (for the three gear slots). The game then checks to see which gear is being worn when dictating which art is loaded for each of the three sprites.

This required me to have a decently large sprite sheet because I animated each of the three sprites multiple times for the different gear. It's not the most efficient way of doing things, but I'm still learning and it's done the job.