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GAF Indie Game Development Thread 2: High Res Work for Low Res Pay

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It's not a lot of work to get a basic following Camera. But add in a few bells and whistles and suddenly, the amount of work required is bumped up significantly. For reference, my camera script (C#, Unity) sits at ~550 lines
 

JulianImp

Member
Is it normal to end up basically writing lots of camera scripting code just to get your third-person (so to speak: It's a 2D project intending a "Mode 7" look) camera behave exactly as you want it?

That flying mode camera is a lot of work just to get it to feel right. Need to take care of camera positioning, rotation, sprite parts, location tracking and reorientation to make it stay 1:1. Ugh.

But I'm almost done!

By the way, for the "sky" strip of background and the fake horizon (made using sprites/images instead of actual fogging due to a desire to make it colourband), would it be better off residing on a UI canvas and have them slide programmatically by code?

This might be a bit too much for a game merely attempting to emulate mode 7, but maybe you can find a useful thing or two in it: http://gdcvault.com/play/1020460/50-Camera
 

LordRaptor

Member
Is it normal to end up basically writing lots of camera scripting code just to get your third-person (so to speak: It's a 2D project intending a "Mode 7" look) camera behave exactly as you want it?

When you say mode7 style camera, are you talking about something like Flammy from Secret Of Mana?
Because... that doesn't seem like it should be super complicated to make in Unity...
 

Parham

Banned
When using deferred shading in Unity, are there clear-cut performance differences between handling semi-transparencies with forward rendering versus a command buffer?
 
Is it normal to end up basically writing lots of camera scripting code just to get your third-person (so to speak: It's a 2D project intending a "Mode 7" look) camera behave exactly as you want it?

That flying mode camera is a lot of work just to get it to feel right. Need to take care of camera positioning, rotation, sprite parts, location tracking and reorientation to make it stay 1:1. Ugh.

But I'm almost done!

By the way, for the "sky" strip of background and the fake horizon (made using sprites/images instead of actual fogging due to a desire to make it colourband), would it be better off residing on a UI canvas and have them slide programmatically by code?
Yes.

With the main camera nested several objects deep as a child so you can compartmentalise further functions by parent objects. Like screen shake. Why bother doing the math to calculate a shake into your current follow/movement script when making the shake an object anchor and compartmentalizing it as a standalone. Anything as a child of the shake object will follow suit.

Cameras are fun because 90% of it needs to be self automated. It can get hairy at times.
 

LordRaptor

Member
On laptop, so MS paint quality imagery;
Fz8x9wC.gif


If you have three planes;
red as your player layer attached to camera and blue as a skybox layer with the middle layer as your world map, then you don't need to worry about player position as its always the focus of the camera, and you can just send it animations from your input.
Likewise the skybox layer, you can just UV scroll based on input.

You can then just use the 'terrain' layer as a 'floor' and move the camera around directly using inputs - if you put sea on the edges you can teleport the camera to the opposite face to simulate world wrap (like mode 7 games used to) (green edges as box collider triggers for example)

if you need to read exactly where on the map you need from the terain object rather than the terrain object, or you just want to be able to finesse the camera a bit more, the red dot in the image is an invisible game object you can use as your camera target

This way you decouple things from the camera that shouldn't be a part of the camera (like sprite animations)

e: and apologies for super confusing perspective in diagram - the laptop looking thing in the middle is supposed to represent camera view where you have a skewed terrain object in front of an attached to camera sky plane

e2 ugh it was annoying me
gV0QH7j.gif
 

WaterAstro

Member
So just started, or restarted to get back into GameMaker (since 6.0).

Just a general question. I never really liked or wanted to use the drag and drop interface.
I could just make scripts and throw all the code into the step event, right?
 

orioto

Good Art™
Made the running more dynamic.

Old and new:

HampooSDRunning.gif
HampooSDRunning2.gif


Also made a jump animation that should be divided into different states as Correojon, so not sure yet of anything this is such an iterative process.

HampooJumping01.gif
 

DNAbro

Member
Made the running more dynamic.

Old and new:

HampooSDRunning.gif
HampooSDRunning2.gif


Also made a jump animation that should be divided into different states as Correojon, so not sure yet of anything this is such an iterative process.

HampooJumping01.gif

omg the running animation is so adorable. Looks better too
 

Jintor

Member
So just started, or restarted to get back into GameMaker (since 6.0).

Just a general question. I never really liked or wanted to use the drag and drop interface.
I could just make scripts and throw all the code into the step event, right?

do it. drag and drop is meh. good for understanding and starting out but you want the versatility of the other method
 

WaterAstro

Member
do it. drag and drop is meh. good for understanding and starting out but you want the versatility of the other method

Nice. Just wondering if I might end up screwing myself for not using them.

Just thinking about drag and dropping collision checks for every object in a game sounds unfeasible.
 
Yes.

With the main camera nested several objects deep as a child so you can compartmentalise further functions by parent objects. Like screen shake. Why bother doing the math to calculate a shake into your current follow/movement script when making the shake an object anchor and compartmentalizing it as a standalone. Anything as a child of the shake object will follow suit.

Cameras are fun because 90% of it needs to be self automated. It can get hairy at times.

On laptop, so MS paint quality imagery;
Fz8x9wC.gif


If you have three planes;
red as your player layer attached to camera and blue as a skybox layer with the middle layer as your world map, then you don't need to worry about player position as its always the focus of the camera, and you can just send it animations from your input.
Likewise the skybox layer, you can just UV scroll based on input.

You can then just use the 'terrain' layer as a 'floor' and move the camera around directly using inputs - if you put sea on the edges you can teleport the camera to the opposite face to simulate world wrap (like mode 7 games used to) (green edges as box collider triggers for example)

if you need to read exactly where on the map you need from the terain object rather than the terrain object, or you just want to be able to finesse the camera a bit more, the red dot in the image is an invisible game object you can use as your camera target

This way you decouple things from the camera that shouldn't be a part of the camera (like sprite animations)

e: and apologies for super confusing perspective in diagram - the laptop looking thing in the middle is supposed to represent camera view where you have a skewed terrain object in front of an attached to camera sky plane

e2 ugh it was annoying me
gV0QH7j.gif

OK, I think these are probably going to help in some way even though my implementation is almost complete.

Right now, the player and the camera are initialized separately and aren't child objects to something else. That part makes me need to do a lot more rotation calcs than if it were child to the player.

The automatic visual sprite skew is probably going to be left alone.

Was thinking that maybe I should write something that lets the camera automatically child itself to something for tracking. Planned cutscene use, so it can't just be part of the player prefab, unless I'm not aware of something. :)
 

correojon

Member
Made the running more dynamic.

Old and new:

HampooSDRunning.gif
HampooSDRunning2.gif


Also made a jump animation that should be divided into different states as Correojon, so not sure yet of anything this is such an iterative process.

HampooJumping01.gif
Great job! Love how the head moves in the running animation and the little details like the hat movement in the jumping animation. However I think the silhouette doesn´t change much and that may give you problems, I suggest you try to put the sprite into the game ASAP to start seeing if the animations and sprites are functional.

Nice. Just wondering if I might end up screwing myself for not using them.

Just thinking about drag and dropping collision checks for every object in a game sounds unfeasible.
You shouldn´t put everything in a huge script in the step event either, that way you´ll end up recoding many things that GM already handles for you in optimized ways. You must understand how GM works internally (specially the order in which events are triggered, instances are moved and collisions are checked) to use the best option in any case. For example, in a 2D platformer I´d check for collisions with the floor and walls in the step event with code, but I´d use a normal collision event for checking collisions with coins or powerUps. Also, learn about parenting, using parents you can group your objects in a manageable number of groups by similar behaviours, so you can drastically reduce the number of collisions checks in code/events.
 

orioto

Good Art™
Nice to see you guys find him adorable :p

Great job! Love how the head moves in the running animation and the little details like the hat movement in the jumping animation. However I think the silhouette doesn´t change much and that may give you problems, I suggest you try to put the sprite into the game ASAP to start seeing if the animations and sprites are functional.

Yes i already made the animation way more obvious for that reason, but he won't move a lot with that compact body. I should see that soon.
 

missile

Member
Okay, uh... feedback time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y1tZ9cYnD0&feature=youtu.be

This is the (currently unlisted!) video to announce/accompany the greenlight campaign I'll start later today... if you think it works. So I'm interested to know what you think!

Along with that is the planned text for said Greenlight page:

http://pastebin.com/VFThitq0

Same, feedback, all that!

Now, back to pacing anxiously.
Pretty cool.

Yet at a quick glance I would put the fighting aspect a little more into focus.
The overlay font doesn't match somehow, looks odd for me, i.e. the colors,
the type, the edges (way too soft/smoothed). Doesn't stood out enough to
bring across what you wanna say about the game (in my book).
 

correojon

Member
Okay, uh... feedback time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y1tZ9cYnD0&feature=youtu.be

This is the (currently unlisted!) video to announce/accompany the greenlight campaign I'll start later today... if you think it works. So I'm interested to know what you think!

Along with that is the planned text for said Greenlight page:

http://pastebin.com/VFThitq0

Same, feedback, all that!

Now, back to pacing anxiously.

I liked the video a lot, on one hand I think it lacks a bit of impact, but on the other it conveys really well the mood of the game, so I don´t know if you should change anything, you know I´m a sucker for action XD. The text is very good too, it comes out as personal and honest. Maybe you could give some estimation of the pending time to release? Not an specific date, but some broad approximation to let people know if it´ll be ready in two years or 6 months, I really think that part came out a bit weak. Your reasons are legit and I am 100% behind them, but this is the kind of information you can´t really leave out. On the other side, I think it´s a very strong point that you give specific details about what´s left to do (the animations, etc...).

Good luck! I´ll vote it as soon as it goes up.
 

Pehesse

Member
Pretty cool.

Yet at a quick glance I would put the fighting aspect a little more into focus.
The overlay font doesn't match somehow, looks odd for me, i.e. the colors,
the type, the edges (way too soft/smoothed). Doesn't stood out enough to
bring across what you wanna say about the game (in my book).

Thanks! Very much appreciate your input!

To be honest, I'm not sure about putting even more focus on fighting, in regards to the actual ratio of beat'em all segments in the game - it's more of a visual novel with action sequences, not the other way around, and the first trailer already had plenty of fighty bits, so I'd like to counterbalance with this trailer to showcase more of what the actual flow/ratio looks like. Since both trailers will be available on the Greenlight page, I believe their conjunction will showcase all aspects of the game... but of course, it's all an exercice in balance.

As for the font, that's interesting, since it's the exact one (or at least one of) used throughout the game already, so, uh... I'm not sure, but I believe it does convey what I want, and that you think it doesn't highlights an issue I have to think hard about!

(Maybe you'd like to test the current version and see for yourself?)

I liked the video a lot, on one hand I think it lacks a bit of impact, but on the other it conveys really well the mood of the game, so I don´t know if you should change anything, you know I´m a sucker for action XD. The text is very good too, it comes out as personal and honest. Maybe you could give some estimation of the pending time to release? Not an specific date, but some broad approximation to let people know if it´ll be ready in two years or 6 months, I really think that part came out a bit weak. Your reasons are legit and I am 100% behind them, but this is the kind of information you can´t really leave out. On the other side, I think it´s a very strong point that you give specific details about what´s left to do (the animations, etc...).

Good luck! I´ll vote it as soon as it goes up.

Thanks as well! (full disclaimer: correojon has been helping me test the game for the past week or so :-D)

Good idea for the timeframe, I'll rephrase that a bit. I thought having "2016" in the trailer would indicate my planned release schedule, but I can definitely put some more emphasis on it in the text itself.
 

missile

Member
Thanks! Very much appreciate your input!

To be honest, I'm not sure about putting even more focus on fighting, in regards to the actual ratio of beat'em all segments in the game - it's more of a visual novel with action sequences, not the other way around, and the first trailer already had plenty of fighty bits, so I'd like to counterbalance with this trailer to showcase more of what the actual flow/ratio looks like. Since both trailers will be available on the Greenlight page, I believe their conjunction will showcase all aspects of the game... but of course, it's all an exercice in balance. ...
Novel, two trailers etc. Makes sense. Understood.

... As for the font, that's interesting, since it's the exact one (or at least one of) used throughout the game already, so, uh... I'm not sure, but I believe it does convey what I want, and that you think it doesn't highlights an issue I have to think hard about! ...
It works very well in-game, I like it that way actually. But when scaled larger
it somehow misses something. Perhaps making the font bold and less blurry may
make the text stood out a lil more from the game below.

... (Maybe you'd like to test the current version and see for yourself?) ...
Throw your stuff on me. xD
 

Pehesse

Member
Novel, two trailers etc. Makes sense. Understood.


It works very well in-game, I like it that way actually. But when scaled larger
it somehow misses something. Perhaps making the font bold and less blurry may
make the text stood out a lil more from the game below.


Throw your stuff on me. xD

Throwing stuff on you via PM :-D

The font issue: I understand much better where you're coming from, and actually agree now. Not sure I'll be able to fix it this time but I'll make sure to keep it in mind moving forward!

--

I'll soon erase the current vid/reupload an updated one (hopefully final) - some minor fixes, mostly sound/rhythm related, but if you want to check out the current one, now's the time, it'll soon be gone!
 

octopiggy

Member
Sometimes on Game Maker I seem to get some weird visual artifacts like this:
JRhjsgG.png

See the white column of pixels inside the square? They're not supposed to be there.

Any ideas why I get this sort of stuff? Some sort of anti-aliasing issue? Is it something to do with the way my game is stretched to full screen?
 

missile

Member
Throwing stuff on you via PM :-D

The font issue: I understand much better where you're coming from, and actually agree now. Not sure I'll be able to fix it this time but I'll make sure to keep it in mind moving forward!

--

I'll soon erase the current vid/reupload an updated one (hopefully final) - some minor fixes, mostly sound/rhythm related, but if you want to check out the current one, now's the time, it'll soon be gone!
Will check it out.

Sometimes on Game Maker I seem to get some weird visual artifacts like this:
JRhjsgG.png

See the white column of pixels inside the square? They're not supposed to be there.

Any ideas why I get this sort of stuff? Some sort of anti-aliasing issue? Is it something to do with the way my game is stretched to full screen?
Is the error still there when the game's size is a power of two and when you
scale it in powers of two?
 

correojon

Member
Sometimes on Game Maker I seem to get some weird visual artifacts like this:
JRhjsgG.png

See the white column of pixels inside the square? They're not supposed to be there.

Any ideas why I get this sort of stuff? Some sort of anti-aliasing issue? Is it something to do with the way my game is stretched to full screen?

If you´re using views and moving them around during the game, check that they´re at an integer position. Do something like this after moving a view:

Code:
view_xview[0] = floor(view_xview[0)];
view_yview[0] = floor(view_yview[0]);

I had a similar problem and this fixed it.
 

WaterAstro

Member
You shouldn´t put everything in a huge script in the step event either, that way you´ll end up recoding many things that GM already handles for you in optimized ways. You must understand how GM works internally (specially the order in which events are triggered, instances are moved and collisions are checked) to use the best option in any case. For example, in a 2D platformer I´d check for collisions with the floor and walls in the step event with code, but I´d use a normal collision event for checking collisions with coins or powerUps. Also, learn about parenting, using parents you can group your objects in a manageable number of groups by similar behaviours, so you can drastically reduce the number of collisions checks in code/events.

Hmm well NPC collision is pretty much being treated as walls, and button event listeners should be in the step event, right?

Just prototyping text box dialogue events with multiple NPCs just to make sure it works. I'm planning to do a standard RPG game so I don't have to rely on to much maths for physics.
 

anteevy

Member
Currently having another beta test for Road to Ballhalla. This one includes the full campaign from start to finish. I'm tracking statistics (deaths, completion time etc.) so I can balance the levels afterwards. We sent out a bit over 1000 keys, but usually only about 20% actually start the game (even if they all subscribed to receive a key - sadly most of them land on some Steam key sharing portals). The last few levels are especially hard to balance, so I hope at least a few dozen people will play through the whole thing and give feedback.

If anyone here wants to help testing, even if only for the first few levels, shoot me a PM and I'll send you a key. The full campaign should take you about 4-5 hours to complete and then there are optional secret areas, unlocks and time trials for another few hours. :D
 
I really love brawlers (I made (a not so good) one while I was a student in 2009, Criminals Under Arrest on XBLIG) so I was really happy reading the last page of this thread.

Okay, there we go. Greenlight campaign is on, and my anxiety levels are through the roof, but... here!

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=699660225

And the last version of the trailer:

https://youtu.be/c9ndJ_-35JI

Dunno if this is thread worthy, if anyone feels up to relaying the news in some form or another, there'd be much love in exchange!

I voted for it on Steam. I love the visual. My only concern is that the animation seems to be a little bit slow but it's hard to tell without actually playing it.

I've read the FAQ and I understand what you are trying to convey here but you have to put a price on your work, man. Just look at the humble bundle sales. A lot of people won't give you a dollar if they don't have to.

And by the way, defining your game as a "beat'em-all", j'en déduis que tu es Français lol
 

Pehesse

Member
I voted for it on Steam. I love the visual. My only concern is that the animation seems to be a little bit slow but it's hard to tell without actually playing it.

Thanks! Indeed, it's slower paced than your usual beat'em all - I firmly believe it works and all makes sense in context, as I hope testers would attest, but that's indeed something you have to try out for yourself. Another of the many reasons that lead to...

I've read the FAQ and I understand what you are trying to convey here but you have to put a price on your work, man. Just look at the humble bundle sales. A lot of people won't give you a dollar if they don't have to.

I understand, but I disagree - I won't price this work, as the value it has for me would be much too high for anyone to try it, and if I devalue it to make it competitive, I willingly participate in the ongoing race to the bottom. I'd rather exit the competition entirely, since I believe the current model has failed, and approach the remuneration aspect from an entirely different angle.

It's too particular a game to rely on visuals alone to sell, it's too niche a genre to attract a wide enough audience to recoup investment based on description alone... my only hope, and intent, is to have people try it out, make their own mind, and support it however they value it to be.

I'm well aware most people don't give a dollar when they don't have to, but I also believe that's due to the current pricing and sales model. With no pricing, and no sales to expect, I'd like to hold on to the belief people might react differently. If not, there probably won't be much of a future for me in game making, as I refuse to play according to the current rigged rules of the industry! Call me an idealist or an idiotic fool, at least, I'll try and see this thing all the way through :)

And by the way, defining your game as a "beat'em-all", j'en déduis que tu es Français lol

Hahaha, you would be correct! It's very easy to tell just from the game, or so I've been told... though I'm not sure what that refers to, exactly :-D
 
Nice. Just wondering if I might end up screwing myself for not using them.

Just thinking about drag and dropping collision checks for every object in a game sounds unfeasible.

I made GunWorld 1 and 2 in Game Maker Studio and I don't use any of the drag-n-drop features. I coded everything. Hell, I don't even use the built in variables and features. I code my own physics and collision.
 

correojon

Member
I voted for it on Steam. I love the visual. My only concern is that the animation seems to be a little bit slow but it's hard to tell without actually playing it.
The combat system is not as you would expect, it´s "weightier". You have more control over the character than in other beat´em ups and every action has consequences (recovery frames, wind-up times for the attacks...), so I felt it meshes really well with the realistic style of the game. I love fast paced action games like DMC, yet I enjoyed this combat system a lot.
 

Pehesse

Member
The combat system is not as you would expect, it´s "weightier". You have more control over the character than in other beat´em ups and every action has consequences (recovery frames, wind-up times for the attacks...), so I felt it meshes really well with the realistic style of the game. I love fast paced action games like DMC, yet I enjoyed this combat system a lot.

I swear, I haven't paid him to say this!
Maybe I should
 

hampig

Member

Pehesse

Member
Voted as well. Best of luck!


Thanks a lot to you both as well :) Means a lot!

As an exchange offering and since it'll be safely buried in the bottom of the page soon, here's a super-duper-private and secret gfycat of what I just got working as of five minutes ago - super spoilers ahead, so don't watch if you want to keep the surprise (though I wonder how much of one it will really be...)!

 

Pehesse

Member
Put in my vote ^_^

Much appreciated :-D Amazed and humbled at all this support, you people are the best!

Dunno how much use this can be, but for future reference, (I'm about to turn in for the day), this is the current stats:

(Not exactly sure what it all means since I lack a bit of context, and I'm not convinced posting these is allowed either, so let's keep this between us - I simply hope someone else can find them of use if they're in a similar situation!)
 
Much appreciated :-D Amazed and humbled at all this support, you people are the best!

Dunno how much use this can be, but for future reference, (I'm about to turn in for the day), this is the current stats:


(Not exactly sure what it all means since I lack a bit of context, and I'm not convinced posting these is allowed either, so let's keep this between us - I simply hope someone else can find them of use if they're in a similar situation!)

I think those are better stats than mine on its first day a few days ago. You'll get up there though so I wouldn't worry ;-D quality work :)



My game, on the other hand, I'm concerned for, because everything is going great, both on Greenlight and Kickstarter, but the pace has me worried I won't make the Kickstarter goal >_< I'll be promoting locally as well at a few events so I hope that has some effect.

If all dosn't go well for my Kickstarter, I would love to maybe take a break from coding and work with one of you guys here by me doing the art for a game.
 

hampig

Member
Much appreciated :-D Amazed and humbled at all this support, you people are the best!

Dunno how much use this can be, but for future reference, (I'm about to turn in for the day), this is the current stats:


(Not exactly sure what it all means since I lack a bit of context, and I'm not convinced posting these is allowed either, so let's keep this between us - I simply hope someone else can find them of use if they're in a similar situation!)

Here's some insight into what those numbers mean. You may already know all this, but personally I wasn't aware of the specifics this goes into, and I'm sure somebody else here would find it interesting if nothing else.
 
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