• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Indie Game Development Discussion Thread | Of Being Professionally Poor

Status
Not open for further replies.

Blizzard

Banned
Hi!
My name is Ludde Andersson and I live in the southern part of Sweden.
I'm developing a game called Scaupa, its a sandbox game played in first-person view.
The game is developed using my own game engine.

That looks excellent for your own engine! May I ask if you used a framework like SDL or SFML behind it, or raw DirectX/OpenGL?
 

Burt

Member
it's #screenshotsaturday right? :D
Some "dramatic situation" using the game assets and some portrait for the main character and a secondary one,
all for the nest update on our Square-Enix collective page, drop by and leave a comment with questions or suggestions if you feel like.
It's a SRPG nostalgic of the FFt & Tactics Ogre era, but with some quirks here and there in the battle system.
This looks fantastic, right up my alley. FFT has my favorite job system of any game I've played, so it's great news that you're taking such influence from it. Looking forward to hearing more!
 

ludde.andersson

Neo Member
That looks excellent for your own engine! May I ask if you used a framework like SDL or SFML behind it, or raw DirectX/OpenGL?

Hi and thanks!
No its OpenGL 4.x directly. I have developed my engine for several years in my spare time. I used my engine back in 2006 in a military trainingsystem when I worked for a company. Since 2010 till now I rewrote all the graphics to be more up to date, at least as much as I'm able to do :). Since 2012 I have worked with Scaupa.
 

Bit-Bit

Member
Check it out guys. This is a simple game I've been working on on my spare time.

First prototype, made in GameMaker with me spending most of my time asking the forums on how to do things. Took about 3 days.
mIuid2e.gif


Second prototype, made in Construct 2. Decided to make the switch since so many platforms now support HTML5 and I find it to be so much easier than GameMaker. Took about 1 hour using a vertical shooting template that comes with C2.

 

Jobbs

Banned
(SSS thread crosspost)

I like putting things in that hopefully make you wonder and try to put together some kind of story in your mind just by examining what's on screen. I have very little taste for hitting the player over the head with information or spelling very many things out.


click for full size webm.
 
Screenshot Saturday

iPgBP4jfMnExy.png


The first square shows the standard graphics, while the other 7 show optional skins. I have generic image filters like the last two, but really my favorite skins are ones that even change the geometry itself like the circleish one.


Still not sure how I'll handle the skins in competitive play, but at least for NG+ and messing around they're really fun.
 

Ashodin

Member
The curves on the fourth images are awesome and trippy.

EDIT: So today one of the things I'm working on is more AI for the enemies, to differentiate them from each other (the boar and wolf work nearly the same way, for instance).

Also thinking about having the Twigmen have a ranged attack.
 

Jobbs

Banned
The curves on the fourth images are awesome and trippy.

EDIT: So today one of the things I'm working on is more AI for the enemies, to differentiate them from each other (the boar and wolf work nearly the same way, for instance).

Also thinking about having the Twigmen have a ranged attack.

this is where playing mega man and stuff like that is good for gathering ideas. play through and take notes. metroid fusion is another good source of ideas.
 

Tregard

Soothsayer
Hello there! I do believe this is my first time posting in this thread after longingly watching from afar for quite some time. I'm currently entering my 2nd year of a 5 year MEng in Computer Game Development, and will be the first year I'm actually doing any game development, after my first year essentially being basic coding and computer science. Until the term starts I'm currently tinkering around with Unity, doing some tutorials and that.

I've been using the Survival Shooter tutorial as the base for a top down dual stick shooter idea I've been wanting to make for quite some time, and found that just moving the camera has got me quite close to the sort of gameplay I'm wanting, however I am running in to one problem which is probably insanely simple.

I'm not sure if it's built into Unity, but simply plugging in an Xbox controller allows me movement via the left stick and shooting with the trigger or A button (which is a real godsend). However, I am having trouble finding a way to make the right stick "aim" as it were. I'd essentially like things to work as they do in Geometry Wars 2, where the direction of fire is completely mapped to the right stick and just snaps to the direction that stick is being pushed.

I'm out of my uni accommodation for the moment so I don't have any screenshots on hand, but I was just wondering if anyone had a similar problem with creating a dual stick shooter in Unity? As you can probably tell I'm still a bit fresh to all of this, and I'm not too sure on what the etiquette is in this thread, but I'd be very greatful if anyone had any tips. Many thanks :)
 

Ashodin

Member
this is where playing mega man and stuff like that is good for gathering ideas. play through and take notes. metroid fusion is another good source of ideas.

Haha well I like to come up with original ideas and see if I can make them work. If I can glean something from Mega Man, sure, but I'd like the player to have to deal with a situation on their own instead of from experience.

For instance the Wolf now attaches itself to the player and slowly drains their health while caught unless they slash it off.

h8Pg00O.gif
 
Hello there! I do believe this is my first time posting in this thread after longingly watching from afar for quite some time. I'm currently entering my 2nd year of a 5 year MEng in Computer Game Development, and will be the first year I'm actually doing any game development, after my first year essentially being basic coding and computer science. Until the term starts I'm currently tinkering around with Unity, doing some tutorials and that.

I've been using the Survival Shooter tutorial as the base for a top down dual stick shooter idea I've been wanting to make for quite some time, and found that just moving the camera has got me quite close to the sort of gameplay I'm wanting, however I am running in to one problem which is probably insanely simple.

I'm not sure if it's built into Unity, but simply plugging in an Xbox controller allows me movement via the left stick and shooting with the trigger or A button (which is a real godsend). However, I am having trouble finding a way to make the right stick "aim" as it were. I'd essentially like things to work as they do in Geometry Wars 2, where the direction of fire is completely mapped to the right stick and just snaps to the direction that stick is being pushed.

I'm out of my uni accommodation for the moment so I don't have any screenshots on hand, but I was just wondering if anyone had a similar problem with creating a dual stick shooter in Unity? As you can probably tell I'm still a bit fresh to all of this, and I'm not too sure on what the etiquette is in this thread, but I'd be very greatful if anyone had any tips. Many thanks :)

You'd have to set up the input manager to recognize 360 inputs. This link has the correct settings, and even just the file if you want to skip the work: http://wiki.unity3d.com/index.php?title=Xbox360Controller

Then in your script you'd have to change the code for looking around. Might be as simple as changing the input name to the correct one in the input manager.
 

TouchTiltGames

Neo Member
Hey guys,

This Shane and Jeremy over at TouchTilt Games and it's our first post here. We've been working on Buildanauts which allows the player to build a town from the ground up in an open-world construction simulator. Buildanauts will be on PC, Mac and Linux first, followed by Xbox One, PS4 and WiiU which we currently have licenses for all 3.

RigidSplendidErin.gif

CoolMediocreEmperorshrimp.gif

SpiffyEarnestGalapagosmockingbird.gif


In this video below, we take a sneak peek at building roads and sidewalks. Once these are placed, your workers will come in and actually build them:
VIDEO - Climbing and building roads/sidewalks

Here's just a few things you can do in Buildanauts:

EXPLORE
Survey a vast open landscape just waiting for your construction crew. Jump in an excavator and dig the terrain, or run around with a shovel looking for resources.

DESIGN
Shape your structures by choosing paint colors, textures, details, and building material. Then, assign tasks to your skilled construction workers and watch them turn your vision into a reality!

BUILD
Build your town from the ground up just the way you want it! Use a fleet of heavy vehicles and a variety of construction tools to place city props, lay down roads, and much, much more.

MANAGE
Keep your resident Buildanites happy! Attract more townsfolk by keeping your town in top shape, but be careful: too much neglect and your Buildanites will move out!

We will soon be on Kickstarter before the end of the month as well as Greenlight. Look for us there!

Cheers!
TTG

Steam Greenlight Concepts
Kickstarter Sneak Peek Preview
IndieDB
TouchTilt Games
Twitter
Facebook
 

Tregard

Soothsayer
You'd have to set up the input manager to recognize 360 inputs. This link has the correct settings, and even just the file if you want to skip the work: http://wiki.unity3d.com/index.php?title=Xbox360Controller

Then in your script you'd have to change the code for looking around. Might be as simple as changing the input name to the correct one in the input manager.

Thank you very much! I'll give that a read over :) Loving the look of your game btw, screenshot 7 reminds me of a nightclub, except without the feeling of utter regret :)
 

friken

Member
Testing a hyperspace jump effect:

ColdSociableCicada.gif

I like it. my 1.5 cents, try a flash of light at the start and/or finish of the jump out.



Screenshot Saturday

iPgBP4jfMnExy.png


The first square shows the standard graphics, while the other 7 show optional skins. I have generic image filters like the last two, but really my favorite skins are ones that even change the geometry itself like the circleish one.


Still not sure how I'll handle the skins in competitive play, but at least for NG+ and messing around they're really fun.

wow.... not sure by the stills what the gameplay is about, but I love the color and feel of these shots. neon psychedelic... groovy man




Just fighting a few rogue robots inside my ship, got the captain of the ship injured during the fight

FightingSomeRobots.png


still lots of things to add but getting into good shape now...

Congrats, nice progress and looking great, I'm jealous! I hit a burnout wall and had to vacation and get head out of things for a while. Trying to get back into dev now. I'm way too far to not keep on going, but I have to admit I have the itch to start a different project lol.
 

Popstar

Member
Hey guys,

This Shane and Jeremy over at TouchTilt Games and it's our first post here. We've been working on Buildanauts which allows the player to build a town from the ground up in an open-world construction simulator. Buildanauts will be on PC, Mac and Linux first, followed by Xbox One, PS4 and WiiU which we currently have licenses for all 3.


We will soon be on Kickstarter before the end of the month as well as Greenlight. Look for us there!

Cheers!
TTG

Steam Greenlight Concepts
Kickstarter Sneak Peek Preview
IndieDB
TouchTilt Games
Twitter
Facebook
As adorable as that little dude driving the truck is I'm still going to quote Jobbs from yesterday.

I think better form is to participate in the discussion, introduce and talk about your game, show images, rather than just signing up and making your only post in forum history a plug'n'run. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's kinda how this looks.
 

TouchTiltGames

Neo Member
Thanks for the feedback. We will definitely stick around and chat :) It took us long enough to get an account here anyway lol.

Kidding aside, there are a few sites I've started to keep up on and this will be one of them and yes we will keep the regular updates goin'.

cheers.
 

friken

Member
Thanks for the feedback. We will definitely stick around and chat :) It took us long enough to get an account here anyway lol.

Kidding aside, there are a few sites I've started to keep up on and this will be one of them and yes we will keep the regular updates goin'.

cheers.

I recall lurking for quite sometime awaiting account approval. I don't recall if or how many posts I made before I shared what I'm working on -- but it couldn't have been many as I was chomping at bit to get some feedback.

Welcome, now you can tell us how amazing our stuff is ;) .... or how not amazing.... <whimper>... but now you are on the hook to join the fun around here.
 

Jobbs

Banned
my 9 year old niece drew an idea for a monster to put into my game. I'm going to put it in. it has long "wicked" fingers that it moves around creepily before it attacks.
 

TouchTiltGames

Neo Member
I recall lurking for quite sometime awaiting account approval. I don't recall if or how many posts I made before I shared what I'm working on -- but it couldn't have been many as I was chomping at bit to get some feedback.

Welcome, now you can tell us how amazing our stuff is ;) .... or how not amazing.... <whimper>... but now you are on the hook to join the fun around here.

Well I did check out Gravity Ride...it looks very slick! What engine? We use Unity. Some of your screens reminds me of when I worked in visual fx on the TV show Stargate Atlantis/SG1 back in 2005'ish.

Cheers.
 

TouchTiltGames

Neo Member
my 9 year old niece drew an idea for a monster to put into my game. I'm going to put it in. it has long "wicked" fingers that it moves around creepily before it attacks.

Ghost Song looks great, Matt. Did you do the art? I noticed you have preorder on there. Did you already try Steam/KS or just opt not to go that route?
 

Jobbs

Banned
Ghost Song looks great, Matt. Did you do the art? I noticed you have preorder on there. Did you already try Steam/KS or just opt not to go that route?

thanks. :) yes, I do the art. for the most part, I do almost everything myself (so far). the game is greenlit for steam and was KS'd last summer.
 

TouchTiltGames

Neo Member
thanks. :) yes, I do the art. for the most part, I do almost everything myself (so far). the game is greenlit for steam and was KS'd last summer.

Nice. Checked out one of the vids on Greenlight, you definitely have an eye for attention to detail. Didn't see it on KS though. I guess that's what people do however is to release the pre-order/paypal widgets after the KS. (Taking notes).
 

Ito

Member

For a second there, I read "F**K YOU". Then the gif looped again and I could get the complete message :)

Also, have you improved the scarf physics since the first gifs you started posting here? I somehow think that the movement looks smoother than before.

(SSS thread crosspost)
I like putting things in that hopefully make you wonder and try to put together some kind of story in your mind just by examining what's on screen. I have very little taste for hitting the player over the head with information or spelling very many things out.

click for full size webm.

That poor girl laying in the ground :(

------------------------

I had a little trouble making this little system to simulate local lighting (empty patches appeared all over the character's sprite due to some issue with Game Maker Studio drawing in subtractive blending mode) but I finally got it to work thanks to the YoyoGames tech. support, so let's celebrate with gifs!

LXYztmq.gif


InfatuatedBoldImpala.gif


Gfycat named that last one "Infatuated Bold Impala"
 

Jobbs

Banned
The scarf "physics" really shine when there's no air to blow them around.

how'd you set up that scarf in c2? I've only a cursory knowledge of the program, but I can put it into context if you describe it. (I've opened the program and dabbled around) just curious.

I had a little trouble making this little system to simulate local lighting (empty patches appeared all over the character's sprite due to some issue with Game Maker Studio drawing in subtractive blending mode) but I finally got it to work thanks to the YoyoGames tech. support, so let's celebrate with gifs!

LXYztmq.gif

I think you have a promising future in doing game art -- while if I was offering crits I'd say (and I believe have said) that the character poses and animations could use a little work, (and let's face it, so can mine) your overall presentation is so painsteaking with so much effort put into detail that I am impressed. And the backgrounds are great as they are.
 

bkw

Member
I had a little trouble making this little system to simulate local lighting (empty patches appeared all over the character's sprite due to some issue with Game Maker Studio drawing in subtractive blending mode) but I finally got it to work thanks to the YoyoGames tech. support, so let's celebrate with gifs!

LXYztmq.gif
Neat. How is this done?
 

Popstar

Member
The last page of this thread inspired me to write a Safari extension to take gfycat GIFs and embed them properly as video.

It's working, but for some reason it still loads the full .GIF versions also. Some sort of prefetch maybe? (I've never written a browser extension before.)
 
Haha well I like to come up with original ideas and see if I can make them work. If I can glean something from Mega Man, sure, but I'd like the player to have to deal with a situation on their own instead of from experience.

For instance the Wolf now attaches itself to the player and slowly drains their health while caught unless they slash it off.

h8Pg00O.gif
Don't think about pulling mechanics, pull structure. Learn from games like Mega Man not so much about the enemies, but how they fit into a level scheme in terms of difficulty and pacing.

It is extremely difficult to design enemies when you have a level fully set up because now you are thinking about how to design enemies that fit into a level vs designing an enemy and its AI routines and subs and creating a level based on those enemies and how to craft level structure to apply appropriate challenge to the player. For STRAFE, I went into level design with enemies finished so I knew the pacing I was going for and the best way to utilize level structure to create an appropriate challenge.

Of course, early levels are often considered introductory so they don't necessarily have to have that kind of complexity and tie-in, but later levels will be almost impossible to create geometry first and AI second and have level appropriate challenge and pacing.

Just my .02.
 

whitehawk

Banned
Screenshot Saturday

iPgBP4jfMnExy.png


The first square shows the standard graphics, while the other 7 show optional skins. I have generic image filters like the last two, but really my favorite skins are ones that even change the geometry itself like the circleish one.


Still not sure how I'll handle the skins in competitive play, but at least for NG+ and messing around they're really fun.
Bottom left is by far the best version.
 
For a second there, I read "F**K YOU". Then the gif looped again and I could get the complete message :)

Also, have you improved the scarf physics since the first gifs you started posting here? I somehow think that the movement looks smoother than before.



That poor girl laying in the ground :(

------------------------

I had a little trouble making this little system to simulate local lighting (empty patches appeared all over the character's sprite due to some issue with Game Maker Studio drawing in subtractive blending mode) but I finally got it to work thanks to the YoyoGames tech. support, so let's celebrate with gifs!

LXYztmq.gif


InfatuatedBoldImpala.gif


Gfycat named that last one "Infatuated Bold Impala"

I like the art, but motion needs to be a little bit more fluid, I don't mean by adding more frames, but actually something that makes you feel mass and weight, feels to rigit...

The link below is not perfect, but as you may see is just a plain skeleton animation I did about a year ago and looks more fluid because things move not in sync, in your case things more in sync and makes you feel that everything have the same weight or stuck like paper cut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK7okmQyCq0

I wish I recorded some of the better animations I had for that game so I can show you how better it looks when things are not in sync and shows how hats or clothes behave with a little bit of weight on it.
 

Pehesse

Member
I had a little trouble making this little system to simulate local lighting (empty patches appeared all over the character's sprite due to some issue with Game Maker Studio drawing in subtractive blending mode) but I finally got it to work thanks to the YoyoGames tech. support, so let's celebrate with gifs!

LXYztmq.gif

Love that kind of lighting, and it turns out really good here!
 
Geez, so much good stuff in this thread, too much to comment on them all xD


So I've been entertaining the idea of a sci-fi "magical girl" thing, and I decided it might be interesting to try out something of a Star Fox/Kid Icarus Uprising sort of thing, so I started fiddling around with some free assets in Unity, using iTween to handle the on-rails movement. It's a start, at least. I'm gonna do the on-rails mechanics first, then free-range flying, and then ground movement/combat.

FlyingTest1.jpg

FlyingTest2.jpg

FlyingTest3.jpg


No shooting just yet, and both the crosshair and the ship can go outside the screen, but I'm trying to figure something out for the latter.

For free-range movement, I've been thinking about how to handle that, I've got a few options:

  1. Link aiming and turning to the mouse, ala Strike Suit Zero
  2. Have turning and aiming independent, but limit the aiming like the on-rails sections
  3. Same as 2, but allow 360 degree aiming, as the person on top is the one doing the aiming and firing.

The first two are probably easier to execute, but 3 would be unique, if somewhat odd, and it would add a dimension of forcing the player to watch where the hell they're going while trying to shoot at things.
 

Bloodember

Member
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone in the thread, I've been reading this thread for a long time now and because of it I decided to start making games, something I've always wanted to do just didn't know how to start.

I decided to use Unity and I like it. My first game is complete if anyone is interested, it's on the Play Store now, it's called Baka-Chi: The Long Road. It's an infinite runner. It's my first game ever, so it's not that great but I'm proud of it anyway.

I am working on my next game now, it's a space shooter. Haven a few issues with making objects being obstacles, and not moving when the player hits them. Hopefully I'll figure it out soon.

Edit: I'm an idiot, I have it called Baka-Chi: The Road Home in the Play Store for some reason.
 

Bit-Bit

Member
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone in the thread, I've been reading this thread for a long time now and because of it I decided to start making games, something I've always wanted to do just didn't know how to start.

I decided to use Unity and I like it. My first game is complete if anyone is interested, it's on the Play Store now, it's called Baka-Chi: The Long Road. It's an infinite runner. It's my first game ever, so it's not that great but I'm proud of it anyway.

I am working on my next game now, it's a space shooter. Haven a few issues with making objects being obstacles, and not moving when the player hits them. Hopefully I'll figure it out soon.

The one I find in the Play Store is Baka Chi The Road Home. Is it the same?
 

TouchTiltGames

Neo Member
Gotta echo the sentiments that the builder driving that truck is ADORABLE haha. Oh no he crashed into a tree!

Thanks. If your truck gets stuck and is un-drivable, you'll be able to get on your CB radio and call another which will be delivered to you. The stuck one - we might have it taken away by helicopter ;)
 

TouchTiltGames

Neo Member
The last page of this thread inspired me to write a Safari extension to take gfycat GIFs and embed them properly as video.

It's working, but for some reason it still loads the full .GIF versions also. Some sort of prefetch maybe? (I've never written a browser extension before.)

Cool, yeah I'm not sure how they (GfyCat) does it where if your browser doesnt support html5 it falls back to the Gif.
 
Hey guys,

This Shane and Jeremy over at TouchTilt Games and it's our first post here. We've been working on Buildanauts which allows the player to build a town from the ground up in an open-world construction simulator. Buildanauts will be on PC, Mac and Linux first, followed by Xbox One, PS4 and WiiU which we currently have licenses for all 3.

RigidSplendidErin.gif

This looks amazing! Nice work.

Is this going to have like Red Faction/Battiefield/Minecraft levels of "destructability?" Like, can you dig anywhere?

Question for those who use gifcam, what FPS do you set it at when recording?
 
For a second there, I read "F**K YOU". Then the gif looped again and I could get the complete message :)

Also, have you improved the scarf physics since the first gifs you started posting here? I somehow think that the movement looks smoother than before.



That poor girl laying in the ground :(

------------------------

I had a little trouble making this little system to simulate local lighting (empty patches appeared all over the character's sprite due to some issue with Game Maker Studio drawing in subtractive blending mode) but I finally got it to work thanks to the YoyoGames tech. support, so let's celebrate with gifs!

LXYztmq.gif


InfatuatedBoldImpala.gif


Gfycat named that last one "Infatuated Bold Impala"

Using Gamemaker for this? *Takes notes* Someday my GM game will look pretty...but not yet, got a bunch of things to do first =/
 
Geez, so much good stuff in this thread, too much to comment on them all xD


So I've been entertaining the idea of a sci-fi "magical girl" thing, and I decided it might be interesting to try out something of a Star Fox/Kid Icarus Uprising sort of thing, so I started fiddling around with some free assets in Unity, using iTween to handle the on-rails movement. It's a start, at least. I'm gonna do the on-rails mechanics first, then free-range flying, and then ground movement/combat.

FlyingTest1.jpg

.

Nice! Reminds me of this level from Sin and Punishment on N64
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqiiG__nHis#t=1m34s
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom