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Topics - Zizka
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11
Devlogs & Projects / 2D Survival Horror Combat
« on: October 31, 2018, 07:12:42 pm »
Hello guys,
So I can't find anywhere on the net to discuss game design so I thought I would talk about it here.

I've been really thinking about how to approach combat. My current objectives:
1. I don't want something which is pure action...
2. but on the other hand I don't want something which is turn based either.
3. I also need to be careful about feature creeping and keep things simple.
4. I want some strategy.

I've talked about this before (older graphics):


New graphics:


5. I like the idea of having the player press a button to select an action on a bar. For example, each segment of various colors refer to other actions.

6. I also like the idea of stamina management. This is pretty much what I was talking about when I said strategy. Each action has a different stamina cost. In the example provided, you'll notice the lungs icon next to the stamina bar.

7. I was thinking of having the enemy attack bar fill up gradually, sort of like the ATB system in final fantasy:


8. I think it'd be unfair for the enemy to automatically score a hit after some time. I'd like for some kind of player input to avoid getting injured when the attack happens. I don't see how to make it work with my current system however and this is what I'm having trouble with.

I'd like to hear your ideas and suggestions as to how to solve this. I know it's a lot of text to read and it's maybe difficult to answer but I've been thinking about this for a while and can't figure it out. Maybe talking about it with you guys will shed some light about this aspect of my system.




12
Pixel Art / [WIP] Brick texture and more...
« on: October 26, 2018, 06:30:59 pm »
Hello,
I'm looking for suggestions as how to make the brick texture look better on the building at the top.



Thank you!

13
Devlogs & Projects / Battle System for RPG Game
« on: April 28, 2018, 04:40:34 pm »
Hello everyone,

(you can skip to mechanics if you don't want to read the intro).


I'm currently working on a battle system for my game. I think I've learned from my past experiences developing games that I need to be vigilant about how complex I make things. I have a tendency to over-complicate things to the point where it gets bogged in details. I often stumble upon indie games who are a lot of fun with very simple designs, art wise or mechanic wise.

Anyhow, this time around, I want to make sure my foundations are simple and fun. The reason I'm creating this thread here is to discuss with other members User Interface (U.I.) and the mechanics I have in mind so I can get some feedback. When you're alone developing something, you are so close to it you sometimes miss what others perceive as glaring flaws.

Mechanics: Initial Core Concepts:
1. Health Unit: I'd like to keep everything low not unlike The Darkest Dungeon. I'd like to stay within the realm of 1 to 10 if at all possible. I like low numbers, they are more representatives as abstractions than high numbers.

2. Character Health: I'm thinking the player character would start with something around 10 health. This should give you an idea of what damage increments represent what to the player.

3. Stamina:
a. I want stamina to be a critical aspect of battle management. In other words, spamming attacks should not be an option, there should be more strategy to it.


b. This bar represents the stamina bar. It can be considered as magic points to some extent. The difference being that every action in battle requires to spend stamina.

c. Stamina regenerates over time. So, unlike magic points, you can never run out.

d. Actions have a different stamina point (SP) cost. Blocking might cost x, while a certain attack might cost y and a different attack cost z.

4. Danger Meter:
Under punching bag in the picture below, you'll notice a skull with a meter next to it. That'd be the Danger Meter. Much like the stamina bar, it fills up over time. It's similar to the active time battle of Final Fantasy in that aspect.



I'd like the A.I. to select a random attack from database when the meter is filled up.



5. Actions in battle.
a. In the picture with the punching bag, you'll notice four circles of four different colors. The idea was to assign a specific action (out of battle) for each color. The colors would then be distributed in the action bar:


b. The yellow arrow moves from left to right. The player needs to press an interaction key to stop when the action he/she wants is selected.

c. When the action is selected, it triggers in battle, reducing the stamina.

d. In other words: three things are dynamic in battle: the stamina bar regenerates, the danger bar for the enemy and the yellow arrow.



Self-Criticism:

1. Too. Complex.
See what I meant when I said I tend make things too complex. There are too many variables right now so I want to reduce it.

2. Streamlining:
One way to simplify things would be to get rid of the various colors altogether. This also solves assigning actions to various colors. It's too complex for the score of game I'm going for.

One way would be to have two colors on the bar: green (success) and red (failure).


When you succeed, you get to choose an action from a list of action. When you fail, you lose some stamina as penalty.

Every time, the segmented bars layout are randomized when a selection is made, whether it's green (success) or red (failure).

3. Problem with #2.:
It's still a two step process; make the right selection AND THEN choose an action. Still needlessly complex.

4. Another alternative:
Keep the 4 colors but have them assigned to one action each. In other words, the player doesn't assign an action to a color. It's more simple that way I feel.

Red: Miss
Green: Hit (weak attack)
Yellow: dodge
Purple: Hit (strong attack)

That way, it'd be a bit tactical without being overly complex.

5. Dodging:
Dodging successfully should be rewarding to the player. Only... what's the best way of dealing with that mechanic in particular?

You can't ask the player to trigger the dodging at the exact same time the enemy attacks, that would be impossible.

I was thinking of this: when the player selects dodging (yellow) he holds down the interaction key. During that time, stamina decreases instead of regenerating but he is actively dodging. During that time, any attack triggered by the enemy is automatically dodged.

It adds a layer of complexity but I don't know how to otherwise handle it.

6. Player stats vs enemy stats:
I'd like the player stats to be processed with the enemy stats. A skilled enemy would mean more red areas on the battle meter (more chances to miss) while an unskilled one would mean more green and purple areas.

This means adding some sort of combat proficiency attribute to the player character and each foe in the game. I feel like it's doable and not overly complex.

7. Weak hits VS Strong hits.
What would be the difference between the two. I'm thinking of a risk/reward system. Green hits should be more prevalent and easier to target with the arrow while purple hits should be fewer and harder to target (but provide more damage output).

Logically, I'd need to have a different stamina cost for the weak hits and the strong hits. But then there wouldn't be enough of an advantage to select purple hits.

I could just change strong hits with critical hits and have both normal green hits and purple hits have the same stamina cost. That'd be more simple to handle.

8. Long range vs melee:

As it stands right now, I'd like players to be able to move in battle BUT that really adds complexity to the whole thing.

Each tiled movement should cost stamina for the player and danger meter for the foe.

I need to be careful not to be in a situation where the player can just move away continuously when the foe comes closer.

How would I handle long range combat then? In melee I can contrast the player's combat stat with the monster... but what about ranged attacks though?

Then again, I could have a in-built artificial foe statistic based on the distance separating the player with the monster to proceed with my contrasting. I.e.: four tiles: 4 Five tiles: 5 Six tiles: six... etc...

That could work. But again, it adds a lot of complexity to the whole thing.



So this is what I have in mind. As you can see, a lot of brainstorming going on. I'd like to have a conversation about those mechanics with you guys.

Thanks for reading!

Z.

14
Pixel Art / Game Design Question
« on: April 17, 2018, 10:13:32 pm »
Hello again,

I’d like your comments regarding the design I’m going for in my game. I need to make sure before making a decision because then I’ll pay the programmer and there’s no going back (well there is but then I’ll have to pay him again).

What I’m basically going for is something similar to “Wizard of Firetop Mountain”, by Tin Man Games:


It's basically a gamebook with graphics.

In the case of Firetop Mountain you'll notice that text is displayed over the game environment, the player statistics are on the left and the inventory is on the right (along with the options).

The resolution of the game is 816x624. I'll making my art at 1:1 and then resample it at 1:2. Basically, this means art like this:
will end up looking like this:



Now, please look at this mockup:


I have several issues:
1. The various HUD elements are not disposed logically.
2. Screen is currently too wide at 1202 px while it should be at 816.
3. I'd like the notepad to be larger to display more text at once.
4. The inventory takes too much room compared to the other elements. I've tried to change the shape of the suitcase but stops looking like a suitcase.
5. Some elements clash with one another.

So basically, I'd like ideas and suggestions so I don't have to pay many times to have this changed programming wise. Any ideas are welcomed!

Thank you!

15
Pixel Art / WIP: Motel Scene (Looking for criticism)
« on: April 15, 2018, 04:30:24 pm »
First version:


Current version:


Hello!

So basically I'm looking for suggestions, ideas, criticism, anything really. I've run out of ideas and I can't those roof tiles to look good either.

Thank you!

16
Pixel Art / Punching Animation
« on: January 04, 2018, 03:29:19 pm »
Hello!

I would like to improve on this simple punching animation to have more impact/fluidity (to look better overall):



Thank you!

17
Pixel Art / Got Item Animation
« on: September 30, 2017, 12:40:35 pm »
Hello again,

This my current animation for getting an item:


There's something missing/lacking. Can't put my finger on it.

Ideas?

18
Pixel Art / HUD Activation Ideas
« on: September 30, 2017, 12:33:39 pm »
Hello,

This is a WIP screenshot of my game:


You see the eye and the hand? Whenever you are near an object in the environment, you press a key to activate the possible interactions with said outlined object (the fridge here).

Right now the possible interactions just suddenly appear and I don't like that. It looks rough and amateurish.

I'd like to know if you guys had creative ideas for the interaction hud to appear? I've been thinking a lot about this and watching videos on youtube to find ideas but I can't figure it out.

Thanks!






19
Pixel Art / "No no" finger animation...
« on: September 25, 2017, 11:05:47 am »
Hello guys!

I want to do a no,no as an animated cursor for my game when the player can't do something. I'd like it to look better than it does now. I've used my own hand as a reference.



If you'd like to help out, you could point out how to improve on the animation and/or the hand itself.

Thank you!

20
Job offers / [FILLED] Title Screen Character
« on: August 09, 2017, 09:02:13 pm »
Hello,

I'm looking for someone to make the character of my title screen. Obviously, the art created would be exclusive and not to be distributed in other projects/jobs.

1.What I'm looking for.
 I'm looking for something like this from Mandrill:

It doesn't have to be this style but this is just to explain that I want just the upper part of a body so to speak.

I want a zombie/undead in this position:


*But with their fingers burrowing into their rotting flesh.
*eyes should be dead but looking upwards.
*Both hands on both sides should be seen.
*No mirroring.

2. Dimensions:
300x300

3. Palette limitation
Only palette limitation is the background color:


None but it should keep true to the spirit of pixel art so avoid going overboard.

You don't have to do a green zombie, as long as it looks undead.

4. How to apply?

Write me a private message like so:

1. A rough draft of what you have in mind (that's what I'll use to decide who I hire for this commission).

2. Quote me a price of how much you'd like for the job (You need to have a paypal. Inform me whether or not you agree to do make modifications to the final version if necessary.

3. Tell me when you could be potentially done.

Thank you!

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