AuthorTopic: Small game mockup  (Read 8057 times)

Offline Rosse

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 182
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • ssero
    • bluecrystalrod
    • View Profile

Small game mockup

on: July 28, 2007, 03:41:55 pm
Hi

This is a small mockup from a game I'm working at. It a "catch me if you can game". You're the player and every step you do, the robots move nearer. If the robots hits a mine, they vanishs. Every few steps some new robots appears. Your mission is to survive as long as possible. Here's the mockup:




(used graphics, 11 colors)

I tried to unify the palette, but I think I overdid it. Can't find the right colors to build a metal look and a tunic for the player. Palette (and sprite) edits are welcome.

For the final game, I'll make a playfield border, a small gui which tells how many steps you did and maybe two screens (start and you loose screen)

thanks for your crits and comments.

Offline ndchristie

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 2426
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #1 on: July 28, 2007, 04:41:19 pm
I would try separating everyithng visually a bit more to make it clearer what is you, what is a bomb, what is a robot.  when they share most of their colors it's a little hard to tell.

btw your player is almost screwed, assuming the robots take the shortest path :P.  You might want to make the mines move a little, too, because right now any choice of directions will lead him into an enemy within 4 moves.  He has a chance if he moves due west for a while but that's the only opton.
A mistake is a mistake.
The same mistake twice is a bad habit.
The same mistake three or more times is a motif.

Offline Rydin

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 925
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • ...zzzt...
    • @thickDumps
    • View Profile
    • thickDumps

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #2 on: July 29, 2007, 01:40:20 am
I think the biggest thing that sticks out right now is how dull everything looks. Although it could just be my laptop screen, I'm going to have to say that saturation is your friend right now.  I mean, it's great that you have a unified palette, now your next step is pushing the palette to it's limits.

It's been a few months since I properly pixelled anything, but from memory, I think you could achieve a metallic look and cloth look with the same colors; it's just based on what colors you place them next to.  A metallic surface is going to be shiny (I'm assuming), so if you're using a saturated green, for example, use white for the highlights, and for the cloth surface, use a duller color for highlights, if any at all.  I donno if that makes sense or anything...hopefully you get something from that.

Keep pixelling.
Man cannot remake himself without suffering for he is both the marble and the sculptor.

Offline Rosse

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 182
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • ssero
    • bluecrystalrod
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #3 on: July 29, 2007, 05:22:24 pm
Thanks for your comments. Today I coded the game, It's fully executable and modifiable (currently just through variables). Here's a sceenshot. Because the original game was a old ascii dos game I made a classic-skin for the game. I came away from the endless game. Now you just have the screen and your mission is to destroy all the bots. After you won or lost the game creates a new level.



Made a new mockup. I set the color maximum to 8 colors per tile.



I tried to make it better. It has now much more saturation. But I think the real problem is, the mines and the bots have the same range of values (darkest dark to nearly pure white) and just have slightly other hues. I don't know how to make it better, because the two objects have the same materials.

Edits, crits and suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[edit]
Worked on the normal game-skin. I'm not very happy with it. I can't make a good separation between the sprites. Anybody like to try it him- or herself?



Here is the game-skin. The win/lose message are just placeholders.


C&C were extremly welcome
« Last Edit: July 30, 2007, 09:56:28 am by MarkusRosse »

Offline ptoing

  • 0101
  • ****
  • Posts: 3063
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • variegated quadrangle arranger
    • the_ptoing
    • http://pixeljoint.com/p/2191.htm
    • View Profile
    • Perpetually inactive website

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #4 on: July 30, 2007, 04:05:02 pm
Can you put the game to download as well, looks like it could be enjoyable.
There are no ugly colours, only ugly combinations of colours.

Offline Rosse

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 182
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • ssero
    • bluecrystalrod
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #5 on: July 30, 2007, 06:04:27 pm
Hallo ptoing

Sure, here you are!

http://markus.art-fx.org/temp/hunted.zip

The readme was written in a hurry. I hope you understand how to play the game and to change the config file.

Since I'd like to release the game in public, the graphics have to be tweaked. Are there any advice for me?

Offline bengo

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 599
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • https://pixeljoint.com/p/5787.htm
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #6 on: July 30, 2007, 06:14:49 pm
Well, I think the tiles should look more, well, more dark-age-ish, add more contrast aswell, there's not much you can do with the sprites, due to how small they are.

Offline steffie929

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #7 on: July 30, 2007, 06:46:33 pm
maybe it looks better with these colors?

Offline Larwick

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 738
  • Karma: +1/-0
    • Larwick
    • http://www.pixeljoint.com/p/3794.htm
    • View Profile
    • Artstation

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #8 on: July 30, 2007, 08:38:08 pm
The robots need to be alot more visible than the mines. Make their eyes bright, glowing red. Perhaps beef them up a little, at the moment they're really short in comparison with the man. Getting rid of the inner dark lines on them too, would seperate them from the mines easier. I would try and make it so when looking at the man character, the robots can be seen around him without directing your gaze.

It's coming along though, keep it up!

Offline Stefano

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 76
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • 10 different types of soup
    • View Profile
    • DeviantART profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #9 on: July 31, 2007, 01:43:12 am
A few ideas! Just ideas. I did it for fun. Weee!  :crazy:



Offline bengo

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 599
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • https://pixeljoint.com/p/5787.htm
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #10 on: July 31, 2007, 02:03:56 am
Ack.... the blue with that fire background..... no no no, this even furthers my idea about making the tiles middle-agish though, a dark gray so to speak, it would add contrast and stuff if you were to. Stefano does has some rights though with his edit, for one you can tell the difference between the mines and enemies alot more now that and his edit just has a 'classic' feel to it.

Offline Rosse

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 182
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • ssero
    • bluecrystalrod
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #11 on: July 31, 2007, 05:35:54 pm
>Stefano
The player and the knights looks great. Thanks for your edit. But the borders aren't implementable (see hunted.png in my game-folder, download above)

>others
Thanks for your comments and edits! I worked on it and now I know what Arne means if he says, there is no color identity


I think I need to tweak it here and there (and the messages aren't done), but altogether I'm quite happy with it now. But if someone spots a fatal error or if you don't like something, please tell me :)

Offline Zero

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 108
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #12 on: August 01, 2007, 12:32:23 am
Looks much better now that the robots and mines are different colors.

About the game, it would look way better if the player and robots visually moved instead of simply jumping to a new position. Tougher to code, but certainly worth it. Also, I think it would make more sense to use the arrow keys for movement, mainly because laptop users won't be able to play the game in its current state.
« Last Edit: August 01, 2007, 12:41:04 am by Zero »

Offline bengo

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 599
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • https://pixeljoint.com/p/5787.htm
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #13 on: August 01, 2007, 01:47:21 am
Looking better, the only thing I can suggest is make those tiles darker, so there's more contrast between objects and the tiles.

Offline Xion

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 1551
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • FourbitFriday

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #14 on: August 01, 2007, 07:59:27 am
Looking better, the only thing I can suggest is make those tiles darker, so there's more contrast between objects and the tiles.
I tend to disagree. I tend to think it is fine.
No more contrast is needed in either hue or value. I'm practicing saying things definitively rather than suggestively, as I tend to do.
I tend to the garden.

Offline Rosse

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 182
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • ssero
    • bluecrystalrod
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #15 on: August 01, 2007, 02:14:28 pm
>Zero
I used this contol-scheme, because you need to move in 8 directions (and not just 4 like the cursor keys). And of course you're right with the laptop users. I have a different contol-scheme in mind. Maybe I'll code it someday (same as smooth movement), but now I need a bit distance from this project. Thanks for your suggestions.

>bengoshia
Well, I don't agree with you. I think it works fine now. I tried to make the background darker, but it didn't works as I like. But I think I need some distance to this small project now.

>Xion
Thanks, I agree with you. But what do you mean with 'I tend to the garden'? English isn't my mother tongue so maybe it's a joke or something. Sorry for my mental dullness.

>all
Well, since I don't know what I should make better, I call it done now. In a few month I'd like to rework the grahics (and code a bit). By then..


[edit]
German Showcase Entry:
http://www.blitzforum.de/showcase/?project=158

[edit2]
Damn, I think that damn showcase corrupted my file. Use the old download link:
http://markus.art-fx.org/upload/hunted10.zip
« Last Edit: August 02, 2007, 02:18:56 pm by MarkusRosse »

Offline ndchristie

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 2426
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Small game mockup

Reply #16 on: August 01, 2007, 05:27:31 pm
I played it, and after winning a bunch, my first reaction was "this is too easy!"

...then I died about 5 times in a row.

Thanks for making a fun, attractive game!
A mistake is a mistake.
The same mistake twice is a bad habit.
The same mistake three or more times is a motif.