Saturday, May 21, 2011

Dev - Update 2.1

Enjoy this quick video teaser of Project CAS. :D


It's me depicting how basic non-combat works. :D Combat will be the next video. Haha.

It should now be noted that this video is essentially completely outdated. The mechanics do still work in a similar manner, but the graphics have been redone and gameplay refined somewhat.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Dev - Update 2

Current status of the message system.

Alright then, welcome to the closest thing to a major development update I can include here for the next few weeks or so. That picture at the heading is what I've got of the message system so far. The message boxes can be scaled up or down to accommodate the particular type of text being displayed (with important text (not correctly dictated in the above picture) being displayed in larger boxes. What is left to be done is incorporate a system where choices can actually be made, because right now, it can only display relatively static information.

Other than this, something very important has been added into the game; a new method of creative combat that may or may not take the place of traditional combat. A simple overview of this system is that Lily, the player character has control over what is now will be 4 deployable items (currently 3 of these are mostly coded, but not animated). These items all are deployed in an identical matter but have 4 specific effects on the enemy and the environment. In using these items in specific ways and combinations, the player can do things like slightly manipulate the environment or push enemies right off the map into oblivion. There will be several methods of utilizing these items, and in conjunction with the regular base weapon (4 different weapons that act similarly), there are many possibilities for avoiding or completely annihilating enemies.

What hasn't been done yet is located in the following list.
  • Completed Start-Menu HUD
  • Shop-Menu HUD
  • Weather system (either dynamic or static)
  • Choices in the Message System
  • Animated levels (Animated background, foregrounds, water, grass, etc)
  • Animated anything really...(ART Stuff)
  • Variable Wall Scaling (where the type of terrain affects if/how you can grab onto it)
  • More or less Enemy AI is incomplete (stupid) <-- saving this for last
  • A system to control what dialogue/items are assigned to specific objects (Proving to be difficult)
  • And the most important facet... De-generative gameplay focus (will be completed when all enemy AI is done...TONS of balancing will be required. ugh) 
What HAS been completed
  • Movement/Basic Wall Scaling
  • Collision checking
  • Fall Damage and Stress Implementation
  • Player-based combat (minus 1 weapon and 1 of weapon-type items)
  • Cover System/Basic Stealth system
  • About half of the Start-Menu HUD
  • Title Screen HUD and system
  • Portion of the Message System
  • Moving platforms
  • VERY basic enemy AI (1 of about 20 :P)
  • Some other behind the scenes stuff :D

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Dev - Update 1

Title Screen (MAP) :D

Alright, so guess what; pre-production is finally over for Project CAS and I am now moving on into that beautiful thing we game developers like to call, production, or the development period. With the entire story outlined, most of the weapons designed, all of the characters developed and the locations...located, I can enter the process of actually creating game content. Finally, right?

A couple of things will be changing due to this. Since production goes a lot slower than pre-production in small development teams (or is that just me?), I will begin updating as frequently as possible, but with no dedicated time schedule. I will continue to update at least once every two weeks to let you guys know that I'm still here and to detail the other projects that I am working on (usually involving Acrophilia). I should also probably state that my rants will probably be ending here as I have less and less time to actually come up with posts to make. The review thing will be starting up again (after failing miserably) and I will try to maintain as many content updates as I possibly can across every project I have. Until then, take a look at Project CAS's HUD (and some other WIP stuff) :D

HUD (Finalized version is in Title Screen)


Message Box - Mock Up (Working on font and size)