Game Making Drive May 2014

[ThatMaestroGuy]

Whoooooaaaa wasn't even aware this was happening! Joining as a Mercenary once again!

Days: Thursdays
Times: Night-ish (I work all day... :< ).
My Timezone: (GMT -5:00 hours) Eastern Time (US & Canada), Bogota, Lima
Preferred Team: Mercenaries

 

[Shaz]

The score sheet has been updated, everyone. All who asked for a specific team are in that team. Most people who said "any team" have been put into Mercenaries (thank you for being so flexible).


From now on, anyone who joins will go into whichever team I feel needs them most.


GMD begins tomorrow for some of us, the day after for everyone else (if you're posting on Saturdays). Hope you all enjoy the event and make huge progress on your games!

 

[Lars Ulrika]

DAYS: Monday to Friday

TIMES: 16 h 

MY TIME ZONE (UTC/GMT +/- #): GMT + 7

PREFERRED TEAM: Knights

2nd PREFERENCE: Mages

3rd PREFERENCE: Mercenaries 

 

[Deceius]

Geez. It's my first time doing this! _elvenheart reporting for duty!

Day 1:
 
Earlier, I have worked on mapping on Cromwell. Added new areas, added several quests, and finished some cutscenes. I also worked on balancing the stats for the enemies and the main character. Items and Equipments will be worked on tomorrow.
 
And as I'm typing this, a window of GIMP is minimized because I am editing a sprite for my side-project. 

That's all for today. Over and out. *kzzt*

 

[Shaz]

DAY 1


This is the post I should have made yesterday. I am back to the Mahjong puzzle that I was working on during the second last GMD (a commission, where, thankfully, the requester is not in a hurry). Last status was that I could design the board layouts with a development-side script, but had no easy way to guarantee a solution. So that's what I've gone back to. Yesterday was just planning - how to have/save multiple layouts, choose which one to play, and particularly what is the best way to guarantee a layout with at least one solution. My conclusion is that the only way to guarantee a solution is to provide a fixed sequence for removal of tiles. The "randomness" of the boards will then be achieved by providing a number of fixed sequences for each layout, and placing pairs of tiles on the board according to those sequences. It's not AS random as I'd like it to be, but it does ensure at least one solution for each board without overly long waiting times while the board is being built and checked for a solution.


Today my task is to make all of that happen.

 

[That Bread]

Day 1

Mapping

I created a showcase of the maps that I've done for Heimdal. It's alot so... that's why I made it a video.

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugHWd9ybMb4&feature=youtu.be

Story

I wrote up the seventh chapter and began contemplating on the eighth. Getting close to the finish on this outline!

Eventing

Cleaning up the first chapter/implementing the changes to the story in the first.

The overall aesthetics

I decided to go Sideview a few days ago. I did implement the huds last night.

Spoiler

Configuring the busts into the game

Spoiler

Spelling/Grammar

I'm trying to improve, by speaking out loud and fixing whatever I catch.

 

[lightleaf]

~GMD Day 1~

Today I basically worked on mapping new areas. And goodness, I suck at mapping the exteriors, especially big ones. I just have no idea how to get a hand on filling it in! Hence begins my long and tedious mapping process...

So this took about five minutes:

Spoiler

And I was already stuck. I tried a few templates but they didn't look good to me. I hate mapping forests without PS.  So I went about my business, trying to think of a way to complete the map. Don't know how I managed it, but I finally finished the map. Yay!

So here's what I have in the end:

Spoiler

I'm not completely satisfied with the result, but it was better than my first few tries. 

After that I went back and did eventing on the already finished maps (interiors only). Since I'm already done writing the story, it was just a matter of testing out to see if everything works. I'm almost all done with them, too, so tomorrow I'll have to finish mapping the rest of the forest. Oh boy...

--Summary--​

Story: 100%​

Event: ~20%​

Map: ~15%​

That'll be all for today! Cheers

Oh, and before I forget:

 

[Shaz]

@CorneredCosmos: If you're posting two days in one post, you need to make it clear what you did on the first day and what you did on the second day. I expect to see something like this:


DAY 1


I did ....


DAY 2


I did ....


otherwise they will just count as a single post. Also, Friday is not day 1. GMD begins on May 3, which is Saturday If you've done something on Friday, that's good, but it won't count for GMD. So I'll log you as one post for Saturday.


@lightleaf: nice map! For large areas, I find I map better if I have the map zoomed in as close as possible - so I can only see a small portion of it at once. Otherwise they end up looking boring and empty.

 

[Mouser]

GMD Day 1:

Not the post I wanted to be making but, here it is anyway (I'm starting to understand where 'vaporware' comes from). Another playthrough of my demo yielded about a dozen new issues that still need to be ironed out. I think anything not fixed by Monday is going to be labelled a feature so I can get my project development thread started and the demo out.

I got all the easy ones off the bucket list today, which leaves me four to tackle tomorrow (my 'supposed' day off). The shop screen is fully functional now (took care of the last of the text padding issues), the bounty board quest system updates the quest journal properly, and hopefully now everyone's dialog is correct and appears properly. Put in a proper 'game over' screen at the end of the demo with rolling credits (hope I didn't leave anyone out).

Most of what's left has to deal with the journal - really starting to second guess how good an idea putting it in was. Things like saying where someone can be found after you've killed said someone, and little details like that. I've got to to iron out the game synopsis and character bios for the project development thread. So I guess the glass is still half full.

 

[lightleaf]

For large areas, I find I map better if I have the map zoomed in as close as possible - so I can only see a small portion of it at once. Otherwise they end up looking boring and empty. 

True! I never really thought of that 

This will help me out lots with the forest mapping, thanks for the tip!

 

[B.Ultimus]

Saturday: 5/3

Good way to start the GMD...with the end.

Continuing work on the final boss of my game...making it very detailed (with almost 4 battles in 1), but all in all some great things are coming about.  Started also doing a little bit of photo editing as well to prepare.

Phase 1: Asmodeus

• Turn 1 - Gaze:  Greatly lowers AGI for the entire party.  Having members who can cast AGI boosting spells is a plus.
• Turn 2 - Defile Beta x2:  Great Dark Element Damage to one target, will cast it twice.
• Turn 3 - 4:  Quickened Pompeii:  Begins a 2 turn countdown.  At the end of the 2nd turn, will cast an massive Fire/Earth Element attack that targets all allies.  Having everyone healed to full before finishing cast is highly recommended.
• Turn 5:  Heresy:  Drains 100EP from all allies.  Those that are not under the Medic role essentially has all there EP drained, which will cause difficulty with healing (EP fuels healing spells).
• This repeats until Asmodeus reaches 50% health, in which he'll use the Orb of Asmodae, sealing him in an impenetrable barrier, which begins recovering Asmodeus.  The orb must be destroyed by the 3rd turn, or Asmodeus will heal to full life.Orb Turn 1:  Restores all TP/EP to Asmodeus.
• Orb Turn 2:  All negative effects are removed, and Asmodeus gains stat buffs.
• Orb Turn 3: Asmodeus heals 100% of his health, and the Orb barrier goes down.

When the orb is destroyed the true final battle begins.  Still working out the kinks, but it's essentially a 3 part battle.

Right now re-editing some of Thalzon's work for Asmodeus, since his final form has 3 phases; Phase 1 has 2 giant arms, Phase 2 has a snake bottom, and Phase 3 has wild tentacles for his bottom half.

 

[Bonkers]

GMD: Day 1 May 3rd

 

I checked out Cromwell the Eternal promise from one of my team mates and left some detailed feedback for him.  I consider improving myself also involves giving other people the means they need to improve as well.

Right now I am working on revamping the ending to Silver Town, and implementing Shade and Wolfe's back story/characterization.  

Spoilers below for story purposes and the big twist:


Shade will be the sole survivor of the Pax Anthor slaughter and daughter of the original Avatar.  Had the town remained with the Empire, she would have been the new Avatar and not Emmet.  The spirit of the old Avatar will explain this to her in private and not to trust Willard.

 

Wolfe will be one of the original people like Ivan and Heifclif who was present for the Pax Anthor slaughter.  Ivan and Wolfe will also have some dialogue together, but Emmet will start to warm up to him the most when he starts mentioning there is something strange about the cleric Willard.

Wolfe having served the Empire in Pax Anthor slipped into the Bestman's ranks and followed Kassandra back with Jura with the duty of assassinating the weakened mage.  

So he was there but working with Silver Town as a double agent

He was unable to assassinate Jura due to Kassandra being protected by the demon King due to their affair

Once Wolfe knew, he was forced to remain in Silver Town as he was unable to rejoin the Empire.  He also kept an eye on Kassandra since he failed that day and discovered Willard's real origin as did Kassandra's husband killing her.  So he witnessed the murder, and brought Willard back to town, as insurance.Willard thinks Nidale was the one to bring him back, since Nidale and Kassandra were old friends.  The mace will show them the real memory though.



 Now it's a matter of Data base cleaning up.  I learned how to sum columns, but not individual column entries for calculating hits necessary to kill individual creatures with the basic attack formula.  I'll need some more tutorials/help to get it all together.  

Emmet's Defense must decrease.  He simply isn't taking any damage, though his is successfully taunting 90% of the time.

Willard needs his skills reduced, as he has far too many.

Shade and Willard will have their mana pools halved to make them more dependent on Mana Regen and Staves respectively. 

 

I've got some behaviors on the way, as well as some more graphical work to do.  One of which I am particularly fond of, the torn and ripped rug overlays.  

I fixed the input puzzle accordingly:

I used a switch to control if a wrong response was used, and one for a correct response to lock the puzzle.

Now the three most common answers regardless of capitalization will be right.

I've been considering doing a more elaborate magic circle with multiple layers and colors, and think the idea could apply to different maps across an entire dungeon now.

That's all for today.

 

[zachfoss]

GMD: Day 1 May 3rd

It's been months since I worked on my game. But I didn't work too hard today because I need to get used to it. 
•Edit weapons, skills and armors.
•Worked and created 15 new animations.
•Edit sprites for a new scene I'm creating.

that's it! only worked on game for couple hours. 
 

Go mages!

 

[William MC]

GMD: Day 1 May 3rd

Today was an odd day to get stuff done for me as many things demanded my time. But I did manage to take the time to organize the story arc ideas I've made so they have a fitting order. I put them together in an outline so I can plan key events/plot details, and things that need to be done in each Arc.

I also planned a couple of skills for the main party, now the trick will be to pull them off.

I'm also working in the story of the motivating events that make characters act the way they do.

I hope to do more in RPG Maker tomorrow.

+1 Team Mercenaries

 

[Shaz]

DAY 2


As always, I had high hopes that I'd make a lot of progress on the Mahjong script today. I started by fixing a small issue remaining from the last time I worked on it and was experimenting with something. That done, a quick test before adding new features revealed that there was something not quite right with the placement of tiles on the screen, so I spent quite a bit of time working to get that right, wondering why I never picked up on this issue previously. In the process of fixing that, I discovered the mockup tiles I'd been using were not spaced evenly - I knew the images were really fuzzy due to being resized, but the sheet itself did not divide evenly into the tile sizes. So I ditched the semi-respectable image I'd been using and made a new, ugly (ie - programmer "art") one from scratch.


Happy to say that's all done and working properly now, though I'll likely go back and do some adjustments to z-values of all the tiles as I anticipate some funny overlapping issues when I get around to automatically filling the board. Figure I'm better off fixing it while I KNOW of the problem and the likely solution, than leaving it until later on when I've got a heap of other things on my mind.


So I'm back to the stage that I THOUGHT I was at yesterday afternoon, only now I'm sure of it  I've still got another hour or so to go before calling it a day, so have made a start to saving and loading layouts and will work on that for a little while longer.


Anyhoo ... have a screenshot. A very sad-looking butterfly

Spoiler

Remember - programmer art.

 

[kj3400]

Day 1: Saturday

Tonight was not the most productive. I found out that without backstories, you can't really do much along the lines of things people say. Hence I spent tonight wondering about the motivations of my NPCs, what makes them tick. After all was said and done, I got two NPCs to show for it. Yup. Count em. TWO. Mind you, these are interior NPCs. I've got the exterior NPCs pretty much done. Hopefully Sunday gives me more productivity.


I did think of a name for one of my continents. It's partially an anagram of Australia, where one of my teammates lives. The name sounds close to the latin name for bear, so I'm sure you can guess who's going to get referenced in this game, and what enemies are going to pop up.

 

[Deceius]

Day 2:
 
Okay, so palladinthug gave me some pointers about the storyline and some gameplay issues in the game Cromwell. And today, I worked on some modifications in the cutscenes, to hopefully remove some inconsistencies on the story.
I also balanced the item's benefits, and fixed several bugs regarding skills and the maps. In-game tutorial was improved, now made with GIMP. It is now more detailed, so that it will reduce the confusion for the player.
 
I am hoping that the game improved. Next week, I aim to add the next boss fight, and to map a town where one of the major confrontations takes place.
May the 4th be with you, guys!

And for the side-project, there's no much to say, for I focused my attention to Cromwell.

Over and out.

 

[Needle]

Day 1 (Sunday May 4) -
 
Continuing work on my game by trying to "beautify" my maps, mostly by experimenting with recoloring a combining RTP tileset elements. I built a forest area today, and proceeded to deck it out with trees, flowers, purple mushrooms, etc. I'm a little worried it may be getting cluttered, but filling the space is important to me so I've got nice tight maps. Been looking at a lot of example maps that use similar techniques... I don't think I'm quite ready for parallax mapping yet.
 
I also worked on building a "God Light" solution, in which two pictures are overlaid on the screen with reduced opacity. These pictures are simple light beams that come from the top left corner, and they've been placed in a simple parallel process that moves them back and forth at a very slow but noticeable effect. The result, I think came out very nice. It's a very subtle effect that never really feels like it's in the way of the action. Screenshot after the break - possibly a quick YouTube video next time to demonstrate the effect in motion.

Spoiler

 

 

 Tomorrow's goal is to complete the cutscenes within this forest area, which shouldn't be too difficult. There's really only two, one of which deals with burning down a leafy wall, and the necessary characters and map builds have already been created to make this easy. Details on that in tomorrow's post.

--N

 

[Kale]

GMD Update #1:

Today I began work on interior tiles to take a break from pulling my hair out over outdoor plants and trees. I also worked on the sprite of Alice, the person with the red shirt in the screenshot below, and mapped her home(also below). Keep in mind these tiles are very much WIP. Anyhow, that's what I spent my time today doing. My tiles are coming together somewhat, which is nice but I've still barely made a dent in even outlining everything that I'll need. Sometimes I regret making the choice to go custom but then other times I don't as I can see a map and know that nobody else's game will look exactly like mine, I just hope that's in a good way by the end and not in a bad way!

Spoiler

http://kaledevblog.blogspot.com/2014/05/5414.htmlFor the screenshot. For some reason the forum won't let me use a blogspot picture.

 

[That Bread]

Day 2

Question Concerning my Schedule.

Is it okay if I adjust my schedule to give updates every day of the week? I think I would benefit from it, even if the updates may be small during the week.

I didn't get too much done, but here we go.

Outline- I typed up seven and began working on eight. So far what I am loving about this outline, is that it strays away from the easiest situation and usually keeps things unique for each part.

Aesthetics- Struggling with the victors side view battle system. I may have to learn the basics of side view battle system and take notes to better understand it. I cannot wrap around on how I am supposed to do custom animations.

I started adding NPC's to Heimdal and fixing up some errors I noticed.

Eventing- I fixed up a few events from the first chapter and ran some spell/grammar checks

That sums up what I did today.