Vapourware Codexian Game Development Thread

[Jim the Dinosaur]

Added my first caravan run (job) to the game. It was actually easier than I've anticipated...

working on a singleplayer fonline game (can't find anything about it in fodev.net tho

) ?

 

[Lexx]

Nope, it's my old Fallout 2 mod that I started about 10 years ago (and then got distracted with by FOnline for a few years). Haven't posted much about it ever since. Actually, the shit I drop here at the Codex is like the most I ever wrote about it in (english speaking) public boards. My personal approach to modding is: Don't write about your shit until you feel like you can actually finish it. Else you get annoying crap like... other Fallout mods... that has people hyped up and getting exhausted over years.

Want to finish this thing some day. I'm actually really close, but I am a shit writer, so writing even small NPCs takes me weeks... Most of the quest shit is pretty much done. Some holes still need to be fixed, and then dialog needs to be polished and expanded. Dumb dude path isn't fully in yet either, etc... Right now I am text-burned-out again, so I stick to mechanics only. Caravan runs, the encounter system, etc...

Fuck, it's really annoying to know what a shit writer I actually am. Had someone else write a dialog a short while ago... it's one of the biggest dialog files in the game right now... and he wrote that thing in 1 fucking day. Doing the same would have me waste at least 2 weeks and then the result is still sketchy and needs a proof reader. Eh...
If I could write with that speed, the mod would have been finished by now.

 

[supervoid]

3d character practice:

Spoiler

Brom:

2d New Vegas

 

[RatTower]

I love the 2D version of the second one. It looks like one of those enemies that'd kick your ass early in a game, but later you'd oneshot/instagib them
Are you using cycles or blender render for these?

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Playing around with SDL2.

 

[Pope Amole II]

We've almost finished doing some new GUI for XCaeli. It's a bit gaudy but that's the style of our visual novel, basically, gaudy and shiny so that's fine, I suppose.

Spoiler

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lol2pr50u4ezzjd/Скриншот 2017-05-30 02.03.24.png?dl=0

 

[Agesilaus]

Ready to implement content now


This time with audio.


I reckon this is a good enough framework to construct a game: intro/outro slides, real time exploration and dialogue, and turn based combat.

I am all ears for any advice and/or suggestions. I don't plan to make another video until Troezen is well on the way to completion.

When Troezen is complete (that's 7-8 quests, associated dialogue, and a town to explore), I hope to make a separate thread and perhaps let other people test it to give me some feedback.

 

[barker_s]

Haven’t posted here in a while, have I? Gonna make up for it now. Beware – this will get bloggy and maybe even slightly technical.

About 9 months ago I embarked on a great quest – the quest to create a 4X game I dreamed about for more than 10 years now. At first I wanted a fully 3d game, but eventually settled for 3d environments and 2d unit sprites. 6 months have passed and while there was progress (which I documented in this very thread) I realized I was still developing a terrain engine. Don’t get me wrong, the engineer in me had a great time fiddling with technical side of things, researching ways of texturing a procedurally-generated mesh and so on. While it kept me amused, it also made me realize that it would take me another year before I was happy with the "terrain engine" part and I could start with the "actual game" part. Therefore, after some consideration I decided to ditch 3d in favour of 2d. The decision didn’t come easy, as I had grown fond of my 3d hills, mountains and rivers, but I think it was a rational one if I ever wanted to finish it.


Here’s the last screenshot I ever took of that build:

Three months have passed since the "ditching" and now I have something that I’m not too ashamed to show. Funnily enough, I’m still at the "terrain engine" phase, but I feel I’ve made much more progress in much less time, partly due to cannibalizing some of the code from the previous project, and partly due to 2d being easier to work with.

It wasn’t all roses and rainbows though. It took about five iterations to achieve an acceptable balance of looks-vs-performance for the current terrain system, and there’s still stuff to improve/fix, but I’m getting there. I’m particularly proud of the procedural coastlines and texture blending (they’re blended using the distance from a hex + an additional height texture).

Here’s the thing in action. Please bear in mind that most textures are either taken from other projects, or ripped from the interwebs and therefore subject to change. The sprtes were bought from the Asset Store and I like them very much, so I might end up using those. One final note - sorry for the choppy quality - my recording software didn't want to cooperate and I didn't feel like recording another one.



And a bonus screenie for those who prefer static imagery:

 

[Wayward Son]

Looks good barker_s. Has a nice HOMM III feel to me.

 

[Davaris]

Looks far more attractive than the 3D.

 

[Nathaniel3W]

Looks good barker_s. Have you thought of making some keyboard shortcuts for making the maps? When you actually play the game, would you consider shortening the vertical "height" of the hexes to give it more of an isometric look? I think that would match well with the perspective of the buildings. Animated hexes--waves on the water, wind over the grass and the trees, dust blowing along the sand--would look good. Also, you might want to do something to match the color of the water closer to the palette of the rest of the scene.

 

[Nathaniel3W]

This month's video update for Himeko Sutori shows off the start of our alpha test campaign:

If all goes well here, we'll change the name from "Alpha" to "Beta," release it to Kickstarter backers, and we'll see where we go from there. If it's fun, provides a generous amount of gameplay, and relatively free from bugs, we may consider Steam Early Access. Right now I think I'd rather keep working on it until it's ready for a full release.

 

[barker_s]

Looks good barker_s. Has a nice HOMM III feel to me.

Thanks, that's kinda what I was aiming for, top-down terrain with isometric-ish features, HOMM style. It's a long way ahead though, so the style could still change, depending on assets and artists I acquire.

Looks far more attractive than the 3D.

Thank you, glad you like it. Eventually it should look a lot better, hopefully.

Have you thought of making some keyboard shortcuts for making the maps?

Care to elaborate? I've got only one shortcut implemented so far ('F' for 'Flood fill').

When you actually play the game, would you consider shortening the vertical "height" of the hexes to give it more of an isometric look?

While I agree that making the tiles isometric is a good idea from the aesthetics standpoint, I think I'll keep the regular hexagons. The thing is - all the math relies on the hexes being regular. For example, when you click somewhere in the world, the actual tile you clicked is calculated from the world coordinates. If I went with irregular hexes, I'd have to resort to hacks that would eventually lead to worse performance.

Animated hexes--waves on the water, wind over the grass and the trees, dust blowing along the sand--would look good.

Some atmospheric particle systems are definitely planned. Same with animated water (although I'll need to cook up some shader solution for that). Animated hexes and features will depend on the artist and budget (the final art is still a long way down the road).

Also, you might want to do something to match the color of the water closer to the palette of the rest of the scene.

Yeah, the water is pretty much WIP and will be redone from scratch.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Nathaniel3W]

Care to elaborate? I've got only one shortcut implemented so far ('F' for 'Flood fill').

I was just thinking you might be able to work quicker if you had shortcuts for grass, dirt, water, and stuff like that. I'm thinking about the shortcuts I use when drawing in Photoshop for example, and I like to switch tools with the keyboard. It's not like moving the pen to the left side of the screen actually takes that long, but my work just flows better when I use the keyboard shortcuts.

 

[supervoid]

Are you using cycles or blender render for these?

I prefer Cycles, but probably the same efect can be done in Blender Internal.

inventory object test:

Spoiler

plague guns from van buren:

random stuff:

 

[barker_s]

Here's my first attempt at the Fog Of War shader. I think it looks alright as it is, but any criticism/suggestions is always welcome.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Looks pretty good. I'd suggest doing softer transitions between the fog and the visible area.

 

[Aiff((AimpliesA)ImpliesA)]

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

barker_s, get this guy on board ASAP, he's awesome.

 

[Wayward Son]

Hey Prosper

 

[gaussgunner]

I just noticed the lens flare over the ocean. Nice touch.

 

[Rhuantavan]

I just noticed the lens flare over the ocean. Nice touch.

IMO a touch of genius.

 

[Modron]

Is there some archive out there of all of prosper's unveiled creations or are those from a personal reserve?

 

[barker_s]

The game isn't even out yet and I'm already attracting modders

 

[Aiff((AimpliesA)ImpliesA)]

i can make some original creatures. tell me the camera settings to use in blender and i can render out animations too.

idle, walk, run, stand. i can do melee attacks too. once you know your battle system and how it looks to move one hexagon to another i can contribute many creatures.