Devlog No.038

This was a fast couple of weeks for me. I was quite busy! Between finishing Licorice and getting the next steps going, it was quite a bit of work!

But I have a lot of good news this time. First and foremost is the most obvious stuff, working on the next NPC. Her name is likely to be Gema de Bleu. Though I do have one minor annoyance here.

When I first started working on my game, I was deciding on a style. Originally I followed with Metal slug's style a while back and even poked my head into making a MtF tf game, but due to some circumstances that occurred, I backed out of that game. But I was already looking into making this game even then. And I started by emulating someone else's art style with Illaria. It came out how Illaria currently is and I was pretty happy with it. So I just kept following through with it and so forth until now.

Well there has been a big lingering issue with it that I have kind of avoided addressing. It mostly has to do with my own skill level of making art, but there is part of it having to do with just how the art style works. That's the fact that I don't use outlines.

Well it's worked pretty well so far, but sometimes I just feel like characters or objects can blend in a little too much. And I COULD just apply a shader with a black outline to everything. (Or white), but I don't know why, I just don't want to. I think because the 'cut out' look feels too unreal to me. I know that it looks quite good individually, but I want the world to feel immersive that cut outs really aren't immersive.

They're FUN for sure! But immersive? Not quite. While I do want you to have fun, the art style I would like is generally bent toward trying to pull you in a little more. So trying to be just a bit more than surface deep. Not a lot mind you! Otherwise I'd need way, WAY more skill that I don't have. But I'm working toward it! (Maybe one day!)

Anyway, that's a whole lot of stuff to say for this next part. Here's the sprite for the next NPC.

 
Or, well, that's how she would look with a black outline. Here is how she actually will look.

 
As you can see, the black outline is way, way more distinctive! But it also sort of removes her from the world. Not completely, but a bit. I don't really like that. While the sort of cut out art style isn't necessarily fleeting per say, it's not really what I am aiming for is all. (Also try to ignore how lazy I got with the cauldron!)

Either way, applying a shader to all the characters IS possible, but I have intentionally avoided it. I just don't like how it looks and I would prefer to just get better at art to the point that the shader is unnecessary is all. But... well I'm not 100% making this game for myself. I'd be curious what everyone else thinks about it. While I have a vision on making the game, I try to curve a bit more in favor of general consensus. I want you to enjoy the game too!

With that said... I may just add an option. 'outline shaders' to gameplay or graphics.

Speaking of!

Moving into what I have done to progress the game, there's more news now.

To start with, I managed to get the stair code working quite well! It's not perfect, but it should be 'good enough'. I'll have to ask you to test it and give feedback though and see how I can improve it!

But currently, you can now go up and down stairs smoothly! And even if there is a platform, you can go down stairs 'through' the platform! So now I can design levels with platforms instead of gaps and you can hold down to direct yourself to them.

I had previously said though that I was unsure of how the behavior should be. I decided... whatever, I'll give you the option! Well... sort of. By default, you will attempt to 'ascend' any stairs you encounter. Similar to how Terraria works. (Not exactly the same mind you) When you approach stairs, you'll automatically go up them. but if you press DOWN while GOING UP the stairs, then you'll fall off them.

It's important to note 'only while going up them'. Or rather, only while facing the direction of going up them. So if the stairs are going up and right and you go right and hold down, you'll walk through them. I made it this way so you can go 'down' the stairs naturally without just falling through them.

So the game SHOULD feel pretty natural.

Yet, I did say I'd let you choose right?

Well in the gameplay options there will be a new option! Now you can choose between auto ascending stairs or not! If you don't auto ascend, you'll need to hold UP to go up. But you'll still need to hold down to go down. (when you're on a platform) So if you don't like the new auto-ascend system, just turn it off! (Also you shouldn't have to delete your config file this time. I think I got it figured out to the point where I shouldn't need you to delete anything anymore! Very happy about that! BUT PLEASE DO REPORT TO ME IF YOU GET ERRORS!)


And while stairs are good (and we all like common conveniences), what about rideable boats?

Oh sure, I have a big sailboat segment, but that's an illusion! I think I said it, but that big sailboat segment the boat doesn't move at all. Instead the background does. (I was pretty proud of that but...)

Well the real reason I been working on the stairs is because of the boat. XD I had been trying to get this thing to work for a while! But now it does! (Thanks to working on the stairs!) So now you can stand on a boat and it will carry you across the water. It's not like... anything revolutionary or anything but hey... it works! And you can even walk to the edges and go slightly up and down. (But the nose, sorry to say, you can't walk on it. Too much of a hassle!)

Here, have a look!

 

So this part might be just a small part, but it works pretty good. I mean honestly the whole basic 'boat' would work fine, I just felt insistent on it not being just a 'flat' object and it led to me making the side parts which led to me fixing up the stair system.

Aside from all that, I'm in the middle of constructing the next areas. Things are going well and there isn't really too much else to say about it. I'll definitely have the next NPC up before too long and by the time we hit the next couple of weeks I'll have more to show in regards to the levels.

I think that's all there really is to say at this point. I do kind of wish I had someone to do art who was into this sort of stuff as much as me so I could just keep programming and such, but I think finding someone else now is too late. Plus I have had bad experiences in the past so I think I am just going to solo this whole game out, then worry about trying to expand on getting together a team and whatnot.

Honestly I really appreciate everyone who has stuck with me this long. Thanks everyone! It really warms my heart to know that some of you want this kind of game!