To Catch a Bard

Over the past few weeks my design has been tumbling all over the place. One minute I fancy a control scheme that users button inputs to cast spells, then I experiment with using the right stick to input the spells via specific rotations and angles. But then something still wasn't right.

The sticks allowed for lightning fast reflexes to input spells instantly, but casting them was a mess. In the original scheme you had to press the right shoulder, then the right trigger to execute. My reason was to give the finger a strumming motion, although this, to be frank, sucked. Hands became very worn very fast. So I remove the right shoulder, and made the right trigger the only button to execute spells. STILL, it wasn't right.

After using a spell, an animation would play and then, after about a second, the spell would be cast. This wasn't good. 

Why bother having lightning fast reflexes if the game brings up a red light every time the player had the chance to prove their speed?

Unless something in the design reflected this, like the whip in Castlevania (NES) having a delay, then it would fit well. But again, everything until pressing the button was a mad dash to get the spell cast. It didn't work. So I made the spell cast as soon as the button was pressed, but then why have the button at all?

So here we are. The spells right now are, like I wanted at the start, input using a series of rotations and angles. However, there's now no toll gate between the stick and the game. The entire combat system, as it stands, takes place on the right stick.

I've recorded some videos, but they'll be up Monday to show how it's all progressed since the original scheme.

Catching Up

So I did manage a fair bit today, and enough to try out the new combat system. It was met with really good feedback twice! I'm not feeling it myself just now, but it works and people like it, so I'm gonna continue to pursue it as the staple in combat.

Recovery

For the last week I've been bed ridden with a flu. It sucked, I couldn't get out of bed without feeling dizzy, so that's my reason for not doing work for an entire week. This week will be FULL of crunches to get me where I want to be.

Unfortunately, not much actual progress to report, but by the end of today I aim to change that.

See you in a few hours!

Oh, progress

So to carry on from the last update (Like, an hour ago) I've come up with how I can implement the new controls. It's soundproof, but I'll need a while to organize the blueprints properly. I'll probably commandeer the Whiteboard in the MA area for and work it all out on that. The studio's closing in a minute now, though, so that's tomorrows work.

Ah yes, progress

So over the past few days I've been trying out a few ideas on how to go about making my new project control. One thing that's certain is that the main character will be a Bard. I've worked a lot on the model, and now she's all ready for the project!

After a really good brainstorm session with some classmates, the control scheme is almost finished, but this is where I'm stuck; How do I actually go about making the controls?!

I'm not gonna say too much just in case the scheme has to change, but I should have something conclusive down by the end of the week! If not, then I'm going to have to revert back to an older method of control.

Gonna remain optimistic, all the progress I've made so far with the idea had to be wiped today, it was getting too convoluted and I couldn't get it working how I wanted it to.

Here's to progress.

New Year Update

So I was deep in research over the past few months, not returning to practical until Christmas. Since then, I've completed my Literature and Contextual review, as well as including new features in my practical work!

Here's a link to the video for how it all plays now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM5Bf_H7F4M

So what have I added?

I've put in an attack ability for when the character's on the ground, with a little spinning animation to play. There's also a new animation for when the character's in the air, how much they'll lean forward while flying. The biggest update I've made is the collectables, and how they tir into the gameplay.

Before, the player could jump and dash into the air up to 3 times each. Now, I have upgrades that lock it away until purchased with the collectables, creating a sense of character growth. Jumps that you could just about make before are a trifle for you now, enemies that needed 3 hits to defeat now only take 1, more health and faster speeds.

I also wrote a bit of music to play in the background of the level, as well as make a few sound effects.

That's everything I've been up to in the practical! Hope everyone's having a happy new year!

Week 5 II - Ring the Bells

It's deadline day today, and over the past 3 weeks I've been researching, developing, testing and developing some more.

Here's what I found;

Many people had many different ideas as to how the game should play, little mechanics here and there. One person suggested a slow decline, one person a double jump, another a dash attack. After all these suggestions and more were implemented into the game, I found that although they were all different suggestions they were, in fact, different pieces of the same puzzle.

One thing that varied, however, was the actual control- Which buttons should fire what input and should multiple inputs be mapped to the one controller?

I feel this is something more to research into. Do more buttons with multiple functions give the player more control? Or does it over complicate things and detract from the overall feel of the game? Are there many benefits to either?

All for another time. At the end of this week I have a small playable platformer that according to feedback is floaty yet very fun to control. I added a dynamic camera that would adjust behind the player in air to make landing easier. As well as that I have an enemy hooked up that will chase the player along the water, and drag them below, respawning the player at the last bit of land they traversed.

So what's next? What did this 3 weeks help me to learn about my direction of Masters?

Well, in short, feel. I want to know more about how a players physical input can alter feel overall.