..sharing a small video of our game prototype..

[MJR]

I might have mentioned that I have a game company. Small though, nothing major. We made our prototype video available today. I though about it long and hard for two months, since I am not a fan of indie studios releasing their work way too early.

However, I am quite happy to what we achieved with almost no money, and small (but very experienced) team, which many worked on their own time after office hours. It helped that we all had more than 25 years of development experience each. So I decided that I am not going to let this rest in obsurity in the "development graveyard", if it happens so that we won't get the funding.

Here is a link to the video: https://youtu.be/01nYCttZ8YA
Some of the old-time members of this forum may recognize/remember the characters from a graphic novel I shared here many, many years ago. I am not quite sure if this game is something that would be appreciated by shmup community, though I have been told that playing this feels like a pure arcade game! I must say I was (positively) surprised because it was not my intention - it was just something that came naturally from me, as a designer. I guess.

I also have a plan B, which is to develop a shmup, in case that this won't find it's funding. Which happens very often in this industry.. but it's too early to say any more about that.
Please share the link if you like the video. Thanks for looking!

[Specineff]

I like the trees.

[Mischief Maker]

Pure arcade game? Huh, the impression I got coming to the video cold was that it was a puzzle-platformer in the Zelda mold.

[MJR]

Pure arcade game? Huh, the impression I got coming to the video cold was that it was a puzzle-platformer in the Zelda mold.

I thought so too, so I guess I lost my perspective and ended up with something resembling pac-man :v

Our modeller spent eternity on modeling the trees, because he had to develop some procedural modeling techniques in order to do them. You just simply can't make decent cartoon trees with the common tree plugins. So I am glad that there is at least something of value now. We got nice trees..

[Sumez]

You sound like the project has been put on hiatus?

I agree the trees look great. Character animation feels very disjointed from the world she's interacting with, but that's pretty common for early builds, so that is what it is

[MJR]

You sound like the project has been put on hiatus?

I agree the trees look great. Character animation feels very disjointed from the world she's interacting with, but that's pretty common for early builds, so that is what it is

We are not developing it at the moment, but it's not cancelled. We are waiting for decisions from publishers / funders while I am also moving on Plan B.
It would be too easy for me to get defensive about your comment on animation - since I did characters and animation, but no, you are right: the disjointed animation feel is due to fact that we had to build upon the Unreal 3rd person perspective animation blueprint template that came with the editor, in order to get something up and running fast, as is often with prototypes. For the next stage of production, we need to replace that blueprint with custom, new blueprint that incorporates IK systems for interacting with environment and other myriad small things that make it look more like 2020 game. For this one, it would have taken too much money and time - when we did not have either. As for actual keyframed animation, I did everything I could

[Sumez]

The animation itself is great

[MJR]

The animation itself is great

Thanks!

[orange808]

Just getting the assets together for a 3d game is a herculean task. Very few indies have the manpower to do it. Then, people start comparing your game to the latest Assassin's Creed and you're basically screwed. Few indie devs can make a free roaming 3d adventure game in the garage. Even fewer will make a game that people will play.

An extremely focused variation on Shadow of the Collossus is still within reach for indies, though. That way, you can spend all your effort on combat and boss design. Time Pilot is a general model for how the game play unfolds. Drop into conflict, throw some cannon fodder out, introduce the boss, and move to the next area. That would allow you to reuse limited assets and spend your extremely limited manpower on things that matter.

[MJR]

Just getting the assets together for a 3d game is a herculean task. Very few indies have the manpower to do it. Then, people start comparing your game to the latest Assassin's Creed and you're basically screwed. Few indie devs can make a free roaming 3d adventure game in the garage. Even fewer will make a game that people will play.

An extremely focused variation on Shadow of the Collossus is still within reach for indies, though. That way, you can spend all your effort on combat and boss design. Time Pilot is a general model for how the game play unfolds. Drop into conflict, throw some cannon fodder out, introduce the boss, and move to the next area. That would allow you to reuse limited assets and spend your extremely limited manpower on things that matter.

We are not doing kill/loot mechanics, this has actually something different, closer to pac-man. Otherwise, I don't disagree with you at all. I guess I should be feeling a little bit flattered maybe, too?

[__SKYe]

So that's why you haven't been translating the comic.

That's great, man, best of luck with the funding.

[MJR]

So that's why you haven't been translating the comic.

That's great, man, best of luck with the funding.

Yeah.. sorry. This took all my energy and now I am too anxious to concentrate on anything else. But I am going to get back to the translations at some point. I apologize and thanks for patience..

[__SKYe]

No need to apologise, just keep focusing on the important stuff. This way I have something to look forward to.