Beekyr Reloaded - A total Overhaul in progress (DEV LOG)

[Kaleidogames]

Beekyr Reloaded
A shoot'em up game inspired by R-Type, Project-X, Galaga and Ikaruga

View Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIRf7FhcCaw

Experience shoot'em up like you have never before. 'Beekyr Reloaded' is a 2D Arcade Shoot'em up that alternates vertical and horizontal gameplay through enjoyable up to 28 stages.

Updates (link to TIG):
#1 Cover (scroll down a bit)
#2 Main Menu
#3 Improving Colors and main player
#4 Game progress & How to play instructions
#5 Storm and Rain stage
#6 Well designed collisions
#7 Improving the logo
#8 Adding in-game expectations
#9 Adding game fairness (SHIELD + BOMBS)
#10: Telling the history better
#11: Particles and colours!
#12: Adding some fantasy violence


Intro:
Let me introduce myself. It's Jaime here, the main guy behind KaleidoGames. I develop addictive arcade games, I spend most of the development time (over 50%) just to make it fun but I normally do it all. Except, when sometimes I look for external professionals to help me build the game's music and art. Plus I really thank my friends to help me out with testing...

A few months ago, I ended developing Vortex Attack for Steam, it has been quite a success for me: It had around 3500 people getting the game. The game was created for a really small niche group of players that enjoyed Galaga-ish games back in the day. The game is tournament / hi-scores based and it is well balanced. People enjoy it and get really addicted to the game. Some players unexpectedly have played over 200hours.

A few years ago, I developed another shooter (shmup) game that was quite a lot of fun too, but it was our first game and I made lots and lots of mistakes. That game was called Beekyr: Eco shoot'em up , it was designed with a kids theme theme but for hardcore players and that, obviously, didn't work economically, But the game has over 16.000 downloads (still active) in the Android's Google Store alone.

Recently I started fixing that game into something a lot more cool (adult) with lots of new features. I started thinking what was missing or wrong about that first Beekyr. A few weeks after tweaking some bits, I decided to have a full redesign as I got offered to place it into Steam.

FOLLOW BEEKYR RELOADED in STEAM: It will be available on Early Access in Sept/Oct 2016.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/484930/


Update #1: Cover redesign
I decided to start redesigning the cover, which was the most childish part of the game.

This is the original cover (from 2013):


I tried something more aggressive but main character was was still quite infantile:


And finally we came up with this last design and a renewed character and layout, I needed an external artist to get this new bee designed:


This is just the beginning. Next steps are about updating the gameplay to make it a lot more playable and more for teenagers...

[Kaleidogames]

Update #2
I have been working in the main menu. Before it was just fine but nothing fancy and to be honest a bit annoying.

Here is menu's overhaul.

BEEKYR RELOADED VERSION (PC STEAM, 2016):



ORIGINAL VERSION, (ANDROID, 2013):

[Kaleidogames]

Update #3
Been working in overall feeling of the game. I started with the main character and then scenario items. I have desaturated

them quite a lot, resulting in something less infantile....

RELOADED VERSION, (PC-STEAM, 2016):


VS.

ORIGINAL VERSION, (ANDROID, 2013):


Notice that's the first level, when things are nice and happy... Then the mood changes...

[Kaleidogames]

Update #4
I have been working in the game progress. Before it was just fine but nothing fancy just plain simple.

Here is its evolution!

BEEKYR RELOADED VERSION (PC STEAM, 2016):



ORIGINAL VERSION, (ANDROID, 2013):



Also, I have improved a small information page to let users know how to play them a bit better. You can see wordings are better and fonts and graphics are a lot nicer:

BEEKYR RELOADED VERSION (PC STEAM, 2016):



ORIGINAL VERSION, (ANDROID, 2013):




Yeah, this is looking much much better. Game is also suffering level redesign. If you ever played the original, this can be completelly different experience, it feels really polished.

[Kaleidogames]

Update #5
Improving particle effects and overall colours.

Removing sun, adding a storm (with rain and lightnings)

PC-STEAM, 2016 VERSION:


Click you youtube video with sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhGSQXiDnn8

(No storm, only rain)



ANDROID, 2013 VERSION:

[Kaleidogames]

Update #6
Importance of having the collisions well marked.

Here we have spines with a red glow, it breaks the ambience a little bit but it makes it obvious that it is dangerous:


Also it works very well fading the background a bit and adding a bit of color to the main collidable layer: