Game Dev Diary for "Daughters and the Exotic"
" Don't think it's cleverer; sounds like you're state when things all slot into place, a state of flow. Sounds especially hard with coding as the computer doesn't have any allowance for going easy on you or helping. Which I guess is also cool, as you can say you did it all yourself fair and square. -- with the screenies yeah why not post dozens? *hugs* |
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@erdelyii - wow plot twist, I promise I wasn't thinking of myself when I said hug a programmer - but on the fact that you are a female I will accept the hug and thank you for it - if that was Charan or somebody though I might have to give him a sample plate of these knuckle sandwiches. Nothing personal I just don't want dudes getting too close to meh
@Altnaharra - thanks altnaharra, you're right whether it comes to playing video games or making video games everyone has their own method just like every ninja has their own signature jutsu. Years ago I wrote about 20 pages of notes to myself about the nature of inspiration. Basically, I said that inspiration to a healthy person of average intelligence is like a 0 - in that sense that it is a constant, and infinitely invasive, and as such it will be taken for granted by its very nature. I went on and on from there but I'll spare you the rest Update Okay guys just to give a quick out of season update... people on the forum usually tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to Path of Exile because they look at my characters and see that none of them are over level 90. Well that's because usually by level 80 I've figured out something that makes me want to improve on the entire process that I built my current character on. In Betrayal for example I have 3 cast when stunned characters. And you may scoff but that build got so much better by the 3rd one lol. I mean I went from 150k dps to over a million and went from roughly 7k effective hp to 12k. Point is... I haven't been updating because of my revisionist mentality. My menus were working, but in a way that wasn't ideal so I wiped them and started over. Now they are better, more organized, and I can actually look at them and understand what I scripted. I didn't bother to update during those times because there wasn't really any point to keep complaining about my messed up python scripting. I've gone from watching beginner python tutorials to advanced ones with the hopes of avoiding writing such spaghetti code like I used to. Btw HARVARD put out a python course on youtube and it sucks compared to the 16 year old kid who made one in his spare time smh. Regular updates start tomorrow as I'm finally done with the current menus, meaning I have them in a place where I shouldn't have to update them for a while. That's what took so long I wanted them to be a little bit future proof to whatever I might run into down the line. |
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Couldn't resist being a smartass, I'm sure you have your reasons for not using 'em. May as well do what works for you, nothing wrong with rebuilding. " That's great. Hey I know. Still! I'm big stinky ogre. Hug all the men! |
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The internet went down for the past couple of days, but I've still been in blender for many hours everyday as usual so just because I didn't post didn't mean I wasn't doing something. But when I think about it this is definitely a boring update because it's all about game dev stuff and not so much about the game. To get to the point, a lot of stuff happened with the game from a project management point of view.
I abhor my old spaghetti code that I first made when I started this - so I rewrote the dialogue system from the ground up. I condensed it from 50 lines of code down to 10, which took me 3 hours to do. The initial 3 hours went smoothly, but then I decided to add a new feature to the word wrap that I'd implemented. The old word wrap would cut off big words in order to prevent the text from overlapping the text borders. The new code will anticipate the size of the next word in order to prevent that from happening. I got the new feature working quickly but it then broke some other things. Without internet, without stackexchange, without blenderartists.org, without python api etc, it took me 3 hours to realize that it was all because I'd written myString[-1] vs. the correct myString[-1:] - Okay great. The next thing I did was set out to combine two of the game's modes: The exploration mode and the battlefield mode. The purpose being so that for the first time I'd be able to transition smoothly between the game's battle system and the segments where the player explores the enviornments. But then I ran into a red flag having to do with project management and how blender game engine works. Blender doesn't handle variables very well when it comes to transitioning between scenes. Scenes in blender are just another way of organizing data, basically. But they haven't been implemented with feature completeness in mind in so far as the game engine is concerned. As a result they are pretty shallow and they require a lot of extraneous save/loading and extra processing and re-processing of the same variables in between different scenes. In other words, dealing with scenes as a primary organization tool for data was a misplaced strategy on my part. As such, fate has invited me to completely rewrite the battle code from the very beginning. Thank you, fate, I'm on my way. It may seem a bit decadent and opulent, but I spent hours today thinking of ways I could improve upon my old way of relying on scenes for organization. And I think I came up with something novel. I'll just put both modes of gameplay - the battlefield and the exploration mode - on the same map! I know it sounds like 'duh' but from the project manager point of view... (I am project manager by the way ;) ) - this represents a SIGNIFICANT change. In such a profound way. And I think the game is all the better for it. Charan even challenged me one day about whether or not the battle system of a JRPG could be considered both real time and turn based. Well, I think thanks to the changes I've made recently to the design, that it gameplay can suit that moniker of real time and turn based better than it ever had before. This was a bad update and I apologize. It is very dev'y and not game'y at all. But the past two days were definitely programmer/project manager days. Internet seems stable. Update tomorrow. |
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If it helps you sort out your thoughts it's all good. Wasn't boring. Doing multiple roles is never easy, especially on a team of one. Definite benefits to doing it all yourself, of course.
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" Agreed. And the habit of writing things down. |
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Yeah you're both right. This thread is basically an extension of the Daughters design document. Yes, I made one and I've discovered that there is synergy between what I put in here and what I put in there. I also enjoy watching indie game dev diaries - many times they're more revealing than you'd even think they aught to be. Anywho...
Today I was free to work on game design for the first time since the first week that I started. Up until now it has been menus, menus, menus it seems like. But it was worth it because now thanks to the menu implementation, adding in gameplay elements is much easier than it was without it. And that was the point. From what I can tell, the game is currently about a week and a half away from being 'functionally playable'. There won't be rich looking graphics or animations though. It'll be ugly as hell, but the mechanics and things will be in place to where it can be played as a game. I'd have fun with it, personally. Tee hee hee. Basically I think that after a week and a half of input from me that the game will be in a RPGMAKER type state where I can just add things like skills, dialogue, music etc. Oh yeah, I've been refining my battle system further and I even have a name for it. Like they used to back in teh day. I call the battle system... the Epoch Battle System! Da-dum!! (I feel like I'm starring in my own anime the way I'm talking about these level ups like this.) I'll HAVE to start making actual screenshots when it's appropriate. These no screenshot updates don't feel right. But one last thing I'm gonna reveal the 0.1 version of a Perk-like thing that I just added to the roster of Perks today. Introducing Smell-o-Vision
Spoiler
Keep in mind, I AM that guy who suggested to GGG that they make a MTX for bear trap that would release an actual bear upon the enemy. I am that dude that plays cast when stunned league after league. Coincidentally, I think I actually am that dude who is going to put smellovision in his sci-fi jrpg. It makes sense, right? Okay Smell-O-Vision is a Perk-like trait that you can give your protagonist at the character creation or through acquiring it by some other means such as through training. I know this sounds ambitious... but dude, the capability is already in there right now! That's what I've been doing with the menus... adding this capability. ---- Smell-O-Vision: “In order to gain insight into the inner machinations of fate, we must turn toward ALL our senses with the exact same desperation of those god damned old timey, true-belivers.. [She unholsters her side arm, removing the saftey then finally aiming her weapon directly at you.] Here. Now put on this blindfold.” -Will you survive the training?! After unlocking Smell-O-Vision either at character creation or through training, you can then set out to upgrade it and here is its upgrade path - considered to be v0.1. Maybe you can glean some of the Epoch mechanics from the skill descriptions. Who knows. Keep in mind the language is rough. But it's based on the mechanics. In order for Level 2 to make sense I'll explain Precision skills. A skill that is tagged as a Precision skill requires clear line of sight. So anything that interferes with vision will normally prevent anyone from using a Precision skill. Smell-O-Vision allows you to work around that. Also, keep in mind, Daughter is a roguelike so shops can be VERY VERY important. Level 1 - You can see enemies on the other side of medium and small barriers of the battlefield. Level 2 - Vision is no longer required in order to use Precision skills. Level 3 - Your keen sense of smell has the ability to thwart 1 enemy ambush every 250 turns. Level 4 – You can accurately assess the Threat Level of any enemy once every 40 turns. Level 5-You can identify whenever merchants' prices are either too high or too low on lower rarity items. Level 6 – You can identity whenever merchant's prices are either too high or too low on higher rarity items. Level 7 – By turning your elegant nose skyward merchants now think more highly of you. Level 8 – You can accurately access the Threat Level of all enemies on the field of battle. (sustained ability) Level 9 – You can thwart the offensive action of any nearby non-boss enemy once every 500 turns, dealing damage to them in the process with a swift counter attack which prevents them from acting for the next 6 turns. Master - Gain access to the Cosmic Snuff ability! Using your keen senses, you can smell into the future... a future where YOU DID NOT SNEEZE. Choosing to defy fate however, you sneeze with everything you have at the exact same moment WHEN YOU WERE NEVER MEANT TO – the resulting clash of will between the past, present and future causes a temporal collapse that should have surely destroyed the cosmos... but for whatever reason... it didn't... resulting in your continued existence. However, the resulting shock waves of energy that emanating from your illustrious snout were enough to cause devastating damage to everything else who once stood before you, for the most part, obliterating all. Once every 250000 turns, destroy an entire dungeon's population (except for those who are resistant to such effects.) Utterly ridiculous, isn't it? Good. Anyway... How many points would YOU put into smell o vision. ;) Me? I'm maxing it out! I'm serious. This is going in there. As an aside, ever since I was a kid I always thought game designers should learn from the best games out there whenever possible. Recently I have been watching Shroud play Apex and I noticed they have little pickups that reduce the cool down of their character's ultimates. So I was thinking giving Cosmic Snuff a gigantic cooldown would be fine because then it would lend inherent value toward a item that is capable of reducing the cool down of abilities. Which I think would be nice as a chase consumable item in a rogue like. To stock up those. |
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" Nice :) " Sounds legit to me, then long experience with Transcendent Olfaction. That game also has bear arms, among other things. Yours works completely differently, so not wanting to take the wind out of your sails at all - wanting to say not so strange at all!
Spoiler
Okay Smell-O-Vision is a Perk-like trait that you can give your protagonist at the character creation or through acquiring it by some other means such as through training. I know this sounds ambitious... but dude, the capability is already in there right now! That's what I've been doing with the menus... adding this capability. ---- Smell-O-Vision: “In order to gain insight into the inner machinations of fate, we must turn toward ALL our senses with the exact same desperation of those god damned old timey, true-belivers.. [She unholsters her side arm, removing the saftey then finally aiming her weapon directly at you.] Here. Now put on this blindfold.” -Will you survive the training?! After unlocking Smell-O-Vision either at character creation or through training, you can then set out to upgrade it and here is its upgrade path - considered to be v0.1. Maybe you can glean some of the Epoch mechanics from the skill descriptions. Who knows. Keep in mind the language is rough. But it's based on the mechanics. In order for Level 2 to make sense I'll explain Precision skills. A skill that is tagged as a Precision skill requires clear line of sight. So anything that interferes with vision will normally prevent anyone from using a Precision skill. Smell-O-Vision allows you to work around that. Also, keep in mind, Daughter is a roguelike so shops can be VERY VERY important. Level 1 - You can see enemies on the other side of medium and small barriers of the battlefield. Level 2 - Vision is no longer required in order to use Precision skills. Level 3 - Your keen sense of smell has the ability to thwart 1 enemy ambush every 250 turns. Level 4 – You can accurately assess the Threat Level of any enemy once every 40 turns. Level 5-You can identify whenever merchants' prices are either too high or too low on lower rarity items. Level 6 – You can identity whenever merchant's prices are either too high or too low on higher rarity items. Level 7 – By turning your elegant nose skyward merchants now think more highly of you. Level 8 – You can accurately access the Threat Level of all enemies on the field of battle. (sustained ability) Level 9 – You can thwart the offensive action of any nearby non-boss enemy once every 500 turns, dealing damage to them in the process with a swift counter attack which prevents them from acting for the next 6 turns. Master - Gain access to the Cosmic Snuff ability! Using your keen senses, you can smell into the future... a future where YOU DID NOT SNEEZE. Choosing to defy fate however, you sneeze with everything you have at the exact same moment WHEN YOU WERE NEVER MEANT TO – the resulting clash of will between the past, present and future causes a temporal collapse that should have surely destroyed the cosmos... but for whatever reason... it didn't... resulting in your continued existence. However, the resulting shock waves of energy that emanating from your illustrious snout were enough to cause devastating damage to everything else who once stood before you, for the most part, obliterating all. Once every 250000 turns, destroy an entire dungeon's population (except for those who are resistant to such effects.) Utterly ridiculous, isn't it? Good. Anyway... How many points would YOU put into smell o vision. ;) Me? I'm maxing it out! I'm serious. This is going in there. " Cooldown management via consumables sounds potentially annoying unless it's predictable to source them, and then I wonder what's the point? That's that game anyway, and you've seen it whereas I haven't. For your mega sniff skill, it sounds fine to have a chase consumable to reduce the cooldown on that. |
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Interesting that you say that about the consumables being annoying unless you are able to farm them. Hee hee~ well let me just say that I had been thinking about the rules for a game like this for years before I actually sat down to try to make it last month and one of the very first decisions I made was to virtually eliminate all forms of RNG.
Now that was years ago. Since then I've gained a deeper appreciation for what Path of Exile does in particular. So there is some RNG, but MOSTLY loot will be deterministic. I'd say like 70% deterministic 30% random. In other words, if you hunt for an item, you will find it eventually. Now whether or not your build is capable of claiming the loot that you found is another story. I don't see the point of explaining it now. I think I MIGHT be able to put together a 'pre-alpha' build or something within 1 month's time. Since you've been so supportive I'd definitely send you a link if you're interested. Once you see the game in action, you'd understand what I mean when I say that being able to find loot doesn't mean that you can take it! And no I'm not talking about inventory space inhibiting you. Or I might just make videos of gameplay. It's all because of how insecure blender is, being open source and all. I'm not even sure how to distribute anything yet. But if I can figure out a way to securely package it then I'll send it to you. It's gonna be ugly doe. So what about an update this time... well I've been coding and developing the world's art style. For the first time ever I've 'seen' what Grendel looks like for example. The character artstyle has evolved from my first rough sketches. And I've started on the OST. I think the game's soundtrack so far has an 8-bit spaghetti western vibe. I interested in seeing how much the rest of world will hate it! lol |
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Getting back to more regular updates.
Tonight I put in the stealth system. If the player steps onto the enemy cone of vision they will be become alarmed of your prescense and begin to attack. Likewise there is a much wider cylinder of sound that will also alert enemies if you make noise within the radius of the cylinder. Certain skills and equipment can be used to lower your noise level and even your visibility so that the player will be able to traverse the environment without alerting enemies as easily. A visual representation of how easily the enemies can perceive you will scale up or down depending on how high a player's stealth rating is vs the enemies' ability to perceive through stealth. This is especially important because mechanical enemies such as robots will not be vulnerable to the same stealth tactics as humans and vice versa. The screenshot would just be some cubes with red triangles extruded out of their bottoms. So why bother lol. Oh yeah, atm I'm using the metal gear approach of a exlaimation mark to show when an enemy has seen you. After 100 seconds they will stand down for the moment. But maybe that's too stupid of an AI. I'm leaning toward them never giving up on you actually. |
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