Shadow

[neobi]

I've posted most the info for this game at Doan's but it's about time I brought word of it over here. Shadow is gunna be a combo ACBS Game. It's similiar to my Zelda Battle system in basis but goes so much more complex than that. Being my second go at the ACBS I know all the areas where I wanted to do something else but couldn't in the Zelda after getting so far and stuff. The battle system is running so much smoother already in this game. Also hopefully only quick like couple frame delays in the game. But not any more than inevitable.

The shadow system works like this. In the top left it has a heart than displays your HP, you may get up to 1000 heart points. Then in the top right it displays your condition sorta. It's a ying yang symbol that is a certain color. Green: Normal, Blue: Blocking, Gray: No Attacking or enemies, Red: You've just been damaged or hit, Yellow: You've been hit and now are in your 2 seconds of recovery or invincible state. I have the enemy attacks working great already, I'm ready to test out Shadow's attacks on the enemy now. His attacks will be simple at first but then branch out into unlockable complex combos. Also I have a jumping system incorporated into the game that works great. You'll also be able to upgrade your jumps in the game along with your falling distance.

[Valkysas]

cool!

[Redneck 2000]

Awesome. HP usually stands for Health Points, though. Not Heart points.

The battle system sounds really cool, as long as you dont have to constantly be shifting views from the battle to that colored icon. If it flows smoothly, that sounds really nice.

[neobi]

"Awesome. HP usually stands for Health Points, though. Not Heart points."

lol I know, but I just got done making a zelda game and you had hearts and in this one I used the Heart icon again so Heart Points lol.

"The battle system sounds really cool, as long as you dont have to constantly be shifting views from the battle to that colored icon. If it flows smoothly, that sounds really nice."

Yeah thanks, and No that colored icon is always displayed onscreen along with your health so there will be no switching views to see it or anything. And I'm not sure yet if I'm going custom camera sustem yet or defualt. We'll see...

[WilliamKirk]

You should definitely go custom. It's not hard at all to do (haha, and look who I'm talking to). It's soooo much better than the default.

[neobi]

Okay I just had an AWESOME dream like 1/2 hour ago about shadow. It was this sweet mecha battle where you were up at the top by it's head only and it was shooting stuff out like crazy. And you could actually reflect his shots back at him( i don't know If will do this feature), but anyways I have to make this battle now. I already had this other ground level mecha battle planned out but this one will have to be in the game too. I'm still deciding which boss battle to put into the first demo.

We'll see what I get preoccupied with tonight but I'll try and make some attacks for Shadow and then start on the boss battle. :-)

[neobi]

Okay you've heard some of the battle system and jumping and stuff about shadow. Now it's about time I told you guys about the storyline. Some of it is still tentative but here it is:

"Shadow is not good or evil. He is the balance. He is what keeps the forces hindered so one side does not gain complete control. In times where one is overly dominant he goes to diminish that side. He is not kept by time. But as he changes one part in time he may have to go back or forward depending on what has now changed with that. His ultimate goal is to create the world of the equal balance, however if he shall die and lead one side to domination...he has failed. Time shall tell which force shall prevail Good, Evil, or Shadow. For a shadow can't be made in the dark without light. Nor with light and no dark does a shadow exist either."

There's the general idea. As for more into that with the game. You'll start with your basic shadow attacks, but there will be the four elements of earth that will have there own set of attacks to unlock and raise up as well. Earth, wind, fire, water. Hopefully this will work out nice but I'm already having one problem with the battle system. I'll hopefully get this straightened out and not have to redo too much. Also enemies will turn into different things when they die. Some will be health, some experience, and other will be one of the elements you unlocked. I'm thinking that you'll have a certain power lv for each element that will be used up and when you kill enemies you'll get these aura things that bring it back up.

[WilliamKirk]

That sounds very good (both the story and gameplay). The ideas for the story so far are interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing where you take it.

[neobi]

YAAAAAY I got the battle system attacks working. That means Shadow is all ready to start mass production! lol Anyways this is where I branch the game, I'm keeping a back-up save that I will use to start future ACBS Games like my next zelda installment I have planned. Now I will work on this kickass mecha battle I'm not sure which of the two mecha battles I have drafted out will be the end of the demo but I'm sure it will be cool.

BTW the attacks work VERY VERY Fluid in this game, You can attack like infinitely in a row in this game rapidly with no delays, and I can get away with this becuase enemies have delay times after there hit until they can be hit again. I also should start working on a title screen and opening etc... We'll see how far I get, too bad I have to work tomorrow...oh well I need money too :-)

[neobi]

I've been working on Shadow and it's coming along great!! I've created a few attacks already and only one will be unlocked right away others will be learned by enemies etc...

Shadow Jump Attack: Shadow hops in the air and lands in his ball one spot forward hitting the enemy then returns back.

Shadow Squash: Shadow jumps up in the air in his ball then comes down wich squishes his body so that hit's all eneimes around shadows body.

Shadow Dash: Shadow spurts forward 3 spaces attacking all 3

Jump: then i just have the square square do jumps


I also made the first boss, it is a very tough battle unless you come up with a plan fast. The enemy mecha is only vulnerable during a small amount of time. And his attacks aren't easy to dodge. It's the mecha head battle. It shoots out missiles to 3 locations. After 10 of them it opens it's mouth to charge for a super attack that will slotter you unless ya get far away lol. I think people will like it. I also have plans for a little demo world before the boss. Expect a demo soon but I may not have another one till I finish after that.

[neobi]

Shadow os OUT!!! Well a short demo of it anyways.

Tell me what ya all think!

HERE (http://us.codejunkies.com/saves_showmaxdrive.asp?c=US&cr=USD&cs=$&r=0&l=1&g=587&st=C)

It's the top download (the one that says shadow lol)

[Tsunami]

Cool. When will the game be finished?

[neobi]

Not sure yet. I want some people to comment on the demo. See what they think, so far all good. Then I'll add or change some stuff to my drating as necessary and then get to work. When it's done idk...Hopefully not too excrutiatingly long though.

[Hedrum]

I'll play it. Once it gets done. :)

[neobi]

SHADOW UPDATE

Well i kinda lost direction a while back on shadow but now I'm back on track and it's cooler than ever! Here's how I've finally decided the game is gunna be like.

Start out and do a few levels that are somewhat tutorial based. Then after those few levels, you finish learning your basic Shadow attacks, and now WAAAHBAAAAM!!! You are now on a 8 level select screen, practically identical to those of megaman games. You can navigate around the map with direction buttons, save your game, do passwords, check level info, and go to the level you want. the eight levels have these themes:
Plant
Water
Electric
Lava
Desert
Ice
Air
Fire
----
Each level will be semi-linear with enemies and traps and secrets all over. Even after you beat a level you may come back and find missed secrets or secrets that weren't reachable until now. Some secrets will require special skills and equipment to get them.

Every boss will allow you to get a new skill, and hopefully you will have picked up equipment through the level. Some equipment includes shoes that make you jump higher or fall farther, armor for defense, power-ups for health and stronger majic levels, and even maybe some other secret skills to help you out ;-)

[Tsunami]

Awsome. It sounds a lot like a Megaman game. Seems like this will be even better than your first game.

[neobi]

NEW DEMO OUT

http://us.codejunkies.com/saves_showmaxdrive.asp?c=US&cr=USD&cs=$&r=0&l=1&g=587&st=C

Paste that in and download the SHADOW one :-)

And at the end of the demo it gives you a password that will allow you to continue off from where you finished for the next demo/game. It's nothing too much, but it sets it up a little. The actual levels will be more dynamic and varied. But you'll have to wait to see that :-D

[WarDragon]

I'm gonna have to find someone to send my memory card to so i can play your game.

[Tsunami]

I just finished playing your demo and I must say that it was quite good. The controls are muchsimpler and easier to use than your Zelda game and I also like the fact that it's like a Megaman game. The first boss was very well done, as was the jump engine.

I do have a few suggestions though. First, I found the battles against the slimes at the begining to be a bit tedious partially because of their high health. Since they are at the very begining of the game and the player is still getting used to the controls, they should be less durable. Also, the only attack that really seemed effective against them was the square triangle attack. Finally, since Shadow is completely black, it's hard to tell which direction he is facing, while this is a minor flaw it can still cause some unnessesary mistakes at times. These are not serious problems or anything, just thought I'd bring them up.

Overall, I definately enjoyed your demo and I am looking forward to playing the finished game when it comes out.

[Hedrum]

NEW DEMO OUT

http://us.codejunkies.com/saves_showmaxdrive.asp?c=US&cr=USD&cs=$&r=0&l=1&g=587&st=C

Paste that in and download the SHADOW one :-)

And at the end of the demo it gives you a password that will allow you to continue off from where you finished for the next demo/game. It's nothing too much, but it sets it up a little. The actual levels will be more dynamic and varied. But you'll have to wait to see that :-D

I'm sorry, I'm just too lazy to copy and paste. Maybe you can submit it here?

[neobi]

SHADOW DEMO LINK (http://www.maximummemory.com/files/20340_4382_RPG_MAKER2_718212.max)

There that work for ya? :lol

[Hedrum]

Alright, I played your demo Nash and I got past the first slime (but not the second). For the most part, everything flowed pretty smoothly. However, there's only one problem I found and that was the combination of buttons to make Shadow attack. Is there anyway you can fix this? Because I really don't like pressing square and triangle to just attack. It made me quite frustrated.

Not only did I have trouble with the combos, I had trouble attacking the first slime as well. It's like I had to run right up to it and then attack. Sometimes when I tried to attack it, the slime would attack me before I could even reach it. If you would make it easier to attack, that would be nice.

Anyway, I hope that helps you, Nash.