Josh's Adventure (Released!)

[1ce]

Re: Josh's Adventure

Been doing other things lately, but I had some time to work on this. Watching Dray's LPs helped motivate me to start working again. http://www.pavilionboards.com/forum/...ad.php?t=20295

I got some of the tutorial level done. You basically go through a level that points out the basics of how to play the game. I wanted it to be a bit more interactive than the text of Donkey Kong, and I also wanted visual examples since this is a more complicated game than DK.

What I really need to do is begin some concept work on World 2. I have at least one good idea I'll likely follow up on, a world that has many paths and bushes. You can't pass these bushes on your own, but there's a horse somewhere in the level that will eat the bushes and clear a path. In order to get the horse to obey you, you'll need to find a carrot somewhere in the level and feed the horse to have it help you.

Will post more progress as it develops.

[FlamingMage]

Re: Josh's Adventure

Seems like a great idea. The one thing to watch out for is that the player might feel they are progressing forward, only to be forced to backtrack. Perhaps you could put some of "money" in the game visible behind the bushes, to alert the player that they will, eventually, be going there. It makes it seem a bit more like a 'secret' and less like backtracking.

Unless I misunderstood something and am falsely accusing you

[1ce]

Re: Josh's Adventure

Today I attempted to make a new level called Horizontal. The level was going to be completely straight right and left, with the only vertical movement being going up ladders to avoid enemies. Unfortunately trying to make the level work didn't turn out so well, because there's too many enemies to try and balance out. It becomes one big waiting game sometimes, since there are so many enemies walking around. I may alter the level to make it work, but as it is now it's too cumbersome.

And I've got the plans for the next world, number 2, and it's called Kentucky Bluegrasslands. Here you'll need to mainly use a horse you find in the level to eat through bushes to pass the level. There are some restrictions, though. You have to find a carrot to convince the horse to help you, and the horse cannot jump on jumping tiles. I don't yet have a boss planned for this level.

I've got an idea I could use some feedback on. What do you think of the game showing you the weakness to an enemy right before you fight them? I got the idea from playing House of the Dead 2&3. In that game, right before you fight the boss, you are shown the enemy weakness, so going into the fight you know what to do, and it's just a matter of doing it.

Here's an example, just watch the beginning part of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX0Dh...eature=related

So, is this a feature you'd like to see in this game?

[1ce]

Re: Josh's Adventure

I almost have a level finished today. I learned that one strip of land for a bunch of monsters wasn't going to work, so I expanded it to three and have a ton of monsters infest each one. I playtested it and the level actually works pretty well. It's called level 2-1, March.

I also have a new avatar that I put up, and it's just a basic idea of what I'd like to do with it. I'd like to add text in the blank open space it has, but my current editor doesn't do transparent at all, which kinda ruins the effect I wanted. I also plan to have a signature and work on this avatar a bit more in the coming days.

[ErikaFuzzbottom]

Re: Josh's Adventure

I also have a new avatar that I put up

(Psst. You didn't put it up here, yet.)

[1ce]

Re: Josh's Adventure

(Don't tell them that.)

[ErikaFuzzbottom]

Re: Josh's Adventure

(I didn't. I only told you.)

[1ce]

Re: Josh's Adventure

Worked on the game a bit more yesterday. Working on a new level called 2-2, Wild Green.

In this particular level, the exit is nearby, but you can't reach it because grass is in the way. So you have to go find the horse on the end of the level, and bring it back to open the exit so you can pass the level. The horse can't jump, so you have to find a way to open ramps to let the horse through.

Not much else to report. Have a good day!

[1ce]

Re: Josh's Adventure

I decided to get some more work today.

And I think for the first time in this project, I can finally see things coming together. Level design, ideas, the flow of the game, it's all coming together. What a great feeling. I know I won't have this out anytime soon, so I don't have to stress over a release date (which is TBA, by the way). And while we're talking about the game, it's currently using 45 different switches, which is the most I've ever used for a game. Then again, I can't remember how many Usuru used, but that's besides the point. Things are going well!

More work was made on level 2-2, adding some new events and working some minor things. I also went back to some previous levels and edited some older code, namely I made sure lives are all taken away upon returning to the hubworld. I still have much to fix up in the older levels; not so much because they're broken, but it'll streamline things. I'd love to begin working on custom sprites soon, something simple like direction arrows. Something so simple, yet it can be ever so effective when used right.

[FlamingMage]

Re: Josh's Adventure

Sounds great! What general type of aesthetic look are you going for with your custom sprites? I liked how the screenshots you posted looked, but if those are just stand-ins then that's fine too.

[1ce]

Re: Josh's Adventure

Well, I've never really made them myself before, so likely it will be a simple look for custom sprites. Hopefully it won't be too difficult.

[1ce]

Re: Josh's Adventure

I was in the mood for rpgmaking, so I continued with my progress.

I did more work in level 2-2. This level is taking quite a bit of time, partly because it's complex and partly because I haven't been working on it daily.

I did fix up some events concerning the horse. Now you can return to the stable and return the horse so you can walk around again. The drawbridges to connect platforms is also up and running. I have only run into one big problem so far, and that concerns the bushes found in the level. You simply can't eat them. They disappear and reappear so quickly that it's completely useless to do so. The only solution I can think of is to assign each bush a switch so each one disappears for good, then reset the switches for use in some later levels for the same purpose. Other than that and enemies, this level is nearly complete.

Let's also change the subject, but stay with the rpgmaking topic. I feel this should be my last big rpgmaker 1 game. Simply put, I'm rather tired with this system, and I'm running out of creative ways to manipulate it. After all, I've been playing with it for about 5 years, so that's not a huge surprise. I'm trying to use every trick I can think of to populate this last big release.

Now, this doesn't mean I'm done with rpgmaker, and it doesn't mean I'll never release another rpgm1 game. I think a switch of platforms is a good idea after the release of this game. Maybe start working on rpgmaker 2 or 3. I've never gien them the amount of time or attenion they really deserve. But who knows, it's all a little early to say right now. But it's something interesting to discuss, at the very least.

[ErikaFuzzbottom]

Re: Josh's Adventure

I have only run into one big problem so far, and that concerns the bushes found in the level. You simply can't eat them. They disappear and reappear so quickly that it's completely useless to do so. The only solution I can think of is to assign each bush a switch so each one disappears for good, then reset the switches for use in some later levels for the same purpose.

Or you could end the event with "Unable to Execute". Then it won't reappear until after you Move Location. That's how I handled the bushes in Jester's Hunt.

[1ce]

Re: Josh's Adventure

Thanks Draygone. You've saved me a lot of time, memory and headaches. So, thank you. Level 2-2 is almost finished.

I also fiddled around with a new option today. I made a new counter for the game, something you can open in the item menu and look up just like points. Death Count will track how many times you've died in the game. This will be for two reasons; one, to see how many times you've died playing this game, and also for a new feature; the easy difficulty mode. On Normal difficulty, I set the lives you start with to 5, and on Easy, you start with 10. No enemies change, you just start with a nice boost of extra lives. There is a drawback to this mode, however; you cannot unlock new worlds or features in Easy mode. I did this so players can't just breeze through the whole game on Easy. It removes a bit of challenge to the game. If you can't unlock anything with it, it's still useful as a way to practice levels that are tricky or to view new worlds.

[1ce]

Re: Josh's Adventure

Thought I'd post this because it made me smile:

1ce has posted far too many progress reports for me to possibly recap here.

Just here to report I'm going to take a couple days off of rpgmaking to relax. Will be back shortly.