I didn't get much time to do a proper video demo, which I promise will come some time soon; when I feel the timing works, but I will at least give you some screenshots so you can better understand my progress...
Figure 1: Basic game view, with Meemo in middle of screen.
From fig.1 you can see the basic retro 2D graphics, which is very pixelated, but at least I can produce some of my own art to keep the project going at a decent pace. Since I have not yet found an affordable artist, and also since I realised the industry is such that you need to prove your game first before people want to help. Funny enough, then people may even do it free if their interested. I am lucky though that the robot art (Meemo) was done for free since the artist decided to rather start his own game now also. Which was cool of him! So 90% of the rest of the graphics I did myself, and as I go along I'm redoing all the stuff or using public domain assets in order to keep it legal and call this my own game.
Then I took the extra week to trash out many bugs, so many, and now I can say crafting and the whole current game is bug-less, yay for Doom! That includes collision checking with player movement I finally added successfully as well. Meemo will move to the goal the mouse sets with left-click, avoiding solid objects. Also looting of world objects, to gather or farm resources for crafting materials is proximity based and looks and feel better. I've added a basic DAY/NIGHT timer - still not sure if I will fully implement this though.
Figure 2: Preview of crafting Table pane (working).
I've also added the Hearts (physical damage indicator) and integrated the oil drops with movement and robot speed, as well as now the robot battery power auto depletes depending on efficiency...so later it is easy to upgrade if needed.
So what is next?
A few things, which is still a must for basic engine mechanics:
- Place-able objects made from crafting. So you can place a new crafting box, or chest or machine on the game floor, etc.
- Add materials in game to scavenge to replenish battery power and oil, basic survival needs.
- Add the first enemy robot.
- Re-Theme complete game content to fit fallout/world in waste setting, with almost no living or growing fauna or flora...
- Finish Crafting Recipe and Chest for materials sections, which currently is not crucial, thats why the empty grey placeholders are there.
Thanks to my friend, Nico, whom visited and gave me some good ideas and input: I will probably consider making the big tree or something a home base, which will be attacked in waves by enemies. Then you need to defend it, as you progress with crafting. Crafting from mats from mobs and exploring and scavenging. Nico had a cool concept for enemies, or boss enemies, which requires the player to figure out how to defeat them in a specific way. Almost like a puzzle to win battles or fights. I like it, will obviously require much more work if each one is very different from other mobs...but lets see where we get in this year.
Overall I'm really happy with my progress, I also wrote out a whole game spec for the graphics requirements, or art images and sizes. So if any of you pixel artists are interested in helping ( for free) I can share it with you via email. Just send me the request. At the moment the first version (alpha) will be non-commercial. If I'm so lucky to get a following I will ask for support in form of art, and donations. Then if still people want more and I have time left, I can release a paid version with expansion content or something. Don't hold me to this, just ideas floating around.
Thanks for reading, please leave a comment if you have any input or ideas now that you have seen some screenshots. In time and when I manage to get Camtasia studio to make/record video's I will do so of the game...
