Ludum Dare » mantis

Oh crap, I forgot the title! Gameplay progress, I guess :)

mantis — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:25:27 +0000

So yeah, coding hard, even if slow ( I _HAD_ to sleep during the day, still weak from the sickness ). I managed to implement PNG map loading, character entity, tiles, and “tile cleaning”

PICTURE TIME!

Now to implement, in Gameplay milestone:
-Dying
-Multiple levels
-Time limit
-more tile types
-enemies

Sheesh. I guess I’ll be doing 3 days. Stupid sickness.

Also, I noticed that I’m making the game about a goblin that’s alone on his birthday. It’s my birthday, I’m alone in my bed, far from any friends ( in a foreign country ), coding. Not so different after all, eh? Maybe I’ll change the game ending from one I wanted to have to happier one. At least my Gobos will have a happy birthday

I’m still coding!

mantis — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:21:37 +0000

I unfortunately fell sick on the weekend, and couldn’t really work after writing couple lines of code in the morning. I’m feeling better now, so I moved my desktop near to my bed, and pretend it’s still weekend. I wrote animated sprite class, and now I will pretend like today is sunday, and work till the day finishes.

After all, LD is all about challenging yourself, there are no prizes . It’s better to make your game even if it’s past the time limit than not to make it at all due to silly restrictions like rules

Also, it’s my birthday and what I say goes . So there! Back to coding!

Back from the gym, let’s get crackin’

mantis — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 12:57:16 +0000

Ok, I have couple mechanics ideas. Things to implement, in order:

-animated Sprite class
-tiles
-map loading ( preferably I would use PNGs with pixels for tiles )
-gameplay
-menus & text displaying
-enemies
-app structure ( intro, menu, level load, play level, level load, …, game over/won )
-animations in
-audio in

And here’s a mockup level and updated Gobos model:

I’m in! WITH GOBLINS!

mantis — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:35:06 +0000

I’ve already done two games this week ( minigames, our milestone at work was moved back and I suddenly faced insane time constraints), so I wasn’t sure I’ll be in mood for Ludum Dare. However, after I’ve done the games I was able to take friday off to chill out. /boringstuff

Well, here’s my idea: You control a lonely lonely goblin who was never invited to parties ( because he was ugly ). Finally, on his birthday he decided that HE will throw a party, and hopefully somebody will come. He sent out invitations and started cleaning his castle. The castle is big, so he has to hurry.

The gameplay will be Q*bert-like for those of you old enough to remember.

As for tools, I’ve decided to give Python/Pyglet a chance. I’ve never worked with Pyglet, but I’ve done some scripting in Python ( level pre-processing for a Wii game for example ), and I’m a quick learner . I’ll use the SFXR for sound and GraphicsGale for my art. I recently moved to a different country and I didn’t bring my tablet with me, so all art will be drawn with mouse. Sheesh.

Anyways, it’s 9:30 am on Saturday, I’ve just woken up, I think I’ll start the day by going to gym, relax my brain there ( maybe think up some mechanics ), and start working when I’m back. I’ve already done a first sketch of the main character, so that the game vision will clarify in my head. Keep in mind I’m a coder not an artist

Battlestation

mantis — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:05:13 +0000

Battlestation ready. Now to acquire food.

Back again

mantis — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:54:34 +0000

It looks like I’m back for a second LD. Since I started learning pixel art recently, most likely I’ll be making a 2D game or 3D with Minecraft-like blocks, trying to make it as pretty as I can.

Most likely I’ll be using XNA, but Unity is also an option.

Can’t wait till friday night! See you there!

Walls of Tron final.

mantis — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:14:11 +0000

It’s 3am and I’m heading to sleep. Haven’t managed to put in all the features I wanted but I think I managed quite well. The game is simple one of Tron – avoid running into walls as long as possible, prolong the inevitable.
Basic setup is for 2 playes, you can change it to single player mode by modifying config.xml that lies in ‘Content’ directory. You’ll need newest .NET and XNA (3.0) redistribuable to play the game so make sure you have them!

Controls are Left/Right arrow for player 1 and A/S for player 2.

Binary for windows

UPDATE: Installer for windows , includes redistribuables. Avoid the hassle, yo!

UPDATE #2: Source

ENJOY! Also, since my dev comp is down I can’t take pictures of game, will update later on, for now using older screenshot:

Woo sounds!

mantis — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:38:06 +0000

Sounds added, lots of cool stuff, be sure to check it out (REQUIRES XNA 3.0 redist, if you don’t have it’ll just lolcrash). it’s a ‘single player demo’: http://www.z00ttheater.com/mantis/Debug.zip Enjoy

Standoff at dawn!

mantis — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 17:23:01 +0000

Particles fixed, added 3 seconds of STARING AT OTHER PLAYER. WHO WILL CHICKEN OUT FIRST? FILM AT 11.

8 milestones to go.

Oh damn

mantis — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:30:54 +0000

Having bit of a problem with particles in multiple viewports. Using the DrawableGameComponent of XNA for it might have been a mistake:

Here we go again \o\ /o/

mantis — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 11:22:55 +0000

Good morning sunshines. It’s time to code again. List of priorities is as follows:

Single/Multiplayer XML setting
ASSPLOSIONS (particle system)
Removal of walls on dying (assplosion related)
Start countdown
Camera fixes (still some problems when player can’t see why he died)
Sound
Speedup as you ride along wall of other player to catch up on him
Best out of 10 rounds highscore system
Death cam replays
Player names in XML
Networked multiplayer (as opposed to split screen that is now)
AI, if there will be enough time.

And here is some breakfast of champions:

That’s it for today

mantis — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:26:27 +0000

It’s 1:24am and it’s high time to head home, if I want to work on the game tomorrow. Added bit of fixes to camera, displaying text and some other minor thingamabobs. Things are looking good.

Welcome to HELL

mantis — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:29:06 +0000

And here is how my workplace looks like. I’m actually at the office because my gf would kill me for coding whole night . The monitor on the left isn’t actually taking part in the fun – it’s used only to run the Wii devkit, but I fired it up for more ePenis points

Blue likes it on top

mantis — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 21:58:44 +0000

Hot multiplayer cube on cube action like you’ve never seen before! Needs more assplosions and more players, but yeah, I’m getting there. I’m really loving my first Ludum Dare )))

3D tron yo!

mantis — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 20:47:11 +0000

Trying to compete with X-0ut is like struggling with hurricane, but hey, I’m not ditching my project yet. Adding multiplayer features/splitscreen is the next goal.

Avoid a wall of doom by climbing a wall!

mantis — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:03:11 +0000

Well, gameplay is progressing. The camera sucks, the temp art is temp, but you leave trail and move around.

It’s just a question of time

mantis — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:29:55 +0000

And away they go! On the way out wacky races!

You played the Nibbles and watch your ass turn into a deadly wall? You played a tron in which your opponent would build a wall just in front of you to kill you off? It’s time to take the challenge into 3D! Now any direction is a valid escape. Now every wall is a place of deadly struggle against other… well, so far cubes. My first LD attempt. Go!