It's been a while since I've made a proper post, so here goes one with a bit of new information.
The due date is near, the game has been playtested and suggestions have been applied to enhance the experience. There are some things I wish we could change but we're too far in development for it, such as changing the colours of the flashing coal veins when hit, time spent in the mines and lots of other small tweaks. If this game ever progresses past a student work and starts heading into the direction of a commercial game, these fixes and changes will be applied from the start and more adjustable. At this time, Connor has completed most of the GUI work so that should all be in soon. During the first week of the holidays I managed to get:
- A Mine Entrance area.
This area was added because many playtesters didn't know what was going on to begin with, and when they found coal veins they didn't realize how to find the best spot to mine. Others also missed the mine cart right away. I've determined that this isn't a game that you can go into blind and know what to do, there is some explaining which needs to be done to really begin enjoying the game. So, instead of being put right into Floor 1, the player is instead placed in the Mine Entrance. This zone includes a mine cart and switch in front of them, which also hovers a message over it when approached. This is so the player can right away learn and experience what this does. A little more ahead is a active lantern, and underneath is the Miners Log. The Miners Log can also be viewed during the cabin phase, but is placed here now which explains how to play the game. The player can even interact with the lantern and take/place it there. This should teach the player what they need to know as they begin the game. In this zone, time does not move and they cannot lose stamina. They can quick travel out of this zone but cannot return until the next day.
- Family System re-done.
We were having so many issues with balancing the family earlier. It wasn't too difficult to keep them alive but it was practically impossible to make them normal or happy when playing. The system before went along the lines of:
- They had four stats, Health, Hunger, Mood and Warmth.
Health would go down each day depending on how much of the other 3 stats they had. Giving the family $5 a day would increase health... but not the other 3. Giving 10 would be Health and one stat, 15 would be health and 2 stats ect.
This system worked but not too well, so now it's changed to a static number you need to meet per day. For example, on day 1 they only need $10 to be normal, if you give them more than 10, they will be happy, if 10.. normal... if 5, sad. Each day this number gets higher, so you need to keep up. This accurately helps inform the player exactly how much they can spare each day, as they will not be able to see their family actually be happy. If a family member dies, the game will check what day you're up to and put you just below the threshold, that way you don't lose someone else the next day and lets you continue.
- Redone Company store with new art.
Connor got all his Company Store work complete earlier in the week, which allowed me to re-create it.
- Introduction.
Now when you click New Game, you will get an introduction cutscene instead of the old scrolling letter.
- Cabin Buttons and Inventory.
Cabin buttons are not scattered around anymore, but instead lined up down the bottom in an ideal order for the player to follow. This starts with Manage Funds to the Family (I think it's more important to prioritise the family first). Then the Company Store, Letters, Miners Log and Sleep. The old inventory system is finally gone too, no more showing perks and no more slide in. Now if you hover over the inventory button, it highlights and the inventory pops up in the top right. Much cleaner,
- Credits.
The credits were made up by me in After Effects, and brought into Unity. Not too exciting but it does play the theme song and show who did what. This can be accessed right away via the menu or upon clearing the game. Originally we only wanted to make it play when you beat the game, but we feel that its important that people can access it right away in case they want to contact anyone.
- Sound Effects.
Most of all the buttons have sound effects added to them, to give them that awesome video game-like feel.
There's probably more I'm missing, but for now this is what I can think up. I'm still currently waiting on the rest of the images drawn up and then made into animatics, we've come so far to not include those, to make these feel like a proper game rather than a prototype.
I've also put together a quick little teaser trailer for the game, it's not perfect but it shows a little bit of the game. Afterwards I studied a bit on how narrative adventure games have good and interesting trailers, it seems tough since most of it is slow and now action packed. I feel like I can make it work, but I'll go for it when more of the game is completed. This will also be converted into a proper game website as opposed to just a blog around that time too. If the URL gets changed, it will be posted here. Enough of the text, time to show off some new goodies.
Andrew.
The due date is near, the game has been playtested and suggestions have been applied to enhance the experience. There are some things I wish we could change but we're too far in development for it, such as changing the colours of the flashing coal veins when hit, time spent in the mines and lots of other small tweaks. If this game ever progresses past a student work and starts heading into the direction of a commercial game, these fixes and changes will be applied from the start and more adjustable. At this time, Connor has completed most of the GUI work so that should all be in soon. During the first week of the holidays I managed to get:
- A Mine Entrance area.
This area was added because many playtesters didn't know what was going on to begin with, and when they found coal veins they didn't realize how to find the best spot to mine. Others also missed the mine cart right away. I've determined that this isn't a game that you can go into blind and know what to do, there is some explaining which needs to be done to really begin enjoying the game. So, instead of being put right into Floor 1, the player is instead placed in the Mine Entrance. This zone includes a mine cart and switch in front of them, which also hovers a message over it when approached. This is so the player can right away learn and experience what this does. A little more ahead is a active lantern, and underneath is the Miners Log. The Miners Log can also be viewed during the cabin phase, but is placed here now which explains how to play the game. The player can even interact with the lantern and take/place it there. This should teach the player what they need to know as they begin the game. In this zone, time does not move and they cannot lose stamina. They can quick travel out of this zone but cannot return until the next day.
- Family System re-done.
We were having so many issues with balancing the family earlier. It wasn't too difficult to keep them alive but it was practically impossible to make them normal or happy when playing. The system before went along the lines of:
- They had four stats, Health, Hunger, Mood and Warmth.
Health would go down each day depending on how much of the other 3 stats they had. Giving the family $5 a day would increase health... but not the other 3. Giving 10 would be Health and one stat, 15 would be health and 2 stats ect.
This system worked but not too well, so now it's changed to a static number you need to meet per day. For example, on day 1 they only need $10 to be normal, if you give them more than 10, they will be happy, if 10.. normal... if 5, sad. Each day this number gets higher, so you need to keep up. This accurately helps inform the player exactly how much they can spare each day, as they will not be able to see their family actually be happy. If a family member dies, the game will check what day you're up to and put you just below the threshold, that way you don't lose someone else the next day and lets you continue.
- Redone Company store with new art.
Connor got all his Company Store work complete earlier in the week, which allowed me to re-create it.
- Introduction.
Now when you click New Game, you will get an introduction cutscene instead of the old scrolling letter.
- Cabin Buttons and Inventory.
Cabin buttons are not scattered around anymore, but instead lined up down the bottom in an ideal order for the player to follow. This starts with Manage Funds to the Family (I think it's more important to prioritise the family first). Then the Company Store, Letters, Miners Log and Sleep. The old inventory system is finally gone too, no more showing perks and no more slide in. Now if you hover over the inventory button, it highlights and the inventory pops up in the top right. Much cleaner,
- Credits.
The credits were made up by me in After Effects, and brought into Unity. Not too exciting but it does play the theme song and show who did what. This can be accessed right away via the menu or upon clearing the game. Originally we only wanted to make it play when you beat the game, but we feel that its important that people can access it right away in case they want to contact anyone.
- Sound Effects.
Most of all the buttons have sound effects added to them, to give them that awesome video game-like feel.
There's probably more I'm missing, but for now this is what I can think up. I'm still currently waiting on the rest of the images drawn up and then made into animatics, we've come so far to not include those, to make these feel like a proper game rather than a prototype.
I've also put together a quick little teaser trailer for the game, it's not perfect but it shows a little bit of the game. Afterwards I studied a bit on how narrative adventure games have good and interesting trailers, it seems tough since most of it is slow and now action packed. I feel like I can make it work, but I'll go for it when more of the game is completed. This will also be converted into a proper game website as opposed to just a blog around that time too. If the URL gets changed, it will be posted here. Enough of the text, time to show off some new goodies.
Andrew.
Black Lung Teaser Trailer from Andrew Kiefer on Vimeo.