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Kitsune's Curse (Development)

Started by reidrac, 21:53, 29 August 17

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ervin

This is looking really promising.
I have to say - your pixel skills have come a long way as well. This is a very attractive game, even at this early stage!

Gryzor

Of course, with doors go keys :)


Looking better and better with each gif!

reidrac

Quick update: moving platforms

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/928745308477157378

At this point I think I have implemented the same functionality Golden Tail had; excluding enemies (I only have the "Oni head" for now).

I've been experimenting with the platform movement, but the best I can do is move 2 pixels every other frame, but it looks OK (doesn't it?). Definitely better than moving 1 pixel and having glitches derived of the 2 pixels per byte of mode 0.
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

reidrac

Small update!

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/934799033260036097

This is fixing something few people commented after playing Golden Tail: Kitsune died with a *puff*, using the same effect of the Kõga Magic.

That was easy (and cheap), but it had a problem when you were reappearing from using the magic and you ended on top of spikes (this wasn't a problem with water, as there was a "splash" effect).

So the end result was two puffs, and I agree it was confusing. If you're on top of the action, you may not miss what killed you, but if things happen fast... then it may feel unfair.

Anyway, small change but I think it improves things quite a lot.
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

reidrac

Update time!

After I got a draft of the back story I've working on the graphics, and it is hard!

[attachimg=1]

One tip I got in gamedev few years ago was that you don't make the story and then the graphics; you make the best graphics you can come up with and then write the story so it fits.

This tileset is for the Sensō-ji temple (hopefully) where you'll have to steal one of the relics (the magic fan; although all is magic here I guess).

Anyway, slow progress is progress!
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

reidrac

#55
I'm back at it!

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/940342083986055170

I've improved the tileset and I think I'm happy with it now. I'm working on a new enemy type: monks (for the temple).

At this point it is quite basic, and I'm struggling a bit to get the animation right. Because pixel alignment to the byte in mode 0 they look best when moving at 2 pixels per update, but then they move at the same speed as the player and... looks like they run!

I'm also undecided on their behavior. I've started with a basic "patrol" movement, but they may do something else (jump small gaps in the screen? flying kick? I don't know yet!).

EDIT: there was a bug!

Also, now I thing I got the right speed for the monks.

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/940357981421604864
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

ervin

Quote from: reidrac on 23:13, 11 December 17
I'm back at it!

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/940342083986055170

I've improved the tileset and I think I'm happy with it now. I'm working on a new enemy type: monks (for the temple).

At this point it is quite basic, and I'm struggling a bit to get the animation right. Because pixel alignment to the byte in mode 0 they look best when moving at 2 pixels per update, but then they move at the same speed as the player and... looks like they run!

I'm also undecided on their behavior. I've started with a basic "patrol" movement, but they may do something else (jump small gaps in the screen? flying kick? I don't know yet!).


I really enjoy reading these updates. They give a very interesting insight into the development process.
The game is looking great so far, by the way.

Gryzor

I agree, it's quite interesting :)


I don't see what the problem with running monks is, apart from upping the difficulty?

reidrac

Quote from: Gryzor on 06:46, 12 December 17
I agree, it's quite interesting :)


I don't see what the problem with running monks is, apart from upping the difficulty?

Yes, it'd be quite hard.

Half speed is better I think. Other enemies will be faster, like the Oni Heads. But the heads can be avoided jumping or ducking, whilst the monks require magic.

Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying the updates.
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

reidrac

Update time!

And this is still on! I've backported all the improvements to the tile/sprite engine and the entity system from Kernel's code base to Kitsune's Curse and it all runs great. A bit faster, a bit less memory, all good!

When I left the game, the engine was almost completed. I would say around 80% (I still need to implement switches and few ideas that will push the gameplay to the next level compared to Golden Tail), so I'm going to start drawing enemies and tilesets; and I'm going to scrap all the story I had because I think that's a bad approach.

Basically I'm struggling to draw what I described in the story, so instead I think I'll start "discovering" what I can draw, and then I'll put the story together.

The end result will be better!
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

Targhan

Yaaaaay! The first episode was one of my favorite arcade game of these last years!
Targhan/Arkos

Arkos Tracker 2.0.1 now released! - Follow the news on Twitter!
Disark - A cross-platform Z80 disassembler/source converter
FDC Tool 1.1 - Read Amsdos files without the system

Imperial Mahjong
Orion Prime

reidrac

I've finished the ninjas. The cay use Kõga magic.

(please ignore the frame rate of the video)

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/1030900684512747521

It works like Kitsune's Kõga magic, they can travel the same distance in the same time and also with the same rules (they won't hurt you when invisible).

They're "smart" and they look at the environment to move and decide what to do, deciding if a jump is possible or not.
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

XeNoMoRPH

Hi again Reidrac !!!
any news?  :o
your amstrad news source in spanish language : https://auamstrad.es

reidrac

#63
I got distracted again, sorry!

This year I've released a MSX game and is likely I'll release another one. Unfortunately it is unlikely I will finish a CPC game in 2019.

But not all is bad news! I've ported few improvements from my MSX projects to this one and I've reclaimed a good number of bytes and CPU time. Other than that, the engine is 90% finished and feels very solid.

Which takes me to the basic blocker here: I need to draw tiles and do the level/enemy design. On top of that I need to think what is going to be the story, because all the BS I planned doesn't make sense if I can't really produce the art needed to back it. I try to make my games as good looking as I can, but is not easy for me at all (the struggle is real, compared... programming is just fun!).

Is not that hard, but if I'm feeling very inspired somewhere else (like happened with Kernel), this project will be delayed.

Golden Tail had a nice mechanic and the story, level and enemy design played very well together. I don't want to make the same game again, neither make something not worth of being a sequel.

So be patient and I'll update this space when there's anything to show!

EDIT: btw, didn't receive an email or notification. Or may be I did and I missed it. Sorry, I do my best to reply in my threads!
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

reidrac

Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

Gryzor


reidrac

Few improvements, but I think this tileset is ready (for now).

[attach=1]

There are still some bits of the game design that I'm not sure what to do. Golden Tail was a "collect them all" platformer, but in that game the magic stone was put together again at the end, so unless I break the stone again... there are not items to collect  ;D

We'll see!
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

Targhan

Oh yeah! It looks good! I'm really eager to play this game, absolutely loved the first one.
Targhan/Arkos

Arkos Tracker 2.0.1 now released! - Follow the news on Twitter!
Disark - A cross-platform Z80 disassembler/source converter
FDC Tool 1.1 - Read Amsdos files without the system

Imperial Mahjong
Orion Prime

reidrac

#68
Experimenting with Forest Spirits.

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/1209138892147957760

Only two frames animation... yes or nope? I mean, adding one extra frame is not that much extra memory, but 2 enemies with 2 frames means 1 extra enemy with 2 frames, isn't it? :D

EDIT: yep, three frames looks better!

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/1209171484024946688
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

reidrac

I'm getting most of my holidays ;D

Anyway, I'm not going to post too often here, but I had to rework that forest spirit because it didn't match the rest of the game's art style. I'm keeping the idea, I think is the perfect basic enemy for the forest.

I also added a vampire (or giant bat). Different behaviour from what I implemented in Golden Tail, but in essence the same enemy and gameplay opportunities. The magic works great with stealth, so this enemy that is triggered by proximity (unless you are invisible!) is kind of a must.

I think I need one more enemy for the forest; probably horizontal movement that forces the player to dodge. I want to use this area as tutorial, so forcing all basic movements in the first 4 to 6 screens is important.

I also want to add giant spiders, but that doesn't cover the dodging part, so we'll see. I'm using my low memory engine, but the memory is what it is :)
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

reidrac

Added spiders.

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/1210206719705522176

I think the forest is ready to start with some level design. We have white spirits, fireballs, vampires and now spiders. Enough variety, or I may run of of memory before I can work in the next area!
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

SkulleateR

This really looks cool, keep it up  8)

reidrac

#72
A bit of extra work on the tileset. Thinking about level design, didn't want to make it completely lineal, so I'll add caves. Yes, I know is quite similar to Golden Tail. I may change my mind when I get better ideas.

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/1210580948158484480

EDIT: also those background rocks can't be blue. Visibility!

BETTER!

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/1210590036321865728
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

reidrac

#73
Quick update!

I've improved the spiders' behaviour and they are quite fun now to deal with. The main change is that now they only hurt the player when going down, so I can use them in a tighter places because you can trigger the attack and then walk past them when they are going up.

[attach=1,msg181995]

I have a first section to be used as tutorial. My main concern is that I don't want it to feel too similar to Golden Tail, but then it makes sense if you're learning the same basic mechanics, isn't it?

For now some forest and caves, then progress to the next part. I'm going to introduce objects, kind of following my silly story idea. Because there aren't collectables like in Golden Tail (you had to collect pieces of the gem), there's no really a good reason to explore the complete map, so for now it feels a bit more lineal. The objects may work as a key at the end, but it makes the game a bit more interesting and less samey.

Anyway, after the forest I plan to add a transition area before getting to the big area where the Golden Tail is hidden (you have to find it to break the curse, allegedly  ;D).

Btw, happy new year!
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

reidrac

#74
After reviewing some old feedback in this thread re: Golden Tail (thanks again @khaz!), I decided to make some changes so the game is a bit more accessible.

First of all, I've added a visual cue when Kitsune uses the magic and is invisible. Everything else works the same, and the hint is not the size of the ninja, so you still need to learn how to use the magic. Buuut it IS easier.

Second, the jump can be activated a couple of frames after the magic is triggered, and it still works. This should be a huge help when playing with the joystick and, again, it will make the game a bit easier.

It still uses the same mechanics that I introduced in Golden Tail, with all its logic (or lack of it!), but I hope it will make the game less frustrating for those that didn't "get" the first game.

A quick video:

https://twitter.com/reidrac/status/1214277575834517511

(30 FPS, and not captured brilliantly, but it looks OK)
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

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