Author Topic: Golden Tail (Development) (Read 6019 times)

reidrac · « **on:** 23:50, 11 July 16 »

So finally I'm opening a development thread here, now that I'm getting close to finish the game (or, in other words, now that it is likely that I'll finish the game

).

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know about this project (and if you don't, Juan (@reidrac) | Twitter). I post videos, GIFs and screenshots; mostly related to development and tests (never spoiling actual game screens).

I released a Speccy game earlier this year and it was a lot of fun, so this project started trying to make a simple platformer to make use of lots of features I have introduced into the Space Pest Control engine, but that are sitting in my laptop because I can't get motivated to rewrite all the things I want to change in SPC.

The engine is almost feature complete, including several enemy types with different behaviours and I have 80% of the graphics and 60% of the music. Although I still need to do the level design and test a lot, I think it could be ready by the end of August.

I'm still not completely sure about the gameplay though.

It'll be a pure platform game (jump, avoid things, collect items, don't get killed), in open-world style and inspired by Japanese folklore. The main character (Kitsune) can use "ninja magic" to disappear for some seconds and use that to avoid enemies, move faster and get to places that can't reach normally.

Let me share some screenshots and such and I'll update this thread every now and then (again, I post in Twitter when I have gamedev time!). Please take into account that some content is WIP and may change!

Loading screen

golden_tail_menu.png
(4.84 kB, 768x540 - viewed 455 times)

Menu

test-screen.png
(9.83 kB, 768x540 - viewed 473 times)

Test screen (caves tileset)
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Early alpha of the "magic" (bambu tileset)
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh222Z7N7xA[/youtube]

RetroManiac Magazine wrote a note about the game when I stared to work on the engine (in Spanish): RetroManiac | Revista de videojuegos retro |Videogames Magazine | Indie | Games

Skunkfish · « **Reply #1 on:** 00:26, 12 July 16 »

It looks really interesting, looking forward to playing this (particularly to see the 'disappearing' mechanic is used in the gameplay!)

Carnivius · « **Reply #2 on:** 19:44, 12 July 16 »

You know I been following this on Twitter and am looking forward to playing it.

||C|-|E|| · « **Reply #3 on:** 21:13, 12 July 16 »

This looks actually really great! Loving it so far

I would recommend not to rush it and try to design big challenging levels that exploit the new mechanics. I think that it really has a lot of potential!

reidrac · « **Reply #4 on:** 21:20, 12 July 16 »

Quote from: ||C|-|E|| on 21:13, 12 July 16

This looks actually really great! Loving it so far I would recommend not to rush it and try to design big challenging levels that exploit the new mechanics. I think that it really has a lot of potential!

I'm conflicted. I wanted to do something simple, and it doesn't look simple at all at the moment.

I'd like to make another game for the CPC Retro Dev and I may not have time.

Well, we'll see

Thanks guys for your support.

arnoldemu · « **Reply #5 on:** 21:39, 12 July 16 »

Interesting idea and it looks nice.

VincentGR · « **Reply #6 on:** 23:05, 12 July 16 »

Looks amazing, thank you!

reidrac · « **Reply #7 on:** 21:11, 15 July 16 »

The game's main theme is done. Let's say beta, but I think it is quite final (I already have a nice variation for the "game over").

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qHMwrbCUl4[/youtube]

Enjoy!

reidrac · « **Reply #8 on:** 11:55, 23 July 16 »

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A quick update!

I've started with the level design and, although the engine is finished, I'm finding some bugs when I'm play-testing the map; which is good, but it also makes things slower.

On the art part there are some things missing: in game music (I'd like to include a couple of tunes), the "Osaka Castle" tileset, and some intro/end game bits.

Currently there are 7 different enemies, but I may add some more (eg, traps for the castle) as I go with the level design. It all depends on how much space I have left (targeting the 464 with one single load). At this point there are 5012 bytes left with around 35% of the screens in, so I think I may have around 1.5K for "extras". Not a lot!

So... end of August looks like a possible release date!

reidrac · « **Reply #9 on:** 22:42, 25 July 16 »

Another quick update!

I had some time today after work and I gave a go to the "Osaka Castle" tiles, and this is what I got.

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I like it, although is not the "Japanese Castle" idea I had in mind (given my artistic skills, I can't complain!).

I may review the tileset before the final release (there are a couple of tiles that can be improved), but looks like I'm getting there!

ervin · « **Reply #10 on:** 02:52, 26 July 16 »

It's looking great!
(Your artistic skills are certainly better than mine!)

Neil79 · « **Reply #11 on:** 13:51, 26 July 16 »

Nice!

reidrac · « **Reply #12 on:** 23:51, 31 July 16 »

Probably the last update!

The game is finished now. I have 135 bytes left (again, self-imposed limits of 64K and one single load); that I'm going to keep free just in case I find a bug that needs to be fixed (it happened to me in Castaway that I found an issue after I had like 30 bytes left, and it was challenging to fix!).

Today I've been playing the game in my CPC (loading using the amazing M4 board).

Some pics:

IMG_20160731_211846599.jpg
(1362.15 kB, 1456x2592 - viewed 363 times)

IMG_20160731_212026886.jpg
(1230.18 kB, 1456x2592 - viewed 356 times)

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I plan to do some play-beta testing with some friends (I already tested all I could test myself), and unless anything really bad happens, I think I'll release the game next weekend.

So I won't update this thread anymore, other than adding a link to the release thread.

Skunkfish · « **Reply #13 on:** 00:25, 01 August 16 »

Wow, wasn't expecting it so soon. Can't wait to play it!

reidrac · « **Reply #14 on:** 23:30, 04 August 16 »

Made a short teaser:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpmkXYzZwbY[/youtube]

The testing is done and the game will be released tomorrow evening.

(if anything really bad is found I can fix it afterwards anyway

)

This time, for real... last update!

Duke · « **Reply #15 on:** 23:53, 04 August 16 »

Awesome! Good work - Look forward to the http download

EgoTrip · « **Reply #16 on:** 01:00, 05 August 16 »

You not entering it into the contest?

reidrac · « **Reply #17 on:** 10:26, 05 August 16 »

Quote from: EgoTrip on 01:00, 05 August 16

You not entering it into the contest?

No, Golden Tail won't be submitted to the CPC Retro Dev (actually, I'm going to release it today, and I don't know if you can submit the game to the contest AND release it before the competition ends).

I may or may not enter the contest this year, but if I do... it will be with a different game.

||C|-|E|| · « **Reply #18 on:** 12:32, 05 August 16 »

It looks fantastic! Looking forward to it!

villain · « **Reply #19 on:** 14:02, 05 August 16 »

I think you deserve a badge for being the fastest developer on CPC ever. :-) I'm going to try this during the next days. Thanks!

reidrac · « **Reply #20 on:** 15:11, 05 August 16 »

Quote from: villain on 14:02, 05 August 16

I think you deserve a badge for being the fastest developer on CPC ever. :-) I'm going to try this during the next days. Thanks!

Thanks.

I started working on the game back in April, so it's been 4 months (which in "free time" terms is not that much, but still more than I can usually put in a game).

I built on top of what I had in Space Pest Control, so I guess next one will be easier (depending on the requirements, I may have to change or add things).

Gryzor · « **Reply #21 on:** 15:34, 05 August 16 »

Been following this on Twitter since the very fist shots, I think... I really do love those pixels

One for the weekend!

reidrac · « **Reply #22 on:** 19:01, 05 August 16 »

I've released the game, see: New game: Golden Tail

VincentGR · « **Reply #23 on:** 00:04, 06 August 16 »

Thank you.

News:

Author Topic: Golden Tail (Development) (Read 6019 times)