The Meaningless Diary of an Indie Game Man: Part 8

Lighting has been integrated, finally – it’s still in a very raw form but it’s making a big difference already…

I’m going to make our artists and coders cry with all the things I want to do involving dynamic lighting, but that’s totally my job.

One of the issues we’re having at the moment is how to create that “other levels UNDERNEATH the current level” background effect without having a load of distracting geometry that irritates the player.  Personally, I think the background just needs to be less defined – darker, blurrier, weirder shapes – going to be trying out some things along those lines soon.

Glow around the players is looking decent but also needs work – really want to get that glowy, cyberpunky effect all over.

Something I’ve been thinking a lot about recently is adding some additional player feedback stuff.  When you lose a unit or perform a particularly good kill, something should definitely happen.  I don’t mean splashing COMBO BREAKER!!!! over the entire screen, but something big and visceral.  Gore and decent explosions (coming soon) will really help with this, but I’m wondering if we need something more…I’d love a 3D bullet time thing when someone gets sniped, for example…that will definitely make our artists cry…

Another thing we’ve been talking about it adding a screen at the start of a match which clearly shows your “hand” vs. your opponent’s.  For those that don’t know, in the main game mode (Secure) you’re dealt a random squad of troops at the start, then have to bet on the amount of territory you can hold with them.  Your hand is incredibly important, so a way of rendering this in a cool manner will definitely create some tension at the start of a level.

Here’s a bad screen grab of our flyer for the Gamecity event – it’s the first time we’ve ever had PRINTED promotional material done for a game, and I hope it’ll have a decent impact.  5000 of these things will be going out around the festival and we will see the results!  I really want a lot of people to turn up at the tent and try the game out, even if it’s very briefly…we’ll see.  Like all our marketing efforts, I’m going to track it and if it works, repeat it.  You’ve got to try these things!

And now, what you’ve all been waiting for…more LIFE:

I promised you more of Official Mode 7 Dog Jasper, and here he is taking a turn to prepare his appalling Laser Strike which can cut through any reinforced materials.

I set him on Advanced Level In-House Torque Engine Code Manipulator Thom Shutt but this had little effect, as Thom Shutt is harder than most reinforced materials.

I have always wanted a first-person banana game.  You show a banana to various things and watch the results.  At a funeral, or engaging in a difficult conversation about rent?  Just press B to pull out your banana with little or no provocation.  The Social Awkwardness Sim is a much under-represented genre.

I like living in the country.  This is all.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 2:23 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Responses to “The Meaningless Diary of an Indie Game Man: Part 8”

1. Alex:

   § September 25th, 2009 at 9:20 am

   YES to banana game! You should do that one day and film it as a special feature.

2. Paul:

   § October 1st, 2009 at 10:32 am

   BANANA GAME! It will be my comment on indie games. I have the perfect idea of how to do this.