2D Isometric Game With 4 Direction Movement

I'm in early phase development of a game. 2D isometric RPG with farming element.
What i really concern right now is to choose a concept for the character movement.
Nowadays, most game with top down or isometric view has 8 directional movement, but i have an idea to use 4 directional movement diagonally (just like in Harvest Moon - Back to Nature) for my game.

I found the concept to use only 4 direction movement have some advantages :

1. Less direction = less sprites. As a solo dev, this really helps.
2. Since my game in isometric style then with only 4 diagonal direction i think the accuracy when interacting with tile and object will be better, especially something like tile snapping mechanism.
3. Me personally like the classic vibe.

My big question, is the 4 directional movement a "deal breaker" to most player? Because i never seen any other isometric RPG game with only 4 directional movement lately. And all game i know using this concept is console exclusive like harvest moon BTN (PS 1), Megaman Battle Networks (GBA). These game wasn't made to be played with keyboard, so if i make a game like that for PC i should convert the input from cartesian to isometric (diagonal) but then the player should get used to the idea. It's like playing Harvest Moon with emulator on PC, when you press UP, the character move to TOP RIGHT instead going literally to the top.
What do you guys think ?

 

I personally prefer 8 for isometric games, but if you think you can pull it off, power to you!

When I make isomeric games I create and animate 3D models in blender, set the camera up to render models at an isomeric angle and render them into a spritesheet, that way I don't have to worry about drawing tons of pixel art.

If that interests you, here are some resources that helped me:

https://gamefromscratch.com/easy-sprite-art-in-blender-tutorial/

https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/130404/script-to-render-one-object-from-different-angles

 

Wow, thank you. I always want to use this approach to create sprites but have no idea where to start.
I always have a problem with angle proportion for each direction of item or characater.
I will check it out. thankss

 

Creating a 2D isometric game with 4-directional movement involves several steps. Here's a high-level overview of the process:

1. Game Design: Define the concept, mechanics, and objectives of your game. Determine the visual style and overall aesthetic you want to achieve for your isometric game.
   
   
2. Art and Assets: Create or obtain isometric graphics for your game, including character sprites, environments, objects, and animations. Ensure that the assets are consistent with the isometric perspective.
   
   
3. Game Engine: Choose a game engine that supports isometric rendering and 2D game development. Popular options include Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, or custom engines like Phaser or PixiJS.
   
   
4. Set Up the Isometric Grid: Configure the game engine to use an isometric grid system. This involves defining the angle of the isometric projection and handling conversions between the isometric and world coordinates.
   
   
5. Movement and Controls: Implement the logic for character movement using the 4-directional controls. Detect player input and update the character's position accordingly. Consider collision detection to prevent characters from moving through walls or obstacles.
   
   
6. Animations: Add animations to your character sprites to provide visual feedback for movement. Create animations for each direction (up, down, left, right) to depict walking or running.
   
   
7. Camera and Viewport: Set up a camera system that follows the player character while maintaining the isometric perspective. Adjust the viewport to show the appropriate portion of the game world.
   
   
8. Level Design: Design and create levels or maps for your game using the isometric grid system. Place objects, obstacles, and interactive elements in the game world.
   
   
9. Gameplay Mechanics: Implement additional gameplay mechanics, such as interactions with objects, enemies, NPCs, puzzles, or quests, depending on your game's requirements.
   
   
10. Testing and Iteration: Test your game extensively, identify bugs or issues, and iterate on the gameplay, controls, and overall user experience. Gather feedback and make necessary improvements.
    
    
11. Polish and Release: Refine your game by adding sound effects, music, user interface elements, and any additional features or enhancements. Once you are satisfied with the result, package your game for distribution or release it on the desired platforms.
    

Remember that this is a simplified overview, and the implementation details can vary depending on the game engine and development tools you choose. Additionally, consider learning resources, tutorials, and documentation specific to your chosen game engine to guide you through the development process.

 

Thanks for your recommend, It's help me overview about a 2D isometric game.

 

You can even talk directly to ChatGPT for more help and advices

 

I was about to say that this sounds like a ChatGPT answer