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Games Dungeon Code - Castlevania meets Nethack - Video based devlog

Discussion in 'Works In Progress - Archive' started by JohnnyA, Jul 6, 2020.

  1. JohnnyA

    JohnnyA

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    Hi all,

    been some time since I worked on a new game, but have been quite inspired by the idea of a RPG Platformer where you generate a level randomly and then give the player a unique 'Dungeon Code' that they can use to regenerate the same level. That code can be shared with other, for example to play the same level as a friend or have a competition about who can solve a given 'Dungeon Code' first.

    I see it has having a NetHack type flavour in terms of a combination of random dungeons and pre-built sections, albeit without quite so much depth or variety.

    Play wise I'm looking for a moderate paced action platformer with a bit of a cinematic edge too it (i.e. combat is somewhat what realistic... sort of).

    In any case enough with the words, let me share the videos...

    -=-

    Latest Video

     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2020
    KeyGameUniverse and ARLTB like this.
  2. JohnnyA

    JohnnyA

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    Video History

    2020-07-06



    -

    2020-06-28


     
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2020
  3. InfiniteDesign8

    InfiniteDesign8

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    greatest asset..platformer pro :D
     
  4. JohnnyA

    JohnnyA

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    2020-07-12- DevLog 3 - Enemies



    First enemy archetype in. Combines a few variations with some events to make a an encounter. In the final game encounters will be randomly generated for each dungeon.​
     
  5. JohnnyA

    JohnnyA

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    2020-07-19- DevLog 4 - Hazards and Traps



    Scenery that can hurt you!​
     
  6. vnmatt

    vnmatt

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    Looks great. it reminds me a bit of Prince of Persia from the late 80s / early 90s.
     
  7. JohnnyA

    JohnnyA

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    Thats the vibe I was going for, although its a little more 'actiony' rather than cinematic.
     
  8. munchou

    munchou

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    Oh yes, PoP but prettier!
    Is it a mix of 3D and 2D? The animations are so smooth that it makes me think of 3D models rather that animated sprites..
    I think it'd be more fun if the circular saws directly killed instead of damaging. With the appropriate animations (head popping off, body cut in half...). A "censoring" pixellating effect would be funny too.
     
  9. JohnnyA

    JohnnyA

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    It definitely has a PoP vibe and the art is all 3D just rendered to look 2D.

    I agree that one hit kills probably make the most sense for things like saws (some of the other hazards are instakill like the spikes and there is a rolling spike ball thing too, not shown in video). Thanks for your comment you solidified my thinking.

    I'm still a bit concerned about how the death mechanic works. I want death to be permananet, but I want to avoid the idea that you just save and retry stuff a thousand times. But how to do that without being super frustrating for the player.

    Decisions, decisions.
     
  10. munchou

    munchou

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    Oh yes, you're talking about the "gamers" who'd smash their controller because they can't beat a level in Crash Bandicoot, those who use some aim help in FPS and rage quit after having been shot 3 times, those who think that EA makes great games (OK I'm trolling for that one)? :D
    Yea, definitely can't make a die and retry game for that kind of "public".

    It's funny, in the late 90s was released Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee. That game didn't have any way to save the character's current position. If one died, one'd have to restart the level (or at least the beginning of the "board"). And Abe would die pretty much every time he'd be hit (or even fall from too high!).
    In Abe's Exoddus, they introduced the "Quicksave" (to perform a "Quickload", similar to a custom checkpoint). Fair enough (and quite the cool feature at that time), the levels are bigger, more mechanics, etc.
    But a few years ago, they released a remake of the former one, renamed New 'n' Tasty. And what did they do? They felt the urge to add the "Quicksave" function (that, I remind you, wasn't there in the original version), because nowadays average (low-tier i.m.o.) gamers start crying whenever the game feels too hard.

    People who put their hands on the Dark/Demon Souls saga (for example) know what's coming at them, and the series is still selling and going despite its nightmarish difficulty. :p

    One must keep in mind that there is a difference between dying because of their own mistake, and dying because the mechanics suck (heavy character, bad feeling, weird controls, bad camera, funny gravity and so on).

    Just my opinion as a long-time gamer, I'm not judging your choices as a developer, I understand that many companies choose to please the target customers to give their AAA games a better chance to reach a wider public and make more money. One cannot please everyone =)

    Actually some games provide the player some help if he dies too many time. Like showing how to go through, give bonuses, etc.
    That's an interesting way of avoiding too much frustration I think.
     
  11. JohnnyA

    JohnnyA

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    I grew up gaming in the 80's and 90's so I definitely feel games are way too forgiving nowdays. But I don't want to let that blind me in to making a game that isn't relevant to people now ;)
     
  12. JohnnyA

    JohnnyA

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    2020/07/25 - DevLog 5 - Visual Theming


    Taking the same dungeon 'room' and making it look different.

     
  13. KeyGameUniverse

    KeyGameUniverse

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    That is really cool. Keep up the good work ! You have a good pace going on!
     
  14. JohnnyA

    JohnnyA

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    Thanks, still a long way to go :)