A Level Design, Anyone? - Mami Update

Welcome back to another checkup on the Mami game project!

To start with myself, I’ve been working on the layout of the first ‘real’ (ethereal?) level of the game.  This post-introductory environment is very important to Mami’s design, as it is likely to be the final displayable part completed before the end-of-the-year product lock and crunch.  Therefore, I may have been a bit nit-picky on the details of the rough-drafts, but those things need to be considered.  After review, a wish-list of features was finalized to be included in level 1, regardless of the gritty details.

Other members of the team have been keeping things going as well.  Vector illustrations are being finalized for the protagonist, background assets are nearly complete, animations are under refinement, and certain tutorial/narrative assets have been written.  Team Squaybies is trying to keep busy!

In regards to stories, we’ve hit our average number of completed stories for the week and surpassed it; sounds like an overall productive week!  Now, let’s see if we can keep it up next week (especially with Spring Break the week after).  Take care until later next week to see any new progress made.

Crashing the Castle

What’s the best time you and 3 friends have ever had in front of a screen?  Well, if you’ve already had the pleasure of playing Castle Crashers, a run-through the colorful world was likely a party unto itself.

Let’s start with the unique art style; Castle Crashers uses bright colors, simple palettes, bold outlines, and a hand-drawn look to keep things simple.  The distinct silhouettes keep the player’s eye on their knight, while clearly defining what enemies are at hand.  Bright flashes and wonderful animations keep fights engaging; the environments are fresh and unique at every level.  Suffice to say that Castle Crashers is a very pretty game.

Now, what does this seemingly basic look convey in its play?  Silliness.  Sheer, unadulterated, silly fun.  The tale of the player’s trek across the land is fraught with ninjas, bears, skeletons slime bats aliens … too many varieties to include.  These antagonists are keeping the princesses of the kingdom hostage for the evil intentions of an all-powerful sorcerer in his massive fortress.  Not cliché enough for you yet?  Here’s a spoiler – the hero (you or one of your buddies) gets the girl at the end!  Just the unabashed nature of player motivation is worth playing this game.

With the praises I’ve already shoveled on this title, here’s a bow to wrap it up: the controls rock.  Direction is smooth, button presses are responsive, and the straight-forward consequences of what the player does never get turned-around on the player.  It feels ‘natural’ to do things in game.  And did I mention the starting room that prompts the players to test just what their knight can do?  Well, it’s brilliant.

If you are sick of my swooning, don’t worry – I’m done.  But please, if you have a few bucks and a handful of friends that like to have fun together, play this game.  You owe it to yourself to have as much fun as Castle Crashers offers, and it’s also a great study in how a game can take ‘simple’ to complex and epically enjoyable heights.

P.S.  I’m not sure what I’ll write on next, but it’ll come sooner or later.  Until then, take care!

• + Colorful palette is refreshing from level to level.
• + Tight controls with solid cooperative play.
• + Plentiful enemy, item, and power variety.
• + Sheer … fun to experience.
• - Not more games like this.
• A fix: Study this game, and make more like it!

Puzzles! Prototypes! Play!

Can you guess what this is about yet?  Well, it has been awhile, but I promise you that I’ll be writing about Team Squaybies and Mami – my school group game project – more frequently.  So, as a start, here’s what I’ve been doing recently.

A few weeks ago our group leader brought on the next stage of Mami’s development in the form of having a spree of stories written for this sprint (if you aren’t catching the lingo, check the wiki) concerning puzzles and prototyping.  Stories from map implementation to death-trap rhythms are being pursued to test their fit within the game.  As the official QA lead, this has been my calling!

Last week saw me write-up and test a paper-pencil prototype for the possibility of adding a map a la Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey, materials provided for by other group members.  The initial tests were promising, allowing me to formulate a general strategy for utilization, and a rule-set for future testing efforts.

Just today, a team member and I play-tested the rhythm sequences that would harm the player in-game from falling or flying objects.  At .5 seconds for falling, .5 for jump safety, we concluded that that timeframe would be a great start for any newb player trying the puzzle for the first time.  This was accomplished using only stopwatches and quick fingers; definitely a time-saver on a programmer-strapped team!

Well, there is of course more, but that would be taking away content from next week’s update.  Suffice to say that Mami is coming along nicely.  Take care, and stay tuned for more to come!

Games of Game Jam '12

Games are made, games are played.  I’ve done both from the Global Game Jam 2 weeks ago.  8 games were made that weekend at Dakota State U: Perpetuam Memoriam, Blob the Builder, Cooking Snakes RPG, Madness, Guardian Legend, Reset, Run, Atom, Run, and ShapeScape.  All of these titles had some intense presentations, and I’ll give you the run-down of how I managed their 10 minute play-throughs, short and sweet!

Perpetuam Memoriam – Please read the post, or play it for yourself.

Blob the Builder – I liked the concept behind this game; the player is a green blob that uses bits of itself to build tools to reach the end of the levels.  Ladders, blocks, and the player size all play a part in managing tight spaces and high platforms.  It was a pleasant time, as Blob the Builder shows some great promise!

• + No file to download; unique mechanic of the body as a resource; nonsensical but funny ending.
• - Wish music stayed throughout the game; abrupt deaths.

Cooking Snakes RPG – This game was made with the only purpose of having fun during its development.  This mentality shows through in the gameplay of this iron-chef-turned-farce involving anything and everything as ingredients.  It didn’t take long to love the ingredient combination, leading to experimenting to find the ‘perfect’ recipe.  Colorful and fun, give this one a try.

• + Lots of varied, creative, and colorful ingredients; amazing sound.
• - Lots of Japanese text; instructions fly-by too quickly.

Madness – The creators have been playing a lot of Dark Souls; this is apparent in the frustrating surprises that await anyone brave enough to best the game.  Choosing from a set of iconic game characters, delve into one-of-a-kind levels filled with troll-tastic gameplay that is ever so satisfying to figure out.  Expect some anger when jumping to the end of the levels, but this game is a great puzzle that takes no prisoners.

• + Unique characters with levels for each one; trial-and-error learning; nice application of music.
• - Super huge executable file; couldn’t click on certain aspects of levels that required specific interaction.

Guardian Legend – A small team made a decent game out of this one.  Though the menus are awfully text-heavy, the control is solid.  As I progressed, however, I broke the game by shoving blocks into a wall, and ending my play.  That was a pain, but I at least saw the ending during the team’s presentation.   I was forced to quit the game’s application, however, when I couldn’t escape the game after death.

• + Good music; fulfilling block puzzles; thorough narrative.
• - Text heavy; broken collisions; had to force-quit the application at death.

Reset – Um, good game?  This title plays with how the player conceives of the world.  It’s… I don’t know.  Give it a play.  The game has a boss, puzzles, platforming, and a questioning narrative that isn’t readily comprehended.

• + Cool narrative; handy direction suggestions; progressive ability allocation; solid sound design.
• - No health bar; can easily get stuck in platforms; not necessarily clear on how to pass obstacles.

Run, Atom, Run – Best overall and visual game of the Madison Jam!  It was just silly fun running from the world-ending enemy that eats the screen, forcing ‘Atom’ to run, run, run through hills, trees, ravines, and fire.  With save points to keep the frustration level down, the running and jumping in the splendid art style keeps things entertaining to the end.  Also, stick around for the credits – they are well worth it!

• + Brilliant art style; lively pacing; simple, solid controls; great sound; best GUI of all Game Jam games.
• - Save points can lead to awkward moments; collision boxes are a bit too skewed at times.

ShapeScape – A Linux game that looked gorgeous with its simple shapes and colors in the team’s presentation.  My problem, however, is that, try as I might, I could not run the application.  I am unaware of what the source of the problem is, but sadly, I was unable to play it.

• + Cool colors.
• - Unusable executable.

Well, dang.  I would suggest playing all these games and getting a taste of what students at Dakota State University can put out when pressed.  If your game is one of the ones I have just reviewed, comment below if it’s a fair judgment or not; don’t rage too hard if you do.

Take care until the next post!