stinkygoat ([info]stinkygoat) wrote,
@ 2009-07-01 14:02:00
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home stretch
Been pretty busy defining and balancing the gameplay for all the levels of GR+++, all done now. Still need to do VLM stacks for shader 2.0 fallback, finish off some bits of UI, final testing and tweaking. Pretty pleased with how it's come out; it has a distinctive graphical style all its own and the control method and play mechanic emphasise the fact that it is most definitely not "just another arena shooter", a genre that's been a bit overdone these days.




The Cylons may have had Resurrection but Galactica has the mighty Sheepie Save.




Liberator attacks a projectile-spewing Sun.




Galactica's strong guns completely shred an incoming line of attackers.




OUCH.




Enterprise over Planet Squaresheep.




Atari bee gettin' busy.




Dropship attacks Gilby.




Liberator fronting a line of incoming prior to getting some sheepie lovin'.




Do not fuck with Liberator or you will be turned into particle disks.




Yep, got me.




I WARNED YOU.




You may have lightning stars and grav projectiles but I am the mighty GALACTICA, Best Ship in the Fleet, and I am going to fuck your shit right up.



The text at the mottom of the screen is just a test of the hint system, it'll be absent from all but the earliest levels and it will of course even there be optional.

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[info]shatterstripes
2009-07-01 01:31 pm UTC (link)
Holy fuck I cannot wait to see what this looks like in motion. I'm still looking forwards to see how your ideas about encouraging the player to engage in "beautiful" play come out, too...

also I suspect that people who do not have the highly developed visual cortex of someone like you or me would really appreciate having the hints be there for more than just the earliest levels! hell, keep some stats on how the player's doing, keep presenting them with the techniques they still haven't demonstrated a grasp on...

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[info]stinkygoat
2009-07-01 01:50 pm UTC (link)
Don't worry, the lead-in is quite gentle :). Players have to play through 20 levels of much easier stuff before the next difficulty level opens up so there is plenty of time to get used to the way it all works :).

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[info]deathboy
2009-07-01 01:37 pm UTC (link)
Good grief, that looks intense!

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[info]stinkygoat
2009-07-01 01:52 pm UTC (link)
well those screenies are from Vindaloo difficulty, there are "Korma" and "Madras" levels for people who want a bit less intensity, and "Phaal" difficulty for the completely insane ;).

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[info]deathboy
2009-07-01 01:56 pm UTC (link)
ahahahahahhahahah!

genius, man :)

is there any likelihood of you putting a vid up? can't wait to see it running :)

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[info]stinkygoat
2009-07-01 05:57 pm UTC (link)
http://llamasoft.co.uk/yak/grppp_jun.avi

Just the first few levels in the Easy (Korma) difficulty level. To prove that it isn't straight-on balls-out psychedelunacy from the word go, it really does lead you gently in :). Lots of messages from the hint system and various gameplay components introduced one at a time (you can't even rotate or change ship until you get to level 3) }:-).

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[info]shatterstripes
2009-07-01 08:18 pm UTC (link)
I've only gotten as far as getting x9 (huge video on a transatlantic link = sloooow download) and I am going ooooh. The pulsing enemies! The indicators as to where they're about to come on-screen! And the labels hovering around things telling you what to do are a lovely touch too.

Damn, static screenshots so do not do this justice, you need to make sure the presskit for this thing includes links to videos on youtube or vimeo or something.

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[info]caveman_joe
2009-07-01 01:38 pm UTC (link)
Wow.

WOW.

Any idea of rough system requirements yet? Best machine I've got is an Athlon 3400+, single-core, with a graphics card that was middle of the road five years ago.

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[info]stinkygoat
2009-07-01 01:55 pm UTC (link)
Well there will be two levels of access to it, shader model 3 Neon stacks for those with more recent cards and shader model 2 Neon stacks for older or less powerful cards. The actual game geometry is the same regardless of which set of stacks you use. You'd probably need to use the sm2 stacks with a 5 year old card but apart from that you might well be ok. There will be a demo of course so you can check how it performs before you buy :).

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[info]thargol
2009-07-01 01:51 pm UTC (link)
That looks pretty impressive, but it's not all roses. Back in the '80s, I had my concerns that some of your games weren't as playable as they could be unless you were speeding. There was just too much happening at once to take it all in (or even to take in just the relevant bits). Now they've let you loose with modern graphics hardware, I'm not sure the situation will have improved! Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see you still doing this stuff. But talk about information overload!

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[info]stinkygoat
2009-07-01 01:59 pm UTC (link)
Well as I mentioned above there are various levels of intensity, and those screenies are from the next-to-top level of difficulty. I aim to provide some degree of satisfaction for all levels of gamer - it's quite OK to just play the 50 easiest levels if that's all you're up for, there's still plenty of scope for replay and hi-score hunting in there even if you never go to a higher level.

And some people love the overload and look to me to provide it; for them there's the Vindaloo and Phaal levels :).

It starts out pretty gentle and there's actually a lot of in-game stuff happening to help you even when it's all kicking off visually.

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[info]deathboy
2009-07-01 02:00 pm UTC (link)
I saw Jeff playing some game into the ground at ECTS, years ago - I think he may run at a higher frequency than we do

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[info]medwaypvb
2009-07-03 09:09 pm UTC (link)
As Yak says, the Korma (easiest) levels are easy to play. I've played through them and I'm really shit at games, ask anyone who knows me. :-)

I didn't need lightning reflexes (like you need for bullet-Hell shooters), just average playing ability and to concentrate on the game.
Playing when tired/not concentrating will end up with the game handing you your arse on a plate back to you. ;-)

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[info]arron_shutt
2009-07-01 02:09 pm UTC (link)
Looking good, can't wait to give it a go! :D

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[info]dr_memory
2009-07-01 04:30 pm UTC (link)
Sweet fancy Moses!

Also: the Liberator! Warms my heart, it does. Will the Scorpio make an appearance?

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[info]j00ce
2009-07-01 04:34 pm UTC (link)
Ah. Plasma swirly neon nuclear caffeinated destruction. It's all good :)

Is this still slated for XBLA? There's a number of familiar sprites there which I suspect Microsoft wouldn't be too happy to see in a XBLA game...

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Lovely!
[info]publicenergy
2009-07-01 05:33 pm UTC (link)
Are you doing any tracks yourself for this or recording any of your animals for sound effects?

I still love the Flossie's Frolic from Space Giraffe :)

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My two cents here.
[info]gilesgoat
2009-07-01 06:04 pm UTC (link)
There's been *LOT* of discussion/exeprimentation on finding the right balance between "looking/good interesting" and "not too overload too soon the player yet give the feeling there's lot to see" hopefully this time the curve set is/will be more pleasant to people.

In fact to me some N levels are "too easy" but then again I am quite much used to this gendre of stuff I do love the fact that if you really want something totally insane to play then you can still have it but if you don't just play an easier difficulty level ;)

Again, still don't make justice, a vid capture at some point will be needed because there's really "so much animation going on" and eveything ranges from subtle to super vibrant :)

This game got an unique shape, there actually been some fights and discussions over it precisely because from one thing it turned out to be "something totally else" that nobody was expecting but I don't want to spoil the surprise here.

This game definitely has its own style, I can see maybe in a future some other people will try to copy it because it's different, this is the game you can play with one hand and have a cup of tea with the other.

Working to finish things soon we still have a few tech issues to test/check/adjust but fundamentally "we are there".

I just want to add it's been "quite a lot of work" we started from one direction/stuff we had and work on it and .. we eneded up in adding lot and lot and change stuff lot more than expected really, this is why time slipped off a bit but it's been very well worth time spent.

This is NEW stuff, this is really NEW, yes it did start from some ideas but it did change quite much.

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[info]tatjna
2009-07-01 06:43 pm UTC (link)
SO pretty..

(and i'm not even into this style of game)

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Then you HAVE to try the challenge.
[info]gilesgoat
2009-07-01 06:57 pm UTC (link)
Then you have to take the "Llamasoft Challenge".

You have to buy this game and play it for 15 days, in those 15 days you have every day to let one of your friends try it and convince him to have at least one of his friends trying it and so on.

After 15 days you should see beneficial effects, it MIGHT improve your weight (*), it MIGHT reduce your seven signs of aging, it MIGHT fight the plaque, it MIGHT improve your memory and coordination, it MIGHT boost your morale and confidence, it MIGHT make you understand better your sheep ;)




(*) as a part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

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Re: Then you HAVE to try the challenge.
[info]shatterstripes
2009-07-01 07:49 pm UTC (link)
*snicker*

Realistically, I kinda feel like this regimen would do something for your audio and visual perception skills.

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Re: Then you HAVE to try the challenge.
[info]elvis75k
2009-07-02 01:06 am UTC (link)
i'll be part of this chain reaction. Can't wait!

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[info]fabifox
2009-07-01 08:38 pm UTC (link)
Lookin' pretty damn impressive!

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[info]zrath
2009-07-02 12:47 am UTC (link)


Cripes! My monitor just blewed up!
Oh wait, no, it's just a bunch of large screenshots from Das Goat. :D
So hey, looking awesome and explodey and stuff.
But, you know, the Liberator looks like a cock and bollocks with laser-tipped forward-swept wings. :)
Also, I thought the darn thing flew the other way, but that's 'cause I've never seen the show.
I like the sun and black hole and I hope they have appropriate gravitic powers.
I LOVE the Atari ST bee! :)
So, Enterprise, Galactica, Liberator, Bee, Gilby (whatever that is)...
Any chance of Yar making cameo? :D


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[info]stinkygoat
2009-07-02 01:00 am UTC (link)
nah Libby flies that way, you need to see the show ;).

And yeah we are all about the gravity. Almost decided to call the thing Gravrunner :).

Maybe there's room yet for Yar... and I am sure a Tempest Claw would be appropriate too :).

Really enjoying finishing this one off :).

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[info]stephen76
2009-07-02 12:39 pm UTC (link)
Just saw the screenshots and am downloading the video now. I think I'll be finishing one off :)

Stephen

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[info]medwaypvb
2009-07-03 09:17 pm UTC (link)
Gilby is the ship from Iridis Alpha on the C64.
Grab the game file from here:
http://www.llamasoft.co.uk/lc-8bit.php
The manual for the game (RTFM ;-)) can be found here:
http://www.doodad.karoo.net/iridis_alpha.htm
Load the game file in WinVICE (or other C64 emulator of your choice) and have a play. :-)

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[info]Dehumanizer [google.com]
2009-07-02 02:12 pm UTC (link)
The video is amazing. :)

Just one question: are there no Continuity Sheepies anymore? The ones who gave you the firepower / multiplier you ended the previous level with?

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[info]jest_of_eve
2009-07-02 07:30 pm UTC (link)
Oh yes! My card just jumped out of the wallet and danced a jig.

So close now :)

Mark

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This looks sooo sweet!
[info]ciderman1
2009-07-10 08:28 am UTC (link)
Looks the business, can't wait for release, love your stuff man.
Sadly I missed much of your 80's output as I was a Speccy owner, sorry bout that!
Making up for it now, got myself a Nuon and a copy of Tempest 3000, lots of trouble getting that one, marriage survived though!
Most I've ever spent on a console that only plays one game worth having, but what a game!
A really nice evolution of the tempest 2000 formula, and as a shooter fan, thanks!

PS, I live in the countryside of north county dublin, it's really nice here, organic farmers and plenty of hairy scruffy beast abound!
sounds like your kinda place!

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