Scourge of the Underkind: Development thread

[CaptainNow]

Happy New Year everyone!

Wow, it's been a busy time here. I have been doing a lot of prep work on the packaging ready for when the game is released pysically, and I am over the moon with the results (updates to come). The manual looks great now too
All of this work is the hidden work that people who have never made a game just don't understand about and cannot begin to understand the amount of work involved unless they themselves have done it.

I have to say, I had no idea this game would become so big (or so popular!) so thank you again for all of those people who have continued to support us through these long (and traumatic) years of development. Your kind words during times of enormous grief and stress will always be remembered. We are making a 'Hall Of Legends' as an easter egg to be found somewhere in the game, we will pay suitable tribute to those that have been with us from the start (looking at YOU Amiga Bill!!).

Not to get too heavy, but when I started making this game with Magnus little did I know how much my life would change. I have since lost my father, my wif, my home and my job all within the space of months mid-development and that took its toll on me. My health has suffered (I am still traumatised by the event that left me needing resuscitation after I nearly bled to death from a torn oesophagus and still frequently have nightmares). I have lost friends due to covid and one of my friends committed suicide not too long ago which has been nearly impossible to comprehend, so I cannot stress to you all how much I love reading your messages, especially at incredibly low points in my life. Your words have helped.

We're nearly finished with the game, it's not what anyone wants to hear (I know people have waited a LONG time for this) but I really do need to feel 100% happy with the graphics and content before I let it go. I can't give a specific date for release, I wished I could but please bear with us.

To any budding game devs out there wishing to make and release a game for Amiga, please please please take just this one nugget of advice from someone who knows:
DO NOT announce your game until it's nearly finished!!

All the best for 2024 folks!



This is what the Hall Of Legends will look like:




I have also redesigned the Underworld level entirely, changing it completely from it once was to a whole new look and feel. It's not been easy and has so far taken the most time to complete but it's looking good now and I am starting to feel proud of it.




And this is how Underworld used to look.

[ItsTheSmell]

I thought it was a joystick game, but I see a mouse cursor?

[CaptainNow]

Originally Posted by ItsTheSmell

I thought it was a joystick game, but I see a mouse cursor?

Oh, I should have said, those screens were captured in the map editing program for the game
It is a joystick game

[Konrad]

I rather liked the stoney look, but the revamp is also nice.
Keep up the good work .

[indigolemon]

Looks amazing as always man, really looking forward to this when it's ready

[malko]

Originally Posted by CaptainNow

[...]
please please please take just this one nugget of advice from someone who knows:
DO NOT announce your game until it's nearly finished!!
[...]

It's a wise advice my friend.
It's a long time our beard is growing so waiting one more cm is nothing

Take care and keep up the good work you are doing

[CaptainNow]

Originally Posted by malko

It's a wise advice my friend.
It's a long time our beard is growing so waiting one more cm is nothing

Take care and keep up the good work you are doing

It wouldn't be the first time I have had someone waiting for one cm

[buzzybee]

Originally Posted by ItsTheSmell

Could it be that the developers bit off more than they could chew. I wouldnt be able to code a game as much as id love to have the skills to do it. The Amiga isnt easy to code for.

No, it isn't. Also, any game project needs many more resources than coding skills. Testing and polishing gameplay, for example, takes up enormous time. If the backend of the project is not set up cleverly in the first place, a game project might even look, and sound content complete and still die because of a frustrating and time-consuming polishing process. Keeping a developer or development team motivated for over 3y is incredibly difficult.

I have no idea if this is the cause behind the many delays in this case though.

[MAN-biker]

Originally Posted by CaptainNow

We are making a 'Hall Of Legends' as an easter egg to be found somewhere in the game, we will pay suitable tribute to those that have been with us from the start (looking at YOU Amiga Bill!!).

May I be there too as "ANTILEGEND" and "universal evil"?

[zodiac]

Originally Posted by MAN-biker

Can I be there too as "ANTILEGEND" and "universal evil"?

You will be the end boss of the game that players need to dismember limb by limb to defeat. Upon defeat, you will be tea-bagged by Amiga Bill.

[Selur]

It's one of the best of OCS 16-color graphics Amiga game !

[Tigerskunk]

Sad to hear about all of your losses, Wayne..
Hope your current life is fine now... :*

[CaptainNow]

Originally Posted by Tigerskunk

Sad to hear about all of your losses, Wayne..
Hope your current life is fine now... :*

Thankyou my friend, we are still dealing with a few things but *fingers crossed* everything seems to be relatively ok.

I am enjoying creating for this game once again

[A500]

I'm very happy to see your announcement You are incredibly strong and persistent to be able to carry on with the project under such circumstances.

Looking forward to playing the game!

[AlphaAmiga]

Sorry to hear about all that has happened CaptainNow.

Thank you for working on this great looking Amiga title !

[ArcadeHeart]

Sorry to hear all the bad things happened to you CaptainNow!
Have you considered to keep in touch with Blaze to distribute your game in a indie collection for Evercade? like those in this cartridge https://evercade.co.uk/cartridges/ho...-collection-1/
I believe your game would be a great fit!

[sokolovic]

And also with Retro Games for their A500 mini library and the upcoming full sized Amiga.
It would be so nice yo have some kind of digital store on these machines to buy new Amiga software. Nice for the users but also for the developpers

[jotd]

Life seems to have been tough on you, I hope things will improve for you from now on

Please complete this. It looks stunning (from a Bitmap Bros fan).

[AmigaDweeb]

Real life can be a real PITA and source of much trouble at times for sure. Hope you get it all sorted and released when ready in due course. It will be a corker of a game!

AMIGAAAAA!

[S0ulA55a551n]

Mate, the fact that you are managing to do anything after all that is amazing. I am glad you are enjoying your project again, keep on trucking.

Originally Posted by CaptainNow

Happy New Year everyone!

Wow, it's been a busy time here. I have been doing a lot of prep work on the packaging ready for when the game is released pysically, and I am over the moon with the results (updates to come). The manual looks great now too
All of this work is the hidden work that people who have never made a game just don't understand about and cannot begin to understand the amount of work involved unless they themselves have done it.

I have to say, I had no idea this game would become so big (or so popular!) so thank you again for all of those people who have continued to support us through these long (and traumatic) years of development. Your kind words during times of enormous grief and stress will always be remembered. We are making a 'Hall Of Legends' as an easter egg to be found somewhere in the game, we will pay suitable tribute to those that have been with us from the start (looking at YOU Amiga Bill!!).

Not to get too heavy, but when I started making this game with Magnus little did I know how much my life would change. I have since lost my father, my wif, my home and my job all within the space of months mid-development and that took its toll on me. My health has suffered (I am still traumatised by the event that left me needing resuscitation after I nearly bled to death from a torn oesophagus and still frequently have nightmares). I have lost friends due to covid and one of my friends committed suicide not too long ago which has been nearly impossible to comprehend, so I cannot stress to you all how much I love reading your messages, especially at incredibly low points in my life. Your words have helped.

We're nearly finished with the game, it's not what anyone wants to hear (I know people have waited a LONG time for this) but I really do need to feel 100% happy with the graphics and content before I let it go. I can't give a specific date for release, I wished I could but please bear with us.

To any budding game devs out there wishing to make and release a game for Amiga, please please please take just this one nugget of advice from someone who knows:
DO NOT announce your game until it's nearly finished!!

All the best for 2024 folks!



This is what the Hall Of Legends will look like:




I have also redesigned the Underworld level entirely, changing it completely from it once was to a whole new look and feel. It's not been easy and has so far taken the most time to complete but it's looking good now and I am starting to feel proud of it.




And this is how Underworld used to look.