AlarCity: Development Thread

[Selur]

Technically the game works very good but gfx design is a mistake.
I hope it will not finish like Reshoot ect. ( mean that some new amiga games looks like modern retards )


I really don't want play cosmic flying chest or fire spermutator

[Tsak]

Oh, come on, don't be so picky!

Now seriously I'd love to hear some argument about how the gfx design is a mistake (that is, beyond the main character that I -think- is quite rectified now)

[Selur]

It's a matter of scenery and sprites design.
Now the game looks more like adventure RPG. For shmup it should be more sci-fi/war scenery.



Let's look at the two colorful jumping-platform games

the WORST DESIGNED amiga game ever

[ Show youtube player ]

and perfect designed amiga game

[ Show youtube player ]

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Selur

Technically the game works very good but gfx design is a mistake.
I hope it will not finish like Reshoot ect. ( mean that some new amiga games looks like modern retards )

I really don't want play cosmic flying chest or fire spermutator

Aren't you the guy behind "Mink" & "Total Pattern"? http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=82580

Not that I these are bad games but nothing compared with this; especially in the graphics department

...if you are going to slate people's work at least back it up with decent justification.

[Predseda]

Tsak's graphics work is really incredible. He replaced my initial graphics for Chaos Guns and it raised its quality for 1000 percent.

(but I do not like the current main character of AlarCity, though)

[Amigajay]

I like the character and game graphics so far, really professional work so far lads!

[Gzegzolka]

I like a lot graphical style of AlarCity, because I like good pixel art. I also do not mind how main hero looks. Sure, his sprite could be bit tweaked to look more like a "ball of fire" than "ball with a tail". But how fireball move? how to make it look like a fire that got eyes? Here things become more complicated. Maybe You could add two animations for Your Zoid:
- when You start level little spark become fireball
- when You die fireball turn into ashes or burn out

[Selur]

"Aren't you the guy behind "Mink" & "Total Pattern"?"

Yes, I've made most graphics for these little games and others, but i don't see connection with my opinion about design of Alarcity.
I guess you want compare my gfx to Tsak gfx? but what for... I don't rival with Tsak because this is no tournament.

I'm talking about graphics design for new amiga commercial games and as game designer I say what I think.


so.. all of you like these graphics but I don't... and what now?

[earok]

I admit to being biased here but I personally believe in the character design.

1. It is unique or at least uncommon for the type of game.
2. It has personality.
3. Most importantly, it fits the requirements of the gameplay design. The character is well suited to radical palette changes, we've got three different colour schemes in the game already and this will expand as we add more types of projectile effects.


I also believe in the overall game. This isn't a retread, we're attempting to build a game that's high quality, unique and with a lot of lastability and replay value, something that would hold up well even if it had been released during the heyday of Amiga. If the demo we've already released hasn't put your mind at ease, hopefully our much upgraded second demo (due in December) will

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Selur

"Aren't you the guy behind "Mink" & "Total Pattern"?"

Yes, I've made most graphics for these little games and others, but i don't see connection with my opinion about design of Alarcity.
I guess you want compare my gfx to Tsak gfx? but what for... I don't rival with Tsak because this is no tournament.

I'm talking about graphics design for new amiga commercial games and as game designer I say what I think.


so.. all of you like these graphics but I don't... and what now?

Nothing; of course you are entitled to your opinion

I just think that you were being way too harsh without actually backing it up... Comments like "gfx design is a mistake" & "looks like modern retards" are very negative and don't encourage anyone.

...so I guess in response, I pointed out some of your efforts (which is really pointless; as you say, it's not a competition).

Anyway; nothing more to say on the subject. Let's all move along

[Reido]

Lads your game looks great, looking forward to the demo.

[nobody]

i played the demo. The overall quality is very high but i would change the trees to match the game style. The sprites are comic style and the trees are fantasy style, not bad but not matching so much.

[Gzegzolka]

I would not change trees, they are perfect in my opinion.

[Selur]

DamienD maybe I'm more frustrated then you, because we are getting older and older and soon we will be.. too old for playing amiga games

Last two, three years few amiga games has appeared but some of them are completely wrong, had bad gameplay, music, graphics etc.
Such a waste make me angry.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Selur

DamienD maybe I'm more frustrated then you, because we are getting older and older and soon we will be.. too old for playing amiga games

ROFL

...well clearly you are

My opinion; yes not all games released in the past few years are great but it's really good to see a resurgence in new stuff (no matter what the quality). The Amiga is alive again

I mean, it's an exciting time; to list a few games in the pipeline off the top of my head:

a) Scourge of the Underkind
b) Powerglove
c) Tiger Claw
d) Bridge Strike
e) Chaos Guns
f) Raid Over Moscow

Not to mention others last / this year i.e. the Sqrxz series, Giana Sisters S.E., Tanks Furry, Blocky Skies, Robouldix and Solid Gold.

Anyway, we are getting way off topic here so...

[earok]

Originally Posted by Selur

Last two, three years few amiga games has appeared but some of them are completely wrong, had bad gameplay, music, graphics etc.
Such a waste make me angry.

We're sympathetic, and aware that there's well founded skepticism in the Amiga community about new games. Rest assured we have every intention to deliver a quality product

Edit: And of course as Damien pointed out above, we're not the only ones!

[Tsak]

Thanks for the comments (from both sides of the spectrum). We truly respect your input!
Here are my thoughts:

Generally, the game's current gfx (as well as the other elements as a matter of fact) are far from being final. In that aspect as we'll move on from demo 1.0 to the complete game there will be much more detailed work, refining, redesigns and additions. The list of things I intend to work on is quite extensive actually (always talking about post 1.0 release of course):

- Tileset and map elements, while I'm happy with their current style and direction will need to be further tweaked and expanded significantly.

- The new bob and sprite items and fx I think are starting to fuse nicely with the map and will continue to be expanded (really we have under way some quite impressive stuff already, hope to be able to show you guys soon!).

- Enemies, as I mentioned a couple of times before, serve their function for now but I'm seriously considering an upgrade or complete redesign in the future (remains to be seen how this will be worked out).

- The UIs (HUD, Shop and Inventories) are still in a kind of place-holder state and as a result I acknowledge that the overall style suffers from it (even with the current redesign that is quite an improvement from the old one). Reason for that is basically practical, as the game's logic and UIs continue to evolve, be tested and redesigned again, it would be pointless to set up final gfx for it. What I have in mind to do as a next step about those is start creating decoration and generally change the overall looks into a more appropriate style that's closer thematically to in game stuff.

- Presentation and Menu elements are completely place holder and -I think- the most lame aspect of the gfx work so far. I'm currently actively thinking about concept art and a theme that will bind the game's elements together in a more coherent, clear and stylish way.

- Speaking of which, I hear the criticism about the overall theme and how the gfx elements may not fuse in the best way possible together and I agree to some extent. There is much work to be done in that aspect but I believe that as the game evolves along with the gfx themselves it will get much smoother around the corners and definitely more coherent and focused.

- Lastly, regarding the character I of course agree with Erik's points. Obviously if playing as a funny, mean fireball is not your cup of tea, there's not much we can do about. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
However, as I illustrated above, the design is evolving and will continue to do so. Already the fiery movement works and looks better imho than the old, silly 'sperm' tail and there are planned frames and designs that will enhance the feel that you're moving around an actual elemental entity. Also planned is for the expression and animation set of the character to be expanded likewise.

Having said the above I'm generally pleased with the current gfx outcome (at least when it comes to in-game stuff) and I think the gfx in general (despite the shortcomings) provide a good base to build upon and an example of our progress and things to come, which is of course the whole point of the demo and those updates here.

[Predseda]

Implement a character selection at the beginning and the problem is solved

[Tsak]

Should I include a lady fireball perhaps?

[Gzegzolka]

Please do not change enemies they look perfect for Your art style. I like a lot those funny blob/ghosts.
I have one more question - right now I only see open-area level, but will there be levels more similar to Chaos Engine or Alien Bash2? I thinking about walls that looks like a canyon or dense wood.
Also another little question - will there be enemy spawners? Structures that will generate new monsters until player destroy them?