Introducing "Shadow Gangs" an 80's arcade inspired ninja action game.

[Jgames]

Hi everyone;

Kick live now here (25K goal):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...amcast-version

Kickstarter for the Dreamcast edition coming this Friday 10th December.
People wanting a physical/collector edition, this is the Kickstarter for it (even if you don't own a Dreamcast).

And there will be a stretch goal for Shadow Gangs II

[ Show youtube player ]

[Cherno]

Very big and detailed character sprites, I wonder how they will be animated? At this resolution, it would be an inordinate amount of work I reckon.

In further news... President Ronnie has been kidnapped by the ninjas. Are you a bad enough dude to rescue him?

[Jgames]

Animations are hand drawn, yes it's lots of work.
But our team have 4 talented artists so the load can be lessened.

[Adrian Browne]

Looks nice. Dan's attire looks a bit naff though. just my opinion, but lose the shorts. Change the top he's wearing and maybe the shoes too.
He doesn't look badass enough. I like the gloves though.

Now that ninja enemy 'James' looks sweet and badass.

[Adrian Browne]

That ninja enemy James' looks cool and badass.
Just my opinion but Dan needs a bit more work. Lose the shorts. Give him a pants. I'm not sure about the top he's wearing. I'm not sure about the shoes.
I like the fingerless gloves though and the ninja style belt. As it stands right now he doesn't look badass enough.

What about a more rustic street ninja approach?
Still looks like something I would enjoy playing.

[Jgames]

Originally Posted by Adrian Browne

That ninja enemy James' looks cool and badass.
Just my opinion but Dan needs a bit more work. Lose the shorts. Give him a pants. I'm not sure about the top he's wearing. I'm not sure about the shoes.
I like the fingerless gloves though and the ninja style belt. As it stands right now he doesn't look badass enough.

What about a more rustic street ninja approach?
Still looks like something I would enjoy playing.

Thanks for the nice remarks Adrian.
I had many remarks about Dan, some less polite ones...and one suggesting to have James as the main character!

The suit colour might play a role in making him look less badass, Toni said he looks lie a football player with the blue one.
I'll attach here some palette change that may make him look better.

The problem is Dan's sprite sheet is nearly complete, and it will be near impossible to do a major change to him now. Some things that can be done is adding small details to him, changing shoes also is easy. But changing the trousers is not.

Any major change can be done, but not after a successful Kickstarter.

Some changes I am thinking about now that I'll discuss with the sprite artist (who also did James), is to maybe alter the shoes and add some leg tattoos.

Van Damme in Blood Sports had the same type of trousers, that was my main inspiration:


Maybe adding some Kanji characters to the trousers side may also make it look better?

Here is other rough palette changes for Dan:





Black and red one look better I think.

and a new picture of James

[Jgames]

I have got a lot of feedback, most are very encouraging and also some critics.
Most pointed that they just don't like how Dan looks and want a more traditional ninja style of outfit.

I personally like the more muscular approach and the VanDammesque style, but a majority want ninja looks.

But, I want to say that this will happen! Dan is an UFC fighter but also a Ninja enthusiast so he will put his ninja suit if you want to

Will keep you updated here and the website too.

[jbenam]

Looks amazing! It's great to see that there are new beat-em-ups still being developed I'll be watching your project closely, guys!

[Jgames]

Dan's got a new look!

There was a lot of complaints about it and we just won't let the main character to be less appealing that other characters.

I want also to thank EAB for being the second most viewers of the Shadow Gangs website after the Mame guys, so thank you everyone.

Here is the new look:


More news on the website.

[Jgames]

I thought I'll give an update here in EAB, as it marks an important milestone.

All the demo characters are mostly finished, and the work now is on making the game play good, fixing bugs and making the graphics/animations look better and fixing them.

Toni will also do the sound effects!

Bellow are some in-game snaps. More new images on the gallery.
(images are jpeg for size, quality is not the best).







Hope you like it!

[gimbal]

Needs more pixel art

Serious: As its a beat em up there is only one way to judge this game: playing it. How responsive it is will make or break it. I hope the sound effects guy is up to snuff as well as the biff and pow noises need to be mighty satisfying

One thing I don't find in the sales pitch on the site: are there special button-combo moves? The one thing that killed side scrolling Amiga beat em ups for me was their repetitiveness; there was always one attack that was entirely dominant that you would just repeat over and over again.

[Jgames]

Originally Posted by gimbal

One thing I don't find in the sales pitch on the site: are there special button-combo moves? The one thing that killed side scrolling Amiga beat em ups for me was their repetitiveness; there was always one attack that was entirely dominant that you would just repeat over and over again.

There is already special combo moves in proximity melee if you chain them in time (this sets it apart from other platform beat'em up games), horizontal level jump change, projectile weapons use and more.

There will also be UFC fighter to Ninja transformation, sword attacks, and different ninja magic, it is planned but I doubt this will make it to the demo.

[Adrian Browne]

Perhaps the backgrounds need a bit of dirtying. Right now they are a little too clean for my liking but they may not be final screens I'm guessing.

[Jgames]

Originally Posted by Adrian Browne

Perhaps the backgrounds need a bit of dirtying. Right now they are a little too clean for my liking but they may not be final screens I'm guessing.

Especially the blue windows, yes not the final screens, many objects are missing like breakable objects, explosions.
The whole background will get another pass and some tiles will get a more darker tone.

[Jgames]

I just received the first music track for Shadow Gangs, I would like to share with you here.

I personally like it a lot, there another one in the works so I am not sure which of two will end up being in the demo.

Tracks final versions will be perfected, and will use real instruments especially for the guitar.

I would like also to say that I started on the level design for the demo level.
As a demo level it will be a bit more complex than a simple level 1 and this is in order to give a little idea on what the game has to offer.

My next update will surely be about a video of the game, but meanwhile if you are interested I am posting updates on the website frequently.

Hope you like the music

[Jgames]

Originally Posted by Jgames

My next update will surely be about a video of the game, but meanwhile if you are interested I am posting updates on the website frequently.

Not so soon for the video, but I can see it in the horizon.

I started the Gui work after having done the game mechanics , being confident in them and having the demo level done.

Meanwhile, a new in-game picture showing more action than the previous ones.

[gimbal]

The guy in the cage doesn't look too concerned that someone is pointing and apparently firing a gun in his direction

[Jgames]

Originally Posted by gimbal

The guy in the cage doesn't look too concerned that someone is pointing and apparently firing a gun in his direction

[Adrian Browne]

Glad to see progress.

[Jgames]

Originally Posted by Adrian Browne

Glad to see progress.

Thanks;
Doing the different menus now, not something I like to spend time on but they have to be there.