[WIP] Creeping Me Out!
 

Hello Amiga friends. :agree

This is a thread for Creeping Me Out: Hex Night*.. It's in very early development but the important structural stuff is progressing well.

*pretty sure this is the final title, it's gone through so many. Makes sense to just call it CMO..

A platform game currently targeting (powerful) OCS Amigas that I'm making in Scorpion Engine (Thank you SO much Earok!)

http://mixelmagic.com/Amiga/EAB/title.jpeg

It has a project page here.. (also has some more pictures, etc, I didn't want to make an unreadable post here!)

NOTE: Everything shown here is very subject to change.

The blue barge, where the story starts..

http://mixelmagic.com/Amiga/EAB/bb.png

The status bar is unlikely to look like this in the final version.

http://mixelmagic.com/Amiga/EAB/manhole.png

Looks like you're going to have to go through the sewers!

http://mixelmagic.com/Amiga/EAB/crap.png

That's not looking good!

http://mixelmagic.com/Amiga/EAB/fish.png

Mandatory jumping fish. (I also have drips and rats, and I'm in the process of adding snails and bats. And zombies, and slime monsters, centipedes, ghosts, frogs, etc!)

Anyway.. I'll post occasional updates here if there's interest.. There's something of a speculative FAQ on the project page but anticipating a couple of those questions here..

What's the gameplay like?
The platforming handling is very similar to Turrican's. The initial hand to hand combat is like SOTB (low kicks and high punches) - but there's a lot more combat stuff left to be implemented for later in the game.

What are the levels like?
The levels are complex. I’m leaning into exploration in a big way. There are also smaller, “hand drawn” story levels that serve as cutscenes, hub areas, etc. (like the bar above) branching paths, a world map (just starting to implement that now.) etc. A typical level will involve some exploration, often a key to unlock a door, and tons of hidden things.

Why "powerful" OCS systems
I'm making it in EHB currently, which is demanding, and potentially stupid, but for the people with fast machines (and emulators) it's something unique(?) I have tentative plans to build it in this form, then further optimise, reduce colour count, basically make a low spec version - if it doesn't lose too much of its personality in the process. Currently it emulates nicely at A3000 levels and runs well on my A1200/030 but that doesn't say much, as right now a lot of the later mechanics haven't been put in yet. So, target hardware is.. Who knows! :laughing (Right now I'm aiming for '020 + any amount of fast ram) - it technically runs on any amiga with 2MB but I wouldn't recommend it! Oh and it's definitely going to be HDD/CD only, it's going to be big.

When can I play this?
Not sure. I'm concentrating on making enough for a "prologue" short game/demo. That part I'd like to complete in 1st quarter '21. Then, whatever happens there will at least be a short game for the Amiga community to play. Hopefully this demo version will fit on a single floppy.

Always open to feedback and happy new year everyone. :)

This looks sweet, I will be following this project!

I find the graphic concept very fascinating, I will follow your work carefully. I am sure that through the ScorpionEngine you can do good things. Good job and keep us updated!

Looks very cool and nice features that you will add in future :great

Thankyou! A lot of stuff I want working before I talk about it so I don’t Molyneux myself, I’m very excited about a couple of things in particular and it’s been hard not to blab about everything. Idk how anyone manages to develop stuff in secret. :laughing

Thankyou! Scorpion is absolutely incredible. I can’t program in even basic languages, that text based approach causes me extreme discomfort, tools like Scorpion (I used to use something called Power Game Factory on Mac) make so much difference.

TY! Looking forward to posting more. :) the next big thing I need to focus on is audio so I can share footage and have it not feel so unfinished.

It looks wonderful and very interesting. I am thrilled that it should appear on CD / for HD and have a CD soundtrack! Definitely a lot of work, but I'd love to be kept informed. :great

This looks absolutely incredible and:

is :agree :agree :agree for me!

:great

OMG, does every single new Amiga game that comes out have to be boxed etc???

A lot of extra work for the developers; besides already spending oodles of time actually creating the game.

No, but a good game deserves also a nice package (as an alternative for digital DL). You do not collect garbage, but I do and am very happy if the game is released boxed too.

Yes, but expecting developers to have to create "special editions with a box, print comic tie-in, feelies etc.." is not right.

They don't need this extra pressure from "collectors"; as well as actually creating the games.

Just be happy that new games are coming out for the Amiga :agree

If they then decide to create boxed editions on their own accord, then fine.

...but we really don't need people in every new game thread saying "I want boxed!!!" :rolleyes

Glad you like!
CD soundtrack support isn’t in Scorpion Engine yet, but it’d certainly be easier to compose the music if I could use a modern DAW, that’s for sure. Properly tackling tracker composition is one of my goals for next week. :)

I’m glad you like that idea, it’s definitely a small part of the Amiga experience for me, having it on the shelf with the rest - but it’s all pie in the sky until I have an actual game to put in said box. (Pretty sure I’d include a world map/poster etc)

Hehe I see what you mean, but there’s a part of that quote missing.. he wasn’t coming in asking that I do a box out of the blue, he was quoting what I said elsewhere back at me.. for context;

“I’m contemplating special editions with a box, print comic tie-in, feelies etc.. That’s getting way ahead of myself though.” - it’s only a consideration near completion but I live for that stuff, and it’s much easier for me personally to produce a box, short comic etc than it is the entire game. :laughing I agree this sort of thing shouldn’t be expected of any project though. But it’s in my long term wider plans.. speculatively. Someone saying they’re into extra cruft is actually really heartening. (As I’m the one doing all the art etc, anyone wanting more of it always makes me happy!) I’m not trying to normalise anything though. :)

That ^

The start of getting the world map working..

I think i need to make you look a bit less angry. :)

Wonderful work so far @Mixel! :great

Nice graphics. Looks like plenty of work went into it.

Thankyou! And ty for the tech tips earlier. :agree

Much appreciated, I’m glad it shows, haha!

At the moment I’m really most looking forward to getting to the forest/swamp levels because that sort of colourful organic stuff is where I think it should shine brightest, out of the tile based levels at least.

Ever thought to make a game in the style of Cadash? Seems you are going that way

Looking good :D Hope you will continue developing and if you need testers with real hardware etc. I'm here ;)

Very cool and looking forward to it!

Looking at your comics (sorry, was not aware of them before) and this game, overall the concept reminds me of Dylan Dog a bit. Which is great. I will study your comics work, it made me interested and the game is really promising. I joined your Patreon.