Summary
Game prototype is 60% complete!
I’ve begun coding the basic features of game, starting player control. This is the most important piece as the majority of the time spent in-game will be centered on movement and exploration.
I’ve coded it to utilize both Keyboard and Gamepad support (should I elect to port this to Xbox Live, PlayStation 3 & 4). The next piece will be getting the trap mechanic working, followed by Enemy AI (which are my goals for next week).
What I’ve Completed This Week
Coding
- Basic platform physics (gravity, collision, one-way platforms)
- Player movement: left-right, variable jump height, drop-down*
- Keyboard support (WASD, [space])
- Gamepad support (analog stick and d-pad) – Tested on a Logitech F310
- Sound Engine:
- Walking sound effects play and change based on surfaces
- Landing sound effects play and change based on surfaces hit
- Sound effects use random variable pitch to break up monotony
- Basic inventory array
- Keeps track of what spells you have
- Allows you to toggle betwen spells
Assets
- Sound effects and music:
- Jumping
- Landing on normal surfaces
- Landing on wet surfaces
- Walking on normal surfaces
- Walking on wet surfaces
- Collecting currency
- Collecting resources
- Collecting spells/secrets
- Collecting bonus items
- Detriments
- Lob
- Two kinds of projectiles
- Damage
- Title screen BGM (Background Music)
- First level BGM
- Player sprite animations:
- movement (left,right)
- Idle
- Jumping
- Falling
- Resource sprite animations:
- Arcanum (currency)
- Iron Nodule (resource)
Miscellaneous
- Converted all .WAV and .MP3 files to .OGG (faster and smaller)
- Registered the DBA (fictitious name) of my business with the state
- Send an inquiry to the SSL provider to request a Code-Signing Certificate (required the business to be registered)
- Updated the vtoadgames.com website to use SSL
- Acquired GMS Professional (v1.4) and the HMTL5 Module**
*I’d like to modify this to use a combination of the Jump button and down, but haven’t gotten that working yet
**It doesn’t work out of the box, and I have no idea what I have to do differently to ensure that my games will work when ported to HTML5. Submitted a support request 5 days ago, awaiting feedback.
What I’m Working on Next Week
Coding
- Wrap up player movement (combination keys to jump down)
- Complete trap placement mechanic
- Movement of the trap ahead of the player
- Spawn cursor corners, spaced to fit any size trap object
- Spawn/placement sound effects
- Placement coding with checks to verify place is empty (no stacking/placement inside walls etc.)
- Begin work on enemy AI
Assets
- Background textures artwork
- Scenery/flavor object artwork
- Continue work on BGM 2, 3 and 4
- Other SFX as needed
Miscellaneous
- Follow up on Code Signing Certificate
- Follow up on HTML5 export module issues
