Making a Video Game...
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- 183 Responses
- mantrakid0
awesome idea.. do you know of any existing ones i can look at for ideas? Ive seen a few lame ones of greasy dudes sitting in their messy bedroom offices talking to a webcam like they're on to something no one has ever thought of before when it's just another 2d metroidvania scroller with pixel art.. i dont want to go down that route..
- Show assets and asset development. Talk about intent. Don't show yourself or your living room. Don't try to be funny.cannonball1978
- funnycannonball1978
- word, thanks.mantrakid
- ukit20
Awesome work dude...this is such an inspiring thread!
- ukit20
Looks like you just passed your goal on Kickstarter
- cruddlebub0
would love to see this on a phone or tablet!
69p or 99c a pop and you'd make a fair bit...
great little game, really addictive too.
- fadein110
Do not feel bad for posting a lot - great to see it all progress.
- cjfclarence0
Part 2 :) pew pew pew
- mantrakid0
Updated @ http://www.cosmochoria.com/
Only thing i didnt change was to make a light background version for certain text, it was too much contrast i felt... but let me know what you think. I think im going to start passing this around... it makes me sick to my stomach thinking about it. (the internet could rip it to shit)...
- mantrakid0
all amazing feedback and i thank you guys so much for caring enough to post on here.
the most important feeling i want to get across is that feeling of being lost right from the very start. It was a very conscious / philosophical decision to leave the 'language' directions to a bare minimum.. actually 'click to play' i think is the only time a direction appears with actual words, and im thinking of changing that to a 'play' button by the final release haha.
the thing is, i really want to make sure im not alienating people, which it sounds like i might be, but at the same time i truly think that feeling of 'learining what it is you're doing' really hits home once it clicks.. like there's something to be said for the emotional connection you gain once you actually discover what it is you're actually trying to accomplish -- it's the whole reason i didnt just give it away verbally in my initial post.. I feel like a decent part of the game is intended to be like a puzzle game - where youre presented with these relatively familiar mechanics (ala donkey kong run + jump alongside an Asteroids space shooter type thing) but you are not told what you're supposed to actually do with them. You end up noticing you have 1 seed (and I think that's an important graphical problem i need to solve - making it more obvious what it is you have there) and were sort of 'told' what to do with it (also feel i need to make that more obvious right from the start -- like im thinking maybe have a faded instructional animation / arrow / sequence appear above your head while you're standing on a planet... telling you what to do next. from that point on, you're on your own..)..
I cant stress enough - your feedback and interest is fuel to my fire, and I'll have a new version posted here within a week with some updates that i think should help with that initial game understanding. The problem is by the time i show you guys, the concept and initial understanding has already sunk in, so i lose that fresh introduction value, but i couldnt have asked for more thoughtful feedback, so i appreciate it so so much. THANK YOU.
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My most important note: this was never meant to be understood / able to be beaten on the first try. The game itself is like an exploration of the rules that ive put in place - learning how to exploit them, and by way of death, giving you a chance to strengthen yourself through the upgrades, which also require engagement to really understand what they do. I never intended any of the experience to be a passive one... which is a paradox with the art style, gameplay mechanics and music --- as pretentious as it sounds, deep down i want to connect with the player in the way of having them not be told what to do, but for them to slowly come to a realization and understanding of what my intentions actually were.
This is all coming after playing games like Candy Box / A Dark Room / Terraria / Proteus / Starseed Pilgrim / Castle Doctrine -- all games that start with zero direction, but have taken up a considerable portion of my consciousness because of that fact. I'd be delusional to list Sprout in with those amazing games, but it is certainly my intention to try to get others to feel that same feeling i got.
TL;DR
- Sandman_19820
Hey just seen this write up on Eurogamer. Great to see the game getting some love...
- mantrakid0
(DEV MODE) CHEATS: If you guys want to continue exploring, there are some keys that will help. #1-9 on the main keyboard (while on the title screen) will give you money / bases / upgrades without having to earn them first. numberpad #1-9 should take them away if you want to go back to a challenge. Give yourself some cash with the 1 key on the title screen then buy the map (compass) upgrade to get a better picture of whats going on in the 'galaxy' floating in..
While playing, you can add bases with SHIFT+2. Change guns with numberpad 0,1,2,3,4. Refill your health with H, refill your fuel with J.
See if you can get to the first boss.. Props if you can do it without using these cheats.. It's very possible & just takes an understanding of the mechanics and noticing the visual clues that are being presented as you carry on.
- mantrakid0
Bahah im so blown away that he never really committed to tracking down and killing that boss, but I think it was actually getting 'stuck' in the corner or something.. always good to have a major bug appear in a video to millions of viewers.. :P jeeeesuzzz...
- mantrakid0
I can confirm there will be a lolcube
- mantrakid0
Just wanted to give you guys an update on this thread since it was sort of the 'origin story' of this silly little game i made. Im so close to finishing the game and just finished working on the Credits screen and am totally humbled by the number of dope QBN peeps who are listed as influential in the credits.
Thanks for the support from almost literally day one, homies. As an update on where I'm at with it all, ive been selling on average $2000 / month while in early access since sept. Total income ignoring the kickstarter has been about $20k since sept. Im hoping once it launches on steam 'for real' (ie out of early access) it will be a thing.
Just got back from PAX in Boston a few weeks ago and peeps went nuts for it. So much shit added since these early days logged in the thread. Almost 100% positive reviews on steam so far.
Im also in very very early talks with publishers about doing console ports and giving them a stake of the sales as compensation. Wish me luck.
Also offered a great job for "As soon as I ship the game" at a new indie studio being started by the man who created Bejewelled.
A humbling, life changing journey this has been. Tx for having my backs dudes.
- couldn't be happier for you dude! it's been a cool ride! happy to of seen it from the start to nearly at the end! (of being made) awesome achievement.cruddlebub
- Well done sir. Happy for you.jtb26
- Congrats!BH26
- Excellent on all accounts mantrakid; QBN is an (often) great community with real talent in various facets. Godspeed.ideaist
- The BEST place on the Internet...ideaist
- ...and the WORST place on the Internet.
; )ideaist - The most lovable bunch of total cunts. :)mantrakid
- lodef0
So I see you're doing a live stream fridays on Twitch, I don't see a specific time anywhere and was wondering when. Just followed you.
- lodef0
So I see you're doing a live stream fridays on Twitch, I don't see a specific time anywhere and was wondering when. Just followed you.
- you know just in case you didn't see the first messagelodef
- lolcruddlebub
- mantrakid0
Hey pals, my baby is live on kickstarter for the world to judge me on:
https://www.kickstarter.com/proj…
hugs.