Making a Video Game...
- Started 11 years ago
- Last post 2 years ago
- 183 Responses
- mantrakid0
http://www.hardcoregamer.com/201…
Hardcore Gamer: COSMOCHORIA PLANTS ITSELF IN STEAM’S GREENLIGHT GALAXY
- mantrakid0
Cuz you guys are homies, here's the latest: http://www.cosmochoria.com/build…
- ZOOP0
Either I'm getting better, or the game is, or both! (mostly the game I think) but it's more fun every time I play
I know picking the name is a chore in itself, and I like the name, but I have to wonder if it identifies with the widest target demographic. You don't want people reluctant to try a game based on phonetic fluidity issues. It puts the chore in Comsochoria. Your market may be different than what I envision though.
If this turns up in the app stores, people might get hooked! I'll have to play some more and get back to you on that...
- mantrakid0
You make a really good point ZOOP and it's something i wrestled with during that whole renaming process. It was hard because the simpler the name, the greater the chance i would run into copyright issues again, but in general, i tried to think about who would be playing this, and I always go back to 'guys like me' and 'guys like me' dig the name. I ran some names by friends and family and in general they all liked the more elegant stylings of cosmochoria, but maybe it was based on their options.
But you're right, its a bit of a gamble to go with something more complex. Part of my reasoning was that it may help it stand out more.. And even though it is 5 syllables, it cemented my decision when my 4 year old son was able to remember the next day without being reminded of it. He still tells me 'Sprout' was a better name tho. :)
- a lot harder than picking a password, and once the name gets cemented that's it, roll with it. I like the name myselfZOOP
- mantrakid0
Updated builds fixes some music issues, camera issues & gun issue:
Web: http://www.cosmochoria.com/build…
Mac: http://www.cosmochoria.com/press…
Win: http://www.cosmochoria.com/press…
Linux: http://www.cosmochoria.com/press…Any feedback is music to my ears, critical or positive.
- mantrakid0
Much love to IndieGames.com for doing a promo writeup on Cosmochoria. :D
- mantrakid0
TENDING THE GALACTIC GARDEN WHILE BLASTING EVERYTHING THAT MOVES IN COSMOCHORIA
- sorry if this is annoying if i keep posting to this thread, but its gone back far enough, it will serve as a nice history..mantrakid
- keep the updates coming. i'd like to think QBN is supportive of this sort of endeavourlodef
- you should post the articles on the Greenlight page.lodef
- Good call - ill get that done today - thanks man.mantrakid
- fadein110
Do not feel bad for posting a lot - great to see it all progress.
- cannonball19780
Well done, mantra kid. Inspires me to get back into what I'm working on (although I really dread the amount of work that a 3d game puts on a one-man studio). Are you going to be at GDG or PAX or anything like that?
- GDC rathercannonball1978
- id love to see what you're working on btw!!mantrakid
- Id love to show it. Unfortu ately its just a shitshow of half developed assets.cannonball1978
- mantrakid0
Wont be able to afford GDC or PAX this year. In my mind, really next year im hoping the real 'career building' shit will take place.. once the game is done this year, and goes on sale, i hope i can at least make enough $ for some plane tickets to some of the bigger events next year. We'll see how a kickstarter goes tho too. This year is already a wash i think though.. just too late to get it going / not enough time to get something together anyway / not enough money to even make it there.
- mantrakid0
This awesome dude made a "Let's Play" of the last released build. Lots of updates since this version he's playing, but it was the most 'stable' version at the time of him getting in touch, so here it is.. good way to see what the early game is like:
- fadein110
randomly came across this which was quite bizarre:
http://corpsmoderne.itch.io/flap…
- coldarchon0
at www.futurelearn.com they have a free online course to make computer games that starts in 10 days, anyone in?
- mantrakid0
Finally worked out a proper UI.
Wow, damn. So many updates on the go after receiving some really good professional advice. Fixed quite a few bugs that have come up from the awesome testers who have been checking the game out.
The core work has been to solve an overwhelmingly loud feedback regarding the confusion brought on in the first exposure to the game. Initially i really wanted the experience to have a deep sense of discovery, and though i feel its still there to a degree, i had to make some compromises and design issues that overcame some of the points of confusion to first-time players... Simply put, people aren't gonna play a game that doesnt at least seem to make sense right off the bat. Im actually surprised at how long this remains an issue as development continues. I always think i 'solved it' but feedback from new players shows that it can still be improved..
One of the biggest things ive been working on is that I've finally designed a proper HUD UI, which really adds to the experience and feel of the game. I was using the shitty little top corner graphics for too long, so to now have a proper HUD its looking really nice. I decided to place it along the bottom since most of the fighting in cosmochoria takes place above you. Because the camera pans to keep you 'always up' there's never really a situation where you are actually looking for things on the bottom of the screen, so it seemed like the perfect place to put everything in a neat and tidy little bar. This also opens up the space above you for better alien spotting, etc.
- mantrakid0
Well pals, here is build 82... probably the biggest notable upgrade in a while.. it fixed a LOT of bugs... hopefully it didnt introduce too many more. There are a bunch of new features, i don't even know where to begin, i honestly just stopped keeping track. :P
The biggest gameplay difference you will notice is that there are more than one weapon. Im still tweaking the other weapons (shotgun & laser (sniper) rifle) so they are currently disabled. So right now, you can only access the first gun upgrade. Once you get the first gun upgrade, you will be able to collect "Powerups" in the game by killing 'shiny' ufos.. basically flashing ufos that drop red balls (proper graphic to come). Collecting the Power-Ups will upgrade your gun in-game, so technically you can get level 1-4 of the main gun while playing a single session.
There's also a red 'test' tower that can be built with 10 seeds... you must have 11 seeds for it to be available (since you'd need 1 seed to continue planting). Right now it just does the same thing as the pyramid, but im toying with ideas for what this special tower can do... something that really leverages having lots of seeds in the later stages of the game.
There are "artifacts" but i still dont have the art done for them. They also dont currently do anything yet... that's coming soon.
Let me know what you think - if you come across any bugs, etc etc. Any help you can give is hugely appreciated!
Overall, I hope you have fun! Please let me know if you dont, and try to think of why, especially by comparing to past versions... Im really hoping things are improving, not regressing. :)
Without further ado:
Build 082
Windows: http://www.cosmochoria.com/press…
Mac: http://www.cosmochoria.com/press…
Linux: http://www.cosmochoria.com/press…Web Version: http://www.cosmochoria.com/build…
im so nervous... hope it all functions properly for you...
- cruddlebub0
this game frickin' ROCKS!
- mantrakid0
This is how i roll:
- i_monk0
I just played (the web build) for the first time. Two things immediately frustrated me: I can't seem to aim myself when using the jet pack, so I end up spiralling through space, totally adrift, until hitting a random planet. I couldn't get back to the start planet, so I feel like I completely missed whatever I was supposed to do there.
I read what you said upthread about a sense of discovery, but maybe the jet pack should be something you earn after achieving some basic sense of how the game works on that first planet. After that, discovery and adventure awaits.
Looks and sounds pretty sweet though :)