Although it’s not readily apparent to those following the recent screenshots, there’s a lot going on here that wasn’t going on before. I’m starting to populate the test zones with as much decoration as possible (I still have a lot more to add, like rocks and other plants and flowers), but I especially like how the ferns came out, since they are probably the first -real- art I’ve done for this game. I should probably give them a subtle shadow. I turned off the weather which can be used to make the desaturated gradient from the last screenshot.
Additionally, the scripting language is pretty much complete and fully debugged, I can examine things and if they have something interesting, Arashi will either quip above her head or, like the screenshot here, do a full window with portraits. Character portraits are optional so unimportant NPCs can still pop up with a window for expositional text, but all NPCs, friendly or enemy, can do quips as well above their heads. I have a random script that executes any in a set of scripts, which may not be used often, but it does have some uses. Also, I have added portals/teleporters, so Arashi can not only walk to the next zone (finally), but can be teleported to another location in the same zone. All scripts can be automatically set off by coming within a variable range of the map object, or wait to be switched on by the player. I can even attach scripts to enemies when they are first wounded, or defeated. And all of it runs on a scheduler, so there can be execution delay and script chains (when one script ends, the next begins). I used to make games on EA’s Adventure Construction Set as a kid, but this engine already blows that entire product away (and I made some pretty nice games with ACS).
Things are really shaping up, many fundamental RPG elements are in place now, and with a little more work it’s pretty much ready for full level design work. I’m already having fun beating up the test kittris and checking out the hotspots on the map, even still sparsely decorated, but imagining how lush it will be when everything is fully drawn and interactive makes me very excited.
Hurray im back and viewing all the recent work its looking good and i see she even has a sarcastic side XD. By the way i noticed in the 2nd picture theres her tree stump you should add like a sitting thing for her so she can rest on it and think or in chairs in town also i am likeing the detail in the art work its looking better and better keep up the good work ^^.
🙂 Well this is just a test map so I’m making fun of it through Arashi, but I figure it wouldn’t hurt for someone as smart as her to have some wit to her dialog, at least when she’s talking to herself when I get to the actual level lol.
That’s a very good idea with the tree stump and chairs later, I totally didn’t even think of that and I’m heavily influenced by Ultima 7 which allowed sitting down. Can pretty easily add a sitting animation in the long run, when I get back to finishing her animation set.