Secret project
by Dave "Jellybit" Freeman · in Torque Game Builder · 04/17/2005 (1:06 am) · 22 replies
Here's a sneak peek at a project I'm putting together. I don't want to reveal everything, so I'm just going to show this little cropped screenshot. Here are two characters in my game, zombie and man. I just wanted to show a hint of the art style I'm using. I'm going with the sharp and precise look of pixel art. This screenshot is zoomed 300%, so the actual resolution is higher.
The background is very much a WIP (it's just a digital sketch). The zombie is pretty much what I want. The man was just a placeholder that I may work with later. The animation is a challenge (I've never animated in 2D from this perspective before), but a lot of fun. The scripting is going VERY slowly, but the game is simple enough that I'm sure I can complete it alone. Unfortunately, I'm either going to have to dumb down one of the features a little, or learn C++ from scratch and add a new function to T2D. I'm also going to be doing the music myself. A total one-man project. It's a pretty original idea in gameplay, so it'll be exciting when I have enough to show you that part of the game.
I'm so excited, I had to share this preview with you. Sorry it's just a small percentage of a screenshot instead of a full playable demo like the rest of the guys are sharing. Again, I couldn't hold it in. You understand.
_Apr 24, 2005:_
Here's all but 3 frames of my zombie walk cycle. There's still a lot of cleanup/reanimating (no pun intended) to do, but I think it's looking ok so far. This is my first videogame (I don't count the games I made on my c64 when I was 12), so it's a hell of a learning experience. I'm learning a lot about pixel art and animation. I never did pixel art before this, so this is all a whole new world to me. Animation is also a challange. I'm loving it! But I'm also getting excited about the art design I'm setting up for my NEXT game. Anyway, on to the update.
I animated the head and body separately, so that I can change costume colors with the .setBlendColor function. There's ANOTHER reason I did this, but I won't tell just yet. It's kinda strange of me to update incrementally like this, showing each baby-step, but again, I'm pumped. So bare with me. I know these look like random tiny pieces, but it will fall together and make more sense later. The game isn't what you think it is.
The background is very much a WIP (it's just a digital sketch). The zombie is pretty much what I want. The man was just a placeholder that I may work with later. The animation is a challenge (I've never animated in 2D from this perspective before), but a lot of fun. The scripting is going VERY slowly, but the game is simple enough that I'm sure I can complete it alone. Unfortunately, I'm either going to have to dumb down one of the features a little, or learn C++ from scratch and add a new function to T2D. I'm also going to be doing the music myself. A total one-man project. It's a pretty original idea in gameplay, so it'll be exciting when I have enough to show you that part of the game.
I'm so excited, I had to share this preview with you. Sorry it's just a small percentage of a screenshot instead of a full playable demo like the rest of the guys are sharing. Again, I couldn't hold it in. You understand.
_Apr 24, 2005:_
Here's all but 3 frames of my zombie walk cycle. There's still a lot of cleanup/reanimating (no pun intended) to do, but I think it's looking ok so far. This is my first videogame (I don't count the games I made on my c64 when I was 12), so it's a hell of a learning experience. I'm learning a lot about pixel art and animation. I never did pixel art before this, so this is all a whole new world to me. Animation is also a challange. I'm loving it! But I'm also getting excited about the art design I'm setting up for my NEXT game. Anyway, on to the update.
I animated the head and body separately, so that I can change costume colors with the .setBlendColor function. There's ANOTHER reason I did this, but I won't tell just yet. It's kinda strange of me to update incrementally like this, showing each baby-step, but again, I'm pumped. So bare with me. I know these look like random tiny pieces, but it will fall together and make more sense later. The game isn't what you think it is.
#3
As for your coding woes, why don't you share what you're trying to achieve? I'm sure someone here would probably be able to help you get there.
04/17/2005 (1:54 am)
Dude. The art is lovely. :) That zombie looks great, and heck, your "placeholder" guy looks pretty awesome, too. Lookin' forward to see some more artwork from you. :)As for your coding woes, why don't you share what you're trying to achieve? I'm sure someone here would probably be able to help you get there.
#4
Thanks!
@Mike:
Hehe, I'm a bit oldschool with my taste in zombies. I like the zombies that say "Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiinnnsss". These newfangled fast and smart zombies don't do it for me.
@Teck Lee:
hah Thank you! I'm going to bust out the next two characters tomorrow, probably. About the coding, I'm not even at the point where I know what to ask. I have to learn C++ from scratch. All I've asked so far is what is possible in what I know I need. And I've gotten the answers I need there. I'm holding off on some parts of my scripting for the next version. I don't know what will change, but I do know some features will be added that will be useful for me. Believe me, there will be no shortage of woes that I will share once I get neck deep into it. hehe. But since the new version is just two days away (hopefully), I'm not going to go barking up a tree that the new version may fully surpass. So for now, I'm focusing on the art.
04/17/2005 (2:07 am)
@Hans:Thanks!
@Mike:
Hehe, I'm a bit oldschool with my taste in zombies. I like the zombies that say "Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiinnnsss". These newfangled fast and smart zombies don't do it for me.
@Teck Lee:
hah Thank you! I'm going to bust out the next two characters tomorrow, probably. About the coding, I'm not even at the point where I know what to ask. I have to learn C++ from scratch. All I've asked so far is what is possible in what I know I need. And I've gotten the answers I need there. I'm holding off on some parts of my scripting for the next version. I don't know what will change, but I do know some features will be added that will be useful for me. Believe me, there will be no shortage of woes that I will share once I get neck deep into it. hehe. But since the new version is just two days away (hopefully), I'm not going to go barking up a tree that the new version may fully surpass. So for now, I'm focusing on the art.
#5
04/17/2005 (2:16 am)
Hopefully by next week I'll have a tutorial out on extending a fxSceneObject2D to a new custom object thats fully accessible to the script :)
#6
04/17/2005 (2:21 am)
Heheh, you're not "King Tut". You're a tutorial-making ROBOT. You're trying to take over the internet by flooding it with tutorials until it can no longer function, and mankind is too busy making videogames to stop you. I support your cause! Thank you, tutorial robot!
#7
04/17/2005 (2:22 am)
... you found out my secret plan... 
#8
- Melv.
04/17/2005 (3:06 am)
That looks really cool. Keep them screenies coming as you progress. Look forward to more!- Melv.
#9
04/17/2005 (3:13 am)
Btw I kept thinking amazing screenshots! I just never said it lol... I wish I could do art like that =/
#10
04/17/2005 (5:06 am)
Echoing what everyone else said - looks great. I think I know the guy with grey hair.
#11
04/17/2005 (6:04 am)
Hehe, I'm getting a serious 'Zombies Ate My Neighbors' vibe from that shot, as far as the GFX go, and that's a good thing.
#13
04/17/2005 (10:46 am)
More must see more.
#14
@Kemi:
@Josh:
High compliment! thanks. It's my first time working with perspective in pixel art. I can't say ZAMN wasn't an inspiration.
Whoa, this must have stuck into my subconscious. The skin, hair, and jacket colors are the same. And wow! The tongue is hanging out! But really, it was based on this OLD drawing I did a long time ago (that I'm a bit ashamed of now, but that's drawing for ya), that I know had nothing to do with ZAMN:
The costume color and skin color were based on my last prize-winning halloween costume :). I bought a brown 3 piece suit and a yellow shirt at a second-hand store, tore it up, and rolled around in the dirt of my back yard! covered myself in pale green makeup, fake blood/liquid latex, and went for it. hehe.
Actually, I never played ZAMN, but my brother used to play it a lot.
Thanks again everyone. I'll add more when I can.
04/17/2005 (2:14 pm)
Thanks everyone!@Kemi:
Quote:I think I know the guy with grey hair.My condolences. I had no intention of stirring up feelings of grief.
@Josh:
High compliment! thanks. It's my first time working with perspective in pixel art. I can't say ZAMN wasn't an inspiration.
Whoa, this must have stuck into my subconscious. The skin, hair, and jacket colors are the same. And wow! The tongue is hanging out! But really, it was based on this OLD drawing I did a long time ago (that I'm a bit ashamed of now, but that's drawing for ya), that I know had nothing to do with ZAMN:
The costume color and skin color were based on my last prize-winning halloween costume :). I bought a brown 3 piece suit and a yellow shirt at a second-hand store, tore it up, and rolled around in the dirt of my back yard! covered myself in pale green makeup, fake blood/liquid latex, and went for it. hehe.
Actually, I never played ZAMN, but my brother used to play it a lot.
Thanks again everyone. I'll add more when I can.
#15
04/17/2005 (2:29 pm)
Sometimes text just isn't very good at conveying jokes / irony etc. Just in case you weren't joking with your condolences Dave - I was joking about the grey haired guy. I house nothing but love for everyone in this community =)
#16
04/17/2005 (2:50 pm)
Heheh yeah, I was very much joking. He's a zombie. If you knew him, the guy you knew would be dead.
#17
04/17/2005 (2:52 pm)
I see dead people
#18
04/17/2005 (11:20 pm)
Awesome! Go go, pixel art! That is looking real sweet, Dave. Just like a classic Genesis game! (Maybe has something to do with the callsign of "Sega"?)
#19
Definitely worth playing if you get the chance. It's one of my favourite games - lots of hidden areas, great humour, and the two-player aspect was a riot. I remember playing the hedge maze level with my mom and nearly soiling myself every time a chainsaw wielding enemy came crashing through the walls.
Really looking forward to checking this out, David :)
04/22/2005 (9:44 am)
Quote:Actually, I never played ZAMN, but my brother used to play it a lot.
Definitely worth playing if you get the chance. It's one of my favourite games - lots of hidden areas, great humour, and the two-player aspect was a riot. I remember playing the hedge maze level with my mom and nearly soiling myself every time a chainsaw wielding enemy came crashing through the walls.
Really looking forward to checking this out, David :)
#20
@David:
Haha yeah, I love me some Genesis. I haven't had the guts to go low-palette though. 64 on-screen colors total! Seems quite difficult.
@Chris:
I think I'll play some today! And thank you.
04/24/2005 (2:05 pm)
Small update to my initial post, edited above.@David:
Haha yeah, I love me some Genesis. I haven't had the guts to go low-palette though. 64 on-screen colors total! Seems quite difficult.
@Chris:
I think I'll play some today! And thank you.
Torque Owner Hans Sjunnesson