Viridia: Expedition (Development Thread)

(The header and original post will be changed and updated periodically. Check it out later for more details!)

Update 001

(ART) Concepts for the "Cazador's Trail" map
In the upper left-hand corner is the most recent update to the bramble tiles;
in the bottom right-hand corner is the draft of the map currently in the game file;
in the background is the sketch of the map's layout. Don't worry about the little things in the bottom-left, I'll enlarge them later.

Impressive! And I must say, that is indeed a very good way to keep yourself going. Heh, wouldn't be a bad idea for everyone planning on entering a game into HotOHR to do something like this. Be a good way to keep us all motivated, and ensure that we all get something out, hehe.


Regarding your tiles, I like them, particularly the rock tiles. The brambles though, look a bit too "busy." But then again, they are brambles, so this may have been the look you were going for.

Cheers!

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Being from the third world, I reserve the right to speak in the third person.

Using Editor version wip 20170527 gfx_sdl+fb music_sdl

You spelled "expedition" correctly everywhere but the splash art.

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Mega Tact v1.1
Super Penguin Chef
Wizard Blocks

That enemy, I think the image says "retache"(?), just to the left of the Knave, reminds me of original Metroid's Kraid. And yes, this is a good thing in my book :p

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dOn'T MiNd mE! i'M jUsT CoNtAgIoUs!!!
Play Orbs CCG: http://orbsccg.com/r/4r6x

Wha ha ha! Well, that's fine by me, I was going to revise and add onto the header later. The implication remains that we're just getting started and have a lot to work on.

I'm honestly amazed that you were able to glean the word "Knave" from that shrunken mess of words! I'll definitely enlarge those and make proper enemy sprites next week.

Nice stuff. I like your tilework

Update 002



(MUSIC) Drafts of the track "RWR"
I've been working on this one for a while, but just today I started to put everything into the MIDI file that will go into the game. The links above have two samples:
one of the concept draft with Sytrus synthesizers (among others), and one of the MIDI-in-progress.
My reason for choosing MIDI for the in-game soundtrack is twofold: first, I want to keep the file size as low as possible, and second, it's training/challenging me to do more with midis.
I want to create amazing, memorable, and expressive tunes with these bottom-of-the-barrel sounds. That's what the classic NES/SNES composers did, and I genuinely prefer to hear
the original in-game soundtracks over any modern remixes that have cropped up over the years. I want to reach that level of quality with my soundtrack.

... Now then! I'm actually having trouble thinking of a context for this piece, so when the maps and cutscenes get more developed, I'm going to need some help figuring out where my music will be most appropriate - if anywhere at all! It could well be that the music I just uploaded will end up never being used!

I like both of these tracks, but I prefer the first one considerably more. I can see it coming at the end of a pretty harrowing cut scene where something shocking happens and the heroes are about to unleash vengeance on the enemy. Nice job.

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Update 003
(STORY) The first scene / meeting a stranger
I'm not sure how to structure this, so I'm going to try two things. You guys tell me which one you like better, or suggest a third alternative, and I'll roll with it.
TYPE 1: Dialogue w/Portraits
[Scene: Opening - Wade searches for Jerry]

"In Rigging Bluff, a small village located along the eastern-central cliffs of Ebbaron, two young mercenaries prepare themselves for an important meeting. A mail-carrying envoy from their home country has been assigned to an oft-traveled outpost further north, relaying international news and delivering letters from home. Their journey is expected to be simple, straightforward, and without incident."
"... There we go. Suited and ready. Gotta look my best for the motherland. Now then... Jerry! You ready to go yet? ... Jerry? Dang it! He's gonna make us late! Where'd he go?! Clear the doorway, Payton, heavy armor coming through!"
"Gah! Watch it, Wade! What are you all suited up for?"
"There's a little meeting in the X-Post that I need to attend, and I'll be expected to be in uniform, so... What about you? Looks like you're gearing up for a trip, too."
"The commander's not back yet from last night's mission. Me and the old man are heading out in a few to check the site, make sure he didn't screw up."
"Really? I'd assumed the job would take a day or two anyway. Do you think we should come, too?
"Don't bother. I'm the fastest sword arm in the desert, and Ryo's its most brilliant mind. You might be handy to have, but your partner would only slow us down. Just stick to your errand today."
"Speaking of him, did you see where he went?"
"In the next room, down the stairs. He's still sleeping in the hot spring."
"That no-good..."

TYPE 2: Box-quoted excerpt from the script

The box-quotes are more compact and are, in my opinion, easier to read, but the portrait dialogue is prettier and allows the characters to express a little emotion on here. Not much emotion at the moment, since I have a lot of expressions to finish drawing for the portrait graphics. Expect anywhere between 4 and 10 unique expressions for each player character. The portrait bodies will also be redone in the future, I'm not very happy with their proportions, both by themselves and in relation to each other.
Tell me what you thought of the dialogue snippets!

Portraits, definitely. Though I may be biased as I'm also using portraits in Legacy, hehe. On the other hand, I'm not using changing portraits to convey emotion or anything, and I must say that that's a pretty nifty thing you've done.

As for the dialogue, I'm getting that Wade is a by-the-book stickler for duty and rules, though not exactly a stuck-up type of guy.

Payton seems to be more of an arrogant bastard, though not exactly an unpleasant one. He's sure of himself, a bit cocky, but rightfully so.

Well, that's the feel I'm getting, not sure if that's what you were aiming for though, hehe.



Also, awesome portraits.

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Being from the third world, I reserve the right to speak in the third person.

Using Editor version wip 20170527 gfx_sdl+fb music_sdl

Dang, I must have done a really good job conveying these characters, because you hit the nail on the head, BMR!

Update 004

(ART) Turtuga Sprites
Today's update is a small one because I'm a terrible procrastinator and I barely lent a single hour to improving this enemy sprite, creating its frontal walkabout, and inflating the old sketches.
This enemy, the "Turtuga" (an unclever mix between the English and Spanish words for "turtle"), was actually one of the first ones I came up with. The sprite has been around forever (the old version is greyed out), but only today did I take another look at it to fix some flaws - most notably, its puny legs. They seem okay now. This enemy has a walkabout sprite in progress! Expect more of these, because most enemies in Viridia are encountered by interacting with overworld NPCs. They will all exhibit simple movement behaviors from the default NPC move types - most of them will be "chase" NPCs. But not this one.

A 200kg pet? No thank you, I have enough to do with cleaning my 50 gal and 30 gal fish tanks :P

But in all seriousness, that's some seriously spiffy sprite-ing. The shading is great, and I love the "expression" that the eyes have. One minor criticism, the cracks on the shell in the large sprite seem random/haphazard while the ones on the walkabout seem symmetrical? Both look good, but when put together doesn't seem consistent.


Oh, and one more thing, you've got a walkabout, does that mean enemies wander the map as opposed to suddenly appearing out of nowhere in random battles?

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Being from the third world, I reserve the right to speak in the third person.

Using Editor version wip 20170527 gfx_sdl+fb music_sdl

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Mega Tact v1.1
Super Penguin Chef
Wizard Blocks