Sorry no streaming today, I am a bit under the weather. Maybe later this week, or definitely next Tuesday!
Late night on a Friday and I wanted to make some more progress! I'm hoping to get a bunch done over the next few days, so tonight I just worked on getting some new port art. (As in, ports were just black boxes, now they're actual pieces of art!) I'd write more about game progress, but I am le tired.
Questions Oh, so if there is a huge battle going on then, the frame rate will drop? Will there be any huge battles?
Well the plan is to fix things so it doesn't slow down, but yeah there is no reason not to expect some 10+ ship battles.
The art looks really great! I have a crush on pirate games, specially with that art style that reminds me of Monkey Island series. I will look forward to it!
Hooray, thanks! Glad it's looking cool to you. In advance of WWDC (where I hope to show the game to folks [maybe TA]) I'm trying to create an actual game loop. So if you die, you can actually restart. I'm also now generating the ships in the game, so every time you start, they'll start in different places, or maybe there will be more navy than usual, etc. I think boarding of ships is actually going to be a big design/work challenge, so that's going on the backburner. For now I'll be just balancing the game, trying to create some better behaviors, and making sure information is passing how I want it to. I have rough information passing, but I think I'm going to be tuning it a lot! Still hoping to submit this in June. The game is rough in many ways, so I'm a little nervous how an alpha release will go, but my hope is to gain enough players to where I can keep working on it. If I don't make enough, I may have to go work for a company again!
Wait, are you hoping to submit this game to the App Store this June? Also, I would recommend to give a demo to TA and maybe some other gaming sites too like PocketGamer or 148Apps! Maybe even to famous mobile youtubers like PhoneCatss or ImperfectLion The game would get a lot of attention! As a side note, I also can help you so the game attention, I have done it before!
Yeah, ideally I'd like to push out the first alpha release sometime this month. I'm getting the tough indie experience right now and have to decide whether or not I can keep doing this. I dunno, so I'd like to push the game out and see what happens! That info about those iOS youtubers is very useful, so thanks for that heads up! I kinda don't think many people will pay for this, but even with a bit of work I think it will just keep getting better. I'd like to do something like a kickstarter, or maybe trying a patreon? The world is a weird place these days. I'm old fashioned trying to make it in a new school. I should probably get with the times.
Hi everybody! So I had a great meeting with Jared and Eli during WWDC this last week. They made a good point that before I build this massive background system I should first find out if people enjoy playing my game. With that in mind, I've decided to make a stripped down arcade version. Because I like the idea of transparency on this project, this is what my game design proposal is: 3 factions, each has one port, each starts with 2 merchant ships and 1 navy ship. Merchant ships travel back and forth between their native port and one other faction. The navy ship patrols its area. Navy ships will not fire on merchants but will fire on any opposing navies or pirate. 3 currencies/variables: valuables, weapons, and armor. Valuables: Available from merchant ships (and maybe a small amount from navy ships), but whenever you sink a merchant ship, that faction's port generates one more navy ship before it generates a new merchant. Also, while that port is generating new merchant ships, the port will fire at you. You can spend valuables at ports to rebuild your armor, buy weapons, or upgrade stuff. Your game score is actually tied into a Stash location somewhere on the map. Your score is only the valuables buried at your stash. Weapons: The more ammo you're carrying, the slower you go. Ammo is dropped from navy ships. Armor: You have 9, other ships have 3. You have to spend valuables at ports to regain or upgrade your armor. Last as long as possible, build up the greatest stash possible. Arcade-y, short, challenging. This is the new quick plan! I'm really sorry for anyone who was excited for the deeper stuff, but I think this is probably the best way to get something released in less time. FINALLY, NAMING! I like Rogues, but I've been testing out some other names. Any thoughts on these? Broadside Battles Battle Seas Corsair Chaos Pirate Panic
That arcade mode sounds awesome! Can't wait to try that out. I'm glad WWDC went well for you Why not Scurvy Rogues? Or Swashbucklin' Rogues? Or Pirate Rogues? I like Rogues Maybe Treacherous Waters? Let me think. I'll try to think of an "r" word to go with rogues to keep the whole alliteration thing going Scurvy-ridden Rogues? Menacing Marauders?
Heeeey everybody! Streaming this afternoon y'all, in a few hours! @jcho, good to know you like Rogues. Will still keep it in the running then!
