What are you working on?

Normally I don't post what I'm working on because I'm lazy and generally I end up never finishing, but I figured what the heck. Here's the two main projects I've started since I discovered Construct:

Prismatic

<img src="http://xs124.xs.to/xs124/08056/prototype896.png">

The first mockup I made as a proof of concept. The final game will, of course, be much more detailed.

I wanted to make a puzzle-platformer that dealt with color as it's main theme. The main character is Dr. Hugh Chromis (haha, get it?), a scientist who is working on discovering other dimensions. During a lab accident, he's jolted out of phaze with our dimension and is stuck between the dimensions. He can only interact with platforms and entities that he is phaze-aligned with. If he's red-phazed, then he can jump on red platforms and be hurt by red enemies, etc.

<img src="http://xs124.xs.to/xs124/08056/dr_chromis_lg574.png">

The sprite design for Dr. Chromis. Yes, I realize that when the three phazes are set next to each other like this, it kind of looks like an '80s New-Wave band.

Normally you can only see what phaze you're aligned with, but Dr. Chromis has a set of Prismatic Goggles that he can turn on and off to see all three dimensions overlapping at once. By touching crystals of other alignments he can change phaze, and that's where the puzzle aspect comes in.

Squarebear

<img src="http://xs124.xs.to/xs124/08056/squarebear_prototype192.png">

This prototype was one of the first things I made in Construct. The final game won't have 3D boxes for platforms, I was just messing around with them in this mockup.

Squarebear was first conceived as an entry for Total-Klik's mascot contest (which gave us the wonderful game Pasi the Pumpkin-Worm.) Seeing as how I'm so lazy, I didn't get beyond making some concept sketches of Squarebear:

<img src="http://xs124.xs.to/xs124/08056/squarebearsketch668.jpg">

Anyway, Squarebear is a bear made of chewing gum. As such, he's got the ability to blow himself up into a bubble to get past certain obstacles. When he turns into a bubble he can float on air currents and on water, but he's in danger of popping.

<img src="http://xs124.xs.to/xs124/08056/spritesheet_lg805.png">

The first sprites for Squarebear.

Both of these games are still in early stages of development, mainly because of my aforementioned laziness. But enough about me, what are you guys working on? Don't be shy, now.

I'm currently working on Phys-Box primarily, and a bunch of concepts for a new HUD for it on the side.

Other than that I started some time ago on an RTS system, but due to your aforementioned laziness I stopped work on it (and progress on Phys-Box has been slow as well).

Right now I'm only really messing about with concepts until I find a suitable side project for the times when I'm bored with Phys-Box. Currently, the best candidate is a top-down survival game somewhat like Notrium.

i am currently working (albeit, slowly) on a strategy, rts-ish game.

so far, i've only worked in the basic, background processing that's to be used as well as placeholder sprites, background, hud. the next step is to add physics and runtime animations/movements but i'm not sure how far that's going to get because the idea documentation is still incomplete but then again, i might just work on the game engine to make it as all encompassing for the game as possible then, i'll just throw it up here and everyone can pitch in ideas to complete it!

i'm also wondering if we should get a small community project going to help promote the release of construct v1. what are you thoughts on this?

i'm also wondering if we should get a small community project going to help promote the release of construct v1. what are you thoughts on this?

I don't know if I'd be down for a group project, but I might try my hand at a small compo (someone elsewhere mentioned a competition previously). It would depend on the theme, though.

I love the 3D boxes in that platformer deadeye, is there some limitation with 3D box which is why you're giving them up?

I think we should do something along the lines of "marketing" for 1.0 when it's ready, but I don't know what - I guess open source projects have to spread by word of mouth based on their own merits rather than any advertising.

I love the 3D boxes in that platformer deadeye, is there some limitation with 3D box which is why you're giving them up?

Yeah, a couple. Mainly because it's just easier using tiles (no z-sorting issues to deal with), but also because of the current lack of other primitives. With some spheres, cylinders and cones I might take the time to build more impressive environments, but I think I'll just wait and see if the mesh object ever pans out sometime down the line. Also, with 3D platforms and everything else 2D, it just looks kinda gimmicky.

I think we should do something along the lines of "marketing" for 1.0 when it's ready, but I don't know what - I guess open source projects have to spread by word of mouth based on their own merits rather than any advertising.

I think word of mouth is probably the best bet. It would help if Construct had a "killer app" by the time 1.0 was out so people could see what it's capable of. It's already generated some buzz in the klik world, but like 99% of the people interested in it all say they'll wait for 1.0. Other than that, it's just a matter of folks talking about it and showing off their Construct games.

So, show them off, people! I want details. Vinny, what's are your RTS about? Drew, a survival game sounds badass. What's the theme?

Ash, I remember from your MMF days that you were making a game called terminal orbit and last I heard you were planing on making it still but with a different tool (I assume construct) (I also cant remember where I heard that so if its wrong then I apologise). Why not get the community together and maybe start making TO for the release of v1? Just seems like a good idea to have a project on the go at that stage!

A little running animation for Dr. Chromis:

<img src="http://xs124.xs.to/xs124/08061/chromis-run647.gif"> <img src="http://xs124.xs.to/xs124/08061/chromis-run_lg121.gif">

I'm not an expert pixel artist, so crits are welcome...

That's pretty damn awesome deadeye. Better than what I can do D:

I'm going to make the survival game basically a topdown thing, mostly because topdown is incredibly simple for me to sprite. I want to basically make it like Stranded but 2D topdown and eventually multiplayer, with mining into the rock, Z-levels and building non-preset buildings, and expanding it from there. Right now it's really in concept stage only, as I'm trying to redevelop Phys-Box to be easier to add on to - poor planning earlier in development and haphazard creation of triggers has made it hell to work with so I'm just going to completely remake it. I'd like to have a proper animated character in there too, rather than just an emoticon. Emoticon games are really just an in-joke of Facepunch, especially the sidescrollers (there's been two sidescrolling games based on Facepunch, the second one of which being D:FP which is being developed by SuperV and Mesothere with possibilities of using the redeveloped Phys-Box for objects and stuff)

But anyway, I'm gonna go do some on this survival game, see what I can achieve.

Emoticon games are really just an in-joke of Facepunch...

Ah, I was wondering what was up with all the emoticon stuff.

That sprite is pretty good, it's easy on the eyes. Adding a fourth frame could make it a lot smoother though depending on what your goal is for that sprite.

My current project is inspired by castle defense type games but eventually evolved to the point that it can be considered an rts.

It doesn't necessarily have to be castles but that's just the initial idea; I've had other ideas about using the same type of gameplay but with modern warfare instead but that will have to wait till later though.

The game will have a storyline but like most rts games, skirmishes will be the main focus so I hope to incorporate multiplayer options eventually.

I'm working on THIS

And will, when i get spare time, or wants to take a brake from my big project, work on THIS.

I'm sorry, but i don't want to expose too much of the first project. One thing i know though, is that when it's finnished it will show the power of construct in many ways.

That sprite is pretty good, it's easy on the eyes. Adding a fourth frame could make it a lot smoother though depending on what your goal is for that sprite.

I'm considering doing that, especially after seeing it in-game. It doesn't seem to read as well in motion as it does in a .gif.

Anyway, I *think* I've perfected my platform movement (well, as close to perfect as I'm gonna get). I took the default platform movement and fixed it so there's no skating or pogo-jumping. I added in detectors and pvt variable toggles so the engine could tell the difference between jumping, falling, standing, and running. There are a few other minor little tweaks as well just to smooth things out.

Here it is:

http://www.mediafire.com/?1mwz1drlmbz

Jump with Z. There's also a debug key (D) that toggles the detectors on and off so you can see them at work (not that there's much to look at when they're on).

As always, feedback is appreciated. Does he move to fast/slow? Is the jumping too high/short? Is the animation speed okay? Also, I encourage people to try to break it in case there are bugs I missed. (I know of one very minor bug that's hard to reproduce and doesn't really affect gameplay, but I'll keep it to myself in case no one catches it).

The next step is to start on the main gameplay feature, which is being able to change the solidity of different colored platforms.

He should really lean forward when he runs since he can run so fast. Also, If you collide with a wall, he accelerates slower when you run the other direction. he kinda stops for a while.

It happened two times for me that i opened the game, ran straight foward, fell a little bit, and then the game just crashed. It happened two times out of four. Is this happening to anyone else?

edit. In the square bear screenies you have flowers out on the edge of the 3D boxes. Did you manage to make them move realisticly, and stay in place while the 3D box is doing it's magic?

edit. In the square bear screenies you have flowers out on the edge of the 3D boxes. Did you manage to make them move realisticly, and stay in place while the 3D box is doing it's magic?

I don't know if it's what he did, but you can make another 3D box and make all sides (including back) transparent, except for the front where you put the flower.

That does the trick for me at least.