Author: SaltyJustice

So, yes, it’s mid-December and that means The Holidays are upon us. There probably won’t be an update next week because

Well, this week I’ve done work on the big distinction between Chapter 5 and the other chapters: Other modes of play. See, Chapter 1 did all the heavy lifting for Pandemonium. It introduced the setting, characters, conflict, and mechanics of the game. I could probably make all the other chapters using just those elements and produce a good game. You’d play it.

But since I’m not a hack, Chapter 5 has major differences. There is a much slower section where the focus of the gameplay shifts a great deal. In short, there are minigames. Three of them. There are also repeatable subquests and sort-of minigames such as Raiju Roundup.

The first two minigames are actually already completed, or rather, their baseline is completed and I need to polish them up and make levels for the ones that need them. The third minigame will be in development in what spare time I can find this week.

So what are the minigames? Well I won’t be releasing that information quite yet. In January, Patrons will find out. The rest of you will have to wait until the public releases come out.

In other news, development is still going on. I have completed the frame for the second area of the chapter and will be stitching things together once I’m done the minigame work. I’ve also sent off the scenario stuff to my editor so he can clean it up, because I loathe the first drafts of my own writing.

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This week, I completed the baseline scenario work for the first section of Chapter 5. There are approximately 6 major sections, so the chapter is now about 1/6th complete. Handy.

I have not started work on balancing the chapter, abilities, enemies, or anything like that. Instead I’m going to finish the scenario work for the whole thing and then go back and place enemies and items. This is a departure from the development technique I used for Chapter 1, so we’ll see if this winds up being better or worse.

The Lighting Engine

So here’s a screenshot showing off a bit of the lighting engine. I wound up having to do this using shaders, because doing it with additive blending proved very restrictive. Shaders should hopefully be compatible with everyone’s machines going forward, as I didn’t do anything particularly complex with them.

The lighting system uses simple distance computations with an attenuation function. It supports colored lighting and the lights can be modified via scripts, meaning there will be light-based puzzles later on. Lights can also move to follow a source, so Christine will be getting a lantern at one point.

Lighting allows me to focus your eye on certain points on the screen, and allows for ambushes and an increase in tension. Enemies can see just fine in the dark, but you can’t see their vision cones until you’re practically on top of them.

Other Updates

Urimas has gotten me most of the tiles I need for the cryogenics facility and surrounding areas. Chicken continues to be sick, but has completed half of the basic design work for the chapter. None of the named characters have been concepted yet. Hund has been keeping up with inking.

Me? Scriptwork. I’ve completed most of the maps for the first part of the chapter, and now I’m going to be writing the scenario scripts, adding enemies, and balancing the whole thing.

Right, another short update this week. I’ve spent most of the past week working on other projects (I happen to be the lead coder for two other projects in addition to Pandemonium) but that’s all finished up now and it’s back to work.

Next week I’ll be showing off some of the new gameplay features of Chapter 5. Each chapter is going to have gameplay mechanics introduced, and Chapter 5 has a lighting engine and electricity puzzles (the puzzles may get their own post at some point).

Not much to say this week. As you might expect, starting out a new chapter means you’re short on things to show off.

Urimas has completed the initial spritework for Chris and Christine, as well as getting me a lot of tiles I’ll be needing for the Cryogenics Facility. Chicken has got us a concept out for one of the enemies and Hund is inking stuff. I’ve mapped out most of the first part of Chapter 5 but haven’t put it together or started all the scripting work.

That’s right, the time has come to select the next chapter to undergo development. If you’re a 5$ patron or higher, go here and fill out the survey. The poll closes next week, at which point I will release the results and the team will begin working on whichever chapter won.

The bug reports from Chapter 1 have largely slowed down, so I’ll be doing some promotion work this week. If you have any bug reports in v1.03, please let me know on the forums.

Chicken, Urimas, and I also have a secret bit of bonus content, but it’s still under development. Expect more on that as it comes closer to fruition.

The Home Stretch

We’re almost done over here. I’ve made a number of changes from Prototype 3f, including getting the LOS raytracer in. Now enemies won’t be able to see you through walls!

I’ve updated the screenshot page to show people who didn’t get to play Prototype 3 just what the game looks like.

I expect that Chapter 1 should be completed by next week. If not, then definitely the week after. We pretty much have to color several more images and it’s ready to go.

I did just receive some suggestions from a forumgoer (you know who you are) and will have them implemented by the time Chapter 1 comes out.

Get psyched!