So, the game we made for our "Week of Awesome" entry has finally been put up on greenlight. We have been working for several months porting it over to UE4 since the project was left aside when the primary programmer got hired on for Arma. Now that has been completed I now have a new team and we are moving development to UE4. We have all the primary systems over, but I am redoing the artwork to ensure fits with UE4's pipeline and fits well with my desires for the games look/feel. If you want to give us some support head on over and click the vote button:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=448884478

Here is a snippet of what the games premise is:

Born from a passion to have a quality farming game on the PC, we bring you "The Harvest". However, why stop with farming when you can add espionage to the mix, throw in some magic and perhaps a dastardly deed or two as well to spice up your life.

Having graduated from your training as an agent for the kingdom, you have been dispatched into the world to make a difference and benefit the kingdom. Your first posting is to a neutral town settled in a deep mountain valley and resting right in the middle of the only mountain pass between your kingdom and the neighboring nation. A small plot of land has been purchased on your behalf for you to establish your deep cover identity as a new farmer to the area, engage with the locals, watch for incursions by the opposing kingdom, sway opinions to your advantage and find new opportunities to push your country's agenda. Amidst all of this, unsettling signs of darkness are making themselves known.

And the video from the actual week of awesome.

So, this week I have participated in my first ever KS.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT

If you are interested show us some support and get a package! Comments welcome!

So, the following will be a comprehensive guide to what went down this week, the good, the bad, the ugly!

THE GOOD:
Production times were fairly fast. Within a day we had a prototype in place and the level was detailed to its most basic form. We wanted a simple puzzle game where you used light to kill zombies who were attacking you. You could not kill the zombies directly, but rather you had to use the environment to make these things happen. I felt this was a solid concept and went running with it within the first day or so. Luckily I had this week off so I had plenty of time to just sit back and gamedev. However, I did have to remove two days of game dev time to assist with some social life stuff. So here is the list o things that went well:

• UE4 engine was simple and smooth to use
  
• Established gamedev team really helped since we knew what each of us was strong at, and what our weaknesses were
  
• Communication through DISCORD and Google Hangouts was crucial
  
• Industry tools helped us to produce content super fast (UE4, 3Dcoat, Maya LT)
  
• P4 allowed us to share content and push updates within a repo system
  
• Sound design was 100% custom and quality (credit to iCompose)
  
• Concept met all the themes!! (not something I have done before in one of these comps)
  
• We had fun while doing this, and we honestly were proud of the game we ended up producing.
  
  THE BAD:
  As with anything, there is good and bad with all things that happen. Most of the bad was related to time frames, schedules, and distance based communication. Several times we tried to use a tracking system to keep ourselves on target, but these types of systems require somebody to force everybody to use them, and if you dont have that person in place than its just randomized stuff being placed on a website (which was our case). It also didnt help that we had a great concept, but no real thought as to how it would play out in the big picture. Day 4 we figured out that we had a much more complex and robust system that we could use with such a simple concept of "triggers". If we would have thought of this in day 1.... seriously we would have had a product that might be 5x better. We were adding game logic right up until the last hour of the competition. So here is a broken down list:
  
  
  • Distance based communication can be difficult if the points are not conveyed properly
    
  • Schedules of the team members had to be coordinated
    
  • A project of our size required ALOT of time. We could have gone with a simple concept and saved days worth of work. Perhaps even had it more fleshed out so it was smooth.
    
  • Bugs were prevalent since we were adding code at crazy rates. Content driven dev teams need to stop and focus on bug fix, however I still feel we did well given the time we had.
    
  • Fully realize the concept before you make any choices. We could have spent a full day on this and saved more time. The original Idea was so solid that we just ran with it not knowing what potential we had until we tried to figure out methods of making the zombie chase fun. Again, knowing this on day 1 could have meant an entirly polished game.
    
    And, there was no ugly this time around. We were happy with the product we put forward and were pleased with how it turned out. Gameplay is enjoyable even if it is hard, and you always have the option of direct connect to play with friends. (HINT there is no limit right now on how many people connect, so go wild) This fact alone means there a bit of replay factor depending on who you are playing with. Is the idea fully fleshed out? Nope, but I think we have a solid concept that could be pushed to market within a month easily. I will upload a video shortly showing off the development process, what it takes to get a game from 0 to this, and lastly just our teams thoughts on what we did and how we could do better next time.

    
    

    VIDEOS:

    In-game commentary on how the levels were designed:
    

    Look at the two primary characters art assets/animations:
    

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/41065/LightOfFelin.zip

Link for the dl, and I am done.

KEY FEATURES TO NOTE:

• WASD for movement
  
• E to pickup and place down pots
  
• Spacebar to use your Ultimate ability only when your soul bar is full
  
• LMB for igniting lights and killing zombies.
  
• Connect to another player via direct connect. They need to be in a game first before you attempt to connect
  
• Server host can reset the entire game via the ESC button and RESET option
  
  Any questions, comments, or concerns please post them here.

So, with all the madness and my really locked down schedule I have not made a post everynight. However, this is going to be the ONE big post before the final post tomorrow. So lets go over what has changed:

• Added new animations for player (15 to be exact)
  
• Added new model for Zombie
  
• Added vase
  
• Added ability to pickup and place down the vase (e)
  
• Added physics to the vase so it can roll (cant break it YET)
  
• Added custom dynamic music system (plays level of sounds based on events)
  
• Added custom sound FX for almost everything.... (doors, bricks, rocks, grass, dirt, walking, moaning, groaning, attacks)
  
• Added and/or logic controlers allowing for gates and doors and a whole boatload of other things to be created
  
• Added indiana jones themed event
  
• Added UI elements (hearts, soul meter)
  
• Added main menu (so you can get to the core game)
  
• Added checkpoint spawn system.
  
• Added custom event system that allows for tracking of events (the director)
  
• Added custom spell effects for all three spells
  
• Added disintegration effects to the death of zombies in the light
  
• Added new types of lights
  
• Collect souls of the fallen undead via orbs
  
• Heal yourself with potions that you may find randomly throughout the world.
  
  As you can see this is a fair ammount of crap. So lets go into detail of what the game is:
  
  
  
  • Concept
    
    
    • The game is set in a world where darkness rules the land. However the ancient order, "Watchers of Light" had created a machine that would keep the darkness at bay. For some reason, a year or so ago the machine had stopped working, and the order was unable to reach the machine due to th emassive hords of undead. You have been chosen by the order to journey to the machine and find out what is wrong, and if possible restart the machine to save the world from total destruction.
      
      
    • Features
      
      
      • Play with up to 4 players in a CO-OP mission
        
      • Journey through the land solving puzzles and avoiding the undead to reach the final challenge
        
        
      • Key Notes:
        
        
        • While we did use UE4, everything in this gameJam was created during the gameJam. I think this speaks volumes to what my team was able to accomplish. We have work in that would take normal teams a month. They have dedicated countless hours over the course of this week and I really owe them for that. We have created yet another game for our portfolios, and one that I can personally be proud of. Even the music and sound are 100% custom. Our sound engineer spent a day creating a system that would change the type of song that was playing based off of the zombies that were on the gamefield. This adaptive type of feature is normally reserved for AAA titles. So I am happy that we had the chance to use it here.
          
          
          With little less than 24 hours we have the following to complete:
          
          
          1. Detail the level and make sure lighting is baked
             
          2. Create the end Event and ensure it works for Game over and You win scenarios
             
          3. Troubleshoot some bugs related to animations and click happy people (i like to click, it helps find bugs!!!)
             
          4. Playtest each event and ensure it is playable with 1 person, and fun for 4 people.
             
          5. Finish up textures for all core items and props
             
          6. Finish up texture for player and allow for colorization for reach player that joins
             
          7. Add a nickname atop a players head (set at the main menu)
             
          8. Link the main menu to the level (think this is done, but not sure)
             
          9. Create 25 custom VO's so that they can be added to cue the player on what is going on. This is the hardest part... but lets hope it runs smoothly.
             

So, no day 2 entry because I honestly went to bed at 5am after 15 hours of dev. However, today I come to you with a sweet and sexy video! The following are the changes we have made thus far:

• Different types of lights. Always on (you get no credit for kills) - Lightable w/Delay (makes it harder) - Onetime ONLY lights
  
• Zombie Logic - increased their logic to allow crowd control. Also made them less likely to follow you when you are out of sight
  
• Particle effects! This is my fav thing to do, so I added like 50!
  
• Gates/Switches - this is not shown in the video, but its a key part to our puzzle system
  
• Spells - Kick (knockback incoming zombies for no charge!) - Aura (channel cast cost, but keeps those zombies at bay for cheap)
  
• Respawn system
  
• Checkpoint system that lets you revive at your last checkpoint
  
• Sounds - LOADS OF THESE, our sound guy got his computer fixed and is in full swing. Love him so much. Our game sounds 100% professional thanks to him.
  
  I added a ton more, but without me spoiling it all here is a video to show some in game stuff:
  

This day has been fairly productive. The following is what we were able to complete:

• Basic AI for zombies (they chase you and spawn!!)
  
• Basic WASD movement for the player
  
• 20 art assets (UV mapped and rigged, but no textures)
  
• 15 particle systems
  
• 1 level
  
• Light/Shadow code (determines if you are in the shadows or in lit areas)
  
  To see a video on what has been done, watch the following. Remember to like + subscribe + share your thoughts!
  
  

So, after the theme drop I feel pretty good about our concept. We will be using UE4 and focusing on the core elements first. This might be the first year I actually stick 100% to the theme. My first task was to setup the repo (P4) and then establish our tasking on the task site we use (activeCollab). From there I went right to work with getting the concept art for the main character. This is what I came up with:

More art to come over the course of the night! :)

Been an interesting weekend. Spent three days making a game for another gameJam. It was rather challenging since I had to create models for stuff that I had yet attempted. Our entire mesh was disjointed and parted out. Each mesh with its own bone set and animations. This caused for some interesting gameplay, but allowed for us to have physics on every bodypart. This means flying swords, arms, legs, you name it!! We went ultra simple with the concept and I kept my art to simple shader stuff. I think it turned out okay for 3 days worth of work, and as usual we have something that could be shipped tomorrow. Check out the video and let me know what you think!

Download the game here!

Screenshots!!!


Download can be found on this site.

Been a few weeks since I have posted, mostly because work has been crazy. However, as with all my returns I come bringing gifts of visual joy!

These are dropPods that carry the robot to the ground. When you arrive at your facility you are launched from a launch station. This dropPod is how you and your friends (In MP mode) spawn into the world. We thought the process was so cool we created a button to spawn as many as we liked (without the need for a player spawn). The havoc from such things is what you see before you. However, we did find some bugs that might help us fix some stuff with the normal player spawn:

Such as, if you spawn 50 at once (have you really press hard on that spawn button to make that happen) they get stuck in the air somehow. I believe this is authentication to the server, but who knows right now! Either way, we had loads of fun and the game is really coming together now. I will probably provide a video of this entire thing in another blog later in the week.

After 3 days of putzing around with the grass I have finally created something I am happy with:

After playing with the grass I moved into making some fun stuff (this is not final but just a stress test)

So, all in all I am happy with this and can move on to the next stuff! Now for animations and shooting objects!

That is all. (seriously, that is all I have today! Im too tired for anything else)

EDIT: yes this grass has some subsurface material properties

So, most of today was spent getting the Third Person viewport looking solid. I think we have something acceptable:

[media]

I also added in the clouds to the primary level and damn they look good!

Lastly, with some help from the UE4 forums we were able to get the HSV system in place so you can modify LED color!! Now our model is damn near 100% customizable.

The goals for the following week will be to finish up all the art assets for the factory, garage, and the generic enemy. Once these are in place it will mostly be gameplay mechanics we touch to make the game fun/enjoyable for the common user. With any luck we should have a playable demo before the 25th.

A lot has been going on with the game this month. Here is a quick video showing off what I was able to accomplish today. (the music is custom and created by one of my good friends Skyler).

[media]

This shows off something we were able to get in the game today. It is a particle based cloud system that has some pretty decent performance despite being a full blown model. Here some screenies of me playing around: (cloudsim 2016 baby)

And here is a screenshot of some other work I have been doing. Clouds are not the only models I have had to add to the game this week:

The turret is fully animated and runs off of the trusty gumdrops!! We also have some Third person shooter mechanics in, but that is for another video and another blog! Thanks for reading and enjoy!

We have been fairly busy with the game and I wanted to show some progress of what is in place so far. We have added a promo video which you can watch here:

It is short and simple and will be used to gather interest early on. I know it doesnt define or explain anything (that comes when we have a few more bits of game design in), but it might grab the attention and show some flash which is all I really want to do right now anyway.

Current Gamplay in place:

• Placement of turrets
  
• Destruction of turrets
  
• Dynamic Wave system (changes with difficulty without you (designer) setting every round setting
  
• Particle systems on death
  
• Animations for death, spawn, and other
  
• Traps: Poision, Blocker, Turret, Freeze, Catapult
  
• Death and reward of killing gingerbread man
  
• Music scores
  
• Sounds
  
• Basic Level design
  
• Basic UI
  
• Overworld map concept
  
• Level design
  
  Things to be added:
  
  
  • Garage for customization of robot
    
  • robot types (heavy, light, medium)
    
  • More gingerbread types with different abilities
    
  • Gumdrop types (more for fun!!)
    
  • Overworld map design
    
  • Game saving/progression
    
  • Combat system
    
  • Gingerbread (NPC) AI
    
  • and much more!!
    
    Doing some crazy stuff today so hope to have another post/video out showing off some cool stuff we have done. Thanks for listening/reading/watching these posts!

So, been rather silent as of late. Life has taken a huge toll on me and more or less stripped most of my freetime away. What time I have had available I have tried to do as much gameDev as possible. In my time away I have worked on the following:

• Creating a Steampunk 3d asset set
  
• Created a game for a UE4 gameJam
  
• Created my personal freelance portfolio
  
  Here are some screenshots of these things:
  
  

  Luckily, my exams for work have completed so I will have a bit more time. I am working to get caught up and start fleshing out the portfolio. I also want to start keeping a regular weekly blog. All pipedreams right now, but who knows what will happen as things progress. Anyway, figured I would share with ya guys where I am and how things are going. Here is a video of the devweek for that game "Pastry Party"

  And, just for fun since my football team won this week!

  https://www.instagram.com/p/BA8J7RUmrCz/?taken-by=riuthamus

WARNING: This might sound like a sore loser, but its not!! I am simply throwing out some constructive criticism.

1. What scale did you use to judge each category (by scale I mean metric)?
   
2. Did you compare each game to AAA standard, to each other, or to your own idea of what a gameJam game should be?
   
3. What is your model for how points are assigned?
   

1. There is no clear criteria for each category and what leads up to each score. When you want to decide the quality of something (like a score) you need to define the criteria clearly so that the people making it can match up to that. Without this you are just shooting in the dark and hoping to god you hit the target. This is a problem considering this leaves a lot of opinion to play into these categories rather than actual merit. The only category that should be judged based off of opinion is the 5 points at the end.
   
2. There is no way to judge difficulty of the game being coded for this event. IE: We went with 3d instead of 2d because we thought it would present more of a challenge and create a better end product. We could have gone with a 2d side scroller like all the other entries and had something far more developed. There should be a category for difficulty and it should weight how hard it was to complete the game attempted. It could be worth 10pts or something and would convey choices made by a team that might be riskier, but provide a better end game instead of making something that everybody else is doing (not to bash anybody who went with side scrollers)
   
3. I honestly feel that games are being judged differently based off of opinion. Each category should take the game that best defines that and give it a score of 20. Then judge the rest of the games from there based off of your best in category. (This could be another metric you can use for showing people "Best in Category") For example, if you have a game with EPIC graphics that scored a 20, you cant give a game with 2d thrown together art in 3 min the same score. If you do than it discourages people from doing extra work in those categories and just meeting the bare minimum to get the score. Furthermore, I saw some scores for art that was well below some of the best in the competition (not talking about just mine btw) that got high scores. This was almost a slap in the face. So, are they judging the game off of personal opinions of what the art makes them feel? Or is it using some kind of metric? (SEE POINT 1)
   

1. a race, so they would be finishing fast
   
2. this would be over really quickly because he is a hotthead who loves his car
   
3. his car has over 400hp
   

• HP
  
• Souls Gathered
  
• Soul Use (spells)
  
• Death of NPC's
  
• Animations
  
• State Machine
  
• Level 1 design
  
• Main Menu Art/Design
  
• Hud
  
  What is left to do tomorrow:
  
  
  
  • fix the borked AI
    
  • get combat between AI and Death (king) more fluid
    
  • create the chase dynamic I had envisioned from the start (more AI work)
    
  • balance AI vs Player
    
  • create another spell for knockback
    
  • And too much more
    
    Current mood:
    
    gloomy

• W - Forward
  
• A - Turn Left
  
• S - Backup
  
• D - Turn Right
  
• Q - Strafe Left
  
• E - Strafe Right
  
  Here is some video of the system in actual play:
  
  
  
  We have also added in the AI that controls the "Inquisitor Team". Right now the King (Death) leaves a vapor trail behind him that they can follow. If they catch a hint of the vapor trail they follow it until they either find you (and start attacking) or they lose the vapor trail (beacuse you were moving to fast or hid) and go back to what they were doing previously.
  
  None of the animations work with the control system yet (we had it working but had to remove them when we redid the entire system) but the hope is to get this in place tomorrow. Hope you like what you see and will show more off tomorrow!