Hobby and Indie Game Dev |OT 2020| Discussion, Help and Show-off

[Ciao]

The strong silhouette is definitely doing a good job here, interested to see it in action for sure!

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Thanks!
Turns out, the outline shader doesn't work at all on sharp edges, just discovered that while importing and texturing a weapon for the character.
I tried a script that's supposed to correct that, but I'm an absolute beginner, so I'm stuck for now. I'll carry on with rig and animations, until I hear back from the guy who made the tutorial. It's so frustrating, everything was going super smooth until now !

 

[Pleiades]

Been a while since I posted an update here on my little space sim project. So here's a couple of little things that I've been doing:

Every space game needs a racing / time gate feature :p



Some world building, modeling a space station that's placed inside a hollowed out planet:



Also some large scale AI vs. AI battle stress testing and optimizations:



And since I focusing on a single project is really hard I took a detour and as a SpaceX fan made a little Starship SN8 simulator game:




That one I managed to actually release so it didn't stay in limbo for years like all my other stuff.... Spent a couple of days on it. DL on itch for free if you're interested:

https://olliarkko.itch.io/starship

 

[Deleted member 48813]

Small update on my 3D Zelda-like project. Since Unity is having a big sale on the asset store I ended up caving in and got the "Character Movement Fundamentals" asset as a rigidbody-based solution for my players' movement since it looks pretty easy to build upon. Everything is still a very early WIP of course, but I'm happy with how it's shaping up so far. Here's a lil video showing what I got atm:

 

[delete12345]

I DID IT!

Refactored a really obnoxious script logic hell.

I made the mistake of creating a game engine that always run at 60 ticks at 13.33 milliseconds while the game runs at 8 FPS to emulate a Game Boy Color game, such that when you write conditional checks, you have to make sure that it doesn't repeatedly check for the same condition 13 to 16 times...

 

[Weltall Zero]

while the game runs at 8 FPS to emulate a Game Boy Color game

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... sorry, what?

 

[delete12345]

Edit: double post.

 

[delete12345]

... sorry, what?

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I'm emulating the look and feel of a Game Boy Color game, which on the actual Game Boy Color hardware, runs at about 8 FPS. The game itself doesn't have a lot of animations.

The game engine written for PC is written in such a way that I'm running 60 update ticks while rendering the output at 1/5 of the update performance, in order to achieve that look and feel.

However, having the game engine to run this many ticks means that it checks for in-game conditions at a much higher frequency than the game could perform, so it has this obnoxious script logic where it repeatedly checks the same condition multiple times and wasting performance on what could have been 1 or 2 checks in a rendered frame timespan.

 

[Weltall Zero]

I'm emulating the look and feel of a Game Boy Color game, which on a hardware runs at about 8 FPS.

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No, it doesn't. Gameboy Color games run at 60 FPS (to be pedantically precise, 59.73 FPS). Are you confusing the GBC's clock speed of 8 MHz (that's megahertzs) with its screen refresh rate?

 

[delete12345]

No, it doesn't. Gameboy Color games run at 60 FPS (to be pedantically precise, 59.73 FPS). Are you confusing the GBC's clock speed of 8 MHz (that's megahertzs) with its screen refresh rate?

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You are right on the refresh rate. But that's not what I'm referring to.

The game on the Game Boy Color is animating slowly, regardless of the refresh rate on the hardware itself. It's intentionally rendering animations slowed down to 1/5 or nearly 1/6 of its theoretical rendering performance.

 

[Weltall Zero]

You are right on the refresh rate. But that's not what I'm referring to.

The game on the Game Boy Color is animating slowly, regardless of the refresh rate on the hardware itself. It's intentionally rendering animations slowed down to 1/5 or nearly 1/6 of its theoretical rendering performance.

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You mean your game specifically, or normal GBC games? Because, forgive me for insisting, GBC games render at 60 FPS. No game is playable at 8 FPS.

 

[delete12345]

I am totally wrong. Looks like the animation is updated every 8 ticks, but renders at 30 FPS, or every 2 frames, it does a render.

Looks like I have a lot more script logic hell I need to fix.

 

[K Monkey]

Now that I released Early Access and happy to see the core mechanics pretty solid, I've now had time to create some new themes for the dungeon areas.

 

[Weltall Zero]

Now that I released Early Access

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Wow, congratulations! How was it? Any player feedback yet?

 

[iHeartGameDev]

Hey all! Back again with another tutorial covering animations in Unity. This one is actually a mix of the very basic fundamentals, but also gets into the power/usefulness of animation curves and animation events.

Hope the knowledge helps!

 

[Deleted member 48813]

Hey all! Back again with another tutorial covering animations in Unity. This one is actually a mix of the very basic fundamentals, but also gets into the power/usefulness of animation curves and animation events.

Hope the knowledge helps!

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Oh heyy I didn't know you had an account here! I watched a bunch of your previous animation videos just the other day for my game, thanks for these! Will watch the new one for sure.

 

[iHeartGameDev]

Oh heyy I didn't know you had an account here! I watched a bunch of your previous animation videos just the other day for my game, thanks for these! Will watch the new one for sure.

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Hey SleepyLion :D Yeah! I've been on Era since the start and was on the other website for years under a different account! This thread has ended up being one of my favorite sources of inspiration. Like watching Clive 'N' Wrench get made over the years has been awesome!

 

[dannymate]

It's alive! So I've been working away at my Teletext game trying to get my vertical slice ready. Working on my first puzzle. Slowly gathering a story.
It's currently still a little jank and the perspective for the art is all over the place but it's all coming together.

Sorry for the poor quality.

Spoiler: Gif

Because this is a smaller project it's been interesting to see what coding practices have stuck from my other stuff. I really feel like I have my own style now with my obsessive use of Scriptable Objects. The biggest problem is the awful file management so I've really got to keep on top of it or find some way of automating the whole thing for me. I think the next automation thing I'll try is automatically assigning specific variables I use constantly.

 

[qhoang]

Some progress on my game. Weren't feeling it yesterday, but suddenly got second wind and made the second room in the gif below. Quite happy with the more puzzle-y elements of the room.

It's alive! So I've been working away at my Teletext game trying to get my vertical slice ready. Working on my first puzzle. Slowly gathering a story.
It's currently still a little jank and the perspective for the art is all over the place but it's all coming together.

Sorry for the poor quality.

Spoiler: Gif

Because this is a smaller project it's been interesting to see what coding practices have stuck from my other stuff. I really feel like I have my own style now with my obsessive use of Scriptable Objects. The biggest problem is the awful file management so I've really got to keep on top of it or find some way of automating the whole thing for me. I think the next automation thing I'll try is automatically assigning specific variables I use constantly.

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Looks great! The color palette brings back memories of the old days. Got any plans to use teletext elements in some way? At the very least, different pages for menus would be cool.

 

[Ciao]

Hey all! Back again with another tutorial covering animations in Unity. This one is actually a mix of the very basic fundamentals, but also gets into the power/usefulness of animation curves and animation events.

Hope the knowledge helps!

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Will watch ASAP! I just started my first rig, and it's going mostly well! After that, animation!

 

[iHeartGameDev]

Will watch ASAP! I just started my first rig, and it's going mostly well! After that, animation!

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Right on! I also have a video about animation retargeting if that helps!

 

[dannymate]

Looks great! The color palette brings back memories of the old days. Got any plans to use teletext elements in some way? At the very least, different pages for menus would be cool.

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Oh yeah of course I do. The current idea is that you're researching a cult and they have their scripture stored using teletext (HISText) and you can access their teletext portal using something akin to those Sky TV Cards you get.

Spoiler: Sky TV Card

Spoiler: HISText Screen

This screen is out of date now but you get the jist.

You're game looks so fluid it's impressive. You can see how it plays just from the gifs.

 

[K Monkey]

Wow, congratulations! How was it? Any player feedback yet?

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Been going well thanks! still holding onto that 95% steam rating so far :)

Did more work on the theming of this new dungeon... going more metallic this time

 

[Deleted member 48813]

Do any Unity users here have experience with using both Navmesh agents and Rigidbody at the same time on a character?

My player movement is rigidbody-based but since I have two playable characters which you can swap between at any time, I want the inactive character to follow the active one while exploring the overworld (like in Dragon Quest XI S for example) and navmesh seems to be the way to go for that so far, unless it's easier to make a follow script using just rigidbody? What kind of approach would be better here?

I thought about maybe disabling the rigidbody component while navmesh is active and vice-versa but I haven't tried that yet to see if it'd work. Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JeffG]

Do any Unity users here have experience with using both Navmesh agents and Rigidbody at the same time on a character?

My player movement is rigidbody-based but since I have two playable characters which you can swap between at any time, I want the inactive character to follow the active one while exploring the overworld (like in Dragon Quest XI S for example) and navmesh seems to be the way to go for that so far, unless it's easier to make a follow script using just rigidbody? What kind of approach would be better here?

I thought about maybe disabling the rigidbody component while navmesh is active and vice-versa but I haven't tried that yet to see if it'd work. Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated.

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Well, the navmesh is perfect for creating paths and avoid obstacles. (So the follow would be relatively easy and look more "natural" ) So I would go with your plan B and disable the rigidbody.

Here is a unity forum thread discussing the two. Maybe it will ring true to your needs

Rigidbody + NavMeshAgent - Unity Forum

 

[Deleted member 48813]

Well, the navmesh is perfect for creating paths and avoid obstacles. (So the follow would be relatively easy and look more "natural" ) So I would go with your plan B and disable the rigidbody.

Here is a unity forum thread discussing the two. Maybe it will ring true to your needs

Rigidbody + NavMeshAgent - Unity Forum

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Looks like disabling the rigidbody (or rather, making it kinematic while navmesh is active) was the way to go after all. Thanks for that link btw!

 

[Deleted member 62221]

So, is anyone here participating in the Steam Game Festival of February?

I'm trying to register but apparently I need a published store page before December 2 (documentation kinda contradicts the announcement in that regard though). Just in case I sent my store page for review, hopefully it'll be approved in time so I can enter the event.

 

[Deleted member 39479]

Has anyone used UModeler? It's half off on the Unity Asset Store right now and I'm contemplating getting it.

 

[Benz On Dubz]

I started a new first person shooter in Unreal. I'm experimenting with outlines and animation smearing.



The outline is a complete 2nd render of the shells. The smear simply stretches the outline in the opposite direction of velocity. This 2nd pass incurs a performance penalty for extra geometry, but I intend to get far more usage out them.

Outline material here:

 

[Poodlestrike]

I started a new first person shooter in Unreal. I'm experimenting with outlines and animation smearing.



The outline is a complete 2nd render of the shells. The smear simply stretches the outline in the opposite direction of velocity. This 2nd pass incurs a performance penalty for extra geometry, but I intend to get far more usage out them.

Outline material here:

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Oh, somebody else using Unreal in the thread!

Very cool effect. I've only just barely started messing around with materials, still working on core code and some animation stuff. Just slotting in prepackaged placeholders for now, but it's all very cool.

 

[Kazooie]

Oh, somebody else using Unreal in the thread!

Very cool effect. I've only just barely started messing around with materials, still working on core code and some animation stuff. Just slotting in prepackaged placeholders for now, but it's all very cool.

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Sorry for the off topic, but why are you on break and not on strike? Makes me sad :(.

I wanted to work on a racing game next, but due to all the thinking and tinkering about a possible physical platformer collection for Switch, I have started work in a 2d platformer. A lo tof time went into the main mechanics. It's also the first time I have paid for a license for assets, after realising that merely making the main character as pixel art has cost me a full week. I really want to focus in the programming and game design side of things.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Sorry for the off topic, but why are you on break and not on strike? Makes me sad :(.

I wanted to work on a racing game next, but due to all the thinking and tinkering about a possible physical platformer collection for Switch, I have started work in a 2d platformer. A lo tof time went into the main mechanics. It's also the first time I have paid for a license for assets, after realising that merely making the main character as pixel art has cost me a full week. I really want to focus in the programming and game design side of things.

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lawl

It basically just means we've turned off the mod/admin permissions for a while so we can unwind without getting glared at by unprocessed reports.

 

[PickledCucumber]

Maybe not the thread for this, but anyone else having a hard time with the worldbuilding for their game?

I have the mechanics down pretty well, but just coming up with the lore around it is hard.

 

[Deleted member 48813]

Maybe not the thread for this, but anyone else having a hard time with the worldbuilding for their game?

I have the mechanics down pretty well, but just coming up with the lore around it is hard.

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100% yes. I know how I want my story to start and end but anything inbetween has been a mess so far, I really need to take some time to think about that one of these days. If any of you guys have tips regarding this stuff please tell haha!

 

[Benz On Dubz]

Oh, somebody else using Unreal in the thread!

Very cool effect. I've only just barely started messing around with materials, still working on core code and some animation stuff. Just slotting in prepackaged placeholders for now, but it's all very cool.

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I was using my own engine for the longest time. Needless to say the content creation was...painful.

With Unreal, I feel like I'm a small indie team in comparison!

 

[Poodlestrike]

Maybe not the thread for this, but anyone else having a hard time with the worldbuilding for their game?

I have the mechanics down pretty well, but just coming up with the lore around it is hard.

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I started with lore (and a 10k foot pitch on mechanics). Everybody approaches the process differently, I guess.

My advice would be... I guess it depends on what kind of game it is. You could start with some core setting aspect that appeals to you and work outwards from there. If you want to tie your mechanics into the lore, come up with a setting-appropriate rephrasing of how they work and expand from there. Or, coming up with one key thing that makes you go "oooh that's cool" is a great way to get the ball rolling. Maybe you want to include a particular place or character or moment - flesh that out, then figure out how everything adjacent to it/them works, then everything adjacent to those things, and so on. Like, when I'm thinking about the story, sometimes I'll start acting out scene in my head, then I'll go write down all the dialogue and stage direction, figure out who everybody in the scene is, what their roles are, their histories, etc etc. And the next thing you know I've invented the system of government and theological history for my invading empire.

I was using my own engine for the longest time. Needless to say the content creation was...painful.

With Unreal, I feel like I'm a small indie team in comparison!

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It's really impressively easy to work with. Can't imagine trying to put together my own engine, I'm still wrestling with blueprints XD

 

[Deleted member 62221]

My Steam store page for Void Marauders is up now. I usually would have waited until I had more content to show and a better trailer but I had to rush this so I could participate in the Steam Festival of February:



I'll be busy making a demo for the festival but hopefully I'll have some time to improve the page too.

 

[K Monkey]

starting to put the final touches of Act 3. Really happy with the look and feel its got

 

[Ciao]

I was doing a quick animation test, and as the timing was shit, I made some screenshots to analyze and correct. Turns out the screens shot made into a gif look like a 2d sprite! I'm now considering going the Blazblue way, with 3d models animated and turned into 2d, with a bit of hand drawn upgrade (I added the smear effect for exemple).
Pretty happy with this accidental turn of events !

 

[Qwark]

I was doing a quick animation test, and as the timing was shit, I made some screenshots to analyze and correct. Turns out the screens shot made into a gif look like a 2d sprite! I'm now considering going the Blazblue way, with 3d models animated and turned into 2d, with a bit of hand drawn upgrade (I added the smear effect for exemple).
Pretty happy with this accidental turn of events !

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That looks great! Very stylish.

 

[CptDrunkBear]

It's been a while since I showed off, but here's my current game:

https://twitter.com/CptDrunkBear/status/1333805957768417280

 

[kiriku]

So, made some progress in Bosslords, a Roguelite/RTS I'm working on with a couple of friends, been a while since I last mentioned it. It's like a combination of FTL: Faster Than Light in a fantasy setting with real-time strategy combat, army against army. I do a lot of the writing, along with all of the music and the sound effects. Here's a clip of our latest minion type, the ducks:

https://twitter.com/bosslordsgame/status/1330582597450207238

 

[Rolento]

Oh, somebody else using Unreal in the thread!

Very cool effect. I've only just barely started messing around with materials, still working on core code and some animation stuff. Just slotting in prepackaged placeholders for now, but it's all very cool.

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I use unreal heavily so you oth are not alone ^_^

 

[JeffG]

Hey Unity users

Has anyone seen anything like this?

At first I thought it was some Reflection probe...I have no idea what this artifact is or where it came from. I have only seen it on a Cinemachine Camera in the new Unityt2020.1.15f1

 

[Rolento]

Wooh! Unreal 4.26 fully released!

Glad about it because it fixes a large number of problems I have had with using the Augmented Reality for ARCore since it finally updates a bunch of outdated stuff

 

[jblanco]

For cute / colorful / "Nintendo-y" sprites, let me drop here a good friend's portfolio. Incredibly nice and kind person that I met on ResetEra actually, and made a pixel art thread with monthly giveaways.

Everson Compton

Everson Compton | Friendly and passionate about pixel art, game development, diversity and spreading kindness and positivity. Background in illustration; proficient in writing, pixel art and music creation. | Connect with them on Dribbble; the global community for designers and creative...

dribbble.com

Here's his music portfolio as well!

Mystical Drop Radio

Private Account.

soundcloud.com

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Yo! Your friend's portfolio is dope!

Some progress on my game. Weren't feeling it yesterday, but suddenly got second wind and made the second room in the gif below. Quite happy with the more puzzle-y elements of the room.

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Looks fun! Does each room have a name?

 

[CastanEdo]

Hey, y'all! One small shameless update from a long-time reset lurker / short time indie game dev freak. We've just released a free prologue of our very first game The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante and got 100+ reviews in less than one week. It is just WOW! Maybe because the game is very niche (it's a narrative-driven text-based RPG in like D&D art style) or because the trailer is a blast, but it all went amazing and I'm so proud of my team :)

If you feel like checking it, grab your copy, it's worth about two hours of gameplay and free forever

 

[JeffG]

Screenshot Saturday. Was going to do video, but due to the quirk I posted about before I am going to rebuild my project from scratch. In case my "fixing" of the 256 global shader keywords is the cause of all my grief

 

[Benz On Dubz]

Added destructible barrels and animation smears upon destruction for Screenshot Saturday:




Video:

 

[DNAbro]

I haven't posted in the indie game dev thread since 2019 I think.

Not sure if it's cause quarantine is driving me crazy and I need some creative outlet, work is boring me, or just an irrational fear that I'm running out of time to make something; I have started working again on my game again. I've made more progress in the last week then I did the in the last 2 years when I started working full time. I feel like I have definitely developed some skills when it comes to dealing with large projects thanks to work, so I'm hoping to keep going at it. Also fortunately being so distanced from the project allowed me to come up with a ton of new ideas and improvements that I want to do.

So yeah hoping to post status updates here more frequently and going into the new year.

 

[Pleiades]

Time for some more updates on my space "sim" project.

Inspired by dune, a desert worm for a desert planet. Can't have the player mining all the valuable minerals on this planet without a bit of a surprise. Also if anyone is interested in the code for procedurally animating this thing I can share.



Next up are my planetary light buildings. Was getting tired of building planetary factories in the dark so I added a light pole building. Simple enough but a pretty big quality of life improvement...



And finally went on a pretty big planet/moon modeling spree (this isn't even close to all of the modeled stuff). So here's a volumetric gas giant and its 4 moons which are obviously player landable and can also have factories built on them.