Global Game Jam 2018 - FLU AWAY

This was my first time I entered in Game Jam and it was the Global Game Jam 2018.<
The theme was TRANSMISSION.

At the beginning, the adversities started, everyone has a team and only one who doesn't have one.... Don't need anyone, he's making the game alone. So, I have to start a game by myself. How the hell will I make a game alone!? That was my first thought but after the theme was announced, I start to think in a idea that I could manage to know how to do and finish in 48 hours. So I've come up with this idea.This year the Flu is more powerful then ever. There's a lot of people with the symptoms and the transmission is very easy.Avoid contact with people carrying it, they will slow you down and you have to catch the Subway train.After all, we still have to go to our job, right??Manage to catch the Subway train before time expires.Some screenshots from the home menu and the game play.

Online version here: 

https://gamejolt.com/games/fluaway/315663

ACE of SPACE Desktop version

That's right, Desktop versions of ACE of SPACE already published in two major gaming sites, GameJolt and Itch.io!!

The first thing was to put all the graphics arranged for a new platform, in the Mobile it is Portrait in the Desktops it's better if is Landscape. Resizing everything from the UI, moving UI assets from the top to the side, and doing that in all the levels.

ACE of SPACE - UI Design

After creating the logo, it's time to change al the UI to the new image.
The first screenshot is from the Main Menu. The first approach is to keep it simple and straightforward.

Main Menu

The name and logo

After selecting from a huge list of possible names, ACE of SPACE was the name chosen for the game.

The next step was to make the logo. Of course it wasn't at first, after making some sketches, it was time to make it on the computer.

The main idea was to create a badge, like the one's used by the WW II pilots and appealing to use it on a t-shirt. I think that the goal was achieved.

Programming learning curve - Creating a SHMUP

My adventure in the programming world has been improving step by step.

It's very rewarded to being able to implement improvements, understand the code and what it does.

The new improvements made were:

- Different squad formation

- New path flight from the enemies

- Health Manager, now you get the chance to being hit 5 times and if catch the Energy Box it will increase to the max.

- A Bomb, to use when is your last resource, or not! It works by points, after using the Bomb it starts active after x points.

     

Some SpaceShips concepts

Meanwhile, I've made some SpaceShips concepts for another Shoot'Em Up game, that's the kind of game I really like.

The lowpoly style is still present, it's a matter of taste, i really like this kind of 3D!
The game happens in the deep space, there's no name for it yet, but yesterday one came in a brainstorm and in the next post it's possible that I reveal it.

Shoot'Em Up Concepts

I'll be using the V8ORS-Flying Rat base code and work from there. Already disable the Facebook login he has, put more movement on the enemies but the most important was the starting of understanding the code.

More features like a Health Bar, a Energy Box that you can pick up and restore some of the Health lost.

Shoot'Em Up Concepts

previous features will be:
- A bomb that will destroy everything in the screen.
- Big bosses to destroy.

Hope you guys like the first concepts.
Cheers!!

More Platform game ideas

In the previous post i started the Platform project with a  idea that soon turns out not so good. Like many things in live, start over again.

Character, scenario sketchs

This time the story is about a Secret Agent, who see's himself in a mission that went wrong and put's him a long sleep for decades.
Inspired by the everyday news about the Market and the "importance" of the Economics, i had the idea, "why not take all these guys and put them in a game?".
That's what i have done, the main story is about this Secret Agent sent to eliminate the "Dolar" a well know criminal that has been operating in the Financial Markets. Every one knows that who controls the Market controls the Governments, therefore controls everything.
We saw what happened when the FMI entered in Greece, Ireland and in Portugal, the place where i live, It's very hard for us, the people, who had to pay the Banks mistakes, the politics corruption and anything else they have made it wrong and we have to pay.

With this i asked myself, "Who really are the real criminals?". The one's who are in the streets and the news talks about! Or the one's who "creates" this street thugs, because they created the Economic to collapse and therefore have all the right to avoid this collapse?
Based on this i've created several criminals inspired by the the people who works in the financial world.

Game Characters

Our Hero is on the right, a talented Secret Agent trained by the best. From left to right we have " Suit", "Investor", "Analist", "Banker"and finally the Boss, "Dolar".

The main characters were created, now is time to the scenarios. Based on the main idea i started to sketch images that support the story, but unfortunately my sketch book was stolen with all my things and at this moment i don't have nothing else to show besides the stuff i had in my computer.

Scenario study whit actions and annotations

Scenario ambient and colours studies

The basic gameplay studies, interactions and "to do's" in the game, also game objects ideas, moving platforms start to take shape, next the approach to the scenario colours, light and ambiance.

Stay tuned for more news!!

Platform game ideas

After seeing on Youtube a tutorial about creating a Platform game, i though to myself "can i do this?" When i finish all the videos (i strongly recommend, see it here) and all the possibilities i could do, it was time to start sketching the story, characters, scenarios and gameplay, all based on what i've learned in the tutorials and with my basic programming knowledge.

Overall scenario sutdy

Things start to shape, the first story was about a ship crashed in a "trash" planet, a place where all the trash is sent, and the gravity made the rest, a giant junkyard that is orbiting around a sun.

details about the path the players has to do

Incredible as it looks, the planet manages to have some life on it, cyborg animals and plants mutated there. So, the ships crashes and there's only one thing that can save our wounded human pilot, is trusty Robot, he has the mission to go out and get all the parts the ship needs, avoiding the various hazards he may find in his mission.

Sketches

When doing this i felt that this is not the way, it lacks something and i didn't know what it is, meanwhile my Hard Disk broke and, like most of us, the backup i've made didn't had this process yet, "I TOLD YOU SO!!" everyone said to me :(

The time i spent in getting a new disk gave me the opportunity to clarify the idea, the concepts and realize that perhaps this was not a good idea, i'm not attempting to make the best game ever, probably in the future, for now, i just want to make games and learn about it.