Deadly Sunsets

doimus · Mon 16/01/2012 16:33:56

Hi everybody!

My name is Duje and I've lurked around here for a past decade or so...
Now I finally decided to actively participate in forum discussions, and what's a better way to do it than by announcing a brand new game!?

**** The Deadly Sunsets: A Sam Preston Adventure ****

A point'n'click adventure set in post-war 1940s. Player takes the role of Sam Preston, private investigator, in a classic noir tale of DECEPTION!, INTRIGUE!, PASSION! and MURDER!

Here are some teaser character concepts:

The game is still in very early stages - story is finished, I'm currently working on graphics and AGS scripting.
Partial reason of me introducing it this early, and actually choosing AGS to make it in, is because of the community. I'm counting on you guys to ~~help~~nag me through this!

It is intended as a commercial product and estimated release date is late 2012 (so you can still play it before the world ends).

Of course, I will be looking for beta testers and even some active team members. Background artists and musicians are especially welcome to check in as I still haven't entirely filled those roles. Proof readers will be needed too once it reaches final stages, since English isn't my native language.

So, I'll try to keep this thread regularly updated, and you can ask whatever you wish, obviously! I'll be more than pleased to discuss everything and anything game-related.

Cheers!
Duje

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Update 16.1.2012: Game Screenshots

This is current state of the game. Since in-game screenshots are mandatory, here they are. Yeah, I love to work in dark tones (and background artists are not cheap!).

Generaly, game is in its infancy, but some scenes are playable, such as this one, where two main characters meet.
... OK, some of the dialog lines here might have been modified slightly, for advertising purposes!

(You might want to download these, as I'm replacing them for shure, as soon as I get proper background art. Then later, when the game becomes global phenomenon, you could blackmail me.)

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Update 27.6.2012.

Long overdue update is finally here! Game is still going, albeit slower than expected (and I always wondered why it takes sooo long for people to finish seemingly simple adventure games).

There is a new team member who's doing backgrounds and GUI: Martin Arvidsson, fellow AGSer, who you might know from his game Story of Joijo.

I'm adding some proper screenshots with GUI and finished backgrounds, and some more character sprites.

SarahLiz · Mon 16/01/2012 17:03:40

Welcome! From the small bit of info you've provided, it seems very interesting and I love your character drawings. But if you don't quickly insert at least two screenshots of the actual game, they will lock this thread up tight!

Just wanted to warn ya. Good luck on your game, sounds promising!

Sarah

Darth Mandarb · Mon 16/01/2012 17:11:19

~~Yes, please read the forum rule and update your [first] post accordingly. You need at least two IN-GAME screenshots.~~

And welcome to the forums! From this teaser graphics I'm expecting greatness here! ~~Just please update soon 'cause I don't want to lock something with this much promise~~

doimus · Mon 16/01/2012 21:00:54

Updated, according to forum rules. There is no rule on how finished screenshots have to be, right?! 8)

(and note to self: in nine years of lurking, you coud've read" forum rules" post! Duh!)

Mati256 · Mon 16/01/2012 22:25:04

Your artwork is amazing, at first I thought the game was going to look like that.
But I love your real sprites, they are really amazing!
Good luck!

Anian · Tue 17/01/2012 00:09:14

40s check
noir check
cool art check
fellow Croat check
...well that's everything.

Darth Mandarb · Tue 17/01/2012 01:38:21

Okay okay... you're sneakin' by on a technicality here pal!!

I'm gonna let this slide because the quality of the teaser and the sprites in the [incomplete] backgrounds are stellar and I am in love with the post-WWII era. (I have a game sitting on the back-burner that takes place in the same era... a murder-mystery-train game).

I swear I've seen that character sheet before too... had you posted it at Deviant art maybe? I know I've seen it before!

ThreeOhFour · Tue 17/01/2012 12:33:12

Those character concepts are so stunning and evocative.

Hope the game turns out just as pretty!

WHAM · Tue 17/01/2012 13:06:37

Can't say I'm a fan of the backgrounds, but the characters look just fine and dandy.

Sane Co. · Tue 17/01/2012 15:09:57

Just like everyone else I like the characters. work a bit more on the backgrounds.

Sslaxx · Tue 17/01/2012 15:23:05

Are people really missing the point over backgrounds? Darth didn't...

poc301 · Tue 17/01/2012 16:10:28

WOW lol

The backgrounds are placeholders people! His initial post said he is looking for more team members, such as background artists.

This game looks awesome. Very nice art style.

-Bill

Technocrat · Tue 17/01/2012 19:47:45

I like the look of this! Especially the concepts, are you planning on having comic-book style storytelling scenes?

BaptisteTheFool · Wed 18/01/2012 13:33:31

Oh man, I'm salivating. Love the style.

Chicky · Wed 18/01/2012 14:09:56

Sounds great!

Those sprites looks a little busy though, the chick has serious square face in the second mockup.

I love the high res, why not go with that?

doimus · Thu 19/01/2012 15:45:57

Thanks everybody for the comments!

Quote from: Chicky on Wed 18/01/2012 14:09:56
Those sprites looks a little busy though, the chick has serious square face in the second mockup.
I love the high res, why not go with that?

Sprites themselves are WIP, and I agree that they should perhaps be simplified a bit... it's on the to-do list...
Regarding high res - money is the issue obviously... High res animation costs exponentially more than pixels and often looks exponentially worse too!
And TBH, I prefer low res graphics anyway. It makes your brain imagine/interpolate more stuff.

Quote from: Darth Mandarb on Tue 17/01/2012 01:38:21
I swear I've seen that character sheet before too... had you posted it at Deviant art maybe? I know I've seen it before!

You're right!

Character concepts are by an extremelly talented artist that goes by the nickname Lord Garvals: http://garvals.deviantart.com/
Some kick-ass graphics in his portfolio!

Haggis · Thu 19/01/2012 16:46:18

Quote from: doimus on Thu 19/01/2012 15:45:57
And TBH, I prefer low res graphics anyway. It makes your brain imagine/interpolate more stuff.

Couldn't agree more with this!! Even with your placeholder backgrounds above, my mind is already interpreting them as the seedy offices of a PI, dim lighting, overflowing ash tray, thick smoky haze drifting chokingly past the almost fully closed blinds, the selection of macs hanging on the coatstand, the overly large telephone on the desk, the femme fatale teasingly perched on the edge of the table... :o

I've gone too far...

doimus · Wed 27/06/2012 10:36:55

Finally, an update!

Edited the first post.

Sslaxx · Wed 27/06/2012 10:55:35

Liking the look of that update there! Looks like this one is going to be a lot of fun to play. Multiple playable characters, by any chance?

doimus · Wed 27/06/2012 11:04:29

Quote from: Sslaxx on Wed 27/06/2012 10:55:35
Liking the look of that update there! Looks like this one is going to be a lot of fun to play. Multiple playable characters, by any chance?

Thanks!

Multiple playable characters... kind of. There will be couple of playable characters, but in different, self-contained, sequences.
There is only one playable character at any moment, and that's mostly Sam Preston, PI.