Danger Mouse [DEMO NOW AVAILABLE]

Started by Dadalus, Wed 06/08/2014 11:22:08

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Dadalus

For those who guessed...

Danger Mouse

The Story:

Become the worlds greatest detective/spy Danger Mouse aided and abetted by his faithful assistant Penfold. Thrill as he battles the evil Baron Greenback to save the world (again). Based on the 80s cartoon of the same name.

Some screenshots:





Video promo for the demo (just a teaser only minor spoilers)

[embed=420,315]http://youtu.be/nbJIxgwId-g[/embed]

The demo can be downloaded from this link: DANGER MOUSE DEMO


Development Progress:

Story: 40%
Scripting: 35%
Graphics: 50%
Sound/Music: 20%

Expected completion date: August 2015

Development Diary:

August 6th 2014

The game is very much in its early stages, the germ of a story has begun to grow in my fevered little brain. Progress is slow as I have never used AGS before and am trying to fully understand how things work before adding them. I am giving myself a year to complete the task, though I hope to be finished much sooner.

August 13th 2014

Created some more backgounds. Trying to come up with female characters to add in as DM has very few. Done some work on walkcycle for DM and Penfold.

August 20th 2014

Mostly been working on scripting. Complete rewrite of the way I was dealing with using repeat_execute so that the game does only one action per cycle (dramatic speed improvement). Worked on creating speech bubble that changes size .

Also I have completed drafting a dependency chart & I have planned out dialog/story for the first section of the game.

August 27th 2014

Have designed a couple of new female characters, and have worked on a new background. The work I did using dependency charts has led to me working on an internal system that handles puzzles which should lead to fewer bugs. I'm working on a test game to flesh out my theories. Work on game scripting will halt until I have the system in place.

September 3rd 2014.

De-cluttered main post by removing some screenshots.

Added several new backgrounds to game, and one new character. Work on puzzle system nearly complete, integrating it into the main game this week. Worked on story, and have second section plotted.

September 10th 2014

Puzzle system completed and integrated into main game. Further work needed to make this a rapid development tool but that can wait until after game completion. Working on scripting first section of game, using placeholder graphics where necessary. I aim to have this completed by the end of this month.

September 24th 2014

No progress last week needed a break. Adding the scripting using the puzzle system I devised is slow, I may have to build a tool to help with this even though I wanted to wait until after the game is completed. I am also working on completing the backgrounds for the first section of the game.

October 8th 2014

Been working on building a tool to help with the scripting needed for my puzzle system. Alternating between that and backgrounds (depending on which I get stuck/bored with).

October 16th 2014

95% of backgrounds/characters for first section of the game (which will also be the demo) are completed. Working on animations (which will probably just be basic for the demo). The demo will be used to refine the approach for the rest of the game.

October 22nd 2014

100% of backgrounds/characters/objects completed for first section of game. I have a team of testers waiting in the wings to help me refine the demo. There will be no further updates until the demo release.

November 23rd 2014

Demo passed to testers. Working on refining and debugging for general release.

December 4th 2014

Demo released.
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CaptainD

Wow this looks great!  Used to love Danger Mouse as a kid.

I take it Baron Greenback is behind whatever dastardly plan is happening?
 

AnasAbdin

This is awesome! Can't wait to see Tabata's reaction :-D

Dadalus

Yes Baron Greenback is the main villain, at the moment my idea for the game is to set it as 'episodes' each feeding into the next 'episode' and the overall plot. To be clear this is not going to be a series of games, I mean as in TV episodes (this way the announcer comes into play, and lets face it he's why we watched).

Some characters I hope to use...



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monkey424

"Oh crumbs!"

Looks COOL!
    

Intense Degree

Brilliant!

If this game contains Nanny smashing through a wall shouting "I'll get it duckypoos" then it already has my vote for game of the year! :=

Dadalus

Quote from: Intense Degree on Wed 06/08/2014 14:27:46
If this game contains Nanny smashing through a wall shouting "I'll get it duckypoos" then it already has my vote for game of the year! :=

It wasn't going to, but after nearly laughing myself on to the floor at the thought of it I'll have to put it in somewhere.

Nanny was going to appear in an segment of the game called 'The Final Countdown' (think of the old joke 'how do you get down from an elephant?'). Sort of a cross between 'Countdown' & 'Castle Duckula'. I'll fit it in there (somehow). Nanny in dictionary corner prehaps...
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Fitz

I've maybe seen one or two episodes of Danger Mouse, but oh I loved Count Duckula. Ducks are the ultimate comedic cartoon characters.

Also, loved the elephant joke (laugh)

Tabata

             YEAH! That's great!         
Finally someone who recognizes the infinite possibilities and the diversity of a mouse being the main protagonist for an adventure game!  :grin:

Mice are allrounder and capable unto all jobs (nod)
Spoiler
   
[close]
Looks really good - can't wait for your game to get finished!
You got a fan already!   
Best of luck for your project! 

Lasca

Oh yes!!! Looks great!!

selmiak

Now this is going to be interesting! On my watchlist!

AprilSkies


www.apemarina.altervista.org

Stupot

Best of luck man. I love DM as a kid (and still love Countdown (laugh) )

Dadalus


Thanks for the enthusiastic responses, I'm fired up and raring to get this done.

To Tabata : My hope is that in future when someone is asked 'Are you a mouse or a man?' the correct response will be 'squeak'.

Perhaps someone out there can help, Ive been trying to find subtitles for episodes of Danger Mouse but cant locate any. I'm beginning to think that they don't exist, but if anyone comes across any please let me know.


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CaptainD

Quote from: Dadalus on Wed 06/08/2014 22:13:35
Perhaps someone out there can help, Ive been trying to find subtitles for episodes of Danger Mouse but cant locate any. I'm beginning to think that they don't exist, but if anyone comes across any please let me know.

http://www.subtitleseeker.com/0081848/Danger+Mouse/Tv-Subtitles/
 

Dadalus

#15
Thanks CaptainD but that site doesn't have any actual subtitles for Danger Mouse (I have done searches on most subtitle sites). The ones it says are for Danger Mouse give you subtitles for something else. Thanks for the effort though.
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Darth Mandarb

Let's keep the subtitles links (and things like that) in PMs ... otherwise this thread will get way too cluttered.

Dadalus

The reason I'm looking for subtitles is I had an idea about using the original voices and I didn't want to have to transcribe 90 episodes.

Darth is right, should have asked people to PM me.

Anyway for those that are interested in viewing some backgrounds that are wider than the 640x400 resolution the game is in heres a link.

http://imgur.com/a/Oelri
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Slasher

I think you SHOULD have some of your own originality in here somewhere....nice as the game looks and sounds.

Good luck with this project ;)

Dadalus

I get what your saying Slasher, I'm aiming for a sort of 'Dead men don't wear plaid' sort of thing, mixing and mashing lines together. At the moment I'm proceeding with lines of dialog and a story inspired by the original episodes. I'm writing it without worrying if lines from the source would fit. Just thought it might be nice to have some of the original voices in there, but its starting to look like a lot of work for very little result.

The game is supposed to be as close to the original source as possible but with hopefully new and unexpected elements.
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Eric

This is the greatest. It's fantastic. Whenever there is trouble, it'll be there!

Privateer Puddin'

My original forum nickname Custard, short for Custard Mite of Glut, approves of this.

Mandle

Quote from: Dadalus on Fri 08/08/2014 11:43:03
I'm aiming for a sort of 'Dead men don't wear plaid' sort of thing,

CLEANING WOMAN!!! CLEANING WOMAN!!!

Dadalus

#23
I have updated my original post with a weekly update on progress, which includes a new screenshot and examples of the main characters walkcycles.

Also DM is coming back : see here
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Peder 🚀

This looks really nice :). I should probably watch Danger Mouse now...

Dadalus

I have updated my original post with a weekly update on progress.
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Dadalus

#26
Weekly update in main post.

A new screenshot :



new characters :





EDIT: Proposed Main Menu


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CaptainD

Looking great, but I have to ask - is the disparity in styles between characters and backgrounds deliberate?
 

Dadalus

#28
I assume your talking about the characters having black outlines and the backgrounds not having outlines?

Its a personal choice of mine, to make characters stand out from backgrounds, some may like it (Me :)) some may not (everyone else :)).
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CaptainD

I didn't say I didn't like it! :P  Just curious.  Can't wait to see it all in action.
 

Dadalus

Don't worry, I didn't take offense. A lot of the backgrounds are my recreations of shots from the original cartoon, and follow that style. Any original backgrounds that I create, I try to keep that style going.

I cant take credit for a lot of the artwork I am just recreating work done by the original artists.
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Dadalus

I have updated my original post with a weekly update on progress.
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DBoyWheeler

Man... some great cartoons.  And it's cool that Count Duckula gets in on the game too!

Think there may be a chance that Bananaman might make a guest appearance too?

Dadalus

Im sticking to 'Cosgrove Hall Films' cartoon characters. Duckula was a spinoff from Danger Mouse so I think it fits.

I remember Bananaman and maybe I will do a short game about him after I have completed this game, but I would like to move on to my own original ideas at some point :)
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Dadalus

Updated main post with weekly update. I hope to have a playable demo of the first section of the game completed by the end of October, though this may just be wishful thinking at the moment.

In the meantime another of the backgrounds I have just completed (Duckula fans should recognize it straight away).

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Fitz

Dude, you are ON FIRE! At that speed you're gonna have the game out by the first week of November -- and then a sequel by the 15th :grin:

Dadalus

Being out of work helps, I can do an hours work here and there during the day. I have an interview next week so progress may slow down in the coming months.

Support from the community has kept my motivation high, I just hope the game can live up to expectations.
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Dadalus

Updated main post with progress so far. Took last week off as I had a few personal things to take care of and I needed a break, dreaming about Danger Mouse is not something a grown man should be doing :)

Anyway a background to satiate those hungry for progress, its Baron Greenbacks castle.

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Stupot


Mandle

Quote from: Dadalus on Wed 24/09/2014 16:11:35
dreaming about Danger Mouse is not something a grown man should be doing :)

I feel you man...I truly do!!!

I have been dreaming about bloody Speed Buggy for the last few weeks...(MAGs and all that)

The backdrop for the castle is AMAZING by the way...

selmiak

wow, I can already hear that drawbridge opening!

pixelincognito

That looks gorgeous, really takes me back to my childhood. Really loving the main menu screen too, reeks with nostalgia :cheesy:

PI

BiggerJ

#42
The graphics blew me away. I was NOT expecting something that good.

Which incarnation of Count Duckula will be in the game? The actually evil, actually vampiric, showbiz-obsessed 16th Count from Danger Mouse, or the benign, non-vampiric (and vegetarian), still showbiz-obsessed 17th Count Duckula from his own show?

For those who don't know, all of the Counts Duckula are the same person. They invariably get killed within a hundred years, but can be resurrected in an arcane ritual that can only be performed one a century when the stars are right. But when the 16th (from Danger Mouse) died, there was an accident in the ritual (thanks to a mess-up by the supernaturally long-lived Nanny and Igor), resulting in a vegetarian parody of the previous incarnation.

Edit: Oh, and have you heard about the Danger Mouse reboot coming out in 2015? Hopefully you won't get a cease-and-desist order because of it.

Dadalus

#43
Thankyou for your kind words. Like I said earlier a lot of the backgrounds are taken from screenshots of episodes which I then redraw, so its the original artists that have the talent I'm just semi OK with Illustrator.

Yes I did know about the reboot I posted a link in a earlier post, if I get a cease and desist ill just alter the characters etc.

EDIT: As for Duckula a bit of both.
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BiggerJ

#44
Quote from: Dadalus on Wed 01/10/2014 08:24:42
Yes I did know about the reboot I posted a link in a earlier post, if I get a cease and desist ill just alter the characters etc.

He's the coolest!
He's impressive!
Wherever there's a hazard he'll arrive!
He's a pro!
He's astounding!
He's the toughest fastest greatest guy alive!
Hazard Raaaat...
Hazard Raaaat...
Hazard Raaaaaaaaaat!

Quote from: Dadalus on Wed 01/10/2014 08:24:42
EDIT: As for Duckula a bit of both.

Igor was always concerned about post-regeneration Duckula's lack of malice. If the game takes place pre-regeneration, Igor would probably be worried about Duckula's turn for the wussier. If it takes place post-regeneration, Duckula's evil behavior would make Igor as pleased as Punch (who, as Igor would remind you, is a remorseless killer who is more powerful than the devil)!

FrankT

Looks and sounds like fun! :) Will there be voice acting?

Dadalus

#46
FrankT: Voices are tricky, for me and others David Jason and Terry Scott are DM & Penfold, any other voices would just be wrong. I could rip audio from the original episodes but as there are no subs for DM It would be a long and tedious process (PM me if anyone can find some, Ive looked extensively). It would also limit the dialog. It will probably be a compromise with some audio (catch phrases etc), unless someone out there can do a convincing DM impression.

BiggerJ: Hazard Rat, dee dum dee dum dee dum. What a great idea! And his arch nemisis Earl Emu, with special villian Count Chuckula ( a woodchuck?).

EDIT: Chuckulas faithful retainers Granny and Mordoor. Arghh I am in a parallel cartoon universe.
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Cassiebsg

Quote from: Dadalus on Thu 02/10/2014 20:01:20
FrankT: Voices are tricky, for me and others David Jason and Terry Scott are DM & Penfold, any other voices would just be wrong. I could rip audio from the original episodes but as there are no subs for DM It would be a long and tedious process (PM me if anyone can find some, Ive looked extensively). It would also limit the dialog. It will probably be a compromise with some audio (catch phrases etc), unless someone out there can do a convincing DM impression.

I have the same problem for my game, but I~m sure if you can get some ppl that can do a close enough voice, no one (except hard core fans) would be the wiser. ;)
Voice acting would enrich the game in so many levels! (And here I am, the one currently playing games with the sound off, giving advice about sound. LOL)...
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

Dadalus

#48
Cassiebsg: I agree voice acting would be the ideal, but I would have to find someone who has the right voice, understands delivery and will work for free. I would do it myself but I have a broad Yorkshire accent. After the demo is done I'll start an audition process but its unlikely anyone would fit my tough requirements (though I may be pleasantly surprised).

All: Demo pushed back to end of November as I need to work on a development tool. EDIT: Not all bad news as it will speed up completion of the rest of the game.

EDIT: another background for DM aficionados

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Sslaxx

Development tool, other than AGS? What sort?
Stuart "Sslaxx" Moore.

Darth Mandarb

Take off-topic discussions (development tool) to PMs (unless it is game related, of course).

Dadalus

Kind of game related, its to speed up creation of puzzles. I have a puzzle system thats a mutated state machine (for those of a programing ilk). I'm working on a tool that will convert flowcharts (or dependency charts) into the code, the theory being it will be easier than doing it manually. If anyones interested PM me for a rough 'proof of concept' game that illustrates the puzzle system (no documentation just a flowchart and the source code for the game). Sorry if slightly off topic Darth.
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Dadalus

Updated main post with progress.

If anyone knows of a good library for creating a flowchart in Visual Basic please PM me (I'm worried about Darth's blood pressure). See previous post for reasons.

Meanwhile an establishing shot Ive just finished (its my favorite so far).

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Dadalus

Updated main post with progress.

Looking for testers to refine rough cut of the first section of the game see here for details.

People seem to like the villains so here is another evil lair (see if you can guess whose it is).

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Dadalus

#54
I have updated the main post with a brief progress report. I am going to be busy working on, and testing, the demo over the next 4/5 weeks, so there will be no further updates until it is ready.

I also thought people might like to see a background which unfortunately is going to have to be cut from the main game. I like it, but it breaks up the flow so it had to go. I will leave it here as a teaser for the later sections of the game.

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Dadalus

A quick note so that people don't think this has been abandoned.

I have passed the rough version of the demo onto my group of testers and I will be refining and debugging the demo over the next 2 weeks for general release.

I am also looking for voice actors, please see recruitment thread.
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Dadalus

Video promo for the demo (just a teaser only minor spoilers)

[embed=420,315]http://youtu.be/nbJIxgwId-g[/embed]

still looking for voice actors (see earlier post).
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Dadalus

#57
I have included a link to download the demo in the main post (the link is HERE.)

This is made up of the introductory level of the game. The puzzles are fairly easy.

I would like to thank splat44, selmiak, Cassiebsg and Mandle. They have been my bug testers and have also provided much needed suggestions for improvements.

The demo still is awaiting proof reading , but I wanted people to see this sooner rather than later. I am now going to have a lie down in my hollowed out volcano and take a break for a little while.




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Mandle

Yaaaaaay!!!

Take your well-deserved rest mate!

* Mandle runs to download this most excellent game for one more play-through

Tabata

WOW!
That is awesome!
I loved the demo and can't wait for the game!
Great work! 

Dadalus

Mandle: Cheers mate. And thank you again for your work on this.

Tabata: Glad you enjoyed it! Can I now put 'Mouse fetishist approved' on all my promotional material?
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Tabata

Quote from: Dadalus on Thu 04/12/2014 13:22:48
Tabata: Glad you enjoyed it! Can I now put 'Mouse fetishist approved' on all my promotional material?
(nod)  Definitely! 

Mandle

And tell Bob that I'm glad he is fine...

Such an awesome guy! What would we have done without him?!

Dadalus

#63
I have added the demo to the AGS games page and revised the links I provided to direct to that page, instead of directly to the download.

If people would like to respond to the demo, I would be grateful if you would add a comment on the AGS games page.

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Now on to the task of adding voices...
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MiteWiseacreLives!

This looks really neat, look foreword to trying the demo!

CrashPL

Nice! I like how you captured the spirit of the classic Danger Mouse cartoons. Nifty animations and background music as well! :D

Michael2968

This was a fun demo. I look forward to the full game.

Dadalus

Thank you all for your kind words, I'm working on getting voice acting for the demo and making some minor adjustments.

MiteWiseacreLives & CrashPL If only I'd included a dinosaur in my game! :)
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Dadalus

Quick post to reassure people this project is not dead.

Real life has got in the way and I need to focus on that for a while.

Have had volunteers for voices etc which will add to the games atmosphere, and will be back up and running end of February.
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ToothpasteBruva

Whoa, the UI and animation are really nicely polished. Can't wait to see more.

Darth Mandarb

Thread hadn't been posted to in over a year. Please review the forum rules before posting again.

Dadalus - if/when you want to post an update let me know and we'll unlock it.

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