Swarm Development: Postmortem

Started by Baron, Thu 21/04/2011 04:58:20

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Baron

Quote from: Ascovel on Tue 03/05/2011 17:27:06
(I didn't read through the entire thread)

*Gasp!*   ;)   It is a little unwieldy, I agree.   It won't be long until we have a proper GiP thread, though -that should help sort the experiment from the theory in this thread.

Quote
I could do an hour-worth of animations. Is there a list somewhere of what is needed? And do I need a badge before I'm allowed to animate?

Anyone who has expressed an interest in volunteering in this thread is on THE LIST.  I've tried to be diligent about PMing people who have volunteered -mostly with a "standby" message for now, but hopefully we'll get just about everyone involved within the week.

Quote from: Armageddon on Tue 03/05/2011 03:00:06
I was thinking this would be more of an old castle/hospital place by the sea, or like the original Castle Dracula where tons of gruesome experiments were performed except it's more modern with robots and things. I also think Merrick shouldn't be holding his hands together as it looks unnatural and a walking animation for that would seem strange.

  Personally I would have gone in another direction as well, but I'm interested in seeing what is distilled out of all of this.  Remember that the experiment calls for intentionally relying on the loosely directed creative instincts of the community, which means accepting and valuing contributions.  Obviously all contributions won't be appropriate to include in the game in their purest form, but I'm keen to include elements from all.  In the end I think we'll have created something quite distinctive in a novel way.

   Having said that we could always run the scripts through the creative editing process once more.  Anyone who wants to have a hand at it is welcome to attempt to compile a composite plot.  Just make sure it's in simple walkthrough language this time (it would be most efficient for directing other team members).

   As for the sprite, I think the walk-cycle with the hands clasped would a) make animating simpler and b) give the character an otherworldly kind of feeling.  But again paint-overs are welcome! 



Hudders

I think Merrick looks too much like a Vampire and not enough like a robot. If you gave him wheels instead of legs he'd be easier to animate.

I'd like to contribute but I'm not sure what I could offer. Dialogue, maybe?

Wonkyth

Wow, this is looking good!

I've been away from the world of AGS for a few months because of school, but this looks like something I could get involved in.
How can I be of service?
"But with a ninja on your face, you live longer!"

Baron

An anonymous sprite was left on my doorstep:


This gives us lots of options to choose from.  We also have one composite plot to consider:
-------
CHRONICLES OF MERRICK

INTRO: [Dr. Hovers over Merrick, 1st person view]  Doctor explains how they've brought Merrick back from the darkside via robotic implants that control his vampire impulses.  It is also revealed that Merrick is a former marine, and is in a secret military installation.  Merrick freaks out when he sees his cyborg limb and the doctor retaliates by saying that he has ways of making Merrick more obediant.  Mentioning the vampire ability to take on the powers of the bloodthey consume, the Doctor sets up an IV running dog's blood directly into Merrick's vein and plays a tape with hypnotic commands.  Just as he inserts the IV there is an alarm [red flashing] and the doctor must withdraw.  Cigar falls from his mouth.

GUI ICONS: TEETH (suck/chew/talk), ROBOHAND (take/use), BIONIC EYE (look).  Player walks by clicking on usable item or exit with other icons.

PLOT: [LAB ROOM, with mirror stand, laser apparatus (fixed), chair with straps, cotton swabs, refrigerator, flashing red light.  One exit, metal door.]
-Use teeth to break straps holding Merrick to chair.
-Use Robohand to remove IV. 
-Speakers play "Obey your Master" over and over.  Use cotton swabs to block ears.  Merrick then instructs himself to escape (automatic?)
-Get cigar from floor.
-Use laser and mirror to unlock door.  Exit.

[HALLWAY, sparse but with UV light acting as a containment field to the vampire, three exits - either end and middle]
-if Merrick enters the light he starts to smoke, so he retreats (automatic)
-return to Lab, use Robohand on fridge.  Merrick rummages in fridge and finds bags of blood, a can of coke, bag of carrots and a banana.
-use teeth on carrots (multiple times); eventually Merrick turns orange, and this pigment allows him to run through the light. (colour fades quickly)
-Use robohand on lightswitch to turn off UV light

[ROBOT LAB (middle door from hall), scientists (2) working on circuitboards, experimental probe, pine bonzai tree, various other complex looking mechanisms]
-use teeth to neutralise scientists (you now have advanced knowledge)
-use robohand on probe (advanced knowledge allows you to fix/activate it)
   (perhaps fixing requires gum, wire, rubber band)
-use robohand on bonzai plant and take pine cone (scientific knowledge about reproduction of pine species revealed)
-use robohand on matches from scientist (on floor?  Insense burner?  Bong?)

[EXERCISE YARD (end of hall), fenced over, sunny, catwalk above with guard, umbrella hanging at end from hook, two exits on lower side]
-use probe with banana on guard -he slips and is electrocuted on fence.
-use probe on umbrella: creates a small shadow that Merrick walks under to cross the yard.

[GUARD ROOM, guards are fully armed (something is happening just beyond, there are flashes of light -gunfire), gas main]
-use cheetah blood (from lab) and then teeth on the guards: Merrick eliminates them all with super speed.
-screen shakes and debris blocks way to exercise yard.  Robomonster bursts into guardroom.
-small cutscene where robomonster opens top to reveal vampire twins.  They are here to rescue him, but see that he is beyond redemption (due to implants)
-robomonster hatch closes and robomonster prepares to fire laser blaster at Merrick.  "Any last words, loverboy?"
-Use probe to pull lever to open gas main.  "That laser will blow us both to kingdom come."
-Robomonster pauses "What do we do?" whispers.
-Use teeth on pine cone.
-Use lighter on cigar.  "I guess the spark ain't gone afterall, huh ladies?"
-Everything explodes!

EPILOGUE (as credits run):
   Vampire Sisters: "Good thing that robomonster was fireproof afterall.  Good riddance, Merrick!
     --more credits--
   Cigar Smoking Doctor: "What a mess.  We'll start the program over at Base 197.  Salvage what you can and decamp by 19:00.  We don't want to be around here after dark in case those vampires come lurking back in force.
   Minion: "Should we search for survivors?"
   Doctor: "No one could have survived those flames."
     --more credits--
   Scientist: "That was a hundred year old bonzai tree!"
   Other scientist: "Remember your fire ecology: the pine cone will survive the flames and a new tree will grow from it."
   Scientist: "Yeah... in a hundred years!"
      --more credits--
   Robotic hand emerges from the ashes.  Merrick: "This ain't over." (or something else melodramatic)
      --cut to rock anthem, final credits, end.
--------------

While it would be unwieldy to democratize the entire process, I think volunteers' input should be considered at this stage of the process so that we can develop the best possible (short) game.  Therefore I open the floor to discussion and criticism of both the proposed plot and the main sprite over the next two days.  (This might allow time for our last editor to report back as well).  After this period of reflection I'll put my foot down and declare a finalized (and no doubt amended) sprite & plot version, after which we'll be ready to kick production into high gear.   



Scarab

I like the new sprites and the composite plot, although the pine-cone/explosion puzzle seems a little convoluted and unintuitive to me.

Baron

Quote from: Scarab on Thu 05/05/2011 02:53:38
I like the new sprites and the composite plot, although the pine-cone/explosion puzzle seems a little convoluted and unintuitive to me.

But you have to concede that combining the vegetable powers from the one plot with the base explosion from the other plot was pretty clever!

I think the robot monster would just kill Merrick in hand-to-hand combat if it couldn't use its laser.  So eventually the player would have to think up a way to try to destroy the robot without killing Merrick in the process.  The scientific knowledge of the pine cone being able to survive forest fires could be subtly included.  We can get writers to fill in these gaps to lead the player to the right conclusions.

Armageddon

I think a walk verb would be good. I don't like being able to only use and talk to things. I usually walk over to things before I use or look at them. Also that new sprite looks great much better face, cape could be longer, and maybe a slightly different skin color.

EDIT: Ok did a quick color edit with a few modifies and added some legs. The legs look terrible.


Hudders

Quote from: Armageddon on Thu 05/05/2011 03:53:16
I think a walk verb would be good.

Wheel!

I also think the pinecone thing is too convoluted. Merrick should be chased by the robomonster into a small room, (door too small for the robomonster to follow), where the gas main is, (venting into the room robomonster is in), and also has roaches running in and out of a hole in the wall. Merrick then has to trap a roach, (pour the coke on the floor as bait?), and eat it in order to become immune to the ensuing explosion.

Wyz

Wow, I really like the plot! Awesome! I'd say go for it. If the pineapple thing is too convoluted it'd suggest to go for Hudders' solution; roaches are generally believed to survive almost anything. But keep the bonsai part in, maybe use the cone as a red herring, because I really like that last joke in the credits. ;D

Minor thing:
I would split up the teeth and talk verbs since biting a talking would mix up, and since it's a vampire that totally justifies having a custom verb in there. :)

The anonymous sprite is also cool.
Life is like an adventure without the pixel hunts.

Anian

I like where this is going, that's why I'm contributing by not interfering.  ;D
I don't want the world, I just want your half

Hudders

Quote from: Wyz on Thu 05/05/2011 12:53:13
Minor thing:
I would split up the teeth and talk verbs since biting a talking would mix up, and since it's a vampire that totally justifies having a custom verb in there. :)

I didn't read anything that implied that Merrick would ever have to talk to anybody, (maybe I missed it?). So he perhaps doesn't need the talk-to verb anyway.

Scarab

Quote from: Wyz on Thu 05/05/2011 12:53:13
Minor thing:
I would split up the teeth and talk verbs since biting a talking would mix up, and since it's a vampire that totally justifies having a custom verb in there. :)

I initially thought this as well, then read through the plot again, and realised he didn't necessarily need it because he doesn't have to talk to anyone to gain information off them... he learns it all through their BLOOOD!!!!

Igor Hardy

Quote from: anian on Thu 05/05/2011 13:13:40
I like where this is going, that's why I'm contributing by not interfering.  ;D

Remember that you can only be not interfering for the duration of 1 hour. Otherwise your lack of interference will not get used in the project!

Hudders


Baron

Added Anian to the volunteer list under "not interfering". 

@ Anian: Will you be available to not interfere over the weekend?

Plus I like the cockroach idea -why not just have two solutions to the final puzzle?

Anian

Quote from: Baron on Thu 05/05/2011 23:18:00
@ Anian: Will you be available to not interfere over the weekend?
I could find an extra hour if not needed
I don't want the world, I just want your half

Igor Hardy

If the title of the game is not yet finalized, I'd like to give one more proposition: "Curse of The Swarm"!!!

TomatoesInTheHead

Quote from: Ascovel on Thu 05/05/2011 23:41:05
If the title of the game is not yet finalized, I'd like to give one more proposition: "Curse of The Swarm"!!!
Hmm, I thought it would be better to give the final game a title related to the plot (something like "Merrick's Euest!"*,**), not the development process (unlike the uber-awesome working title I came up with :=)
But it's in no way finalized, so it's an option.

*) please replace the E with the letter between P and R, my E key is broken :-\
**) oh no, half a minute of my title-brainstorming-hour gone :(

Igor Hardy

Quote from: TomatosInTheHead on Thu 05/05/2011 23:59:51
Quote from: Ascovel on Thu 05/05/2011 23:41:05
If the title of the game is not yet finalized, I'd like to give one more proposition: "Curse of The Swarm"!!!
Hmm, I thought it would be better to give the final game a title related to the plot (something like "Merrick's Euest!"*,**), not the development process (unlike the uber-awesome working title I came up with :=)
But it's in no way finalized, so it's an option.

Who would play a game titled "Merrick's Euest"? Feels very generic. What about "Merrick's Euesthesia"?

Hudders


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