Unity - 1st-person adventure game builder

[TheDude]

In the last week I built a Myst-style adventure game system in Unity using C#. I'm no programmer, but it was easy to make, so I am hoping some of you might want to get together and build something much better.

It would be released for free, and give people a base on which to build their own adventures. And they'd be playable in a browser.

I'll release what I have so far if anyone is interested in taking a look, but it would probably be easier to start from scratch, because the way I've implemented some of the features may not be the best way.

Implemented

• 360 degree view
• Movement between points with smooth camera - Uses a trigger/hotspot system and iTween.
• Inventory - simple array.
• Dialogue system - Uses simple indexes/links, and displays character portraits, but can't flag variables etc yet.

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Demo (Requires Unity browser plugin)

[Demo link expired]

[Armageddon]

While I like Myst style games this would be my ideal choice of gameplay style if I were making a 1st person adventure game in Unity.

http://cardboardcomputer.com/2011/02/15/balloon-diaspora/

Can't wait to see your demo.

[m0ds]

I'd be interested. I got the hang of the basics in Unity, world building is fun, I even managed to animate a few things (like a rocket launch) which was very exciting. But I couldn't figure out how to make an object dissappear when you ran over it, and add an object to an inventory or anything. Nor speech. Also importing human figures and animating them....way beyond my knowledge. But I'd certainly be interested in your demo.

[Buckethead]

I've been working with Unity for a while. I'm not a scripter but perhaps I can help out on the art side? I also know how to get animated models (like characters) into the engine.

[TheDude]

While I like Myst style games this would be my ideal choice of gameplay style if I were making a 1st person adventure game in Unity.

http://cardboardcomputer.com/2011/02/15/balloon-diaspora/

Can't wait to see your demo.

I don't see why styles like that wouldn't be possible, but I can't see how that game plays. Your art style is down to you. When I say Myst, I'm just talking about the point-and-click style, so you could still make a game like Scratches. When the basic features are down, it wouldn't be a huge task to allow a walk-anywhere style like Penumbra/Amnesia/Darkness Within 2, or even a third-person Grim Fandango style.

I'd be interested. I got the hang of the basics in Unity, world building is fun, I even managed to animate a few things (like a rocket launch) which was very exciting. But I couldn't figure out how to make an object dissappear when you ran over it, and add an object to an inventory or anything. Nor speech. Also importing human figures and animating them....way beyond my knowledge. But I'd certainly be interested in your demo.

I only just made my first inventory. It was easier than I thought it would be. The good thing about Unity is that the inspector can visualise the arrays for you, and you can see how it works. The conversation system I have can be typed straight into the Inspector, instead of requiring any hardcoding.

I've been working with Unity for a while. I'm not a scripter but perhaps I can help out on the art side? I also know how to get animated models (like characters) into the engine.

I do art too, but we don't need anything special for the basic gameplay elements (you will see my lame cursors soon ). Maybe we can all help out during the making of an example game.

EDIT
See original post for tech demo.

[Armageddon]

Pretty cool demo! One thing I did notice was that I could talk to people standing far away from them, maybe you should only enable the talk trigger things when you're in that one corner.

[TheDude]

I've fixed the conversation distance issue, and found a good workaround so you can't pick up the same object twice.

[Ali]

Apart from being baffled by the way the Unity player hides my mouse pointer even when I switch to a different tab, this was very interesting.

I'm interested to know why you're recreating Exile style control rather than allowing free first person movement? Revelations allowed both kinds, but I can't see why a player would prefer to move between points.

I do like the way you move in to a fixed camera to look at the object on the shelf. I'd prefer to have free movement, tweening in to a locked camera for conversations and other interactions.

The inventory and dialogue system are also very interesting. Are you able to create branching dialogue trees?

[TheDude]

I'm interested to know why you're recreating Exile style control rather than allowing free first person movement? Revelations allowed both kinds, but I can't see why a player would prefer to move between points.

I was initially making it for myself, and I thought moving between points would make the experience easier to "puppet master". I played Darkness Within 2/Amnesia and I ended up 3D pixel-hunting in every little corner and it was annoying me. With points you know the objects have to be somewhere near there.

I do like the way you move in to a fixed camera to look at the object on the shelf. I'd prefer to have free movement, tweening in to a locked camera for conversations and other interactions.

Free movement could be added later. A few scripts would have to be tweaked to check for things like distance, that's all.

The inventory and dialogue system are also very interesting. Are you able to create branching dialogue trees?

Yes. I had a longer dialogue but I reset the script and didn't want to type it out again. I'll add a longer one now.

[Ali]

I was initially making it for myself, and I thought moving between points would make the experience easier to "puppet master". I played Darkness Within 2/Amnesia and I ended up 3D pixel-hunting in every little corner and it was annoying me. With points you know the objects have to be somewhere near there.

I see what you mean, but pixel hunting means bad design with any number of Ds! I'd be interested to see how this adapted to free movement. Keep up the good work!