It's not even my concept (it's been discussed on IRC previously, and after some research I have found this page (http://www.squidi.net/three/entry.php?id=22)) but the problem is whether anyone would play an adventure game like this.
(http://i49.tinypic.com/nlu8lf.png)
Basically it's a regular adventure game in 40x25 but without limits on colour (it may be not visible, but I've used gradient for the sky on that pic).
Some notes:
1. The ugly thing below the moon is the mouse cursor, and yes, it moves on a 8x8 grid too, in order to not to break the extemely blocky experience.
2. The ugly white background behind the @OVERHOTSPOT@ thingie is currently a placeholder, that'd take a couple of script lines to replace in the worst case. Fixed.
3. The font is just a SCI font with 48x40 pixel characters := I tried to use 48x48 font (to have spaces between lines of text), but it broke my AGS, so there must be a limit on that. It also kind of breaks Radiant's FontEdit, so I had to export it to .bmp first and edit it with a graphics editor then reimport the thing. I know that there are .ttf fonts similar to this one in appearance, but it'd be troublesome to have precise block size and letter positions with .ttf's.
An one-screen tech demo made in a couple of hours (http://www.mediafire.com/?02gn5gznnit).
Are you going to have a player character?
It seems like a cute little game and I'd play it, however, instead of having a massive font have you considered just making a function that magnifies a normal sized font?
There is a module by Monkey05_06 (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=37548.0) which you could probably use as a base (although I must admit, I haven't lookes at the code myself).
I'd also suggest a better cursor; you mentioned that you would have no limits for colour, I would choose a dull red or perhaps a darkish yellow-orange myself, and just have the three pixel pointer that currently appears in black.
Also, at such a low res, how do you plan to handle puzzles? There doesn't seem to be enough space for an inventory screen or any kind of dialogue puzzles.
I love the concept of 'Super Low Res' but the puzzles would be the major hurdle you would have to overcome to make the game playable.
Oh, and I'd also suggest pixel perfect click detection, because pixel hunts don't really become an issue with 8x8 pixels ;)
Peace
Scar
Quote from: Scarab on Thu 17/12/2009 17:51:37
Are you going to have a player character?
No, I'm thinking more among the lines of Myst with panoramic keyboard- or mouse-scrolled rooms.
Quote from: Scarab on Thu 17/12/2009 17:51:37
instead of having a massive font have you considered just making a function that magnifies a normal sized font?
I could also use SSH's module for sprite fonts (and have gayer looking characters at the same time! := ), but this solution seems to be the fastesdt
Quote from: Scarab on Thu 17/12/2009 17:51:37
I'd also suggest a better cursor; you mentioned that you would have no limits for colour, I would choose a dull red or perhaps a darkish yellow-orange myself, and just have the three pixel pointer that currently appears in black.
Thanks to NsMn and Al_Ninio, there's now a shiny crosshair cursor, like in the Secret of Monkey Island!
Quote from: Scarab on Thu 17/12/2009 17:51:37
Also, at such a low res, how do you plan to handle puzzles? There doesn't seem to be enough space for an inventory screen or any kind of dialogue puzzles.
I love the concept of 'Super Low Res' but the puzzles would be the major hurdle you would have to overcome to make the game playable.
The puzzles
could prove difficult, but there's enough space for about five inventory items (on the statusbar GUI), or, alternatively, there could be a full-screen inventory GUI.
Also, some updates:Here's new interface and somewhat updated background:
(http://i45.tinypic.com/ok4pyp.png)
Note that there's a little more space for the background now.
It is now possible to save and load the game, so critics on the save/load GUI implementation is welcome.
To save, press the
Main menu button, then
S, then select a slot (used ones are bright, free ones are dark), then press
Y when prompted to confirm.
To restore, press
L instead of
S.
To quit -
M, then
Q, then
Y.
The third tech demo (http://www.mediafire.com/?mgm1mzdggg3) (the second one was irc-only release).
I love that minimalistic concept. Makes me think of Duty and Beyond...
I'd so play this.
Pixelated,
/tbi
I'd play it.
I liked Small Worlds.
I really like it, but there's no need for gradients and such with that low a res. Stick to solid colours, or it starts looking messy. :)