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General => SFML projects => Topic started by: Xornand on April 14, 2014, 11:10:29 am

Title: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xornand on April 14, 2014, 11:10:29 am
Hello,

I’ve been recently working on a 2D game engine for Open-World adventure games. The core feature of the engine (and de facto its “selling point”) is the ability to program it with XML and Lua alone. The engine is still in its early Alpha version and there are yet a lot of things to be added (such as a proper interface, battle and inventory system, as well as trading).

That being said, I have decided to create a simple demo game in order to test the features that are already implemented. The game is called The 8-Bit Encounter and it presents a simple (and quite honestly, kind of lame) story set on a fictional island. The player’s objective is to move around the world, explore different locations and talk to NPCs while progressing through a simple quest. Note that the story itself is not of much relevance, as it was created purely as an excuse to test various features of the engine in the state it is right now.

I think sharing the game here could give me an opportunity to receive some broader feedback, while (hopefully) providing at least a couple of minutes of that nostalgic 2D RPG-like experience to those playing it. Therefore, if you find my project interesting enough to try it out, I’d appreciate some feedback on just about anything related to the technical aspects of the game (and thus the engine itself).

Thank you for your time and attention.


Alpha 0.3.1

(Changelog between 0.2 and 0.3.1)

(http://i.imgur.com/Ed5RhT4s.png) (http://imgur.com/Ed5RhT4.png) (http://i.imgur.com/d8k6pT6s.png) (http://imgur.com/d8k6pT6.png) (http://i.imgur.com/UndPNGxs.png) (http://imgur.com/UndPNGx.png) (http://i.imgur.com/zNd9CmPs.png) (http://imgur.com/zNd9CmP.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/xhohlI8s.png) (http://imgur.com/xhohlI8.png) (http://i.imgur.com/lbjNEd6s.png) (http://imgur.com/lbjNEd6.png) (http://i.imgur.com/YjziDzws.png) (http://imgur.com/YjziDzw.png) (http://i.imgur.com/SzpM1aEs.png) (http://imgur.com/SzpM1aE.png)


► DOWNLOAD INSTALLER ◄ (https://mega.co.nz/#!akhSwbqR!pO5_LLfwo0wOo6VZFiZJnWyvbfPhauRvAmGzHgqSGl0)

OR DOWNLOAD .ZIP (https://mega.co.nz/#!Gxp3EKQT!_SBc0RZO_vmapMxOahBIXHUAKf1zdphvzWoFP6aRvas) (REQUIRES VC++ 2013 REDISTRIBUTABLES)
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: Deathbeam on April 14, 2014, 01:36:42 pm
I expected something else from your game title. This is not 8-bit at all, you should call it retro or something, but 8-bit is really bad choice for name.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: MadMartin on April 14, 2014, 01:47:42 pm
I think the title is fitting. The screens show 256 color palettes --> 8bit  ;)
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: eXpl0it3r on April 14, 2014, 02:02:16 pm
Looks really great! I hope to try it later today.
Did you create all the art yourself?

Quote from: Deathbeam on April 14, 2014, 01:36:42 pm
I expected something else from your game title. This is not 8-bit at all, you should call it retro or something, but 8-bit is really bad choice for name.
And what do you "define" as 8-bit then? :)

Though I wonder about the title, does "8-bit" has any relevance to the game other than pixel art? There isn't then a different title for the actual game, might be a bit more appropriate. ;)
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: Deathbeam on April 14, 2014, 06:04:26 pm
Quote from: eXpl0it3r on April 14, 2014, 02:02:16 pm
Looks really great! I hope to try it later today.
Did you create all the art yourself?

Quote from: Deathbeam on April 14, 2014, 01:36:42 pm
I expected something else from your game title. This is not 8-bit at all, you should call it retro or something, but 8-bit is really bad choice for name.
And what do you "define" as 8-bit then? :)

Though I wonder about the title, does "8-bit" has any relevance to the game other than pixel art? There isn't then a different title for the actual game, might be a bit more appropriate. ;)
In my corrupted mind, 8bit is looking like this:
(http://digitaltools.node3000.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/4x4-pikatchu.png)

But yes, it is 8bit, sorry, I was a bit stoned :D
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: Xornand on April 15, 2014, 02:15:09 am
I certainly appreciate your dedication to keeping the game's title adequate to the contents it presents. That being said, this game is more like a tech demo and the title is not necessarily of much importance here - if, however, you can't stand it for some reason, you're free to modify it in the configuration file in the resources folder :)

Quote from: eXpl0it3r on April 14, 2014, 02:02:16 pm
Looks really great! I hope to try it later today.
Did you create all the art yourself?

Thanks. The art used in the game comes from various sources on the Internet (I did modify the colors a bit though), so kudos to the artists who decided to release their work under the CC license.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: Grimshaw on April 15, 2014, 10:59:50 am
I am trying your game, please avoid installers for simple stuff... I don't think its the best way to share your projects :p

Still, pretty amazing stuff! I loved how everything is polished and comes well together, this could be a nice game if you keep going :D
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: Rhimlock on April 15, 2014, 11:28:00 am
Quote from: Xornand on April 15, 2014, 02:15:09 am
Thanks. The art used in the game comes from various sources on the Internet (I did modify the colors a bit though), so kudos to the artists who decided to release their work under the CC license.

I don't want to be picky, but at least the caracters are part of the Liberated Pixel Cup at OpenGameArt.org
http://opengameart.org/content/lpc-medieval-fantasy-character-sprites (http://opengameart.org/content/lpc-medieval-fantasy-character-sprites)
And the Creator marked them as CC-BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) license, so you should name the Author accordingly.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: Xornand on April 17, 2014, 03:21:48 pm
Quote from: Grimshaw on April 15, 2014, 10:59:50 am
I am trying your game, please avoid installers for simple stuff... I don't think its the best way to share your projects :p

Still, pretty amazing stuff! I loved how everything is polished and comes well together, this could be a nice game if you keep going :D
Thanks, appreciating good words.

The installer is there to provide people with redistributables for VS 2013 (in case they don't have it). Other than that, it just unpacks the game to the desktop.

Quote from: Ghosa on April 15, 2014, 11:28:00 am
I don't want to be picky, but at least the caracters are part of the Liberated Pixel Cup at OpenGameArt.org
http://opengameart.org/content/lpc-medieval-fantasy-character-sprites (http://opengameart.org/content/lpc-medieval-fantasy-character-sprites)
And the Creator marked them as CC-BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) license, so you should name the Author accordingly.
Sure, the credits.txt file in the game's directory links to the appropriate websites.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: Xornand on June 13, 2014, 07:20:29 pm
Alpha 0.3

A new version of the engine (along with the updated The 8-Bit Encounter) has been released!

Changelog (between 0.2 and 0.3)

For new screenshots and download links, see the opening post.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: zsbzsb on June 14, 2014, 06:00:38 am
This looks good (haven't had time to try it myself).  :D

But I just wanted to stop by and say that you can include the required runtime dlls next to your executable (just like the SFML dlls). Then the user won't be forced to use your installer or manually install the redistributable.  ;)
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter
Post by: Xornand on June 14, 2014, 08:22:52 am
I know, that's how I was doing it initially for internal testing. However, when it comes to public distribution, I prefer the other approach because I'd like to keep my game directory clean and simple (keeping the amount of .dll files to a minimum). Releasing the redistributables as packages is also the recommended  (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235299.aspx) way because it enables auto-updating.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xafi on June 21, 2014, 05:37:58 pm
I want source :S
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Clockwork on June 23, 2014, 09:42:29 pm
Is there a particular reason that the music fades whenever you collide with something?  It got pretty irritating after a little bit, but I'm not sure if it's a glitch or you did that on purpose.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xornand on June 23, 2014, 11:01:15 pm
Quote from: Xafi on June 21, 2014, 05:37:58 pm
I want source :S
Not planning on releasing the source anytime soon. Although, I will release the .lua source for the demo level once I agree on the final scripting API (which will hopefully happen with the next major version).

Quote from: Clockwork on June 23, 2014, 09:42:29 pm
Is there a particular reason that the music fades whenever you collide with something?  It got pretty irritating after a little bit, but I'm not sure if it's a glitch or you did that on purpose.
Does it fade? Normally you should just hear the "bump" sound. The music is untouched code-wise. If possible, could you attach a short recording of when it happens?
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xornand on August 10, 2014, 10:16:16 pm
Just a quick update.

I just released an updated Alpha version - 0.3.1, which adds controller support. Also, from now on all the interactions within the game world must be initiated with the "action button" (Enter key/A button).

The initial post contains the updated Changelog and links to the binaries.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xornand on October 01, 2014, 11:38:40 pm
I am currently working on the next version of the engine (0.4 Alpha).

Some of the new things already implemented include:

I am also working on a brand new tech demo:
(http://www.ultraimg.com/images/xor_0_4.gif)
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Hapax on October 02, 2014, 12:29:53 am
This looks pretty nice.

The only thing that irritated me was that the nose stayed at the same elevation while the rest of the body moved up and down:
(http://i.imgur.com/vFK2DRu.jpg)
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xornand on October 02, 2014, 06:20:16 pm
Quote from: Hapax on October 02, 2014, 12:29:53 am
This looks pretty nice.

The only thing that irritated me was that the nose stayed at the same elevation while the rest of the body moved up and down:
Thanks for the tip Hapax. I'll re-position the nose the next time I generate the character.


On a side note, today I've implemented a simple lighting system. This is how it looks so far:
(http://www.ultraimg.com/images/xornand_0_4_alpha_2.gif)
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: achpile on October 03, 2014, 05:52:27 am
I knoooooow, where the tree sprites from  ;D I used the same

(http://fired.tk/assets/img/screenshots/09.jpg)
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xornand on October 03, 2014, 08:22:57 am
Yeah, the LPC (http://opengameart.org/content/liberated-pixel-cup-0) sprites have a consistent style across a wide array of themes, so they are a great choice for prototyping.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: BaneTrapper on October 03, 2014, 11:48:13 pm
Quote from: Xornand on October 03, 2014, 08:22:57 am
Yeah, the LPC (http://opengameart.org/content/liberated-pixel-cup-0) sprites have a consistent style across a wide array of themes, so they are a great choice for prototyping.
I used that sprite as well, it has high quality sprites.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xornand on October 04, 2014, 07:29:39 pm
Just wanted to post another minor update.

Animated door and more environment interaction.
(http://www.ultraimg.com/images/xornand_0_4_screen_3.gif)
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: xerca on October 06, 2014, 03:41:55 pm
I am interested in this, keep up the good work. One thing about the demo: If you stand at left of the skeleton guard that is supposed move in that direction while talking to it, he can't and the game becomes stuck.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xornand on October 06, 2014, 04:33:22 pm
Thanks for the good words, xerca. Yeah, that demo runs on an old engine architecture. There were some issues with it, which would occasionally cause random bugs - like the one you mentioned.

This is one of the reasons why, for Alpha 0.4, I have rewritten pretty much the entire engine from the ground up. The new architecture is more robust and easier to maintain and extend.
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xornand on October 21, 2014, 12:31:54 am
I made a short video, presenting a part of the new upcoming tech demo. At this stage, the game is still very bare-bone, but a lot of the new engine features are already there.

http://youtu.be/Wt8QI459XM0
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Grimshaw on October 21, 2014, 11:05:37 am
Annoying song, amazing tech, seems really promising! :)
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Nexus on October 21, 2014, 11:16:38 am
Quote from: Grimshaw on October 21, 2014, 11:05:37 am
Annoying song
Really? I liked its zelda-like feeling. Could still be extended though ;)

Where is the music from?
Title: Re: The 8-Bit Encounter - My Open-World 2D Game Demo
Post by: Xornand on October 21, 2014, 11:54:57 am
Quote from: Grimshaw on October 21, 2014, 11:05:37 am
Annoying song, amazing tech, seems really promising! :)
Thanks! I like the trailer music, though I'm still considering whether there should be any in-game background music during the world exploration (i.e. while not in buildings/caves etc). Mostly because it may become too tedious after a while.

Quote from: Nexus on October 21, 2014, 11:16:38 am
Where is the music from?
The music was made by bart from OpenGameArt (http://opengameart.org/content/adventure-begins).