Black N Blue [Demo Level, Video,Theme song]

Game Engine Works in Progress and Game Demos
#1

Introduction Level video (Sans sound FX unfortunately…):

The theme; “Dupli-Chromatic” (Use headphones for some beast stereo!) :

Basic Gameplay:
In this platform / maze game, you take control of the character(s) Black and Blue; two brothers. They have been warped into the “BNB” zone; and merged into one body as a result. Only by collecting the green blobs can they build a portal to the next level, and eventually escape the BNB zone.

While playing as Black, black areas are solid and blue areas are background, and vice versa for Blue. At areas called “Subduction Zones,” Either black or blue can transfer over into the opposite side, and they automatically switch out one with another.

Only by playing both sides of the field can Black and Blue escape.

Inspiration:
I was largely inspired by the N game, an old internet puzzle game (something like Black and White), and the Donkey Kong Country Returns’ Silhouette levels.

Features I plan to include:
-Enemies (Red)-Check!
-Teleportation crystals-Check!
-Puzzles, Switches, etc
-10 levels
-boss battle

The demo link has been updated with the new runtime:

BNB_Runtime!

I saved it as a run-time since I made it in 2.49; and I know a lot of people have moved on to 2.5 or 2.6. Simply download all the files found here into a folder with the .exe in order to play it.

Attachments

BNB.jpg1771×1094 71.3 KB

Sub-Zone.jpg1887×1094 118 KB

BasicMech.jpg1071×1100 201 KB

#2

Looks pretty cool, good luck! :slight_smile:

#3

Very interesting Concept, also a good Base for keeping the visual Style so simple.
However, both the first and the second Screenshot show mere ~20 fps – maybe there is some uneconomic Design (Geometry, Modifiers, Logic, […])?

#4

cool, reminds me of Shift. http://www.addictinggames.com/action-games/shift.jsp

#5

Ah! Yes, shift is the “Black and white” game I was talking about, although the gameplay is closer to the N game.

Oh, and I’m pretty sure that the low FPS is partially due to the ENORMOUS amounts of collectable stars (approximately 2000. actual levels will be much smaller and progressively more complex) and also because of my DynamiX system, which is still very inefficient. Fixing this is one of my first priorities.

#6

What’s the ‘DynamiX’ script? The game looks pretty cool, by the way.

#7

DynamiX is the name I gave the script and system I developed for my old project: Last Android Standing. It uses Raycasts to detect walls, floors and ceilings, and gives me minute control over the player’s behavior. I set it up so that I could add movement features such as wall clings, wall jumps, and crouching/rolling. All in all, I suspect it’s very logic intensive with 4 raycasts, not to mention that it’s ~200 lines long.

And thanks! :smiley:

#8

Concerning the Collectibles: But those outside the Screen shouldn’t affect the fps except they all have individual Logic.
I guess they all have Logic or a Script attached, maybe are rotating and hovering up and down? (Well, just like Collectibles do…)

You could as well just those in a particular Range to the Player behave and the Touch>Collect Logic could as well be done by the Player. In the End all the Collectibles need in their Logic is a Property that marks them as a Collectible – maybe not even that is needed, since also the Object might possibly be identified by its Name (which I have not yet tried, but it sounds reasonable).
Be aware that you have to fix this early, because if you just set the Colectibles themself in Blender and would have to change all their Logics individually, then you would have quite a Load of Work after some Time! (Therefore: I hope you only have Empties in Blender that add the Collectible as soon as the Game starts, then you have to modify the Collectible only once.)

#9

Actually with some experimentation, I developed a system similar to the one(s?) you described above! The player runs a script that searches all objects within a certain distance for the “Coin” property, and deletes the object and adds a point if it has the property.

And luckily I made all the coins the same material, so in order to effect any changes, I simply use the select by type: material process to select them all, then merge 'em together, make adjustments, and then seperate them by all loose pieces, and re-set the origins. Otherwise, yeah, it’d be a tone of work to change ~2000 objects individually.

*Edit! X3! The FPS problem has been solved; it now operates smoothly at 59/60 fps! The problem actually lay in too many subdivision surface modifiers. Big shout out to BlendingBGE, agoose77, and Solarlune for their prompt, accurate responses. Guys like you make this site the best!

#10

First level demo up! Check out the first post, and give me some pointers por favor! :slight_smile:

#11

I know I sound like a Princess now,
but can you, in Addition, upload it somewhere else as well? Mediafire is pretty crappy here where I am, the Site always loads for Ages and when I get to download, it never finishes, the Downloads even break down when they would be about to be finished. I have no Clue how something so not working properly can be used by so Many.
Please, see it just as my Interest in this Game, and I cannot download from Mediafire.

(… and if indeed I sound like a Princess, then let it be my Favourite: Arielle!^^)

#12

Sure! I just used it 'cuz it popped up first on Google. :stuck_out_tongue:

What site (Free preferably) would you reccomend?

#13

Box.net, maybe? It’s pretty sweet for me, particularly drag and drop uploading.

EDIT: I’m not sure if you can edit previously uploaded files (to replace items that are linked already), though.

#14

hmmm. I’ll give it a go!

#15

I did a number of small last second adjustments this time; I’d forgotten to pack the texture for the scoring!

Also, I took your advice, SolarLune. It seems functional at least! :smiley:

Another edit… I forgot to give the controlls!

On the temporary menu screen:

use the mouse to move the cursor, LMB to select the option.

In game:

Left/Right: Move accordingly.
Space: Jump
R: restart the level.
esc: quit

A note on Wall-jumping:
I hate difficult maneuvers, so in order to wall jump, DynamiX only requires you to hold the arrow key you initially press in order to jump between the two walls. Simply spam the space-bar to ascend!

#16

Level 2: The Belly of the Beast layout complete!

lvl2.jpg1087×1112 191 KB

The theme is derived both from the artwork and the new mechanic introduced in this level: BADDIES!!!

That therefore, is my next goal: create badguys.

Also: I recieved confirmation that the demo has been downloaded at least twice, but I’ve gotten no feedback yet… I’d love some critiques on the gameplay and such before I get too much farther into it.

#17

Ô yeah, sorry.^^’
The Basic Idea with switching the Walls (or however in the World this totally surrealistic Concept could be called) is great and works great. I really enjoy that Feature.
The Gameplay and Controls are very smooth, however I find doing Walljump pretty tricky – at Times I felt pretty lost, therefore.

And maybe it is just me, but even for the first Level I find mere Collectible-Collecting a bit unmotivating. The Level seems still very huge for an Introduction Level and searching every Corner for Collectibleswithout anything else to happen… well, I would prefer the Level with the Badguys, therefore, but that is probably my Taste: Other People seem to like collecting Collectibles, I personally have no Motivation when it comes to Collectibles for the mere Sake of Highscore or Progress. (I rather like Collectibles that can be used for something.)

As well, I know that this is a Work in Progress, though after some Time the Lack of Sounds and Music became mildly dull. (Well, I am one of the Sort who makes Music pretty much at the Beginning of the Development, so no Wonder I bother, but on the other Hand, not even the official Outcast Demo had Music in it – I guess it is a common Thing.)

#18

I’m liking this, nice simple games can be a lot of fun. It reminds me of the old style of game play back from when i was a kid playing on rubber keyed spectrum’s.

I do agree with C.A.Ligari about the audio. When the only 2 senses you can stimulate with a PC based game are vision and sound it is important to utilize them both. I personally turn down ingame music after i have heard it a couple of times, but the sound fx are really important. maybe you could add sounds for walking, jumping, falling, wall climbing collecting coins etc

hope you enjoy finishing this off, good luck

#19

Thanks a heap for the feedback C.A.Ligari, and Gyp; this is exactly what I needed!

First off, I’m thrilled you liked the basic concept: that’s more or less all it is ATM! Many of your concerns are very similar if not identical to mine! So here’s my proposed solutions:

1: The wall jumping can get a bit iffy, I’ll go through the script again and see if I can pinpoint any specific issues. It would help a ton if you would be so kind as to elaborate a bit though. I’ve grown so used to the manuever that it’s become rather easy for me to pull it off, and I’m not sure where the difficulties lie.

2: Regarding collectables: I agree that simply gathering stars for no point or purpose is rather monotonous. I haven’t really added an effect, mostly because I’m still debating what exactly they should do. Over the course of the weekend, however, I compiled a list of probable collectables with more meaningfull effects:

~Stars: Collect all in a level (significantly less than 2000 in the finished product) in order to unlock something special. Not sure what yet; it could be various color schemes, or bonus BGM tracks, etc.

~Spinning Crystals: Activate a brief “Flying effect” in order to rush around faster.

~Dissapating arrows: Redirect gravity.

~Green pointer: Temporarily activate a guide that orbits the character and points in the direction of the nearest “Goal” object.

~Miniature BNB Character: Activates temporary invincibility.

Also, do you think it might break up the monotony if I added a few hazards in the first level?
I do want it to be rather large, since the mazelike attribute is intended to be one of the key features of the game. As a result of that and limited time; I’m bumping the level count down to ten.

3: And as regarding Sound effects and most importantly (In my mind) the Music; I’ve been putting off adding sounds until I get all of the main features compiled; but if it will help, I’ll make some basic sounds a priority on my to do list. As far as music goes; I haven’t decided on a particular style yet, (It might feature several completely different themes anyway) and while I’m not honestly a very good composer, I really want excellent musical accompaniament. I’ve put a lot of thought into it, but the creative process is slow for me when it comes to music.

Again thanks for the imput! I’ll do my best to remedy any weaknesses in the game!

#20

Walljump: My Problem is to understand when I have to press which Button. In the first Place I would guess that I had to hit the Direction facing away from the Wall that I am hanging at, but at the same Time I need the hit the Direction towards that Wall or otherwise the Player Character will immediately fall off. Now, whenever I managed a Walljump, I only could hit the Buttons wildly because I was not sure how it would work, and I haven’ figured it out after several Attempts of restarting the Game.

Collectibles: I am mostly interested in the Gravity Changing Arrows! :smiley:
I just love to walk along Walls freely eversince Prey. :wink:
(It would, in Fact, make for some good Puzzles, I suppose. However, your Game does not (yet) seem to be very puzzulesque.)

And yes, add some Hazards in the first Level already, but just a few.
However, even though I understand that the Maze Aspect shall be one of the Essentials, the first Level should be kept very small, for the Player to learn the Basics and in Order to get a first Feeling for everything. Even if this Game will strongly build up on the Maze Aspect, you must (and surely do) understand that Mazes can be a true Pain – but it is like with the Frog in the cooking Water: If you throw the Frog into the cooking Water, he will jump out immediately, though if you have him sit in cosy Water and heat it up Bit for Bit, the Frog will not recognize that much how much a Pain it becomes.
The potential Players are the Frogs, the Mazitude of your Mazes is the Water’s Heat.
So, in Order not to turn off the potential Players, as I for Example feel no Motivation to complete that first Level, start out small and become bigger with each Level.
You don’t have to throw the current first Level away, you can make it the second Level, when you have put a few Dangers into it.

Yeah, a few Sounds would help. Though when it comes to Music, then there is one single Thing that I have learned within the several last Years:
Overthinking, overanalyzing
separates the Body from the Mind,
withering my Intuition,
leaving Opportunities behind.

EDIT:
However, from what I can judge due to your Games simple and abstract Visuals that almost look a Bit 8-Bit: Go for simple Tunes that lose in abstract and surreal Distance, but keep an Arcade-like Fun-Feel to it. Mostly use some some outworldishly distorted Sinewaves and such, keep Drums quiet but present, make Use of a good Balance between Monotony and enough Variations.
(Think Tron Legacy)