Update: Removed the greenlight link (which is not used anymore). Now plucked up the courage and posted this on steam as coming soon, link to store page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/724630/ArchaeologyX/ I’d love to hear of your thoughts on a game I’m making, I’m calling it “Archaeology X” which is meant to be an archaeology exploring type game. You use your notebook to get clues on where to dig to find for old treasures/relics. Currently I’m working on an Egypt level, but plan quite a few others. Features multiple locations to explore/dig, drive to those if you want. Simulate digging with some effects, anywhere is diggable. I still plan to make digging animations for the player. You tape off dig areas for keeping records, photos Open Notebook with turnable pages Keep Inventory of found treasures, sell to museums or other places Lots more to come… I have some (what I think) great ideas for the game, areas to explore/clues to understand. Hi, I would appreciate your input on this trailer I am putting together, does it look ok or interesting to you? Feedback would be most welcome: [UPDATED]
Thanks for looking! What do you think of my efforts so far, what can improve or can change? e.g. Improve Graphics, more grass etc? I’d like to hear your thoughts or comments if possible, or is that difficult to access before playing?
I think I have the basic mechanics sorted already, now just work on adding all the content.
I like you am very interested in this topic.
There are so many amazing mysteries/history stories that can be told.
I’m not sold on the idea yet if this kind of gene will work with VR, need to try that at some stage, lucky I have a headset to test with, and that Unity makes it reasonably easy to create VR compatible games, whohoo
I think the assets are fine. Assets is always a work in progress and i dont think it should be a big focus for this kind of game. Better to put the energy into the basic game mechanics. Is 100% free roam or will there be any backstory?
Some ideas that comes to mind:
-Museum you can visit that displays your findings
-Some kind of system for “selling” artifacts to the museum to gather funds
-Upgrading basecamp/tools/car whatever
-I think you should make the book a bit easier to read, its no fun if you cant find stuff just because you dont manage to read the text. Better to have some small puzzles and clues hidden in there (which you already seem to have)
-You mention other settings then desert, any ideas there?
Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated, some features you mention are almost done, e.g. museum/trading/inventory. Upgrading tools, could be a good one actually,will consider that.
I have been struggling to make a nice digging animation for the human mesh, so opted just to leave it out for now, I was thinking to do it with finak IK, not blender, can you recommend anything?
It is free roaming, the idea is to read/rely your notebook and try understand where to dig, simple as that…But the scene cannot be endless so have implemented borders (how do you implement endless free roaming in Unity, if not voxel!?). Every part of the terrain is diggable, some places you can dig much deeper than others, or more difficult to dig depending on surface… My notebook is currently not the easiest to read (it’s probably my bad handwriting’s fault done on a tablet with s pen), will spend much more time on the clues/notebook, maybe I want to keep it rough/sketchy though.
On each scene I have a number of smaller treasures players can dig for and then some much larger and more exiting finds that lie and wait to be discovered, it all depends if you can figure out from the notebook where to look/dig. I have a couple stories/scenes planned which take place in other countries, don’t want to give those away just yet.
I agree it should have a sketch/rough feeling to it, i just think that reading the actual text should not be the limiting factor. No idea about the animations stuff, always a hard part. Looking forward to see the development of this one : )
Btw, you have any playable demo out? ; D
Cool, thanks for the feedback! Wow I did not realize about the name No bother, I can change it.But, how long can a game keep the license/trademark, the lucas arts game was made in 1995… so that is quite a while back, wonder if they still have the rights for it. How to find out? Oh actually I just read it was re-released in 2009… Oh well that should answer my question. I’m open for suggestions to the name, maybe “Dig It”?
Thanks for your feedback, I’ll improve the notebook, I’m sure I can sort something out with Final IK, that asset is soo powerful. Ahh yes, a demo would be a good idea, Wonder where I can host something like that. I’d love you to try it
Very interesting idea! I agree with @virror that this might be more interesting with a VR experience, though. Clicking and dragging to unveil a find isn’t as interesting and involving as actually experiencing the dig yourself, even though this could take a lot more work from your end. Hope to have helped!
Another idea i came up with is to do something with languages, like “learning” and/or deciphering old languages like hieroglyphs on ruins and artifacts you discover, and that way maybe get more clues or just general lore.
This is a pretty interesting concept, and one I could see going in all different directions. However I would not go VR route. The concepts given towards VR seem to be a totally different game, not related to this one, although the concepts do sound pretty cool.
The characters walk cycle is entertaining. It reminds me of Conner McGregor ring walk when he enters the Octagon (UFC).
He seems a bit floaty in his swagger and swings his arms in kind of wide swooping arches. It actually is pretty unique looking, although slightly silly. Its not bad, but might be distracting if the game isn’t going for a comical vibe.
Quests for this could be really cool, and I instantly started thinking of Indiana Jones, but I think this could have more mystery and clues that direct the player towards finds, like Zelda or other adventure type games.
Beyond the search and find concept, is there a protagonist in the game?
It’d be interesting to add some super natural story elements to the game, like the curse of the tombs, and whoever finds x treasure will be haunted by (whatever creature you decide).
Will there be any creatures/monsters in the game?
I could see other archeology teams or adventurers trying to race the player to find treasures also. Like a competition to find the most valuable objects. Maybe the NPC’s place false clues, and the player could also provide false clues to mislead NPCs.
Have you attempted a closer 3rd person - free rotating camera? I think a camera like Uncharted or the Last of Us would be an ideal camera position/view for this type of game. It would bring the player closer to the dirt and give him/her a better ability to search for clues, details and hidden content in the environment.
The visuals are obviously WIP and probably will be until last week before release. Consider adding a lot of environment stuff that makes the game seem alive, even if the player wasn’t occupying the area. Little scorpions and camel spiders scurrying by, scarab beetles flying and landing, other animals that can be added from those locals. Dust and sand blowing by. And you really shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to somehow incorporate a mirage effect into the game. Would be really neat.
Thanks for your feedback! The characters is behaving a bit oddly :), I think it is the walk/run animations I 'm using…working on that. I’m planning some jump scares maybe Do you think that will work? Am adding multiplayer on the todo list so as you say teams could find things the fastest. You can zoom right in so that is almost there as you describe, what you might not see in the video I have up is that when you zoom in that the digging gets more subtle and more exact, also if you don’t dig close you might beak the artefact being found, you have to be delicate when digging around these things! I’m planning on adding many more buildings/a town to walk/explore, animals/insects/birds, snakes that chase you (with navmesh system I’m considering at the moment).
I like the “mirage effect” idea, how can I achieve this I wonder? Some kind of transparent mirror/with vertex swirl effect?
