My RPG work in progress, first ever pics - [Strategic combat progress update]

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Two pics from my WIP RPG


Imagine them with AA, blur in the back, SSAO, more shadows, glow and god rays and of course 1.5-2 years of extra polishing :), since the game is far from the finish line

Also added effects and contrast with color grading etc

This is very early to show pics, but i though i should share a little something after 2 years of development

I will post some artwork too later

The combat is real time, with a 4 members party and strategic combat, fixed camera angle with a 1st person “in place” look for extra 3d ness (when hero does not move, can look around in front of him)

Would you like to have 1st person while the hero moves as option ? This would not work in combat though since the strategic part would be impossible in 1st person.

Also the hero can not look back (or at least transition to a back look), because i use a lot of 2D and pre-rendered to get the graphics in many stages. Or he could look back if he did not go through all angles between and be an instant or very fast change so the 2D dont seem strange, i will look into that if there is a demand

The pics show 2 of the 6 major different themes in the game and are from areas where you get two of your party members, also these are corridors to the main point of interest in each of these two maps (a lake and the home of your 3rd follower deep in the woods)

The game will make use of all my assets in the store as well (and assets will be updated based on what i create extra for the game needs). The particles and Gi Proxy are already in and working great and the new INfiniDy system will be integraded after the first version is done locally ([WIP ASSET] Project "INfiniDy" REVEALED !!! - Automated Procedural Design and Manipulation Framework - Community Showcases - Unity Discussions), starting with InfiniTree ([Big upgrade offers - Save $600 !!âś…] InfiniTREE PRO-Procedural Ltree generate, growth & dynamics - Community Showcases - Unity Discussions & [SALE] InfiniTREE - Procedural tree generation-growth, Multithreaded batching & Forest management - Community Showcases - Unity Discussions). The sky, clouds, seasons and weather will be handled by Sky Master (http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/sky-master-one-draw-call-volumetric-clouds-demo-weather-cycle-light-beams-unity-free-pro.277618/page-3).

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Here is some artwork from an enemy, i will post artworks in this second post to keep it clear

http://www.imgnow.net/uploads/714080483714060624MY_2D_ITEMS_2.png

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I really like it. As I said in your Reddit thread, it indeed needs polishing but that’s what making a game is, right? You’re building in big blocks now, but those blocks will get smaller and smaller as you’re adding and refining details. I hope you continue, I will be watching your thread!

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Thanks :), i will try to post some of the more detailed pics, i just want to prepare them perfectly to be close to the final version.

I guess i will start working FXLab for the cool blur etc effects

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Some pics from the particle systems i use as base for the game creatures (of course the art is completly different)



Megabook and particles projection, to bring pages to life

Some updates:

Combat:
I am currently working on the combat and the various effects, like freeze and burn of enemies and adding more skills to distinguish the various party members to casters, brawlers etc

The freeze effects are now really cool and have optimized the scripts as much as possible and will release them as part of Particle Dynamic Magic v1.3 too.

Spell book:
Since the game is based on cool spells and strategic combat, the spellbook is integral part of the experience and is now powered by Megabook, it is also getting very cool and has opened a world of new possibilities to showcase spells

Enemy variety:
The particle systems i use for the spell effects, will also be used to make variants of enemies, like flame, ice,ect giants as an example. These creatures wont be affected by their relevant element of course, which makes sense effect and script wise as well.

Bosses:
While playtesting the combat, i got some very cool new ideas of new bosses and ways to kill them. I will probably have different settings in jump heights for the various party members, so that each can target best a specific huge boss body part. Hopefully i will have time this week to impement a first such very big boss and have it killed properly.

Level design:
While levels in the game vary in shapes (rectangular, linear front-back, linear left - right), i have generally impelmented the left-right as small rectangular ones than the classic more confined style. Now i am experimenting with some more linear levels that will offer slightly different exeprience, with more focused and pre-defined combats. For example now a giant is holding a main bridge and there is no way around it. I think will add another layer of strategy different than the main one, which combines tower defence and real time combat.

The party members may have a less important role in these levels, and maybe only one of them will be the key to passing certain points, than their combined abilities which are crucial in the main rectangular level combats.

Traps:
After the last ORK update i can fully implement traps that will do various effects to both allies and enemies. The first few are already setup and work great. I use particle swarms to trigger bee swarming and attacking around the target and various new effects.

Enemies:
The new Protofactor crab has been changed and particle treated to create 3 new variations. This asset is really with limitless possibilities, i am only starting with it :slight_smile:

I will add more later :slight_smile:

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Looks good ,Keep it up.

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Thanks :slight_smile:

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Really like the environment screenshot.

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Thanks :), this is only a small teaser too

Cant wait to show more and the more detailed areas (points of interest like villages, cities, creature dwellings in forests etc), though these might be spoilers :slight_smile: and will keep them for later, when i also add the Pro effects to give the extra next gen look (like light shafts, color grading, blur etc)

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Some new artwork for the game. Usually i do many more iterations after that draft before coloring and adding to the in game compedium. Scan and redo parts i dont like etc (like the legs of the frost giant :slight_smile: )

The sword will probably be on the asset store too when i finish with it, in the Dragon Swords pack (when i manage to put them together anyway :slight_smile: )

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I hope you continue, I will be watching your thread!
Good luck

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Thanks, this is a project i am doing in parallel with my other work(s), so will keep it on until it is finished, hopefully in this lifetime :slight_smile:

After i started with Unity, i have managed to craft the world, have setup a good RPG and combat system with ORK and have all creatures i need to complete it, so it is defintly in a much better state than 2 years back when i was rather sceptical about the whole project. Now i feel it is doable.

The biggest concern i would say is the way i will give breath and character to the heroes, this is not something i have mastered yet and while some of the dialogs / cutscenes feel right, there is a lot of ground to cover in that. Maybe when i am done with combat and RPG/quests side, i can focus better on that aspect and then it may seem easier :slight_smile:

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More new art for the game, shroom necklace

I plan to make this in game with a combination of 3D mushrooms, particle splines from my pack and 2D for the wood detail.

The art will be used in game and appear in the big in game compedium too (like Ni no Kuni book)

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Small creature art

Update:

I am finished with one of the most unique features of the game, which i cant name :), but is so very cool i just have to mention its existence :slight_smile:

Another thing i can mention is the new water i have put in, which i made for Particle Dynamic Magic v1.5 (coming this week, already submitted) and tested with ShaderForge (since i dont have Pro yet).

I can safely say that Unity can create some of the most amazing real time graphics this world has seen, i am at the stage where i just want to drink from this water :).

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The game will probably not be free, since it is a very big project and targets platforms where traditionally the single player games are not suited to the free to play model.

But i do plan to start a Kickstarter if i manage to find help from US (since i am in Greece and Kickstarter does not apply here), so will have a cheap price if all goes well, plus extra bonuses for Kickstarter supporters. Until that happens i plan to keep making the game as complete as possible so the campaign can show a lot of the work in near final stages.

The plan B is to send a demo to MS and Sony and see if i can get funding and support there, in this case though the price would be out of my hands, probably the IP too :slight_smile:

The game will ideally support PS4, xbox one and PC, without a specific order.

I also want to have friends join in the battle as one of the 5 companions, the how and in which platforms this will come is TBD.

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Thanks a lot for the interest, every bit will help with this project. Especially high morale :slight_smile:

I just finished with intitial creature state handling in ORK, so monsters may appear gradually from the ground before enter combat or make a roar or an initial fast rush etc

The small details like this give a more cinematic look

Also added two more spells in the spell book (in full 3D, using megabook asset and dynamic effects from my particle pack) and refined the lightning in the latest map i am working on for late evening state. I hand create the lightning in each stage for 3-4 day times and try to assign these moments in the day cycle so i get the look i want at each time of day, than what a generic day cycle would give.

Today i will implement some ideas on bosses that you will need the special power i talked about above to beat (which is also used in some environmental puzzles as of yesterday :slight_smile: )

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Quick question

What would you think would be the importance of having a very detailed log book ? I have a huge ammount of artwork that i can use to make each log entry more than simple text and give an extra feeling of the world and in each quest

I have implemented this for the first few quests and looks very nice and unique

So, the question is how important would you find this to be in the game ? Would it make a low, medium or big difference in the immersion in the world or would be something you would barely use/notice ?
.

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Spell transition from shape changing ball, to explosion and then with turbulence to target - animated with mesh on target reach.

Some updates:

I have been working on using the new batching in Particle Dynamic Magic for my instantiated objects and going very well, i will also add this standalone dynamic batching mode in the asset store pack when it is finalized.

Also some of the spells will be using the new Transitions module features (coming in v1.6.1 as well) to make live and smooth particle changes for start and end particle effects, using swithcing between 2-3 particle systems and live targets like a procedural sphere for the start of energy accumulation with some bounce force for cool exploding feeling and then a turbulence force step with transition to target, changing to the next particle type for the final effect.

The particle to particle collision effect is already integraded in the game, so that one is ready to be used in spells as well :slight_smile:

I plan to post a small demo for the transition spell here soon

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Ice to energy spell (will be energy to ice in the final form :), just have to swithc particles)

Demo is ready for the spell progress, i have added some extras in the transition module (v1.7) to better handle the motion and reach of target. This is for spells that will be cast and start following the target until burn or freeze it gradually.

The other spell type i have is based on the PDM spray system and is for closer encounters. I use the dual shader for turning creatures to ice after the spell has hit for enough time.

Here is a small demo of the Spell system progress for the game, based on Particle Dynamic Magic transitions.

Webplayer - spell progress:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/79230236/MY_RPG_SPELLS/PDM_MY_RPG_SPELL1.html

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The graphics and art are major parts of the title, i essentially made my absolute dream graphics come true in this one, so the target is medium to high end PC and PS4 for now. Maybe xbox one if i find good funding and get a team to work on further optimizations than the ones already in (or cut back a bit in graphics i guess).

The game is 2.5D, with fixed camera, thus it could get a port to any device if optimized for it, given i already mix 2D for extra speed.

But the priority is to give my dream art and world in full detail first.