Current public build: Play Build 169
2.4.2012 – Nothing new to test. This is just a devlog update. To show that i still work at this game. And i do 
I thought i can get away with shaping one level in two weeks. That was highly optimistic as it turns out now. Things goes amazingly slow at the moment. Creating the furth level, an outdoor level, has cost me around three months of testing and tinkering around and trashing things and code until it was finally where i wanted it to be. Not better with level 5, another outdoor level at which i work at the moment. Weeks are already gone again, and i am still miles away from being finished with it.
I initially had planned to create around 20 levels. Plus four or five bosses. That`s most probably not possible when i continue in the current way. I have to dramatically speed up things when i want to finish this game in my lifetime. Simpler graphics, simpler level design, simpler everything. Yet still good looking and fun to play. Let`s have a look if i can find the right compromise
9.11.2011 – Alister Build 166, Prototype 4
Here comes the next prototype version. I´ve changed some things, have fixed some bugs, and there are three complete levels now to play. The current size is around 40 mb.
The next version may last a while. I need around two weeks to shape a level. And the next version should be a beta version with all levels. I don`t want to release the game in pieces, heh.
EDIT, small update to Build 169. There was a barrel not rolling, i did some more drawcall optimizations in the third level. And i hopefully have fixed the joypad issue.
11.10.2011 – Build 114. Prototype 3 of Alister
Play it here, around 20 Mb: Play Prototype
I am still miles away from a finished game, it is again just one test level. And still not solved is stuff like shooting. I don`t want to make a shooter game at all. And i am at reinvesting the movement at the moment. I`m not really happy about the weak control in air. We will see if i am able to come up with something better. The movement code is something to get mad at. The Unity manual just gives the most basic hints, and is of no real help as usual …
This build is mainly about graphics. And defines the further look of the game. And i have added a few new things like a button and a ball. The ball to reach the one book (to make the ball swimming was a drama at its own), and the button to reset the ball in case it drops at the wrong location into the water. I have removed the lava from the level and have replaced it by water. Lava will probably come back in later levels. And finally i did a few changings under the hood that are not really visible.
Back to work.
12.9.2011 – A small update. The prototype has changed a bit.
I`ve purchased a plugin that gives you realtime shadows in the Unity Free version. This volume shadows has its pitfalls though. For example that it shines through walls and ground. Still not sure which way to go. Projector shadows are even nastier.
The updated prototype also contains some first lightmapping tests. And i`ve experimented with the best workflow to shape the level graphics. First i was happy with some external shaped geometry. With one mesh per material. But as it turns out i will get in trouble with the seams that way. A precision problem. In some corners i can look through. I have to rethink my method i guess.
All in all: Lots of testing, lots learned. Still lots to do, heh
3.9.2011 – After a break of around one year i have picked up Unity again, and have started to develop a little 3d jump n run. Title of the project is Alister. The first steps for this project was made in may this year.
Here comes a first prototype now. A roughly shaped level with placeholder graphics where you can walk around in. The prototype is nearly feature complete. The movement works as thought, the leveldesign with its hurdles and traps does already its job. Time to publish the baby to collect a bit feedback
There`s still a lot missing to have a complete game. There is no menu, there is no automatic level restart (works in the standalone, but not in the webplayer version), you have to do that manually with F5. The collisions with the spikebowls and the barrels is also still troubled. I tweak at the game balance nearly at a daily base, and and and …
Don`t expect anything fancy yet. This is just a first working prototype, and i am still at learning Unity. But as you can see, it goes forward
Congratulations!
The prototype is very good. With some more tweaking and textures it will be a great game.
Thanks
This will need its time though.
Hallo Reiner -
könnten sie den Prototyp vielleicht als .exe oder ähnliches veröffentlichen?
Ich habe Probleme mit dem Unity-Web-Player, da würde mir eine ausführbare lokale Datei schon aushelfen.
LG Bennz
Sorry, aber auch noch zusätzlich eine Exe zu pflegen fehlt mir die Zeit. Es gibt eh noch fast nichts zu sehen. Es ist ein Prototyp. Was für Probleme hast du denn mit dem Unity Webplayer?
Der Ladebalken bleibt jedesmal auf halber Strecke stehen.
Wartet man noch eine Weile tritt ein Fehler auf – mit der Meldung das es einen Fehler gab und ich es nocheinmal versuchen soll. Was dann in der gleichen Meldung endet.
Ich würde dein Projekt wirklich gern mal sehen. Arunderan fand ich schon ganz lustig.
Ich warte dann wohl bis es published wird – vorfreude ist die beste Freude.
Demnach – man liest sich.
Seltsamer Fehler. Sorry dass ich dir da nicht weiterhelfen kann. Vielleicht hilft es ja den Unity Webplayer noch mal überzuinstallieren.
Es klappt jetzt mit dem neuen Prototyp – wer wisse warum
Gratulation zum Spiel – ich finds jetzt schon sehr gut!
Na also
Very nicely done I really like it all but the character turns so fast makes me dizzy
I am also learning to use Unity. Started at the beginning of the year and started taking the lerps tutorial as a base recently.
Hm, and i thought i have the right balance already. Character turning is a thing at its own. Too slow turning means slow reactiontimes. Too fast means no fine control anymore. I will have a look to tweak a bit more at it
After playing it again it actually turns just fine and also still easy to align the guy with a controller or keyboard. Maybe just slow the camera just a little to keep the speed of the turn not hitting the eyes all at once. Here is what I have come up with so far but I am having problem with the character turning properly. Mine walks forward for some odd reason when he turns. I think I am not hitting my head on keyboard right
http://www.ihdlive.com/dev02/01/WebPlayer/
Hm, making the camera a bit slower is also no option. Then it gets too often stuck in walls. Finetuning, heh …
You use the Lerpz movement code from the tutorial, right? I tried that too. But then i realized that this will not work for me. It makes too much trouble to try to use this code. I was even in trouble with just to attach my own animations. I couldn`t find the right place for it. It`s better to write your own movement code. And that`s what i finally did. The lerpz tutorial is a nice first step. But a dead end when you really want to make your game with it
Wow, spent a few days trying to get the lerpz tutorial one to work, spent about a hour writing one that works. Thanks for the advise wish I didn’t try the lazy way out now. Wasted a lot of time
Try to extend, and you will find out
In the end everything working is allowed. So when it works for you then it`s fine
Hey Reiner,
This looks fantastic. I personally don’t fancy Unity but it’s a great tool for people that don’t want to do actuall programming to get a game done.
I just wanted to tell you that now I’m a senior programmer at one of the “big guys” in the industry and it’s all thanks to your graphics. If I hadn’t had your resources when I was younger and still learning game development I don’t think I could have made it.
I’ll make sure to drink a beer in your honor!
Cheers
Thanks
It`s really great to hear that my graphics have helped you on your way. So they fulfilled their purpose. I drink at your success
Hallo Reiner,
wenn ich schon mal so weit wäre! Wird sicher ein super Spiel, bin gespannt.
Das sieht doch schonmal fein aus. Ich wünsche viel Spaß beim weitermachen