Current actual Alphaversion from 13.4.2013 – Beware! Around 121 Mb. Click to play online with the Unity Webplayer : Play Alpha 0.6.0.2
Same Alphaversion 0.6.0.2 as offline version for Windows. Rar file, 146 Mb. Download
Same Alphaversion 0.6.0.2 as offline version for Linux. Rar file, 154 Mb. Download
To Do List: http://www.reinerstilesets.de/spiele/in-development-alister/to-do-list-alister/
Releaselog: http://www.reinerstilesets.de/spiele/in-development-alister/releaselog-alister/
13.4.2013 – Devlog Update. Alphaversion 0.6.0.2 released, Build 504
And another bugfix release that squishes the reported bugs, like missing levelnames, not displayed bookcounts and not longer working quit in the pause menu. Hopefully i have most of them now. The crash at quit is still there though. Have to wait for Unity here.
I have also chosen another linux export method now. Didn`t noticed that there was an option at all. This method is 32 bit and 64 bit.
On it goes with development and implementing the rest of the game like storyline.
9.4.2013 – Devlog Update. Alphaversion 0.6.0.1 released, Build 494
Alphaversion from 9.4.2013 – Beware! Around 120 Mb. Click to play online with the Unity Webplayer : Play Alpha 0.6.0.1
Same Alphaversion 0.6.0.1 as offline version for Windows. Rar file, 150 Mb. Download
Same Alphaversion 0.6.0.1 as offline version for Linux. Rar file, 150 Mb. Download
This is the traditional point release after the main release release that fixes the most obvious bugs and quirks from the main release. It fixes for examples the names above the teleportergates, introduces the name of the current level displayed in the hud, plus a few other small fixes and updates. I was not able to remove the most obvious bug though. The crash at exit. That`s a Unity bug and will be fixed in Unity 4.2. So we have to wait for that Unity version.
For a complete list of changings see releaselog.
5.4.2013 – Devlog Update. Alphaversion 0.6.0.0 released, Build 487
Alphaversion from 5.4.2013 – Beware! Around 120 Mb. Click to play online with the Unity Webplayer : Play Alpha 0.6.0.0
Same Alphaversion 0.6.0.0 as offline version for Windows. Rar file, 150 Mb. Download
Same Alphaversion 0.6.0.0 as offline version for Linux. Rar file, 150 Mb. Download
Another milestone is online. Unfortunately you don`t really see much about it. The levels are nearly unchanged. There are nevertheless lots of changings and bugfixes. A complete list of changings can be found in the release log.
The biggest changing is the menu. It`s a circle menu now, and exactly as i wanted it to be. I`ve changed the method for this one, and have bought the NGui plugin. It was well worth it, and has saved me lots of time. The current Unity GUI solution is something to get crazy at. And there are savegames now. Three slots to be exact. The game gets saved automatically.
On it goes with some biggies. Make the gameplay and the levels more interesting. That`s where i need new graphics. And i guess i will also change the existing ones here and there.
10.2.2013 – Devlog Update. Alphaversion 0.5.01 released, Build 408
Alphaversion f0.5.0.2 from 9.2.2013 – Beware! Around 120 Mb. Click to play online with the Unity Webplayer : Play Alpha 0.5.0.2
Same Alphaversion 0.5.0.2 as offline version for Windows. Rar file, 150 Mb. Download
Same Alphaversion 0.5.0.2 as offline version for Linux. Rar file, 150 Mb. Download
Big bad showstopper bug. The spiderjail level wasn`t playable anymore. The update to Unity 4 has removed the animations for the doors. And so you were trapped at the start of this level. Of course i couldn`t leave it that way …
9.2.2013 – Devlog Update. Alphaversion 0.5.01 released, Build 407
Alphaversion from 9.2.2013 – Beware! Around 120 Mb. Click to play online with the Unity Webplayer : Play Alpha 0.5.0.1
Same Alphaversion 0.5.0.1 as offline version for Windows. Rar file, 150 Mb. Download
Same Alphaversion 0.5.0.1 as offline version for Linux. Rar file, 150 Mb. Download
This one is a minor update. Mainly a bugfix release. Amazing how much time this few changings have cost. A list of changings can be found here: Releasenote
What`s also new is a Linux version. I have upgraded the project to Unity 4, and this one can export a linux version. I have no clue if it works though 
Now it`s time for all the bigger changings that makes a game a game. Storyline and stuff. This chapter can again last a few months. So be patient.
30.12.2012 – Devlog Update. Alphaversion 0.5.00 erschienen, Build 382
Alphaversion from 30.12.12. Beware! Around 120 Mb. Click to play online with the Unity Webplayer : Play Alpha 0.5.00
Same Alphaversion 0.5.00 as offline version. Rar file, 162 Mb. Download
Old prototype from 9.11.2011. Around 40 Mb. Click to play : Play Build 169
Wow, is it really half a year since my last entry? And over a year since the last version? Unbelievable how the time is running when you have fun!
This time i bring you new material. A first alpha version. With ten playable levels and a somehow useful menu. For the records, this is build 382. I wanted to be much further. But that`s game development.
As written in the previous post, creating the outdoor levels has cost lots of time and more than one detour. But i`ve learned really lots of things. And my workflow is much increased. It stays lots of work to shape a level though. Around a month for one level.
I have shaped half of the once planned levels. That`s why i call this alpha version 0.5.00. Once planned were 20 levels plus one or two bosslevels. Let`s have a look if i can realize it.
For now it`s time to stop, to collect feedback, and to have a look at the big picture. And to try to make the current version playable in a way that it is fun to play. That`s always one of my biggest fears. To create something that doesn`t make fun. Try to analyze a joke and you know what i mean.
There`s plenty of work waiting. The joypad problem is still not solved. Gamebalance is always a very special chapter. Unity`s GUI system drives me crazy. Not talking about optimizations.
Most obvious changings against the prototype: there is no shooting anymore. Alister can still kick though. Alister sees stars now when he is tipping over. Chests are not longer moveable. Too much trouble with the physics engine. And you can die now when your five lives are gone. There is no big penalty yet though. In the worst case you have to walk back to the level you died in. Some sound fx have changed, and lots of new sound fx have been added. Music is more or less completed. Maybe i need a bossfight song when i decide to create a bosslevel.
Now´s also the time to give feedback and comments. I cannot guarantee that i will implement every wish. And i will surely not reinvent a second Super Mario. But i am open for suggestions. And bug reports are always welcome
I also have to start a To Do List. I think about jumping at the head of the enemies at the moment to kill them. That would make sense to the spiders. Let`s start some experiments
To be continued … 
20.5.2012 – Devlog Update. Again nothing new. Just a new screenshot. See above. And a short piece of text.
The screenshot shows with what i am still busi with. Still level 5, an outdoor level. And i am of course still not finished. The traps and enemies are still missing. But i am finally finished with the level graphics. That one made me crazy.
I have trashed the old way to use the heightmap based unity terrain, and create the landscape from geometry now. It`s technically impossible to give the Unity terrain the for a platformer needed sharp corners. The heightmap itself cannot have sharp corners. And when i add extra geometry for this needed corners then i end in very visible transitions. Which gets even increased by lightmapping. So i use geometry now instead.
Advantage: i can build sharp cliffs and even caves now. Disadvantage: it costs much more time to create the level geometry in a modeler. And i cannot use the Unity terrain features anymore. Fortunately there is a plugin that gives me at least some of the Unity terrain functionality back. Namely texture splatting so that i can mix several terrain textures. And of course the placing of trees. Grass is something that i will leave alone for now though because of performance reasons. But that one is quickly added at a later point in case i really decide to use it.
This search for the best way has cost me around two months of unnecessary work now. Well not really unnecessary. I have learned a lot. But i hope that i can create the rest of the levels a bit faster now. Anyways, the for this project planned 12 months are gone, and i am still in the middle of nowhere. Seems that this game will keep me busy for around 2 or even 3 more years. Funtime ahead
On it goes with planning what traps and enemies fits into this level. And with shaping two or three things …
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
Hallo Reiner,
ich habe gerade deine Alphaversion 0.5 angespielt und möchte dir hier gerne dazu ein Feedback abgeben.
Zur Steuerung:
Das “Strafen” fühlt sich viel zu langsam an, vielleicht sollte man die Geschwindigkeit davon erhöhen (benötigt dann wahrscheinlich eine neue Animation – vielleicht einfach die Laufanimation übernehmen nur mit gedrehten Kopf in die Blickrichtung?)
Beim Springen werden die “drehen” Tasten plötzlich zu einer “strafe/seitwärts” Bewegung, während die “strafe/seitwärts” Tasten hingegen keine Auswirkung auf den Sprung haben.
Zum Levelgarten:
Ist wirklich schön designed. Beim antesten habe ich die Möglichkeit vermisst, das Level wieder verlassen zu können, nachdem ich eines erwischt hatte, dass ich aus der vorherigen Version schon kannte.
Vielleicht noch eine Art Anzeigemögichkeit wieviele Bücher von den Möglichen man bereits eingesammelt hat? Vor allem in Hinsicht auf meinen nächsten Punkt.
Motivationsfaktor:
Was mir am meisten aufgefallen ist, dass ich derzeit keine richtige Funktion/Nutzen für die Bücher sehe und mir dann die Motivation fehlt um sich die Mühe zu machen alle einzusammeln. Bisher ist für mich die Hauptmotivation die ganzen Hindernisse und Sprungpassagen zu meistern um durch den Level zu kommen.
Man könnte z.B die Level nacheinander freischalten. Man gibt dem Spieler immer die Möglichkeit zwischen 2-3 Leveln zu wählen und erst ab einer bestimmten Bücheranzahl werden die nächsten Level freigeschaltet. Oder getreu dem Motto “Wissen ist Macht” kann man die Bücher zum freischalten von neuen “Fähigkeiten” einsetzen, die einen vielleicht höher springen oder nach einem Sprung gleiten lassen?
Naja ich kann natürlich nicht genau wissen, wohin genau du mit deinem Spiel willst und was du schon weiteres geplant hast
Finde es jedenfalls toll, wie weit du schon damit komplett alleine gekommen bist.
Danke für dein Feedback
Springen ist so gewollt. Man soll sich in der Luft nicht drehen können. Strafe ist für die nächste Version schon leicht erhöht. Mit Strafe quer zur Blickrichtung laufen möchte ich nicht, sorry.
Das mit der Motivation kommt natürlich alles noch. Es fehlt ja noch die komplette Storyline. Das ist die reine Spielmechanik im Moment. Da kommt dann auch das Freispielen der einzelnen Levels. Das ist natürlich geplant. Was dann die Chance vermindert ein Level aus Versehen zweimal zu spielen. Und ich glaube man kann auch jetzt schon ein Level mit Esc beenden wenn ich mich noch recht erinnere
Du findest übrigens hier die To Do Liste. Da kannst du sehen was geplant ist und was der Stand der Dinge ist:
http://www.reinerstilesets.de/de/spiele/in-development-alister/to-do-list-alister/
Hey, small bug after playing for a short bit.
In the spikey castle, with the 2 moving platforms over the water, if you do any sort of attack (fire or kick), you no longer move with the platform.
I tried jumping back onto the platform, but it still didn’t move me with it.
Also, i know this was on the suggestions list in the ‘to-do’ page, but i thought i’d just re-state it: it would be wonderful to have some more camera control, besides what the character is looking towards. Possibly a limit to the angle? (can only look 60 degree’s left or right of the caracter’s view… like the turn of a head)
Thanks for having a look empirebattles
I have already removed this platform in the new version, and replaced it by something else. I hope this fixes the issues. At the latest tests the character didn`t loose the friction anymore. Fingers crossed.
Cameracontrol. Hm. Difficult chapter. There is already the posibility to have a sniperview with which you can look around. Hold down Shift, and navigate with the arrow buttons. This gives you the full 360 lookaround
Hello!
I found a bug that the portals are triggered even with the fire particles that Alister fires.
That`s a nice find. Many thanks. It`s at the bugs list now. And will be fixed with the next version
Oh, and something else.
Not actually a bug, but…something….
When the camea collides with a wall or obstacle moves near to the player.
The problem is that you see through the wall at the very first moment.
Yeah, i know the problem. But there`s nothing i can really do against it, sorry. When i set it up so that the camera doesn`t look through the wall then the movement of the camera makes you seasick when you touch a wall. It gives you very quick chaotic flickering movement pictures then. That`s why i prefer to have it a bit slower, with the drawback that you can look through walls a bit sometimes.
You can make a raycast 1-2 units from the sides of the camera, so it triggers the movement the reycast hit and not the camera itself.
Hm, i see. Interesting approach. I enter it in the suggestions section. Thanks