This video took way longer than I had expected it would take, but it's finally ready to be shown. This time, we're looking at locations, and all the things associated with them. A full explanation may be found in the video, so I'll just post it:
For those curious, a full explanation of the items found in this video appears after the break.
If you're reading this, I'm assuming you're interested in the technical details regarding what can be found here. So, let's go over them.
- Locations - Locations represent a single area that the player character can be in. A given location contains a number of items, including the background for the location, the hitbox defining the areas the player character can't walk into, the characters present in that location, the foreground elements present in that location, and the transitions from one location to the next. Defining these elements effectively defines a location, and enables Twilight to interact with the things in it. Players can click on both characters and foreground elements in order to interact with them.
- Zoomed view - You can also define which foreground elements may be zoomed into, such that clicking on them will open a new view that shows a close-up of that area of the location in which you can click to examine things in more detail. Defining a zoomed view for a foreground element will automatically cause the player to enter it when he or she clicks on the element.
- Evidence presentation - Players now have the ability to present evidence to characters and see their reaction to it, which may lead to new information or new evidence. When defining a character, you can specify both their reactions to specific pieces of evidence as well as their reactions to any pieces of evidence that aren't otherwise accounted for. An evidence presentation is just defined as a conversation like any other.
- Evidence combination - Finally, you can now also specify what pieces of evidence may be combined together, such that combining them can shed new insight on one or both of the pieces of evidence and can result in a logical deduction that gives the player new information. Similar to evidence presentation, an evidence combination is also just defined as a conversation.
Finally, we get to see the foundation of the investigation phase of the game! It looks really good and functional and I can't wait to see you begin work on the other parts of the game.
ReplyDeleteI'm even more glad that you found the drive to get this major piece of MLI done before Season 2! Keep up the fantastic work as always Gabu. ;)
During the rext on locations I noticed you mostly used the term player character but in one instance you named twilight specifically, I was wondering if you were planning to make it possible to control different characters on different cases.
ReplyDeleteThe progress being made is great, and I can't wait until this is finished.
ReplyDeleteIs there any chance that characters will appear to take a physical hit when they're proved wrong like in the Ace Attorney games in the final version?
Nice! I just discovered this game and I'm quite impressed with the fine job you are doing here :)
ReplyDeleteOh man, you included Ghost Trick music for the last bit there. +1 awesome for you, not that you need it at this point.
ReplyDeleteLooking great so far! :D
ReplyDeleteI eagerly anticipate your next update. :)
Looks awesome, man! *brohoof*
ReplyDeleteLike somepony above mentioned, i, too, would like to know if you're planning on having the ponies react the way characters do in AA games when their arguments are shown to be flawed?
I love it so far, I also have a better idea of how its progressing now.
ReplyDeleteThanks all! Your positive feedback is for sure what keeps me going. :)
ReplyDeleteTo respond to a few specific questions:
Player character - if I said "Twilight" rather than "player character" that was a mistake. Twilight is the player character in this case (and is the player character in every case I've got planned thus far), but there's nothing hard-coded that forces her to be the player character, so I'm doing my best to remember not to imply that there is.
Characters taking damage - Absolutely I plan to do this! You can see an example of it already in action in my last video; Twilight takes "damage" when Apple Bloom reveals that she did see Scootaloo running away from the Carousel Boutique.
Will the game just be controlled with the mouse? Would keyboard/Joystick support be added? Kinda like in Ace Attorney Investigations where you can use the touch screen or the buttons.
ReplyDeleteThis is looking really good so far. Keep up the good work!
Looks like fun! I haven't played Ace Attorny Investigations, though, but I love the series!
ReplyDelete@RadioShadow
ReplyDeleteMotion in the field is controlled by the keyboard right now, although I plan to also add point and click. I may add keyboard support for other areas, but I wouldn't call it a priority.
@Smashmatt202
Thanks!
Will you add keyboard controls to the UI?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteAs above - it's definitely something I'm considering, but I would consider it a "nice to have", which means that at the moment it's not something I'm focusing on at present; that's something that would come once all of the fundamentals are implemented.
Wait... so how WILL this game be played? I rarely if EVER play fan-made games, so I'm not sure what's the standard practice.
ReplyDelete@Smashmatt202
ReplyDeleteIf you're just asking about the controls, the current way things work is that you move the player character in the field using the keyboard, and then everything else (clicking on elements in the field, clicking on characters, clicking on options in character encounters, etc.) is done using the mouse.
Ah, alright. Thanks GabuEx!
ReplyDeletethanks for that :) it works on mac ?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteThe game's coded in C# using XNA, which I'm told unfortunately does not play nicely with Macs. I don't own a Mac, myself, so I can't verify that one way or another.
Wow, this looks amazing. I really like how fluid it seems with interrogations working like psychelocks and happening when you start them instead of being forced at certain times like in the Ace Attorney games. I always think evidence combinations is a really good idea. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDelete