Level 1 "FIGHT!" Hang on a second, this is an RPG!?

It's Friday and The Shack Keeper Gets to stay in the Shack today. The Melons look strong and round!

I am Happy to report Layout and build of level 1 one is done!!! As previously stated this will be the first dungeon of encountering enemies. Additions can always be made or things changed whenever needed, the building process will always remain fluid no need to lock myself into a design until the game is released. 

Starting today the current focus will be on building and designing level 2. Just so there is no misunderstanding With the word, "done" This means the layout, look and special props are done. This does not include, the music, the programmed events, the common enemy designs the battle backgrounds, etc. you get the idea. There's alot to do but The Shack Keeper remain confident. U.F.F. will be completed. Climb that mountain one rock at a time.

U.F.F. Current Release Date: Dec 2014 

(You need to have goals but since this is anything but a full time job you'll have to forgive me if this date gets extended) The thought of the regular daily grind being anything other than this makes The Shack Keeper Angry...... -_-

Update: Originally I mentioned This game will have 10 levels due to having 10 bosses (concept designs are completed) But after building levels 0 and 1, The random thoughts of having a secret bonus boss has been cemented. Her concept designs are not complete, But it's a GO!!!

Here's this weeks taste of U.F.F:

We have Guy in level 1 standing next to the computer that players will come to know as the Save Station.

Have a Great Weekend!

The Shack Keeper

The Panic Room Presents Itself

It's Saturday Morning, the best morning of the week.

Once again the shack keeper had a long tough grind in the melon fields this week, sometimes riseing up at 6am, and returning to the shack after the moon has risen. But this did not stop creation of the game in the shack on my last weekend, and should not stop progress this weekend, with the exception of the regular shack keeper inside duties, not the least of which is watching over my young shack keeper in waiting.

-Level zero layout and props are complete and built in RPGMVXAce.

-The first common area (Which I have nicknamed, "The Panic Room") has been designed and completed along with some special props, which I am sure will only grow as the game creation progresses ( A variation of this space this will more than likely appear after each level, saving will be done here as well as just before each boss encounter). At least that's the intention.

-Currently bent on designing /building level 1 this weekend, this will be the first true area of encountering battles with random and not so random enemies, as well as the first boss. 

Again at least that's the plan, Though the plans don't always tend to go as perfectly straight as I would like, lately it's due to the creation process of the game changing the game in what I believe to be a good way tends to be the cause. I truly can't complain about vague deadlines not being met when excellent progression given the time put in is being made. 

Each update recently is getting tougher due to half my time being spent on mapping and layouts for dungeons and what-not (I can't give away layouts) but I always try to throw in a new look for my one fan.

Here's a couple of odds and ends for the panic room which I believe still leaves viewers with alot to the imagination without giving away too much:

Also this week a special shout out to, "Swan" from the RPGMAce forums, who is a game designer and artist in there own right,  Swan threw together some buttons to stick into my signature (apparently my chicken scratches done in the blink of an eye weren't up to par  ~_^)

It should be known the shack depicted in the button is from some random manga that no one seems to know the name of. I am not a fan of using non original material but since this is just for a button, and not for profit it would be rude not to use it for a time. I will take a minute out to come up with a similar button and a shack of my own design once some time presents itself.

Cheers Swan, 

  

The Shack Keeper

LEVEL ZERO

Good Morning, and Welcome to the Melon Fields on this proper Friday.

And by proper I mean that The Shack Keeper has the day off, (It's been a long week filled with long hours) Still need to go to the store and round up a few things for the daily grind later but it leaves plenty of room to make progress on the game today and the rest of the weekend.

Above we can see the 2 basic Chests for the Game

Full blown level design has begun! as of last weekend. I have committed to what will be the design for  "level 0" of the game. This level will not involve battles, it will serve to introduce us to the main character, and the situation he has come to find himself in. Might I just say that the 1/1-1/8 quick buttons come in very handy when designing a dungeon. We have reached a point where I need to lay out each level in order to get more detailed with props/sets per level. General design has been fun, but the game is beginning to feel more focused. The Shack keeper knows programming all the events for each level will be a completely different mountain all together. We will start that mountain another day, for now it's time to layout 10 levels.

Cheers,
The Shack Keeper

The Melons Have Called to Me "Progress Update"

Happy Friday!

The Melon Fields had there ups and downs this week, The Shack Keeper had to spend much time in the heat keeping things up to shape. With that said last weekend and today have been productive to say the least. I have played around and come to an understanding of what the power of variables in programming the game can do. I have also begun props, and set dress up for the U.F.F. The Melons have called me in and I need to wake up early and put in at least a half day tending to them on a Saturday morning. Though the Shack keeper enjoys his waffles and coffee on Saturday the Melons call and there is little that can be done.
With that said I leave you with a look at what props can do for a scene. Here is a snap of a game test I did about 5 minutes ago for U.F.F. and what can be described best as the current opening stage look of the game. But be warned nothing is written in stone and until fully blown map/stage design begins all can change in an instant.

Cheers,
The Shack Keeper

Pillars, Archways, Ceilings, Floors and Walls, OHH MY!

Happy Saturday morning to everyone!

Shack Keeper here! Up bright and early after a long week of getting up bright and early, for the daily grind, the big difference being the weekend means it's all about the game. Also took care of my taxes this week as any good american has to do once a year, and off topic I just need to say if your not using Turbotax to file your doing it wrong.
So lets get to the meat of it, still building the world of U.F.F. and lots of good progress. A couple points to talk about I have not gotten into props 3 weeks ago as thought when I posted it once I made some headway on floor and wall auto tilesets:  I thought, alright lets do some props, but that didn't go as planned. I starts to do some props then realized I needed long things, like pillars, so let me tackle that, there went one weekend, then I went back to ceiling and wall auto tiles and realized I wasn't comfortable with using the same look of the walls for the unused areas of the made, tops of walls/ceilings, and there goes another weekend. I am glad to say I am content with the route taken, after some trial and error (and ending up with some new wall auto tiles in the process) I decided going for patterns atop walls etc, to set it apart from usable areas of the map made good sense for gameplay and blended right into the overall atmosphere. Below we can take a look at some finished pillar and ceiling tiles for the game.

Time to keep pushing forward, and I still can not express enough what a great affordable alternative manga studio is over the all powerful Photoshop, which I haven't used once for this project. Again still hate the name manga studio, it gives the wrong impression, but love the program.

Cheers,
The Shack Keeper