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1

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: Yesterday at 08:30:07 pm »

Quick weekly update:
- I've decided not to try to attend SAGE this year anymore. I really wanted to just crunch in order to make it in time, but the harder I push myself the less productive I seem to get so that's going to work. The full public demo with ALL original assets is going to have to wait. (For those disappointed, you are always free to contact me for private demo's in the meantime).

- Having made that decision, and to recharge my energy a little, I've decided to also work on fun things not needed in the upcoming demo. For example: the final boss of the game. I'm quit proud of the final boss concept and coding that's already there. Maybe you've even seen the video of it on twitch from the older demo's. Now image what I could do with an actual artist helping me out. 
The spriter is currently working on the first batch of sprites and it's looking awesome, trust me.

- Also, all music for the demo is now done and implemented. Next I've started working on replacing the various sound effects, though it'll be a while before that is done (without throwing lots of money at the problem).


Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.87 (13 aug 2022)
* Worked with artist on walk animation
* Implemented new dungeon music track
* Worked with artist on final boss sprites (=not in demo)
* Did a lot of reseach and planning

v0.26.88 (14 aug 2022)
* Worked with artist on final boss sprites (=not in demo)
* Replace small amount of sound effects
* Did a lot of reseach and planning

2

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: August 07, 2022, 08:41:11 pm »

Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.82 (1 aug 2022)
* Further tweaked “Enter Name” and Title page details

v0.26.83 (3 aug 2022)
* Further tweaked visuals “Enter Name” page

v0.26.84 (5 aug 2022)
* Tweaked character movement animation for some directions
* Edited visuals for hitswitches
* Created and implemented new visuals for keys
* Fixed a broken button in the demo dungeon
* Put out new animation commissions
* Put out new music commissions
* Further tweaked visuals “Enter Name” page
* Updated splash screen and game icon
* Tweaked tiling in demo dungeon basement

v0.26.85 (6 aug 2022)
* Updated game installer mode visuals (in case I ever want to enable an installer)
* Tweaked visuals dungeon map page slightly
* Fixed issue with ledge jumping in one of the demo dungeon F1 rooms
* Updated and implemented visuals for new dungeon map, compass and key/chest
* Fixed sound issue when entering the demo dungeon basement
* Alligned character arrow colors

v0.26.86 (7 aug 2022)
* Tweaked and implemented new visuals for bow, arrows and arrow upgrades
* Tweaked and implemented horn sprite
* Tweaked HUD visuals
* Further tweaked visuals starting page
* Replace one of the smaller fonts
* Slightly tweaked item menu visuals
* Music files are now stored inside the executable
* Tweaked visuals ”File selection” page

3

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: July 31, 2022, 08:22:14 pm »

Here's another quick update to complete the week:
- Had a few days off from work so I was able to make more progress then normal.
- The animator I mentioned earlier delivered good work, so I've asked him to work on the other hero movement cycles next. While I can animate our little adventurer myself (check the attachment) I'm very slow at it. This artist also take quit a bit of time to deliver, but having twice the production speed is still a huge step up from before.
- The overworld track is in and ended up as quit the earworm. (Keeping it a surprise for now). Since the next demo won't have an overworld just yet I've been using it as the new title music instead.
- All demo dungeon objects are now fully finished. So that's yet another milestone done.
- As for progress to reach a full demo by SAGE in september.... It´s seeming less and less likely that that's possible.
Completing the music, menus and engine should be doable. Items (=rupees etc), sound effects and enemies might be possible if I really go all in and drop the rest. Character animations are taking way longer than I had hoped, so I don't see that getting done. I'll see how it goes for another few weeks, and then make a final decisions on whether I'll skip the event or try for a showing with placeholder assets.

Code: [Select]

v0.26.74 (19-23 juli 2022)
* Worked with various artists on commissions

v0.26.75 (24 juli 2022)
* Implemented destructable wall and pillar in d1 subboss room
* Implemented destructable lights in d1 subboss room

v0.26.76 (25 juli 2022)
* Edited code behind bow usage, so old and new hero visuals can be switched on/off
* Cleaned up the few forum topics that I maintained to clearly seperate this new project from my old fangaming activities
* Lost and recreated one of the new idle animations
* Further cleaned up now obselete tile resources
* Implemented visuals new hitswitches

v0.26.77 (26 juli 2022)
* Tweaked and implemented first new idle animation (= waving)
* Tweaked and implemented second new idle animation (= stretching)

v0.26.78 (27 juli 2022)
* Recoded and title intro sequence and applied new title visuals
* Implemented recent music into the game
* Added new mini menu directly on the titlepage
* Disabled attract mode (for the forseeable future)
* The credits are now also available directly from the options at the start of the game

v0.26.79 (28 juli 2022)
* Moved options screen from file select room directly onto the title page
* Further refined connection between credits and title page

v0.26.80 (29 juli 2022)
* Fixed issue with missing music after credits
* Further changed the starting menu visuals
* Implemented new visuals for menu cursor

v0.26.81 (31 juli 2022)
* Implemented new (placeholder) credits music
* Updated credits
* Put out new art commission for death screen and some other future plans
* Implemented new visuals for the text engine frame

4

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: July 25, 2022, 12:50:48 pm »

Just a quick little update that a malicious third-party actor has flagged one of my topics, on a different forum, as IP infringement. The issue is already being addressed, but it is a good reminder that there are all sorts of people out there. And that it can be risky to publicly release information and builds that still contains placeholder assets. Not a big risk or a big problem, but still. Best to be prudent.

As a result I am going to postpone sharing a public demo for a number of months. Or at least until I believe it to be fully ready. I do apologize for this. People interested in private demo's for engine testing and so forth are always free to contact me directly.


Additionally I'm debating with myself whether or not it's also best to make a seperate topic on here as well for all posts going forward. I'm curious to learn what the rest of you think about this situation.

Also, to end on a happy note: got the new title in. How does it look?

5

Graphics / Re: SpritingBrad´s sprites

« on: July 25, 2022, 12:42:46 pm »

Looking great as always.

6

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: July 17, 2022, 08:50:25 pm »

Just a quicky update this week. The commission results from last week are in but both require a number of revisions, so I can't show or implement them just yet.

Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.72 (16 juli 2022)
* Tweaked visuals flying tiles
* Tweaked small allignement issue on menu quest page
* Fixed situation where Murray talks on the journal page without actual text to speak
* Improved guidance and hints in demo's first room (temporarily)

v0.26.73 (17 juli 2022)
* Spend the day on titlepage mockups, and writing commission descriptions and feedback.

7

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: July 12, 2022, 06:52:20 am »

A quick week summary:
- Had some more time off from work, so there has been a bit more progress then normal. The dungeon 1 tileset is now fully completed and I'm tackling the last objects next. Need about 5 more sprites for those; two of which will take some extra time because I'll have to get help on them.
- Another enemy has been given a facelift. For dungeon 1 that leaves about 8 more enemies to do next. Including the more complex humanoid enemies which I'll also need an animator to help with.
- Commissioned a length overworld music track from a new composer earlier today. Which is very exciting to hear the results of.
- I'm also in contact with a pixel animator, who's getting a first small commission to see what he can do. Hopefully this will pan out well, so we can finally start making rapid progressing on the character animations.
- Preparing a new commission for the established object/tile artist. Still working out the request details, but I'm considering to have her start work on the next area already.
- I'll probably write up a more wordy progress report soon, to also post on other forums. I'm not actively advertising the game before the first demo is fully done, but it can't hurt to slowly get into the habit of posting more.

Also, here's another screenshot to show the progress compared to an image I shared

Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.65 (4 juli 2022)
* Fixed flickering at the end of idle animations on the file select screen
* Tweaked and implemented new sprites for pots

v0.26.66 (5 juli 2022)
* Tweaked sprites and colors of chests (to make them stand out more against the tilework)
* Created and implemented the last missing dungeon 1 tiles:  pit edges
* Made progress fasing out now obselete old dungeon 1 tileset resources

v0.26.67 (6 juli 2022)
* Tweaked HUD coding slightly
* Cleaned up various (now) obeselete tilesets and other graphics

v0.26.68 (7 juli 2022)
* Added some more niche tiles to dungeon 1 tileset

v0.26.69 (8 juli 2022)
* Removed more (now) obselete tilesets (= resources are now also condensed to just a single texturepage)

v0.26.70 (9 juli 2022)
* Implemented new sprites for shallow water
* Fixed room dimensions of one of the dungeon rooms

v0.26.71 (10 juli 2022)
* Added new visuals for destroyed flying tiles snd pots
* Fixed small textbox depth oversight
* Created and implemented new sprites for pressure plates in dungeon 1
* Minor tweaks to the demo after first full dungeon playthrough
* Fixed error in dungeon1 subboss fight

8

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: July 03, 2022, 09:28:46 pm »

Here is an updated version of an earlier screenshot, to show the progress that is being made.
Both the tilework and objects (=doors/pots/switches/etc) for dungeon 1 are now nearly done. Also, the first tester is playing through dungeon 1 to check for stylistic inconsistencies and so forth. Shouldn't be too long now before I'll feel confident enough to send out private build to other testers. Feel free to send me a message if anybody wants to contribute with that.

Once the tiles/objects for dungeon 1 are done, I'll be switching to the next big batch of work. Which will likely be the enemy sprites or the character animations. Depending on how the early sketches pan out.

As for the boss music I mentioned last time: Good news! We now have our very first fully custom piece of music implemented into the game! Along with a few needed jingles. The boss track has a strong opening and a decent tempo so I'm quit happy with the results. And I'm getting a better sense of what questions and information to include when putting out requests / picking composers.


Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.61 (29 juni 2022)
* Game now tracks various more player stats
* Added visuals for pits to the floor below

v0.26.62 (30 juni 2022)
* Further simplified coding behind the credits sequence
* Added stats screen (as part of the credits) at the end of the game/demo
* Fixed surface memory leak
* Fixed screen flicker when returning to the title page from ingame

v0.26.63 (2 juli 2022)
* Created and implemented new visuals for dungeon textpoint
* Tweaked chest visuals

v0.26.64 (3 juli 2022)
* Added and implemented animation for large fires
* Tweaked some animation speeds
* Fixed some dungeon 1 tiling inconsistencies
* Cleaned up some old coding behind the various torch objects
* Fixed being able to use some items while not yet collected
* Fixed a number of small dungeon 1 tiling oversights
* Fixed itembox button indicators misaligning in specific circumstances
* Fixed positions of two d1 chests being swapped
* Tweaked placements of a few d1 objects
* Expanded starting items during the dungeon 1 demo
* Tweaked allignment for some rotated conditional doors

9

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: June 27, 2022, 10:16:28 am »

Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.57 (20 juni 2022)
* Fixed issue with mp bar not refilling in certain circumstances
* Fixed small tiling depth issue in dungeon 1
* Fixed issue with door not opening after coming back to subboss 1 after defeating boss 1
* Fixed issue with sewers entrance not triggering
* Fixed issue with sewers masking not loading
* Fixed item menu navigation oversight

v0.26.58 (22 juni 2022)
* Fixed Murray talk animation directly after opening the item menu and not having a valid item available under the cursor
* Further implemented setup to add menu descriptions per collected item
* Fixed issue with interaction torches vs fire magic
* Tweaked masking of small torches
* Fixed incorrect cannonball animation speed
* Tweaked walllight animation speed

v0.26.59 (25 juni 2022)
* Tweaked and implemented new sprites for big cannonballs

v0.26.60 (26 juni 2022)
* Demo now limited to only the first dungeon
* Implemented the new boss music
* Implemented some new sound effects
* Recoded and cleaned up credits (= contributers, of content that I can't leave in the final product, have been moved or removed)
* Tweaked and implemented new sprites for tall torches
* Made adjustments so my engine actually plays nice with the new gmlive extension
* Tweaked credits speed and added speedup option

10

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: June 20, 2022, 11:07:15 am »

Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.52 (13 juni 2022)
* Tweaked some more object spritework
* Implemented new sprites for conditional doors in dungeon1

v0.26.53 (14 juni 2022)
* Updated map menu sprite for collected secrets

v0.26.54 (15 juni 2022)
* Implemented new sprites for locked doors in dungeon 1

v0.26.55 (18 juni 2022)
* Edited and implemented one of the last sets of dungeon 1 tiles and objects
* Improved some small masking issues

v0.26.56 (19 juni 2022)
* Updated sprites of wall candles
* Updated tiles for smaller dungeon walls
* Finally managed to animate fire believably. Yes!
* Replaced spritework for a few more objects

11

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: June 12, 2022, 08:31:14 pm »

So there's been lots of nice progress last week.
- I had planned to not work on this project much during my days off from work. Working basically two jobs can drain a person pretty badly. But this free time was just what I needed get energized again.
- I promised screenshots over on Discord, so you can find those attached. Let's see where we are at:
So the last batch of dungeon 1 tiles are now being worked on via commission. Work is also already started on some enemies (like the smaller cannonballs in the screenshot) and objects (like the destroyed wall in the other screenshot). I'm not showing latest stuff just yet, but know that there is more progress.
- Overall I'd say about 95% of all the dungeon 1 tilework is now done. Just the hardest parts left  . Objects are about 40% done. Enemies about 5%.
- Purchased the GML Live extension. Haven't had time to play around with it just yet, but it'll probably save 1 or 2 days (!) of development per year. This game is so large already that I have to wait between 10 and 30 minutes for the engine to compile whenever I want to test any type of edit or bugfix. That should now go down to mere seconds, if the code is already running and I've got things set up correctly. Wonderfull!!
- The latest music and spritework weren't ready for this update post just yet, but I've seen the work in progress and it looks and sounds good. For the boss music I gave some Hollow Knight examples so look forward to hearing that in a future post.

Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.46 (5 juni 2022)
* Fixed encountered boss 1 bug
* Added masking for new wall pillars
* Finished adding new tiles for doorways and staircases
* Tweaked character collission masking slightly

v0.26.47 (7 juni 2022)
* Fixed (and tweaked) ledge jumping collisions in south direction
* Fixed character shadow turning invisible after diving
* Updated textengine:
   > Can now handle infinite lines of text
   > Made it simpler to add and edit textinput
* Removed enemy/boss death sound overlap

v0.26.48 (8 juni 2022)
* Implemented new warp tile sprites

v0.26.49 (9 juni 2022)
* Implemented replacement sprites for small cannonball enemy
* Improved animation of new warp tiles
* Cannonball spawn sounds no longer overlap
* Expanded dungeon 1 tileset some more
* Created custom sprites for flying tiles in dungeon 1
* Fixed overlapping flying tiles sounds
* Implemented new sprites for NPC at start of dungeon 1

v0.26.50 (10 juni 2022)
* Further expanded dungeon 1 tileset
* Adjusted dungeon 1 schadow layer for new tiling
* Implemented new flying tile sprites in more locations
* Replaced some more of the last tiles in dungeon 1
* Implemented replacement sprites for breakable floors in dungeon 1 (+expanded object draw functionality)
* Made minor visual tiling edits to dungeon 1

v0.26.51 (12 juni 2022)
* Made a bunch of edits on incoming dungeon 1 tiles and sprites. As well as creating some own new sprites.

12

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: June 03, 2022, 06:25:23 am »

I'll be on a mini-vacation after today, so there won't be any progress update for 1 to 2 weekends.

To make up for that 😁 :
I'm including the audio track that came back from the music job I described earlier. The assignment was to create a track fit for the boss fights, so I don't think it was successful. The audio quality and composition themselves aren't bad though so I might give the creator another chance with more directions. What do you guys think?

On a final note. The new animator I was looking at earlier didn't pan out, so that hunt still continues. Made some more additional small animations myself last week, so there is still a fallback plan if needed.

13

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: May 30, 2022, 06:38:52 pm »

Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.44 (28 mei 2022)
* Further expanded spritework for dungeon 1
* Tweaked various dungeon 1 room designs

v0.26.45 (29 mei 2022)
* Further expanded dungeon 1 tileset sprites
* Tweaked boss sprites

14

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: May 27, 2022, 08:44:00 pm »

The door can be properly opened in this version: https://www.mediafire.com/file/bk2y1hyd0tw6zpv/Zelda+0+25+13+(GM+update).zip/file

You can copy over your savefile into this game.

15

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: May 27, 2022, 06:48:58 pm »

I'll see what I can do. I've switched development to a newer version of gamemaker though, so I might break other things in the process.

16

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: May 27, 2022, 06:38:17 pm »

That's a bug. The door should open after pulling the lever. Sorry about that.

17

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: May 22, 2022, 08:11:13 pm »

Code: [Select]

v0.26.41 (18-20 mei 2022)
* Tweaked commissioned spritework
* Implemented new broken pedestals
* Fixed room layer depth issue due to inherentance
* Fixed some boss 1 sound effects from stacking
* Started implementing new visuals boss dungeon 1

v0.26.42 (21 mei 2022)
* Finished implemented new visuals boss dungeon 1
* Tweaked boss 1 AI to work better with the new visuals
* Redid parts of the setup behind enemy stone/frost/damage pallets

v0.26.43 (22 mei 2022)
* Tweaked and implemented more dungeon 1 wall decorations
* Tweaked and implemented new sprites for breakable wall
* Worked more on spritework

18

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: May 16, 2022, 06:16:08 pm »

Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.40 (14-15 mei 2022)
* Put out new tiling commissions
* Put out first music trial commission
* Added diagonal walls to tileset
* Continued expanding and implementing the dungeon 1 tileset
* Implement new visuals for a few objects:
– small pushable statues
– Dungeon fairy statues (also added animation)
* Fixed broken push trigger

19

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: May 08, 2022, 08:23:42 pm »

Progress report:

Code: [Select]

v0.26.35 (3 mei 2022)
* Made progress implementing parts of the new tileset in dungeon 1

v0.26.36 (4 mei 2022)
* Made progress expanding and implementing the new tileset in dungeon 1

v0.26.37 (6 mei 2022)
* Tweaked HUD
* Continued updating the dungeon 1 tiling

v0.26.38 (7 mei 2022)
* Tweaked HUD (hp now displayed with autumn leaf colors)
* Continued updating the dungeon 1 tiling

v0.26.39 (8 mei 2022)
* Continued expanding and implementing the dungeon 1 tileset
* Implement new visuals for cannonball opening bars
* Fixed visual oversight in the door display script

20

Zelda Projects / Re: Horn of Balance

« on: May 06, 2022, 07:54:59 pm »

Experimented with a few options but the simplest idea seemed to work best. How's this?