Upcoming game design, FFS Entertainment, and university goals/aspirations. [Archived]

Game Design:

Shadow Kid

Shadow Kid is currently being worked on (and retooled). With some criticism coming in on the early concepts, I'm going to scrap some storyline ideas and add some new ones in in order to have the story more diverse and original. Shadoe did a lot of work on the story and coming up with background concepts for the characters themselves while I try and work on some of the gameplay mechanics for the presentation of the early concept of the game in early-November.

My classmate Jonathan will help me build the project itself and help me design the levels, and Myles, Shadoe and Megan will be largely composing the music for the game.

I'm currently writing up documentation of the game and it should hopefully be posted by tomorrow. We'll see what happens there.

If you would like to join the Shadow Kid Development Team, send me a message on Facebook here with a basic application with your strengths and what you can bring to the development team. After you do that, send a request to join the Shadow Kid Development Team.

Dojo Adventure

The game is finished (finally) and I updated the game to version 1.1 (it can be downloaded here). I have been getting some feedback (mostly positive) from friends and other developers on the game, but as of right now no one has downloaded version 1.1 yet. It has some fixes and modifications and what not so I encourage everyone to download the newest version and continue any feedback. I largely appreciate support for the project and I'll continue to patch issues and what not where needed.

FFS Entertainment

I'm currently writing a Kingdom Hearts themed skit for FFS Entertainment meeting this upcoming Saturday. While I cannot reveal any specifics, it's going to be funny and much improved in filming over Secret Agent Yachiru and Talking with Jon.

You can see some of our existing skits of FFS Entertainment on our YouTube page.

College

Last, but definitely not least, I've somewhat finalized my schedule for the upcoming quarter. It's going to be less stressful as this quarter (18 units instead of 19) but not by much. The BS Computer Science program is no joke, seriously. I am behind on my Calculus and Physics requrements (out of my own ignorance for not knowing the teachers and limited course offerings) and now I'm paying for it. I'm trying to make up for it though by having almost finished with my general education requirements and going double on the upper division Computer Science classes I need to get the degree. But the stress is slowly killing me. (I'm looking at you, Digital Logic!) I'm glad I know Computer Hardware isn't for me and I only have to take three courses on it.

Winter 2011 Courses:
General Physics I (5 units)
Introduction to Geology (5 units)
Software Engineering (4 units)
Machine Organization (4 units)

Updates to current projects. [Archived]

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while, I have been swamped with various projects that have eaten up any free time I have left.

Dojo Adventure

I'm working on an update to Dojo Adventure that will be done on the 15th, no major content will be added, just addressing the issues and bugs the game has for release.

While the game has gotten mostly positive reviews so far, I'd want to expand into more gamers who don't know me personally so I can receive an accurate response to my work. I'd rather have some honesty than people trying to spare my feelings, so we'll see how this turns out.

It will be posted on RPG Maker Web, PhanxGames, as well as here on the blog. It'll be October Version 1.1 so continue to watch this space. Updates are to come!

Shadow Kid

Development is starting on the new project. Composers have already been picked out and now I'm working on the internal art/development team for the project. More to come on this subject as well.

New Game Project: Shadow Kid (Working Title) [Archived]

Well, since Dojo Adventure is finally done, I'm now wanting to develop the next video game project. Because I don't want to go too into detail and it's really only on pen and paper concepts, I have a tentative title and system that the game is going to be on.




Project Name: "Shadow Kid" (Tentative)
Systems: Windows/Xbox 360
Genre: Adventure/Platformer

Unlike Dojo Adventure (an RPG) this is going to be a platformer. For examples of games in a platformer genre, see below. An engine to develop the game has not been announced yet, but it will either use XNA (Microsoft Visual Studio), or Indie Game Maker ...or even both. :D

Bare Bones Plot Synopsis: (Needs Expansion)

A (currently unnamed) teenager leads a normal life in the big city, until one day the city is mysteriously invaded by shadow creatures. After the shadow creatures interrupt him while on a date with a sweetheart and capture her to an alternate dimension, he jumps through to try and save her.

In this alternate dimension, he must go through several levels in this dark/shadow world in order to rescue his girlfriend and return home. Overtime, the shadows slowly consume the lighthearted boy to gain shadow powers obtained within the alternate dimension.

Items:

Light Shards - Scattered throughout levels. Decrease over time? If light source reaches 0, you will be consumed by the darkness and lose a life. Also needed to use abilities. (See below)

Some Abilities Shadow Kid may have: (Needs Expansion)

Shadow Trap : Utilizes a shadow beam to trap a monster in place so it can be defeated easily or avoided.

Shadow Hide: Ability to use shadow to hide and pass through walls or obstacles, only lasts for five seconds at a time and does not work without a light source.


Inspirations for the game:

These are other games in the same genre to show you what kind of games I want Shadow Kid to be like in design.

New Dojo Adventure version is up! Please read. [Archived]

A preliminary warning if you will:

While the game in essence has been completed, there are still bugs throughout the game that may be addressed later on. I have one important piece of advice that must be said if you are willing to play the game.

SAVE OFTEN.

This way progress is not lost in-case the game messes up in certain areas that call for a reboot. Any bugs or issues within the game should be forwarded to me AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Also, if you're reading this, I am very grateful that you're taking the time to play the game project! I have spent over six years with concepts and other details to try and come with a somewhat decent first video game project. Of course, as it is my first video game project, it is not a masterpiece, probably never will be. But I am pretty proud of the game as a whole and how it evolved from simple pen and paper concepts I conceived in my free time six years ago.

Anyway, without further ado:

Dojo Adventure Download Page

Update on Dojo Adventure Progress (Sep. 28) [Archived]

I know I said I was getting Dojo Adventure finished sometime last week, but as I play through it, I keep finding minor bugs that need to be fixed and improved upon. Luckily, most of the major bugs are gone now, but I am looking to post Dojo Adventure on Amaranth Games and one of their rules specifically states that the game has to pretty much be devoid of issues. Anyway, that's what has been taking most of my time. I may just post the current build of the game on MySpace or Facebook within the next couple of days and let my friends try and catch things I may have missed, but I think I did an overall good job as far as these issues are concerned. Anyway, if you were wondering why the game still isn't up, that's your reason.

First Eorzean Journal. [Archived]

First Eorzean Journal: (Will also be posted on The Lodestone) I officially started Final Fantasy XIV client on the morning of September 23rd just after midnight PST. I can say I had the game on launch day, but unfortunately can say I didn’t make it into the game on launch day. Sad face. Anyway, I am a midland Hyur on Figaro Server who started in the land of Gridania! I picked a Gladiator given that I was a Paladin in a “previous life”, (FFXI). Naturally I'm a sword/shield enthusiast and I like protecting others, so I was naturally drawn to it. I really enjoy the story that is going on with Gridania so far, it’s not as serious as the other two nations at least. Very lighthearted so far – I’m being introduced to all of the guilds available as they try to figure out the Treant I was chased by in the opening scene. Then I had to escort two NPCs through an instanced forest and protect them from Chigoes. Very interesting storyline to say the least, though some of the instances get annoying. Like if I run out too far, it throws me back in the instance, quite annoying. >.< Anywho. Next, I want to talk about our linkshell: “Viva Eorzea”. We formed as a group a couple of months ago and I was pleased on how easy it is to warp to and from the various countries in order to get people linkpearls. One thing I learned from playing is that you can teleport an entire party of 15 to an aetheryte even if people have not visited it before! It is much of an improvement in the ways of travel than FFXI, if you ask me. Our Linkshell: .. Anyway, that’s as much as I’ll talk about for the first entry, more records from my adventures are to come! Oh, and I got killed by a tentacle.

Dojo Adventure Class Abilities [Archived]

Key:
Front - Front line class. Gets priority from monsters and in most cases takes hits before all others.

Middle - Middle priority, will usually get attacked after front line classes but before the rear.

Rear - In most cases, gets attacked last.

New abilities for upcoming September release are in bold.

Swordsman: (Front)

LV 3 - Rally
LV 8 - Blueblade Slash
LV 13 - Aqua Buster
LV 18 - Heal 1
LV 25 - Spiral Blade
LV 28 - Heal 2
LV 32 - One Hit Wonder
LV 35 - Focus
LV 38 - Heal 3
LV 50 - Cleave
LV 70 - Revive 1
LV 85 - Quadraslash
LV 90 - Final Cross-Slash (Final Ability)

Assassin: (Rear)

LV 5 - Fire 1
LV 6 - Rally
LV 7 - Slow 1
LV 8 - Aim
LV 10 - Ice 1
LV 12 - Flame 1
LV 17 - Water 1
LV 20 - Paralyze 1
LV 22 - Wind 1
LV 23 - Blizzard 1
LV 24 - Mute 1
LV 25 - Stealth (Battle)
LV 27 - Confuse 1
LV 30 - Poison 1
LV 31 - Sleep 1
LV 35 - Sacrifice
LV 40 - Quick Strike
LV 43 - Paralyze 2
LV 45 - Slow 2
LV 47 - Mute 2
LV 49 - Poison 2
LV 50 - Fire 2
LV 53 - Confuse 2
LV 55 - Ice 2
LV 60 - Water 2
LV 62 - Sleep 2
LV 65 - Wind 2
LV 70 - Flame 2
LV 75 - Blizzard 2
LV 80 - Flood 2
LV 85 - Tornado 2
LV 88 - Death 1
LV 90 - Octoslash (Final Ability)

Blackbelt: (Middle)

LV 2 - Crit Hit
LV 5 - Iron Fist
LV 10 - Chi Flow
LV 15 - Chi Explosion
LV 18 - Fists of Anger
LV 25 - Tiger Stance
LV 30 - Tranquility
LV 35 - Claw Strike
LV 45 - Rage
LV 50 - Meditate
LV 55 - Dragon Stance
LV 65 - Flame Claw
LV 70 - Ice Claw
LV 90 - Final Knockout (Final Ability)


Paramedic: (Front)

LV 2 - Heal 1
LV 3- Quick 1
LV 4 - Paralypur 1
LV 5 - Sleepur 1
LV 6 - Poispur 1
LV 7 - Sharp 1
LV 8 - Safe 1
LV 9 - Revive 1
LV 10 - First Aid
LV 11 - Mute 1
LV 12 - Recover 1
LV 13 - Paralypur 2
LV 16 - Heal 2
LV 17 - Sleep 1
LV 18 - Divine 1
LV 19 - Reverse 1
LV 20 - Safe 2
LV 21 - Paralyze 1
LV 22 - Recover 2
LV 23 - Divinity 1
LV 25 - Negate 1
LV 26 - Quick 2
LV 27 - Sharp 2
LV 28 - Divine 2
LV 32 - Heal 3
LV 33 - Divinity 2
LV 36 - Paralyze 2
LV 37 - Sleep 2
LV 38 - Divine 3
LV 39 - Mute 2
LV 40 - Paralypur 2
LV 42 - Sleepur 2
LV 44 - Poispur 2
LV 46 - Reverse 2
LV 50 - Revive 2
LV 65 - Negate 2
LV 80 - Revive 3
LV 90 - Rejuvenation (Final Ability)

Elementalist: (Rear)

LV 2 - Fire 1
LV 3 - Bolt 1
LV 4 - Ice 1
LV 5 - Earth 1
LV 6 - Water 1
LV 7 - Poison 1
LV 8 - Wind 1
LV 9 - Fire 2
LV 9 - Flame 1
LV 10 - Confuse 1
LV 12 - Ice 2
LV 12 - Blizzard 1
LV 13 - Bolt 2
LV 13 - Lightning 1
LV 14 - Wind 2
LV 14 - Tornado 1
LV 15 - Water 2
LV 15 - Flood 1
LV 16 - Slow 1
LV 18 - Dark 1
LV 19 - Earth 2
LV 19 - Quake 1
LV 21 - Fire 3
LV 21 - Flame 2
LV 23 - Ice 3
LV 23 - Blizzard 2
LV 24 - Bolt 3
LV 24 - Lightning 2
LV 25 - Earth 3
LV 25 - Quake 2
LV 26 - Water 3
LV 26 - Flood 2
LV 27 - Wind 3
LV 27 - Tornado 2
LV 30 - Dark 2
LV 35 - Nightmare 1
LV 45 - Dark 3
LV 50 - Nightmare 2
LV 65 - Fire 4
LV 68 - Flame 3
LV 70 - Ice 4
LV 73 - Blizzard 3
LV 75 - Bolt 4
LV 78 - Lightning 3
LV 80 - Wind 4
LV 83 - Tornado 3
LV 85 - Earth 4
LV 87 - Quake 3
LV 88 - Water 4
LV 89 - Flood 3
LV 90 - Elemental Wheel (Final Ability)

Hunter: (Rear)

LV 5 - Aim
LV 10 - Stun Shot
LV 15 - Poison Shot
LV 20 - Mute Shot
LV 25 - Paralyze Shot
LV 30 - Blazing Shot
LV 35 - Frozen Shot
LV 50 - Triple Shot
LV 65 - Crescent Force
LV 75 - Quadruple Shot
LV 90 - Disease Shot (Final Ability)

Tamer: (Middle - For Player Only)

LV 2 - Snake Bite
LV 3 - Entice
LV 5 - Scorpion Sting
LV 15 - Eagle Claw
LV 20 - Imp Claw
LV 25 - Bird Swoop
Lv 30 - Ravage
LV 35 - Ram
LV 40 - Regeneration
LV 45 - Dust Storm
LV 47 - Tidal Storm
LV 49 - Ice Rain
LV 50 - Charm
LV 51 - Fire Breath
LV 53 - Thunder Strike
LV 55 - Repurification
LV 65 - Healing Wind
LV 70 - Fire Skean
LV 75 - Bolt Skean
LV 80 - Ice Skean
LV 90 - Reaper (Final Ability)

Magician: (Rear - For Mercenaries Only)

LV 5 - Fire 1
Lv 6 - Earth 1
LV 7 - Ice 1
LV 8 - Wind 1
LV 9 - Bolt 1
LV 10 - Heal 1
LV 11 - Water 1
LV 15 - Fire 2
LV 16 - Earth 2
LV 17 - Ice 2
LV 18 - Wind 2
LV 19 - Bolt 2
LV 20 - Poispur 1
LV 21 - Water 2
LV 22 - Sleepur 1
LV 24 - Safe 1
LV 25 - Heal 2
LV 26 - MagSafe 1
LV 28 - Paralypur 1
LV 30 - Mute 1
LV 32 - Sleep 1
LV 34 - Paralyze 1
LV 35 - Heal 3
LV 36 - Slow 1
LV 38 - Sharp 1
LV 45 - Fire 3
LV 46 - Earth 3
LV 47 - Ice 3
LV 48 - Wind 3
LV 49 - Bolt 3
LV 51 - Water 3