Updates Schmupdates

Progress on Overcast is coming along warmly (what I did there... do you see it?). Though we have ruled out the use of xTile as a level editor, we have a physics engine which will make level editing fairly simple as well. Already we have many ideas for weather-based puzzles, the storyboarding of which I shall do. For now, here's a concept art of the main character who we have affectionately decided to name "Al". Apart from explaining jet stream patterns, high pressure zones, and cold fronts to the villagers, he will also literally control the weather with his magical umbrella staff and impressive gut.

Now might as well update you on another course project. For a certain class I have to take a famous master old-timey painting, model it in 3d, and animate things in it. I have chosen Nighthawks by Edward Hopper:

Here's my progress on the lighting and modeling so far, I'm pretty proud of what I have especially how close I think I have it to the actual angle and look of the original piece. I have character models ready to go for the people, just need to make clothes and extrude some titties.

Weatherman...cy

So the bollocks news is that Unfathomable didn't make the first cut, though it wasn't as if nobody voted for it.

Instead I get to work on Overcast, a 2d sidescrolling puzzle game about changing the weather to solve puzzles.

You play the village weatherman, who besides explaining high pressure zones and jet streams, actually controls the weather, until his powers are taken away and all goes tits-up. The weather (and climate) can change in instants and it's up to you to get your powers back and stop that nonsense.

So far we have most of what the game will be nailed down in our heads, we just need to flesh out exactly what the puzzles will be like and how exactly the weather changes will solve them.

We decided rather early on on a 16 bit art style, reminiscent of Contra and the old days when all the cool kids were playing games but I was either not born or too poor. Expect some mind-blowing concept art soon.

As sad as I am to see my mind-baby get aborted so unceremoniously, I tried, and if every game developer only worked on the game he wanted to make first, we'd have some craptastic games out there. We are all cogs in this machine and we all gotta turn.